RE: shaftin' and other difficulties

[Meaney, Paul]

sam,

 

    In all honesty that is a fantastic idea. I mean - the top 8 teams play each other regularly and get good competition over the weekend. The two tier idea has been proposed once or twice and you are about to get shot down with the following arguments:

 

    (1) you are doubling the amount of tournaments which means we need more people getting involved, finding a venue for 16 teams and doing it. Risky. But IMHO it's doable, as currently there are limited venues which can host an event the size of the tour

 

    (2) how do you handle crossovers? currently each tour there is a 5 - 12 crossover first thing sunday morning which usually holds true. Except you get some huge upsets (like tour 4 last year where 6 teams ended up swapping between top 8 and 9 - 16). So you would need to have both tournaments running at the same time so that those who win can go into the 'Permier League' and those who lose can drop into the 'Vauxhall Conference' on a per tournament basis

 

    (3) how do you handle nationals? do all of tier 1 qualify and top 4 or tier 2? Or those people who have are relegated fail to qualify and  those who are promoted take their place? Or should nationals be open and available to all as a staightforward knockout?

 

    (4) It means that people coming through don't get to see top flight ultimate. Which is not good as it means people don;t come away from tournaments having had the ability to watch top teams play and learn from them, so the rate of learning slows.

 

    Personally Sam I agree with you - I would say you stick with a division for a year. If you finish bottom overall in tier1- you suck and should be relegated. If you then play well the following year, you get promoted. It's pretty simple.It means that you can't have 'one bad game' - you've got to be pretty crap overall and therefore why should you be in that division. Equally - if you continually 'whup ass' in tier 2 - what are you doing there. Come up to the premiership, get the adulation of the fans and have a go at kicking clapham's butt (it's quite easy when you get the hang of it). It happens with most sports that have leagues - football, basketball, korfball-  My korfball team has just finished near to bottom of the BKA (British Korfball Association) National league division 1 and is facing relegation to division 2, where hopefully they can regroup, refocus, examine their weaknesses and come back a stronger team next year. Why should ultimate be any different?

 

It won't happen this year - but it's certainly something worth thinking about.

 

Paul - teamshark

-----Original Message-----
From: sam rey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: 22 March 2002 10:35
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: shaftin' and other difficulties

 

I have played Ultimate for a few years now.  I have watched many players and a few teams, therefore I would like to respond with views (not answers) to some of the comments flying around.  My team(s) have always come in about half way up the seed tables and this is more to do with how they practice and how seriously they take the game.

"The Tour was designed to be elitist, when changed to a 32 team knockout."   I was under the impression that it was to improve the 'top teams' abilities, improve their games standard and give them a better shot at Worlds and on the continent generally.  Has this worked... I get the impression it has.  Even though I am not a part of it, I am glad for those who are, that they have this option.

"Shortage of non-Tour events & more 'recreational' level."  It's true, with all the Official events going on there seems little space for other more fun events, and they have to shuffle around each other in hopes of a date that will produce enough teams to pay for itself.

"Are we losing or alienating some potential outdoor players?"  It take a significant attitude from the organisers of any team to not alienate some players (don't get me started on this subject tho).  It happens, and at various levels.

"Students" last year, approximately a third of our students didn't play either outdoors or during the summer.  I have not asked why, but thankfully most are back with us again this year.  But a substantial number did not pickup with any local team when they went home for summer, and this is an unfortunate situation.

"Beginners"  Our second team has many beginners and there is no option but to enter them into the Tour as the main source of game and experience.

Now for the controversial bit.  In Canada, I have heard they have a three tier league system in place like soccer here.  Obviously we don't have the numbers, but would it be worth considering 2 smaller divisional events rather than 1 massive tour event.  More smaller venues would be available (more towns could host locally) and both divisions could still play the same weekends.  There would be a promotional/relegation concept to the top and bottom teams in each division.  New teams/players would feel that 'deep end' feeling and top teams still get the bonus of better/equivalent quality weekends.  It might mean that teams like mine might actually win an event occas! ionally.

Two penneth, thanks for your time.

Sam

(Controversially, Nottingham Ultimate)

Sam

Nottingham Ultimate

07866 336643

 

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