Dear all, I'd just like to make a small point about the length of games on the B-tour. I didn't play B tour last year, but the fallout from tour 1 and 2 made it pretty obvious that 45 minute games are unacceptable to most players on the B tour, and quite rightly for two reasons: 1. It loses the ability to make 'comebacks' 2. If you go up to the A tour, you have to be able to play 1hr 30 games However, as a player (25 years old, plays twice a week, eats well, played top 8 A tour last year) on a team of 9 (and honestly, how many B tour teams this weekend had more than 11 players) one and a half hour games plus cap are too long. Why? With notable exceptions, B tour teams are not as well preapred as A tour and some players will not have the fitness to play at this level. On less forgiving pitches and in hotter weather injuries and dehydration are highly likely. Possible solution? 60 minute games plus two point cap, semis and final 1hr 15mins plus two point cap. 4 games on saturday, 3 on sunday - allows crossover (clearly schedule dependent), more breaks to get food and water and sensible start times on Sunday. For the record I enjoyed the exeter tour - it made a nice change to be able to lay out in July without taking all the skin off my knee - although as I was lucky enough not to get injured or have to use the campsite/showers I appreciate I may not have got the full *experience* See you all in Eastbourne (personal opinion, blah blah blah) Luke (UCL) karl bater <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: What can go up, can also go down.....
Case in point: Plastic Factory 2, who after a competetive year in the A-tour last year (remember watching a titanic game between Plastic Factory 1 and 2 at Mansfield T2) has a seeding of 2 at Tour 1B based on Nationals results. What with the "unorthadox" method of seperating group ties, and some bad luck, they finished at 17th. personally I find it hard to see how that occured, unless the team was a shadow of last years (which I very much doubt having seen many of thier squad before), or things really did go bad for them. Im sure they probably walked the bottom half of the draw (didnt get to see it, was busy playing, correct me if im wrong), and if there was a crossover match they would probably have ended up back in the top at the expense of someone who benefitted form the points difference ruling. I have no doubt that at T2 this situation will probably be reversed and they will end up high, but its an indication of how damn tricky it can be to seed teams, when Fire 2 (arguably comparable to Plastic Factory 2 last year) performed towards the other end of the scale. Im all for the way teams are placed in the B-Tour to prove themselves, as I do feel the strength of the B-Tour is underestimated by many - infact clubs at the top of the B tour have arguably benefitted morefrom the split, as we now have a real goal to work towards in promotion, and are pushing each other further and further all the time. My last game on sunday was against Discuits 2, and was amazed at seeing players that I perosnally consider A-Tour quality playing with them... this was for 13th-14th place, thats 29th-to 30th in the UK. I would have loved a chance to line up against Fire 2 this weekend and really test myself instead of hoping it happens at nationals. As for the game time argument - I loved playing 1 hr 30 games, even if my fitness wasnt quite up to the last game. As a squad, Lords were punished by only having 10 players available, so we felt it this weekend. I have no complaints over this this, as fitness/stamina is one element of the competition. However, i would rather have played a few more shorter games on saturday in the group, with larger groups, to give more of a chance for seedings to work themselves out - and to prevent the unfortunate position some teams found them selves in of being bagelled after an hour. Would playing 3 45 min group games and a 45 min crossover (im all for freak results) in the B tour be a better option for saturday play be a better option than 3 1 hr 30 min games? Of course, this does depend on the number of teams availiable. Im all for the QF, SF and F stages (regardless of where you are in the draw) to be 1 hr 30... Maybe lower down the B tour 45 mins is a more sensible option, but those teams MUST be allowed a greater number of games to prevent a "C-Tour" forming where those struggling for what ever reason are punished with less playing time - I know this weekend those that had 45 min games had 5 of them instead of 3 1 hr 30's like the rest of us, but sureley there was a better way than getitng teams to play back to back matches? If not, then fair enough, sheduling is a massive task at the best of times and I respect those who have the time and drive to bother to do it for us. So yea, this is in danger of becoming a massive rant.... I geuss what im trying to say is that the B-tour MUST be a level playing field for all, giving all teams an equal chance to qualify into the A-Tour. I know some temas were very peeved by being in the Fire 2 group, and hence losing any hope of promotion after one game. Bring back crossovers! Even if it means losing the nice long games. Give us all a chance to jump up high. Or fall down low. Karl "Monkey Head" Bater Lords #81 >From: "Mitchell, Ben" >To: >Subject: RE: [BD] Tour Qualifier >Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 10:53:49 +0100 > >I don't see what is wrong with using last season's results to determine >seeding. For me, to do otherwise would de-value the achievements of any >team that competed in the Tour and Nationals last year. I appreciate >that teams can change and new ones can form, but in my opinion nobody >has a right to a 'high' seeding without proving it on the field. This >includes the second teams of the bigger, more 'successful' clubs. >LeedsLeedsLeeds nearly entered a second team into the Tour this year and >were happy for it to start in the B Tour because we didn't have 2 teams >last year. (In the end we only have one team because we don't have >enough players for two). > >The way the Tour currently works (or should work) is that you can start >the season seeded at the bottom of the B Tour and theoretically still >win A Tour 3. That is the potential to rise through the entire national >rankings in just one season. This is a seriously open format! If you >lose a game that knocks you out of the running for promotion/a shot at >the top 8/a chance of semis, deal with it. You weren't good enough, you >might be next time. It is competitive sport, after all. > >The important thing is the format. Tour 1 (A and B) should give all >those competing a chance at winning, preferably in pools where the top 2 >go through. This may not have been the case in the B Tour, though Ed has >shown what a nightmare scheduling was for all involved. After Tour 1, >things are rightly more elitist to give every team a chance to test >themselves against their nearest rivals. > >Benji mentioned how Discuits came from the B Tour to finish 9th in the A >Tour. This is a great example of how well the competition works. They >fought hard to get into the A Tour last year and this year are enjoying >their higher rank because they earned it on the field, not because of >anyone's 'discretion' or because they were asked how good they are. > >Ben Mitchell >LeedsLeedsLeeds 29 > > > > >To view the terms under which this email is distributed, please go to >http://disclaimer.leedsmet.ac.uk/email.htm > >__________________________________________________ >BritDisc mailing list >[email protected] >http://mailman.ranulf.net/mailman/listinfo/britdisc >Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/informed.asp _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live Messenger has arrived. 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