Scobel Wiggins Photography

The finals were a really interesting game, and much closer than 15-10 indicates.

An eight-game, two-day tournament really benefits teams like Sockeye, Boston, Jam, Revolver, and Chain that have a flatter distribution of talent. The format of Nationals (and Regionals, in most places) is significantly easier in terms of total points, and does more to favor teams like Bravo, Furious, Goat, and Sub-Zero. These are teams that feature superstar players (would anyone ever vouch for the NBA playing multiple games per day? How much would that change the game?) Watch for those teams to be better in 2-3 games per day. Bravo, in particular, will be able to play Parker and Beau more aggressively, especially if they make the Finals in a single-game-day format like Nationals. Same has always been true for Furious; you hate to see a fresh MG and Lugsdin.

Calls: Going back over the game (both with teammates and in discussions afterwards with several Bravo players) the general agreement seemed to be that there were three very close calls made in the game, and that Sockeye took those calls 3-0. No one thought that any call was definitely wrong, or even that the doubt was massive...but that, in a game with observers, that had all three calls gone in the other direction it wouldn't have surprised very many people.

There was an in/out call, a contested strip, and a foul in the endzone on a Beau/Nord matchup. We (Sockeye) agreed with the calls in all three instances...it is team policy to consult with a sideline teammate whenever it seems useful and all of the sideline consultants were in agreement...but, like any refereed sport, we wouldn't have shocked to have lost these calls on observer review (observers being human, after all). My take home; if we end up losing to Bravo at Nationals, and the close calls go 3-0 in their favor, it is how the breaks end up going on that particular day, and I hope I am as philosophical and clearheaded about it as the Bravo players I talked with.

The point of the game was a five-turn point that the Sockeye D-team eventually won on a huck from Aly Lenon to Wink. I personally loved this throw, because Aly had, minutes before, overthrown a nearly identical huck to Skip. If the first huck is a good idea, and for some reason missing it causes you to reevaluate your huck options, then we have problems. I hate watching a second huck get looked off just because it happened to come soon after a first, unsuccessful, long look. Throw your throws, accept the risk, and know that errors are not evenly spaced.

Playing on a full-size field made a difference; this was the first true 70-40-25 of the weekend and it took both teams most of the first half to start using the entire width. Mac Taylor was extremely effective in this game, and when he started as the first cutter from a sidestack he was able to use the extra yardage to get wider and set up his hucks. On at least 3 places his first cut set him far enough away from help D to launch controlled, simple-looking, perfect throws in stride to cutters. The extra sideline space may have made the difference between help being able to get there, and having no chance.

Bravo played very few players on offense, and this must have contributed to the five point run that Sockeye made in the middle of the game. Adding in Jolian and the currently injured JD Lobue will be important, both to free Parker to run more and mix up the offensive looks, as well as recover after a long break point.

Bravo's new look is working. Cash is a bigtime defender who is very confident on game point, and it was his dump-pressure that put them in the final. Dar and Keith, on D and O respectively, give Bravo more grit and savvy with the disc. Dar puts length up against handlers, and is a perfect cog to keep the D moving the disc or converting goal line opportunities. Keith looks very comfortable, as he was with Mamabird, handling in acres of space.

Beating Boston, Ring and Furious means that even with an 8th-game loss, Bravo had the most impressive weekend of the teams at Labor Day, and their rise continues. Sockeye played as well as expected, given that they have the advantage of being further along in the season than most teams. Boston, Furious, Chain, and Ring are all in the hunt, and it would take very little luck to put Revolver, Jam, Sub-Zero, Doublewide, Goat, or Truck Stop into the semis with a puncher's chance. With the field this talented, it bears repeating that you only have to win three games to win it all; beating all ten contenders is not necessary and if you can hold your own then the other top teams might just beat each other up and clear a path. It's gonna be an interesting couple of months.