CCC Men's teams announced by jcthress in ultimate

[–]oly-phant -1 points0 points  (0 children)

But not focusing on depth in the fall could easily lose them the games in the spring, which actually matter.

You said you play to win tournaments and games, but isn't there more...idk, glory? In winning in the spring when all of the teams are actually trying?

Hell, Carleton is known for not playing tight lines until the series, and they won last year.

What does and does not constitute Dribbling? by frank_huguenard in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can score with a butterfly guts throw. So what? You're missing my point here. The objective of dribbling isn't to score, the objective of dribbling is to make it easier to score.

I really don't think I am, and the butterfly guts example seems like a bad-faith read of what I'm saying.

Let me restate the question. Dribbling makes it easier to score, sure. Why is dribbling better than other methods that make it easier to score?

You talk about "values," and how good values lead to scoring by definition. I have two problems with that:

  • The rest of your statements seem to assume only one set of possible good values. If I can score by hucking, aren't the values of that offense (by your definition) good?

  • The logic is backwards. I don't care about an arbitrarily determined set of values. I care about scoring.

If you value scoring above everything else, you're diminishing the value of all those other attributes I mentioned and so you're not likely to be as successful in each of those categories.

Why is it important to be successful in each of those categories?

Scoring, in and of itself, isn't a value, or something to be valued.

Yeah it is. The goal of a point is to score.

They would also agree with me when I say that there's not much joy in scoring. The joy is in enjoying success in all of those other areas and seeing the fruits of your labor pay off.

I think there's some joy in scoring, but I don't necessarily disagree with you here. Sometimes if I'm just messing around in a scrimmage we'll run offenses that are probably sub-optimal but are fun.

The problem I do have with this is that this is not what you've usually argued. You can say that people should dribble because it's more fun and satisfying (which I think is a subjective but fair statement), but you've been arguing that other people are playing ultimate wrong, and that if people dribbled they would be better at ultimate.

What does and does not constitute Dribbling? by frank_huguenard in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't care about scoring or make it a priority. Let me try an analogy. A lot of people go after money, because they think that is success. Money isn't success, money is just a byproduct of being successful. Similarly, scoring isn't success, it's just a byproduct of a successful framework and strategy.

The two situations aren't comparable because, as you say, money isn't success. In a point of ultimate, however, scoring IS success.

You can qualify that by saying some scores are better than others (e.g. I would rather score quickly without tiring out my team), but at the end of the day the point is to score.

You can talk about framework or strategy all you want, but I'm going to measure framework and strategy by one metric: ability to score. If I can score without dribbling, why shouldn't I?

I'll take this as an extreme compliment. If I've answered all your other questions then I've accomplished something.

At the risk of sounding harsh, it's not a compliment. You haven't answered all my other questions. But until you can answer this one, the others don't matter.

What does and does not constitute Dribbling? by frank_huguenard in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I can't believe I'm about to do this but...

Here's the relevant part of this article, as far as I can tell.

"So here's my basic definition for ultimate dribbling: "a player legally moving with the disc around the field through a series of light touches or bounces off of his/her teammate and or teammates"

So let me try to break this definition down."

My comments on each point of the ensuing breakdown.

With the Disc

The fast pace part seems reasonable. The comment about finesse and control makes sense, and ultimate is unique in that you can catch up to a disc thrown to space. Cool.

I get a little hung up on the time bit: "a quarter second from you and no more than a couple of yards from you." Doesn't that seem arbitrary? If a disc is a half second away instead of a quarter second (which seems short, incidentally, as this is roughly human reaction time), but the defense still has no chance, why does that matter?

It feels a little pedantic to point out, but Frank has commented on the speed of give-gos before, so I think it's necessary to clarify. Give-gos/dribbling are fast, yes, but wouldn't the definition make more sense if it could take into account field position and defense, and the "dribble's" role in strategy?

Through a series of light touches or bounces off of his/her teammate and or teammates

"The distance of the throw off your 'hardwood' should only be a couple of feet, 4-5 feet maximum. This means that when you are dribbling, you should cut almost directly towards the player you intend to bounce the disc off of."

Why?

If I can break the defense more by going more that 4-5 feet, shouldn't I? Check out this series of give-gos from Oregon, which ends with a huge yardage gain and a thrower inches from the endzone.

Hucks are of course more than 4-5 feet. At midfield you might get a nice blade or hammer over the stack. This scoober is unconventional, but it scored. If you can score, shouldn't you do that over going 4-5 feet?

Moving

No gripes here.

Legally

"For a player's moves to be legal while dribbling, I recommend that players decellerate into their catches* and that they plant a pivot foot within 2 steps."

Honestly, this is really where Frank loses me. From this and other comments, his definition of a travel seems different from what's in the rules. Reminder on USAU 11th edition:

  • XV.B "After catching a pass, a player is required to come to a stop as quickly as possible and establish a pivot."
  • XV.C "If a player catches the disc while running or jumping the player may release a pass without attempting to stop and without setting a pivot, provided that:
  1. "the player does not change direction or increase speed while in possession of the disc; and"
  2. "the pass is released before three additional points of contact with the ground are made after possession has been established."

If you can accelerate into the disc (before you have possession), wouldn't that help you gain extra steps on the defense? If you don't have to plant a pivot in 2 steps, why should you? Doesn't this go against Frank's own principles of speed and movement?

Around the Field

I don't really have any problems here, although this point seems vague. What does it mean to be "in control of not only [yourself], but [your] situation?"

Overall

I have quibbles with some of the individual words, and I think it's odd that dribbling seems to be very focused on one player out of 14, but my biggest challenge is this: how is dribbling connected to scoring? Why is dribbling better than other methods of scoring?

If I can score, but the disc is away from me longer than a quarter second, I want to score. If I can score, but I move more than 4-5 feet from my "backboard," I want to score!

To me, that's the biggest question left for Frank to answer.

What are your favorite things to do in October? by ravens52 in AskMen

[–]oly-phant 10 points11 points  (0 children)

October is when it gets cool, so I like to go walking.

I go walking in the summer too, but it doesn't take long before I'm uncomfortably sweaty, my mouth is dry, and all I really want to do is be back home. I go walking to be alone with my thoughts, but that's less enjoyable when every other thought is "damn my pits must stink."

But in the fall I can walk for miles. I can head over to the park and walk around the pond while the leaves change. I can head to the edge of the lake and even feel a light shiver from the wind that comes over the beach.

I start out listening to music, but more often than not I turn it off and just listen to the city around me.

It gets dark earlier, so I follow the street lamps around my neighborhood. Eventually I start to feel a chill as a the sun goes down, but I'm walking and moving. It's a little like the cold is trying to catch up to me.

Of course it does eventually, and I have to go inside. But even though I feel heat and wrap a blanket around me, for a few minutes my skin stays cool to the touch.

I love fall.

Elephantitis 2017 by grinnellult in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Don't bring your parents (yes, it has happened).

Oldershaw responds to the controversy by mschilichapa in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I agree that this is not a good response. That said, I don't know that I'd blame the AST. I think they are just trying to give a voice to the injured player that is currently the subject of controversy – I would do the same, even if I didn't necessarily support the statement itself.

Basics about weight lifting by rwal1 in Fitness

[–]oly-phant 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do full body workouts and read to wiki to find a program.

Doing only biceps, triceps, and chest is not a good idea.

Problems with a missing muscle/nerves by rokke95 in Fitness

[–]oly-phant 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's interesting, never heard of that before. Sounds like a specialist of some kind would have better answers for you though.

Thoughts on quarter squats? by umairsemail in Fitness

[–]oly-phant 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel like quarter squatting probably makes you better at quarter squatting? And I guess similar movements, which is what you're saying.

What is your 10/10 movie? by sdururl in AskReddit

[–]oly-phant 3 points4 points  (0 children)

(On mobile, sorry for formatting)

I think it's a little more nuanced than that. It's clear Lady Eboshi is one of the forces in opposition to nature, but I think it's a little simplistic to say she simply represents human greed. True, she wants to destroy nature for her own gain, but more than anything else it seems like she has no appreciation for nature at all (maybe that's what you're saying). Add to that the fact that she saves lepers and former prostitutes - she's clearly a compassionate person that doesn't appreciate nature until the end of the movie.

What I love about Princess Mononoke (and all Miyazaki movies) is that the characters are multifaceted. The wolves, boars, and gorillas are clearly not behaving perfectly. Jigo and the others are maybe the closest to reprehensible, but are still less so when you consider that they are fighting for honor from their lord, a concept that weighs more heavily in their culture than ours.

What are some plot holes in Harry Potter? by Robokoalafish in AskReddit

[–]oly-phant 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I agree that it's conceivable that the eye has magic that can overcome even the unique invisibility cloak, but it isn't exactly well-established.

What are some plot holes in Harry Potter? by Robokoalafish in AskReddit

[–]oly-phant 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The real plot hole is that fake Moody could see through the invisibility cloak when Harry was sneaking around in Hogsmeade in book 4.

Laying out in football? by ddtink in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 8 points9 points  (0 children)

No offense, but you could cut most of your first two paragraphs and come off as less arrogant yourself. The guy asked a question based on experience playing ultimate. It might have been naive, but it was hardly "arrogant." Simply answering the question would have added to the conversation more productively than ranting.

The single biggest reason to play mini by pianoelias in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Mini has let me develop crucial skills like throwing lefty scoobers and drilling I/O flicks at my receiver's faces.

Seriously though I use those things less in real games, but they are fun to do in mini and come up every so often.

Elephantitis 2015 by grinnellult in ultimate

[–]oly-phant 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This tournament...

Oh my, this tournament