Sidelines 2012 – 01 – 06

Happy doomsyear! 2012 is upon us, so let’s make the most of it. My new years resolution: go to at least one tournament I’ve never been to. Achievable I think. But enough about me, if there’s one thing I’d like to see achieved this year, it’s filling the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan come August 12. Big goings on in the Ultimate Frisbee world these days, and I mean BIG. This week on Sidelines:

Memories of WUCC 2010

Stanford v Alumni, Timbits style

The AUDL

A look into the Buffalo Hunters’ Combine from Skyd’s Zack Smith

The most exciting map in recent history

Starting with WUCC 2010, because Sakai is coming (July!), some great pics from

ultimatephotos.org. My favourite here, but the entire site is equally awesome. Feels like just yesterday doesn’t it? And tomorrow, and that is truly a beautiful thing.

I don’t know if or why this has never been done, but props to Stanford for claiming halftime during a Stanford v Notre Dame football game on November 26. I can’t think of any reason to stand in line for a beer that costs more than its alcohol content when I could be watching Stanford v their Alumni, and I can’t think of any better exposure for ultimate than the 50,000 college fans in attendance. Well done Stanford, I’d love to see other schools follow in your footsteps.

Ok, now the big one. Well, we’re gonna need a bigger boat. The AUDL is taking the ultimate world by storm! Ultimate frisbee as a spectator sport, with tickets and officialness and broadcasts and highlights on Sportscentre and die-hard fans that paint their fac…wait, those already exist. But now they get to be on national TV! Ok so I’m exaggerating a bit, we’re not there, YET. Time will of course tell, but I think there is lots of possibility for the AUDL and I see no reason this shouldn’t succeed.

First things first, the AUDL rules (click here to see them in action) and mission statement. Next things next, the teams! This map answers every question I had, hope it does the same for you. But, in summary, the league this year will consist of the Columbus Cranes, Detroit Mechanix, Indianapolis Alley Cats and River City Revolution (Louisville, Kentucky) in the Western conference and the Buffalo Hunters, Connecticut Constitution, Philadelphia Spinners and Rhode Island Rampage in the East. The season starts April 14th, games weekly, and goes until the first ever AUDL Championship in Pontiac, Michigan on August 12th.

Holy special delivery Batman, that was a lot of links! And here’s another! For a first look into the league, we go to Skyd’s Zach Smith who was at the Buffalo Hunters combine on November 12th. He gives it the credit it deserves, interviews management and generally does it justice. Drills were hard, calibre was high, Gatorade and protein bars for the athletes, trainer on site, an official and well-run combine, I don’t have much to say that Zack doesn’t.

And that about wraps it up! Big things are coming, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. Is this not more worth broadcasting than poker? Darts? I think it’ll catch, and I think this is the start of something big. All the best to the AUDL, everyone involved with it (second new years resolution: get involved with the AUDL…somehow) and to you. I really hope we make it past December 21st, because I want to be there when this takes off.

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