Checksum Arcanius

The first activity on Saturday, a morning brunch at the Carpenter’s — good friends of the groom’s parents — consisted of excellent food and great company.

From there, we boarded a bus that took us to the Naval-Marine Memorial Stadium to watch the Navy versus Air Force football game. The game started out slow and sloppy, with most of the impressive plays coming from running and due to poor defense — not a single throwing play showed any passing prowess, but rather poor defensive ability. Through the first three quarters, Air Force outplayed Navy, but the Midshipmen hung right with an Air Force squad that looked stronger for most of that game, never falling behind by more than 10. In the final quarter, the Navy squad turned up the heat and staged an impressive comeback, winning with a field goal with 5 seconds left.

However, a key question about the game surrounds why an apparent safety created by an excellent defensive stand by Air Force during the 3rd quarter was turned into a simple down near the goal line with possession retained by Navy. This change in of one play outcome may have very well changed the outcome of the game – but finding no information about that play in the reports of the game, I can’t say for sure what really happened there.

After the game, we got back on the bus, returned to our vehicle, bought a gift for the couple, and headed out for the next phase of the party, a dinner at the Tanner’s, more friends of the family. Once again the food was excellent – especially the meatballs – and the company was great. I caught up with some cousins and had a good time playing with the youngest generation of kids.

Finally, we returned to our hotel where I watched UCLA’s impressive come-from-behind victory over Cal — a game that showed two top-tier teams locked in an Epic battle that only one could win. Unlike in the Navy-Air Force game, both teams showed excellent passing, running, and defensive capabilities. The level of play exhibited in the game was leaps and bounds higher than in the game I watched earlier in the day. However, to be fair to Air Force and Navy, the Falcons and Midshipmen did have to put up with a soggy field and drizzle throughout the game, whereas the California teams had a dry field to play on.

While playing counterstrike tonight, I got invited to be a fifth for a scrim. I accepted, and though I was outclassed by the rest of my team, I held my own, going 8-8 and 5-5 and figuratively carrying my own weight. I like to think that my willingness to sacrifice myself helped out some too. The guys I was playing with were actually really good – after the first team we were scrimming copped out after losing four straight, we played it easy on the next team until they were hooked, virtually deadlocking the first round 7-8. Next, we were CTs, and turned up the heat a little bit (well, my teammates did at any rate), and won the next 8. It was a lot of fun, and they’d have me back in a similar situation in the future. It was a good challenge too.

Four weeks ago, I landed hard on the inside part of my heel on my right foot after jumping in an attempt to catch a Frisbee (I missed it). Afterwards, my foot hurt, and got me to limping for the rest of the day. Indeed, much of the next week it continued to bother me, although I was still able to play because I could run o the ball of my right foot and it wouldn’t hurt. Two weeks later, I was becoming concerned, so I decided to see my doctor about it. An X-ray later, he said that the bones were fine – I was the proud owner of a deep bruise.

All I’ve got to say is that the bruise is really, really deep. Now four weeks later, my foot is still sore, and my mobility is still limited. I can run, but not well, and my max speed is maybe 85% of what it should be. It is my acceleration was hit the hardest. While the doctor said that playing on it shouldn’t make it last any longer, I don’t know if I should trust that assessment, considering every time I run around on it, it hurts a lot. On the other hand, sitting around is hardly an attractive option.

The last two weeks, I have had the chance to play Ultimate six times a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with a group near my work during lunch, Tuesday and Saturday with the Robinswood Park crew, and Thursdays with a UW intramural team. This has not come without a toll. Six days ago, Monday last week, I tweaked out a muscle and ended up hobbling around during Frisbee Tuesday evening. I skipped Wednesday at work, and then was feeling better after some well-advised streching that Jeana suggested. However, on Thursday at the UW, I felt the tweak coming back, but kept moving and faught it off successfully. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough and we lost by a point. Friday, I came down hard from attempting to catch a disc and landed on my right heel, bruising it. I was able to finish out the game, but it was sore and it got worse later in the day. Saturday, it was feeling better – I couldn’t run full tilt, but I hobbled around very well, considering. It is now feeling quite better, and I look forward to another game Monday at noon.

After completing a group project at BCC where one of the group members was a mysterious no-show, I ate at a church and then travelled to the UW to play a practice ultimate game with the team of Ananth, Bobby, Jacob, and others. While we started out strong, we faded quickly and eventually lost to another team that was practicing.

After the game, we headed to the dorm to drink powerade and watch the Sonics take a 3-1 series lead over the Kings. Ray Allen is clutch, Rashard Lewis needs to step it up a few notches after this series, and James in on fire. It was a fun game to watch – the Sonic never let it get as far out of hand as it did in game 3, although the first quarter ended terribly. But they stepped it up in the fourth and the Kings couldn’t match. I know its not over yet, but I’m feeling confident that the Sonics are on to round 2.

A friend of mine once called my favorite game to play, Ultimate Frisbee, “Ultimage,” because, I believe, of the incredible plays that occur in the game on a regular basis. No such plays happened today, but all of three people who showed (plus the fourth who showed in spirit) had a good time anyway today at Robinswood Park in Bellevue. Of course, frisbee is more fun with a few more people, so please come next week. We play every Saturday morning, 10:00am to noon. Its always a lot of fun, so come with a good attitude and ready to compete!

Steve Kelly writes a good article on the subject for the Seattle Times. How anybody could still like this guy is a mystery to me. He lies as easily as he speaks, and he looks out only for #1. This should be a warning to any institution that for whatever reason might consider hiring him. Soiling and destroying college football programs seems to be his M.O. – and he is very effective. I wouldn’t expect him to be any less skilled with a pro program either. At least the 49ers got it. Too bad Hedges didn’t.

What happened to the days when Washington coaches said they loved the team, and meant it; When fired, they left the program alone because that was what was best for the program instead of turning around and suing it because there are some deep pockets there and your million dollar sallary wasn’t enough. What happened to the days of Jim Lambright? Oh yeah… Barbara Hedges… *Sigh*