I do agree about going easy and showing a bit of support for new ideas, but It would help if the MLU organizers (whoever they are!) would themselves lighten up a bit.
If this is "major league ultimate", does that imply that what everyone else is playing is somehow "minor league"? I'm all for competitive Ultimate, and for experimenting with the format (otherwise we wouldn't have beach ultimate, or summer league, or World Games for that matter). But the exclusivity of MLU is inevitably going to get people's backs up. In any case, if it's invitation only, why bother telling anyone else about it? Its akin to saying "I'm having a party, it's going to be awesome, oh, and by the way, you're not invited." One parting thought... Since we have such limited manpower and resources within Ultimate, would it have been better for the sport if the MLU organisers had instead put their time and effort into the presentation and status of the Tour semis and finals? Why not add time- keepers and maybe observers to the big Tour games? Can we not experiment a bit within the existing competition structure rather than having to start a breakaway organisation? Paul Hurt (no pseudonyms req'd... Am I not being contoversial enough?) -------------------------------------- Sent from Paul's iPhone On 13 Jan 2009, at 14:22, "Steve Eldon Kerr" <[email protected]> wrote: > i do basically agree with Dale on what he has said. lets lighten up > on the > issue and give it a shot.steve > > > > On Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 1:49 PM, Dale Walker <[email protected] > >wrote: > >> A lot of the criticism being fired at the MLU guys seems to revolve >> on two >> concepts - who are you, and stop interfering/distracting >> from/destroying/damaging our sport. >> >> I won't offer my opinion on the positives/negatives because the >> slander >> attached is outrageous, but people should lighten up on the issue. >> MLU in >> the US was an experiment designed to ascertain the need/effect of >> officials >> to the sport of Ultimate, whilst trying to make the sport more >> spectator >> friendly. >> >> There is definitely an element of Ultimate that is needless to say >> boring >> for those not involved or participating or who have the foggiest >> what it is >> - ever brought your friend along whose never expressed an interest in >> playing and the first things they want to know are why in-between >> points >> take so long, why does the game seem so stop-start, why can >> everyone see >> that was a foul but he can't? One of the most endearing elements of >> football/rugby/most massive spectator sports are that they are non- >> stop >> action - Premier League football players often come out with press >> releases >> lauding the nature of the game in England because "referees in >> Europe blow >> for fouls more often, stopping the game." That's why we love it so >> much, >> because despite the double footed from behind challenge that we all >> know is >> a red card the referee didn't see it and the game goes on, the >> offender is >> off the hook and the offendee incensed! >> >> This doesn't happen in Ultimate, and no I'm not trying to say that >> people >> should now be unfair and start cheating to win games, but let's >> face it - >> there have been times you've stepped off the field and felt cheated >> because >> "that guy called travel every throw, made an outrageous foul call >> which >> changed the game, called me out in sudden death when I was 3 feet >> in." >> Surely if there is a way we can remove the cheating from Ultimate, >> without >> the only punishment received is a low Spirit score (I'm personally >> of the >> belief that every player in any sport should be spirited regardless >> of the >> sport or situation) then it's worth a shot. It's worth the >> experiment, and >> anyone who has expressed a need for Observers before MLU may think >> that >> progressively this is the path, as has been chronologically in the >> US, but >> observers only get involved when an agreement cannot be reached >> between the >> players, and line calls. It doesn't change the game too much, right? >> >> There's little wrong with the sport in it's current format, anyone >> who has >> seen the US Canada Open final from WUGC last year will agree that >> Ultimate >> can be exhilarating in it's current format, but give the experiment >> a try >> and who knows, you might just enjoy it. You might hate it, but >> either way >> you'll know. >> >> Dale (who didn't expect to write so much but finds it more fun than >> revision) >> >> >> On Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 12:27 PM, Steve G <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Has the UK ever had a go at running a tournament with observers? >>> Why >>> go extreme with MLU when there's not even been a more UPA style >>> event >>> with observers run yet. Additionally while there are some positives >>> to experimentation like this, this MLU idea has some pretty negative >>> associations and some rather negative people associated with it in >>> the >>> USA where it was initially tried. With that in mind I do agree with >>> the request to know who's behind it. Sending an email announcing it >>> signed as essentially anonymous (mlu.uk) almost indicates an >>> acknowledgement that the idea may invoke a negative response. >>> >>> Do a little searching on rec.sport.disc and you can find lots of >>> similar banter along with some history of MLU. You can start with >>> this recent link (you might need a google account to read it) that >>> came out before it was announced on britdisc. >>> >>> * WILL THE UK SURPASS THE USA IN THE PROGRESSION OF ULTIMATE. - >>> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.disc/t/fc7431c91c6834fd?hl=en >>> >>> This was written by a guy known as Toad or Ulticritic. He's a huge >>> fan of the MLU. Search rec.sport.disc on him as well to get a good >>> idea of his character. >>> >>> All that said, playing a tournament like this sounds like a blast as >>> long is it isn't taking itself too seriously (which unfortunately >>> almost by definition it seems to be). >>> >>> Steve >>> >>> >>> 2009/1/13 Derryk Boyd <[email protected]>: >>>> I personally welcome this experiment having moved back to playing >>>> more >>> football than ultimate due in part to several terrible self >>> refereeing >>> experiences at Toms Tourney and WUGC last season. Some of the >>> things I >>> experienced last season in ultimate have made me seriously >>> consider my >>> desire to play the sport at the most competitive levels. >>>> >>>> While I think that Ultimate is a great sport and should be >>>> enjoyed by >>> millions of people, I think that only once you experience playing >>> teams >> that >>> do not share the ideals of spirit of the game will you begin to >>> question >>> ultimate's potential to grow beyond what it is at the minute as a >>> competitive sport. >>>> >>>> While MLU might not be the answer to this, I think it is good that >> people >>> are willing to try somthing new and I am very keen to experience >>> it. I do >>> not see any reason why people who want to play ultimate cannot >>> continue >>> doing so and people who want to try somthing different can do so >>> also. So >> if >>> this goes ahead I will for sure be looking to get onto one of the >>> lucky >>> teams who get to try it first. >>>> >>>> Derryk, >>>> >>>> Fusion # 6, Ireland # 9 >>>> >>>> --- On Mon, 12/1/09, MLU UK <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> From: MLU UK <[email protected]> >>>> Subject: Re: [BD] Major League Ultimate 2009 >>>> To: [email protected] >>>> Date: Monday, 12 January, 2009, 11:38 PM >>>> >>>> First off, apologies for the error in the date suggested, it >>>> would be >> the >>>> 18th and 19th. >>>> At the moment this will be open division only. There is of course, >>> potential >>>> to open it up to womens in the future depending on how successful >>>> it >> is. >>>> Invitations have not been issued, details about this will follow >>>> when >>> they >>>> are 100% finalised, but the way the teams will be selected will >>>> involve >>> each >>>> of the top 3-4 university teams from each region being allocated >>>> slots >> on >>>> the team (for example, 1st gets 4 places, 2nd gets 3 etc). The >> university >>>> core of each team will then select open players by invitation, or >>>> by >>>> selection from requests. >>>> Spectator-wise there have been no plans made as of yet, as it is >>>> the >>> first >>>> time the tournament is being run and therefore level of spectator >>> interest >>>> is so far unknown. >>>> We will be using four referees, who will be selected out of >> availability >>> for >>>> regular, weekly trainings in manchester to practice the >>>> application of >>> the >>>> rules, and the use of a whistle in an Ultimate game. >>>> >>>> We would like to further re-iterate that this is in no way an >>>> attempt >> to >>>> change the way ultimate is played generally in the UK. >>>> __________________________________________________ >>>> BritDisc mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://www.fysh.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/britdisc >>>> Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/staying-informed >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> __________________________________________________ >>>> BritDisc mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://www.fysh.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/britdisc >>>> Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/staying-informed >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> ------------------ >>> >>> __________________________________________________ >>> BritDisc mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://www.fysh.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/britdisc >>> Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/staying-informed >>> >> __________________________________________________ >> BritDisc mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://www.fysh.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/britdisc >> Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/staying-informed >> > __________________________________________________ > BritDisc mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.fysh.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/britdisc > Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/staying-informed __________________________________________________ BritDisc mailing list [email protected] http://www.fysh.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/britdisc Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/staying-informed
