Second day at Nationals

Well, we started today first in our power pool, because we beat Barrio yesterday. They're in the pool with a loss, even though they had the best point differential of the three teams that went 2-1.

Our first game is against D'oh, who is also from the Northwest Region. All four of the Northwest Region teams are in the power pools, which just means we're all in the top eight after yesterday, nothing too earth shattering there. D'oh finished fourth from our region and might have beaten the team earlier in the season, I don't know (it would have been at Spawnfest, which I didn't go to this year).

warmed up, first games against Regionals matchup D'oh
misch 3 doh 0 on kyle to ryan, high wind
zone d not so effective, works anyway 4-0
chucky catches int, hucks 68 yards to adam brown for score 5-0

So, at this point, D'oh calls a timeout. In this timeout, the captain sca-REAMS at his team, "THIS TEAM CHOKES! This team is known for choking. They ALWAYS choke. We just need to be sure we're in it when they do. So keep fighting, keep running, keep playing hard. We have this."

Now, there are moments when I think the world of Mischief. These are moments when the team is On. Fire. FI-IRE! There are times, of course, when the team isn't in the game. The difference between these two states can be felt. It's a tangible sensation that I'm unable to fully describe.

I do, however, recognize when it's there.

And it was there when D'oh called a timeout. It was there when their captain tried to rally the troops.

It was there as the team was handily defeated.

5-1
two throw score, defenders screaming at teammates, "I didn't hear an up call! I didn't hear an up call!" 6-1
wind pretty bad, similar to tandem game in 2006, if not worse
doh calls time out without any, turns the disc, we can't capitalize, turn back, they score 6-2
hard to stay unemotional in a snippy game
time out misch on goal line after 4 turns in point already
6-3 on 9 turn over point. wind kicking up.
6-4 on dump turn near endzone
7-4 on andy huck to em
long discussion on foul call
9 turns in this point, all four of ours were wind blades. we somehow take half 8-4
ugly point. chippy calls. huck and play d strategy is only one with a chance. 10-6
wind so bad, pull doesn't make it past 30 yards, they score one throw 10-7
emily layout catch huck, throws score to mark 11-7
12-8
13-8
14-8 "I feel like they just put in their second line." mark
15-8
next game against puppet regime starts at 12:15 easterm / 9:15 pacific, puppet lost to barrio
pool records so far: misch 2-0 / bario 1-1 / puppet 1-1 / d'oh 0-2

The sad thing about this game is that we had a chance to be King Makers. If we had played them second and had already won the upcoming game agains Puppet Regime, winning or losing to D'oh would have been irrelevant in the standings. We would have been 2-0, with a head-to-head win against Barrio, ensuring our first place position in the pool.

We could, however, help D'oh into third place with a win. Since they had a head to head against the other team, they'd be third in the pool and wouldn't have to play the game into the quarters.

And Northwest would have all four teams in the Quarter Finals. With a night's rest, there would be a non-zero chance at having an all Northwest Semis.

It would have been spectacular.

Except we haven't played Puppet yet. And couldn't risk two losses.

Besides, who wants to lose to a team that thinks we just choke?

Yeah.

Right.

So, our last game of the second day, against Puppet Regime.

huddle before puppet game.
hey look! we have observers! yay!
dano to andy layout 1-0
wind is REALLY bad.
1-1
paul to em 2-1
2-2
time out misch
andy to dano 3-2
we're having problems leaving discussions on the field. 3-3
7-5
last point had 14 turnovers
8-5 misch takes half
8-6
9-6
9-7
10-7 on lauout endzone dump block by pickett
lauout? sheesh.
10-8
there's been only one upwind score this game
11-8
doyle sky for 2nd upwind score this game 12-8
doyle layout grab for score 13-8
kyle sucking, subbed out for wes
and wes is injured by an opponent landing on him
13-9
14-9
uh, line judge? watch the lines, please.
14-10 downwind
dano to giz 15-10
3-0 in our power pools, done playing for the day.

Less Manifest Destiny in this game, but a good game none-the-less. The game would have been nicer if the observers could actually observe.