RETROSPECTIVE: We are watching you

From Dalian tournament

Beijing Ultimate 2008 slideshow on Youku, CUPA

Thanks to Ivan Xu and Balance Wang for linking the Year in Review slideshow on the China Ultimate Players Association website. The Youku link is here, and the original post here.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Happy birthday, Ken and Steph!

Backdated 10/21


The girl with the butcher's knife is Steph, and Ken Dry is the one in blue. They are a couple, and isn't it always so cute when couples share a birthday? Who's a cute couple... that's right, they're a cute couply wouply.

On Friday night they had a birthday gathering at a Xinjiang restaurant across from Worker's Stadium. Afterwards we walked over to Paddy O'Shea's to see The Redbucks, currently the hottest bluegrass band in town, featuring Beijing Ultimate's own Chris Boehner, et al.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Dalian

Backdated 10/21


Not to say a lot didn't happen at the tournament party, but we're pretty bummed about our 15-11 loss in finals and have nothing to say about anything happy.

GOOGLE GROUPS POST OF THE WEEK:

Tao:

"I'm Mr. Awesome, cause I'm ripped, I got black spiky hair, but more
importantly, when I'm stripping and I'm dancing, I can pick that
dollar up off the ground with my butt cheeks! Yea, Mr. Awesome CAN do
that."

Go, now: http://v.youku.com/v_playlist/f2908794o1p0.html

For a future tournament party, we need to assign the following
monikers to everyone on the team. Reserve now if you'd like.

Party Tool
Slacker Tool
Tiny Tool
Loud Mouth Tool
Cold-Hearted Tool
Playa Pimpin' Tool
Power Tool
Greek Tool
Naked Tool
...and more!

Proxy problems

Hotspot Anchor, it seems, has been blocked. Tragedy. Please stay tuned while I figure out whether I can email-upload photos and contemplate whether it's worth it to buy Witopia.

RETROSPECTIVE: Long-lost footage from China Nationals I

From Tianjin Richie's Youku profile:

Click here if the video has failed to properly embed itself.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Dalian tournament

Beijing Big Brother finished 2nd and Beijing Bang finished 3rd. More coverage over at China Ultimate.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Preparing for Dalian tournament this weekend

During National Day preparations? Not always a good idea...

Jeff Orcutt:

The fact of the matter is that it is China and nobody really knows what is going on and even if they (they being whoever) truely knows at some point that doesn't mean it will not change as it is implimented. It also doesn't mean that every location will be operating under the same rules.

Basically, yes, they can close down the city to pedestrians. If they want to. the basic problem for everyone is going to be crossing Changan jie, where the parade practice is going to be held.

Since the subways are closing down at 4:00 I think that the streets won't totally close down until then and maybe a little after (I saw 17:00).

Since it is China be very friendly with the guards and if you get stuck just keep trying different intersections and guards until you find some that will let you through. Or just make sure you are south of Changanjie by 16:00 or 17:00.

I am going to leave a little bit later since I am feeling ill and need a nap (I know, gumpy old man). On the way to work in a cab this morning I saw that Changan jie was closing at 17:00 (that is what it said on the signs over the second ring road, again, not necessarily the truth). So I am going to get in a cab at around 4:00pm. Worse case I have to drive to the fifth ring road to get around Changanjie.

Be vigilant and leave plenty of time (two hours is more than enough time) but don't freak out and expect body cavity searches.

Cheers,

Jeff

*

Oh, Ellen...

You do want to leave earlier since they will be setting up over there. A colleague of mine got trapped in his house last week when it was surrounded by tanks.

Enjoy!

RETROSPECTIVE: Our favorite Jim

From Jeju 2007 (picture by Anne Town).

Here's to hoping Jim, who's in the U.S. right now, sees this before returning to the land where Blogger's blocked.

Video of Tianjin-Beijing friendly

A two-part video from Saturday's event:


Also on Youku (accessible without a proxy): Part 1, Part 2.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Pictures from the Tianjin-Beijing friendly

Players from Big Brother, Bang and Hangtime were in Tianjin on Saturday to help run drills for the locals and play a few friendlies. We went to an international school called TEDA Maple Leaf in Tangu, about an hour outside of downtown Tianjin.







Tianjin has arguably the most developed Ultimate community in mainland China, in large thanks to the efforts of Edward Wang, Richie Liu and Nick Liu (no relation), all first-generation Ultimate players and graduates of Tianjin Sport University. In addition to being great athletes (Richie is a regional champion in the 400-meter dash), they are all enthusiastic Ultimate players and always welcome help and support. Although Beijing-Tianjin friendlies have not always gone as planned, Tianjin players have always been gracious hosts whenever we go.





The day couldn't have been more perfect. In the first game, Beijing X played an intense game against Tianjin Speed. The score was knotted at 7, going to 9, before Beijing scored on offense and won a hard-earned break.

Beijing Y had fewer problems, winning 11-2 against TEDA before using the rest of the time to organize a cutting/huck drill.




TSU is a cradle rich with Ultimate talent, as most of the students there train every day to become athletes. As advanced Ultimate Frisbee players, our job is to help them work on their throws, field vision and team play, including concepts like the cup zone.

Below, Gareth and Mike Shyu explain the trap to a very eager group of Tianjin Speed players.






Edward and Richie in the picture below...




After playing both Tianjin teams (Beijing Y beat Speed 11-6), we played a Beijing vs. Tianjin "all-star" game on a nearby grass field.

Beijing took half 7-2 before deciding, as Richie and Nick were gone buying us beer, that we'd start over. The second game was a lot closer, though Tianjin could never get the break they needed. Final score: 9-7 Beijing.









Dinner afterwards: lots of dumplings

Ultimate has come a long way in Tianjin, which is saying something considering it started at a decently high level. In the first-ever China Nationals in 2007, Tianjin Speed finished second, to Air Kazak. It was the same result the year after. Richie, Nick and Edward graduated afterwards and formed their own team, which lost in semis this past year to eventual champions Hong Kong. Speed, meanwhile, is rebuilding its empire, with some of the fastest players this side of Shanghai. If you haven't watched them, do try sometime: they rely on quick cuts from all their players and quick throws, often telling one another, "Kuai yi dian'r, kuai yi dian'r" -- faster, faster.

Of course, their game has a ways to go as well. But in Asia Ultimate, Tianjin is a sleeping giant: in two or three years, when Richie and Nick have developed into huckers (Edward already has a nice deep throw), Tianjin will be a team to contend with, and not just at China Nationals. This past year, Tianjin won its pre-quarters game in Shanghai and finished tied for 5th, their best result ever in an international tournament. They can do better.

Tomorrow, expect two videos showing our clinic and games [update: here]. Thanks go out to Five Ultimate for partially sponsoring the trip.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Return of the...

Tianjin, here we come! Beijing Ultimate is leaving the confines of Sixth Ring Road tomorrow for a friendly at TEDA Maple Leaf International School in Tangu, Tianjin. Details about the trip after the weekend.

This is your week in review.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK:

Welcome to Beijing, Amy and Liz. (The guy on the right is Justin.) And welcome back, baijiu game!

A few minutes after this video, Jehan would say "baijiu" on his own accord, without prompting, to much laughter. Poor Jehan. Um, I mean, bai wine. I didn't say it!

GOOGLE GROUPS POST OF THE WEEK:

Ever wanted to live in a hutong? Contact Missy Rock:

Hello all –

If you know of anyone looking for housing over the next few months, please pass along my information.

I'll be leaving Beijing around mid-November and would love to sublet my place to any interested parties.

My renovated pingfang home in a hutong neighborhood south of the Drum & Bell Towers, east of Houhai and west of Nanluoguxiang, is complete with its own yard and rooftop scenic patio. The place would be perfect for 1-2 people, a couple, good friends, and so forth. There is a main bedroom that gets great sunlight, has a queen sized bed, dresser and closet. The living room is also furnished with a couch, coffee table, small bookshelf, two end tables, two smallish sofa type chairs, and some other wooden chairs. There is a third room that is somewhat a cross between an office and a bedroom and can serve as either or both depending on your needs. Right now my roommate has a single twin-sized futon bed in there along with a couple other pieces of furniture. Blankets, sheets, pillows, etc… are also available if you need them.

There is a good sized kitchen (fully furnished with pots, plates, water and wine glasses, medium-sized oven & blender) and bathroom (western style toilet and shower curtain that separates the shower from toilet and washing machine area of the bathroom). The yard is totally quaint – complete with date tree. A ladder leads up from the yard to the roof where you can watch the neighbors across the alley exercise their pigeons on a daily basis.

My place is centrally located – and close to bus and subway stations. There are veggie markets, fruit stands, small mom & pop restaurants, and bigger shops all nearby as well.

The place is officially available starting November 15th. But it's possible I can find someone to sublet for 1 month (into mid-December) if this timing would better suit your needs (however I would need to set that up ASAP, so contact me right away if you are interested but can't move in until mid-December). Or, conversely, if you're in need of a place somewhat earlier, I can arrange to move out by November 1st.

Rent is 5000 rmb/mo + utilities (which include electric, water/sewage and internet).

Please feel free to contact me if you're interested!

Cell: 13717760232

Missy

RETROSPECTIVE: Bangkok 2009

Picture by Aaron Rothblatt

The shirtless guy is Gareth Marshall, the newest addition to Beijing Ultimate.

A reminder that the 2010 Bangkok Hat Tournament is out, here.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Katzenjammer! Winter is here

Light is divine, not just because it topped (or "tops," as divinity knows no past tense?) the Old Man's agenda and happens to be the source of all life (though it hardly needs to be pointed out that those are two awfully good reasons). It relates to something more immediate and urgent, to the pixilated Maine seafarer perched at the bridge's edge, something more relevant to each and every one of us, worthy of the adjective universal (as opposed to "love" and "humanity," which are not only parochial traits erratically practiced but -- in the case of the latter -- much too good for its eponym). Light, if not gives, relates to happiness (if we may be lazy about word choice), or, more specifically, a sense of purpose, a steely belief in existence even amid perpetual non-understanding of nonexistence, an acceptance -- not resignation -- of injustice's final tab, which, unpaid, adds up to infinity -- yet another concept that can never quite be imagined, if even understood -- like our ever-expanding universe that will know neither collapse nor rebirth. The tragedy of life is that on one scale it never ends yet on the other finds terminus in the most un-extraordinary of terms, an old nun expiring in a retirement abbey, a bicyclist crashing into a car -- it is quantum mechanics bumping heads against general relativity, clashing like siblings that never age, or age continuously, or -- befitting the enigma that is our universe -- both.

When it wanes, we are girded by cold and stifled. We live on tenterhooks below which a darkness threatens to envelop us like a frigid sea. We subsist on the sun's mercy in a world adrift in an endless cycle, "Death's incessant motion" -- borrowing a phrase from George Herbert -- "fed with the exhalation of our crimes." Except our only crime has been against the steward of probability, he who understands that the most infinitesimal fraction of a percentage, against infinity, is finite, yet rages against this fact and against all who draw lifeblood from it. We exist and are punished in proportion to the duration of our existence.

Cold has come, and on the eve of its onset members of the Beijing Ultimate community went to Phoenix City for 50-kuai all-you-can-drink microbrews and Punk for dancing. One member of the community took his shirt off before arriving at the microbrewery. The day after they could not stop complaining of their hangovers, though it must be pointed out, it was atypically cold on Sunday.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Tuesday at Deshengmen

Heart of Beijing: In olden days, Deshengmen -- which now looks like a castle from the original Mario Brothers for NES -- was an entrance point for victorious troops returning from battle. Now it overlooks a small square where elder dancers engage in yannge (秧歌), "rice-sprout songs" accompanied by thunderous drums, gong and horns. These are the songs of pastoral Shaanxi, where yangge originated.

Here we are playing at Deshengmen fields this past Tuesday:




PICTURE OF THE WEEK:

Team Va-JJ (see below)

GOOGLE GROUPS POST OF THE WEEK:

James Kirchhoff, 9/1: MORE FUN THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT

Hey everybody!

In case you weren't at pick up this past weekend and haven't heard the word, Team Triple J is officially a GO for Manila.

THAT'S RIGHT!! Beijing's three most fun people in the WORLD, Joe, Jim, and Jeff, are putting together a super fun team for the most amazing tournament of the year! And YOU *points directly at you * are invited.

If that's not enough to get you excited, we're getting a beach house (that's right HOUSE) on the beach at Boracay for the week after the tourney (and probably the week before as well). Team members get first dibs on the party crib. In case you didn't know, not only did Boracay make the list for 10 most beautiful beaches on the planet, but a bottle of Tanduay Rhum (so cool they spell it with an "h") costs about $1.65. That's under 12 rmb! I love the Philippines...

So, the invite has been cast out to the entire Beijing community. We'd love to make it a 100% beijing squad so that we can party with our favorite people. So if you're interested, talk to us! The sooner the better.

Peace out!

Team Triple J

or if you prefer we force Joe to finally embrace his latin american roots and his spanish name "Va",

Team Va-JJ signing off!

=)

RETROSPECTIVE: 5th bottle of baijiu?

Says the YouTube comment, anyway.



You are everyone's hero, Jason Cox.

The greatest year-in-review slideshow published this year in Beijing Ultimate history

Beijing Ultimate 2008 slideshow is complete! There are many ways to watch (UPDATE: now on Youku!), but the best is to click on these three videos in succession:





For those in China, the complete video can be accessed without a proxy here.

And the full version on Facebook (though with slight glitches):

This is, of course, the greatest video I've made to date, bettering last year's The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny.

Here's the slideshow script, scene-by-scene:

BANGKOK HAT TOURNEY
Doc and Donald
Doc
Reid and Doc
Donald and Ried

JEJU GNARLY NINES
Ryan Perez
Sandy, Jim and Doc
Jim
Team

TIANJIN
Team
(Edward Wang), Tao, Jim and Joe
Jim

PARTY BUS!
Zahlen
Ken Dry and Sandy
Boehner and Anquan hat
Stephanie and Jason Cox
Char and Jim

BOOZY AFTER-PICKUP EXTRAVAGANZA
Group
Martha
Jim and fuwuyuans

Tao and Doc
Tao and Doc

CHINA NATIONALS
Sign
Sky
Boehner
Joe's picture
Robo Gabe
Team
Tao and Donald
Joe
Doc and Chip
Char Lam
Candice Lee
Greg Erickson
Jeff Orcutt
Julia Filip
Kevin Reitz
Anthony Tao
Lauren Reed
Mitch Moxley
Aaron Leung
Tina Xue
Lincoln Cheung
Jim and Julia
Party
Joe
Char and Jim
Lauren and Kevin
Doc, Sandy and Jason
Team
Team

VIDEO: Edward Wang

Air Kazak
Happy Rat and Kazak
Lim and Happy Rat
Happy Rat and Lim
Jeff and Jason
All-stars
Zahlen and Five Ultimate
Group

Lincoln
Lincoln
Sandy and Doc
Misha
Doc
Julia and Kevin

SHANGHAI OPEN
Shen
Shen
Chirona
Joe and Sandy
Boehner and Ken Dry
Doc and Joe
Reid and Ken Dry
Joe and Aaron
Molly, Tao and Doc
Aaron, Lincoln and Ken Dry
Bus
Chirona, Doc, Tao and Tina
Tao
Char and Jim
Sandy and mannequins
Lauren and Shen
Boehner drunk
Boehner and Chirona
Boehner drunker
(Rob Adams) and Joe
Joe, Molly, Tina, Tao
Char and Jim
Joe and Kevin
Lincoln: THROW THE HAMMER
Bei Bling
Beijing Big Brother

SUMMER!
Lincoln, Chirona, Tao, Aaron, Eric Wu
Tao, Molly and Sandy
Guy and Shen
Tao, Chirona and Jason
Boehner and Tao
Cowboy Jeff (Hartline) and Sandy
Deshengmen
Tao and Boehner
Molly and Aaron
Durians
Lincoln, Kevin, Tao, Joe and Greg Erickson
Joe and Tao
Tao and Lincoln
Molly, Lincoln and Tao
Mike Lu and Julia
Kelly and Lincoln
Wang Bin and Tao
Wang Bin
Kelly
Steph Kwan
Shen
Roger, Pat Li and Casey
Misha, Molly, Lincoln and Jeff
Kevin
Group
Kevin
Group
Lincoln, Tao and Molly
Jeff, Tao and Jason
Steph and Jeff
Boehner and Julia
Julia, Matt Knowles and Candice
Andrew Hooker and Joe
Joe, Jeff, Mark

SUMMER LEAGUE, FINAL DAY
Team Biantaila
Team Durian Assassins
VIDEO: Shen to Tao to Yin to Shen to Tao
Team Go Blue Yourself
Steven Zhang, Joe, Tao, Jeff and Yin
Joe, et al.
VIDEO: Nick Liu and Kelly
Joe, Aaron Rosa and Sandy
Aaron Rosa
Helen Lu
Yan and Jason Chen
Sandy and Kevin
Mike Shyu, Jessica and Jason Chen

BEACH HAT TOURNEY
Julia and Boehner
Reid and Kevin
Robo Gabe
Baby Girl and Tao
Tao

JASON COX'S GOODBYE PARTY
Donald
Jim
Jim
Boehner
Boehner and Kevin
Boehner and Kevin
Sandy
Sandy
Char
Happy Rat
Happy Rat
Steph
Michelle
Steven
Donald
Helen
Helen
Jason Cox
VIDEO: Jason Cox and baijiu, featuring Joe, Jim and lots of stunned
spectators
Char, Boehner, Joe, Jason Cox and Sandy
Group
Group shots
Joe
Jessica, Jason Cox, Steph, Char
Jason and Happy Rat, Steph and Char
Joe and Steph
Joe
Jeff and Helen
Jason Chen
Helen, Donald, Joe, Char, Tao
Jason Cox and Stephanie Zhang

Group

Reid and Julia
Doc
Mitch, Boehner, Sandy, Mark, Tao
Boehner
Kevin
Kevin and baijiu
Matt Knowles and Sara
Lauren, Kevin, Roman, Matt, Joe

Optimus Prime

HONG KONG
Roman, Julia, Reid, Becca Ivey
Kevin on field
Roman and Baby Girl
Becca
Jim and Doc
Roman and Jim
Helen and Yin
Ken Su
Hulk Hogan
Chuck Norris
Indiana Jones, Shaq Fu, Care Bear, Optimus Prime, Batman, Captain Kirk
Captain Kirk, Batman, Shaq Fu
VIDEO: "Yo Shaq Fu on yourself!"
Captain Kirk, Shaq Fu, Optimus Prime, Hulk Hogan, Batman
Optimus Prime
VIDEO: Subway
Bill/Ted, Optimus Prime, Shaq Fu
Optimus Prime and Shaq Fu
Optimus Prime, Shaq Fu, Bill/Ted
Care Bear, Aaron Carter, Captain Kirk, Monty Python's Black Knight,
Batman
Hulk Hogan, Optimus Prime, Shaq Fu, Bill/Ted, Indiana Jones
VIDEO: Entrance; Optimus Prime and Jackie Chan
Abraham Lincoln, Ninja
Godzilla and Mr. Rogers
VIDEO
Ninja
VIDEO
Batman, Optimus Prime, Captain Kirk and Hulk Hogan
Lauren and Baby Girl
VIDEO: Matt to Doc to Sara for the score
Julia, Becca and Casey
VIDEO: Doc to Roman
Congratulatory line
Shen and Brian
Jim, Shen, Doc, Brian, Lauren
Team

WINTER ENCROACHES
Kevin and Roman
Mike Cunningham, Pia Ybanez, Doug Heimburger, Roman
Corey
Robo Gabe
Tianjin Richie

PINK PARTY (REID AND JULIA'S GOODBYE)
Group
Joel, Pnut and Roman
Sandy and Mike Shyu
Jim, Char and Shen
Baby Girl, Sandy, Matt, Joe and Matt
Lauren, Matt and Sara
Baby Girl and Sandy
Jeff
Joe, Ken Dry, Sandy, Matt and Jim

VIDEO: The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny