CCC LIX – Random Thoughts and Previews

Obviously we didn’t have time to preview every team in the field. Our pools and seeds post discussed a little news on each team but we wanted to go ahead and give the briefest of thoughts in a more news-like manner on some of the more notable players, occurrences and oddities of the teams attending. In alphabetical order.

Tally Classic 2010 – Semifinals – Virginia Night Train vs. Michigan State Burning Couch

While Notre Dame and Clemson battled one field over, Virginia and Michigan State were embroiled in a dogfight of their own for the right to compete for $1000. Suffice to say that no one was looking past semis to the finals at the Tally Classic because each of the semifinal games were epic contests in and of themselves.

Michigan State had little trouble with any team over the course of the tournament, Burning Couch’s closest game, a 13-11 victory over Notre Dame, wasn’t as close as the score indicates. Meanwhile, Virginia had struggled mightily in the ACC bracket, going to double game point with Clemson once, before getting trounced by the Joint Chiefs in their second meeting and struggling out of the gate against Georgia-B, even going down two breaks to start.

However, the past was the past when the two highest seeds in the tournament met a round before they were expected to and Virginia gathered its wits together and prevailed, 13-11.

Tally Classic 2010 – Quarterfinals

The Sunday Morning Bracket started without much of a hitch as all of the first round games went to seed and went there easily. As soon as the team’s that had been able to sleep in rolled up to the fields. Things started to get dicey and fast.

Michigan State was matched up with Wheaton College, Virginia faced off against Florida State meanwhile Notre Dame had a rematch with Georgia Southern and Clemson had a replay of Saturday’s contest with Georgia Tech.

Aside from Burning Couch’s big win over Wheaton, this round was as closely contested as any at the Tally Classic. Clemson topped Georgia Tech on a capped universe point, Notre Dame staved off Georgia Southern after being down a break in the first half and Virginia and Florida State got a late start but Night Train barely prevailed 9-7.

Tally Classic 2010 – Round Two – Michigan State Burning Couch vs. Valdosta State

After the first round was over all teams were arriving at the fields. The sparkling new FSU Rec Sportsplex was nearly filled to the brim with Ultimate teams as far as the eye could see. The top seeds in the morning pools were rubbing the sleep from their eyes after first round byes and getting ready to take on the third seeds in their pools. Considering the props that we gave them, we were ready to see Michigan State in action.

They were taking on Valdosta State and Burning couch didn’t waste much time proving that they were in Tallahassee with one thing in mind, the first place prize money. VSU was handed a 13-7 defeat in quick and impressive fashion.

Tally Classic 2010 Previews: Michigan State Burning Couch

MSU's Alex Edinger sets up a mark at College Trouble in Vegas. Photo courtesy of FacebookStalking.

When we last saw Michigan State the team was prepping to make a run at CCC in the fall. They had brilliant results at some early fall tournaments but by the time the snowy, muddy weekend in Chattanooga was over, Burning Couch was going home unhappy.

Weekend Roundup: In Which Teams Actually Play Ultimate

Three (nearly) full tournaments were played this weekend, in what proved to be the first weekend of the preseason that was not severely affected by inclement weather. That being said, teams attending Queen City Tuneup had to deal with snow and shortened round times while teams attending Mardi Gras had to deal with bayous encroaching into the middle of the field. Meanwhile, President’s Day frolicked out West like one would expect Californians to.

After the jump is this weekend’s recap. It may be of some interest to many of you but we are making some efforts to get in touch with the UPA, Mike Gerics and George Mason’s Ultimate program to try and sort out just what went down this last weekend. It would be somewhat of a tragedy in our opinion if the UPA decided to go through with what, at the moment, seems like a rash and harsh decision.

That being said, we’re reserving judgment for the time being because, having played against Gerics and knowing his history, we would not be the least bit surprised if this suspension was deserved.

Perhaps we shouldn’t say anything in order to avoid alienating any of the parties involved but we wanted you, the readers, to know that we’re on the case to get the story from all involved. Good luck to all teams searching for sanctioned games.

CCC LIII First Round: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State

The first round of a tournament can be difficult, you don’t have to get your kinks worked out. You might not be warmed up. The first round at this year’s Classic City Classic was no exception to that rule.

As teams warmed up snow covered the ground and the temperature was low. However, two teams had to get in gear in a hurry as regional rivals Michigan State and Notre Dame squared off against each other.

CCC LIII Previews: Michigan State Burning Couch

Michigan State Burning Couch is a team that has been on the fringe for quite some time. Meaning that MSU has spent many years on the outside looking in at College Nationals. The team has competed in the Great Lakes Region for many years but has been missing from the Nationals scene since 2006.

Burning Couch captain Alex Edinger hopes to change all of that this season.

“We have some pretty high expectations for this year,” Edinger, MSU’s Callahan candidate from the 2009 season, wrote us in an e-mail. “We hope to make an impact on the scene and put Michigan State Ultimate back on the map.”