If the All-Region and Callahan hype machine were an ultimate player, I’m pretty sure it would be a do-it-all cutter with sick layouts and full-field upwind hucks. It would own the skies, and his man would never touch the disc, ever. And seriously, get used to this word: unstoppable.
The machine starts up like clockwork every time the Series rolls around. Teammates want their best players friends to get some recognition, and the hyperbole pops up on RSD (and this year, the USA Ultimate forums). All of a sudden, it turns out that the best player in college ultimate has been doing his thing at conference contender X all season long– it’s just that nobody knows about them.
Check out a bit of what’s been said about various players over the past couple days:
- “…he has the strength and accuracy to throw deep in any situation…and he will layout D you and then drop a huck for a score.”
- “…a threat throwing hucks, breaks, and layout D-ing EVERYTHING whenever he is on the field (which is every point).”
- “…he is unguardable as a handler. No matter how explosive you think you are, he will manage to put you off balance and capitalize when the timing is right.”
- “…unstoppable cutter, also insane on defense and has big throws.”
Really? Are there that many players out there that simply can’t be stopped? That many whose skill sets are going to have them catapulting straight from their college squad to Sarasota?
Obviously not. It’s all just exaggeration, and anyone that’s been paying attention for any sustained period of time knows this. And I don’t even think it’s a bad thing, I just think that it loses sight of the fact that there is a difference between really good players (of which there are a lot) and great players (which are few and far between).
The issue is compounded by the fact that there is a problem of scale. There’s a real difference between being the man on a mid-tier Regionals team and being #5 or 6 on the depth chart for a team that makes quarters, and the question of whether or not those guys could be interchangeable is an interesting one to ponder. Great players come from both situations.
There was another point that I wanted to get to here, but I’m going to give it its own post. For now, let’s hear some real talk. Know of a player that should be on an All-Region team or in the Callahan consideration? Let’s hear about him. What are his go-to break throws? What kinds of players does he perform well against, and who gives him trouble? Any noteworthy performances from tournaments this year? How about his leadership qualities? Who are his supporting cast, and how does he make them better? How does he rely on them?
And if he is unstoppable, unguardable, infallible, beyond reproach, or perfect, please send me a link to his team’s Score Reporter page, where the record will surely be entirely in the green.
Happy Monday…
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