GONE INDEPENDENT: 2001 – 2003

I guess the first thing that comes to mind for 2001 is Paganello. In the Springtime I was invited to come to the tournament and cover it was I would normally. The recommendation came from Peldi at Ultilinks, who talked to Jumpi at Paganello. I had never been to Italy, despite having studied Italian for a year in college. I took up the chance and headed to the beach in Rimini.

The first thing I noticed about Paganello was the comfortable commerciality of the event. Unlike the reactionary and addle-minded strictures of the UPA throughout most of the late 80's and 90's that dictated Ultimate remain hostile to the outside world, Paganello openly courted the mainstream, but did it on its own terms. Sponsors were everywhere and tons of non-Ultimate people roved the tournament site. Parts of the town seemed ready to cater exclusively to Frisbee players on certain days. So this was a treat -- to witness a tournament that was well-regarded in the Ultimate community and well-attended by the locals (who joined players in filling the stands to watch the Finals).

After Paganello I drifted down to Pasticiotto to join Peldi and others in another festive beach tournament, this one a lot different. Ultimate could indeed be played anywhere in the World with enough inspiration by organizers to bring about new players and attract local community support.

The piece I wrote initially for the Village Voice was promising, and I could probably do it again and get it in there (the Voice runs a backpage sports section) if I was so inspired. That piece was actually slated to run around the time that September 11th occurred here in New York and thusly never found a spot. That fall I had the ignominious distinction whereby I had specifically brought my girlfriend to a co-ed team so that we could play together, only to be left off the team myself. This embarassing and unnecessary slight sent me to play with Mandible, a second New York/Brooklyn team vying to make a name for themselves at Regionals (in 2002 this team morphed into the Brooklyn Knights). The article for the Voice was written on this team at the prodding of a teammate who was inerning in the photo department at the Voice at the time.

In the beginning of 2002 Charles Kerr contacted me with the idea to start the College Ultimate Reporter, a free online magazine devoted to College Ultimate. I agreed to serve as Senior Editor and together we got through three issues before the logistics got out of hand. CUR will likely be revived for the 2003 College season. The three issues (or was it two?) proved that there was an eager and viable market for this sort of thing.

I sent an email to Bill Wright about a month too late to get myself to Hawaii for Worlds 2002. Instead Eric Reder from Chasing Plastic asked me if I could write up a preview of Worlds for the Tournament Magazine, a co-sponsored publication by WFDF and Chasing Plastic. I called a few friends and did a little research and wrote a scouting report without ever making it to the tournament or seeing half the teams.

But the big thing for 2002 is a documentary I am working on, following three New York-area Ultimate players in their lives inside and outside of the game. It is tentatively titled, "The Secret Lives of Ultimate Frisbee Players" and should be finished by Spring of 2003. Click here to learn more about the film and maybe even contribute a little $$ to keep it rolling.

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