Indoor last weekend. MLK Tourney up in Duluth, MN. I had planned on playing with the club team with which I played last season (Ding Wop), but they had 17 players already. For a 5v5 tourney, I wasn't too excited to be the 18th guy. Instead, Truesdale brought up his St. Olaf freshman. My brother Joe and I elected to play with them as the 8th and 9th players.

I made the 2+ hour drive in the morning and was late getting there. I ran around, got a sweat going, and jumped onto the field. After 4 or 5 easily completed forehands, I threw my first backhand of the day that flew as well as if I had thrown a tourney bagel. My self-serving bias would probably influence me to say the disc made it to the receiver's feet, but it probably only made it 3/4 that far. I got off the field and didn't return until I had thrown 50 backhands. I never want to make that mistake again.

There's a phrase in Ultimate. If you haven't already heard it, you soon will -- mostly because I'm about to say it. "Hell hath no fury like Lou Abramowski's scorn." The St. Cloud team learned this axiom the fun way. One of their vets, Jack, was cutting for a dump while I was covering him. He had made one or two moves and didn't shake me, but the pass went up anyway. I reached out and caught the disc with my forearm across the top of it and fingers grasping the far edge of the rim. At about the same time, Jack made a clap catch that included my forearm. I yanked the disc free and he called a strip. I hate the rules in this scenario because there's nothing the defense can do. O retains possession. I argued, noting that he had caught my arm, but that lasted about 2 seconds when I realized there was nothing to come of it. I didn't bother contesting because I wanted to be on the mark. Sure enough, I got the point block [insert "disc never lies" comment] and bolted deep. Truesdale hung a high floater and Jack got inside position and swatted at the disc. He got all of the disc, too, but I reached over the top of him and got a firm grip before the disc sailed away.

On the sideline, he complimented my play and apologized about the argument. I shrugged and said "eh, part of the game." In retrospect, I should have offered an apology in return. I know he wasn't cheating, but I was still blowing off some residual steam, despite already having exacted my "revenge."

TBA also beat us in as fun of a game as you'll get indoor. In OT, they came back to beat us 15-14 at the cap. Despite the loss, it's always nice to have that "this is why I play Ultimate" at the most unexpected times.

In the evening, we played CUT in the quarters. They beat us deep for at least 8 of their 13 points. The only memorable moment for me was when I was guarding Rupp, a long pass was underthrown and Rupp had the inside. I lunged in and knocked the disc away at the last second and he announced incredulously, "but I had it right in my hands!" He then added, "nice D," which I never expected Rupp to say to me ever in my life.

We met TBA again in Chumpionship semis. I think I set a personal best by having 4 D's in 1 point and a fifth during the next point -- 2 point blocks, 2 poach D's, and one just outrunning the guy to the disc underneath. I footblocked a guy on 3 consecutive throws during the same point once, but didn't have a fourth D. Sadly, we didn't even score the point in which I got the 4 D's. And I'm pretty sure all 4 of our turns were unforced. Even still, we defeated TBA something like 13-9.

Ding Wop stomped us in the Chumpionship. I missed 3 D's that were inches from my finger tips on passes that I tend to classify as "so bad, they are good."

Not that this is news, but indoor Ultimate is hard on the body. I don't hurt nearly as much after a weekend of outdoor. MLK 2006 might have been my last indoor tourney.