Regies Picks Bro Nine

[[Disclaimer: I actually finished this post Thursday night, but I didn't want to post in consideration of those people who were still doing papers and didn't want to be distracted. Unfortunately, I got distracted by throwing on the Quad, tequila shots, score reporter, Jurassic Park III, Who would you rather ...?, bug attacks, and Photobooth, so I never got around to posting. Also, Blogger apparently had problems saving my post, so I ended up having to rewrite half the damn post anyway. Welp, now that I'm done writing excuses, I guess I'll re-write the actual post. I'm not changing anything, even after some of the results are in, so you can see my original picks as of Thursday night.]]

The first round of Regionals tournaments kicks off this weekend, and in the next three days, thirteen teams will be getting their Natties tickets punched, while the rest of us sit at home and refresh Score Reporter. It's been a great year for women's ultimate, and I feel like every region has at least one or more contenders than they have Natties bids. That being said, I expect at least 50% of my picks to be wrong. Here goes ... (those in italics will be happening next weekend):

Atlantic Coast: 2
I'm gonna go with UNC-Wilmington and North Carolina. UNC-Wilmington hasn't lost to anyone in their region yet this spring, and I don't see it happening this weekend. So Wilmington will win the region, and North Carolina can beat anyone else for that second spot. I was tempted to call Wake, since I did back them at the beginning of the season, but their head-to-head with North Carolina is not working in their favor.

Central: 3
Central gets three bids this year, and I feel one hundred percent confident in saying Bella Donna wins this region. Listen, I know I said I would never pick Wisco to win another tournament again (being the petulant child that I am), but I lied. Suck it. BD wins Central Regionals. I said waaay in the beginning that I thought this was Bella's year, and I still believe it. fangirltotheend.
[Bigtool, the shoutout you asked for is coming in my Natties preview, fear not]

Okay, that being said, the number two team out of this region will be S-Y-Z-Y-G-Y SYZYGY! (I only know how to spell Syzygy because I watched Carleton/UCLA last year in quarters and that cheer is one of my fav. cheers ev.) Even though I've played Syzygy all of once ever in my life, I like them, because in the shitstorm that was Monday of Pres Day, when I was having the WORST Monday of my life, Carleton was playing "LOVE IN THIS CLUB" on their boombox during warmups, and I think I came alive after I heard that. So thanks, ya'll. Also, Wisconsin-Eau Claire is going to bring their style, ballin' ass game, and hilarity to Brohio this year, and I'm pumped for it. I feel like no other team out there has as much fun playing and dominating the way this team does, and they are not only fun to watch, but so fun to play against, even when they are beating the shit out of you and making you re-evaluate your life. Also, Brit for Central FOTY. She is SO FANTASTIC. Probably one of our favorite rookies ever, outside of the Illinois Rookie Squad (hey, good job dressing up for the RUNNER PARTY) and Piper.

Great Lakes: 2
Personal bias, so I won't say much about the Great Lakes except Michigan and Illinois are gonna do it for the Big 10. Michigan is redonkulous, again. No Surge no problem. They're sitting on top, and should have a spot all but locked up. As for Illinois ... well, we might not be "high profile" or anything but ... you're about to get GOT.

Metro East: 2
Ottawa all the way. I have no doubt in my mind Ottawa will win this region. Admittedly, I don't know much else about this region, so I'll go with Maryland.

New England: 2
Right off the bat, I'm going with Dartmouth. After that, I'm clueless. I don't think Northeastern is nearly as good as they were last year, and so they're out, for me. This puts me in a weird spot because I know nothing about any of the other teams in this region. MIT, who went to Natties last year, didn't even make Regies, so what is a girl to think? How about I go with Harvard, who won their section?

Northwest: 3
Pardon me for sounding like a total douchebag, but the Northwest really deserves more than 3 bids. It's hard to justify taking a bid away from the Central or the Southwest (both insanely competitive regions), but even so, SHIT dude. A good number of teams that deserve to be in Columbus will see their season end early, and that suuuucks. This region is so, so, so unbelievably hard to call. But I'm going with Oregon winning the region. This team has got depth. They've got talent. They've got athleticism. They're one of the best teams in ultimate, simple as that. The second team going to Nationals will be Washington. I wish we could have seen more of them throughout the year, but even so, I think they're talented enough to take a bid. They've beaten UBC three times already this season, and the only NW team they've lost to has been Oregon. Element will be there.

This means there's only one spot left, and at least three incredible teams that have a shot at it. I think I'm going to have to go with UBC taking the third and final spot. I went back and forth about this so many times, you don't even understand. I like Stanford. I like them a lot. If I hadn't destroyed all my brain cells on Unofficial '09, I might have actually had a chance to bench warm for them one day. There are so many good players on Superfly, but none of them is like Tory Hislop. She's a game changer, and I think with her and Jenny Lo, UBC is going to win a close one over Stanford.

Obviously, I haven't played either of these teams (UBC or Stanford) this year, and didn't get to see them play head-to-head or anything, so anyone who has have anything to say about this?

South: 2
St. Louis is on a tear, and I think they'll ride their fantastic season right into Nationals. As for the second spot, I like Texas, just because I don't know anything about WashU.

Southwest: 4
The Southwest ... holy shit, what a year for this region. I'm being bold and calling that all four of the Natties teams will come from the SoCal section -- UCSB, UCLA, USC, and UCSD. Is that even really that bold though? Not really.

UCLA is great (and I haven't really shown them any Bluv this year, which is totally my b), but I think UCSB will "get it together" by Regionals, and they'll win the SW. I feel like UCSB is far and away the best team in this region, so I'm comfortable with them at #1. UCLA is just consistently good, and while I don't think they're good enough to win it all this year, they'll definitely be at Natties yet again, possibly even upsetting some fools. Colorado is a good team too, but I just think USC and UCSD are better.
______________________________________
So, now that it's all said and done ... WOW. Wow. I really was pretty wrong about everything. The only region I picked correctly was the AC. Boom.

Penn over Maryland? Whoa. I don't know anything about Penn, or the Metro East, really, if you want to take it there, but are they the real deal? Did Maryland drop the ball or was Penn just the better team? I guess it's the year for the duosyllabic names in the South, what with WUWU and SLULU both going. I'd heard that Iowa State was really cool and that they were good this year, but I still wanted to see Eau Claire and their hot pink spray paint tattoos at Natties. As for the Southwest, I was pretty shocked that Colorado beat UCLA. Way to go, Kali. And you know what, even if UCSD didn't make it, Katie Kessler is still my Natties Cutie '09. As for the dudes, BOOM ROASTED Florida. Whoa. The would-have-been #1 seed at Nationals isn't even going. Yikes. Crazy about Oregon Ego, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

All this Regies talk and looking at all these scores gets me real effin' pumped for Obrolin. The bracket is up. We've got a few practices left. We're done learning at this point. It's all about delivering and playing the kind of ultimate we know we can play. I know this week will pass by super quickly. The only things holding me back are the fact that my apartment is SWELTERING and that the Weezy-shaped hole in my heart just keeps growing with each passing day.

Weez, if I never see you again in my life (won't happen, I guarantee it, but just in case):
If I live every moment, won't change any moment. There's still a part of me in you. I will never regret you. Still the memory of you marks everything I do. Can't waste time so give it a moment. I realize, nothing's broken. No need to worry about everything I've done. Live every second like it was my last one. Don't look back, got a new direction. I loved you once, needed protection. You're still a part of everything I do, you're on my heart just like a tattoo. Just like a tattoo, I'll always have you.

I miss you so much, Weez-bag.

Things I Learned from Pre-Regies Weekend
1. Even if you are the number one team in the country, you can still lose at Regionals. Sorry, Brodman.
2. If you leave the door open at my apartment, you will be swarmed and attacked by bugs about as vicious as the triceriplyclops or whatever fuck that dinosaur was from Jurassic Park III. Who the SHIT knew?!
3. I am hopelessly in love with someone who looks a little like the lovechild of Lupe Fiasco and T.I. Really what this means is that I will date just about anyone who looks good in a fitted baseball cap. Does anyone know if Weezy looks good in a fitted cap? Yes or yes?
4. Tequila is ALWAYS a good idea.
5. Michelle Obama's left eye is bigger than her right eye. She was probably still the hottest woman at Princeton.
6. Having possession of the disc going upwind on DGP in the finals of Regionals can only mean one thing -- iso Michelle Obama. Boom. T/Roasted. You just got got. Call Weezy, cause we're gonna kiss thru the phone.
7. Don't play a shirtless vs. pantsless game at Sectionals. We'll see how this plays out.
8. Sporty Spice has a girl power tattoo. She WOULD.
9. People screaming outside your window at all hours of the night can only mean one thing: WE'RE GOING TO STAYSH!
10. Even if you make a shitty movie, as long as you cast Beyonss in it, it will be number 1 at the box office. I see you, girl.


I'm geeked as hell.
A mere five days.
P-SB2K9PTLWHGB.

hey hey don't hate on me
my tank on full your tank on 'e'
look good on you look good on me
cause imma go and never gon' s-t-o-p