Why ultimate is still the best

A few months ago, I was talking to Mike about religion. One of my arguments about not being a particular religious person in the Christian sense is the fact that ultimate provides many of the core aspects what traditional religions provide: community, social outlets, a sense of right and wrong, friends anywhere you go. Community being the biggest of that list.

Last night, I was reminded of this fact, once again.

I was the first to arrive in Sarasota, flying into the Sarasota airport directly to avoid needing to travel the extra hour by car or even deal with the red-eye everyone seemed too fond of. Kris can sleep on a plane, at any point. I can stay awake on a plane, at any point. Direct opposites when it comes to flying.

On the flight from San Jose to Atlanta, I saw two Fury players on my flight sitting a few rows forward of me. On the second leg, from Atlanta to Sarasota, I decided I was going to ask them if they were in Siesta Keys and if so, could give me a ride to my villa housing.

A bit later, the flight attendant was handing out drinks, I turned around when I heard the person behind me mumble something about deciding between some drink and another. I smiled when I turned around, because I recognized JD Lobue (Jr.) sitting in the row behind me. He smiled back and asked me what I thought he should get. I immediately said, the second one, which prompted the flight attendant to ask, "Do you know each other?"

I laughed and said I knew of him, but I've only ever seen him on television. She freaked out a little, and JD visibly blushed, which isn't easy to do in a darkened airplane.

We talked about ultimate the entire rest of the flight. We talked about how the mixed division has canibalized the women's division, but the power teams in the women's division are victims of their own success (by becoming so dominant, other women's teams are less likely to form and get crushed by the dominant teams, so the women will be more likely to play mixed).

As the flight was landing, I asked him for a ride to the villas, and he said yes.

To be able to meet someone on a plane, spend the whole flight talking to him, be instant friends and catch a ride with him, knowing every time I see him at a tournament, he'll say hello and we'll chat, is why ultimate is so totally the best.