Brass Monkey 2011
Brass Monkey 2011
Another year, another embarrassing story of too much fun, pool strainers and sleeping in a bed that is not your own (see the usual suspects for details).
What can be said is that for the 14th time (please check my math) Brass Monkey was a sensational event, in unbelievably fantastic conditions. For once Brass Monkey did not live up to its reputation and was mild for both days.
Indoors on Saturday, and 16 teams. Some great costumes, Hawaiian Shirts, Team Animal Suits, and Superman outfits being some of my highlights.
A seeding round, which sorted the men from the boys (and girls) and after the dust settled, 2 or 3 teams were moaning and groaning that they had fallen on the wrong side of the draw. Some fierce competition saw some teams unexpectedly lose and others win over teams that on paper should have been better than they were.
Placing rounds and more close games (A quarter-final game going to golden point at 8-8) with the final being eventually contested by Spirit Berry and Anyone Else But You.
The final score did not represent how close the final was, but big ups for a win to Spirit Berry.
Animal costumes were sensational, Lions, Chickens, Anteaters, Pandas and even a few animal hunters, 2 Fishes which led to some small confusion. The Poolside Hat Draw was like normal (epic), with this year more than ever in the pool to watch the teams being drawn. Stacked teams were discussed and teams with no hope drank more. All in all a great Saturday.
Sunday was a fantastic day with all 8 teams turning up close (ha ha yeah right) to the 9am start time. Pool 1 being Cat Stevens, Snopp Dog (Thanks Davey Jones), The Beatles & the Monkies. Pool 2 was the other pool and I don’t really know the teams. [Ed: Seal, Def Leppard, Flock of Seagulls, Gorillaz]
The supposed stacked team was in our pool and other than a close scare against the Brett Carlyle Machine (Brass Monkey legend) had a pretty easy run to the final.
So in the final Seal (unknown due to them being in the other pool) and the stacked team of Cat Stevens. Should be an easy boring final. How wrong I was…… Bryan Holyoake on Cat Stevens catching everything and anything in the air, and Andy Neal doing the same for the other team, one of the tightest and closest finals I have ever seen.
Highlights of the final is the “Fantasy Ultimate” crew taunting the players to get a reaction to lose a participant’s points. Big ups to Bryan and Steve for being super chilly….. Big Ha Ha to Sam Mason, whose “fantasy” player Karl Moore seemed to want to chat to the crowd. (no points for Sam). The same crew for turning into a gaggle of seagulls when the lollies were brought out, and for the huge grabs, big jumps and highly entertaining final.
Well done Seal and it’s Auckland Players – Sherif (Shoe) Ibrahim, Sarah Milton, Kathryn (Kat) Holyoake (Beat her Husband in the Final) & Peter Hawkins.
Big thanks to Hammertron for hosting and making it the awesome tournament. It should be a “MUST ATTEND” on any social ultimate players yearly tournament list.