By Joseph Smooze III

The Men of Bravo – Broderick Smith, #21

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Smith lays out in front of a green screen

Outstanding size, stature and strength — towers over defenders, has natural throwing lanes from anywhere and is able to make plays under duress. Athletic — can climb the ladder on anyone. Is a load to handle. Generates easy velocity with a quick, compact release and can make all the throws. Is very competitive and will sell out to make a play. After a debilitating injury, has a new lease on his Ultimate life and a new outlook to match. Can flat-out rip it in any condition.  Darkhorse teammate.  Is deadly with a mini-disc and even deadlier with a camera phone.

The Men of Bravo – Ian Toner, #19

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Toner goes big for a disc in an unspecified game

Has large hands and is strong for his size. Sacrifices his body and supports the run willingly; he likes contact. Takes good angles and understands contain. Outstanding work ethic. Good short-area zone awareness; reacting to throws in front of him is a strength. Hardworking and accountable. Experienced veteran of Virginia, Ring of Fire, and U23 Team USA.  A true student of the game, Toner is wise beyond his years.  Bravo’s only southpaw brings his unorthodox hand skills and bevy of wrong handed throws to Italy and probably after that, a township near you.

The Men of Bravo – Will Lokke, #9

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Lokke receives a pass in the US Open Semifinals

Explosive, punishing defender. Very good size and movement skills. Great explosion in his legs. Covers ground fast and is surprisingly soft-spoken for a converted Hodag. Drops into the box and covers multiple positions in the zone. Physical defender, loose-hipped. Effective mark. Aggressive and energetic.  A rare combination of red hair and Mexican ancestry.  Embodies all the positive traits of a utility player.  Can be plugged in any position on the field, providing the necessary glue to put everything together.  A great guy and great teammate, the most telling statement about Lokke can be heard along the sidelines of every team he’s left, “That Lokke really tied the room together.”

The Men of Bravo – Craig “Yeti” Forshee, #14

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Forshee releases a low flick downfield in the 3/4 game from Club Nationals

Releases cleanly and accelerates into cuts. Outstanding athletic ability and receiving skills. Threatens every level. Advanced route runner. Pierces the cutting lanes and is a mismatch vs. man coverage — regularly bested downfield defenders. Terrific quickness, agility, balance and body control against large defenders and too powerful for small defenders. Catches cleanly off his frame. Makes tough grabs look routine. Wide catching radius. Catches on the move and quickly releases upfield. Excellent production. Has the full arsenal of throws to work in the backfield when needed.

By the numbers:

  • Called the Pale Adonis by teammates for his 12 pack abs
  • Wears 100 SPF
  • Regularly eats 60 Starburst in one plane flight

The Men of Bravo – Matt Farrell, #38

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Farrell reacts with teammates after a big break

Intense, active and energetic. Zooms around the field and stands out on tape. Aggressive human highlight machine — triggers quickly, flies downhill and chops down discs. Breaks on throws and shows short-area burst to close. Has quick hands to snatch Ds. Raw but extremely productive. Throws his body around like a surface to air missile.  Makes up a lot of ground in the air.  Outwardly humble and quietly confident.  In command of his emotions at all times.  Extremely steep learning curve.  Only played 1 year at Delaware and has less than 5 years of experience in the game but is a steady contributor already.

The Men of Bravo – Ryan Morgan, #10

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Morgan catches a goal in the US Open Final

Outstanding size with a well-proportioned, muscular build. Big target over the middle and in the endzone. Athletic with flexible hips and knees to run the full route tree. Bursts into routes and stretches the seam. Good hands. Has playmaking ability. Great space cutter, opens up cutting lanes for others even when not getting the disc. Cagey marker.  Bends his knees, shuffles and fans disc out wide. Works well in tandem late in the count and in sync with others in zone. Takes care of his body and maintains low body fat. Has been around the East coast club game for a while and brings a very solid game to Bravo, providing a stabilizing force downfield.  Morgan brings a substantial Ultimate IQ and glorious curly mane.

The Men of Bravo – Stanley Peterson, #22

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Peterson marks Beau Kittredge in the US Open Final

Exceptional take-off speed, acceleration and closing burst. Makes plays effortlessly in back-side lateral pursuit. Outstanding recovery quickness to make plays (when he is out of position). Explosive striker. Can produce “wow” plays when he triggers quickly or releases cleanly and has developed a reputation for mentally removing good players from games.  Tremendous mark stifles even the best throwers.  Very opportunistic defender – often makes plays in the cutting lanes on players he is not marking.  Carries a strong ball hawking mentality.  Smizz (or Smitty) earned a PhD in ownage but skipped the classes on braggadocio.  Peterson’s stock has sky-rocketed in the last year, going from a strong role player on an outstanding Colorado team to receiving All-Region, Ultiworld 2nd Team All-American, as well as Defensive Player of the Year Honors.

The Men of Bravo – Austin Gregersen, #8

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Gregersen displays his mean streak against Furious George

Exceptional size. Outstanding arm strength — spins it with velocity and can make all the throws. Can drill the deep OI and fit it into a tight window across the field throwing to his left. Has a rangy frame with room for added bulk. Excellent height and long arms to contend in the air and set a wide mark. Good hands to snatch Ds. Nice linear fluidity. Covers ground with long strides. Flashes striking ability on offense that translates fluidly into big hucks in any condition. Primarily a defensive stopper with Bravo but can really open up the field with his throws from his time at Arizona.  Tough mindset – played his first year on Bravo with a broken forearm he suffered at tryouts.  Will relentlessly guard his rucksack of pork chops.

The Men of Bravo – Bart Watson, #6

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Watson scopes the field

Terrific competitor. Extremely driven to succeed. Well-prepared and confident in his approach. Footwork is very clean and in rhythm — throws on balance with sound mechanics, a fluid delivery and smooth stroke. Very good timing, touch and anticipation – throws receivers open. Is patient working through his reads. Sells fakes hard and takes what the defense gives him. Poised in the face of the zone and often anticipates it coming. Is very mentally and physically tough. Is a student of the game with a very good understanding of Ultimate concepts. Plays like a coach on the field, knows the responsibilities of everyone on the field and can get teammates lined up correctly. Makes few mental errors. Consistently moves the disc and comes through in the clutch. Is given a lot of autonomy to make adjustments on the fly and understands how to exploit defenses. Meticulous in his preparation. Identifies with the game and really works at his craft. Smart, determined and focused. Showed gradual improvement every season. Highly respected, unselfish team leader. Rises to the occasion on big stages. Ultimate is extremely important to him but he enjoys nothing more than sitting on the patio with his wife Liz and a nice German Eisbock, watching his dog Scotch wreak havoc.  When not on the field or at home, you’ll find him Economizing and gracing Denver television screens with his perfectly groomed beard and chiseled face, or perhaps in the gym doing right handed curls in the mirror.

The Men of Bravo – Kurt Gibson, #1

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Gibson receives a centering pass

Very good athlete with fluid movement skills and good range. Competes hard. Runs the alley and can negotiate traffic. Good zone awareness and play recognition. Understands angles and leverage. Can carry receivers in man coverage with little wasted movement in transition on speed turns. Good leaping ability. Very smart, motivated, team player with a passion for the game. Can line up the defense. Outstanding work ethic. Contributes as a gunner on pulls.  A seasoned champion, has won on every level.  Exceptionally loose hips to swivel out of cuts or perfectly execute salsa moves.  Will make sure teammates are on top of their haircut game.  Second guy in the building will be greeted with the sounds of One Direction emanating from the locker room.

The Men of Bravo – Hylke Snieder, #28

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Snieder splits one man in two in the 2012 US Open Final

Looks every bit the part with long arms (big wingspan) and large hands. Athletic marvel with raw explosive power and rare speed for his size. Is physically tough and will battle through injuries. Can collapse the field with ease and offensively, rag-dolls defenders (see US Open Final, 2012). Highly disruptive — creates a lot of pressure on the offense and flushes production to his teammates. Plays with leverage and power in his hands — converts speed into power and bulls receivers off their cutting lanes. Disrupts a thrower’s vision with long arms and can bat down discs. Seldom leaves the field. Flashes playmaking ability and can produce athletic feats in a category with few others before him. Versatile — lines up against anyone on the line and can win with strength, power, quickness and speed. Has the personality of a pleaser and does not like to disappoint coaches or teammates. Looked like a grown man in high school and has since graduated to a human specimen of mythic proportions.  Always at the forefront of fashion, Snieder also enjoys speed skating, eating fine cheeses, and hibernating.  Snieder will be coming down from the mountaintops to join Bravo in its quest for the double peak.

The Men of Bravo – Jackson Kloor, #24

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Kloor with a crucial interception in the National Quarterfinals

Outstanding size-speed ratio and athletic ability. Fluid movement skills — makes it look easy flipping his hips and reacting to the thrown disc. Very good transitional quickness and recovery speed. Superb feet and agility to pop out of his breaks and close on the disc — explosively quick. Natural interceptor with very good hand-eye coordination (a la Champ Bailey), leaping ability and has greatly improved overall disc skills. Very good vision, timing, and traffic burst as a cutter.  Finds the holes, deep and shallow, and fills them.  Excellent drive in the weight room and on the court.  Med school is next for this speedster with throwback good looks, but in the meantime he’s been labeled the “Lebron James of serving” by his peers.  Line up across from him and he’ll serve you too.

The Men of Bravo – Jack McShane, #5

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McShane lays out to save possession in the National Semifinals

Disruptive first-step quickness. Outstanding instincts — locates the disc quickly and is around it a lot. Very good body control, bend and balance. Developed huck defensive moves which allows him to play way above his height. Very explosive. Excellent pursuit — tracks down offenders from behind. Sacrifices his body and sells out around piles. Strike cuts with authority. Provides a high level of physicality, bangs with the big boys. Highly motivated. Played big vs. better competition. Can cover a large zone with ease. Highly competitive and energetic. Regularly was the focus of defensive game plans and still produced despite facing flat marks to attempt to stop his big hucks.  Does not stand up well to the sun. Imposes his will in an argument, can play both sides with ease.

The Men of Bravo – Nick Lance, #11

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Lance loads up to unleash a rocket downfield

Has a very quick trigger and good wrist snap that translates to a smooth throwing motion and clean, compact delivery (little windup). Lightning release quickness. Urgent decision maker. Sells pump fakes. Athletic enough to slide in the backfield, give and go, and buy time with his feet while keeping his eyes downfield. Good anticipation — throws his receivers open. Can change ball speeds and drop it in a bucket. Does not take self-deemed unnecessary risks and will dump the ball. Will deliver the ball looking down the barrel of a gun. Tough-minded and poised in zone — can withstand hard contact and pop back up. Highly competitive. Smart and respected. Very durable, experienced, former club champion and Callahan winner. Good Ultimate intelligence.  This Georgia Tech product comes with Megaman-like arm strength and virility.

The Men of Bravo – Andrew Mangan, #4

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Mangan skies a pack of players for a big D

Light on his feet with terrific balance. Sinks his hips with ease and pops out of breaks to separate. Tracks and adjusts. Quick hands with the disc. Good concentration, body control and boundary awareness. Runs like a gazelle, making up ground in a hurry. Shows creativity and vision after the catch. Unafraid to play in the tall trees. Highly productive as a defender before numerous injuries derailed his career. Confident and competitive, he is back and better than ever this season.  With Bravo’s influx of talent, Mangan won’t have to assume a heavy workload and can concentrate on making plays when he is on the field and maintaining his health.  Expect Mangan to once again be back amongst the premier defenders in Ultimate by season’s end.

The Men of Bravo – Evan Padget, #13

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Padget catches a big goal in the Labor Day Finals

Well-versed operating a Krier-style offense and makes USAU-style progression reads. Is comfortable working from under vertical and in the split stack. Competent enough to read past the first wave. Good field vision, timing and anticipation. Very good short-to-intermediate accuracy. Throws with accuracy while being fouled — good wrist snap. Delivers the ball under duress. Has enough arm strength to fit the ball into spots. Consistent throwing mechanics — has a smooth stroke.  These talents weren’t natural, displayed a tremendous amount of improvement from college to club as a result of his work ethic. Good caretaker and decision-maker. Smart and articulate; well accomplished despite proclivity for detonating himself and everyone around him.  Bravo drafted Padget out of Colorado after a compelling and controversy filled career where he often came in from the offseason overweight, with a nicotine addiction.  Despite an offseason skiing injury which caused a late start to his season, Padget is hitting his stride (and maximum velocity) coming into the Worlds Ultimate Club Championships.

The Men of Bravo – Jesse Roehm, #3

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Roehm snags the disc in front of a closing defender in the National Semifinals

Terrific size. Smooth accelerator — jets off the line, eliminates cushion and has speed to stretch the field vertically. Good balance and body control. Can stem his cut and leverage defenders. Drives off defenders and creates separation. Outstanding leaping ability to elevate and pluck throws out of the air. Flashes playmaking ability. Able to sidestep defenders and pick up chunk yards after the first bit of physicality. Can stretch the field with throws to secondary receivers. Predator-like silhouette.  True to his Indiana University roots, will flip the script and deny separation on defense or the dance floor.

The Men of Bravo – Ryan Farrell, #16

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Farrell saves an errant swing pass in the National Semifinals

Instinctive and anticipatory. Advanced understanding from the back end — makes subtle adjustments and diagnoses pull plays. Steps downhill quickly. Outstanding overall production in all facets. Good competitive playing speed — runs as fast as he needs to. Very good Ultimate-playing demeanor — confident and opportunistic. Showed up in big games and made clutch plays (see World Games Final). Times up the bids very well and plays bigger than his size. Has contributed as a cutter and displayed good short-area burst on offense. Exceptional work ethic and leadership traits. Respected, vocal team leader with an infectious attitude that can unite a locker room. Has been extremely durable, especially given his size and playing style.  Marriage has helped him shed the lifestyle that led to missing most of 2008 with a smashed hand and countless smashed phones but he is still in the business of smashing an opponent’s spirit.  He practices and trains like he plays, just in less clothes.

The Men of Bravo – Tim Morrissy, #12

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Morrissy catches an upline goal in pool play at Nationals

Quick-twitch athlete with prototypical speed. Can mirror on a cut and shadow possession receivers. Terrific balance, loose-hipped, can spin in both directions confidently.  Quick-footed and agile. Smooth transition and change of direction. Flips his hips and has ample speed to carry cutters downfield. Plants and drives in a blink. Quick-handed on the mark. Excellent ball hawk with top notch body control to bid around receivers. Shows recovery speed. Stands up well to physicality and aggression. Feisty, does not hesitate to sacrifice his body. Displays good zone awareness and has experience in off-man. Extremely versatile, will transition from nickname to nickname with ease.  Goes by Carrot Tim, Air Tim, Bucket Hat Tim, The Kid, Applejack, etc…  Spinning prowess is unrivaled and carries a childlike wonder.  Exceptional teammate.  Drew criticism at the combine for controversial social media posts, posting queries regarding the viability of future fellatio.  Penchant for crispy bacon, acidic wine, and friendly women.

The Men of Bravo – Brett Matzuka, #45

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Matzuka lays out for a catch in his new Bravo whites

Terrific pivoting ability.  Reverse spins, draws contact and buys time with the disc while continuing to scan the field — can still set his feet, alter his throwing motion and manipulate his arm and throwing platform. Houdini-like escapability (uses subtle, nifty sidestep moves) and improvisational ability to pull a rabbit out of his hat and create magic.  Sets quickly. Can sling it when he’s in rhythm and has a clean lane. Good zip short-to-intermediate. Can launch deep throws with ease and flashes a slight air bounce to drop it in the bucket. Shows composure in the face of a zone and is willing to put his body on the line to make a play. Makes plays with his feet, rolling downfield, extending plays or throwing on the move (left or right) to get the next pass. Slippery and elusive to escape physicality and is a threat to cut deep. Functional straight-line speed and run strength for a primary handler. Experienced, International player. Terrific character. Has a likable personality.  Relentlessly positive.  Only knock is he often uses his escapability to elude would-be Ultimate situations in order to engage in the Hangout, however Johnny Bravo GM Ryan Farrell stated this as a primary reason for signing him.

The Men of Bravo – Hidde Snieder, #7

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Snieder catches one of his 12 goals

Exceptional Ultimate playing speed — can flat out fly and take the top off a defense. Has world-class track speed. Extends outside his frame and plucks the disc. Outstanding body control and agility. Tracks the disc well over his shoulder and is a natural hands-catcher who can make an average thrower look good. Possesses big-time playmaking ability and is very effective creating in the open field on isolation cuts and quick-hitting endzone strikes. Good burst out of his cuts to separate.  Detractors have called him a liability with the disc in the past but has stepped up his game in the past few seasons and really improved his throwing skills.  Showed incredible heart this past season playing with a debilitating foot injury.  Look for Mr 12 Goal, scoring and mumbling indignities that will have you questioning everything.  He’s the one with the sweet smile and sweeter buzz cut.

The Men of Bravo – Jimmy Mickle, #23

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Mickle pulls down a big D in the Nationals Semifinals

Has big hands and grips the disc well in all facets. Dynamic athlete. Exceptional game-day competitor — rises to the occasion. Has a passion for the game. Played on the biggest of stages and revels in having his back against the wall. Stepped up against a national championship Pitt defense in 2012 and has proven he can command come-from-behind victories, as he capped his career in the USA Ultimate College National Finals with a superb come from in front victory over North Carolina. Sufficient timing, disc placement and accuracy. Has peripheral, wide-eyed cutting vision (sometimes appears to have eyes in back of his head) and a very good feel for spacing. Catches the disc with a fearless confidence that he will find a way to create and usually gains positive yardage on broken plays when he appears heavily marked. Is mentally and physically tough — will pop back up from hard collisions and respond to a challenge. Record-setting and award-winning production. Has a knack for sustaining possession and carries playmaking ability to create late in the count and in critical situations to keep the offense rolling. Exceptional combine performance, displaying much improved footwork on defense, superb deep-ball accuracy and arm strength and supreme confidence on the big stage.  Vacillates between clean cut and long locks, has been seen around town from time to time with facial hair, confusing fans who have come to fall in love with his boyish charm. Possibly the most deserving Callahan winner ever, and definitely the only athlete with 3 consecutive top 5 finishes.  The ladies love his winning smile and winning ways.

The Men of Bravo – Owen Westbrook, #26

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Westbrook gets ready to pull down a swing

Possesses prototype size and outstanding stature in the handler set to brush off the mark and keep plays alive. Stands tall and delivers the ball in the face of heavy pressure. Good field vision and release point. Good zip and accuracy on short-to-intermediate throws — can fit the ball into tight windows. Fine touch to drop hammers in the bucket — delivers a catchable disc with good anticipation. Senses pressure and evades the mark. Doesn’t take many unnecessary risks. Can extend plays with his legs downfield when leaving the handler set. Carries a sense of calm in critical situations. Records an 12 inch vertical REDACTED, which can get in the way while running but more than makes up for it with sheer moxie.  A true master of pendulum moment, he displayed fine touch, timing, accuracy and anticipation in combine throwing drills.  He’ll find holes in the defense but there are no holes in his spirit game; find him running the center of the Spirit Wall and ripping the disc with ease into the future for Johnny Bravo.

The Men of Bravo – Henry Konker, #34

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Konker gets up for a big break in the National Quarterfinals

Carries a swagger and plays with confidence. Runs cutting lanes, throwing his weight around. Physical, lights-out defender. Made a highlight-reel, one-handed catch over a tall Doublewide defender in the National Quarterfinals last season to go with his massive layout grab in the Regional Final. Instinctive and aggressive. Defensive tempo-setter. Good play recognition, makes adjustments. Can leverage the field on hucks and cover ground. Good zone recognition. Rangy and athletic enough to play center field.  Often carries a chip on his shoulder from his small-school beginnings and practice player background.  Will let you know when he has you beat.  Has been known to layout an offender with one breathe and layout a good financial plan with the next.  Signed a multi-hundred dollar sponsorship deal with Bruegger’s Bagels in his first year with Bravo; has been known to ensnare unwitting coffee enthusiasts with a sub par iced coffee from time to time.

The Men of Bravo – Sean Keegan, #2

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Keegan squares up to unleash a forehand

Outstanding size and length. Functionally strong to power through physicality. Boxes out defenders and is a big endzone target. Outstanding leaper with “above-the-rim” skills to go over top of smaller defenders and highpoint throws. Creates late, subtle separation. Tracks and adjusts. Makes contested grabs — attacks throws and outmuscles defenders in a crowd. Nearly unstoppable executing midfield throws in the cutting lanes. Strong, reliable hands. Very strong after the catch – breaks the mark or continues to streaking secondary cutters. Productive playmaker out of Delaware.  When not climbing the ladder and sitting on defenders, you’ll find Sean using the ice water that flows through his veins to seek out and fill emotional cracks in the opponent’s psyche, freezing them out until they burst in spectacular fashion.