December/January

-December 10, 2001

Sometimes it becomes important for me to control how the team feels about things I have no control over, like who does or perhaps does not make the pre-season All American team, or how many consecutive years that players on another team have their eligibility listed as juniors. It is important to be aware of those things, but more helpful to think about things you can do something about.

For the players that think they didn't get their "props" from voters (some who may never have seen them play), I say 'tis much better to have them talk about you later rather than sooner. Besides, sometimes expectations get in the way of accomplishment, and those not pre ordained don't have to worry about any of that.

For the record (and I apologize to those pre-selected), since I see no importance to a pre-season All American team, I choose not to report which of our players were pre-picked. I nominated 10 or 12 CSU players, but had no vote or voice in the "team" selection. They all did not land on the first second, third, or honorable mention pre-teams chosen, but most did. I must admit that I was a bit surprised by the complete omission of one or two of ours.

Maybe the metaphor is a stretch, but I always thought professional athletes should be paid for what they have done rather than for what they are supposed to do next year or in the 5 years to come. I guess everyone gets a thrill from speculation, so it's "all good". Anyway, there is only one award I ever want them to care about.

My job is to make everything seem like a potential win win situation to my team all year around. For example, it does not bother me at all that we as a team were chosen #2 (behind BY you know who) in the USLIA pre season poll. In fact it made me smile when I first heard it. Yes, we beat BYU in Las Vegas a little more than a month ago, and we are defending national champions, but I can see why there are so many non believers. Remember, I am the "show me" coach anyway. Maybe I didn't even vote us #1.....yet. Besides, my hair just isn't that good, let's face it. Come to think of it, my live quotes are often quite lame as well. I do much better when I have a couple of hours to think of something to say.

Everything carries the potential for personal as well as team motivation. I've used the "underdog" angle for so long that I just figure that it's practically like home base. It is the place where we seemingly always must start from. However, we can't really sneak up on anybody (#2 doesn't exactly mean we are unknown), so it's not like I can pull out the Gipper (Flipper) speech before every game, either. My golden rule for speeches is honesty not theatre, anyway.

When you all know and care about each other like a "family", then all voices can in a way become one. When we communicate well as a team, and we are clear on what we are doing, then the things I say to the team are really coming from almost collective thinking. Everyone hears (theory) because everyone was part of the learning process.. We build ourselves by defining and fixing problems that arise every day as quickly as possible.

TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY

We had another impromptu scrimmage the other day, and as I watched one player not use his head at all, it made me begin thinking about what I look for in and expect from a player. As Mr.Goal Setter, I asked, "What are the qualities that I demand in a player?": What are the qualities I want or hope for? Technically I am not sure if this qualifies as an actual goal setting exercise, but if you want to play for me, and really in no particular order you will need at least some of the following attributes. The more the better:

1) Understand and revere the importance of family, how that changes and how you change within it. Regardless of how it may appear to others, it is never just about any one guy. It is about how much we step in or up for each other, how much we believe in each other and the "plan" every day at practice, and NOT just how much we may "hate" the other team, or how fired up we get to play them on Saturday. Every day is part of the preparation process.

2) Be a Division I quality player/athlete. That will help you immensely. Although it was close, I have already proven that I would look the other way when it came to my ideals of behavior to have such a player. For that I only ask a little forgiveness, and I will do better if I get another chance.

3) Think. Do not confuse this with being smart (although that's good, too). You don't have to memorize playbooks. You don't have to make brilliant manuevers (although you can if you can) or figure out how to match up with different people you play against. You just have to make good choices in really fast paced situations. It's not hard, but it is demanding. Thinking allows you to step up to the speed of the competition.

4) Seek your role. Change it if it isn't working. Get input from the coach. I love seeing how many middies can keep happy at. I have my limits, and that is documented, but the number is higher than one might think. If you do something well enough, you will play.

5) Have the goal of getting better in your mind all the time. Remember, if each one of us gets a tiny bit better every day, then we get a ton better in a week or whatever. Sounds simple, but is amazingly true. It takes focus to improve. It doesn't occur by itself, not really.

6) Never quit. Not on a play or in a drill; not on a teammate or the team; never in a game and not on a season; never during practice, and not even on the 49th push up in the dark on a cold February evening.......

7) Be solid at key fundamentals. Included are any of a long list of what you might call my "mantras", but some of the most important ones would be, "Move to The Ball", "Catch the Ball", and, of course, "No Whacking". Believing in and understand "team Defense" concepts is a big part of this category, too.

I guess when all is said and done, the more you have of these seven things, the more game time you will get on the field in big games.

Bonus qualities include cute girl friends (must travel with team to count), and contributing to the club organization (Vice President, etc.). Paying dues early and raising money for the program are other valuable assets you can bring to the table.

-January 26, 2002

Well, somehow everything in here from December 10 to now has suddenly disappeared. Where did it go?

Notes to self:

1) When a certain star type defenseman starts to have what you might call too many fresh ideas on how to play individual defense in our system all at once, place him carefully on long stick midfield and try not to let him within 15 yards of the goal. When same pole has thinking cap on, make him the slide wherever he is. I think we can get to where we can call a double team (or not) from wherever we want with this team. One step at a time. We must all understand.

2) When a middie shoots on the run from 18 yards out without looking to pass, cast that big old hook out there, and reel him in, at least until he scores on 85% of his shots.

3) More one on one's for the middies. Many still don't fully understand their defensive "responsibilities".. Everything starts with our ability to play team defense together, musketeers, covering each other's backs and all that. Right now we might have a few middies who think that defense is something other people do.

^{TOP TEN THINGS ABOUT TODAY'S PRACTICE}

10) Scrimmage looked far better than the one last week. Today was pain free (for me) to watch..

9) The offense showed itself to be ahead of the defense right now, which is my preferred progression. I do not want the defense to get confidence because the offense can't execute, and this can happen early in the season.

8) Big goalie guy (Paul) might be just the tonic to remedy our third goalie deficiency. I think he likes it.....

7) We definitely have one new surprise on midfield, a position I already thought was deep. The new kid (Tim) definitely can play at a fast pace and at a high level.

6) Farkus. Bring that guy that was there today every day.

5) Watching us move the ball to X on a "slow break", and bump it to the other side so quickly that it regained fast break momentum. Probably 7 guys touched the ball in 10 seconds before the "finish". Sometimes I think that when Napi finishes we are really "in sync". Breaking down the defense is more thrilling for me to watch than just the one on one, he shoots, he scores stuff, but I do try not to complain too much about any goals our team scores.

4) Scrimmage looked far better than the one last week. At times it was really fun to watch.

3) I was warm and the field was clear except for that snowbank behind that one crease.

2) Extra Man is on pace, I would say. MDD will almost certainly be better this year, (sorry, and I blame myself) but that wouldn't take much.

1) The family is pretty much back together, as we were only missing a couple for this Saturday practice in January. It has the look of a very nice family, close knit, and capable of functioning well..

They say it is going to get bitter cold next week. I can only hope that "they" are lying as usual. Either way, did I say that was a pretty good scrimmage today?

My annual predictions for tomorrow's NFL games are as follows:

St. Louis kicks Philly butt.

Pittsburgh holds off furious New England rally.

Be sure and put your money on Philly and New England.

-Monday, January 28, 2002

Last night we had our first indoor adventure, and all in all it went well. Though lacking many things, most notably technology from any recent century, the field house serves us well for some things. For example, the banked early synthetic track around the outside is great for running. The facts that it is a tight space for the game we play, and the lighting makes it nearly impossible to see make focus a key, and also very difficult. It's good for them. The more challenging it is for them to individually cope with and overcome things in practice, the more, it has always seemed to me, that they will be be prepared for situations in a game. Plus, I never stop yelling about catching the ball, even when they can barely see it.

My guess is that the field house was built for winter track practice, and in the 30's, it was no doubt a jewel in the "Colorado A&M Aggie" crown, as well as a top flight facility for that time, but the architects never gave a thought to anything like playing lacrosse. There is a sister gym to the north for basketball, and I'm sure that pretty much covered it at the time. Now these facilities are used for everything from field hockey to ultimate frisbee. Every boarding school in America has a better indoor multi purpose facility than Colorado State University. I digress.

It can be stressful playing in this little venue because it's like being inside a pin ball machine sometimes with the ball bouncing all over the place, picking up spin as it goes. I have seen more than one temper tantrum inside the CSU Field House, and in fact we had our first intra-squad squabble in there last night. The two jawers came together, trash talking as they closed the distance between each other. They talked at some length, faces about one inch apart, one with helmet on, while the other had it tucked under his arm. It never got loud. Practice hung in suspended animation (except for some side wagering) for a minute. Gun fight at the "oval" corral. I watched and waited with everyone else. Few heard what was said. I was not one. It got quieter as it went on until they were practically whispering. Eventually there came the hug, many of us wept, and then we got on with some pretty good 4 on 3. Ah, family.

You know you are getting old when you look on the dashboard of your car, and instead of noticing how many miles you are over on your lease schedule, you just see the card from the dentist for the next appointment time, and the one from the physical therapist, etc. Old age and the process of getting there may not always be pretty (for me), but it can be pretty funny to those (young people) watching (me).

Later that same day:

We had a one hour and forty-five minute afternoon practice that I would compare to almost any two hour and ten minute one I can think of. I am sort of joking, but I did say to them today, "Quality is way more important than quantity", and today was a quality practice. Short sweet, hard. No scrimmage. Just catch the ball and run, catch the ball and run, catch the ball and run. We did it for almost the entire practice. Then we (actually not we, but rather they) did their sprints, their 50-50's and most were home before it was dark thirty and instantly 20 degrees colder..

One, who is relentlessly hard on himself, stayed and worked on his game, by himself, as those 20 degrees disappeared into the night.

Many are fighting the flu. We have one whole houseful of players (3 or 4) out with it today. I hope it doesn't get any more momentum. If you are getting sick, don't come to practice. Always look at the big picture. I would much rather have you reappear healthy in 3 days, rather than have you "play through it", get others sick and yourself sicker. I tell players that they will never miss out on a position or whatever because they got sick or had to rehab. It is very competitive here, but I don't think that way. I just see what I have today, pretty much every day. Maybe that is why I am often slow to try and create these perfect midfield lines in my head, and reticent to try and invent a magic group of 3 that I anoint "first line", or whatever. Things just change so fast and they all need to be able to play with anyone, any time.

Philosophical mumbo jumbo aside, I really need to start putting some midfield combinations together in the next few days, and really start to develop the "character" of this team.

Goalie (Alex) is starting to see things and make defensive calls really well. He's hungry for more. I need to spend time with him now. He senses, as do I, that this is a crucial time for his development. I would call him a "point of emphasis" for my next week.

It is (my son) Michael's 18th birthday. It is a noteworthy period for my "real" family. In a space of 4 months, my wife Ada turned 35, Jordan became 2, Michael is 18, and I will be 50, and all are generally regarded as significant age milestones. Fortunately I will be in Michigan on a 3 game "business trip" on my 50th birthday. Nothing much can happen there, right? I always didn't want a big 50th birthday party. Here is my chance to not have it.