Monday, September 8, 2003

HEY, I’M STILL THE PEPSI GENERATION AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! or,

MY TRIP TO THE CAN, PART ONE

I had a great experience this past week, a meeting at the Pepsi Center (aka "The Can") in Denver with Steve Govett, the General Manager for "Our Colorado Mammoth" of the National Lacrosse Professional league. The Mammoth play their home games at the Pepsi Center, as do the Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), and the Denver Gold (Arena Football a la Elway). The new Head lax Coach at C.U., John Gavin was there as well. Steve took us to lunch where we three talked (actually, I mostly listened) about the planned CSU vs. CU, February 22, 2004 indoor game at Pepsi, and all the particulars and potentials therein. Later, before we left, he gave us the grand tour of this first-class pro sports facility. It was all very cool.

The Mammoth want to mark and market our February game as the first intercollegiate lacrosse game in history that will have been played using professional indoor rules. The idea was born as Steve’s brainchild, so I am assuming that he really cares if it works. Apparently he thinks it can. He sees our little part of the big event as something with great "win, win" potential. I’m a believer. Show me the way, oh Wise One.

We are fortunate to have this opportunity. It’s a game (exhibition) that will take place on the national lacrosse stage (sort of). We will be sitting pretty in there, "like a catfish dancing on the end of a line". We want to be latching on to that shiny NLL all-star game hook as much as we can. D.U. and say Syracuse (Division I Programs in general) are bigger fish and a game between those type of teams would seem to have been a bigger draw for something like this. I’m thinking these schools would likely love to be there, too, but the logistics of the many NCAA rules and regulations would seem to prohibit them from doing something like this with a professional organization. That all puts us in that little cat-bird seat for now.

CROSS-CHECK ME JESUS INTO THE LAX GOAL OF LIFE

I think the key for us playing-wise is to come inside and bring an exciting style of play to the carpet-surrounded-by-the-boards game. We don't have to try to become the Mammoth in a day. That isn't going to happen. Right now the game changes for this motivate me more than they distract me as a coach. It is my hope that we really have fun with this as a team. The size of the goal is smaller, but it is still a goal.

YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION

I hope we make it a good one (first impression). I believe it is important that we as a club do all that we can to make this a great happening, even if it will mean a certain amount of "distraction" and extra effort during the months to come. My hope is that both schools, and particularly CSU, agree with my assessment.

Steve hopes to get 8000 people there to see the game, and asked if that many would bother us. No, not at all. Actually I think we would love it. We aren't quite the Bulls with Michael Jordan, but we're not exactly Hickory High either (obscure reference to "Hoosiers", the movie).

BEYOND "TASTES GREAT! …….LESS FILLING! "

I would imagine that the Mammoth management plans to illuminate the intensely bitter rivalry that is always simmering beneath the surface when C.U. plays CSU in anything. At certain times it erupts, like Old Faithful. This is no doubt part of the hinge to open the promotional door for us, too. They will want to get the CSU vs CU "brew" all heated up inside of the "Can" while it is still too cold to play outside.

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