Tuesday, March 9, 2004

IT'S NOT AN IL-LUGE-IN, I WAS REALLY THERE

The CSU lacrosse team likes to get together occasionally and have these "Luge" parties.  It goes something like this: they get these humongous blocks of ice. God knows where they get them, or how they transport them to the house.  They can't even get the balls back in my truck at the end of practice for Christ's sake, but they can expertly build these plywood ramps that tilt the huge ice blocks up and hold them in place.  Anyway, then they carve clever little chutes in the ice to pour alcohol into, so the juice can run down the custom built track, like a real luge.  I'm sure these creations must go through rigorous pre-testing procedures before the public actually partakes.  The way it works is that a generous shot of the pre-chosen brand of booze is first unleashed, then it is chilled as it wanders down the canal, a stream head watering its way toward some eager beaver camped on their knees at the ice base. At journey's end a cool cloud of liquid lightning enters an anticipatory mouth between moistened lips pressed against the block's bottom (phew!).  The person swallows.   Then everyone cheers as if this were some sort of high-level accomplishment.   I suppose at some point in the evening it does become an accomplishment. 

All and all it is indeed a strange little tribal ritual.  There are a couple of Bottle-Meisters up on a high platform, shamans at the top of the iceberg as it were.  They choose the weapons, pour the ammo into its groove and meanwhile rile up the crowd while they are at it.  These two up there are the Tom (Thomas) Cruise wannabes.  This is the party.  In the other room they (boys only apparently) play cups, whatever that is, on a ping-pong table.

I'LL BET THEY DIDN'T EXPECT ME TO WRITE ABOUT THIS

They used to have these deals once a year.  I'm thinking that through the family years it has become a little more often than that.  Anyway, I try to go to one annually or so to show them that I am not all fuddy duddy.  I chose this one last Saturday night.  I was in need of a few hugs anyway, and I knew there would be plenty available over there.  It had been a nice win earlier in the afternoon, and we had nothing before playing Oregon in Eugene this coming Friday night, so it was party on Wayne.

DUDE, COACH LUGED!

I like to go fiesta with them un poco now and then, but I must be careful.  It is not a good time for coaches and partying on the American collegiate scene these days.  One must put only his best foot forward, or the future could be damned.  What I tend to do is take one shot at the luge bar for all the Paparazzi (I can handle one shot, eh?), and then I just carry a full beer around for the rest of the time. I'm a veteran.  If you don't do that, they keep coming at you with alcohol in many incarnations.  That could get ugly in my case.

I do not randomly grope co-eds, etc. either, but I can't help wondering once in a minute what that might be like.  I pretty much still wonder about that whether I am buzzed or not……..

DESIGNATED DESOLATION

There was no one to drive me home, as my wife, Ada, was not along on account of we have been having these problems.  One of these problems that we have is nine months old and the other one has been around for four years.  If she were there I doubt if she would have wanted to drive home anyway.  She would have more likely been "Miss Luge" 2004. No chance for a date on this night, but I had said I would go, so I did.  I would need to stay mostly sober, however. 

So maybe we can go to one of these together in about 2015, Honey.

IS IT THE DAY OF MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING?  IT CAN'T BE - I ONLY HAVE SONS

My one shot of who knows what took its full effect on me, and all of a sudden I was the Godfather, sitting in the corner while the boys would come over one by one and give me a little or a lot of their life story.  Inhibitions for many were already two sheets to the wind by the time I arrived at about 10:00.  I too, was freely passing along stories and things that to me sounded like wise little widgets of thought for them to ponder.  In daylight that fact (clarity) is likely debatable, but the truth seemed undeniable at the moment. 

CAN I SEE YOUR ID?

I stick out at a party like this.  There are 150 people between the ages of 18 and 23, and then there is me.  Dr. Ron and wife Pam came later to somewhat bridge the gap and make it feel like I wasn't as much out of place as I actually was.  After all, were I not the coach, when would I ever go to a Luge party?  Fifty-something year olds don't have Toga parties.  Why is that?  I do not have many friends my own age anyway, so what the hell am I talking about?

After I had been on the party premises for roughly an hour, some guardian angels came and informed me that it was time for me to go.  I was feeling fairly at home by this point, but I did not hesitate.  I knew I was in an environment where I needed to be led, not the other way around, and I obediently followed, making it home safely and soundly well before anything could happen that I shouldn't witness or, God forbid, be a part of.

By the end of today, Monday, the house where the party had taken place was still in need of some re-organization.  They were looking for volunteers to help clean it up as I left practice, two full days after the fact.  That must be a lovely scene.  A kind of modern day "still life" at CSU, circa 48 hours after.  Good luck.  Yuckkk.

FAMILY VALUES

What is undeniable in any light is the closeness of this team.  I am happy to coach this group, and I am reborn every day by the potential that I feel and see when I watch us interact and play.  We have pretty much every kind of personality on this team, and to watch it (team) create its own energy is something akin to watching your child take his first step every single day.  It's pretty much fun.  We are a regular bunch of fun.  That is for sure.  Without fun what is the point anyway?

LACROSSE THE GREAT DIVIDE

We are so excited to go to the Northwest.  Today was great.  The weather was simply Santa Barbara, absolutely perfect.  We worked hard and had fun.  I know that sounds simplistic, but the truth of the matter is that it is, in fact, a state of affairs that can often be very difficult for a team to accomplish with any regularity.  Today in some ways was as good as any practice we have had.

We ran what on the surface appears to be a simple drill but in fact isn't, and we did it better today than I think we ever have.  Usually I am having a melt down at some point during this drill. Not on this day. They (players) may not have even noticed how well it went.  It was beautiful to watch, though, both in its simplicity and the elegance with which they performed it.  Everyone was busy at once almost, as the different parts worked together and moved around the field very nicely, and with an almost machine-like feel.  I and we are big on evolving drills to be more, and to do more for us.  We constantly strive to make it all more real, more interesting, and yes, more fun too.

I want these last three practices before we go to be high energy.  Check that for today.  We will need inner reserve for the weeks to come.  This is absolutely the coolest and most taxing schedule that I have ever been a part of.  Here goes "faze II".

I think I lost a few entries in here about Wash. U., etc. I will look for them, but they may be bye bye.

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