Sunday, March 28, 2004

CSU 19 UTAH 4

We beat a very young Utah Ute team yesterday, 19-4 in Fort Collins. There was a decent, but not large crowd. It was almost warm, nearly sunny, but the breeze kept it from being fully either one. The score was 11-1 at half, and looked once more like men (us) playing against boys (them). We have some very talented players here at CSU right now. This is also a very mature team that I am coaching, and I am not talking about ages or year of eligibility. I am referring to what we have been doing here for a long time, which is building.

I am not interested in being built, done, or finished with the plan. I have no blue print for now or later, only the craving for continued progress.

When we play and act as we did yesterday it pleases me no end. There was no whining or trash talking, etc. Box Coach Alex wasn’t there, but we still had no off side technicals, etc. We went about doing what we do. The Utes did give us a little trouble on face-offs with some adjustments they made, but other than that I can’t really think of much that we didn’t have going well for us. Every Ram player was in the game for more than just a cup of coffee. All 38 or whatever players got significant game minutes.

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

I am still worrying about us being tired from playing so many games so early (13 so far), and we have this huge 3-game in three day Michigan test next. We leave Thursday morning for Ann Arbor, where we will play the host Wolverines (#5?) Friday night, Minnesota Duluth (#10?) on Saturday afternoon, and then we meet UCSB (#2) for brunch on Sunday.

I dispersed everyone quickly after the Utah game. I want them to get away and do their own things in these few less than intense moments we have now and then. So much of their time will be filled with lacrosse and each other from here on out, and for as far as we go. After a stretch of games like we have had, we all need to get a little balance back in our lives by taking care of or doing other things.

THAT'S A BIG 10-4 GOOD BUDDY

The 2004 team continually surprises me with their voracious appetite, however, and I sense urgency from them to work very hard in these next three practices before we go. I was informed after the game last night that some feel we have lost a bit of our conditioning because I went a little easy last week. Okay, pedal to the metal Monday.

I DO NOT WISH TO TALK ABOUT IT

We are now 13-0, not including the win at Pepsi. When I get interviewed, etc., people want to talk to me about the fact that we have not lost. They use that word that I do not wish to talk about, let alone say out loud or type on the keyboard. Everything is one for me, one game, one moment, one whatever. I dare to dream only in small increments. I focus on the next thing, not the un thing. The big picture is for others to paint or define, and to speculate about. All I know is that I believe that to this date Michigan has only lost once in several years playing home games inside the friendly (to them) confines of Oosterban Field House in Ann Arbor, the site where we will play them this Friday. That is once, ever. We have our work cut out for us. That one loss was to our 2001 team, though. This will be our third trip to the Michigan Invitational in the last 4 years. This is the ultimate in-season business trip. There will be no time to do anything in Michigan but to get ready for what is next.

The other thing, and then the subject is dead for me, is that all streaks are made to be broken. That’s just the way it is……..? Whatever happens with all that, my main goals for this one season will not change, so it is clear that specific crooked numbers are not what I truly seek.

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