Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Saturday, August 7, 2004

I HAVE BEEN TO LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Upcoming fall events include the CSU Alumni game on September 18, our CSU fall tournament (TBA), a date with BYU and others at the RMLC Tournament to be held in Greeley on October 9, and the Las Vegas tournament on October 22, 23.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO COLLEGE STATION, TX

I have never been to College Station, Texas, but all that is soon to change it would seem. I am finally beginning to get a schedule for 2004-2005. I guess it had to happen sooner or later. One of the new things on this year’s itinerary is a road trip to the middle of Texas. We should get to play 3 or 4 teams at the site of Texas A&M (1 SEC team will hopefully come) on a long and concentrated weekend early or middle February.

LUBBOCK OR LEAVE IT

One of my more memorable college lacrosse road trips was a "car train" from Colorado College in Colorado Springs all the way to Lubbock, Texas, where we slept on wrestling mats in a tiny wrestling room at Texas Tech University. We drove all night to get there. We brought lacrosse fans along with us (just say it, they were groupies), and we were care-freely road tripping around during a time when the "Silent Majority" was a solid presence in America.

Watergate and Nixon’s removal from office didn’t make that big of a dent on our morality when all was said and done. The American made bumper stickers stuck on many American made autos (back when bumpers were shiny steel or chrome) read loud and clear, "America, Love it or Leave it". We (kids remotely similar to me) scared and or angered the Bumper Stickers.

"We" loved it (America) all right, but "we" also wanted to be part of its change, team players in the great evolution of the human spirit and humanity in general through the playing of and preaching about lacrosse and other philosophically relevant concepts. Okay, "our" cause wasn’t that big of a "movement" at the time, but "we" had passion.

At any rate it was a great road trip and all, but I couldn’t wait to leave Lubbock and get on back home. By the bye, I like the way we travel now, flying, renting, suites, etc.

WILD FLIP HICKOCK – CHILD OF THE 70’S

While driving in my often topless 1972 dark green Toyota Land Cruiser with 5 big dogs hanging out all over the place, or even sitting coolly along side the budding young Republican Jim Soran in his fairly clean Chevy Chevelle, I tended to scrape red neck hide the wrong way. Looking back I can still see why. I must have looked something like "A Clockwork Orange" joins up with the James Gang.

I was the Hippie Jock (in my mind) freely cruising around the great West of the U.S., a free man in the seventies. I have no idea why Soran only occasionally ditched me to go play with his football playing and more traditional style buddies. Lacrosse was probably why.

LIVIN’ LIKE A REFUGEE

I had a good-sized (not small), old school style little girl -doll strapped and tied to the front of said Land Cruiser. I forget how she originally got there, but she had eaten a lot of wind and mud over time. Her hair was peeled back towards the grill and her eyes were permanently affixed in the open position, where once they had been able to both open and close. Still she had endured well through those tumultuous times. I’m sure they don’t make them (dolls) like they used to. She looked a bit like a war refugee version of the little girl in the "Exorcist" movie; the one whose head spun around 360 degrees as she projectile vomited green stuff.

I noticed over time that when people saw my bumper doll they had no desire to make eye contact with the driver (me). I got great amusement from little things like that when I was young. Remember, we only had distractions like pin ball machines and the Carol Burnett/Sonny and Cher/Dean Martin/Put Name Here Show. Everything was variety oriented as traditional America continued its search for the lowest common denominator.

WHAT HAS EVOLVED MORE FOR MANKIND IN THE LAST THIRTY YEARS THAN INDIVIDUAL DIVERSION POTENTIAL?

My favorite pin ball machine by the way was one called "Lawman". Pong didn’t show up until later in the 70’s. By then it was already too late for me.

It’s fun to look at some of the very few things that were around in the sixties and seventies that remain to this day in their (mostly) original state, things that have endured through time, then to now, things like tie-dyed t-shirts, Good and Plenty candy, and "The Price is Right" with Bob Barker. Who knew?

EARTH TO FLIP – AHEM - SCHEDULING

We are likely to have a second date with CU at the Pepsi Center (Box Lacrosse) next February as well.

Spring break starts March 10 with a bus ride to Utah for 3 or 4 games. The second half of the break will belong to the players to do with as they see fit. We will NOT be on an endless "barnstorming" tour this coming season.

Sonoma State is coming here to the Fort in late March.

I am still looking for one more min-trip in April, but that is looking like a long shot from what I can see from where I sit. I’ll be happy to get 15 games for the regular season.

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