Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Friday, October 1, 2004

WEATHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT

It has been anything but the so-called Indian Summer conditions that often are so prevalent in North America at this time of year. It has been cold and rainy in Colorado the last few days, monotonously so. The weather doesn’t concern me that much right now. We might have been able to practice yesterday, but I chose not to. It is not worth having them all pass around flu germs to one another or whatever. There is nothing to gain or prove with Nazi tactics now when the things that really matter and count for something are as far off on the horizon as they are. There are many ways to prepare, and not just one.

GROWING PAINS ALWAYS HURT – I guess that’s why they call them growing "pains"

Much team "blood letting" has occurred since last May. Last year did not end with a team "spoon", I can assure you.

A LIGHT CAME ON

The last few practices, placed atop the family RE-building of the last couple of weeks (big job this year), have changed things for me. We are starting to not look so young out there at times. Some of our senior stars are bringing renewed energy to the proceedings, and this reality and possibility (stars bringing excellence and energy to the whole team) thrills me (the coach), especially since I am still somewhat despondent over losing three players that I hadn’t planned on losing. I’m moving on, but it hasn’t been all fun and games this fall.

Many purging type things have needed to happen, and the process has had sad moments. I think now that all who remain with the current family, and it is far less than the sixty-something we were two weeks ago, are players that really want to accomplish something more than to just play some lacrosse together.

This team has a chance. That was the light that came on for me the other day. The facts have always been clear. A team and or a person can overachieve in a big way in the sport of lacrosse by committing to a path. I have been around the sport long enough to see that many times. Over-achievement is always my team goal, too. It is never simply about winning. It is never simply about talent. It is always about passion. It’s always about building. I have seen glimpses lately of the things that I always look for, whatever they are.

WATCH OUT FOR EXIT 666

Conversely there is always plenty of possibility to find yourselves in Dysfunction Junction with almost any team, and no matter how much talent you might have, and unfortunately I have been to that town too. It’s not on my top-ten travel destination list either. I must carefully watch for the warning signs, lest we end up on that loop of losers.

WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

I think we are starting to converge, or should I say merge, on to let’s call it Interstate 05. That thought (the "we are coming together" one) got me excited. We have a sweet little mixture of youth, experience, and something that is finally beginning to reveal itself as the foundation for a meaningful mission. We be working on a recipe.

This (my latest moment of elation) beats the heck out of the prior weeks I had spent in the "freaking out" mode. It seemed at one point not long ago that each new team development seemed more painful and potentially destructive than the one before. The future seemed awfully murky. I felt like I had painted myself into an ugly coaching corner.

I had brought many of these sudden changes about as a result of challenges I had issued, and which, in effect had been rejected in some cases.

Now, all seems somehow renewed. Maybe it was the team camping trip last weekend that I didn’t go on. Anyway, I feel like we now have a nice white canvas to work with and on which to paint a whole new picture of a road less traveled. Maybe one small part of these many changes will help to make all the difference.

FLIP’S PHILOSOPHICAL MUMBO JUMBO

Part of team excellence comes from stars acting like it is just part of their job to do great things FOR the team. On this team we can not have those that feel more privileged than their brothers, even if they are more gifted or whatever. We must be all Abel, and with no Cain. Our goodness relies on having a United front, and I think we are on our way.

BAGHDAD BOY

By the way, we are losing one player because he is a reservist being deployed. He just looked like a regular kid to me. I think they (US Army) are digging deep, as in the armed forces draft system would be the next step. Be careful out there, Little Brother. Take your stick to the Raq.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE FDA

It’s great to know that regular long term use of Vioxx causes heart attacks now that I have been taking it every day for the last 6 years.

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Flip Started Blogging Before it was Cool, Read Over 400 of His Entries Since January 2001
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