Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

PLEASE THE COACHES? PALEEEEASE...

I (we) am (are) trying to be cool, but it has been difficult to not be extremely demanding in terms of fundamental issues of play in practice and drills lately.  The coaches have been tough, serious, and busy challenging them in hopes of finding more of that good stuff that is inside.  I can only hope that this approach has been a good one and will help to prepare us. We'll find out won't we?

I do already know that the things you want the most in life never ever come easily. There is always someone or something else that "wants it" in the way. That's the way it should be, too.

CHAPTER ONE AGAIN

Something I tend to preach about all year every year is that bad stuff tends to happen when we make a fundamental mistake like dropping a decent pass, for example. It is so easy to set off a bad chain of events with one seemingly simple, correctable mistake. That is how games can get ugly in a hurry.  We found out plenty about how little bobbles can kill you last Saturday against BYU, but it is always the truth, and it is pretty much that way in any sport I can think of, too. Therefore, tune in mightily to the little things and the big ones will then take care of themselves. At least that's what I think, and that is what I have tried to impress the most at our rehearsals these past several days.

NEVER BE AFRAID TO FAIL

Meanwhile, I never want the team to be afraid to go for it.  I want them to be creative, innovative, and excited about the next unknown moment, and I don't want them worried about not always making that particular perfect pass or the supposed single and only RIGHT pass at the pre designated instant. Another opportunity will always come along if you play the game a certain way.  At least that's what I think.  At the same time, don't let too many opportunities pass you by just because you didn't take "action" and make the pass.

THE BITCH IS BACK 

I am being such an Elton John this week. With my approach to the pursuit of playing perfection for the coming playoffs, it is hard for me to give a good answer to a simple question like, "How did practice go today?"  I don't know how it went, alright!  How the hell can I objectively determine how well practice went if I am too busy demanding nothing less than artistic perfection for almost two hours every day.  Who even knows what artistic perfection is?  Well, the Creator might, but I certainly haven't cornered the market on that vision or commodity, as much as I might have the delusion that I do see the light.

In my heart of hearts I am attempting to get them (players) and us (team) ready for the rigors of the road trip to come.  That level of preparedness consumes me almost to the point of no distraction at this time. I know that all of my actions and ideas inside of this obsession have not been perfect, but I am pushing us in a hopefully positive direction that leads always towards a better place, one full of more possibilities.

AC/DC – there is more than one kind of current

I wonder if we might actually be playing a lot closer to the level I want to see us at than I have currently been giving us credit for.  I'm sure that makes no sense whatsoever.  I'll try another avenue.  Perhaps because I am looking so hard for perfection in every nook and cranny of our game right now, maybe I am also not seeing exactly how many things we are doing well, and how close we are to that fiery flame we're trying to find, fix, and fuel up for the trip to Minneapolis.

AS LONG AS…WE ARE FAMILY

As long as we stay inside of the "team things" that we do, then I have total trust in this team and their team abilities.  We can be really fun to watch at times, and it is my hope that we will be that fun-to-watch team more or less full time while in Blaine.

As long as none of us ever quits for a single second while inside those lines on our little field of dreams, then I will always be happy, and all the other pieces will manage to find their own way to wherever they may fit into the bigger puzzle.

These 2005 lax guys have weathered soap opera style events and injury plagues and administrative storms.  They have huddled together against different kinds of cold.  They have endured much on the journey so far. I am anxious to see what they can do under the bright lights, and when oppressed by the "heat" from the opponent(s) in Minnesota. I'm ready to go for as long as it goes. Yowza, Yowza.

Next Entry | Previous Entry


Flip Started Blogging Before it was Cool, Read Over 400 of His Entries Since January 2001
Jump to a Period:
2006: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov
2005: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2004: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2003: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2002: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2001: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Sept Oct Nov Dec