Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Sunday, April 30, 2006

2006 RMLC CHAMPIONSHIP

CSU 8 - C.U. 7

Weather – 70+ degrees and the skies were not cloudy all day

Attendance – The Utah State U. stadium is a somewhat beautiful American football monument built probably about the 1950's. Perhaps that was not the most elegant decade, but lots of concrete was involved and it stands there solidly as a test for time. For Utah State Merlin Olsen (#71) is the football name. He and one other guy have their numbers retired.

The stadium seats about 40,000 I would guess. There were about 18 people there for our deal. Can you say echo! It was by far the smallest crowd we have played in front of to date, and it was supposedly the 'biggest' game of the year for the league. Oh well. Thank you to the 8 fans we did have there, the Bershinskys (#29 parents), the Birds (#1 parents), the Vickerys (#21 parents), and the Macdonalds (#20 parents). They didn't exactly flock in there from Boulder town either, and not many folks in Logan gave a damn in the first place. U.S.U did in fact do a great job of hosting the whole event.

Rating – Not as well played as the 9-6 win over C.U. last week at Invesco, but the thrill of the finish was more exciting if you like that kind of thing.

Record to date – 14-3 – Dallas bound and down –

LAST TEAM STANDING

We won the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference Championship game and got the cup (eh?) to go with it yesterday. We did it by using a determined team effort and an overall gritty kind of performance.

In my mind and in some ways we were the ‘last team standing’ yesterday in Logan, Utah. That (last team standing) was the label we had for ourselves and the 2003 CSU team, and this was in many ways a game that reminded me of that year and that team. We were engaged in what was simply a battle of wills. Each team was trying to fend off failure enough to create final success, and we were fortunate enough or good enough to get it done. I am pleased and proud to coach this group of misfit die-hards.

We did not win many of the statistical categories, but we did win that one important one.

FUN AND GAMES

I really did go into the game feeling under-doggish. The Buffs scored first and led 2-1 to substantiate, but after that we charged ahead, got the lead and after that they chased us for most of the day. This was a pleasant surprise for me, and it showed me that we had that cherished energy and also the needed character coming into the game. The Buffs did eventually catch up with us, though, and it was actually 7-7 with very little of that precious game time left. We finally scored the eighth and eventual game winner with a little less than three minutes to go before the final horn.

WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING CONSISTENCY... no, wait, yes we do..

The score sheet says we methodically scored two goals in each quarter en route to our winning total of eight, but we actually had a not-so-good most-of-the-fourth-quarter. We entered the fifteen minute fourth with a 6-3 lead and I was thinking then that they (Buffs) would have a hard time getting the 4 goals or whatever that they might need to catch us in those fifteen minutes. WRONG! Only two minutes and fifteen seconds later the game was tied at 6. We had another one of those almost infamous fast and furious meltdowns, the ones that I hate so much. These are the very same 'flat spots' that we haven't yet been able to totally exorcise from our 2006 game plan.

CSU – WHAT?

I will say that it seems like we have won games in almost every way imaginable this year. There is never a lack of excitement with these Rams. Two of the three games we have lost this season were identical twins. We led much of the game against BYU and Whittier, but let those games slip slide away, and we lost them as quick as you could say, "Booh!". They both un-happened late in the fourth and we had no time to recover.

Then there was that other one we were unable to show up for at all (NDNU) in March in Northern California. We chased them for four quarters that day. For whatever reason we never got close in that one.

JUST SHUT UP AND TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

We composed ourselves and went ahead 7-6 with still 11 minutes left in the game yesterday. Freshman Steven Lundbergh (#16 – M -) gave us that edge when he scored on a hard shot after a crisp pass from Danny. The Buffs opened us up for the tying goal off of a transition situation just a few minutes later to answer that one, however. A cutter ran all the way to the goal from midfield and the player near the side of the goal passed it to him neatly and in a timely way for the finish. I was screaming "CUTTER!" at the top of my lungs at the time, but I have sounded like the raspy old trainer from the movie Rocky (Pauly?) all year. My cries were likely not heard and either way the game was now tied. My voice is fried by the way, and likely it is not coming back. It (voice) just never rounded into "midseason form" this year. Besides that weak point of my game, games like the one yesterday are definitely health hazards and even heart attack material for an oldie like me.

The teams traded valuable possessions down the game’s stretch. Ultimately I think we gave ourselves more chances to win by making a few less mistakes over the last few minutes. Who really can say what changes a game like that between two good and evenly matched teams that both come into the game with plenty of motivation.

GIVE HIM A ‘GRETZKY’

The actual winning goal came after our defense had gained possession of a loose ball they created. Adam Schnirel (#34 – D – 2007) carried the ball in his stick past the midfield line and kept going as no one really picked him up at first. Adam didn't get an assist, but that is a statistical crime, because he brought the ball towards the goal, bearing down on same like a shooter would and should. He drew a defender to him, passed it with his long pole perfectly to Danny Stevens (#32 – A – 2007), who in turn crossed it over to the stick of Tyler Treece (#30 – A - 2008). Tyler tucked it home for the fast break score. There was nothing for a goalie to do. It was #30's fourth score of the day.

The final three minutes were tense, but we did not tremble. Suddenly it was over, and we had the silver cup (eh?). There is one more plaque trophy thing I want, I cannot tell a lie.

OH DANNY BOY

To his credit and at least partly based on a recent meteoric rise to his reputation, C.U. spent much of the day trying to figure out how to take our young Danny Stevens (#32 – A- 2007 ) somehow out of the action. They had played us only a week before and this attempt was part of their new strategy. They tried a few different tactics, but in the end Danny still took home a bushel of assists for his statistical notebook, six to be exact. Six assists is great for any feeder in one lacrosse game, but what he did under the pressure put on him yesterday was quite remarkable in my opinion, and it was also a testament to playing the game with passion. After all, Danny hardly overpowers and pushes big defensive men out of his way on his way to the goal. Not at 160 pounds or whatever. He works his butt off for every inch he gets out there.

COCKADOODLE DEW

We left Logan and headed back to the Fort by bus right after the game concluded and showers were taken. I got home with the Cup (eh?) and was in bed by about 4:00 a.m. I went to my nest feeling very fulfilled even though I was tired and sore from the 9-hour ride. I quickly found out that although I coached the team that now ruled the RMLC roost, I enjoyed no such roost ruling stature at my own house. Just as I drifted into darkness, the light of morning came upon Fort Collins. Now that wouldn't have been so bad had it not been for the fact that dawn brought with it a hard working woodpecker who seemed to be right in the middle of building and nesting and pecking on the wall just a few feet from my bed. This guy was not interested in compromise. No way, he had an agenda, and he feared not my discouraging shouts and or wall pounding threats. I endured all that, and I managed to get back in some sort of suspended state while waiting for the bird to finish his droning workout which sounded like it was happening right on my head.

Finally, I guess it got late, and 'Woody' took his act elsewhere. No problem, great, I'll fix the hole he made later. Except the changing of the guard didn't help me, the supposed 'king'. Any peace time was brief. Enter and sign in please, 'my two sons', who proceeded to grab my arms and jump up and down on the bed. I had barely begun to R.E.M. when this was happening. Talk about an out-of-body experience. They were imploring me to arise for a pillow fight rematch. Our pillow fights might be best described as caged style upstair confrontations and some grappling is involved as well.

Jordan was putting out clothes for me to put on. That does crack me up. He's six and can't tie his own shoes. I felt like a very old rag doll as I wanted to lay in bed, but up I got. All I wanted was to sleep. Come to think of it, that's all I still want right now. I am very much on child patrol today, however. It is my plan to go to bed by 8:00 tonight.

IF THE BUS IS ROCKING, DON’T BOTHER KNOCKING

One of the things I said before the game was, in fact, that the nine hour ride on the bus would be far more pleasant with one kind of outcome as opposed to the other. Be careful what you wish for. They sure had a fun time on the way home. The party never stopped. Since there are rules for the bus, the players were drinking Coca-Cola out of the silver cup (eh?), that one that we had indeed reacquired and were now bringing home from our business trip out West.

They ‘kids’ were also playing word games and other seemingly innocent activities. We got home safe and sound thanks to Terry, one of your great all time bus drivers.

F.I.T.A. POWERED

The other night at our team meeting I was desperately seeking a way to motivate each and every player on this team. It was the eve of the Championship game. Inadvertently I said something to Wilson (#35 – Ian – D/ - 2007) that was not on my written script. Straying is always a dangerous practice for one like me. Anyway, I said something quite colorful about a part of his game to which I wanted him to bring just a bit ‘more’. In the process I may have created a current and future ‘chant’ that is an anagram for words that no one should probably ever chant. I really do need to edit myself once in a while. Maybe that’s why I like doing this blogging thing so much. I have to edit here, we have learned that first hand. Actually I guess I really should put a sock in it sometimes.

THE BAD SEED

Because of other strange national events it is likely that we will become #1 again in the poll, and then go to Dallas in ten days as the #1 seed on the national tournament bracket board. It's not for sure yet, but I am sure this possible 'do look already bristles the brush of those self-righteous MDIA fans out there who prefer their #1 seeds to be perhaps a tad more pristine than we might be. Too bad for them. We don't do 'comb overs'.

We have won 3 of these championships in the past, all in St. Louis and all in odd numbered years, but we have never been the #1 seed going into a tournament.

I am likely to vote C.U. and Utah very high in the poll tomorrow. If we must play C.U. again then let it be later and not sooner. Put them in the other bracket please.

The bracketology of the next few days will add flavor to the tournament without a doubt. Some that should go to Dallas won’t get a bid, and I think there is never a way around that when you have a tournament of only 16 teams.

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