The latest news about playing in the fall

OK, it's not what we wanted to hear. Unfortunately, things will NOT be done before October, and it may even be November (or later) before the Blast gets their collective butts in gear. I'm personally a little irritated over the lack of any communication in any way, shape or form. That's just bad customer service. So I can understand you being upset or disapointed as well.

Here are our options:

1) For the fall -

a. Jason and Scott are playing on a team at the Red Rose facility in Mountville, Lancaster county. They're carpooling to the location. Games are on Tuesday nights. Jason's going to check and see if there are any more open spaces on the team. If you want to join up with them, then email [jason.ryen(AT)baesystems.com] and let him know. (Tuesday is a problem for me because I have a ministry commitment at the church till 9pm, which would have been mostly OK with the Blast being at HH, but this will be too far for me to travel in a timely fashion).

b. Mini-league with Mike Altland - you can sign up to play for a team. Sat afternoons at John Rudy park from end-Sept through mid-November. www.ycmsl.com for more info or contact Mike and let him know what you want to do.

c. Wait till winter - I know a few of you guys are too busy and can't play till November at the earliest anyways, so this is not a big deal for you.

2) Once we get closer to November, we could face a few options -

a. The Blast could finally be ready. In which case we'll sign onto the next session and begin playing.

b. Join a league like Red Rose as a whole team and carpool together and play.

c. Throw rocks at the Blast building for taking so stinkin' long to get their act together and let us know what's going on.

I appreciate your patience in waiting this long. I wish we could have clearer and better news than this. I know some of you guys want to play very badly, so let's find a way to do it and not sit around like couch potatoes. As I get more news from anyone, you can be sure I will pass it along. I'll be in the gym finally able to start jogging again and working off the lbs. I gained sitting around the last 8 weeks.

Remember: We stilll have 2 titles to defend, and by golly, we're gonna defend them whenever that day comes!

Ned

The Blast: Taking over York Racquetball & Fitness

Trident Sports Inc., the owner and operator of the BLAST , Kidz Blast, and UK Soccer has acquired the assets of the Yorktowne Racquet & Fitness Club.

Current plans include continued operation of the current services offered at the Yorktowne facility, to include Fitness and Tennis. Plans for renovation of the facility to include theBLAST, & Kidz Blast and UK Soccer operations are being formulated and will be promulgated as soon as possible.

We fully expect to be open for operations in September, 2008.

Trident Sports would like to thank our customers for their patience and support during this time of transition.

Sincerely,
Renny Picchini
President, Trident Sports

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What does this mean to us?

1. We should be starting up in September as usual.

2. Since the tennis operations are continning, my guess is that there will be a new bldg for us next to it.

3. Got it from a good source that the walls are gone--no more human pinball for us. Touchlines are the way they're going.

4. We have 2 titles to defend!

Keep Jeff & Tiff in your prayers

Guys – We have someone on the team who is facing a serious “coraggio momento” – a moment of courage. I am very sadly informing you that Jeff D’s wife Tiffany has just discovered last week that she has cancer—again. She was treated about 18 months ago and went into remission, but in a recent checkup, doctors discovered some signs that another type has started. Jeff & Tiff have two kids ages 9 & 2. Jeff said that she is going in for a new non-invasive biopsy procedure very shortly in May to determine the exact nature and extent of the cancer. Then they’ll hopefully have a plan of attack.

Some of you may have heard her in a recent Sunday service share via a pre-recorded message of how God is using this episode in her life to speak to her lovingly and tenderly about living her life in faith, trusting Jesus no matter what happens. She is an admirable woman.

I want to encourage you guys to either email Jeff (rikareomdeling@comcast.com) or call his cell phone (see me for the #) and extend your support and encouragement to him. I think he said it well that sometimes when it comes to medical issues, its harder for the people around the one afflicted, because there’s not much more they can do except pray, love and wait for a good outcome.

So let’s pray for them, and see how we can help out Jeff's family in any practical ways as they arise. I’ll keep you posted as I hear of anything else.

Packing Up The Home for New Digs

Here's the official scoop from the York papers about The Blast. The print edition had some additional quotes and language, but this offers the basic idea.
--------------------------------------------------
CHRISTINA KAUFFMAN - The York Dispatch
Article Launched:03/28/2008 02:59:33 PM EDT

A popular indoor sports arena has partnered with an area resort to give its business more visibility. The Blast, which offers indoor and outdoor recreational and competitive leagues for adults and children, is looking to relocate to Heritage Hills Golf Resort & Conference Center. The resort is along Mount Rose Avenue and spans parts of York and Springettsbury townships.

The Blast co-owner Renny Picchini said the former location, in an industrial park at 90 Grumbacher Road in Manchester Township, closed two weeks ago. The business is moving out of the Grumbacher facility by April 1, and will be establishing temporary offices at Springwood Golf Club in York Township.

The timing of the move is ideal because a majority of the indoor business ended March 15 when a soccer league finished its season, he said. Winter is the busiest time for The Blast, which offers soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, roller hockey and basketball leagues at various skill levels, Picchini said.

The company has been planning to move out of the industrial park and into a more central location in a commercial area for about two years, Picchini said. A partnership with Heritage Hills "simply makes sense" because of its location, its high profile, and the fact that both entities are family oriented, he said. The business is still deciding whether to construct its own building at Heritage Hills or use existing space.

"Right now we're pursuing options to do both," Picchini said.

He said he "fully expects" The Blast to be open in its new location in by fall, before the next indoor season starts Nov.15.

Some female soccer players have been disappointed by the change because they wanted to use the building over the summer, he said. "I apologize to those women for a break in the action, but just give us a shot and we'll be back bigger and better than ever," he said. "This is really a positive move for York County."

Heritage Hills General Manager Matt DeRose said there may be a need for some renovations, depending on whether they decide to build or use an existing space.

As soon as that decision is made, the two will file the appropriate plans with Springettsbury Township, he said.

Indoor recreation spaces have a "very, very short construction cycle," he said. The partnership with The Blast is one of several ways Heritage Hills is evolving into a more well-rounded resort, DeRose said.

He wants the resort to serve the community as well as people who stay at the hotel, he said. Phipps Picchini LLC, the corporation that owned the Grumbacher building, sold the 3.38 acre site for $1.35 million on Aug. 31, 2007, according to records at the York County Assessment Office.

A manufacturer is moving to the site, Picchini said.

-Reach Christina Kauffman at 505-5436 or ckauffman@yorkdispatch.com.

Season Stats

Looking at all the numbers I could find since we started this season back in August 2007, here's what I put together so far:

Fall 2007: (W-L) 0-8; 0-1 (in the playoffs); goal differential of -26.

Winter 1 2008: 6-1-1; 2-0 (playoffs); goal differential of +48.

Winter 2 2008: 6-2; 2-0 (playoffs); goal differential of +21.

(Winter 1 & 2: 12-3-1; 4-0; goal differential of +68.)

Year: 12-11-1; 4-1 (playoffs); goal differential of +43; 2 championships

Interestingly, we were 3rd in scoring in both Winter 1 & 2 (behind the Predators & 4B's for W1, and the Preds and Strikers for W2). But we were 1st in fewest goals allowed in W1 and 2nd in W2.

A Little Perspective

From Rob:
League Fee...................................................$45

Team shirt....................................................$20

Wings at 4Bs..................................................$5

Winning the championship against "La Bamba"
and halting the funky chicken dance mid-stride.........priceless!

Final @ 10:15pm: FC Coraggio 2 - Strikers 1

Wow, what a way to end a fantastic season! A hard-fought game for the ages! This was a game to TiVo if we had the capability. The game started on a fast note, and the pace was quick throughout much of the early part of the game. Guys did a great job of some super ball control, passing back and forth, working the weakside, creating some good breaks on goal. Mark J, Will M, and Greg B worked the middle like field generals, and we retained possession much of the time. I'd also say most of the time was spent down in the Strikers' end of the field. Credit their D, and especially their keeper, for keeping the game tight as it was. He stopped some amazing shots, some point blank bullets flying at him, and he kept the net clear. Dude was on fire, and he deserves an MVP for his team.

Our D did a great job of cutting off their 2 scorers, and reducing their effectiveness while keeping the ball in the offensive part of the field. We had numerous chances to score, hitting the post 2-3 times by the end. To be fair, they also rattled the posts, and a few more inches on any shot could have meant a whole different story. Mike, Rob, Jason, Nathan, Scott, and anyone else who took a turn in the back--marvelous job! Another sterling performance from Wes as well, who carried a clean sheet (shutout) for over 20 minutes.

Finally, around the 9:00 mark, we score! A rifled shot while racing down the right wing by Will Matthewson put us out in front. Wonderful lead pass from somebody (if we had TiVo I'd tell you who). It's now 1-0. All we needed to do was keep the ball away and we're done. But easier said than done.

The only real mistake of the night that hurt us came a little later, when our subbing and moving around the field left Chris M all alone in the back with no help on a break. They brought the ball down and batted around a bit before Mr. "You-Know-Who" got a great bounce on a deflection and marched on goal and put it past Wes. It was 1-1 with 3:30 to go.

We needed to end the game before the PK shootout. They stood a much better chance of winning if it came down to that--level chances on goal with their top 2 scorers. We had to settle things before it got to that stage.

Again, we assumed control at that point, pressuring the ball upfield and cranking shot after shot. Guys were hurling themselves around the turf to win the 50/50's, yet nothing was going in. Leon and Chris were racing for anything up front to make a play or force their hand.

Then, on another break, Jeff D races to the right side of the offensive front, just inside the yellow line (almost the same spot as Will), beating the defender to the ball, and cranks a bullet right at the keeper but just off the ground. As the keeper tried to react and stop the ball, it streaked past him through his legs and into the goal. Wow! 2-1, 1:30 to go.

The last minute was a frenetic final minute to AGAIN keep them out of the net. With :15 to go, they get an inbounds re-start just inside our yellow line, with their top scorer lining up a shot. He told me later that he was forced to shoot a bad shot on goal because he didn't have any guys open to pass to, and we fronted the ball to keep him from taking an easy one. So he shoots, it bounces off the wall, gets batted around, and finally someone boots it out of the area, and the clock ticks down.

Truly a team effort. Everyone was selfless, hustled, and left it on the field by the time we were done.

Champions again! Twice as nice!

Semi-final @ 9:30pm: FC Coraggio 4 - 4B's 0

A very good start against a tough but tired foe. After having played a full make-up game at 6, then a 1st round game at 8:30, the 4B's had to face us. We needed to put early pressure on to force them to run and tire out, and it worked well. We created chances and kept them away from the net, and pretty soon it was 1-0. By the end of the whistle, we had a 4-0 win with a last minute goal by Jeff D.

Both Kevin M and I (Ned) received injuries that took us out of the 2nd game and forced us to watch from the bench.

Probably the biggest excitement prior to the game was watching the Strikers knock off the Predators with a ricochet goal in the last :10, winning it 3-2. We were told to bring our white shirts just in case, and that turned out to be a premonition at that moment. Surprising that it was that close; the Predators dominated the offense and the ball for most of the early part of the game. But the Strikers bend-but-not-break defense kept them in it with a chance to win it in the end, and they capitalized. Credit the Strikers for playing with a ton of heart and forcing the issue on the Predators, who didn't answer the call with the scores when they had the chance.

So by winning, we got a 15 minute break to rest up and get ready for the final...

Playoff Time and Team(s)

Tuesday March 18th

-

First Game (Semi-final): 9:30pm vs the Gasp/4B's Winner

-

If we win, then...

-

Championship Game: 10:15pm vs. Predator/Striker/FC Blast winner

Rules from The Blast:
1. ONLY PLAYERS ON THE OFFICIAL ROSTER WILL BE PERMITTED TO PLAY
2. Using players not on the roster will result in a forfeit.
3. All games will be one period of 25 minutes (No Time Outs).
4. In the event of a tie a Turkey Shoot Out will take place - each team will nominate 1 player.
5. If one player scores and the other misses then the game is over - if both players score each team will nominate another player - this will continue until there is a winner.
6. ONLY THE PLAYERS ON THE FIELD AT THE END OF THE GAME ARE PERMITTED TO TAKE PART IN THE TURKEY SHOOTOUT.
7. If the Final ends in a tie then there will be a 5 minute overtime 'Golden Goal' period - 1st team to score wins - if this overtime period ends in a tie then a Turkey Shootout will decide the winner.
8. THE REFEREE'S DECISION WILL BE FINAL.

Check out our team video!

WOW! IT ROCKS!

FC Coraggio 7 - FC Blast 5

For a game that would not make a big difference in the standings, it was probably an OK night. We played well throughout most of the game, and make a couple of 'rookie' mistakes to hopefully get them all out of our system before the playoffs next Tuesday night.

We took a lead 3-1, let them back in with some bad errors to where they're leading 4-3, and then took it up a notch to lead 7-4 by late in the 2nd half. Give them credit--they played hard, did not fold, and even when exhausted at the end of the game, played to score and win.

It was arguably a good thing to fall behind in the first half and have to fight to reclaim the lead, because if we fall behind next week, we'll need to kick it into overdrive and even up pretty quickly--we'll only have 1 half to accomplish it.

Piranha of the Game: Chris Martin, for scoring and having at least 1 assist, and making some key plays overall--enjoy the fish!

Next Game - Playoffs on most likely Tuesday night (time and team TBA)

Team Dinner - March 14th

Next Friday (the 14th), we are hosting a team dinner at Living Word Church's coffee bar (It's a nice cozy "Border's" kind of atmosphere). Bring a dish to share, and bring the whole family out. A great night just to hang out with each other, and for our wives to meet all the goofballs we all play with. :-)

Time: 6-8pm
Place: Living Word Church - 2530 Cape Horn Road
(1 mile south of Mt Rose/Cape Horn intersection just east of I-83)

FC Coraggio 8 - The Gasp 2

It was tougher than the score might indicate. These guys are not the pushover team of sessions past; they are a transformed unit through some of their recent player "acquisitions". We were up just 3-2 at the break. They had a good physical style, and it seemed like they were getting some preferential treatment from the stripes. But by hanging onto the lead, we started opening them up and creating more chances in the 2nd half, which increased the lead and forced them to play catch up. The more they pressed, the more we wore them out and kept them running. Nice solid night of work--a "lunch pail" kind of victory (as opposed to the flashy, sporty kind).

Good job to the D line for holding firm in the face of their pressure. I also thought we subbed in and out frequently enough to keep the pace in our favor and away from their dangerous players. We also kept switching the field to the weakside, which one guy from their team said kept getting them caught off guard. Use those 'square' and 'back' passes frequently--the more we control the ball, the more they chase itv and wear out.

Piranha of the Game: Nathan Hammond, who did a sterling job on the back line.

Next Game: March 11 10pm vs. FC Blast (last game before the playoffs!)

FC Coraggio 4 - Predators 7

Well, we didn't win. Enough said. I'm not sure if it was just me, but it seemed we played a step behind and out of sync most of the night. I know I was not at 100%. We did OK through the first half, and I think we were down 3-2 at half time. But they pulled away, and that was that. But I respect that we did not give up, and kept up the pressure till the end buzzer.

I did notice that a large % of our attacks got squeezed to the side walls, with the ball rolling easily to their keeper to scoop up. It seemed like over a dozen times he simply bent over, picked up the ball, and that was our offense. We need to keep the ball in the middle and be near each other to pass back and forth, using the center of the field, not the edges. Relying too much on the side walls means we're not relying on each other.

We also got spread out way too far apart. They have some fast guys, and we were ready for counterattacks, but it seemed like too many guys hung back too long. And if everyone is back on D, then nobody is out to receive the clearing passes. We were strung too far up and down field. We need to work together going up on offense and helping back on defence in both directions wihout getting bunched up too close to each other.

Next Game: March 4th, 10pm vs. The Gasp

From Mark--a good strategy for our next games

Mark wrote me this, and I thought I'd forward his thoughts to the rest of the team:

"What a game last night. I thought our team played very well. Even though it was a close game, I feel like we dominated most of the game. The Strikers played a tight defensive game and really stacked the box, which is why we didn't score more goals. Their keeper did a great job as well.

Jason and I were talking this morning and I finally figured out a way to explain what we need to do--mainly because of what we did last night. We typically play a 2-1-2 style. But our team mostly gets into trouble when we play those positions only (without playing more of a combination of positions).

Here's the idea: First, we should always have 1 "true" forward who's always up front and a "true" defender that always stays back. The 2nd forward needs to have a mind set of "I am a forward/midfield player transitioning back and forth from a forward to a midfielder throughout the game", and the 2nd defender will play a combination of defender/midfielder as well. Last night, I saw a lot of that transition happening.

On the other end, there is the 1 constant defender, and then a 2nd defender who plays slightly forward with a defender/midfielder mentality. This 2nd defender needs to help keep the ball in our offensive half by cutting off quick counter attacks or just winning a 50/50 ball from one of our shots or a defensive clear. We will still have the "true" defender back right around midfield.

Last night, we did a great job of bringing the ball out of the back with great passes around their attacking players and not forcing or sending the ball too far forward. We had great patience and composure in the back and up front. We also did a fantastic job of keeping the ball in our offensive third by playing with the above mindset.

I think that if everyone understand and plays this way, it will help with a weakness in our game--where we often find a huge gap between the forwards and defenders. That type of gap makes it difficult for midfielders to work the ball around and go upfield. If we do this, it will make our team very dangerous on the turf.

I hope that makes a lot of sense and we continue to pick up where we left off last night. Great team game last night! We really overcame adversity well and kept our composure when we were down."

FC Coraggio 4 - Strikers 3

In the annals of sports hall of fame history, last night’s game will rank among the most dramatic I’ve ever played in. I do believe that the Hammond-to-Justice pass will rival even that of Flutie-to-Phelan (BC ’86 against Miami) as the timeliest connection for a score I’ve seen out there. With about :35 on the clock, Nathan led a racing Mark down the left side just outside the penalty area with a beautiful pass, who then drilled it into the far corner for a goal. Talk about a wild ride! Having been down a goal just 5 minutes earlier, those last 2 goals we scored were an incredible answer to adversity. I might need to see a cardio specialist if this keeps up…

Our second half play, especially later in the game, was a huge factor in dominating the ball and forcing them to almost exclusively defend (with little attack). I felt rather lonely down at the goal—which was a good feeling for me after messing up 2 goals in the 2nd half (Wes, you better be healthy by Friday!). It prompted Mark to write down an idea that I think we should really look into doing over the next 3 games (see next post).

Piranha of the Game: Goes to Mark, as if there was any question (thanks for bailing out my butt!). Special mention to Will for 2 masterful goals earlier in the game, and Nathan for the beautiful set up.

Injuries: Scott-hammie, and Leon-groin. Both probably out for Friday’s game

Next Game: FRIDAY, 11pm, vs. the Predators – this game is for first place for the rest of the session

FC Coraggio 10 - 4B's 4

Good solid game on Monday. We're definitely starting to build momentum and get into a rhythm. Passing around is still very good, and our defense once again shut down their offense for most of the game. They scored first, but then we scored 5-6 goals in a row, and I think that took the wind out of their sails. At one point late in the second half, it was 9-3. I noticed that at one spot in the 2nd half, it seemed like either they had no playmaker who was stepping up to run their offense, or we were shutting down so well, it wasn't noticeable. Our subbing was also good, except for yours truly, who overstayed his time late in the 2nd half. I got hung up on D, and forgot to watch the clock to see how long I was out there--my bad completely.

We've got a good test stretch coming up next week. We have a game on Tuesday, then Friday, then the next Tuesday. The first game against the Strikers is a must win. If we do, we create some space ahead of them, and we neutralize any advantage from their earlier win. You could make the case that that game is the most critical one next week, although they all are if we want to keep pace with the Predators.

Piranha of the Game: Jason R, for not only playing stellar D, but also scoring 2 goals. Just an all around renaissance player!

Next Games:
1) Feb 26 - 10pm vs. The Strikers - wear white for our color blind keeper!
2) Feb 29 - 11pm vs. the Predators
3) March 4 - 10pm vs. the Gasp

Team Dinner:
Tell your wife, mark your calendar, and bring the fam!
Friday, March 14th 6-8pm
More details to come soon

Summer Soccer: There's a summer men's league that some of the guys have played in last year. We were talking about continuing to play together and possibly put out a team for this summer. Games are on Tues & Thurs, 6pm or 7:10pm (1 hour game). Season runs from early June to late July. The roster can be much larger than indoor, mostly because it's summer and people have vacations, etc. Would love to have you consider playing, even if it's just 1 time a week. That may be my option for a few weeks, knowing already some summer plans we're making. We could have 20-25 guys on the team, so think of someone who may want to play and ask them. Let me know your interest in this.

Could this be our (my) problem?

From BBC:

Spurs team 'to lose' more weight

The Tottenham squad are still trying to lose weight after they were found to be 100kg too heavy when Juande Ramos took over as manager in October.
Spurs fitness coach Marcos Alvarez told Spanish radio station Cadena SER: "Taking into account the players' size, the team was basically 100kg over.
"We realised straight away that the team was carrying excess baggage.
"They have now lost between 40 and 50kg. Getting the rest off is the most difficult part."

When Ramos joined Tottenham in October the club were in the relegation zone but have moved up to 11th in the Premier League.
They are also pursuing silverware on two fronts.
They play Slavia Prague in the Uefa Cup on Thursday and have also reached the Carling Cup final where they play Chelsea on 24 February.
Alvarez, who moved to England as part of Ramos's backroom staff, added that he instigated a fitness programme immediately upon his arrival at the club.
"I immediately talked to Tottenham and we set the wheels in motion to change things," he added. "We have turned a lot of fat into muscle."
Ramos has won the Uefa Cup for the last two seasons, both victories coming with former club Sevilla.

FC Coraggio 4 - FC Blast 2

True grit. That’s the best way to describe it. You guys played a monster game against a tough opponent, and held their marquee players to a minimal impact. And we did it with 4 guys out of the lineup, and some key gaps filled by rotating in effectively. You guys rose to the challenge. Nice work!

And what a 2nd half start off! Usually we’re flatter than plywood, but last night, you scored twice in 5 minutes to turn the direction of the game around. Tied at 1-1 at half, it put them in a hole and forced them to play catch up. And we did not have any significant time of letdown throughout the game. Overall, a hard fought win.

FYI - They're all going to be like this for the rest of this session. No gimmies or freebies this time.

Two things to note:
1) When some of the defenders made runs with the ball (or on the weakside), somebody else was shifting over to pick up that empty D spot. I saw it a couple of times. That was key to making it successful. Good work.

2) On some goal kicks and free kicks, forwards and middies need to come back a little bit more to the ball. We forced a couple of long passes that got intercepted or called back for 3-line violations. On goal kicks, only 1 forward needs to be at the mid-field line. The other forward and the middies should be moving around just past the yellow line closer to Wes to give some clear passes options for Wes if the defenders are covered. (The Predators are for sure going to do that!) Not major, but I don’t want to make forcing the ball upfield a habit.

Piranha of the Game: The whole D-line (Rob, Jason, Scott, Nathan, and whoever else played back there). You guys played effective D and kept them from setting up any long offensive stretches. Great team work!

Next Game: Tuesday Feb 12th vs. the Predators – 11pm

Local Professional Soccer Games

Just came across a deal from DC United's site about their home opener on Saturday April 5th at 7:30pm at RFK stadium.

Buy 4 tickets, and the cost is about $25 each. But the tix must be bought in groups of 4, and it's only for this game.

Anyone interested? Post a comment or email me...

Also, the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL Second Division Winners) start their season late April and play on Fri/Sat nights. April 26 vs. Cleveland, and May 10 vs. Charlotte. No word on ticket prices, but I bet it can't be too bad. Closer to home and a weekend night. Any interest?

USL is a USA developmental league (think farm team like baseball) for many clubs around the world. Some Premier League teams have ownership in some of them. Crystal Palace (Coca Cola Championship League, 1 step below Prem League) is the affiliation for the City Islanders.

Team Mug Shot

FC Coraggio 6 - The Gasp 1

That's more like it! Good game last night against a team that will only get tougher as the session continues. We had much better ball control; we passed around nicely, worked the weakside very effectively, and shot better shots near the goal that worked to our advantage like rebounds and keeping the ball in the offensive area.

We also survived their surge at the beginning of the 2nd half. They put their A+ team on in an attempt to quickly score 1-2 goals, pick up momentum, and make it a close game. Good call by Wes to take a timeout and ream us all out. We endured the run, and were able to win back momentum throughout much of the second half. They are going to be a scary playoff team with a short clock and a lead. We play them again in a few weeks; let’s be ready.

We also subbed in and out better last night also. I know a couple of you were frustrated as we went through the game. My intent is not to get us confused or upset, but to get you playing to your strengths in a position where you can do your best, with the team benefitting. So if I got something wrong or out of line, or if we need to tweak it for next week, come talk to me so we can work it out.

Piranha of the Game: Forgot to ask afterwards, but I’ll nominate some candidates. Scott M picked up his D a lot last night and made some key stops; Rob E made some good stops as well. Mike M had some good runs, and Wes was his usual stellar in the net. (Maybe you guys can add your thoughts in the comments section…)

Next Game: Monday Feb 4, 10 pm vs. FC Blast – These guys beat the Predators, so watch out!

The League is wide open this session

Jason alerted me that FC Blast beat the Predators on Monday. Wow! This session is shaping up to be a wild one. There will be no unbeaten teams, and I think the top teams may even have 2-3 losses by the end. FC Blast, Strikers, and even the Gasp have all improved since last session. So come ready to play your “A” game, because there is no freebie or easy games this time.

Picture

Where's the new championship team mug shot?

Is Chris holding out for a larger freelance photo fee?

Maybe we should take up a collection...

Super Bowl Party

Sunday, Feb 3rd

in the Common Grounds Coffee Bar (looks like a Border's cafe)

Living Word Church

5pm - end of game

Free Food, multiple TV screens, halftime competitions

No charge - Men of all ages welcome!

For Tomorrow (Tues) Night

Game Time: 10pm vs. The Gasp

Come ready to play!

Just to clarify about the substitutions list I made: That applies to going in for another guy when he needs out. Once you're out there on the turf, you need to play both ways (O & D), and be ready to mark up or fall back if someone is making a run on goal. We need to go up and down the field as a team, and not stretch too far apart bet. forwards and defenders.

Next Game Positions

Guys - Here's how we'll play the next game. You will be in one of 3 positions (forward, mid, or defender), and will play the entire game in that position, and sub in & out for the other guys playing the same spot. That should keep our rotations strong, and guys playing to their strengths out on the field. We can tweak exactly who needs to be out with whom on the turf at the same time on game night.

Forwards
Chris M, Jeff D, Kevin M, Leon G

Midfielders
Will M, Greg B, Mark J, Ned K

Defenders
Jason R, Rob E, Scott M, Nathan H, Mike M

If I have you in the wrong spot, give me a yell beforehand so we can work it out.

Saturday Open Practice

JP Bohanon is coordinating open practice times for guys wanting a few extra laps around the turf. This Saturday, Jan 26, practice will be from 7AM - 8AM. Fee is $5.

Upcoming dates (all on Saturdays): Feb 2, Feb 23, Mar 8

We've got work to do

Boys, boys, boys – Now that my vein is back behind my eyeball again (thanks Wes), I’m ready to write. Maybe not. That game was a dose of reality for us, plain and simple. It was humbling, and it really torqued me off that we played like week-old-out-in-the-sun poopoo after dominating the early part of the game and early in the 2nd half. It’s like we just shut down and went into “mail it in” mode. As you may tell, I am still hopping mad about the game. We gave it away to them. Not only did we give away the game, but we gave them the confidence to play us harder the next time in 5 weeks.

In a nutshell, here are some of our more glaring mistakes:

1) Our subbing was horrible – We had forwards going in for defenders, and vice versa. At one point, we had an entire team with no defenders out on the turf. We got caught with guys out of position, and guys resorting to play whatever they felt like playing or naturally gravitated to. We WILL change that for next game. We will institute a 'buddy' system, where 2 or 3 guys are rotating with each other in the SAME position. No flip-flopping around the field.

2) Our defense got flat — We did not get back after being on offense, and they counterattacked quickly while we were still up front. We gave them way too much set-up space and time, and were not aggressive in the looseballs and 50/50's. It was really bad and evident in the second half.

3) We just seemed to just quit – We played to run out the clock, not win the game. Guys were walking around and not hustling. We need to give 100% and get off. If you're not hustling and giving it 100%, get off the turf and let another guy go for it. That's the nature of the indoor game. And if you’re done for the night, then go to the far bench and sit down, take a breather and let me know if we need to switch other guys around for you. This was also happening because guys were playing well beyond 3 minutes and off.

4) We need to shoot for placement, not power - Please don't try to pummel the keeper. Kicking it straight at him is the worst you can do--because he'll catch it. Kick it off to one of his sides, or to the walls around him, because he has to adjust and shift to respond to it, and then someone else can get the rebound and put it in. Please stop the massive power shots from way outside also. We need more precise shots on goal, and they need to bounce off the boards to set things up close.

We need to pick up our intensity for the remaining games. We actually have one of the easier schedules, but if we play like that, we will barely win half our games--and I'm being generous at that. Guys, this is what it is like having the bullseye on your back. Since you're the champions, EVERYONE we play is bringing their "A" game. Will you?

Cost: $45, either in cash or check

Next Game: Tuesday Jan 29th at 10pm vs. The Gasp

From Jason - A little motivational moment for tonight...

Wes, don’t forget but we play the Stikers tonight who has that cocky kid that you don’t like. You remember last Sept. when we played that outdoor game and there was that kid that I work with who played up front opposite of you?? You later said that he made some kind of comment to you that you didn’t like. I just saw him a couple of min. ago in the cafeteria and he said that he is going to exploit any of our weaknesses. He is the same kid that does that “little” dance when he scores!! (Not that you need any motivation to play)

The First Post

Well, this is just a test to see if it works. More will follow...