Finding our Stride and a little bed side reading!!

Hey all, hope all is great in the yard!! ?Things on my end have been crazy busy, but they have been great.

The weather in the Bay Area has been top shelf, and after our big win last Saturday we are starting to find our stride. ?For young teams, it is very important to find out who you are and I think we started that against Edmonton last weekend. ?I don't think we saw their best, as they did play the number one rated Bandits the night before, but they are a talented team. ?We had nine or ten different goal scorers, a solid, aggressive defense and?awesome?goaltending from Matt Roik. ?It is my hope that we come back with the same effort this weekend in Portland. ?They have been playing very well and are a very BIG team. ?They have 6 or 7 guys that stand over six foot two!!! ?This game is going to have a playoff atmosphere as both teams will be aware of the magnitude of the game. ?

Other than playing, I have also been very busy helping out with our Sticks to Schools initiative. ?Sticks to Schools is a non profit organization that the Stealth helped begin a few years ago. ?Myself, Kyle Sorenson, Jeff Zywicki and Rhys Duch go to different schools around the Bay Area and introduce the game of lacrosse. ?The program finds sponsors to sponsor schools for sticks and balls and the three days of instruction led by myself. ?We have been doing one almost every other day and it is great spreading the good word of lacrosse. ?

I also have an update on my book, "Belief Breeds Success". ?It is almost ready for release, as I plan to have it out by the end of February. ?It is my first person account of our 2008 NLL season. ?I talk about everything from relationships with coaches and?teammates?to past experiences in my lacrosse career. ?For those of you interested in the NLL, especially the Stealth you may enjoy the read. ?It is a very in depth and honest account of our success and our failures last season. ?I can't wait to hear some reviews from all of you upon its completion. ?

As always I will check back with an update after our big game, but before I leave you today I will leave you with another top five list. ?This list will be a bit different than most. ?It is not necessary a top five list, but it is a list of the last five books that I have read. ?I am just getting back into enjoying reading in my spare time again so any suggestions will be gladly accepted.

Enjoy the read, GO STEALTH.

1. ?A long way gone: ?Ishmael BeahThis book is the story of boy soldier who overcomes the fighting in Sierra Leone. ?It was a very informative and honest read about a very big problem in many parts of the world. ?i quite enjoyed it!


2. ?The Assault on Reason: ?Al GoreI really enjoyed this one. ?It is Al Gore's synopsis of the State of the United States. ?It talks about George Bush's leadership and the failed attempt at democracy. ?It does call on a lot of?conspiracies?and?negligences?of the past government. ?I am not completely in tune with the true State of the Nation, but I found it very informative. ?As a Canadian, it really touches on many issues that I was not aware of. ?I would gladly read another book by him.


3. ?Failed States: ?Noam ChomskyThis book was one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. ?I picked it up at an airport on a whim without knowing much about who Noam was. ?It turns out he is pretty good with words!! ?Some of what I read, I had to read twice as it was a very educating read on many fronts. ?The book basically addresses how the U.S.'s foreign policy has led to the many issues facing the country today. ?It talks about how democracy is not the goal in Iraq, rather a compete change in regime. ?I very much enjoyed this one!


4. ?King of Russia: ?Dave KingThis book is about a year coaching in the Russian Super Elite league. ?This was the inspiration to write a journal type book of my own. ?It was a gift from my father last Christmas and I really enjoyed the read. ?It is relatively easy to follow and give the reader a really in depth look into the differences from North American hockey to that over seas.


5. ?Green Day: ?Rebels with a Cause: ?Gillian GearI loved this read. ?It talks about the rise to fame of the great band. ?It touches on many Bay Area spots that have meaning to the band. ?I found that neat as I now know the area a little better. ?I also have a heavy connection to their video library and their many meanings over the years. ?I know this band very well, but this book gave me insights that I had never known. ?Very much worth the read for any Green Day fan!


There is my list, I hope you?enjoyed?it and I look forward to hearing some of your thoughts. ?

Cheers,?



Colin #7

3 Comments

Slow Start

Hey all, I hope all is well in the Yard. ?I thought I'd stop in today to get everyone caught up with what has been going on.
First off, the Stealth lost another nail biter this past weekend in Calgary. ?We came out really flat and gave up an early 5 goal lead. ?Once we found ourselves, we were able to battle back and come within one goal twice. ?Once in the third quarter and once in the fourth. ?I'd love to say we played great, but the truth is the slow starts are killing us. ?We did bring some positives from the game, and we are chomping at the bit to get back home and play a revamped Edmonton team this coming Saturday at 12:30 noon.
Some of the positives that we did take from this game are obvious and some are less obvious. ?First off, our goaltender Tyler Richards stepped in for the final three quarters and played extremely well. ?It was his first taste of NLL action and he played really well, and gave us a chance to win the game. ?Offensively, Rhys Duch, Tom Johnson and Alex Turner have all given us some big time play. ?On the defensive side of the ball, rookie Brett Manney has played really well and really hard. ?With more experience, he is gong to turn into a very nice defensive players. ?Kyle Hartzell has also been a?vacuum?on the carpet, picking up 12 loose balls for us. ?We do have plenty of work to do, but the truth is that Calgary is the cream of the Western Division crop, and we have to improve to be able to beat them...especially in their own house!
Around the league it really seems that Buffalo and Calgary are the teams to beat early. ?Both teams have run the table to this point, and both show no signs of slowing down. ?We are going to continue to improve, as we are still dressing 5-6 rookies nightly. ?They will improve as will our vets and we will go on our run very soon. ?I am?still?very confident in our team, and I can't wait to play again. ?Saturday can't come soon enough!
Outside of lax, I have been busy working on our Sticks to School program here in the San Jose area. ?So far, we have been able to help get lacrosse sticks in the hands of over 300 kids in the Bay Area. ?The program is going very well, and we are working very hard to spread the good word of lacrosse.
I am also hoping to put the final touches on a Stealth field lacrosse camp here in Pleasanton, California over the Spring Break in April. ?I will have confirmation on this very shortly. ?I have also finished a book that I wrote on my account of the 2008 NLL season. ?It is called "Belief Breeds Success" and should be?available?to those interested by the end of January. ?It is a first hand account of the NLL season through my eyes. ?It is a combination of journal and memoir and tells the story of the 2008 San Jose Stealth, through my eyes. ?I will let you all know when and how you can track down the book.
Lastly, the big game is finally upon us. ?The Super Bowl will finally be played this Sunday. ?I didn't get my picks in this past weekend, but to tell you the truth I expected Philly versus?Pittsburgh. ?I was 50% once again. ?This week, I will make my play nice and early....I will take Pitt. in a route!! ?Enjoy the game, and feel free to give me your thoughts in preparation for the Stealth/Rush game as well as the Super Bowl.
Instead of my usual top five list, this week I will talk a little about my lax stick. ?I have had many questions about it in recent blog's, so I'll do what I can to answer those for you all. ? I use a Gait Torque, black head. ?I do not die them, they are a limited addition black Torque available to 100 luck kids in Canada. ?My sticks are strung by my Rochester Rattler teammate, Peter Milliman. ?He has been stringing for me for the past three seasons. ?I use four shooters and a mid to high pocket. ?I like to use "Canadian" soft mesh and I like the ball to hit the top of the head ever so softy upon release. ?I will post some pictures of my Torque later on in the week. ?If you have any more?questions?about my Torque, please ask and I'll do my ?best to get that info to you.
I will check in again before our game this weekend, until then...GO STEALTH!
Cheers,
Colin #7

6 Comments

Tough Start

Well, as always I hope all is well in the Yard!

First off, let me say Congrats to my boy Rickey Henderson for being selected to the Hall of Fame. ?It was great to hear the experts sing his praise. ?Too often we only hear about one side of Rickey...his perceived "arrogance" seemed to always have the spotlight, so it was nice to hear people talk about how great of a baseball player he really was. ?Congrats Rickey, you are one of my all time faves and it is well deserved. ?I for one can't wait to here his speech!

We had a tough weekend to start the season to say the least. ?We lost both our weekend games, and are now 0-2 to start the season. ?Calgary beat us at home 12-10 and Minny beat us there 10-7. ?There were some good things that came from the weekend and we are going to build on them, but it still stings right now. ?Unfortunately it won't get any easier as we welcome Rochester and Gary Gait to town this weekend. ?We are going to have to get better!!

As far as the NFL goes, I had a 50/50 weekend getting both the Eagles and Ravens right but losing on the Chargers and the Panthers. ?I really thought Carolina was the best team left, but I guess I was wrong. ?That was the one game I thought was a guarantee...That is the NFL for you!! ?This weekend I am going to ride the Eagles and the Steelers. ?Big Ben impressed me this weekend and we all know how good that Iron Curtain is!! ?From there we'll see who I pick to win the Super Bowl!

Since I am fairly depressed about our past weekend I am going to spend some of my free time watching comedies to get my spirits up. ?What a segeway to my next top five list:

Top Five funny movies:

1. ?Dumb and Dumber: ?What else needs to be said, this is the all time classic. ?Jim Carrey at his best!

2. ?Revenge of the Nerds: ?This "classic" will be watched generation from now and still have the same appeal. ?I still try to watch it once a year....Okay, twice!

3. ?Beverly Hills Cop: ?I love Eddie Murphy, and he is at his best in this one!! ?Loved the sequels too, but this one still stands up the the best ever.

4. ?Best in Show: ?I saw this on a whim, and a recommendation from Pat Coyle (who knows his movies). ?Am I ever glad I did, this is a classic, witty comedy. ?

5. ?The National Lampoon Vacation series: ?I just happened to see Vegas the other day and it reminded me of how much I love these movies. ?The original vacation is always the best, but you can't have Christmas without a little Cousin Eddy!!

As always some that didn't quite make the cut:

Blazing SaddlesTommy BoySomething about MaryMe, Myself and IreneWaiting for GuffmanKingpinBad SantaCable Guy

I could go on all day I guess.......

I hope you enjoyed, I look forward to seeing everyone's lists as well as getting in the WIN?column?this weekend versus Rochester.

Until then,

Cheers,



Colin #7

8 Comments

The NLL season is upon us!!

Hey all, hope all is well in the Yard. ?Let me start off by saying I nailed all four winners last week in the NFL wildcard weekend. ?It was a good weekend for me, but too little to late as the pool I am in was already over...I guess I can still have pride, can't I?

This weekend, I like some underdogs as well. ?I think the Eagles are going to go in and beat the Giants and I think the Chargers are going to win in Pittsburgh. ?I also think Carolina will walk all over the Cardinals and the Ravens are going to eek out a win in Tennessee. ?We'll see how much I really do know!

As far as the NLL goes, week one is behind us already and we are beginning to prepare for our first weekend of games. ?We are home on Friday to Calgary and travel to Minnesota on Saturday for their home opener. ?We will be in tough on both accounts, but it is?imperative?that we get the first one at home. ?They bring a massive lineup of firepower including Josh Sanderson, Tracey Kelusky, Kaleb Toth, Curt Malawsky and Jeff Shattler. ?They will be ready to go, as will we!! ?It will be a great test to start the season.

Minny has already won its opener in Portland, and seemed strong in doing so. ?I expect a very close affair in Minny on Saturday night.

The Stealth are starting to stack up pretty well. ?We finally had Paul Rabil in camp this past weekend and he will add a huge dimension to our team. ?We are big, strong, and fast and the rest will fall in to place as we progress throughout the season. ?I am REALLY looking forward to seeing this thing some together this year. ?I really do think we have a lot in place for a solid 2009 run......again, I guess we'll see.

This years version of the NLL will be one of the toughest ever to predict. ?There has been so much turnover around the league and injuries have already had a huge impact on many teams. ?There seems to be no consensus favorite, with the exception of the Bandits ?in some peoples predictions. ?I think for the first time in a long time, the East and West are even with as many as four teams in each division having a legitimate shot at winning their division. ?This is going to be a great year for the NLL.

I also had a request from one of my readers regarding a list of top 5 pump up songs. ?Here is my list with a short explanation behind each.

1. ?Lets all make believe - Oasis: ?This is one of my favorite Oasis B-sides. ?It really gets me fired up as I love the beat and the vocals.
2. ?Ha, Ha your dead - Green Day: ?Another rarity from Green Day. ?It can be found on their b-side album "Shenanigans". ?I love it, especially when I have a hate on.
3. ?Holiday - Green Day: ?Green Day music really does it for me on game day, and this beauty simply has whatever it is that fires me up. ?Great Guitar, great lyrics and a great sound.
4. ?Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve: ?For some reason, this methodic tune from the Verve get me right. ?I love the musical introduction, it really gets me going. ?This is more for a laid back pump up.
5. ?Sit Down (live) - James: ?This version of this song is outright awsome!! ?The build up and the music itself along with live interaction makes it one of my favorites to listen to when I need to get ready.

I hope you've enjoyed my list and I look forward to hearing some of your favorites as well. ?I will need some of these to be going this weekend as we prepare to begin our drive for the 2009 Title!!

I will hit you guys up once more before the weekend and then will keep you all abreast with how we made out.

Until then,?

Colin #7

15 Comments

Happy Holidays

Hey sportsfans, I need to appoligize first for being so long between my blogs. I have been busy beyond belief over the holidays!! First and foremost, I hope everyone had a great Christmas season. I know I did. Brooklyn got spoiled over the holidays but had a lot of fun waiting for HO HO!!

I have so much I want to talk about, so I am going to keep this one short and build some suspense for my next few editions!

On the Stealth front, we played a great exhibition game in Colorado last week. We looked very strong and saw some great things from some of the newer players and some even better things from some of the vets. I will talk in depth about this next blog. We also signed Paul Rabil over the weekend and expect to have him in camp this coming weeekend.....that is huge news!! I will also touch on this next time around.

The NLL is aobut to kick off this weekend in Florida with the Rock playing the Titans. I should have time to give my thoughs on the NLL this coming season as well.

I am also putting the finishing touches on a book I wrote about the 2008 NLL season. I think I am going to have it published in the next few weeks, so it should be availible to all of you very shortly as well. I will also dedicate a full blog to this very shortly.

As far as life goes, my family and I are gettting ready to move back to Northern Cali this coming Friday. SInce Brooklyn can no longer sit still, there should be some good stories about that trip as well......

I have also had some requests for top five lists. I will start adding one to each of my blogs. I will start with my favoirte "pump up" songs as per request next time I drop in.

Laslty, I have assembled a funny video of the Stealth video shoot from a few weeks ago. I will have that up by the end of next week.

In the sporting world....where do I start. I finished my NFL season with a a 3 and 7 week dropping completely out of the top five and runining what was once a promising year. I love the PHilly did to T.O. and the Cowboys this week and I like the Panthers to win the Super Bowl.

Stay tuned, you will be hearing from me quite a bit in the next little while.

Have a great New Year,

Colin #7

2 Comments