What a year!  On October 16^th the season was over.  On October 25^th it was on again.  The team has one of the fastest starts in Wings history.  Stumbled some in the middle and finished 10-6 for only the second 10 win season in 22 years (of course we have not always played 10 games).  Make the playoffs for the first time since 2002, go to Buffalo and play a pretty solid game and lose by one (excluding empty net goal).

We have seen a number of individual records this year, a new coaching staff and very young team do well. Are we satisfied? Not entirely.  Do we have a lot to build on? Yes.  I firmly believe that this team will be a powerhouse for many years to come.  The league survived a very rocky start but made it through one of its most demanding seasons.  The building staff was outstanding and we finished the season with our biggest attendance in years.  We have a lot be proud of and a lot left to do.

Once we have had a chance to objectively evaluate the season with the entire staff we will write a complete and detailed review of where we think we are where we are going.  Again, thanks for not only being the greatest fans in sports but a family that has stuck with us through good and bad times.  I’ll write more but then enjoy the good weather. 

Well, it’s been a long time coming, but we are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2002.  That was the first goal of management as we sat and charted a new course for the Wings’ franchise last summer.  Not only are we back, but tied for the best record in the league at 10-6.  To put that in perspective we were 6-10 last year.  We have fielded a very young team with a new head coach, new system, and many new players.  When you consider the dramatic changes and challenges of 2008, I am very proud of what they have accomplished.  Certainly we are aware that this team is a “work in progress”, but we now have a playoff team that will bring us championships for years to come.  When the playoffs are over I’ll write a comprehensive overview on this past year.

I can not think of a tougher challenge than playing the Bandits in Buffalo in front of a packed house.  We will certainly be the underdogs, but there’s a good reason we play the games regardless of the prognosticators.  Dick Vermeil spoke to our team two years ago and I’ll use his quote to the team that night, “You do not have to be the best team in the league … just the best team tonight.”  Once you get to the dance a lot of things can happen.  I like our team and their chances.  Either way, we will be there and win or lose we are proud of what this coaching staff and team have done this year.

Go Wings!

Saturday was a very emotional night for me.  We had the best attendance in five years and I was elated.  At the same time, I saw us lose the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot, secure a home playoff game and was devastated.  I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out where we are and how we got here.  These are my thoughts:

· Our team had great early success winning six games in a row.  Some we probably should have lost but we didn’t.  I remember a couple of times looking at Dave Huntley after a dramatic comeback victory and we just raised our eyebrows at each other.  Sometimes, if it comes to easy, you don’t work as hard.  This team believed it would continue to come easily and it hasn’t.  Teams got better and we went into a damaging slump after the embarrassing loss to Buffalo.  No team has given up 20 goals in a game this year except the Wings and we did it three times within four games.  With a young team it was especially devastating to their confidence.  We began to make needed changes and inexperienced youth combined with average play by veterans, resulted in a tough time of adjustment.  The look in their eyes changed and the swagger was gone.  Confidence was replaced by locker room “rah rah” that did not translate to the field.

· Strangely, the same thing happened to the other two teams that started with five or more consecutive wins.  Colorado started with five straight victories and after we came from behind and beat them in their house they lost three in a row.  They recovered with a veteran team to get to 9-6 by winning four of their last seven.  Minnesota, like the Wings started with six straight wins.  In their last five games, they are 2-5, one with an overtime win against us that could have gone either way.  They are a very good team, but have been favored with four of their 16 games against Chicago.  The Wings won six in a row, lost three of the next four and are 2-2 in the last four games losing one in overtime.  Minnesota is in as is Buffalo, who is in second place and is also 2-2 in their last four games, at 9-6.  Three teams trail Minny at 9-6.

· Back to the Wings.  When we started the season, we decided to build through the draft and go young.  We have five rookies playing every week and a number of them American players who did not grow up playing indoor lacrosse.  They are adapting nicely, but have had a difficult time adjusting to game changes by us and opposing teams.  Our veterans have been erratic in their play and leadership.  The Iannucci record breaking season is both a blessing and a distraction.  We spend too much time looking to him to carry us and Saturday night, arguably the most prolific offense in the league had four other player score one goal each.  He tries to do too much and the others aren’t doing enough.  (Brandon) Miller kept us in the game.

· Having said that, we are a greatly improved team and WE ARE ONE OF THE ELITE TEAMS WITH A 9-6 RECORD and ½ game out of first place.  Would I have liked to have this thing wrapped up and over … ABSOLUTELY.  Am I still proud of these guys either way … ABSOLUTELY!  By all accounts, we should win Sunday afternoon, but I am a realist and know we could lose.  These are professional athletes.  They know what they have to do to win.  Only they can answer whether they are willing to do it.  I hope to a man, that we will trust the game plan, play disciplined, unselfish and as a team.  If they do, everyone gets another game.

· One last word.  Sunday, one of the classiest and best athletes to put on a uniform in any sport will retire as an active player.  Jim Veltman is not only a gifted athlete, but more importantly, is a walking definition of character.  My son was born in 1986, the year the league started.  He has attended many games and will graduate from college in two weeks.  He was at a Wings/Toronto game when he was about 12 years old and I pointed out Jim Veltman and said, “Son, this is the kind of man I hope you can be like someday.”  It’s my highest compliment Jim.  I know you will stay around the game and join me in the Hall of Fame and that’s good news for me personally and for the sport of lacrosse.

OK Wings fans …. same position as the last two years.  Win and we’re in.  Lose and we need some help from other teams.  Even if you don’t agree with the blog, I am confident we agree on what we want to have happen this Sunday in Toronto.

What a crazy weekend for us and the league.  It was a nightmare.  What our team went through this weekend really makes you appreciate the stress and physical challenges of our staff and players.

For this trip, there were 14 different itineraries coming from eight different cities.  Scheduling this was definitely quite a feat by our travel coordinator, Beth Coughlin, who is one of the unsung heroes of our team.  The travel dilemmas started when the Philly group arrived in Minneapolis on Thursday night in the middle of a snowstorm.  They boarded their flight to Portland as scheduled, but then had to wait while the plane was de-iced twice and had to refuel.  Their flight, which was supposed to get into Portland at 11:09 p.m. actually arrived around 2 a.m. 

The Baltimore and New York groups were suppose to meet the Philly group in Minneapolis and fly to Portland together, but their flight didn’t get into Minneapolis in time to make the flight.  They were re-booked on another flight to Portland that was connecting in Denver.  On the way from Denver to Portland, their flight had to land in Fargo, ND because of a medical emergency on board.  Instead of arriving at 11:09 on Thursday night, they arrived around 1 p.m. on Friday.  Others had flights delayed and a few players said their flights were so bumpy that they never wanted to get on another plane again.  It’s really a credit to all of them that they were able to put all of this aside and get a critical win on the road in Portland.

 Congratulations to Athan and the team for his breaking the scoring record for the league.  This is a special accomplishment and we’re proud of Nooch and all who helped him achieve the goal.

Observations:

· As improved as our record is from last year, we are in a dogfight in one of the tightest races in league history.
· In 2003, as a member of the Colorado Mammoth, Gary Gait set the scoring record and was MVP for the league.  The Mammoth’s Brian Langtry was Rookie of the Year that season and Colorado did not make it to the Championship Game.  I am proud of individual records, but the only thing that matters now is this team winning the cup.
· We cannot continue to play poorly for portions of the game and expect to make up 8-10 goals against good teams.  We must play four quarters the rest of the way if we are to be in this thing.
· I am proud of our rookies and as far as I am concerned, they have earned the right to be called veterans.

This weekend is a playoff game for both teams.  Win it and we are in the playoffs for the first time in five years.  Lose it, and we could be sitting at home.  I am proud of what we have done, but it’s not enough.  This Saturday night we will have to play smart, hard and as a team for four quarters against one of the hottest teams in the league.  There are no more next weeks for any of the teams in the East if they want to assure themselves an invitation to the big dance.  I wouldn’t miss this game for anything.  I hope you feel the same way.