Well, here we are ladies and gentlemen....We are now just a day away from the first round of the NLL playoffs for the San Jose Stealth. We just finished going through our film and practice and will be preparing ourselves lastly with a team dinner. We seem to be a focused bunch, as in the NLL there is no tomorrow. It is simple....win or go home.

We have the Portland Lumberjacks at home tomorrow at the Sharktank at 3pm. They have beaten us the last two meetings, but we are ready to go!! The one game playoff format makes every playoff game a game seven, so everyone must be ready to play. Each mistake is huge, and every turn of momentum takes on a life of its own. I do believe we are ready for this game tomorrow, and tonight it will be very hard to get a good night sleep, but I really do live for these games, so I will be ready to go.

I fully expect a tough game tomorrow, and from here on in there will be no "easy" games. If we expect to go on, we must bring our best, smartest game.

Here is to hoping we are up for the challenge.

Stay tuned.....

Colin #7

Hey guys, on a non lacrosse blog I need to find some answers!!!

Here are my pressing questions. I thought I knew sports, but it seems as though I may have been wrong!!!!

1. How did the Lions make out in the draft this weekend. My knowledge of College football only goes as far as Michigan, whoever plays Michigan and the Big Ten in general. How did we make out?

2. What is wrong with the Pistons? I know we tied it up tonight in Philly, but my prediction to have them win the NBA title certainly looks to be in jepordy the way they are stuck in such a battle with the 76'ers. Did I just not give them enough respect? Either way, what doesn't kill us makes us stonger, so maybe this help the Pistons in the long run...who knows?

3. What is wrong with the Sharks? I still have them winning the West, but they have looked very poor in the first two games of their series with the Stars. Maybe I underestimated the Stars again, but I still really like the makeup of the Sharks. I won't rollover on them yet, but they really need their big guns to come alive!!!

4. Why does America spend so much time on the lead up to the NFL draft? Now, I love how the NFL has made such a big deal out of their draft, and as is everything with the NFL they know how to do it better than all the other proffessional leagues, but come on....I've been seeing Mel Keiper talking draft since the day after the Super Bowl....COME ON!!!!

5. Why did Mike Hart drop so low??? I loved watching this kid play at Michigan. He is tough as nails and always showed up in the big games. Is his size that much of a concern? I hope he goes off in the Colt's offense. Good like Mikey.

6. I have no questions regarding the Habs, as they are exactly where I'd hope they'd be!!! GO HABS!!!!!

Those are my burning questions. I'm sure some of them will get answered with time, but in the meantime, maybe some of you guys from the yard can help me out.

Until next time,

Colin #7

Hey guys, hpe all is well in the Yard. Thought I'd drop in to give everyone an update on the Stealth and the NLL. The regular season is finally over, and it took all 19 weeks to get things sorted out in the standings. Like I've said all year, it has been crazy and it is anyone's ball game!!! In the East, New York beat Rochester at MSG to lock up both their destinies. Rochester, with the loss is out of the playoff picture for the first time ever (i think) in their exsistance. New York on the other hand punched their first ever playoff berth with the win. Next weekend, Philly will go to Buffalo for the 1 vs. 4 matchup, then on Saturday New York will travel to Minny for the 2 v 3 matchup. As for who is going to win.......I won't even bother trying!!!! If you live in any of these markets, do yourself a favor and make your way to the game. If not, look to see if any of them are being televised, they will both be beauties. In the West, with our win yesterday over Colorado we clinched our first ever Regular Season Western Division title. Regular season is only regulars season, but for our young group it is still an accomplishment that we are proud of. With the loss, Colorado drops to second and will host Calgary next Saturday, while we get Portland to visit us next Sunday at 3pm at the Shark tank. Again, I won't even bother with predictions....I am not that stupid!!!! It will be a battle for everyone involved, that I can say with all sincerity. I will use this week to prepare myself mentaly and physically to be ready to go on Sunday. I will struggle to sleep all week with excitement. Playoffs are always the best time of year, and I for one can't wait to get it started!!!!! Stay posted, Cheers, Colin #7

Well, I just got back from the Sharks/Flames game seven, and all I can say is WOW!!!!! What a game. That is three game seven's in two night's!!! Habs put it to the Bruins last night, the Sharks put it to the Flames tonight and somewhere in between, my ol' boy "Ovie" got put out by the Flyers!!! I guess I'll be hearing it from the Flyers fans today....what a series!!! After watching tonight's game I remember why I love "important" games so very much. Watching them and or playing in them.

In a game seven, in any sport it is amazing how important everything becomes. It makes the games so much more exciting. Each pass, each dump in, each pitch, each shot, each giveaway, each power play, each serve and on and on. Sports are so exciting to watch when so much is on the line. The Shark tank tonight was a mad house, as I found myself out of my seat numerous times. It is in games like these that the cream really does rise to the top. You can see why these athletes are the best at what they do. In big games almost every mistake bites you in the **s, and it conitnues to impress me how few mistakes are made. It is always easy to made out a goat on sports biggest stages, but when things go well, players live in infamy. Take a look at Carey Price's game seven performance for example. A twenty year old being thrown into the sport's biggest stage and sutting the door to lead his team....I could go on and on.

I am an avid baseball fan, but what I love about baseball is October baseball. I think it is for this exact reason, every single play has massive implacations. Walk one batter, give up one error etc....and the entire game and season can tun on you in a matter of seconds!! Yet, in October how many glaring errors are there? The perfect play leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the team to make the first mistake. Teams battle to late inning, one run games because they are both so GOOD!!!!

Tiger, Fedderer, the Red Sox, the Spurs, the Pistons.......These people and teams manage the best under pressure. How many times have you been sitting watching a tennis match or a golf match saying "there is no way he is going to make that shot", or "When was the last time he went wide on a return?"..... The greats, in individual sport and in team sport manage their games the best when the most is on the line, it is as simple as that. As a fan or as an athlete, this is what sports is all about, this is why we pay to see human people make super human acheivements!!!!

Until next time,

Colin #7

I hope all is well with everyone in the Yard!! I had a busy weekend after our tough loss on Friday night. We spent the entire day on Satuday at Great America Park up here in Santa Clara. We had fun riding the rollercoasters and exposing the Stealth and the game of lacrosse. We are putting a real push to try and get as many people as possible to our first place battle with Colorado on Friday, as well as our home playoff game. On Sunday, I was back into San Fransisco touring aound some company. All in all, a busy weekend.

I've already discussed my NHL thoughts with everyone, so today I am going to try the NBA...even though we are already breifly underway.

In the East, I see all the higher seeds going to the second round with the Pistons and the Celtics going to the Eastern Finals. I am going to go agains conventional wisdom and take the Pistons to win the East. Not only are they my team, but I like their make up. They are the true essense of the word "team" and they work incredibly hard on the defensive end. They also have tons of Championship experience as well as enough infusion of youth. I do think the Celtics are good, but I think in a seven game series their lack of depth will show......who knows. Pistons to win the East, basically because they are my team!!

In the West, it is a whole nother can of worms. They're are no glaring mismatches in the first round like in the East, but I am still going to call all the favored teams to win their respective series' in the first round. I wanted to go with the Mavs, but after watching game one, I simply like Paul too much!! They are tougher than the Mavs and will go further because of it. But their depth will catch up with them in the second round, when the Spurs beat them in six. The Spurs will get by the Suns in what may be the best series of the entire playoffs. Again, I will go with the better team, and they know how to win as a team......as they showed in game one. Their game seven home floor advantage will pay off big. In the other second round series, I like the Jazz. I don't want to go against the Lakers, but if they don't get their big man back, they will get pushed around in the paint against the Jazz. Their front court is tough, and they have a gem in Williams. In the Western Final I am going with the Spurs over the Jazz and I am going to bore everyone and say that the Spurs will go on to lose to the Pistons in the NBA final in Six!!

Those are my thoughts, I'm sure two months from now we can all have a good laugh about how little I know about basketball!!

By the way, I had the Sharks and the Habs in the NHL final and unless these next two days are good to me, I could be in trouble. GO HABS!!!

Until next time,

Colin #7

Hey guys, hope all is well in the Yard!! I had a minute, so I thought I'd check in and let you all know how we did this weekend. We lost a tough one at home last night to Portland in overtime. They played us well, but as always little mistakes caught up with us. They clinched a playoff spot with the win, and we still have a shot at a Western Division title next Friday at home vs. Colorado. There is a lot going on in the NLL tonight, with some huge playoff implications. We have an appearance today at Great America in Santa Clara, then I will be home to watch the Habs finish their series with the Bruins. I will also be taking in some NLL action, just to see how things may play out.

A tough loss for sure, but we are still in position to win our Division which is where we want to be. We need to clean up our mistakes and the rest will take care of itself.

Until next time,

Colin #7

Hey everyone, hope all is well in the yard. I have been busy the last few weeks doing school and coaching appearances along with a full schedule of our own with the Stealth. I thought I'd stop in and give everyone a heads up with what's going on in the NLL and in Stealth world.

After a decisive win over Edmonton this past Sunday, we currently sit atop the Western Division with an 8-6 record. That will guarantee us at least one home game in the playoffs, our first I believe in 3 or 4 years, and my first as a member of the Stealth. We put ourselves in a position to win the West if we were to win the remaining two games on our schedule. We have Portland and Colorado the next two Friday's at home. As much as it has cleared up a little for us, the rest of the league is an absolute mess. The only other team locked in, is Colorado, but they can go anywhere from 1st to 4th. The East is an absolute mess with every team still in the playoff picture with only two weeks left on the schedule!!!! Most teams can finish anywhere from 1st to 6th!!! As I said in an earlier blog, this is on of the most appealing things about the NLL….it is unpredictable and almost always comes right down to the end!!!

I won't bother making any predictions as I really don't know what to expect down the stretch, and really my only concern is the Stealth!! We have had an up and down year, but really need to play well down the stretch to make sure we are heading in the right direction come playoff time. This is always the best time of year for lacrosse, as every shift has consequences and every shift has meaning.

I will keep everyone posted as the NLL playoff scenario moves closer and closer. Keep you eyes on games this weekend as every single one of them has massive playoff implications.

I hope to be able to get some video up sometime in the near future to help show off the great game of lacrosse.

I've got to go, the Habs just went up 1-0 in game 4 on the road!!!

Cheers,

Colin #7

Hello everyone, as always I hope all is well with all those in the yard!!! Well it is that time of the year again as we gear up for another exciting NHL hockey playoff run. This year has had many great stories, and many more are sure to come as we get deeper and deeper into May. In my opinion, there is no harder feat in pro sports than going all the way in the Stanley Cup Playoffs!! I look for a SOLID, LONG run by my very own HABS, Guy has them playing hard!!!

With all that being said, I wanted to dedicate this blog to the most dominating player in the NHL. I really enjoy watching him play, and felt I had to blog about him. The ONLY reason Washington is in the playoffs is because of the play of Alex Ovechkin. Everyone knows that, and even a non hockey fan has to sense the way the NHL has begin to hype their game around him. There are many reasons I believe he is the best player in hockey and there are even more reasons why I love watching him play. I just finished watching the Capitals play their first game against the Flyers and had to blog about why I love watching this guy play. Here are my five top Alex The Great Facts!!!

1.He is a GAMER!! Simple as that. He has proved this year to be his team's best player when they need him the most. Like I said earlier, he carried his team into the playoffs, and they will go deep depending greatly on him. The great players play best when they are needed the most, he fits that mold.

2.He exudes TEAM!! You can see it in the way he plays, he plays to win. Scoring titles and personal accolades will come to him, and for a young player he understands that. It is very rare to find a kid with that much talent that understands that the team comes first. Next time you get a chance to see Capital's highlights, watch how he celebrates after his teammates score……you can't tell the difference from when he scores to when anyone else scores. I love that.

3.HE LOVES THE GAME. Carrying on from my last point, watch this kid celebrate a goal. By far the best, and most exciting celebration that there is in the NHL. It would appear that the business of the NHL doesn't cloud his boyhood love for the game of hockey. It is rare to see that out of anyone for an entire 82 game schedule. I can't wait to see him celebrate in the playoffs.

4.He has a great MENTALITY. I like players that enjoy challenges. Playing in Washington up to this year has been just that, a challenge. The franchise has seen many good players come and go over the years, none of which have been able to take them to the next level. Ovechkin did jus that. Instead of whining about how poor the team was, he came in with a great, hard working attitude, committed to the team long term all the while leading them into the playoffs. Many players would whine about their situation, instead he took it on full on and succeeded in turning them into winners.

5.He is a great ROLE MODEL. For all the reasons I have stated above, I believe young aspiring hockey players can learn a lot from him. He works hard, believes in the team first, he is talented and he loves the game. These are characteristics I try to instill in kids that I come across in the lacrosse world. He embodies what being a professional is all about.

Cheers to Ovechkin for being such a great player, leader and role model, but be sure of this: If they meet the Habs along the way, his first playoff will be cut short!!!

Enjoy the playoffs, I'll be back tomorrow to get you up to date in the lacrosse world…in the meantime enjoy the NHL playoffs!!!

Cheers,

Colin #7

Hello everyone, how are things in the yard? I hope the sporting world has been good to all of you. As we sit in the midst of March Madness (I have Tennessee to win it all), the regular season hockey and basketball playoff stretchs and of course the ever popular pre NFL draft talk, I'd like to take today to discuss why I truly love the game of lacrosse.

This past weekend we played Calgary at home in a very pivotal Western division match up, and came away with a very close 13-12 victory. Allowing us to take a share of first place along the way. What intrigued me the most about the game is how it is truly never over until the final whistle blows. Now, many other sports try and boast the "it is never over until it is over" theory, and some have the odd game to attest to it, but it seems week in and week out, the NLL has numerous match ups that have big time lead changes and usually end up being won or lost in the final seconds!!! I can't tell you the amount of games I have been in that I said immediately after "that was the best game I have ever been a part of!!!!" There was our giant fourth quarter comeback with the Rock vs. the Wings at home. There was the dramatic final second, Kaleb Toth shot at Maple Leaf Gardens. There was our 7 goal comeback last year at Colorado in the playoffs. There was the game in Minny when we led by 8 with a quarter to go and watched them beat us last second. There was the last two times we have been to Calgary and stolen two points from them in huge comeback victories. I could seriously go on and on. I have been on both ends of the dramatics this sport offers on many different levels over the years. It made me finally realize why I believe that this sport is so legit. Every game ends in exciting fashion and more often then not, both the players and fans go home in some sort of disbelief. It is common place in our game!!! There are very few duds!!!

Back to our game this weekend…..In a nutshell, I will do my best to describe it to those who are unfamiliar with lacrosse. We came out like blockbusters and had a 5 or six goal lead after the first quarter. They came back and got it within two heading into half time. The third quarter was all theirs as they took a three goal lead into the final five minutes. We came back to win the game with 4 seconds remaining on the clock………How can you explain that to someone who didn't see it themselves? It is incomprehensible to think about how many NLL games allow the fan to leave the arena saying…….."THAT WAS THE BEST GAME I HAVE EVER SEEN.!!!" That is why I love the NLL.

My Stealth mates and I are off to Edmonton to visit the Rush this coming weekend in a very important Western division battle.

Until next time,

Colin #7

I'll try and attach a little piece of video we shot right after the game this weekend.

Hey what's up with everyone in the Yard? Sorry I haven't checked in lately, but I have been extremely busy with travel and family. We have just landed back in San Jose and look forward to some nice weather again!! The four major snow storms we had back East were great, but I think it is time for some sun and fun again.

This past weekend I was lucky enough to participate in the annual all star game held in Edmonton. Although we lost the game in O.T., I took some great memories home with me as per usual!! To start, I can't get Chris Mcollroy's (spelling?) wicked mustache out of my mind. By far one of the best I have seen in years. Secondly, I had the chance again to hang out and get caught up with Whipper. Even though he was on the East, we made plenty of time to share old stories. I also took the opportunity to check out the loads of young talent that this league continues to produce. Watching what guys like "Nooch", "Steiner", "Wick", and of course "Jr." can do with their stick is simply awesome. Playing in the West has not allowed me to see some of these guys live for a while, in some cases ever. I also really enjoyed sharing the all-star game experience with my Stealth teammates. It was great to see Wick and Marty get some recognition and represent us as starters. It was also great to see Coz put in his usual great effort. Lastly, I was lucky enough to share the floor with one of my all-time favorites in Dan Stroup. He was a late addition to the West's lineup and it was just great to play with him for likely the last time. We have had quite a past, so I was really excited and enjoyed the game that much more.

For me, all star games are a chance to showcase the game and are also a great chance to meet some new people (Jarrett Park, Nick Carlson) and get re-acquainted with many others. At the end of the day I really enjoyed my all star experience. I think we sent the fans home happy, I went home happy, and I think the majority of the other players would stay the same. Therefore, in my opinion…..the 2008 version of the all star game was yet another success.

Cheers,

Colin #7

Hello everyone, hope all is well in the yard!! Sitting out another weekend with a bye, I had some free time to sit back and enjoy tons of around the league NLL action. I took in plenty of lacrosse this weekend via television and the internet. As we reach the midway point of the season, things are really heating up for one heck of a finish in the NLL. I figured with that being said, I'd throw together a midseason report of my own. I'd like to use this forum to talk about some things that have intrigued me so far.

1.39 is the new 25!!! How about JT leading the league in scoring at 39 years old!!! This guy never stops. He simply keeps making himself better and better. Not only are his stats great as always, he had helped lead an injury depleted Bandits roster to a very strong record. On the other end of the spectrum, how about the play of another high thirties man……Bob Watson. He has helped carry the Rock to a very strong 5-3 record and has easily been the best backstopper in the league. I have always believed in how great he really is, but it seems every time people write him off, he responds BIG TIME!!

2.Great rookie crop. In what many claimed would be a weak draft year, rookies seem to be making a huge impact on their respective teams. Guys like Point, Thompson and Hall have stats that speak for themselves. They are making an instant impact on their teams and will continue to do so. Guys like Codron, Pannerelli, and Heim are all contributing well out the back end as well. Buffalo's got the two kids they seem to be using plenty as well as the trio in Rochester that have been used regularly in that star studded line up. Even the Smith kid put himself on the map last weekend in Philly!!! Maybe memory isn't serving me very well, but it has been a long time since I can remember so many impact rookies. This was especially unexpected in a season that lost two teams coming in.

3.The EAST. As it stands right now, it looks like you are going to have to win 9 games to get a playoff bid in the East!! With each team getting win after win, it seems as though fans in the East will be in for a great finish.

4.American influx. Again, with the subtraction of two teams this year, many assumed the number of American players would have dropped. Quite the contrary this season. With Philly, New York, Colorado, Rochester and us using many Americans night in and night out, their contributions have been massive this year. As we all know it bodes well for the future of our game, but it is really amazing to see the American contribution in 2008.

5.Iannucci….What else needs to be said? He is throwing together one hell of a good year offensively.

I suspect we are just getting started as far as excitement goes in the NLL. I fully expect great races in both the East and West, as teams continue to get stronger down the stretch. I certainly do not know how things are going to end up, but I do know that fans of the NLL are in for one hell of a finish!!!

On a personal note, I was part of READ ACROSS AMERICA this morning in two Northern California elementary schools. I got tot read to 10 different classes and help teach them the importance of reading and the benefits of enjoying reading. It was a great experience, and it amazes me when I get the opportunity to use my athleticism to create awareness for such great issues. I am a big believer in the importance of reading, so it was nice to get out there and share that message with our youth. Here are some pics….enjoy.

Until next time,

Colin #7

Hey, what's up with everyone in the yard? I thought I'd stop in today to talk some hockey. Growing up in Canada, hockey was as much a part of my life as lacrosse was, and even though lacrosse fills up most of my time now days, I still find some time to be a hockey enthusiast……make that a Montreal Canadiens enthusiast!!!!

As many of you may know today was the NHL trade deadline. Since I am home in Waterloo, Ontario hockey rules on the t.v. and today was filled with full day "trade deadline" coverage across the board. Of course, living in the Maple Leafs viewing area, I was again overdosed with Leaf coverage. I grew up like most other Habs fans……I cheer for the Habs and whoever is playing the Leafs. But, today I have had a bit of an epiphany as I found myself absolutely enthralled with Mats Sundin's decision to stay and play with Leaf's. Deciding to hold up his no trade clause.

In today's professional sporting world it is harder and harder to be fans of teams as well as fans of players. Each year you here players leaving for one reason or another, and the turnaround in professional sports today is tough to keep up with. I consider myself a sports enthusiast, but even I have to admit that it usually takes me until a month into each season to be fully aware of all the off season moves. I grew up at the end of the sporting era where players felt a connection to their team. Players loved their team, not only for the esthetics of it, but because it actually seemed that they rewarded their team with loyalty for giving them the opportunity to play with them. Now, I may be old school, but I sure enjoyed sports better when I knew the players playing for my favorite teams loved playing there as much as I loved watching them play there.

For this reason, I want to write and commend Mats publicly for standing his ground. This guy has been a pillar for an organization that has seen players come and go for the past 12 years. He has been the team's best player, hardest worker and fearless leader for as long as he's been there. He loves playing for the Leafs and would rather lose with them, then win with someone else as a "loaned" player. In today's sports we hear all too often; "He deserves a chance to win". It seems to me that Matt's looks at it differently. His mentality seems to be "I want to help the Leafs win. That is my job, that is why I get paid what I do to be here." Yet, today when the smoke clears in Toronto there will be thwarts of fans asking "why wouldn't he waive his clause to help the team out?" This is where I get confused. You have a player that loves being in the city, loves playing for the team, leads the team consistently in points every year, rarely gets injured, wins face-offs, works hard, back checks and never complains and you want him gone because of the business end of things…………..That makes no sense to me whatsoever. Now I understand the dollars and cents of professional sports, but since when did the fans begin rooting for that over loyalty? In today's sporting world, we are asked to be GM's not fans and some fans are actually buying into that? The notion that the fan would like to see Matt's gone to bail out Ferguson's mistakes (their former GM) seems out of this world. I for one would like to see the accountability come back into sports. Make the organization accountable for the mistakes made. Don't ask one of the few things that you have to be proud of to take on that accountability!!! I really do believe that if every team and every city had players like Mats, sports would suddenly become a lot more enjoyable to watch, I promise you that. For the day, be happy that you have a guy like Sundin, because guys like him are becoming non existent in sports today.

Until next time,

Colin #7

What's up everyone? I hope all is well in the yard!! I just got back from our weekend road trip to Edmonton to play the Rush. Although we did escape with a win to put us to 4-3 on the season, I really do believe we dodged a bullet.

From the onset, they looked like a different team than the one that had started 0-5. While they played hard, intense lacrosse we were quite different. We played sloppy, unprepared lacrosse and it almost bit us in the a**! In the end, we put together a great second half backed by our "all world" keeper, Anthony Cosmo, and strong defensive play and took home an 11-8 win.

There are two things that jumped out at me this past weekend. First off, I found our showing this weekend the ultimate sporting oxi-moron. In one sense we showed great character, and composure coming back to win the game on the road……..signs of a championship contender. In another sense, we showed up unprepared to play, played lackadaisical, sloppy and got out worked…..signs of a championship pretender. We are a young team and will continue to grow as a squad. In the meantime we will make some mistakes along the way; the important thing is how we learn from them. I guess we'll get our chance to prove how good we really are in two weeks when we travel to Colorado for a first place showdown.

The other thing that jumped out at me was the show that the Rush put on. An 0-5 start could be a very easy reason to start taking away from the game day entertainment. Bruce Urban and his group have never done that, and as a fan of lacrosse I certainly respect that. The Rush have always had good entertainment and have never cheated their fans. It appears that their fans respect that as well. The game was well attended and the crowd was into it the entire time. They were boisterous and outgoing and backed their squad. If they continue to struggle on the floor, it will be a true test for Bruce and his ownership group. I do believe, from what I saw this past weekend, that both Bruce and the fans of Edmonton ought to be commended on their work and loyalty. For this game to survive in markets across North America, I think there needs to be more owners like those in Edmonton. The bonus is that they will get a chance to showcase their show for everybody in a few weeks at the annual NLL all-star game…….Keep your eyes peeled for a chance to tune in and watch it yourself.

Until next time.

Colin #7

What's up with everyone in the Yard? Seeing as though I've had the week off, I've decided to change gears with this entry. Over the last few days I have spent plenty of time listening to music while getting caught up on tasks at home. Since lacrosse and music are two things very near and dear to me, I've decided to talk a little bit about music today.

Before I left for San Jose, I remember hearing about this really neat mission that a television host around here had come up with. His name is George Stroumboulopoulos, and he is a TV and radio personality for people of the younger generation. Generation X if you will. Anyway, he has been working on creating this mission to spread great music around to strangers. The way it works is simple. Make a c.d. of 12-18 songs of your choice and simply leave it somewhere to be found. For example, you can leave it at work, on the bus, on an airplane etc… The idea is that someone else finds it, picks it up and listens to the tunes. A great way to spread everyone's different tastes in music to perfect strangers!!

In my eleven years of NLL experience, one thing outside of lax that we all have in common is a love for music of some sort. I've been up all night arguing over music with many NLL players over the years. I'd love to see a list of this sort from Shawn Williams, Marty O'Neill, John Grant, Rusty Kruger, Bob Watson or Dan Stroup. Well maybe not Stroupy, I've seen his taste in music!! (Just kidding buddy!!)

Anyway, today I am going to list for you the 18 songs I would have on my c.d. This should give all of you in the Yard a look in to my musical tastes and might even spark some interest into doing a c.d. of your own!!! Enjoy my list…..

Here goes: (in no particular order)

1.Live Forever- Oasis: Simply stated, it is the best song ever!

2.Walk away-Cast: A great 90's album out of the UK.

3.Sit down-James: Great song to get things going.

4.Enjoy the Silence-Depeche Mode: Early 90's techno rock at its best!!

5.Oh L'amour-Erasure: I don't dance much, but this one gets me moving!!

6.Man who sold the world-Nirvana Unplugged: Beautifully re-done.

7.Eddie Vedder-Hard Sun: Again, not his own, but a great song to work with a great movie

8.All these things that I've done-The Killers: A well written song.

9.Let's all make believe-Oasis: A killer oasis b-side that would have made other bands careers!!

10.Trash-Suede: Another great song from the best time period of music.

11.J.A.R.-Green Day: A relative unknown from the band, but well worth the listen.

12.Wild Child-Enya: Quite a change of pace I know, but great none the less.

13.It's getting better (man)-Oasis: A complete pump up song from my favorite album of all time.

14.Dreams-The Cranberries: A beautiful song….simple as that.

15.Drugs don't work-The Verve: Very mellow tune, but very well written.

16.Masterplan-Oasis: An oasis B-side gem. Do yourself a favor and listen to this one

17.Wake me up when September ends-Green Day: Even better live!!!!

18.Acquiesce-Oasis: This song fires me up like on other!!

19.Going to Pasalacqua-Green Day: There is no better early Green Day

20.Everything counts (live 101 album)-Depeche Mode: Great song!

Okay, so that was 20, you try and narrow down 30 years of music into a list of 18!!! Have fun with it and we'll be chatting again soon in the Yard!!

Colin #7

Well, I am ashamed to say it but I've been in sunny California for a month and a half now and have yet to play a round of golf. One of my commitments to myself upon moving out here was to use the sunshine to bring a stronger golf game back to Canada with me in the summer. Today, that all changed.

As I planned on heading back to Ontario for a couple of weeks on Friday I figured I better get a round in on Thursday before I left! I gathered up a foursome and the friendly people at Santa Teresa Golf Course accommodated us with a tee time just before noon. Jeff Zywicki, Steve Pannerelli, Luke Wiles and myself headed out to work on our game. By no stretch of the imagination am I a great golfer, but I enjoy getting out and seeing if I can get any better, and if I don't I just keep reminding myself I am playing in 20 degree (remember I am Canadian) weather in the middle of February. Today I was in good company. Jeff and Luke are both very good golfers and Steve admittedly hasn't played much before, but he is a gifted athlete, golf should be no problem.

We set the stakes and away we went. By the end of the first hole and at least ten shots later by Steve, we decided we best exclude Steve from the betting and just allow him to work on his game and enjoy the day!!! Wiles took a three shot lead into the clubhouse, but quietly fell apart on the back nine leaving the money up for grabs between myself and Z. With 17 and 18 left we were tied for the money. I had battled back from a weaker/rusty front nine to put myself in a position to win, then just couldn't make a shot. Z nailed a 20 foot, phony put on 17 to pretty much seal the deal. I sprayed my 18th tee shot and scrambled to save bogey. At the end of the day, I ended up behind both Z and Luke, with Z taking all of the money. Believe me, that pains me to say it as much as anything!!!! I'd rather give my money to Steve for some lessons.

All in all I finished with a 91, but with tons of opportunities to be in the low 80's. Z finished 87 and Wiles 89 and Steve.........well lets just say he enjoyed the sunshine!!!!

Until next time,

Colin #7