Preseason Rankings

Seeing as this is a lacrosse blog I figured every once in a while I should post about...lacrosse. Lacrosse Magazine recently came out with their preseason rankings and the UNH Wildcats earned the #19 spot. Now we all know that preseason rankings are about as useful as the Princeton Maze but it does give us something to talk about in the cold winter months.

Our schedule is going to be very challenging if the rankings are anywhere near accurate. We get to play #2 ASU, The Red Hot Buffs at #7, and divisional foe BC at #15 respectively. Couple of big wins and the ranking is going to soar like Google Stock.

Check out the full rankings here.

I would like to take this time to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. I look forward to seeing everyone back at preseason. I will be the one winning every sprint.

Case of the Mondays

It is finals week here in Durham. While many cram in the library half looking at flash cards and half looking at Facebook, I am already done and will take this week to catch up on my Boardwalk Empire and refine my NFL BLITZ skills. Despite finals week looming, it is important to remember that Jay Cutler is without a doubt having a worse Monday than you.

While most of New England could take pride in the way the Patriots handled their business in the windy city, it does not change the fact that Mondays are flat our brutal and we could all use a little break from our routine and enjoy a clip. We got our second SNL video of the year and one of my all time favorites. If Jimmy Fallon wasn't in it this clip might be considered perfect.

Enjoy.

Friday's Fan Of The Blog

Since joining the lacrosse team in 2009 I have had the pleasure of meeting without a doubt, the biggest fan of UNH LAX. That fan is the one and only Chris Harrington. Harrington is a staple on the UNH sidelines whether it is verbally assaulting referees or giving Vince Lombardi like pre game speeches to players. Chris is an absolute legendary competitor and expects perfection from everyone. When Chris was playing in a flag football game with the New England Patriots and Tully Banta-Cain wasn't getting it done, Chris pulled him out of there and showed him how a real man plays linebacker. Obviously that fire isn't hereditary as the only thing I have seen his older brother win is a race to dessert stand at the dining hall.

With the winter days coming and preseason fast approaching I look forward to another season of Chris Harrington cheering on the 'Cats.

Delayed Case of The Mondays

It has been a long hiatus since the last video. This is a great injustice and shall not happen again. I hope everybody had a safe, healthy, and calorie heavy Thanksgiving. We have alot to be Thankful for this year. I am thankful that I know Drew O'Connor. I imagine that you are thankful for being able to read this. I appreciate the compliment.

This is a big day at the blog. Not only do we have a killer video ( that I found all by myself, with no help from anyone) but Big Dog Barry showed me how to embed a video. Enjoy







P.S. I didn't find this video I send a special thanks to the finder. French Toast

Friday's ( Saturday) Fan Of The Blog

It is time to honor someone who truly deserves it. Not only is Kelli DeDonato a fan of the blog, but she is a true diehard UNH lax fan. Kelli can be seen at most lax games cheering for her favorite long stick middy.....Dan Fugelstat. The past four times I have seen Kelli, she has brought up the blog. In fact, Kelli was the 20,000th visitor to the blog, a fact she was very eager to prove with a cell phone pic. Thank you Kelli for your continued criticism of the blog.

I have warned people before, I am nationally ranked at finding horrible pictures of you. I must be honest, it took longer than my normal 45 seconds to find one of Kelli. I am not even calling the picture horrible, I just can guarantee what is going on in this picture. This picture was an album entitled "prom" (creative). I am going to assume she was taking pictures for prom. She is flying solo in this pic, so I assume either her date hadn't showed up yet or she was going to the pre-prom cool kid photo shoot. Every parent is SO awkward about the solo shots so I assume Mr. Dedonato fired off about 15 solo pics, causing the Kelli to get a little annoyed, thus spawning an argument about one more picture. This forced, awkward, smile is what I believe to be...the last pic.

P.S. I know I have not posted a video the past two weeks and this is a day late. However, when I am knocking blogs out of the park ( which everyone except the blogfather is saying) I bet it is worth the wait.

P.P.S. Seriously, I can find anything on Facebook ...I bet I could find a bad pic of Marc Cochrane and he is stop traffic handsome


Godspeed

Friday's Fan Of The Blog

There are a number of ways to make the blog. You could be a sick lax bro who rips cheddar on the reg causing me to give shout outs. You could make a hilarious youtube video that I find hilarious and share it with the world. You could give me a piece of pizza in exchange for some publicity. You could devote hundreds of hours to the lacrosse team and do it all with a smile. Well today's fan decided to go the last route. To all the ladies in the place with style and Grace Lyons is today's Fan of the blog ( woah Jake that was clever). I had the pleasure of meeting Grace last spring and our friendship never looked back. I would like to thank Grace for all that she does.

Did you know about Grace- I did some serious facebook intel and found out a fact I am pretty sure that less than 1% of the UNH population knows. Grace Lyons was a high school cheerleader. I have photo evidence. Color me shocked.

P.S. Maggie and Kerry relax your day will come...I am going shortest to tallest

P.P..S. Let this be a lesson to you...if you consider yourself friends with me or anyone related to the lacrosse team I might think about untagging some facebook photos. I devote more time to this blog than my Communications in Law class.

Friday's Fan Of The Blog

(Not Pictured: Tim Harrington)

I have enjoyed my time as the blogfather but there is an injustice that must be rectified. For two years this blog called Young Drive home, and when it moved downtown, I payed no respect to it's roots. Therefore I would like to take this Friday to honor the boys who call 34/36 home. The boys have been more than good to me over the years. I am pretty sure I owe Cody around $40 in snacks. During the summer when I was to frugal to buy a parking pass, the boys let me throw the Malibu no questions asked ( just kidding Landlord). They have been good to me and it is time I return the favor therefore I would like to give the shout out to:

Dan "Applebottom jeans" Milano

Sam "I am unspeakably bad at pool basketball" Elmes

Marc I still owe the blogfather a PBandJ" Cochrane

Cody SOOO SICK" Cusano

Andrew "My name should be Ben" Hart

Dan "Dang" Hutchins

Tom "Where are my sleeves" Nazarro

Tim "The Professor" Harrington

I didn't check the spellings so everyone just relax

Keep on Keeping on boys

Case of the Mondays

Last year the Godfather Michael Maloney posted a vote for the best Halloween costume. I figured I would save everyone some time and energy and just post the best costume. The residents of the wombat palace killed it as the Wizard of Oz. Some highlights included the Tin Man chopping down a girl dressed as a Christmas tree and Dorothy rocking vintage bright red Nike hightops. Look at Morse's mane ...you simply catch coach that.

Special shout out to Sam "Samurai" Kerrigan for his teach me how to Snuggie. Don't worry Grandma, Ill explain it you.

Here is your video of the week.

To quote my good friend Ben Simmers: BUUUUUUNNNNDDDDDDYYYYY!!!!

Special Case Of The Monday's

Before we get to the much anticipated Youtube video of the day, I would like to take some time and recognize a very special person to the UNH blog. This Saturday a few hand selected bros traveled down to Gillette Stadium for ....I think a football game...no definately a football game. On the way home I had the first ever personal request to be on the blog since taking it over. Not only is this person such a big fan...she snaked a piece of pizza from her friend to give to me to sweeten the deal. Her loyalty and passion is UNQUESTIONED. I would like to take this time to give a blog shout out to Ariana Shapiro and all the girls at AZD ( except Andrea). But mainly Ariana ...and I guess Andrea to.

Now, for the reason we are here. Following Gus Chiggins is no easy task. The reason this video was approved is because the announcer's pure joy reminds me of Ariana's when I told her I would put her on the world wide web.

Click Me

Fridays Fan Of The Blog

This weeks fan of the blog is near and dear to my heart. This weeks fan is Sam Foster. Foster is a resident at the wombat palace and is the only UNH student who can make pesto sauce. Foster shreds face melting solos on the guitar and even though he is a self claimed "music junkie," Foster did not get one music trivia question right this summer at the Knot. We went weekly. However, the main reason I chose Foster for the blog is that Foster is the one who chooses the videos for the Case of The Mondays. By my tally is 3-3. Keep up the good work Foster.

Did you know about Foster- Foster's first ever AIM screen name was sammyfrommiami. The fact that Sam had never been to Miami was irrelevant.

Case of the Mondays

Here we are again staring straight into the eyes of another work week. Big news from the wombat palace, (my apartment) if Maurice Jones Drew stunts like we know he can than I will steal a fantasy win. I need this win so if you're reading this Mojo...kill it.

With that being said, here is the third video to help you get through the Monday...

Gus Chiggins

Friday's Fan Of The Blog

For the first ever Friday fan of the blog, it was a no brainer to go with the Big Dog. Anyone who has any proximity to the team knows papa bear Barry Katz is the ultimate fan. He can be seen stunting in his Winnebago and cooking breakfast for 20 team members at 7 AM. However, some would argue that his greatest accomplishment was raising such a fine blogger.

The did you know about Barry Katz: Barry once owned his own deli. BJ' Corner Deli dominated the Dover restaurant scene in the 80's providing roast beef and smiles to hungry customers.

Hayden Sports better write me a check for free advertising. I literally have never seen that shirt before. I have no idea how I got that or why I chose to put that on. My Phoenix Mercury shirt must have been in the wash. I digress

Case Of The Monday's

Well, if you are reading this you survived homecoming weekend. I congratulate and thank all the alumni for coming back. I am also going to thank the entire current team for holding Michael Maloney scoreless in the alumni game. How does that serving of humble pie taste? Bitter I bet.

I told you not to try and predict the Monday video, and I am guessing you didn't predict today's. Watching football on Sunday ( if you do not have Red Zone channel you are watching football in the stone age) I got reacquainted with the legendary announcer Gus Johnson. The man could make my Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa class seem interesting.

Without further Ado...

RISE AND FIRE

P.S. The UCLA, Gonzaga game ( BATISTA WITH THE CAAAAATCH) made my mom cry. She is a Gonzaga alum.

P.P.S. No one cares about grammar, yes, I know it's bad and it will always be bad.

P.P.P.S. Congratulations to Michael Maloney as the blog hit the 100th post...We will be celebrating at Young Drive, no cops( to soon?).

Case of the Mondays

Mondays are no fun. The alarm always seems to go off half an hour to early, your fantasy team is mind numbingly frustrating, and you spend way to much time seriously pondering if Steve Buscemi from Boardwalk Empire is the ugliest actor you know off hand. Well, rest easy because I am brining you the inaugural Monday Video of The Week. Without further ado..

P.S. If you are reading this and not registered for the golf tournament ...what on earth are you waiting for? Whoever read the blog from Germany today ...you are excused

6 Pack of Questions

I have some good news and some bad news. The good news being that you are about to read the UNH lax fall ball questions that literally everyone is talking about. The bad news is that Quint Kessenich backed out at the last minute for a live chat on the blog. Therefore, I have decided to handle it myself.

1) What is the schedule looking like for the spring?

We have a very exciting and challenging schedule for the 2011 season. Of course, we have our familiar foes of the PCLL which always brings exciting action. We will be welcoming Colorado to Durham for a much anticipated re-match from last year. The hit just keep on coming as we will travel out west to take on Santa Clara, Wisconsin, and wait for it........ Arizona State. Rack up some frequent flyer miles while you can, you will not want to miss that trip.

2) Who will fill the shoes for the defense?

Last year we graduated two starting close defensemen, one LSM, and lost the services of another LSM due to some business in Beijing program or something. We have many new candidates chomping at the bit to get a piece of the action. Keep an eye out for converted goalie RJ, ( sans flow) freshmen Kris Johnson, Alex Sellar, Zach Merrigan, and Chris Morse to make an impact. Thankfully, we return D-middies Jordan Gauvin, Tom Narazzo, and Tim Harrington to help ease the transition.

3) Who will take the faceoffs?

I simply do not know. Jordan Gauvin, Dan Milano, Zach Goodwin, and Matt Essaray have all been taken draws at practice. It is a wide open competition.

4) Who are the fresh faces to keep an eye on?

This list is long so settle in.... "T" Keane is a little (literally) spark plug worth noticing for the attack. Kyle Kenny ( spelling?), C. Ryan, Cal Bailey, Zach Goodwin, Ethan Gauvin, and "Stokes" are playing well and ready to make noise from the midfield. Zach Merrican, Kris Johnson, Chris Morse, are the new long poles. Youth will be served this year.

5) Who is the blogger's break out player of the year?

It's hard to say that Evan Flower is going to break out after an All American selection last year, but he is a ticking time bomb ready to shred chone darts all over New England. My second pick: Garret Buckley , wait til you see his pecs.

6) Is it true that Rj cut his flow?

I don't want to talk about it.

UNH Lacrosse Is Hitting The Links

(Coach Sullivan, St. Germain, and Clarke respectively)

On Friday October 8th the UNH men's lacrosse team will be hosting an all day golf extravaganza. Take the day off, call out sick, drop the kids off at a friend's house and come enjoy 18 beautiful holes at the Oaks Golf Course in Somersworth, New Hampshire. Not only will you get to stripe some fairways, you will enjoy a fine lunch and walk away with a nice bag of goodies. This really is a true win-win get some golf in, meet the team, and help us with our fundraiser. I suggest getting a foursome together and try to make a run at winning it, which will be a tough task, as I already have my ringers notified and taking practice swings in the backyard.

Here is a link with more details and registration https://www.events.unh.edu/RegistrationForm.pm?event_id=7715

See you at the 19th hole...

Meet Your 2011 UNH LACROSSE CAPTAINS

UNH lacrosse is proud to announce its 2011 lacrosse captains. We have two newcomers and one familiar face leading us. Lets take a minute and get to meet the student-athletes.

Evan Flower- Junior Attackman who occasionally rips chone darts. Still anxiously awaiting first facial hair. WOMBAAAATS

Tom Nazarro- Senior Midfielder who moonlights as the team's president. Tom lifts weights, eats cake, and frowns upon The Hamel Recreation Center for their policy on sleeves.

Dan Milano ( on the right) A senior Midfielder who returns for his second season as a captain. Milano has a split dodge like a wishbone and knowledge of all major works of literature like Wishbone...

I have no idea who the kid on the left is, thank God, looks like a duster.

From The Ashes It Rises

For those of you out there who are unaware, Durham's finest Navy, which belonged to the gentlemen at 34/36 Young Drive, was tragically sunk in a peace keeping mission last year. While the waters were left unguarded, the river behind the house became less certain than the coast of Somalia,

Not to fear, the Young Drive Navy has risen again. Thanks to yours truly we can all breath a little easier as I found an inflatable raft this week. I am obviously the vessels fearless sea captain, with Tim Harrington and Dan Milano serving as the skipper and first mate respectively. This is a warning to all schools close to the water ( cough BC NORTHEASTERN cough) that you are being watched.

New boss chosen....

All good things must come to end. In his last move as The Godfather of this blog, Michael Joseph Maloney displayed the cerebral and intestinal fortitude that typified his reign. With confidence he chose Jake Katz to lead this blog into the future.

In his first act as the new blogboss Jake declared a new attitude of transparency and issued the following introductory press release.

---

For Immediate Release - August 2010

• My name is Jake Katz
• I am #6 in your programs (and #1 in your hearts).
• I am a Senior Communications Major.
• I enjoy listening to Dave Matthews Band and have an encyclopedia like knowledge of all Disney Channel Orginial Movies ( This will not be the first time Smart House is referenced)
• I don't find Princeton Maze to be a waste of time at all
• I left my heart at the Walrus in Boulder Colorado
• We are going to have some fun this year so stay tuned

Here is a trivia question for nobody in particular

What music band or singer has made the most money off touring in the past 10 years?

I could tell you, but why don't I SHOW you..... (click me...click me good)

Farewell

This is your captain speaking, brace yourself, as you are now reading the final blog post from Michael Maloney on the UNH Men's Lacrosse Blog. I've touched on this before, but today I bid the blog adieu as it is time for me to move on to the real world. As much as I wish that entailed me going on an MTV show for three months, unfortunately I'm headed into the real world, and not onto The Real World.

The blog has been great to me. It was a lot of fun, and watching it grow over time from just a few posts about our clinic, to a website with over 16,000 hits ranging from Inglewood, Calfornia to West Bengal, India. It has given me a place to write what I want, how I want, away from the rules and regulations of covering for newspapers. People telling me that they check the blog regularly and that cracks them up, only made me want to write more. It was grounding for me, which is usually pretty hard to do to with this ego. I want to thank all of the avid followers I've had since Day 1, parents of players, actual players, Tweeters, female fans, other teams and lacrosse websites. It has truly been a pleasure on this side of the computer.

Without its fearless leader, however, the blog will still live on. I have reluctantly passed it on to two or three players who are more than capable of keeping this ship afloat and hopefully make it sail to the point that we are literally kidnapping recruits from Hopkins. Speaking of that, many of you have read my complete liberal use of the word literally. Over time it has grown into a running joke, as people tend to misuse it all the time. Just imagine me running into a high school with a ski-mask on and kidnapping a recruit, literally. So, moving on to another job that isn't going to pay me any money, in my immense amount of free time in my final semester I have created a new monster. Literally Incorrect.

In all seriousness though, thank you to everyone who ever read the blog, told someone about the blog, or told me something to blog about. You made my life more enjoyable and I can only hope that I did the same with my run-on sentences and obscure Bruce Springsteen references. Comment on this post wishing the new guys the best of luck, and if you want to thank me just carry on your amazing loyalty to them as well to help this team grow. If you really wanna thank me, you can offer me a full-time job. (Seriously)

End of The Year Blog Awards

The Pioneer Collegiate Lacrosse League recognizes the players that fill the stat sheets, and those who do their best to try and slow down the Offensive Player of The Year. However, there are many players that are left out, and truly keep the PCLL in tact. I am here to give them what is rightfully theirs. I give you the inaugural Blog All Stars.

Sideline Voice of The Year
Zack Scantron, for his rowdy antics all year, but especially for his dance at the UCONN game.

Best Nickname
A true toss up between Connor "C-Money" Murphy and Jeff "Blanco" White, but this one goes to Blanco as it has become universal enough that I literally just found out his name was Jeff today.

Quote of the Year
"Keep Your Com-BRO-sure." -Assistant Coach Ben Clark during a sideline conference with the man-up squad. Ben also received accolades for Best Facial Hair in league with Tim Harrington's lineup coming in a close second.

Most Useless Rookie
Jake Katz, in a landslide. Jake was nominated for never setting up the field, never carrying anything to Outer, and not participating in a single ball hunt because "it is my THIRD year of college lacrosse, I am not a rookie."

Likely 2012 Occupants of Young Drive
Dang Hutchins, JT Markley, Blanco, RJ, Drew O'Connor, C$, Gardiner, Evan "Stank" Flower.

Worst Left Hand
Dan Hutchins. Your Division I First Team close defender has a left hand that could make babies cry. Hutch will never throw lefty, but makes up for his crafty HTML skills. Jake Katz was not eligible for this award because he is a goaltender, however, it should be known that his left hand is worse than a lukewarm Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Most Deceiving Athlete
John Tyler Markley. Great body, great abs, amazing closing speed, a well deserved actual All-Star. Do not be fooled, however, because I learned yesterday that he is terrible at volleyball, can't throw a football, and rides a moped. However, his Jai Alai skills will be unrivaled after his 12 month stint in China next season.

Best Tattoo on the Team
The CUSANO rib tat is really intense. Well not really intense, but pretty intense. However, Finnain "Spikehorn" Donovan shows his devotion to Vacationland with the outline of Maine tatted over his entire side. It almost makes me think that Maine is a real state.

Chillest Bro on the Squad
Two letters. R.J. No questions asked.

Hit of the Year
With stars glimmering in his eyes, Tom Nazzaro scooped a ground ball, and was one on with the goalie on his way to his first career goal. What he didn't know was that the goalie was the Peter Gabriel, who proceeded to absolutely demolish Naz in front of our largest crowd of the regular season. Dan Milano's was second, Joe "The Body Snatcher" Gardiner was third.

Best Dancer on the Team
Obviously, if it were up to me, I'd be claiming this hardware. However, to keep some integrity on the blog, it goes to both James Rubio and Scott LeMay who are both capable of burning holes in the dance floor.

Name That I Have Wanted To Put On The Blog All Season, But Have Not Had the Right Opportunity Other Than Obscure Awards That I Am Making Up On The Spot....Award
Rob Johnson. The Notorious R.O.B. is a staple of the squad, dominates the Gables, and has an iron jaw. To leave him out of this would be like leaving senior James Rubio off the PCLL All-Star team despite his 31 points, and stellar championship game. It would be unjust, unholy and just flat out wrong.

Congratulations to everyone who received awards. It is the highest honor on the Internet. You can claim your award at 34 Young Drive between the hours of fake and nothing o'clock p.m.

Several Wildcats Named to PCLL All-Conference Teams

In the annual PCLL end of season meeting, the coaches gathered from around New England to assemble the Dream Team of the PCLL. With every team sending at least one player to the All-Star game, there were seven Wildcats that were considered the cream of the metaphorical crop.

First Team
Yours Truly (midfield)
Evan Flower (attack)
Dang Hutchins (defense)

Second Team
Dan Milano (midfield)
Brennan Duke (defense)
John Tyler Markley (long stick midfield)

Honorable Mention
Jake Katz (goaltender/stand-up comedian)

In addition to these awards, Head Coach Jake Sullivan was named the PCLL Coach of the Year, and a UNH midfielder was named Offensive Player of the Year partly due to his 33 goals, but mostly for the stellar .29 assist per game average that he upheld over a 14 game stretch, very impressive if I do say so myself. Stay tuned for my hand-picked All-Star team based on categories that the PCLL doesn't (but should) recognize.

UNH Drops PCLL Title Game in Thriller

There really isn't too much to be said about what happened yesterday, as everyone reading this surely knows the end result. But being the dedicated resource that I am, I feel obligated to at least touch on the playoffs that happened in Durham this weekend.

After handling Northeastern 13-4 in the semifinals, we were set to play BC in the PCLL championship game. The number 1 seed vs. the number 2 seed, just the way the seeding gods had planned it. The Eagles were back-to-back-to-back PCLL Champions, and we were just a team having it's best season in recent history. BC went up 5-1 at half, but in an electric 3rd quarter the 'Cats put up 6 goals, and went into the fourth with a 7-6 lead. Then things got interesting. A two goal lead for UNH was erased with a minute and a half left, and the game was set for overtime. Of course.

BC possessed the ball for the entire overtime period, denying us even a single shot in the first four minute period, but Jake Katz literally played out of his mind, keeping our hopes at Denver alive. The game went into a second OT, where despite winning the faceoff, we were unable to hold possession. BC eventually got the right look, on a roll from x, and Christian Falco rolled one past Katz for the gamewinner that would ultimately end our season.

If there's a better way to lose a conference championship game, I haven't heard of it yet. That being said, its a double edged sword as the pain of it happening so fast is unrivaled. There was still an outside hope that we could receive one of six at large bids to Denver, however, this morning the committee announced the seedings and the 'Cats had been left off the guest list. Congratulations to Boston College who will play Colorado State University (#2) in Denver next weekend, and the UNH Wildcats for an 11-3 season that will not soon be forgotten.

(For more extensive coverage, pick up the newest issue of MCLA Mag, set to hit newsstands in the coming week or so. I wrote a very detailed article about the PCLL tournament and the championship game yesterday and really was in no rush to do it again here. Apologies)

Chone, Revisited and Epitomized

I recently wrote a piece about the newest word to hit the bro lingo, CHONE. However, if I had my hands on this video, I would have saved myself some serious time and effort in defining it. I cited Kyle Harrison's choney video, but that was littered with several different goals, making it difficult to separate the chone from the regular run of the mill goals. So, courtesy of Sam Elmes and Lacrosse Playground, Johns Hopkin's attackman Kyle Wharton would like to inform you exactly what the epitome of Ripping Chone truly is. I give to you, the best lacrosse video you will see today:

The Link That Made of All of This Blogging Worth It

Last week, I was peacocking about how the UNH Student Newspaper finally decided to cover us. It was great, some local pub from a newspaper that circulates to a few thousand people in the Greater Seacoast Area. However today, like a company announcing they are going public, the little UNH Men's Lacrosse Blog that was dreamed up in "The Condo" just went national.

Today was a normal day for me. Had a few peanut butter sandwiches, watched some Champions League, started thinking about the playoffs this weekend. However, while perusing the greatest website of our generation, Twitter, I saw this Tweet from Lacrosse All Stars.

"2010: The Year Of Chill? Who rules the throne: @UNHLacrosse @RedHotBuffs or @chapmanlax?" Accompanied by this link.

It couldn't be true. My piece about CHILLING, of all things, has sparked a well known lacrosse website to an entire column? And they're linking to my website? Well after I choked on my sandwich, I realized that's exactly what happened. That's right, the great people of LAS who brought you the infamous Red Army Controversy, found my blog post about how the word chill has gotten us to where we are today. They even featured a snippet of my article and a picture of myself and my beautiful home on Young Drive. I was literally frozen in shock.

UNH Lacrosse has always flown under the radar. No more. We are officially not only on the map, but being compared to these teams because of our ridiculous amount of schwag. Not to be an egomaniac, but this can only be contributed to one thing. The Blog.

From the creation of the blog, to Twitter, to columns on Collegelax.us, over the course of just one year, this team has generated the exact buzz that I thought would be impossible. Because of the beautiful thing called the internet, players, coaches, and fans are talking about UNH Lacrosse. As pathetic and lonely as it may sound, I can not help but to be incredibly excited. I feel like the proud father of Sidney Crosby. Waking up at 6am for practices, cold drives to rink, hundreds of dollars on skates are the equivalent of sleepless nights thinking about my next column, pesky HTML, and writing articles for the steep price of zero dollars. But then on draft day, when Sid signed an 8 million dollar deal, it all felt like it was worth it.

Well, today, despite my light wallet, I feel like a million bucks. I can see my name in lights, kissing babies and shaking hands with the Pope, while receiving my Pulitzer for Most Incredible Blogger of All-Time. But first, I guess I should worry about the PCLL Playoffs this weekend. nd the giant load of laundry on my floor. That and actually getting a full-time job for after I graduate so I can pay rent. I promise to do my best to not let this all go to my already oversized dome, because the truth is, for anyone to succeed, you gotta keep your comBROsure.

Link to the original Lacrosse All Stars piece can be found here.

'Cats Round Out Regular Season In True Form

In one of the more ridiculous seasons in MCLA history, the UNH Wildcats finished up on Sunday with a win against BU. Despite the goal being scored above, the 'Cats clawed out a 13-12 win on Senior Day improving them to 10-2, which is appropriately, the best season that myself and the other seniors have had in all four years. We've come a long way since going 5-7 last season, also seeing as we were 1-4 within the division, but it hasn't come easy, and it has been far from predictable.

Recently, we played Stonehill College, a team who has given us trouble in the past, but is still a PCLL Division 2 team nonetheless. Well, after sitting in Boston traffic for 2 hours and arriving 8 minutes before the opening draw, we found ourselves in dogfight that we weren't exactly expecting. It took 3OT's, but eventually we got out of there alive, and was ready to move on to BU. Sound similar to another game this season? Like when URI, a team that finished 1-6 this season, and 0-5 in conference took us to double overtime, before we could close them out. Sure both games ended with a W, both coming from OT game winners by #2, but that's not important. In the first season that my seniors and I have won 10 games, here's a few observations from this season:

• Both of our losses came to top 15 teams. (CSU #3, Boston College #15)
• We won six games by 5 goals or less, four by a mere one, two of which were in OT.
• The two teams that took us to OT combined for 5 wins all season.
  
• We won one game by 22 goals, and another by 14.
  
• We beat CU, who beat Michigan, snapping a 75 game winning streak. Irrelevant, but rad.
• We played 6 games in the rain, and one well below freezing, winning all but one of them.
  
• We've been in the Top 25 several times this season, peaking at 17 and currently resting at 24.
• Captain Dan Milano has 26 assists this season, leading the conference. The second guy? 13.
• The top three total point scorers in the PCLL are all from UNH.
• The top three goal scorers in the PCLL are all from UNH, including the top guy who boasts a selfish 28 goals and 4 assists.
• Our defense has only given up more than 10 goals twice.
• Of our enormous roster, rookies Joe Gardiner and R.J. O'Riordan are the ONLY two players who have flow.
  

How did this happen? The stars don't align for any of these stats, and if you try to make sense of it your head might explode. The only thing I have learned is that we don't play well on the road, and that we play down to teams we think we should beat. The good news is, that it's playoffs now it's only good teams from here on out. The better news is that the playoffs are right here in the 603, so we don't have to worry about traveling until we fly to CO, the state where we happened to play our best ball of the year. So getcha popcorn ready, because Friday night at 7 we will be hosting the semifinals of the PCLL playoffs with nothing but momentum on our sides. Except now there's only one rule. In the words of Kenny Blankenship, "Don't Get Eliminated!"

UNH Potluck/Senior Day Tailgate. Don't Know What To Bring? Have No Fear

Like I mentioned earlier, this coming Sunday we will be having a tailgate after the BU game. This is open for all parents, fans, and of course, the players. It will most likely be happening right next to the field as it has in the last few years, but stay tuned for an official announcement. And because of the incredible technology of 2010, you can click on this link below, and see what everyone else is bringing so we don't end up with 64 hot dogs and no buns. This is going to be legitimate, and I promise you that you won't want to miss it. Also, we beat Stonehill the other day, and in UNH Lacrosse form, it took 3 OTs to do so. I'll blog more about it soon, but its Friday and its 80 degrees out, so I don't want to spend it sitting in front of my computer seeing as thats how I'm going to be spending the rest of my Fridays after May 22nd. (sigh)

See what people are bringing!

We Have Officially Just Become the Chillest Team on the East Coast

(Photos courtesy of Tim the Tool Man Harrington)

Chill. This one simple word has gotten the Wildcats to where we are this season. In the past, we have been a team full of hootin' and hollerin, loud warmups, and screaming coaches. No more. Due to a large influence from rookie goaltenders, Jake Katz and RJ O'Riordan, we are a cool, calm and collected group of bros who feed off of positive vibes. When people start to panic, our captains simply just tell everyone to chill. We have Miike Snow and Phoenix on our warm-up. In a game earlier in this season, offensive coordinator Ben Clark was quoted as telling his man up squad to "Keep your comBROsure out there."

A lot of this has come from the vibes of other successful MCLA teams, and we have taken that approach to northeast. In Boulder, there is no choice but to chill. Everyone is relaxed, people are nice, and don't sweat the small stuff. Out in Cali, Connor Martin and Chapman are one of the most successful clubs in the country, and their team is simply a bunch of bros who post ridiculous videos on the internet about flow. Chaptown was the inspiration for our tanks. We were the inspiration for the Red Hot Buffs blog which has recently become an empire, making my blog look like child's play. And everyone is still keen with everyone.

I have made a proposition, to the likes of both Colorado and Chapman via Twitter, offering one of these beach tanks for a piece of your respective merchandise. A tank from Chaptown, and a snazzy COLO-RADO shirt from the Buffs. I am a size large. Bring the live free or attitude to your respective squads, and let's continue to CHILL as hard as I am on my front lawn right now.

UNH Gets Pub (Beyond the Blog)

(picture is fromThe Newsies. Myyyyyyyy second favorite musical)

The New Hampshire, UNH's only student run publication, which is circulated to about 5,000 people every Tuesday and Friday, was published yesterday, and to almost everyone's surprise there was an article about the Wildcats win over UCONN on Saturday. This is the very first legitimate outlet that has covered one of our games this season, and hopefully not the last. I'd suggest giving this article a read because unlike the blog you are reading now, it will give you a non-biased and newsworthy representation of the show we put on Saturday afternoon. Pair that with an insightful quote from Evan Flower, and even Yours Truly on the other side the microphone, and you've got quite a story for an industry in its dying days. Quite simply, just another piece of brilliant journalism brought to you by the hardest working students in the hardest major at the University.

A Message From the Honorable Barry Katz

(Actual photo from last year's tailgate)

Many of you have seen the bearded man with the Winnebago that has been one of the most faithful fans both of the Wildcats as well as the blog since he has caught wind of both. Despite providing the boys with everything from pulled pork sandwiches to a wealth of lacrosse knowledge, this man has been there every step of the way. This man is the one, the only Barry Katz. And he has kindly reached out to the only source that UNH Lacrosse fans trust, (here) in order to spread his generosity to other UNH fans that are looking to get the same full experience that he rocks week in and week out.

For every father, brother, sister or friend attending the UNH game tonight, you are cordially invited by UNH Lacrosse to join Barry Katz at Stonehill College tonight, for a little pregame tailage. He will begin the festivities around 6 oclock and you can find him in the parking lot in a big white Winnebago. There will be food, drinks, etc. and everything that you would expect from a legendary tailgater like BK.

That being said, with a little bit more notice, we are also putting together a BBQ for AFTER the BU game on Sunday afternoon. This one will not only be for the fans, but for all of the players as well, being the last regular season home game. Everyone is encouraged to come as it will be a great opportunity to meet all the players and families that you have been dying to talk to all season long. So bring anything from your world famous dessert to a side salad, truly anything will help. If you are the organizational type and would like to email Barry to coordinate something for either game, his email is BKatz@weehours.com. I'll see you all in Easton later tonight.

UNH Runs UCONN, 10-4, With Highlights to Prove It.

As shocking as it may sound, we played UCONN on Saturday, in the rain. That's right, and for those of you counting at home, and for those of you counting that is our 6th rain game of the year, out of only 8 games played in New England. In any event, the Wildcats played top to bottom, some of the best lacrosse we've played since Colorado. Rides, clears, finishes, dodges, and most importantly, goals were all dominated by the home squad. All the highlights from the game can be found in the video above, which was made by our fantastic new camera operator. Though the music is incredibly corny, it's still nice to see all the goals, hits and saves that you missed by being a fair weather fan.

On a more serious note, as many people know, the big game was being played in memoriam of UNH Lacrosse Alumni, Mike Bowen, who recently lost his battle with cancer. Mike has been a part of the 2010 Wildcats since he inspired us before we played Boston University this fall in what would be ultimately be the last UNH game he would be able to watch. Mike is on our minds, on our helmets, on our shooters, and in our hearts, and will surely be watching as we head into the final stretch of the playoffs before conference playoffs come to Durham in two weeks.

Ladies and Gentleman, Your Defensive Coach

My sincerest apologies to Coach Saint, but I really had no other option but to make this gem public for the world to see. No witty comments, no captions, and most importantly no PhotoShop to make this funny. Simply an image to enjoy. Side note: I will probably have to run for this.

What Exactly is CHONE?

(One of many victims to the CHONE)

All around the lacrosse community there are words and phrases that get tossed around in which only the most knowledgeable of lax bros can comprehend what they truly mean. Whether its a greaser, ripping the duck, or twine tickling 101, these combinations of words truly transform one's vocabulary. The newest term to grace the turf of Memorial Field? Chone.

Crafted in the Commonwealth Lacrosse world headquarters in Franklin, MA, chone is as much of a word as it is a lifestyle. I can't take credit for the invention of the word, however, I can take credit for making it a part of everyone's every day to day vocabulary. Pronounced in a way that rhymes with phone or loan; chone is a word that can be used on almost any occassion as nearly any part of speech. It's incredibly versatile, similar to the Mariner's newest utility man, but they are not to be confused.

Chone refers to a rip that snaps the tag directly under the crossbar. It was originally used with the word upper as it's modifier. For example, the first time I heard it in a sentence while shooting on a cage, a wise man said to me "Watch me rip this biscuit upper chone while you're still too busy going side meat patty." (I promise that is an actual, direct, accurate quotation) However, it has developed into its own animal, with people crafting phrases like "Choney", "Chone Darts", "Chonemeiester", or the ever elusive "Chone Zone." Basically, if you are in the chone zone, you will not be stopped, and every shot will be nothing short of a ripper d.

The reaction to ripping chone can be handled one of two ways. If you're the OchoCinco type, you can act out a preemptively drawn up cele, causing a scene but possibly risking a two minute unsportsmanlike penalty. More commonly, you can take the Dan Milano approach and shrug it off, acting like you do it on the reg. The great one's have all done the latter, from Michael Jordan, to Eldrick himself. It's kind of like apologizing for what you just did, yet still having no remorse for the action you just took. I compare the Chone Shrug to when the ever thoughtful Pilgrims invited the Native Americans for the first Thanksgiving. Sorry for slaughtering your entire extended family, but here, have some cranberry sauce, it's legit. You just look in the face of the opponent in disbelief and simply say in a collected voice, "Chone?" And though they will be beyond furious, they will likely nod their heads, respecting a good chone as it happens.

Rarely, and I mean rarely, do long poles get the chance at chone glory. The greats have tried to bring the word into their habits on the barbaric end of the field, and we have welcomed their efforts with open arms, however the perfect remedy has yet to be found. The best thing about chone, see, is that has the ability to transfer between sports, as long as a net is involved. Rip one bar down from outside the 18 in FIFA? Chone. Zdeno Chara scores a power play goal on a slap shot from the blue line that knocks Ryan Miller's water bottle into the stands? Chone. When I watch the below video, and the shot that begins around the :5o second mark, there is really no combination of letters in the English language that describe it better than C-H-O-N-E.

So use it, spread it, embrace it. Because whether you like it or not now, the chone is here to stay and you are going to start hearing it a lot more often. It will slowly sweep the United States of America, and you will have me to thank for the early tip off. If you really can't stand it, may I recommend a little getaway for yourself? I heard there's some really nice beaches off the coast of Ecuador.

Wildcats Ranked #24 by CollegeLax

The following blog post takes place between the hours of 3 and 4 p.m. CTU has been notified that UNH is up one spot from last week in CollegeLax's essentially irrelevant poll. After going 3-0 over the weekend, the 'Cats are faced with two in conference games to decide their place in the PCLL playoffs. 2-0 equals a first round bye, 1-1 equals opening round host, 0-2 means we're traveling for round one and then coming back to Durham for the rest of the playoffs. It's crunch time and Jack Bauer isn't around to bail anyone out in this season. Hopefully we can catch the Twine Flu that has been circling around, and tear these two like an upper left corner.

Cats Knock Off Northeastern, Hold Off URI...What?

In the past five days we have had three games, and went 3-0 nonetheless. More importantly, however, we have proved my hypothesis that the UNH Wildcats are the single strangest team in the MCLA for the 2010 season.

On Friday night down in the Bean, we played Northeastern, one of the perennial powers of the PCLL, and played a great game of lacrosse despite the monsoon conditions over Malden Catholic High School. Our game plan was tight, every one knew what to do, and we simply when out and executed. With a 6-6 halftime score, we once again proved the "second-half" team stigma, and outscored the Huskies 5-1 in third. The first line of middies produced like we practiced, being on the field for 9 of the 11 goals. Our defense was lock-down in the second half, strangling every possession the Huskies had, and limiting them to only 2 goals for the remainder of the game. Rarely, do I remember defensive stints, and even more rarely do I post them here, so this truly must have been special.

Following the big win Friday night, we had one night off and traveled down to Rhode Island to play the Rams of URI. Admittedly, we took the game a lot lighter than we should have, and went down there still peacocking our chests from the NU win. We looked good in the first quarter in every category except the important one. We possessed the ball the entire quarter, let our defense breathe, and peppered the Rams with 13 shots in the first 15 minutes. However, we could only manufacture one goal on these takes and went into the second with only a 1-0 lead. This was a trend for us throughout the game as we let URI hang around to the point where our backs were against a wall, and all of the momentum was on the home sideline. It seemed we couldn't catch a break. It felt like every call was going the other way, every ground ball, and every time we missed the net, they seemed to be hitting the one on the other end. I know who I look, blogging about myself. It's self righteous and egotistical, and I usually tend to avoid it when it comes to write-ups. But being a hard-working journalist, I think my readers would want to know who scored the game winner in double OT to get the 'Cats out of Rhode Island, and I will not deprive them of that.

It's true, I dialed up the fluorescent green machine, ordered a #2 which consists of the face dodge to dip and dunk combo with extra high cheese and ketchup, and sealed the bag shut for a sudden victory goal. And though the meal was good, it didn't sit as well as the ones we had at Northeastern, or in Boulder. It was sour and unsettling. And when the stomach is rumbling, you have a few choices. You can complain about it and sit around and wait to get sick, or you can be mentally strong and use it as fuel for the rest of the day, because regardless of what it tasted like, its still food. That being said, the 'Cats have a dinner date with some new Huskies this weekend, a relationship ended in a bloody dogfight in which UCONN picked up the tab. Except this time, they're coming to eat at our house, and there's only one thing on the menu. NECTAR.

CollegeLax Ratings

You know the deal. New CollegeLax Rankings are posted, and just scraping in are the Wildcats. Yeah, it's up a smidge from last week, but we haven't been working to just make it in. It's crunch time now, time to win some big games in conference and prove that we belong with the top guys. At this point, being named 25th in the country is like receiving a George Michael album in your Easter basket. You'll smile, and pretend like it means something but you know that once you get your other gifts later on, you'll forget about that Twenty-Five album real quick.

Friday Night Bites: 'Cats vs. Dogs

After a tough battle down at the Coliseum, the 'Cats are now gearing up for 2 more in conference games this weekend that hold just as much worth as the BC game last Friday. We'll be traveling down to Boston to play another perennial rival Northeastern Huskies on Friday night, in a game that will be played at Malden Catholic High School at 8 p.m. From there, Sunday, we have the lovely drive to Smithsfield, Rhode Island to take on the Rams of URI.

The focus is on the game this Friday night, as we have only beaten Northeastern once in my four years here, and it came in a 6-5 thriller that happened to be at Malden Catholic as well. The only guarantee for this game, is that a member of the beloved Red Army will come out on top, as NU's head coach, and Walpole native Joe Brady is one of the founding founders of the greatest Men's league teams on this side of the Great Wall. That being said, I gotta give it to the Army for their showing at the BC game. I wasn't expecting it, but to look up and see CCCP members both new and old, sent a single tear of joy trickling down my cheek. I'm sure they will be out in full force again Friday night, hopefully getting raw, and hopefully on the side of the Wildcats, but who I am to try and persuade them? I mean, I'm sure Northeastern's blog gives the Red Army the respect it deserves on the reg. . .

(Also there is a new poll up. I'm going to start interviewing players on the team with ridiculous and outrageous questions. If you'd like to see anyone in this segment, please let me know, and I'll be sure to accommodate)

UNH Bumped to #17 in the U.S by CollegeLax

After a 24-2 win over CCSU going into Spring Break, UNH is now ranked number 17 in the CollegeLAX Prodigy Poll for the week of March 17. And just as I did when we were 21, I Googled "17" and changed the first image to suit us appropriately. In this case, it happened to be a Zac Efron movie, but of course I'd find a way to make it work. Instead of just making it work, though, I made it pop, with what might be my favorite blog post of all time.

Everyone's favorite Sailor/LSM John Tyler Markley's physique, attitude, hair, style,all the way down to the way he walks, all have an uncanny resemblance to the High School Musical Star, and he just so happens to wear jersey #17. And that, ladies and gentlemen is why they call me The Boss, and that's why I get paid the big bucks. Well, that, but also this. . .

Quick Scheduling Info

Due to some logistically nightmarish organizational skills by our fellow PCLL teams, a couple of our games have been changed and can be seen at right in bold pink. But for those that don't want to do the work to scroll over, here it is in summary.

We are still hosting Bridgewater State College tonight at 7 p.m

• This game will be played on the brand new fields built behind Bremner Field, and are specifically lined for lacrosse. One of few games out there this season.

Our biggest game of the year vs. Boston College has been moved

• Instead of next Thursday at BC, it'll be played this Sunday, March 28th at 8 p.m. at the Harvard Coliseum in Allston/Cambridge shown above
  

Our game vs. Northeastern University is still on ice.

• Hang tight on this one. We are definitely playing them, but the time and place has yet to be determined by them. Their field time is limited and the originally scheduled games have been bumped. Stay Tuned, and when I hear, you'll hear.

So change your Blackberry Calendars, tell your friends, and pencil UNH Lacrosse in for the remainder of the season. I promise it will be worth it, but as Levar Burton said on Reading Rainbow, "But you don't have to take my word for it."

UNH Ranked #21 In The U.S by CollegeLax

This link says it all. The 'Cats are in the top 25 for the first time in my four year career, and possibly in the history of the club. With another big out of conference game tomorrow night vs. Minnesota State, it's time to climb that ladder.

Rookie Look-A-Likes 2010

Well, here it is, everyone's favorite time of the year. The time when I dig deep through the trenches of Facebook and find embarrassing photos and compare them to the celebrities and figures we know and love. You can check out all of the older Look-A-Likes in these links. Round 1 featured a Bulgarian footballer and John C. Reilly, while Round 2 touched up on everyone's more animated side. But, like everyone's favorite juicer, I'm not here to talk about the past. To the pics! And make sure to vote on which is most similar on the poll to the right.

Choice A: Rookie Attackman Conor Murphy and The Office's John Krasinski AKA Jim Halpert




Choice B: Rookie Goaltender Jacob Katz and Beans from Even Stevens




Choice C : Rookie Attackman Joe Gardiner and Super Bowl MVP Drews Brees



Choice D: (the most obscure actor you'll see all day): Rookie Midfielder Garrett Buckley and Kyle Howard AKA Gunther from the Paper Brigade



Vote! And if you think you have any better lookalike comparisons, post 'em in the comments.

Upset City: Winner, Winner, Buffalo Dinner

For those of you who aren't following our new live Twitter feed, let me be the first to say that you missed out last night. We played Colorado University, who was ranked by CollegeLax as the #8 team in the country. UNH isn't even near the top 25 (yet). On paper, this game seemed to be a logistical nightmare for the Wildcats, and that's before you even factor in the altitude. But, the Wildcats came from behind and were able to take the Buffs down 9-8 in a game that was as classic as jeans and a white tee.

We went down 3-0 to start the game, but fresh off a 6 goal deficit turned into upset win not even a week ago, there never a sense of panic, and a consistent focus at what was at hand. After the ball landed on the turf in front of the cage, the kid was able to scoop the GB and bomb a 5 mph shot (change up) past the keeper for a garbage goal that put us on the board. Captain James Rubio scored the next goal stick side high coming off a dodge, but we just could not seem to close the door. Every time we scored, they answered. 4-2, then 5-3, the cushion was always there. They netted one more, and we went into the half down 6-3, yet still fully confident that the game was ours. There was no more shock, and realized that we could easily run with or past the Buffs we had heard so much about.

We did exactly that, flattening their cushion with goals coming from a few kids that were born in the 1990's. Freshman Joe Gardiner had a hat trick, while his classmate Garrett Buckley had two goals that went into the net instead off the iron around it. And of course, sophomore Evan Flower tagged a chone of his own. Gardiner's first goal was notched with less than one second left in the third quarter, making the game 7-6 heading into the fourth.

Despite never leading, the momentum was all on the away bench, and the CU boys were unravelling before our eyes. Whether it's the fact that they were blindsided by their "blind date" or that they just hadn't been in a situation like that in a long time, the game got chippy and the flags flew accordingly. We spent a good part of the fourth man-up and netted the tying goal in a said opportunity. Then with 2 minutes remaining Joe "Fructis" Gardiner beat the keeper and we had our first and last lead of the game. Keeper Jake Katz made 21 saves on 29 shots for the Wildcats, stomping out kick saves like a champagne glass wrapped in a napkin. We cleared, possessed the ball, took and took a timeout. Then, we unanimously decided to put the ball in the hands of Taylor Kenny to run out the final 25 seconds. Of course, he chilled, and ran out two All American defensemen to kill the clock and we were free to rush our goalie like a bunch of wild buffaloes. We did, fully solidifying the biggest win for UNH Lacrosse within the Sullivan era. This is exactly what we needed to kickoff the season. A team building, rejunivating, come from behind victory. And to get a great feeling like that just from your own hard work is a feeling that no money could ever buy. Especially in this economy.

If you want to check out all of the stats from this nailbiter, you can get them right HERE off the MCLA website. Also, check out the CU Lacrosse blog, at www.redhotbuffs.com (Inspired by Yours Truly). Their blogger is a rad dude and they have some very entertaining videos, polls, and interviews of their own.

Wildcats White Out the PENmen in OT Thriller

Despite looking like he belongs at the Magic Kingdom signing autographs, this is not one of the Seven Dwarfs. This is in fact, a Penman, the mascot of Southern New Hampshire University. Why they would name their team after a journalist like myself is completely beyond me, but that's a whole 'nother blog. What I do know, however, is that they have a Division II lacrosse team that has literally trounced us every single year and twice on Sundays for the last 4 that I've been involved. One year it was close, but every other time, they basically showed us why they were D2 and we were exactly what every player and coach hates, "Just a club." And to start the game, we were on pace for another one of these embarrassments. With a miscommunication of the starting time, the original field not being plowed, and our flat demeanor, we came out and went down 7-1 to start the game, and it was as ugly as one of Don Cherry's suits.

But, they call it halftime for a reason, and if one team can score seven in a half, there's no reason the other can't do that in the second. The beauty of live sports. We did exactly that, possessing the ball, keeping it simple, and slowly but surely creeping back into the game. A few man-up goals, an unsettled or two, all backboned by sound defense and great goaltending, suddenly their 7-1 half was matched by us starting the second 7-1 and we were in a 9-8 game. We tied it up with just over a minute remaining, and almost closed it out in the final seconds, but of course, a game like this had to be settled in overtime.

They call it sudden-death, but it seemed more like a dragged-out, waterboarded death. 10 minutes of overtime play, and probably 8 saves to boot. Back and forth, SNHU would have a great chance and our goalie would make a great play, feed, and then we were going back. Then we'd dodge, and shoot, and their goalie would literally stand on his head to keep his boys hopes alive. We hit the crossbar. They hit the crossbar. There were literally no fingernails left in the stands. That is, until sophomore Evan Flower, received a pass about twelve yards out and ripped a duck into the side panel, quietly giving himself a gentleman's 6 goals on the day. The bench erupted and stormed the field, debris everywhere, and it was official. The Wildcats just topped SNHU for the first time, and it couldn't have come at a more opportune time. With our two toughest games of the season this week in beautiful Colorado, a win like this can only help. It can boost team morale and create the positive vibe we need, and it reminds us that even if we are already written in for a loss in some people's books, that someone still invented the erasable PEN(men).

Wildcats Make Bacon of War Pigs

In the words of Black Sabbath:

Now in darkness world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees the war pig's crawling

We finally got out of the Field House and back onto Memorial last week. Sure, practicing outside in the 20 degree weather is no picnic, but everyone seemed to be amped to have an entire field worth of space to work with. After only two days outdoors, we had our first test of the season, a club called the War Pigs, who are based in NH but tout players from hotbeds like MD, LI, NJ, and of course the big daddy, MA. The team was comprised of recently graduated college players, so it was a good place for us not only to start off but to be reminded what an entire game feels like, the spacing of rides and clears, and the finer points of a game that we can't touch on indoors. We rolled, 11-4, with three of their goals coming in unsettled situations. At the other end, goals came from everywhere on the field. Some beautifully crafted chone pieces, and some garbage rebound goals. It doesn't matter who had what, because in today's day, I'd like to remind everyone that nobody asks "How" its always "How many?" I mean, even the great Bill Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet said that a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. (English degree) If you want to check out photos from the game, there's 367 of them right here, starting with the most beautiful one on there.

Our next test will be against Division II Southern New Hampshire University, this coming Sunday. And for once, the "PenMen" are coming to Durham instead of the other way around. After that, we're moving to MCLA games for good, rallying up our top 25 and heading out west to Colorado to face two of the top 25 teams in the country. Stay Tuned. And as you could have guessed, I give you...War Pigs. And since everyone and their father has heard Sabbath, here's a cover by Cake to keep you on your toes.