It Won't Happen Again...

Alright, I guess I can start off by apologizing for the lack of posts during the past few weeks.  I would like to say that my absence of writing is due to the overload of school work, but I'll save that excuse for a later time...in honesty, time kind of just caught up with me.  It happens every year, four weeks of preseason seems like an eternity from the beginning.  Nothing but a month long of practices with running, lifting, pressure grounders, bowdoin breakouts, more pressure grounders, cold weather and some more pressure grounders.  But, as always, time flies and finally, we get to test our skills and preparations against someone other than ourselves this week...

...The preseason went as most do.  Shaking off the rust and getting back into the flow of things, a few days into practice we were able to really get rolling.  Obviously, the first practices won't be perfect, and there's always a little adversity to deal with.  For any alumni out there, I think it's fair to say one of the biggest is the weather and the dreaded gym when weather doesn't permit us from getting out on the turf.  Personally, there's a love/hate relationship with the gym.  When it's 10 degrees out and windy, the last thing you want to do is run around on a field and get smacked with a metal pole.  However, after a few drills in the sand-covered gym, a part of you wishes you were outside.  In a perfect world (called Florida) it would be 65 degrees and sunny out in February, but that's a tad unlikely for good ole' Plattsburgh.  Anyways, for the last 2-3 weeks, we've been able to get outside and really get the ball rolling.  Working on game-like situations, 6v6, and full field scrimmages, we have been able to incorporate team philosophies and work on our chemistry both offensively and defensively.  With only two more practices left until our first game this Wednesday at RPI at 4:00, the next few days will be really important to put in those last pieces to make sure we're ready to go...

...The whole team is itching to get going and play in a game.  A month of drills, conditioning, and hard work has everyone ready for the opening faceoff.  Our first game, which is at RPI, will be a nice non-conference rematch from last year's game, which the cards won 9-7.  RPI is coming off of a season of highs and lows, as they had victories versus some top teams in the nation, but loses against weaker opponents left them out of the playoffs for 2012.  Fair to say, as a team that is often in the running for top 20 in the nation, RPI will be ready to go when we arrive at their place, especially after they lost their season opener this year in OT.  For us, we're looking to get off to a fast start and keep going.  We have a very challenging schedule this year which, with the addition of Stevens Tech game for March 9th, includes four Top 20 teams.  We know we have a ton of talent, most of it returners as well as some key new players, and we're eager to prove that this year will be one to remember.  We're taking this season one game at a time, and it starts with RPI this week.  I will do my BEST to update this blog as often as I can, and post updates and game reviews at least once a week.  If anyone has any suggestions or ideas they would like to see on the blog, please let me know.  On that note, I hope to see everyone there this Wednesday supporting your Plattsburgh Cardinals!

For anyone looking for some quality Monday night t.v., I suggest watching this mini-series on NatGeo...tune in at 10:00 p.m...God Bless our Troops