Representing the Red, White and Blue

Awesome game on Thursday! I believe the final was something like 26-6, a far cry from last years thrashing. Although I don't think McGill was the team we expected them to be we still executed well up and down the field.

Today marked the official end of fall ball with our final practice on this rainy afternoon. I think we really finished our off season strong. Although their is plenty of room for improvement we are making moves in the right direction.

That's all for now. I'll keep you posed throughout the semester of the on goings of our team.
-DeFran

America got a couple of things right: cars....and freedom

Hello all! I'd like to start off this patriotic post by showing you a great commercial:



Sorry I haven't posted on here lately. Strangely senior year of college isn't as easy as senior year of college. For all who were there the alumni game went great, except for Luke's broken thumb that is. Other than that the game was a lot of fun for everyone.

Fall ball has gone well these past couple of weeks. The team is really starting to gel together. The younger guys have learned the system and are proving their worth day in and day out.

On to tomorrow. For those of you that don't know we will be shaving our heads at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow in the ACC as part of the St. Baldrick's foundation. Up to this point we have raised $5,250 which is $1,250 more than our goal! But we still could use more so if your interested in donating go here.

After the head shaving we will be playing McGill in our fall scrimmage. This is a huge game for us as it is our only scrimmage in the fall and one of our last events for the whole fall ball. It will be a good measuring stick for how far we have come and how far we have to go. The game is at 7:30 p.m. so if you can make it we would greatly appreciate it.


For those of you driving up tomorrow be safe. I leave you with a classic American tale of overcoming the odds.
-DeFran

Fresh Start

Hey all! So we just completed our first week of fall ball. Gotta say I am impressed with a lot of the new guys. Although we lost a lot of talent to graduation we definitely are bringing in some great players.

Fall ball kicked off at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday for us all. In an effort to be one of the best conditioned teams in the country, our team has pledged to do the "Insanity" workouts featuring the infamous Shaun T. Let me tell you, their is really something special about going to sleep when it is dark out and waking up when it is still dark out. All kidding aside though it is a really good workout and it will definitely benefit our team. Getting 40 18-22 year olds up before 7 a.m. is a testament to how dedicated our team is to winning this year.

Not much else to speak of. Practice has been basic, nothing out of the ordinary. Alumni game is next weekend so that should be fun.

More importantly St. Baldricks is less than a month away! If your interested in donating to an awesome cause check it out here. You could honestly not pick a better foundation to give to. Any donation small or large is greatly appreciated!

Well looks like we all know who the REAL New York football team was this Sunday...

-DeFran

Ready to Start

Hey all! Hope everyone had a great summer. I know I did. Their is nothing quite like learning the finer points of air conditioning installation and maintenance. Really makes you appreciate cold air.

Not much to report on the team over the summer but I'll hit the high points:

-The majority of the returners and new guys from Long Island played on a summer league team together that did pretty good in a tough league.

-As for our friends out West, although two of the Oswego natives weren't able to play on their usual summer league team (Tucker and Will), Sean Jaquin and sophmore transfer Brett McClelland brought home the teams third straight UOLL championship

-My summer league team won back-to-back-to-back league championships...BOSS.

-Sophomore LSM Ryan Phillips played for the Dutch national team in the World Games in Manchester, England. That's legit.

-In our own micro-version of "The Decision 2010" Kyle Norchi announced that he would in fact be bringing his talents back to Plattsburgh for a fifth year.

-I turned 21.

I think that about sums up everything important.

Now...onward and upward to this year! Believe it or not fall ball is just around the corner. Tuesday is our first official day of tryouts. The alumni game is less than 2 weeks from that, occurring on September 25! Our fall scrimmage is set for Thursday October 14 when we will take on McGill under the lights. As an added bonus all the Cards will shave their heads as part of the St.Baldricks foundation. St. Baldricks is a great organization that our team got involved with last year. Team members shave their heads to show support for children suffering from cancer. Last year we raised a ton of money and hope to bring in even more money this year. For more information and to donate go here.

I drafted my fantasy team named "Cromartie's Ninth" (in honor of one of my favorites cornerbacks) tonight. A couple of the guys on the team are in the league so I'll be sure to keep you posted on my dominance in our league "Jamarcus's Secret Sauce".

That is all that's really going on now. I'll keep you posted on fall ball throughout the semester. For now though it's mostly pick up.

By the way...He's backkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

As always I'll leave you with a jam:



-DeFran

Every end is a new beginning

Sorry for slacking. I don't know why but for some reason I've kinda been dreading making this last post about this years season. I guess I figured if I never wrote anything I could wake up one morning and it would be January 25th and the season wouldn't have started yet. Honestly though that's how great this season has been for me. I'm not gonna lie, fall ball definitely had me a little skeptical. Losing as many guys as we did last year in key positions in addition to bringing in a huge freshman class definitely didn't seem like a recipe for a successful season. The young guys really stepped it up though and earned their keep and I couldn't be prouder of them. I don't know the stats off the top of my head but i think we had something like 8 come from behind wins and were 5-0 in one or two goal games. That just shows the will to win this team has.

Really sorry to see the seniors go. Great group of guys that I got the opportunity to play with for three years. I'd just like to say a little something about each of them.

Luke Flegar: Luke used to give me rides to fall ball every day when I was a freshman so I'll always owe him for that. Even though he wasn't a captain this year he definitely was a leader on the team and gave his all every single day in practice. Glad he came back for his senior year.

Kevin McMahon: One of the funniest kids off the field. Kev def keeps everybody on there toes. Great midfielder that was willing to do anything to help the team win. Kev's going to the NYPD and I wish him the best of luck and couldn't be happier for him.

Mike Keenan: I had the pleasure of being in Mambas weight lifting group this fall. Mike brought it hard every day to the gym and was willing to work out non-stop. It was definitely unfortunate that he tore his ACL this year but hopefully he will be back next year.

Ryan Price: Price was one of our most important players for us this year. Not only did he win face-offs for us, but he scored goals as well. As a captain he was one of the best I have ever had and was a truly phenomenal leader.

Mike Glynn: What can I say about this kid? I had the pleasure of playing defense with him over the past 3 years and couldn't be happy. I don't know many people that play with more heart than Glynn. And what a shot! Too bad that whole man-up thing never worked out.

Luke Weidlein: Playing against Luke definitely wasn't the biggest confidence booster over the past 3 years. But he made me a better player and I can't thank him enough for that. Luke made the most out of his four years here and it was fun to watch him play from the other end.

Also quick side note: I doubt he remembers but when I first came to PSU as a walk on during the tryout my first time playing in front of coach I was matched up against Luke. The first time the ball came down I threw a back check and helicoptered his stick. To this day I think that was a major reason why I made the team so thanks Luke!

Kyle Norchi: Kyle Norchi hands down has the most passion out of anyone I have ever played with. I have never seen someone get so mad during 3-on-2's or fast break drills. It definitely brought practices to a new level of intensity. I'd love to play another year with Kyle but if he heads somewhere else I wish him the best of luck.

As crazy as it sounds next season is already in the works. We had our first team meeting for 2011 and captains were named. Kyle Norchi and Mike Keenan were both named captains if they choose to remain at school to use their extra year of eligibility. Also I am honored to say that I was chosen as well. I think that was the best way to say it without sounding like a tool. But seriously I am very proud to have been chosen and am looking forward to next year.

In case you haven't noticed I'm a big fan of absurd news stories that aren't really news. This one takes the cake though.Not only does it include sports and mascots, but Jerry Springer as well. The Mets aren't doing to bad all things considered.

That's about all for tonight. We have a team BBQ tomorrow where our team awards will be announced so I'll let you know how that goes. Also will keep you posted on SUNYAC honors.

When I write my first movie Mr.Norchi will be selecting my soundtrack.
-DeFran

Cavanagh Piece

Blogger's Note: I had to write an article for my magazine class about a normal person doing extraordinary things. I decided to do a piece on assistant coach Ryan Cavanagh. Ryan organized our Saint Baldrick's event this Spring. Enjoy!

Ryan Cavanagh is no stranger to adversity.

As a young boy he saw his father brought to death’s door. He watched as each trip his father took to the hospital made a strong, powerful man weaker and smaller. Barely old enough to understand that cancer was destroying his father’s body from the inside out; that he was dying.

“He’d go through these treatments that make you so sick you just want to give in,” Cavanagh said.

But then things changed.

His father grew stronger. He looked healthier. Things seemed to be back to normal. The cancer vanished, or so it seemed.

Years would go by. Birthdays would passed with no sign, no whisper, of the dreaded “C” word. Each passing day was a better chance the cancer was gone for good, the doctors said. Then, like a beast erupting from its slumber, it returned.

It started out as back pain. Ryan’s father, Tom, went to the doctor to get it checked out and was given a bombshell. Cancer. The pain came from a tumor that was pushing on his nerves.

Back to the hospital with the treatments that broke him down. The second time proved only harder. With cancer technology and procedures still in its premature stages, the methods were still new and raw. Treatments became harder as the veins that had already weathered one battle with cancer refused to cooperate for a second one.

At a time when Ryan should have been celebrating his senior year of high school, enjoying proms and making plans for college, he chose instead to remain at home to take care of his father.

“Everything got put on hold.” Cavanagh said. “I lived with him and took care of him.”

But once again, things changed. Cavanagh’s father became stronger and healthier, beating the disease for a second time.

Cavanagh would go on to attend college, first at Nassau Community College and then to Plattsburgh State where he would have a successful career as a face-off man. In his senior year he would be named a team captain and earn all-conference honors while re-writing the record books in regards to face-off statistics. His father there with him every step of the way.

After being named the assistant coach of the men’s lacrosse team at PSU, Cavanagh was anxious to get the team involved in a charity. While riding with his dad over the summer he asked him how he stayed so positive through two bouts of cancer.

The elder Cavanagh told him a story. Although angry at first for having been diagnosed with a form of bladder cancer that had seen no survivors, his outlook changed after one particular day of treatment. Cavanagh, who had spent his career putting away “bad guys” as a homicide detective, voiced his feelings of resentment to his doctor, who decided to take him on a walk that would change his life.

He brought him to the children’s ward of the hospital. There, Cavanagh was shocked to see young children with tubes in their throats, struggling to stay alive, unaware of the life they had yet had the opportunity to live. From that point on, Cavanagh realized how lucky he was compared to those kids, having at least had a chance to live a somewhat full life compared to these unfortunate children.

“He really had a better outlook on his treatments from then on out,” Cavanagh said.

Cavanagh was inspired by his father’s story. He decided he wanted to work with a charity that benefited children with cancer. After doing some research he came across the St. Baldricks foundation.

Founded in 2000 by three executives, the trio attempted to raise money for children’s cancer by shaving their heads. Ten years later, the foundation has grown into a multi-million dollar non-profit organization. Cavanagh said one of the most appealing factors of the charity was the percentage of donations that actually goes toward cancer research.

“If you look at a lot of charities, sometimes 50-60% of the donations are used to cover employee’s salaries,” Cavanagh said. “St. Baldricks is made up completely of volunteers so all the money is going toward cancer research.”

Cavanagh would then embark on a nine month project. The plan was to get the team to get their heads shaved during the day followed by a game that night, all on Long Island, where a majority of the players were from and therefore their families could attend.

The first step was to get a base group of sponsors. Cavanagh was surprised to find how many people were willing to donate when the opportunity presented itself.

“That was the real experience,” Cavanagh said. “To see how many people helped, I was like ‘Wow this isn’t as difficult as I thought’.”

Raising money wasn’t Cavanagh’s only job. Every detail, from who the Card’s opponent would be and where they would play down to what food would be served at the head shaving ceremony was organized by Cavanagh. Even the bag piper that played prior to the game, which was held on St. Patricks day, was set up by Cavanagh.

“I was literally in the office every day filling out tons of paper work,” Cavanagh said.

The event ended up raising $4,000 for the charity, and went off without a hitch. The cherry on top was the 25-8 win the Cardinals posted that night against Briarcliffe. Cavanagh showed no doubts when asked if all the work was worth it.

“When you give something back like that you never regret it,” Cavanagh said.

In the future, Cavanagh hopes to have the team build a tradition of doing St. Baldrick’s and possibly bring the charity to the PSU campus, making it a staple in the community similar to what Relay for Life has become. In the same way that his father did for him a summer ago, Cavanagh hopes to inspire his athletes.

“I’d really like to get all the guys involved in the setting up process,” Cavanagh said. “If we could make it the ‘lacrosse event’ on campus that’d be great.”

Thanks to Coach Cavanagh for being so willing to talk!

-DeFran

Final Lap

So it's been a week since I've posted on here and I hope you can forgive me. Sadly their has not been much positive to talk about. Wednesday's loss to Potsdam was one of the hardest I have ever been apart of. The past couple of days have definitely been weird. It's tough knowing no matter how well we play tomorrow our season is over.

Today we did our senior speeches where our seniors get to talk to the team about their four years. Every year I've sat their and listened, but kinda felt that I still had a lot of time left here. Seeing guys that I've played with for the past three years talk about their experiences was definitely eye opening.

Sure, playoff wise tomorrows game means nothing. But it means a helluva lot to my teammates and me. I know no one on this team wants to send the seniors off with a loss after all they have done for us. It also helps that they beat us in overtime last year and stole the three seed from us.

I don't want to jinx us but...HOW BOUT THOSE METS!


So game at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Come out and be loud for the seniors.

Classic...
-DeFran