Monday, March 5, 2012

March 5 SKC ramblings

I  am at home with a sick little boy, so I decided I would drain some of the clutter from my brain.

Like most of us, I am looking forward to another fun season at LSP. I think the staff and players have done a tremendous amount of work in preparing for the 2012 campaign. It was great to have so many of the guys stay in KC over the winter to work out together. It seemed as nearly everyone came into camp ready to get into tactics rather than spend time getting into shape. The Arizona portion of preseason seemed much better in my opinion. What little I was able to see looked pretty good. When the team got to Florida things didn't seem to flow as well as I thought they should have. Watching the first squad play was a bit hard at times. It looked as if they hadn't played together before. Sure, there were moments when things seemed to gel, but it all fell apart as quickly as it started. The reserves and trialists looked better. They did however have much more to play for. Several of them were looking to earn a contract and a spot on the roster. With all that being said, I am not terribly concerned with the upcoming season. I think whatever was in the guys heads will be out come March 10.  While I'm not sure we will be on a tear like last season, I like our chances. We have maintained the core group of guys that made the run last year. 2011 ending like it did left a bad taste in many of the players mouths. Adding Convey was a great move in my eyes. As long as he stays happy, he will do great here. Sporting is so deep up front, we should have very little trouble scoring more this year than last. We don't have the same luxury at mid and defender. Hopefully everyone can stay healthy and out of trouble. I think SKC is poised to make another run at the top of the conference and hopefully the Cup. The technical staff showed us last year that they can correct problems when they arise and turn things around. Hopefully this season won't need such a dramatic shift. Regardless of the outcome of the year, I am most looking forward to being back at the park and having fun. Games are my escape from reality. Win or lose, I will still be there yelling and cutting loose.

I just finished up watching the film Pelada. I am glad it was recommended. Not only was it nicely done, it made me think. I haven't played organized ball since high school. Sure, I have played pickup games here and there. I have also done a bit of coaching. I have just been looking for something that gave me this same sense of belonging to the game that playing did. I think that is a big part of what I am doing here. I still have the passion and fire I did while playing as a child. I just don't move as fast or as well as I used to. I  know I am too old to go out for open tryouts. I can't keep up with kids more than 10 years younger than I. What I can do is continue to go to matches and stay involved with the game however possible. Writing this little blog helps as well. I am getting my football story out there, as well as the story of SKC from my pov, and the story of others. As previously stated, I am fortunate enough to be able to bring a few people to their first MLS matches this year. I want to get their stories out and hope it can spread the game.

It has been great this off season for me. Getting involved with the SKC chat on Tuesday nights has been a blast. Being around everyone involved with painting the banners the past few weeks was great as well. Meeting many of the others involved with the Cauldron has opened my eyes a bit. I have always been one to keep to myself and keep walls up around me. I am still that person and always will be. What I have seen is that is ok to listen to other people and accept help and advice from them. Not everyone is out to push their ideas and thoughts on me. However some are. I really don't have the time or desire to deal with many of the people I come in contact with. The beautiful thing about the Cauldron and the game is, I don't need to deal with them. I can go do what I want to do and be happy. Everyone else is entitled to do the same. If you don't like what I do or who I have around me, go away. It was made clear to me in the process of painting banners that someone thought their group was better than mine. Shocking I know. Well good for you. Go sit with your group, that is so much better than mine, and have fun. I really enjoyed the thought that I cared. What got me going is the smug attitude that came with the unsolicited comments. I didn't ask about anything. I was just spoon-fed someone else's opinion. I don't mind groups not being best friends, just don't cry when you talk trash on someone else and they don't stand for it and put you in your place.

It has been good for me to follow several blogs this fall and winter. I appreciate the variety of writers that put SKC news out. I have found myself drawn to the blogs that are written by strongly opinionated authors. I have found what had been written very ignorant or stand offish at times, but that is the wonderful thing about opinions. I get on my soap box here and shout what I want to shout. Even the things I have disagreed with have made me think, so the fundamental disagreements have been a good thing for me.

With the season finally starting, I will be more active on here. I will actually have something to talk about. I have only jumped on here when I have something to say relevant to the club and the folks around it. I look forward to meeting some of the Tuesday night chat crew and others this season. I hope that my stories and thoughts will be entertaining enough to keep people coming back to read new posts. I am hoping to expand the blog a bit so I can add photos and other things pertaining to the Militia and SKC.