Week 6, Week 7 and begining of Week 8
That's right a second post for you in one night.

This week we played NPS, another military team. There were differing points of view as to how we did this game but more of that in a minute. I played right fullback this game for those keeping a box score.

The first half we looked terrible. Our passes sucked and we couldn't put anything together. This may have something to do with the complete disorganization witnessed before the game. Many players, including your author, showed up only minutes before the game. Dan was also a late arrival. As usual we did not have a starting line up. I asked Dan no less than three times what position he wanted me to play before being told where to go by another player.

Those long time readers of the blog will note that I have mentioned before that when we have chaos before the game I know we will do poorly. This was no exception.

We escaped from the first half down 2 to 0.

One other note. Dan was very angry with me because I yelled at him at the start of the second half. Dan waited until the game started and the ball was in play to turn around and start discussing with me what we were going to do. I yelled at him to shut up and pay attention. He tried a few times to talk to me but I kept telling him to shut up and pay attention until he shut up and paid attention to the game.

To make matters worse, I threw a slide tackle late in the first half and as I kicked through the ball I realized that I was slide tackling and ripping through Dan's shin. I had to make up with Dan at the half to get him to talk to me again.

The second half started much the same as the first half with slightly improved play. NPS put in another goal and then we started coming back. In the last 15 minutes of the game we were on fire, scoring twice and completely outclassing NPS. Unfortunately, it was too little too late. and we ended up losing the game 3 to 2.

Now comes Monday, following the game and we do our usual gathering around the desks the chat. Chris, our goalie decided that he was upset with our performance. Now, oh long suffering reader, you may have read in previous posts how I used to be fired up about the team and how I had ideas as to what we should do improve. I have since been beaten down to the point where I don't care anymore. I am now at the point where I go out to have a good time. I just want to play and do as well as I can personally. I don't care about the rest of the team anymore. I only care about how I do. The reason being that no one else on the team seems to care. More in a moment.

Chris complained that many members of the team show up late and we are disorganized and no one really seems to put in the effort to be a better team. He stated that he would quit being the goalie if this continued because he wasn't going to get beat up anymore if no one was going to put in the effort to make the team any good. While we were discussing this, Dan came up to the office. He thought, like me, that we had played poorly in the first half but had done better in the second half. Chris berated Dan and told him that we were doing terribly. He continued on much as before.

Dan tried to tell us how hard it was managing and playing at the same time. How hard it was to come up with a line up and how crazy things were just before the game with players coming late. We attempted to show Dan that it would not be too hard to assign positions to people ahead of time, have the line up ready and then adjust it at game time, based oh who showed up but Dan was not having it. Eventually, a fan, Dave S. came up with a scheme for both the starting line up and substitutions and promised to run substitutions at future games.

Now back to Chris' complaints. We have a choice when we play in this league. That choice is to either come out and play having fun and hoping for a win or to come out to compete. Option 1 is what we have chosen. It requires no real commitment and no work. Option 2 requires some of each. Our team needs a leader in order to compete. Chris, by virtue of his leadership role at our office and the position he plays on the team is the natural choice for that leader. Instead, he claims he does not want the leadership responsibilities. All well and good except that Chris also refuses to be a follower.

I know, "that's a bit of a strong statement, David," you might be thinking to yourself. And you would be right, dear reader. But, I have a reason for making such a statement. There have been many people who, at one time or another, have tried to lead this team. Each time, that person has been subtly undermined by Chris. I know because I was one of those people. I attempted to coach the team. I went out and looked up drills and excercises, talked to people who had coached soccer teams and generally attempted to do my homework before coaching the team. Each time I attempted to run a practice, Chris was there, questioning my decisions, second guessing me and generally putting up both doubt and resistance to what I was trying to do. It was no different with any of the other people who attempted to coach.

In my opinion if you don't want to lead, and you have experience as a leader, you should then be willing to follow and be an example to the other people on the team so that we can move in the same direction. Dan has the same problem. He doesn't want to be the coach but anyone else who attempts to coach has an immediate problem with him. We are a group of chiefs and no one is willing to follow. Every time someone attempts to instill order or discipline that person is told, "no we can't do that".

I could go on for a while about this as it frustrates the hell out of me, but my last thought on this matter is that, if you are not willing to try and be part of the solution, you forego your right to bitch and complain. Chris wants to be upset about what is wrong with the team but he refuses to do anything about it. He thinks that because he is the best goalie in the league, he can threaten to step down and that will spur people on to action. I say, let him step down it's not like we are winning any games anyway. Who cares if we lose 10 to 0 or 3 to 0? At the end of the day it's still a loss.

Like I said before, I don't care anymore, I'm just out here to have fun, get in shape and become a better soccer player personally.

Week 7

We have a bye this week so no game. I decide that I will go off my jogging program to clear up my shin splints. We are now into week 8 and I am feeling much better. I will stay on the elliptical machine, play this weekend and see how my shins are doing after that.

Dan stopped by today and asked if I was up for Thursday practice. I told him I was, but if my shins started even slightly bothering me, I was going home. Dan complained that I was making up excuses to skip but said he would send out an email before going home, letting everyone know that we would be having practices.

Chris said that his shoulder is still bothering him (he hurt in in the last game). He said that if it continues bothering him, he may be done for the season. We will see.

We are playing the DLI Yard Dogs who whipped our asses 5 to 0 in our first meeting. I expect another ass whipping this Sunday. I am slated to play midfield this week. So no matter what I expect to run my ass off and have a little fun while I'm doing so.
- posted by David @ 4/11/2005 08:28:00 PM