Wednesday, May 19, 2010

RED HOT ARTICLE: "So Now What Do We Do?" by Marty Taffet



Head of the Murdersquad Marty Taffet gives the 2010 Red Hot Buffs a proper send-off as he comments on this long and crazy season. Check it out after the jump.

“So Now What Do We Do?”

To start this Red Hot Buffs post, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Marty Taffet and for the last two years I have had the honor and privilege of donning the number nineteen jersey for the University of Colorado Men’s Lacrosse team.

The 2009 season was awesome, we turned a lot of heads and under some great senior leadership, we even made it to the semi-finals of the national tournament, a much more sun-filled national tournament at that, only to lose to the eventual champions, Michigan. After such a great season had ended we went into the summer looking forward to another great year building on our past success.

And then we were coach-less.

If you read this blog, you probably know what happened next.

We were coach-less, again.

So the first coaching choice didn't necessarily work out, but, like most break ups, we're definitely both better off for it, and maybe, somewhere down the road, we will get coffee, sit down, and talk about better days.

Fast forward through a horrible loss (CSU) and some great wins (UM, MSU, BYU) and we found ourselves in the first round of the RMLC playoffs, neck deep in finals and paper writing, losing to a good BYU team on their home turf.  We were crushed. The situation seemed pretty dire for nationals with a first round exit in our conference playoffs and, a lot of the seniors, myself included, kind of lost it. The thought of that game being my last as a college athlete was pretty tough to handle. I basically had concluded that our season was over.

Later that week on the eve of the last day of finals, the ever-studious buffs were buried deep in Norlin Library and were grinding away when a study break visit to collegelax.us had revealed that the selection committee had given us the 11 seed for nationals. For anyone who was in the 3rd floor stacks that faithful night, I apologize, you have no idea how loud you can clap when your BRBC (Blood Red Bull Content) is humming around 32%.
                              
This last week of practice and getting to play Oregon and Arizona State was amazing, great fans, great atmosphere, it was just the kind of thing that reminded you why you played.

After we lost to ASU, Tyler Padzik, the RedHotBuffs superstar, in all his profound wisdom then asked a pretty simple question. “So what do we do now?”  And to be honest, I have no idea, but I can tell you this.

Fear the Buffs my friends because the ship has been righted. With the returning coaching staff and a very strong core of returning players, the buffs are playing for keeps. From Brad Macnee anchoring the team in net all the way down to the whole attack returning next year, they will be dangerous. And  it will be your downfall too if you forget that the Murdersquad aka the D-block aka the heart of the team will be back, young and ready to make you look like freshman with some serious helmet tilt issues. In sum, don’t be fooled by the ridiculously good looking tall tees because under those yards of cloth you will find the closest team in the MCLA.  More than friends or teammates, they are a family, one that anyone should dream to be a part of.

Forever G’d up from the feet up,
                                                
                                                  Marty

1 comment: