And…Again
Remember that time in shop class where there was that one brutal project you couldn’t get right? You tried and tried, worked and worked, and when the damn spot-welded book stand finally came together, all the shop teacher did was look at it and toss it back on the bench with a mumbled, “Good. Now do it again.”
Substitue shop class for the 2008 NLL season, you for the Calgary Roughnecks, and the coaching staff and the fans for the shop teacher and you have this weekend.
Three times this year, the ‘Necks have looked like they have that project from hell figured out. First, with a two game run against San Jose and Portland. Second, with a dominating home win over the feared and hated Mammoth. Third, another great night against the LumberJax. Twice, they’ve failed to repeat the performance. Time number three, the jury remains out until Friday night.
It’s been well documented here and elsewhere about how Brad Bannister gambled and won on the ticket giveaway last week. All well and good, but let’s see you do it again. A season that hung in the balance a week ago can now turn around completely, but only if the often maddening ‘08 Riggers can get a consistent groove going.
I’ve asked many players about the lack of consistency this year. I came away with the conclusion that no one really knows why there’s no flow week to week. Now, There are no excuses. Tracey Kelusky was back and contributing on and off the floor last weekend. Pat Campbell has been a godsend in goal, and the players seem finally to be returning an A-class effort on the goaltending he’s provided. Now comes yet another test against Coldorado.
This is truly an outstanding sports rivalry. The two teams, and even the two front offices do not like each other. The record stands at 7 wins and 8 losses for the Roughnecks. The season series stands at one each. With a win Friday, the team can kill two big ugly birds with one stone. Bird number one would be the fourth quarter collapse, which beat them in Denver in game one, and which they managed to avoid with 3 goals in a minute to thwart a late Portland comeback last weekend. Bird number two is the failure to build on a good thing, which, as I mentioned, has already happened twice this year.
Factor three Friday is the ability to build on the goodwill of the freebie game. A near full house saw everything good about about going to a Roughnecks game last weekend for pennies on the dollar. The question is how many will jump at a two-fer deal this weekend, and how many more will come back at full pop.
The Roughnecks delivered on providing outstanding entertainment for the fans to take in. Now, they have to prove to the fans that last week wasn`t a fluke. The fans have to prove that this city will support first class entertainment, even if it doesn`t come with hundred dollar tickets that provide ten cent performances.