8/5/2007 11:37:54 PM
Edmonton Vs Calgary #1

I find losing close games much more difficult to swallow than blowouts, because I can write off a blowout to a full moon or something. A loss in the dying seconds can usually be attributed to either a major mistake, or a couple of big plays that may not have gone our way at some point throughout. In this game, I’m sure some will point to the brawl in the first half as the start of things going south for us, but I really don’t think that was enough to undo us. We managed to battle back despite stalling out for virtually the entire first and third quarters, and actually take the lead in the closing minutes. To me that game was completely up for grabs all the way until the end, and the most disappointing part of it to me was that as an offensive unit we had a chance to put our defence in a great position to win the game by scoring a touchdown from the two yard line, and we simply didn’t capitalize on it.
When we got new life via a roughing the kicker penalty on our go-ahead field goal attempt, we should have relished the opportunity to actually seize the game from Calgary’s grasp as in my estimation they outplayed us for the better part of the game. The mentality when a situation like that presents itself must be one of “show no mercy” and “take no prisoners” otherwise, complacency sets in and we’re sneaking by with a slight lead like we were, instead of putting some real pressure on them by forcing them to march and score a touchdown in under two minutes. We didn’t do that obviously, and the result is what we’re living with now. The reality is that we’re now at the basement of the West, and looking up at everyone. The blessing is however, that we get to play everyone in the West at least twice more before it’s all said and done, which means that we control our own destiny.
Was that game within our grasp? Yes, of course it was but just because something is within your grasp doesn’t mean that you deserve to have it. I honestly don’t think that we played well enough to earn that win outright. We must learn to put together a more complete game, and losing a heartbreaker like that may be the only way to learn such a lesson. We need to understand that in this league, nobody is good enough to just skate by. There just isn’t enough disparity between the teams for one to only show up for a half and consistently win games, and for some reason that’s what we’ve decided our calling card to be. I feel like in light of the level of talent and character that we possess on this team, we’re getting by on inconsistency. This season will be long and full of regret if we don’t figure out and understand a simple ideology that coach Kepley stressed to us before the game; “The only way to play this game right, is to play every snap, every quarter, and every game like it is truly your last.” That rings true to me, and it should to others that are familiar with this league because if you’ve seen like I’ve seen, winning is the only thing that cures all. When you’re not winning as a team, you never really know when your last day playing individually could be.
I believe wholeheartedly in this team and in the men that I line up with. I believe that our coaches will put us in positions to make plays. Thus, tomorrow as with every week I must begin the process of elevating my own play for the benefit of my team. It is back the weight room and to the track, and to doing my part to prepare to make the plays that I’m asked to make. Then it’s into the film room to prepare for new challenge that this week presents because guess what? For us to win against Hamilton, my team may need me to make some plays…and I need to be ready to make them. As players, that’s the most that we can ask for really, since we don’t call the plays or get to pick when to run this play or that one. All we get to do is prepare to make the plays, and then make them when asked to. If we can simply make most of the plays that we’re asked to make, we’ll have long successful careers. Do your job, and make the plays that you’re asked to make. That’s it…that’s all that is asked of us.
Sounds easy enough right? ©

KP8