Stealth Blog: Getting back on track
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Who wouldn't want to be an NLL goalie?
By Zach Heffner
Welcome back Stealth aficionados…
After a road game in Portland and the week off last weekend, I think we’re due for another recap. It was a a pretty busy two weeks, actually. Lets see…Steelers are the Super Bowl Champs, the MLL became a way more competitive league, Kevin Federline got fat, and I invented the hummus taco (patent pending). …but more on that later.
The boys in San Jose had plenty to think about as well. Sitting at 2-4, the Stealth entered Saturday night’s game vs. Colorado in the wrong end of the Western Conference standings, and after a stumble in Portland and a V-Day bye week, the boys looked at getting back on the right track. Oohh, but Colorado…that’s no walk in the park. The Stealth and the Mammoth are no doubt fierce rivals – the track record proves it. The Stealth have played spoilers to Colorado each of the last two seasons, and now the boys need to pull out a win. A ‘W’ on Saturday would bring the Stealth to 3-4, and more importantly, knock Colorado down a peg in the heated race for the Western title.
But how cliché is that…”The Stealth looks to get on the ‘right track’” I feel pretty lame just writing that – and what does the even mean? How does a team go about that? In the Stealth’s case it’s a pretty easy diagnosis: growing pains. Yup…that’s it. There’s a lotta new faces in San Jose this years and after a few hard fought games and some close loses the team is building some great chemistry.
My shooting schedule at the studio is pretty slow this weekend, so I decided to pay Colin Doyle a pre game visit to see what he thinks about his teams’ growth and chances at a repeat Western Division Title.
When I show up to Doyle’s pad, he’s about to jump in the pool for a quick dip (Tune in next week for a complete list of the players quirky pre-game rituals…if I’m allowed to print that kinda stuff). I get some great shots of Colin’s ‘swan dive’ and ask him a few questions about tonight’s game. Doyle is focused on the emotional growth of the team…something that is just as – if not more – important than the skills learned at practice. It’s the bonds made and the emotion that you see between the action that really tells the story of a team.
Between brushing his teeth and saying bye to his wife and daughter, Colin delves further into the emotions behind game day. He lets me in on the fact that he thinks he’s got it easier than some of the young guys…On game day, Doyle has the bigger picture in mind. How’s the offense going to flow?…What are the keys to victory? Do my socks match?…Things like that. Colin tells me that he almost thinks the younger players have a little more pressure on their shoulders. The young guns think about all the team and game stuff, but they also have a little more at stake. They have to make sure that on top of all the team pressures, they have their personal issues in order. For Colin, a weekday practice or pregame shoot around is simply a time to polish the edges, but for the younger guys, it’s another chance to showcase their skills in hopes of cracking the super competitive lineup…something I can relate to all to well.
Arnold would be proud
As the game draws nearer, Doyle’s words ring true. I turn my camera to those ‘in between’ moments that seem to capture the teams and players emotional output. Most fans in the seats see the hard hitting action that is the NLL, but if you know where to look, you can see the vulnerable underbelly that is the NLL lifestyle. After the official warm-up, I hang in the hallway back to locker room. As the players leave the floor for the last time until game time my flash goes off and captures the intense focused faces of the players. Everybody’s favorite Yankee (Canadian for ‘American’) Paul Rabil walks by…look on his face says it all…dude is looking THROUGH me…
It takes me a few minutes to get over the fact that Rabil and I aren’t BFF’s, but I can’t dwell to long…the players are being introduced and hitting the floor. I remember that the singing of the National Anthem was one of the last times the players have to be calm and internalize what about to go down for the next two hours or so. I catch most of the players in deep concentration including a su-weet photo of Kyle Soresen under the jumbotron.
GAME TIME!!
The next installment of the rivalry is definitely underway. Colorado scores first less than two minutes in, answered by our boy Colin Doyle. After the first quarter Colorado is up 4-2. Tom Johnson and Cam Sedgwick stick a few and add to the emotion on the floor, but from my vantage point on the upper level of the HP, I can see some emotion unfolding far from the lights of the turf. My camera finds a group of well dressed young men with long faces. Given our country’s economic status, I would put money (like I have any) on them being financial exec’s trying to look into other lines of work…but I know too well who these men our, and why they look a little down.
My camera has found those aforementioned young players who, for reasons unknown, didn’t make tonight’s lineup. That’s the reality of all pro sports – nothing is guaranteed, but I think that is important to know that for every superstar, there are five or so guys who push them in practice, and yet have to watch the fruits of their labor from high above the playing surface. Happens every game in every arena…but still doesn’t make it any easier for those it affects. Believe me, I know. I ‘ve been that guy plenty of times. Oh, and just for the record…Colin Doyle’s socks do match, although his belt and shoes are still in disagreement. Baby steps folks…I head back down to the floor to catch some action close up. As the half winds down , the Stealth hold on to a slim 8-5 lead. The Stealth pull out all the stops for the half time show. World record holder and Champion eater, Joey Chestnut is on hand to break a new world record. Get this…the dude’s trying to munch 10 lbs. of Mac n’ Cheese in less than ten minutes. Talk about emotions running high!! And probably cholesterol levels as well…With puke buckets close by Mr. Chestnut downs the grub in world record fashion, and I almost lose my lunch.
The second half is more of the same…a close battle between close rivals. I roll over to the Stealth bench and snap a pic that sums up the evening. Amidst all the craziness and commotion of the game, I catch a solemn Colin Doyle on the bench, calm, focused, leading by nothing but example. Doyle nets two goals on the night but throws in 7 helpers. The nine point night gives San Jose a hard fought 14-9 win at home and earns Doyle MYP honors. The dude’s good, but a pregame visit from yours truly is what I think gave him that extra little something…ha, I wish….
I pack up my bag and start heading across the turf to the exit. I run into some fans that remember me from playing last season. They are stoked for their team to pull out a tough win, they are happy to see some great lacrosse action. I just hope for them and for the other fans out there in all those other cities, that they are appreciative of all the hard work and emotion that goes into a victory like this one, both on the playing floor and also from high above it.
NLL Insider will be posting blogs from Zach Heffner, a member of last year’s regular season Western Division champion San Jose Stealth squad, Zach has since started his own company, VERDICT Photography, and looks to promote the team and the sport through his photographs.
Zach joined the Stealth after a stint with the Chicago Shamrox and is currently a player with the San Francisco Dragons after putting in two seasons with the Chicago Machine. An NCAA National Champion while at the University of Virginia, Zach lists winning a bronze medal with the USA National Indoor Team at last years’ World Indoor Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia as his top lacrosse moment.
To view the full photo gallery from this post, Visit the NLL Insider Photo Gallery Page
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