Is This Me Back-pedaling?

From time to time I have been accused of making snap judgments without taking time to further consider all of the facts. Typically this is a reasonable criticism however to demonstrate my ability to be fair minded, having spent some time watching the Blue Griffin’s yesterday I think it’s time to revisit previous allegation and rescind some prior accusation and provide evidence to confirm others.

First I have over the years frequently referred to Matt Sedaris (formally #6/7 for South Orange County) as many things all amounting more or less to be a mindless dolt of a man and a thug of a rugby player. Maybe I was jaded by the jersey he was wearing, maybe I am indeed the complete ass hole that many have accused be to be countless times, ad infinitum. Turns out Matt is one of the nicest guys I’ve met in quite some time and not unintelligent to speak with. He has always been a hard nosed player on the pitch but seeing him interact with our players, our coaches and his fellow Griffin’s has been eye opening. He will be a great asset to Back Bay and I look forward to another year of playing against him. Sorry for all the hate.

Second resending of prior allegation and a small amount of affirmation. I have in the past voiced much consternation over the Griffin side. My previous criticism has been over the player selection process and my belief that the team would benefit from a process that was less prone to subjectivity and player/team partiality. Yesterday I saw a clear disparity in skill level on the Blue Griffin side which supports my previous allegation however I will say that the players attempt to find continuity and gel demonstrated how a select side like this can serve as a great reminder as why this is such a great sport. The team that was out yesterday was a mix of players with as much diversity in personality than in skill level. Their efforts in taking the time to invest in this outside of their own club obligations showed a commitment to the ideals of the sport and was demonstrated in fairly unselfish and supportive play. Sure some clearly struggled where others clearly excelled, the fact is that they played together as a team. From a spectator’s point of view there was little that would lead one to believe that this team has not been playing together for quite some time. Both players and coaches should be commended for achieving this with their limited time. I expect that their efforts this weekend in Big Bear will be rewarded with some success on the pitch.

In the end I have reside in that the Griffin select side may not be such a bad idea. I do think that they need to revisit the selection process in order to facilitate a side that can reflect the higher level of competition D3 teams are capable of but in the end, if all that comes out of it is a chance for players to experience the joy of playing in a format that speaks to the true beauty of the sport, then I think worse things could probably happen.

One last thing- Greg Smith may indeed be The Frazier Incarnate. Watch and be amazed.