20,000 Leagues Under the Snow...

      Jules Verne's brilliant, but twisted Captain landed himself on the all-northeast list this week. Unfortunately it wasn't for scoring or rebounding, but in providing "Nemo" as the title-name of this giant blizzard that swallowed New England. In Stratford, we put 38 in the books and I don't mean points on a hot night. That was inches here at the storm's epicenter. As I was digging my way through part of this dumping yesterday, with my snowblower being 'hors-de-combat', the thought that this was some sort of celestial payback for not being generous enough with my passing talents during my BBall years, crossed my mind. But that was dismissed pretty quickly because if one considers all the games played and the potential assists missed, we would have gotten a hundred and thirty-eight inches, and it'd still be comin' down. All this having been said, we won't be making the trek to Pepin, to let this senior group who've done so much to distinguish themselves, their teammates and the program on this incredible run that keeps unwinding, know that what they've accomplished, has indeed been a big deal.

      'TheBoys' calmed a lot of critics and nerves by showing two things on the Maine trip. The first is surviving the road, particularly in the nescac is no small feat. I'm not sure if there's a much parity in the land of d3hoops as in the d-1's, but in every league at both levels the home team has the biggies marked out on the calendar and every bucket is earned, before you take the 'W' home. Secondly, TheBoys showed that their ability to win, made in the pot of practice, and stirred by coaching that infuses that ability, is an immeasurable quality when it meets the reality of that tough game situation while the heat is turned up. Like it has been said before, the difference is the ability of someone to make a play or two to put us over the top. There are no bad road 'W's. Turn the page and go out and play tonight. Maybe it's just starting to sink into the critics' heads that this intangible has fueled the new normal. Bowdoin battled long and late but were overcome by a solid performance. And when we could've caught a couple of breaks - we didn't, as Williams made the last couple of plays necessary at Colby. The Boys were solid and handled a young, but over matched group of White Mules, while Robertson, Epley, et al. almost didn't escape at Bowdoin, who had the last shot- and couldn't put it down, then unraveled in the OT.

       Which brings us to "Nemo" time. Nemo spelled backwards is omen, and it is wondered here if the scheduling adjustments are an omen of what may go down in the final days of the nescac regular season. Much to be decided, but TheBoys should have a solid chance to earn a tie. It all starts today presumably with Amherst-Williams at 2 p.m. We need Toomey and Co. to control Williams early and often. They should be able to do it because they've got more firepower and flash, and are playing well. Sometimes this season they haven't been at their best on the road but having seen them easily dispatch Wesleyan there, and follow it up with convincing 'W's vs. Williams, who they torched in the last 25 minutes, and Tufts, in a track meet. We'll know that result before TheBoys tip, but it says here that we will need to take charge early and put any thoughts of upset out of the Bantams' mind, in order to set up the Tuesday showdown. JeffB.'s one game at a time mentality, as always, one of the keys to making this equation work.

        Amherst at Pepin for the nescac title and hosting. There's payback for last year, and much at stake on all levels. We've got the G.s to make Toomey work harder for everything he gets and maybe just upset the balance of their 'O'. Along those lines if we could get LongJack to front Kaasila some, that would be tres helpful. Although Hixon has gotten the break from the quick turnaround, it also helps Midd's legs, and the fact that it's Tuesday will help fill Pepin with 1,200 of the screaming, nail-biting PantherFaithful doing their best to boost TheBoys' chances. And when they come away with that big 'W', Jake, Nolan, Pedro and Company wins what? A 3-way tie for the regular season. The small whopee! is appropriate here. Then it's all up to "the hat", or as referred to in the nescac tie-breaking procedures, a random action. Who's name is gonna come up first? Hosting throughout the nescacs, and ncaa hosting at stake. That's some hat! I'd volunteer mine but on a quick second thought will leave it to the powers that be, so if Midd's name doesn't come up first, there's not a 'shoot-on-sight' order waiting once I cross the Cornwall line. It should be some terrific theater. Here's hoping "the hat" works out as well.  

Remember: "down 'The Alibi' stairs, over DicktheHealer's whirlpool, off Hixon's leg, and outta the nescac hat, nothin' but net!". Be well. Clubbo.