A Washington Stealth Fan Blog
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It’s the end of the calendar year and I’m chilling in Portland at my friends house and I realized I’m sitting in the exact same chair I was two years ago when I read that Colin Doyle had been traded to San Jose. Two years later I’m not jumping up and down like I was that evening, but that is only because it’s no longer new news and not because of the results Colin has brought to San Jose.
The Stealth have had some great players on their roster – Cam Woods, Josh Sanderson, Steve Toll and Anthony Cosmo to name just a few. But Colin was different. Colin has won titles at all levels and is an offensive leader. Previously the Stealth have had great offensive stars but not an offensive leader. Colin came to the Stealth at the end of training camp and didn’t even get the chance to mesh with the team before they were on the floor. So the offense started a little slow out the gate in 2007. Combined with the typical slow start that Cosmo gets off to things were little dicey in January and February of 2007. But everyone got used the changes, including Colin himself getting used to being a setup man instead of the scorer he was in Toronto. The Stealth finished the year losing to Dan Dawson and the Arizona Sting in the Western Division Finals.
In 2008 Colin had a full training camp and a year with the team and the team won the regular season title out West. Again, Colin and the Stealth stumbled over Dan Dawson again getting bounced in a home playoff game to Dawson and the Portland Lumberjax. Now Dan Dawson is out east and the path is clearer for the Stealth to take it to their team success to the next level.
Now the offense goes where Colin goes and the Stealth have gone to the playoffs for the past two years after missing the playoffs for two straight years. That change is directly related to Colin joining the team and the leadership he brings. Yes, there are other events that have occurred the past two years like Jeff Zywicki’s emergence as a super star scoring threat, but when Jeff is great there is a #1 threat ahead of him so that Jeff doesn’t have to shoulder 100% of the scoring load or threat. Sure Wick can run around guys like 2 time defending NLL Defender of the Year Ryan Cousins and create his own opportunities, but the settled goals for Jeff and everyone else go through Colin.
As we enter 2009 and the third season of Colin Doyle in San Jose more great things will come to the Stealth and I can’t wait to see them.
For more information about Colin and by Colin check out his blog over at Yard Barker for a little insight in to what it’s like being a big time lacrosse pro in a small time league.