This is the start of what we've been waiting for. We have our opponent, we have our venue, we have our focus. No more pacing the tempo and instructing. We have laid that foundation and are now on to setting the bricks; building upwards.
Part of the draw to this game, for me at least, is the ritual. Knowing what I can expect at particular time so that I can add to the momentum, without compromising the rhythm and syncronicity. It's a dynamic challenge, one I desire, though sometimes it can be particularly baffling when dealing with the limited amount of time we have with all the players. It just makes depth that much more crucial.
It is a long week, but it will be a short week. It never seems like it can be here when we need it. It's the right combination of patience and anticipation that will leave you ready to go at your highest level at the moment you need to.. It is simply, focus and discipline. Seeing the task, preparing for the task, anticipating the task, and performing the task. That's the hard part. The fun part is that each week is a new task and it's a constant struggle for perfection down to the slightest detail. And the kicker, not literally "the kicker", but figuratively, you can always get better. Sometimes it's very clear what needs to be done better, and sometimes you have to search to find what to do better. Which would mean you have to think better. I imagine someone once said this: you can think too much, but you can't know too much. It's too straight forward to be Yogi Berra, since you don't have to think about it for a second, so it must be someone else.
So the point is, that it is the first week of our season and I'm dialing in like I hoped and I'm expected everyone to be doing the same. Once you get into the Stadium and it's time for kickoff, time will abandon all it's normal principles and shift gears up and back until it's almost agony. Faster. Slower. Faster. Now slower. Much Slower. Wait, go back. I missed it. Oh! C'mon stupid timeout.
May you see everything that you wish to see. I wish you all a Happy Opening Day.
Jason Monson