What a weekend. Got the chance to spend Friday in my old stomping grounds of Boston, but you guys don't care about that, even though NU is quickly getting back in the thick of things in Hockey East!

The game today was fantastic. I never thought Central would have the chance to score three times, nor did I think the Devils could do it to be honest. Both of Harvard's goals were pretty, and you have to be really impressed with the way both teams battled. Harvard kept tying the game and seeming to take control, while Central kept battling back to take the lead again.

Yes, CCSU caught a huge break in the final seconds when the ball hit the crossbar, but luck is often the residue of hard work and preparation... at least that's what a tee shirt I used to have told me. Put it this way: Central put itself in the position to get lucky in the final seconds.

This blog will be quick as I have to go write my story now, but I wanted to give credit to the TONS of fans who made the trip. And to the guy who sent me that comment today... there were bleachers full of Central fans at Harvard today... I've been to state championship high school games, college games, all kinds of soccer... and the only crowd I've ever seen bigger than today was the last time the Revs were in New Britain.

As Thanksgiving draws to a close (it did for you normal folks hours ago, I'm just getting to bed in a minute), I thought I'd go through the list of a few things I'm thankful for in the professional sense. Obviously I'm most thankful for my family, friends, and our troops, police and firemen that keep us safe every day, but I'm talking for now about CCSU sports. Some of these will be a little bit "inside," but you'll appreciate most of them.

I'm thankful for getting to work with coaches who are as better people than they are coaches. What Mick D'Arcy did last year at Quinnipiac says all you need to know about him, and he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Same goes for Shaun Green, Howie Dickenman, Charlie Hickey, Jeff McInerney... the list goes on and on.

I'm thankful for the perfect storm that is my beat: a DI college with accessible people.

I'm thankful for Tom, Jason, Derrick and the CCSU SID staff that goes above and beyond the call of duty all the time in an effort to help me, and by extension, you the fans. They work harder than any of you know.

I'm thankful for a coaching lesson I got last week, and for the little moments like it that make my job so unique.

I'm thankful I've converted a Knicks fan into a Celtics fan.

I'm thankful that the "competition" is so often a teammate.

I'm thankful for the tent on the soccer field and the people who hauled it to Berlin so I wouldn't end up sick.

I'm thankful that Beryl Piper will be given a chance to grow the women's program and that she was given a chance. It was a risky hire, but she deserved to have someone take a chance on her.

I'm thankful that Piper and McInerney both want to recruit in-state when possible. It's good for the state and the teams.

I'm thankful it's basketball season.

I'm thankful I've seen a large portion of Tristan Blackwood's career at Central, and for the final chapter he's about to write.

I'm thankful to have learned Javier Mojica's story, never mind that I got to tell it. And I'm most thankful that things worked out for him the way they did considering where he started from.

I'm thankful for all the great games I've been able to see at "work." From four overtimes vs. La Salle to the women's soccer team holding off LIU to the baseball team giving everything it has the last two years.

Most of all, I'm thankful for you the readers. You make what we do possible.

And there won't be a better clash of styles than on Saturday in Cambridge. Central's big tough defense against a team in Harvard that scored more than 40 goals this season. The Crimson's top two players combined to score more goals than CCSU did this year.

Still, I kind of have a hunch that Central has a chance. The defense is solid, and their will is something to behold. I keep saying it, but it bares repeating. This team was dead. It has no business being here. After the way its heart was ripped out on top of a bad start?

But don't tell the Blue Devils that. They're here, and they truly think they can win. It says here that they do, in PK's. What the heck? I hear Tulsa's lovely in the winter.

I'm taking a day off on Friday and heading up to Boston early to see some old college friends, but I'll be with the Devils in Cambridge on Saturday. I'll catch up with you all when I get home Sat. night.

The Blue Devil men get the first 'w' of the win, and show off some big qualities.

First off, they weren't shaken by another big deficit (including a ridiculous shot to end the half), nor by letting a lead get away late. Joe seems back on track, and Tristan might be bolstered by a big shot at the end of a game. The fact that Central is consistently able to get him chances at the end is another good sign.

A rebounder or two must emerge, but we'll worry about that tomorrow. Tonight is just a night for the Blue Devils to enjoy a win and their fans to rejoice.

And you should, soccer is kind of a fun game to be in the crowd for because you don't really have to focus every second like basketball or football for fear of missing something... you can see a play developing over a few seconds and get ready, and talk to your friends during midfield play if you're not a hardcore fan.

But anyway, the game has been moved to Noon on Saturday.

It was a great night, the kind that reminds you of the real reason you cover sports. A bunch of young guys hanging around, eating together and waiting for their moment on national television.

We'll have more of a preview later in the week, but for now I'll just say that this one is interesting. A fantastic offense against a defense that couldn't be hotter. It's Red Wings vs. Devils all over again.

For the record, the New Jersey Devils, the defensive team, swept the Red Wings, the offensive juggernaut, in the 1995 Stanley Cup finals. Maybe that's a good sign for this group of Devils.

My favorite moment of the night was this:

After CCSU's bracket came up, a team in blue was shown scoring a bunch of highlight-type goals. The place went nuts before one player yelled, "wait, that's not us!" That was followed by a chorus of boos.

It's little things like that that make my job so much fun. I haven't listed as many little anecdotes on here as I originally planned to, mainly because I'm never sure if the other people are okay with me sharing them. So just to the on the safe side, I save most of them. It's kind of too bad, because I have an absolute CLASSIC from the other night's basketball game.

So tonight I get to cover another Selection Show party, it's been awhile since I've seen one, I love them. I'm the guy who goes crazy when it's Selection Sunday (CCSU or not), heck I get excited in the office on what we call "bracket day" for high schools.

The men deserve a ton of credit, and should get a rather cool scenario, getting to experience the dance without having to get themselves to some far off land. And yet, they'll still get to play one of, perhaps the very best, teams in the country. No word on whether Greg Oden will be involved.

Now, our couple of hoops thoughts per your questions. Wanamaker was supposed to be out until around the holidays, I'll see if that changed.

Shemik did get a look at point the other night, and I got the impression after the game that coach wants to see more from him there. It DEFINITELY helped Tristan's comfort level.

Also, remember not to make bold assesments in November of a team full of freshmen. Tamir's going to improve. Simmons has shown flashes... the rebounding is going to be solid. Shemik is a player, even though we don't know his position yet. Hall is getting the chance to contribute.

Seriously, don't get too high on this team in the good moments, and certainly don't get too low during the bad times. We just don't know enough yet. I know we live in a world now where we all have to have opinions immediately on everything, even if evidence isn't there to support it, but give this group time before we start putting players in the Hall of Fame or declaring others useless.

So after getting robbed by the NEC and losing another game in controversial fashion, the Blue Devils find themselves 0-3-1 in league play and in need of running the table or help just to make the playoffs.
They respond by going 4-0-1. Quinnipiac falters down the stretch. Central goes to the NEC tournament and beats mighty Monmouth for the second time in a month on a field where the Hawks hadn't lost an NEC regular season game in close to three years.
Then, they down the two-seed, SFPA, who took one in New Britain when Central's tying goal in the final seconds is waved off. Revenge is sweet.
Oh, and they do it all after nearly losing their leader less than two years ago to a heart attack.
Amazing stuff. I couldn't write a better script myself. Well, there's one more thing that makes the story better, but you'll have to read the paper Monday to find out.
I'll tell you one thing about the next chapter in this story. When the Devils go to UConn (I'd be stunned if they are sent anywhere else), they have a shot. Soccer is like Hockey in that the best team doesn't always win. CCSU's defense is solid. If they can get one break or convert one good chance, the Blue Devils could pull off another stunner.
After all, considering the last month, would anything this team does surprise you?

So the men's soccer team gets robbed by the NEC, loses another game in controversial fashion and falls to 0-3-1 in the NEC. Just to make the playoffs, they must run the table and/or get help.
They go 4-0-1. Quinnipiac falters down the stretch. Central squeaks in. They beat the top seed, Monmouth, for the second time in less than a month. The Hawks hadn't lost an NEC game at home in 3 years. Then the Devils beat SFPA in the final. The Red Flash are the same team that held off Central when an offensive foul in the final seconds negated a CCSU goal.
The Devils do all of this less than two years after nearly losing their leader to a heart attack. You couldn't write a better script. Actually you can, but to read why you'll have to see my story in the paper in the morning.
I'll tell you one thing about the next chapter in this story. Soccer is a lot like hockey in that the better team doesn't always win. With Central's defense and one lucky play or one good chance converted, the Huskies (I'd be stunned if CCSU is paired with anyone else) could be in trouble.

Then I'm going to bed. Just want to, since I pointed it out the other night, mention that the championship banners at Detrick are now in order if my eyes served me right tonight.