Storm fight through rough month

by Marc Viquez
Published on December 31, 2001 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)

by Marc Viquez

What has been called a stepping stone toward future endeavors will have to wait almost a month to be tested. The month of December had been filled with all the trials and tribulations that no expansion team of any sport should endure. The New Jersey Storm of the National Lacrosse League saw some pretty ugly games during the last month and will not play again until a January 20th meeting with their I-95 (The Turnpike to us folks in New Jersey) rivals, the Philadelphia Wings.

The Storm played a total of six games during the month of December and if you add their November 30th meeting with New York, they labored for seven games in less than 30 days. To make matters worse is that the team went 1-5 in December and was outscored 102-64 in that time span. The team was able to play tough against the Calgary Roughnecks for their last game of 2001, however, losing 14-13 in overtime.

If you do not feel any empathy for the team playing six games in the span of one month, look at the Philadelphia Wings relatively modes four game schedule, the Columbus Landsharks who have played just three games this season, and the Toronto Rock who had two games during the past month. Do not get me wrong, there are other teams playing tough schedules, and I am sure traveling schedules were considered when devising the 2001-2002 NLL slate, but a five-game skid pretty much puts a damper on the rest of the season for the Storm.

The discombobulated scheduling was just one of the other factors that have plagued the team thus far. Head Coach Jim Hinkson was relieved during the month and replaced with interim Head Coach Jim Brady. Hinkson concluded a 1-3 record at the helm, and his last game was a 13-5 loss to Albany. Brady took over on December 13 and was outscored 21-9 by Washington two days later at the MCI Center.

"It has been tough," said goalie Derek General on getting the proper practice time for players who live miles apart from one another. "We haven't had much time to practice, but were able before the Calgary game."

There are 12 players who reside in Ontario during the season and meeting for practice in New Jersey can be hard. "In a city in upstate New York like Albany it is a little bit easier for people from Ontario to practice," said General who resides in Six Nations, Ontario

The Storm will have a lot more time to get together and practice before their next meeting and will look to continue their tough and physical brand of play that was demonstrated at home against Calgary. "This was the first team that we were able to prepare for after playing eight games in six weeks," said Brady on his team's close loss to the Roughnecks.

The Storm hopes to have many more practice opportunities in the second half of the season so they can make a run toward respectability.

National Lacrosse League Stories from December 31, 2001

• Storm fight through rough month - OSC Original by Marc Viquez

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