THE PHILADELPHIA NOT GAR-BAGE - By: Joe Beninati
Let’s get this out of the way, right away….the Barrage are far from gar-bage!!
Yes, I know that the artists formerly based in Philadelphia are just kidding when they refer to themselves as four-day old trash. My point is, they just may have what it takes to go the distance again in 2008, and they could be “smelling like a rose” the whole way.
Any team that boasts Brian Dougherty in the goal is a team worthy of attention. The “Doc” was in top form in the opening week win in Virginia Beach. And I must admit he caught me off guard.
Three days before the game, his head coach Tony Resch had mentioned that Dougherty basically took about 20 minutes worth of shots in training camp. So I figured he’d be a little rusty. Well, not quite. He put on a clinic of how to make great stops at close range. He had to have poor Buggs Combs muttering to himself as he robbed him time and time again from three yards out. If Doc keeps playing to that level, and few doubt he will, Philly will be a favorite most weeks.
The Barrage have people protecting Dougherty who help him feel nice and comfortable. I thought Brian Spallina was on his way to a record-setting penalty-minute performance while he inflicted his will on Conor Gill. Gill bagged three goals on a windy day in Va. Beach, but he wasn’t going to do any victory celebration. Spallina has a history of taking Conor to task and administering quite a beating in the process. He was rugged again last week.
What’s not to like about Philly’s defense. Kyle Sweeney is almost uncatchable on the run in transition, Brett Moyer is steadily improving, Joe Ceglia and Matt Zash give them quality short-stick defensive shifts. It goes on and on.
You weren’t hallucinating when you read Bobby Horsey’s name in the box score…three times!! And at least two of them were highlight film goals!!
I am not telling you anything you already don’t know, or at least should know. The Barrage are two-time defending champions for many reasons.
Their attacking midfield line still has an enormous amount of bite. Matt Striebel just glides on the field; it’s impressive to watch him separate from defenders. Roy Colsey is still very much a bruising bull of a dodger who shoots seeds into unprotected corners of the goal. Justin Smith dances on the outside and leaves defenders gasping. To borrow a line from the PGA Tour…these guys are good…not gar-bage!
Ryan Boyle came right from the indoor world, with little practice time in the sunlight and behaved exactly as you would expect. No trouble with spacing, no trouble with a long-stick defending him. He’s exceptional in the way he controls a game. And to think he didn’t even have Mike Springer to be on the receiving ends of his passes. Springer was coaching his high school team in New Jersey over the weekend; thank goodness those prepsters don’t have the Barrage on their schedule!
But off they’ll go week-to-week, a band of gypsies. They get a trip to Dallas this weekend. All their stars get to show their championship mettle in the Lone Star state.
And when Brian Dougherty brings the team in for the huddle before the opening face-off, he’ll look into the eyes of his teammates, ask them to play like champions, and finish with this gem….”alright guys, here we go on 3….1-2-3 “HOMELESS”.
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