EVERY Play Counts
Posted 5:39 PM ET | Comments 0
He scored a goal last night and got an assist on another.....but I'm getting really irritated by Chris Stewart. He can be fairly lazy out there. The Deveils' second goal was on him. He was flat-footed, lethargic, uninspired in going to Henrique after being picked on his way to the puck. He didn't care. He didn't think anything would happen. Well.....dammit......Henrique scored to make it 2-2. Sucked.
Growing up playing sports afforded me with the opportunity to play with some of the best athletes in the St. Louis area. There were always one or two guys out there, either playing on my team or against my team, that everyone knew would make it big. There was that "something" to the way they played the game. They got it. And they knew they had it. It was only a matter of time until they got the chance. Those were not the guys who influenced me most though. I was influenced by the guys who cared only for the outcome of the game/play/sequence, not for how the game/play/sequence occurred. Let me explain.
If your team loses it means the other team scored more goals/points than your team, plain and simple. There are moments in each game that matter most. Those are the scoring plays. They mean most because those are directly responsible for the end result of the game. There's no getting around it, they mean the most. Without scoring, the game ends in a tie. And ties mean nothing! But the bulk of the game is made up of non-scoring plays. Those are very important too. They may not show up in the paper the next day, but they are felt throughout the game/season/lifetime. They are the experiences that make a player what he is.
There are those guys who care not for the missed opportunities but only for the ones that show up on the scoresheet. I hate those guys. Opposing players love them. They have to love them. Opponents know that they'll be able to get away with the same stuff over and over again because the end result may not have been felt on the scoreboard. Make a move, defender bites, take a shot, miss, no worries....you'll get him next time. The attitude of "don't worry....they didn't score" is the worst in sports. They should never have the freaking chance to score! That's the point. Keep the other team from scoring AND getting scoring chances.
Learning from mistakes is key. When you let them roll off your back as if nothing happened since the outcome of the play wasn't "that bad" you lose focus of what's really important. To have the mental fortitude to make plays even when it is seemingly a lost cause counts. Effort counts. They mean something. Sometimes they mean more than the end result. Coaches see the little things. Your teammates see that extra push. The fans notice a guy's heart and cheers louder every time that guy is making plays (read: TJ Oshie). The guys who lay it on the line no matter what will, could, or should happen are the guys who make the biggest difference throughout the game.
Chris Stewart seems like he might npt be one of those types of guys. He doesn't play with a lot of urgency. He plays with heart, don't get me wrong. He sticks up for his teammates tremendously. He's an admirably talented young man. But watching the Blues almost cough it up against the Devils last night I got to thinking we need to see more "umph" from Stewie. He has the potential to be a dominant 2 way player in the NHL. His size, skill, strength and speed are definitely coveted by many other players in the league. He's just got to find a way to keep going and never lose sight of making ALL of the plays.....you just never know when the easy one is going to get in.
Growing up playing sports afforded me with the opportunity to play with some of the best athletes in the St. Louis area. There were always one or two guys out there, either playing on my team or against my team, that everyone knew would make it big. There was that "something" to the way they played the game. They got it. And they knew they had it. It was only a matter of time until they got the chance. Those were not the guys who influenced me most though. I was influenced by the guys who cared only for the outcome of the game/play/sequence, not for how the game/play/sequence occurred. Let me explain.
If your team loses it means the other team scored more goals/points than your team, plain and simple. There are moments in each game that matter most. Those are the scoring plays. They mean most because those are directly responsible for the end result of the game. There's no getting around it, they mean the most. Without scoring, the game ends in a tie. And ties mean nothing! But the bulk of the game is made up of non-scoring plays. Those are very important too. They may not show up in the paper the next day, but they are felt throughout the game/season/lifetime. They are the experiences that make a player what he is.
There are those guys who care not for the missed opportunities but only for the ones that show up on the scoresheet. I hate those guys. Opposing players love them. They have to love them. Opponents know that they'll be able to get away with the same stuff over and over again because the end result may not have been felt on the scoreboard. Make a move, defender bites, take a shot, miss, no worries....you'll get him next time. The attitude of "don't worry....they didn't score" is the worst in sports. They should never have the freaking chance to score! That's the point. Keep the other team from scoring AND getting scoring chances.
Learning from mistakes is key. When you let them roll off your back as if nothing happened since the outcome of the play wasn't "that bad" you lose focus of what's really important. To have the mental fortitude to make plays even when it is seemingly a lost cause counts. Effort counts. They mean something. Sometimes they mean more than the end result. Coaches see the little things. Your teammates see that extra push. The fans notice a guy's heart and cheers louder every time that guy is making plays (read: TJ Oshie). The guys who lay it on the line no matter what will, could, or should happen are the guys who make the biggest difference throughout the game.
Chris Stewart seems like he might npt be one of those types of guys. He doesn't play with a lot of urgency. He plays with heart, don't get me wrong. He sticks up for his teammates tremendously. He's an admirably talented young man. But watching the Blues almost cough it up against the Devils last night I got to thinking we need to see more "umph" from Stewie. He has the potential to be a dominant 2 way player in the NHL. His size, skill, strength and speed are definitely coveted by many other players in the league. He's just got to find a way to keep going and never lose sight of making ALL of the plays.....you just never know when the easy one is going to get in.