Hey folks, before I begin, a quick apology about the tardiness of the blog this week. I lost the link and well, I just got on today. No excuses, just a technical difficulty...

What is the price excellence? Or, is there a price? I was listening to former NFL great, Ronnie Lott, speaking about what motivates great athletes to continue to perform at the highest level, and what motivates them to try to get better. Championships, MVP's, post season awards or just the will to make yourself better everyday. I felt this was a very interesting topic because I have played with many great players, and I always wondered what made them tick?

Later in my career, the money a player could earn was definitely one of the factors of performance. But, early in my career, that was not as prevalent. I really believe the greatest players would still perform at this level no matter what the money. My best example would be Chris Chelios. At 43, he is still a factor everynight and continues to remain a physical phenomenon. When I played with him, he would not settle for mediocrity, not excepting being bettered on the ice.

Can you instill this in an athlete? I try to remind our guys that every game means something at this level, in their progression to the next level. Every game someone is watching. Maybe not our guys, but people from other teams may be there as well. In our game you are expected to be your best everyday. This is where I find the best separate themselves from the rest...

In our game, we play so many nights it is impossible to be at your peak physical capacity everynight. So how do the best do it? Talent, skill, physical ability. All these things are part of it. But the mental aspect that drives athletes can be the difference. Take for example, one of my heroes, Lance Armstrong. In the last couple Tour De France's, the other riders conceded the fact that he was trhe best and they were riding for second place. How can anyone beat a guy when they have given up before the race. This kind of reputation does not come from doing nothing. They know that Armstrong has trained harder than anyone else and is always lookig for an edge. Why is it always the best that are looking for an edge? Why do they need an advantage, yet they still work for one...

So, how do you instill this ethic in young athletes when they know that the big money is at the end of the rainbow? What is left when they receive a big contract before they even play a game? What motivates someone who is given the world?
I still believe the best will be the best no matter what the price. They find the will to sustain a level which others can't, and sets them apart from the rest. I will always marve at these athletes...

As a team, we have hit a bit of a skid, for what ever reason. Now we must finds an identity and try to perfect the things we can control. Turnovers, team defence. These types of little things can make the difference in a winning streak or a losing skid...

Has anyone noticed the amount of college players in our lineup? There are guys I overlooked on our team that played college that I thought were junior guys! And, both our goalies are college grads. Marsters from RPI and Grumet- Morris a Harvard grad. As the season goes on and I learn more and more about players in the league, I see many college trained players. What a gift for players today to have the opportunity toi get an education and play at a level that is a stepping stone to the pros. But, that is another day's topic...
- Weino

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