Hello from Atlanta...

...or at least some suburb.

It's currently 3 minutes before 2 am eastern time, and we're getting settled into our digs for the next few days. Pretty easy travel day today, and I can tell you that after another glorious American MD-80, I've never been so happy to see a Boeing 737 in my life than when we boarded our plane for Atlanta. We had actual audio programs coming out of the armrests, and clips from David Letterman on the TV screens! Good times...

Some of the boys and Gavin have gone out in search of food, but I'm packing it in for the night. They're having a training session at the Silverbacks stadium tomorrow midday, and then taking the rest of the day easy. And certainly Friday, with an 8 pm kickoff, will be a day of rest and metal relaxation.

Gavin briefly addressed the boys in the lobby, and drove home the point that there's plenty more work to be done, and they need to keep their focus. I think these guys know they're on the verge of something big, if they can take advantage.

Here is, from what I can remember off the top of my head, the travel roster:

GK: Wicks and Elfin.
Def: Thompsons S and J, Knowles, Griffin, Morrison
Mid: Poltl, Olum, Hague, Gregor, Lara, Higgins, Ready, Kreamalmeyer
For: Ambriz, Jordan, M Taylor
Hangers-on: Strong, Kostic

Not having Bagley available stands out, and is a shame. Dombrowski doens't appear to be quite back from his injury, but Hague is back with the team, and that's great to see. Hopefully I didn't forget anyone.

Okay, off to bed. I'll try to post something tomorrow during training, as that will hopefully be when we test to see just what kind of a broadcast we'll be giving you on Friday.

--John