Tonight is American Indian Night at the Swarm, when Minnesota’s professional lacrosse team celebrates the game’s roots in American Indian culture before European contact. After the game, Coach Duane Jacobs, a hall-of-fame player and Six Nations native, will join popular player Travis Hill (shown in action above) for a Q&A session with members of the local native community. The Swarm’s owners and management have been stepping up their efforts to reach out to the American Indian community in the Twin Cities and across Minnesota. If you get a chance to pick up the latest issue of The Circle newspaper in Minneapolis, check out the front-page story I wrote about the team’s outreach efforts. Unfortunately, the story has not yet been posted to The Circle’s spiffy new web site (full disclosure: I was recently elected to The Circle’s board).
Unfortunately, The Swarm saw their playoff dreams dashed last night when Colorado beat Edmonton to wrap up the final playoff spot in the Western Division. Tonight’s game will be played for pride. I imagine with the inconsistent play we’ve seen this year, we might be saying goodbye tonight to some guys who are playing their last game in the blue and gold. I have faith in the new owners to make the changes necessary to make the Swarm successful in the long term. Swarm it up!
Finally, a special thanks to the Terzichs, our friends and neighbors, who will be providing transportation to the game since I am still unable to drive after my accident. I plan to chew up a few pain pills, throw on my Swarm jersey, grab my crutches and go, Swarm, go!

Had an accident on Thursday with my Vespa (a car cut me off and braked suddenly — I dumped the bike in rush hour traffic on Robert Street in West St. Paul). Thank god for helmets and leather jackets/gloves — they saved my life (the face mask on my helmet was ripped off and the right side of the helmet scraped right down to the core). I’m one big bruise on my right side, have two jammed thumbs and a strained right wrist, a strained right shoulder and have to walk with crutches, but I’m alive and don’t have any broken bones. I go back in a week for an MRI to check for tears and strains after some of the swelling subsides. I’m not very mobile at the moment — it hurts like heck to move around, even with the crutches. The pain meds definitely help, but they make me a bit fuzzy. My hands are a bit messed up so typing is a chore, but wanted to let everyone know that it takes more than a bad accident to silence me. I’ll try to post some pics later of my messed up helmet — that would have been my head if I hadn’t been wearing one. I saved the broken helmet to show my daughters and the kids in the neighborhood. So, if you see an old guy limping around and looking dazed and confused, make sure you point me in the right direction before we part ways. And, hey: Let’s be careful out there. Wear your helmet every time you get on a two-wheeler.