Ninety-four miles.
It?s the shortest distance between any two cities in the Major Indoor Soccer League. So there?s no surprise that the Blast?s ride from their Canton headquarters to rival Philadelphia?s Wachovia Spectrum was very businesslike.
The Blast (15-13) entered the weekend 15-11, in a deadlock with the KiXX, just 1.5 games behind first-place Detroit.
On Friday night, the Blast lost to Chicago, 12-4, before 6,443 at 1st Mariner Arena. The loss had the players questioning what it would take to make the playoffs. The answer will have to wait after a 14-7 loss at Philadelphia Saturday.
Road trip
1 p.m. » Team bus departs Clarence “Du” Burns Arena, the Blast?s headquarters in Canton.
1:30 » Players and staff board the team?s charter bus at the Fallston/Joppa exit off I-95.
1:36 » Bus departs from Fallston/Joppa exit, heading north on I-95.
2:10 » Blast bus leaves the state of Maryland, crossing into Delaware.
2:13 » After some receive routine treatment from team trainer Randy Toth, a handful of Blast players realize Toth is watching an old-school Motley Crue video on his laptop.
2:45 » With an update from a fellow traveler?s laptop, the Blast learn that Chicago has gotten out to an early 4-0 lead on Milwaukee in a key game to determine a playoff spot.
2:52 » Blast bus arrivesat the Philadelphia stadium complex, and players de-board the bus at the Wachovia Spectrum.
3:10 » Blast players, coaches and staff inspect the field before some informal warm-ups.
4:05 » Chicago brightens the Blast?s spirits with a 19-8 win over Milwaukee, dropping the Wave 1.5 games behind the Blast for the final playoff spot.
5:07 » The Blast kicks off game with Philadelphia before 7,264 fans. The Blast win the first quarter, 5-3, behind a Tarik Walker two-point goal and a Carlos Garcia three-pointer
6:01 » Philadelphia heads into halftime on a 6-0 run, leading the Blast, 9-5.
6:59 » Philadelphia unleashes worn-out stadium hit “Who Let the Dogs Out” ? six years after the rest of America had already done so.
7:04 » Making up for the unnecessary playing of “Who Let the Dogs Out,” Philadelphia redeems itself with the obligatory playing of the Rocky theme song.
7:11 » While the Blast have employed a sixth-attacker, Philadelphia scores a three-point goal into an open net with 57.3 seconds remaining.
7:12 » The game ends, with Philadelphia winning, 14-7. The Blast head to the locker room wondering what it will take to reach the playoffs.
7:47 » After greeting fans, showering and dealing with the media, the Blast boards the bus and heads home.
9:30 » After dropping off a number of players and staff at Exit 74 a half-hour earlier, the team bus reaches final destination ? Clarence “Du” Burns Arena in Canton. The Blast will take Sunday off before getting back to practice this morning.
The Blast has two games remaining, starting with the home finale Friday night at 7:35.
