NLL Insider

From the Stands

Miles to go until we cheer

One of the best experiences that a fan in the NLL can enjoy–apart from the action on the field–is to venture to an opponent’s city to follow their NLL team. Now there are stories throughout the years of beer baths in Buffalo, battery chuckers in Philly, teenagers talking like truckers in Toronto, and rude grandmas in Rochester. Some of these are factual and some just add to the legendary tales from the road. One thing stands above all of this, though: to truly experience the NLL, you must go on roadtrips.

I would say the team that taught the rest of us how to do it is the PWFC in Philadelphia. Obviously they’ve been doing it the longest and have the most stories to share, but as the years roll along other cities have grown their roadtrip resumes. In Rochester, we are proud to boast that there has never been an advertised game without at least one Knighthawks fan in attendance. From Moline, IL to Charlotte, NC there has always been Knighthawks fans there to cheer on our guys.
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NLL Insider, The Ballers

Opening Night

I don’t think that I could have scripted a more perfect way to ring in the 2007/2008 National Lacrosse League season if I had written the schedule myself. Not only do we get to travel to my favorite U.S. city but we get to battle our beloved Mammoth in front of 18 or 19,000 crazy fans screaming obscenities at us.

Let’s not forget about the couple of guys that always seem to end up right behind our bench spewing verbal diarrhea for sixty straight minutes. Reminding me and my teammates how much we suck and pointing out each of our mistakes for us. I love those guys!!

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NLL Insider

NLL Insider Picks: Week One

With the opening of the season at hand, the Insiders have been hard at work cutting up film and analyzing all the angles in tomorrow’s Colorado-Calgary matchup. There’s only one game on the docket, and the Insiders like the Mammoth.

Here are this week’s Staff Picks: READ MORE »

The Buzz

Time to get down to business!

So I have just spent the last few days enjoying time with friends and family, stuffing my face with delicious homemade turkeys with all the fixings and, if you are like me, a fair share of Christmas libations. But starting today it’s nothing but business for all 12 teams!

Wednesday was a yearly tradition: Boxing Day, while watching the future of Canadian hockey open the World Junior Hockey Championships. With a dominating win over the host Czech Republic, 3-0, the game gave us a glimpse of the next one, 17-year-old John Tavares. He scored two goals in his first tournament, showing the world he can play on the big stage. Ironically enough, in a few weeks, Uncle John Tavares will be taking his step on the big stage as he gets set to break the all time goals mark in the Bandits’ first two games, a huge opening home-and-home against I-90 rivals, Rochester Knighthawks.

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InsideLacrosse.com Video

Colorado Mammoth- Westward Success

This weekend, the 2008 NLL season begins in a city that has become an unlikely success. The Pepsi Center in Colorado will be rocking with some of the best fans in the league, creating an atmosphere that is unlike any other. Inside Lacrosse on ESPN produced a piece about the Colorado Mammoth and how they have become so successful out west for our TV show last year.

We take a look at the road the franchise went through before finally landing in Colorado, including Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Washington. We get the players’ views of the city and fans. And we get a financial history of the franchise from President/GM Steve Govett.

Take a look at the feature segment below-

NLL Insider

Shanny’s Opening Game Breakdown.

 What a great way to start the NLL season. The Rocky Mountain Rivals, the Colorado Mammoth facing the Calgary Roughnecks. These teams have had many monumental battles over the past 5 years. Including the playoffs, they have played each other 15 times, with Colorado winning 8 times to Calgary’s 7.  Its also interesting to note that the only two times they have met in the playoffs, the victor has gone on to win the NLL championship.

Before I give my predictions let me give my disclaimer. Don’t blame me for jinxing your team when I pick you to win.  While no NLL coach  has ever tried to sway me to predict good things for his  team I’ve had some ask me to “dis” their team. Coaches love the “nobody gave us a chance” speech. Over the years I’ve had players thank me for picking them to lose. I thought the Calgary Roughnecks were going to give me a Championship ring in 2004 when I predicted them to lose each week in their playoff run. And please remember when I “pick” a team to win, I am  not “voting for” or “cheering” for that team. Of course I will give you an “I told you so” now and again (I picked Rochester last year) but there is so much parity in the NLL that a coin flip would probably do as well as any “expert”.
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The Beat

Friday’s Scouting Report

Here’s a scouting report I recently received on the season opener between Calgary and Colorado. It’s from a reliable source who knows both teams well… READ MORE »

The Life

Your Insider guide to a Colorado road trip

As one of the greatest sports cities in North America with one of the top teams in the NLL, Denver, Colorado has certainly earned its spot on the lacrosse roadtripper’s wish list. Whether you’re heading into town to cheer on the Mammoth boys or to try and drown out 18,000 fans in the stands with nothing but a visiting team jersey and an improbable dream, NLLinsider–with the help of Colorado’s captain–has the scoop on where you’ll want to go, what you’ll want to do, and how to increase your chances of spotting Gavin Prout around town.

Your ultimate destination:
The Pepsi Center, home of the Mammoth and their faithful, is conveniently located in the middle of Denver’s major metro area. I know this must be a very exciting and confusing time for anyone who has ever made their way to an Arizona Sting game so read on for directions. The arena is next to the I-25 and has two main entrances: Speer Boulevard and Chopper Circle, and 7th Street and Auraria Parkway. The Pepsi Center website informs me that from the I-25 North you’ll want to take the Speer Boulevard South exit 212 A. At the second stop light, turn right onto Chopper Circle.

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The Buzz

Locked and loaded in Denver

Mammothlogo

Bob McMahon is really liking the Christmas present he got in Denver.

“This is probably the most talented team I’ve seen in the league in the last six or seven years,” says the coach of the Mammoth, who open their NLL season Saturday night against the Calgary Roughnecks.

Denver’s first-year coach told The Denver Post of the expectations he’s put on himself and his team, which he expects to see atop the West Division.

In other news:
Big challenges for big names: The Canadian Press
Mammoth reach radio deal: Rocky Mountain News
Cordingley making the adjustment: The Mississauga News

NLL Insider

Brett Bucktooth injury update

NLLInsider.com received confirmation from Buffalo Bandits’ Head Coach & GM Darris Kilgour that the injury that has put sophomore forward Brett Bucktooth on the physically unable to play list is not as serious as was first reported.

Bucktooth, who actually played injured for much of his rookie campaign, is currently expected to make a return to the starting lineup either during the Bandits’ opening weekend (Jan. 11 & 12), which sees them battlling Rochester twice in a home-and-home series, or the week after when Buffalo hosts New York (Jan. 12). Whatever his return date actually ends up being, he is at most only going to miss a small handful of games. READ MORE »