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I just read Paul Stewart’s piece on winning in the NLL with American born and raised players and it has inspired me to take a quick look at the all-time greats from south of the border. Not the best lacrosse players, but the best NLL players.Â
I will limit this list to the guys who grew up playing field lacrosse and really did not step inside the box until their first NLL game.
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) held a media conference call earlier today to promote their up-coming season opener this Saturday, Dec. 29. There are still tickets available for that game, however, Colorado is expecting a sell-out. The game will also be aired live regionally in the Colorado and Alberta areas, and available online via pay-per-view through B2 Networks.
Here’s a quick recap:
- The NLL regular season opens on Saturday, December 29th, as the Colorado Mammoth host the Calgary Roughnecks at 7pm MTN. The Calgary-Colorado match is the lone game on the schedule for the season opening weekend.
- When asked what Colorado’s weaknesses are, Calgary GM Kurt Silcott laughed and said, “not many, not many. I look around the league, and I think the thing you’re going to see this year is awesome lacrosse,†said Silcott. He echoed league-wide comments that every team is extremely strong this year from top to bottom. “Fans are going to see some great lacrosse.†READ MORE »
As I previously blogged about, I spent the day with the Philadelphia Wings’ dance team, the Angels, last month during their 2008 calendar photo-shoot. It was a tough and stressful day (sarcasm), but I am happy with the results. The video is just about complete and will be put up in the next day or so, be sure to check back.
Here’s a little sneak peak and if you like that, then you’ll love the finished product.
In typical selfless style, Colorado Mammoth captain Gavin Prout talks new teammates, old rivalries, and the plight of the overlooked Western division
With expectations for the Mammoth always so high, was 2007 at all a disappointment even though you topped the Western division in the regular season?
It was a little bit of a disappointment, of course. It is anytime you don’t reach the championship game when you’re expected to–and we fully expect that of ourselves and of our team. So it was a little bit disappointing even though we did win the Western division.
Is there anything specific that needs to be improved from last season?
No, you know I think a lot of those things have already been addressed. We brought in a new coach, not that coaching was a problem, so it makes a change and brings in a new philosophy and a new style of coaching. We lost a couple of players, really good role players, but I think we picked up better all-around players than what we lost so I think we’re in a better position than we were last year.
READ MORE »
With the clock ticking down on the 2008 NLL season opener, the Calgary Roughnecks’ Tracey Kelusky takes time out to discuss coaches, complacency, and the Colorado-Cowtown hatred
Last year you had one win and one loss versus Colorado. What kind of rivalry exists between the two teams?
I think Colorado is by far our biggest rival. Every time we play them it is a full out battle. In the past we both have had success in the other team’s barn and I think that adds to the rivalry. We are not very well liked by their fans and the feeling is mutual here in Cowtown. Its good to be hated and sometimes we feed off of that which in turn has led to a bit of success in Denver.
READ MORE »
It is that time of year again, Christmas.
For a college/NLL lacrosse player, this is a crucial time. We all know how it gets during the holiday season. The rums are flowing, the short breads are being passed around and everywhere you go, everyone is in a happy, care-free mood. “Sure, I’ll have another cookie,” or “OK, just one more round of stuffing. Why not? It’s Christmas!”
Saturday’s season-opener is a debut in more ways than one.
Troy Cordingley is working his first game as coach of the Roughnecks, and he’s doing it against a familiar face. Mammoth coach Bob McMahon was Cordingley’s coach when both were with the now-defunct Albany Attack five years ago. So no, they’re definitely no strangers to each other.
“He’s been one of the best coaches I’ve learned from. I have a lot of respect for Bob,” Cordingley told The Canadian Press.
Meanwhile, over in Colorado, the team has named a captain: The Mammoth
NLLInsider.com has learned from sources close to the Buffalo Bandits that off-season pickup Sean Greenhalgh is likely on the shelf for the entire 2008 season after injuring himself during a recent team practice.
Greenhalgh was taking part in 2v2 drills when his knee simply buckled and he dropped to the floor.
The initial hope was that it would be a minor sprain, keeping him out for no more than four to six weeks, but after an MRI was performed, results indicated Greenhalgh had in fact torn his ACL.
The injury, at minimum, usually has guys on the shelf for a good six months, which puts Sean at a June return date. The NLL playoffs usually finish up in late May. Depending on the severity of the tear, some athletes have missed in excess of ten months of action. Either way, as it stands now, it is extremely unlikely Greenhalgh will play this year, no matter how deep into the playoffs Buffalo goes. READ MORE »
Being a first year GM in the NLL, I attended the GM’s annual meeting in Denver at the beginning of July. I mainly sat back and tried to take it all in. I had watched games during last year’s NLL season and shook my head at some of the changes. No off-ball cross checking? What the? I thought this was box lacrosse. A sport where a player’s toughness is on display nightly. I couldn’t understand why you would want to take that out.
“Stewy, what were you thinking leaving Minny for New York? You don’t actually think you can win with a bunch of American field players do you?”
If I had a nickel.
The U.S. born player straight out of college. The drill killer. The four-pointer. The jump shooter. The great athlete who learned to shoot hard so he wouldn’t have to go near the middle.
Any of these sound familiar?
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