NLL Insider

Well, it’s been a wild week in the NLL. Well, OK, it hasn’t been as wild as the week before but that’s WAY in the past already.

There have been countless articles and stories and blogs and posts congratulating John Tavares on his record-breaking performance, but not many have gone deeper into the man. I’m not saying I’m a JT expert or anything, but having been able to play a few seasons with him I got know him quite a bit.

The guy bleeds for the game of lacrosse and I don’t just mean in the literal blood running down the shins from scuffed up knees. I mean everything about him from his demeanor, to his attitude, to his overall passion for the game. It’s very rare to see a guy of his caliber and greatness be so humble and down to earth. Never one to miss the opportunity to praise a teammate and always, ALWAYS, willing to sign an autograph, no matter what the situation is.

I first played with JT during the 2002 season in the WLA, but having been a long-time fan it was an amazing feeling to be able to step on the same floor as him and call him a teammate. But this is where the man turned into the boy.

Always joking around, having laughs and playing the game that he has loved for over 25 years. He took our team to another level that season. He literally makes everyone better. Not just because of his overall greatness but, because of his ability to incorporate everyone into the game. He has a unique ability to control the flow of the game with the ball in his stick.

Colin Doyle has this ability too - floor general. It’s a great ability to have because it demands the respect of not only his teammates but of his opponents as well. He would never yell at a teammate, he would take you aside and let you know what he saw and what you could have done differently.

He would always go the extra mile too. I remember in 2003, mentioned as one of the greatest teams ever to play, we were having a practice during playoffs and for some reason none of our goalies showed up. Sure as sh*t, JT comes out in Matt Roik’s goalie gear. Now those that know both these guys knows there is a HUGE size difference. But that didn’t stop Johnny from throwing the gear on and tossing himself from side to side in the net a night or two before a huge play-off game, doing his best Dallas Eliuk impression. (P.S. JT was a pretty good goalie!)

JT is the consummate professional. He may not look like a big guy on the floor but his heart, desire and competitive attitude makes him one of the biggest guys to play the game. It was a great honour to play along side him and I for one was ecstatic when he finally broke the record.

So JT, here’s to you my friend: The greatest team player ever to play the game!

Rate This Story:

(11 votes, average: 4.27 out of 5)

 Loading ...