Top 20 NLL Player Ranking: Week 13

March 27th, 2008 by Paul Tutka

OK kids, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Had some technical difficulties this week with the trade deadline and some other stuff interfering with the week-to-week content, but we’re back. And by we’re, I mean I’m, cuz I think I’m the only one behind on stuff.

So first off, our Top 20 (The Money Ballers will be comin’ atcha shortly).

Actually, this week’s Top 20 will kinda tie into a few upcoming spots tomorrow. The player poll this week asked the guys who they thought were the favorites for all the year end hardware now that we’re a good two thirds of the way to the end.

I also asked most of our Insiders who they felt were the top dawgs in their respective gigs too. Had to ask Jenner and Shanny to stop voting for themselves, but after that got straightened out, we got a pretty good reading on what everyone thought.

Those results should be online sometime tomorrow AM, so lookout for ‘em.

Anyways, Top 20 coming outta week 13 is below. A couple guys are definitely just holdin’ on to the spot their in right now and even though we got a quiet week this weekend, all three games on the sked should tell us a lot about a couple teams… and players.

RK	PLAYER	LAST	+/-	TOTAL	CONS.	HIGH
1	Athan Iannucci	1	-	11	11	1
1	Even in a loss, where the dude still ripped four, Nooch is everyone’s overwhelming fave right now… well, almost everyone. Check back tomorrow for that.
2	Colin Doyle	6	+4	12	12	2
2	Colin’s writing up plays on the fly, scoring clutch goals for the West’s top dawgs and even though he’s outta TO, he’s still forcing that franchise to make moves based on his departure. The most influential player in the game today!!
3	Jeff Zywicki	4	+1	11	11	3
3	Keeps coming up beyond huge doing the little things a lot of top snipers in this game just don’t do. Puts it all on the line every night out.
4	John Tavares	2	-2	12	12	2
4	Like most of the Bandits, JT got shut down offensively against Whipper and the Rock. Has a doozey comin’ up against the Mammoth in two weeks.
5	Bob Watson	14	+9	10	10	5
5	Lots are already saying that Watson is the most important player to his team anywhere in the league. Finally got the consistent help on the floor during that sweet weekend sweep.
6	Gavin Prout	3	-3	12	12	1
6	Typical solid game for Prout, but just lacking that all important W to keep him within the top five.
7	Ryan Ward	5	-2	11	11	4
7	Had a week off, not much else to say. Has the "surging" Rox next on his plate. Will need a big night to stay this high.
8	Casey Powell	10	+2	12	12	5
8	Boyle might be getting some ink for a big couple games (or if he isn’t, her should be), but Powell is still the most consistent presence on that O and looked beyond awesome against the Wings.
9	Ryan Cousins	9	-	12	12	2
9	Word on the street is Cousins will be the first back-to-back defender of the year for the first time in league history. Has a few defenders on his heels, but a solid close out to the season should seal the deal.
10	Brodie Merrill	13	+3	7	6	10
10	Had more loosies against Colorado than most guys in this league get in an entire year. Tranny of the year will be a battle between him and Steenhuis for sure.
11	Dan Dawson	11	-	12	12	2
11	Big game ballers make sure they come up, well, big when it matters most. Daws came up more than big in the Jax’s pivotal win over the Mammoth last week.
12	John Grant	12	-	12	12	1
12	Same story as pervious week… big game for Jr. but the results and consistency just aren’t there. Does he need a new group of O guys to work with? You shoulda hear the rumors makin’ the rounds on Monday!!
13	Mark Steenhuis	8	-5	5	5	8
13	Best O to D guys in the league, actually one of the few affective ones in the game today. Got held up by the Rock, but than again, who didn’t that night.
14	Jake Bergey	7	-7	9	9	7
14	With the style of ball Philly plays, they’ll need more point production from guys like Bergey, who had his worst offensive showing of the year against the Titans.
15	Eric Martin	15	-	7	7	15
15	If anyone’s gonna knock Cousin’s off the top of the D podium, it sounds like Meat is the guy to do it.
16	Nick Patterson	16	-	12	12	9
16	Like Wardo, week off, not a ton to add. Has looked good all season and if he can hold a few more teams to single digits, especially in the up tempo style of lacrosse Minny plays, he might get the nod over Watson.
17	Jordan Hall	18	+1	4	4	17
17	When you factor in that this cat plays at both ends of the floor and is putting up the kinda digits he is… I mighta spoken too soon when I said what I did about Steenhuis being the only effective O to D tranny. Still my ROY pick, but you wouldn’t believe the back and forth showdown he and Point are havin’ in the player poll this week!!
18	Geoff Snider	17	-1	2	2	17
18	Almost lost the dual at the draw with Jamie Hanford and all fight fans were disappointed he didn’t dance with Smith again. Would a W over Rory partway through that game have been enough to spark a huge Wings comeback?
19	Matt Vinc	-	-	1	1	19
19	The dark hoarse for this year’s keeper nod. Vino has been playing outta his mind between the Titans’ pipes during this huge push by New York. Is he legit? You don’t have a clue if you’re still asking yourself that.
20	Dan Carey	19	-1	10	2	8
20	Word is that Carey loved playin’ with Chris Gill on the rug during his rookie year. Can the two of them bring that magic back while the Mammoth try and inch out that West title? Will Gill help that O find the consistency that’s been missing in a lotta games?