NLL Insider

The Beat

Knighthawks set for new ownership

We’ve been settin’ the pace all season long, and some of ‘em are startin’ to keep up.

Our own Paul Tutka told ya earlier this week about who’s gonna be the new boss of the Rochester Knighthawks, and now the Rochester newspaper is reporting the same. Curt Styres of Six Nations is indeed the man but, of course, he wasn’t sayin’ too much on Thursday night when the Rochester paper was puttin’ itself together. Thew newspaper contacted Styres, but he didn’t say “yes” and he didn’t say “no.” In fact, he said said he’d have to return the phone call “in a couple days.”

The move basically would save the franchise. It’s in financial hot water and Styres’ purchase would buy out the share of Randall Latona (20 percent) and Walter Turek (40 percent) and make Styres majority owner. Donner would retain his 40 percent and stay on to run the day-to-day operations.

And speaking of new ownership issues, the Chicago Shamrox are looking for new owners. Team owner Kevin Loughery Jr. said in a news release that the team is officially on the market. Loughery said he turned away relocation overtures and believes the NLL has a strong future in Chicago, but the challenge of being an out-of-town owner is what convinced him to sell.

• Wings, Knighthawks to collide in Rochester: NLL.com
• Last day to vote for Anne or Elizabeth: NLLInsider.com
• Brand new Rush ready for Stealth: NLL.com
• Sign up for the weekly NLL Offensive Challenge: WingsZone.com
• In Chicago, Swarm eyes victory No. 8: NLL.com

The Beat

NLL Jersey Battles: San Jose Stealth vs. Edmonton Rush

The numbers are in and much like last week’s National Lacrosse League game between the Portland Lumberjax and Colorado Mammoth, the jersey battle between the teams came down to the wire. However, the outcome was opposite of the on-floor match-up, with the Mammoth eking out a four vote victory over the big burly Jax.

While last week we saw a jersey battle royale, this week we’ve got the San Jose Stealth facing off against the Edmonton Rush in a clash that most closely resembles a beauty pageant. An East Brewton, Alabama beauty pageant.

Loading ...

 Loading …

The San Jose Stealth immediately lose a few points because they appear to have permanently ditched the ninja. Good thing for them this article is much like the TV show Whose Line is it Anyway where everything’s made up, the points don’t matter, and the least important person is running the show. READ MORE »

Inside the Numbers

NLL Edition: The Money Ballers

OK, before I get too deep into this, I’m gonna start off by giving some major props to Brian Langtry.

Partly because he had an insane show stopping game against Portland and then partly cuz I don’t wanna get stabbed in my sleep like I fear our boy Kevin Fixler is doomed for. We really liked ya Kev, but I think Langtry is out for blood on this one. Maybe lemme know tonight where you plan on having your funeral. It’ll save me a phone call to Denver to find out where to have the flowers sent. You like carnations, right?

Anyways, even with all that said, Langtry looked like he couldn’t be stopped during last week’s early game, Fixler killing spree aside. READ MORE »

The Beat

NLL Week 14: Preview

This post previews this weekend’s up-coming games. There are three games on the slate, all on Saturday.

Week #14 Schedule (All Times Eastern)

Saturday, March 29
Minnesota at Chicago - 8:00 PM
Philadelphia at Rochester - 8:05 PM
San Jose at Edmonton - 9:30 PM

READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Top 20 NLL Player Ranking: Week 13

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. READ MORE »

Fantasy Insider

Fantasy Fix: Deadline Bedlam

So I’ve been gearing up for several weeks to break the news to the rest of you fantasy geeks that fellow NLL fantasy Insider’s League player Paul Tutka has traded me San Jose star Jeff Zywicki for almost nothing.

Unfortunately (for me), I haven’t been able to talk him into accepting my unplayable benchwarmers for a Top-5 fantasy starter for the sake of having something to write about. Go figure!

The good thing however is that with the flurry of last second player swaps, the league amiably took care of me once again, giving me plenty of fodder for yet another week.

While most of these trades included numerous picks in the 2008 and 2009 drafts, for our purposes, actual players currently in the league are all we are worried about.

Let’s examine how these deals will impact your fantasy lineups.

READ MORE »

The Beat

NYTimes turns to NLL for stick talk

If there’s one thing laxers take seriously, it’s their gear. Especially the wand. Some dudes are downright superstitious when it comes to their sticks and some are known to take theirs to bed every single night. Over the top? Maybe, but when we watch these National Lacrosse League games and see what’s done, we’re convinced it’s this side of a magic show.

So what do you do when a pro offers his insight on sticks? You listen. Or, in this case, you read. Jarett Park of the New York Titans offered his feedback on three separate sticks for The New York Times. The Times? You betcha. Pub is nice when you search high and low for it in the media so when a respected fishwrap (thanks, Jim Rome) like The Times gives our game some ink, it’s pretty damn cool.

Park takes a look at Warrior’s Stiffi head, the STX XCALIBUR head and the ADISTRIKE head from adidas. Take a look-see and see what Park has to say about each one. By the way, there’s no truth to the rumor that next week, Park’s gonna offer advice on barber shops.

• Cast your vote for Anne or Elizabeth: NLLInsider.com
• The “NLL Offensive Challenge,” take it now! WingsZone.com

The Beat

Sanderson ready for new NLL life

Josh Sanderson says he could sense it, but it still didn’t dull the shock when the hammer dropped. The Toronto Rock had just finished a weekend sweep of its games, including Saturday’s impressive win over the Buffalo Bandits.The winning glow of the weekend barely gone, Sanderson found out Tuesday he was no longer a Rock. He was a Roughneck.

“After we won both our games last weekend I thought it was off so I was a little bit shocked when it happened,” he told The Canadian Press.

Such is life as a professional athlete and Sanderson found himself at the center of the biggest trade this season, swapping places with Calgary’s Lewis Ratcliff as both squads continue to search for a spark to light up their inconsistent offenses. Sanderson understands this, and knows what’s expected of him in Calgary. He’s eager to live up to expectations.

“Basically, I want to help build it out there,” he told The Calgary Herald. “I’m being traded for one of the top guys in the league so I want to reward their confidence in me and I want to do it right away.”

Their debuts are on hold, though, as both teams are off until April 5.

• Watson named NLL Player of the Week: NLL.com
• Knighthawks sign Vitarelli: Knighthawks.net
• Knighthawks to sport camo look: NLLInsider.com
• Shamrox offer ticket deals: ChicagoShamrox.com
• Blasdell helping lax stars of tomorrow: Orillia Packet & Times

Q&A

NLL Q&A with Colorado Mammoth defender John Gallant

A tough stay-at-home defender with an imposing presence and the intelligence to match, the Mammoth’s John Gallant has been an important cog in a Colorado system that’s kept its team near the top of the National Lacrosse League. With a week off to get back on track, the ‘07 All-Star discusses the recent Mammoth downslide, the importance of playing smart, and why you can say whatever you want about him on the internet.

With the trade deadline having recently passed, are you surprised the Mammoth didn’t make many moves?
Not really, we have a very good team and we believe in the players and personnel that we have. We are on a little bit of a down-slope here right now but at one point we were 5-0. We’ve got a veteran team, it’s not like we have a lot of young guys, we have a lot of guys that have experience here and we’re comfortable with the way we’re playing.

I think the one deal that we did make to get another left-handed player to help Dan Carey was a very big move. [Chris] Gill was instrumental in us winning the championship two years ago so I’m sure he’ll do a great job when he gets here. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Source: K’Hawks new ownership in place

NLL Insider has learned from several sources that the Rochester Knighthawks’ new owner will be Grand River Enterprises partner, Curt Styres.

The franchise, along with the mutually owned Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, have been in financial peril for quite a while now, owing millions in past due affiliation fees (to the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and Flordia Panthers), league dues and other outstanding bills, mostly connected to the Amerks hockey team. READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Commitment to plan is bringing NLL success to Titans, Mueller

Adam Mueller has had some rough years as a head coach in the National Lacrosse League.  As a rookie bench boss in 2002 he finished 8-8 with Wings squad that was defending its championship and got knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.  Things got worse and he was fired after the 2004 season with a 23-25 record. 

Philly is not the place you want to be when things go bad.  The franchise had made the playoffs in each of their 17-year existence.  They expect to win.  So when you loose, the ownership group of MILL founders Russ Cline and Chris Fritz, along with legendary box and field player Mike French will let you know what you’re doing wrong. 

READ MORE »

NLL Girls

NLL Girl of the Week: Ashley

Ashley’s got the dancing part down, this much we know. Look at her National Lacrosse League profile page and it’s apparent she knows where the exclamation point key is, too.

Occupation? Dancer with the Chicago Hot Rox!!!!!
Music? … I love country!!!!!!!
Favorite team? Chicago Shamrox!!!!!!!

Are you sensing the same energy we are? Makes us wonder just how she reacted to being named this week’s NLL Girl of the Week!!!!!!!! The Lombard, Illinois, native is a student at some college and loves dancing and cheering so much, she’s a teacher of it. She tells us she’s the busiest person we’d ever meet, not that we’d ever be so lucky. But if her dream job ever comes to fruition, we all just might get a closer look at her some day. What makes us so confident of that? On her Shamrox profile page, she lets us know that her dream job is to be a Playboy bunny.

Chase that dream, Ashley!!!!!! Chase that dream!!!!! No doubt you’ll find plenty of support from around here!!!!!!!

• Get your vote on … Anne or Elizabeth? NLLInsider.com
• Take the “NLL Offensive Challenge:” WingsZone.com

NLL Insider

Scott Self stays in Chi-Town, Asking price too high

If you had to pick one name at the start of the week that you just knew was gonna get moved before yesterday’s trade deadline, it had to be Chicago Shamrox defender Scott Self.

Self, an Arizona Sting “rental player” whose rights will revert back to the currently on the shelf franchise once the 2008 season is put to bed, was playing on the lone team that is all but officially outta the mix for a post-season spot this year.

Although he’s one of the game’s top pure D guys, Chicago keeping him meant that not only would his talents be wasted come playoff time, but the franchise would have nothing to show for him once his rights got swapped over again, unless of course they moved him yesterday. READ MORE »

Rookie Report

Belisle says scoring is ‘awesome’

When NLL Insider interviewed New York Titan rookie Mitch Belisle last week, he told us guys still bug him about one of his first NLL shifts when he decided to jump the boards, look around and shout out in excitement ’this is awesome’.

Needless to say, Mitch thought picking up his first two career NLL goals in another Titans’ victory last week was also ‘awesome’.

READ MORE »

NLL Insider

AN NLL Easter: Stealth Style

Easter this year was like none other for myself, and it all starts out on Saturday.

A big win during the afternoon put myself and the rest of our squad in a great mood. To celebrate, we took Shaydon Santos up on his offer of a little BBQ and some beers on the beach in Santa Cruz. The spread was unreal. Burgers, corn, potatoes, salad, all the good stuff. After the BBQ we headed to the beach. We got a fire going, brought the keg to the beach, had some good laughs and a few good brews.

Other than the fact that I was being called No Fun Frank (it’s a long story behind that) it was a great time.

READ MORE »

The Beat

Rush set up bright NLL future

Just yesterday I was whining about the lack of mid-week news in the National Lacrosse League and now today, I don’t know where to start! Tuesday’s trade deadline is giving us plenty to chat up, and lots of ya are talkin’ about the deal that sent Calgary’s Lewis Ratcliff to Toronto in exchange for Josh Sanderson. Rightly so. Huge deal. But has anyone noticed what’s goin’ on over in Edmonton?

Look beyond the departure of Chris Gill to Colorado and Mike Accursi to Buffalo. Have ya seen what’s gone back to Edmonton?

“Now we have two first-round picks in 2008 and two in ‘09,” Rush GM and coach Bob Hamley told the Edmonton Journal. “When I came here we didn’t have any first-round picks.”

THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about, Willis. Parting with Gill and Accursi wasn’t easy, but it’s not like Hamley’s left the team hanging. Earlier deals brought in Lindsay Plunkett and Mike Hominuck, and a separate deal on Tuesday adds Dan Teat to the offense. And since Hamley’s guided the Rush to two wins since his arrival in late February, his results are hard to debate.

The Rush are just a half-game out of a playoff spot in the West so not only are they still contending for this year, Hammer’s got the franchise in a sweet position to build on the future. Yeah, it’s definitely Hammer Time.

• Gill’s pumped to return to Mammoth: 9news.com
• Ratcliff says change can be good: Calgary Herald
• Rock upgrade struggling O with Ratcliff: Toronto Sun

Rookie Report

NLL Rookie Rankings: Week 13

Some rocky play from NLL rookies the past couple of weeks, but Jordan Hall continued to shine and keeps his position at the top of our Rookie Rankings.

Again, a rookie also contributed big in a one-goal game as Peter Jacobs scored the game winner in a 16-15 victory over the Western Division’s top team, Colorado. Though Insider Bob Chavez may have been able to score that one with Dan Dawson breaking down the D and feeding Jacobs who was alone on the crease with loads of time. Still, the league’s youngest player finished and now has eight points in six games played.

Your Top 10 NLL Rookie Rankings after the jump READ MORE »

The Beat

Trade two cents

The old saying goes that whichever teams gets the best player wins a trade.

Plain and simple. Cut and dried.

That analogy makes it tough to say who got the better end of Tuesday’s blockbuster deal between Toronto and Calgary. Lewis Ratcliff was sent to the Rock while Calgary got Josh Sanderson. There were also draft picks swapped, but let’s forget those for now.

Both Ratcliff and Sanderson are lefties. Both have averaged about the same amount of points per game in their NLL careers (Sanderson 5.3 and Ratcliff 5.1).

However, that’s where the similarities end.

READ MORE »

NLL Insider

Lewis Ratcliff for Josh Sanderson deal in at the bell

NLL Insider learned earlier today that a trade between the Calgary Roughnecks and Toronto Rock, that would see Lewis Ratcliff and Josh Sanderson swapped, was on the verge of being nixed after it appeared the trade was sent in after the NLL’s 3PM EST trade deadline.

NLL Insider has now heard from several sources that the deal has in fact been proved to have been in accordance with league rules and is very much official.

The blockbuster move will see Sanderson playing for his father Terry Sanderson, who is currently the Necks’ assistant coach, again, while Victoria native Ratcliff will likely be a fly-in player for the somewhat surging Toronto Rock.

NLL Insider heard at approximately 4PM that the deal had been sent into the league but was not going to be accepted by league officials initially since it appeared the trade came in just after the deadline. Sources now say that the sides have been able to show that they did in fact have the deal put to bed in time, but for reasons still unknown, were not able to get it in in the appropriate manner. READ MORE »

The Buzz

Sneak peek at the Rochester Knighthawks’ camo jerseys

Well, with the way the Knighthawks have been playing lately, can you blame them for wanting to go a little incognito? Here’s a first look at a sketch of the Knighthawks planned camo jerseys for their annual jersey auction — military night, Saturday April 12th vs. the Buffalo Bandits. Proceeds will go to Foodlink, a Rochester-area food bank that serves over 550 human service programs. The Knighthawks recently raised over $2,600 for CURE Childhood Cancer Association with their second annual teddy bear auction.