NLL Insider

Is Tyler Codron the NLL's hardest hitter? (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

The ‘09 National Lacrosse League season has had some of the biggest hits the league has ever seen.

The two biggest? Mitch Belisle’s viral vid highlight smash on Jarett Park and then Jeff Zywicki blasting Colin Achenbach at the HP Pavilion last weekend.

This week, we asked the players about those two instant classics along with other hit related topics, including who they feel is the league’s best current hitter, concussions and what goes through their mind when they get rocked on the court.

After the jump, find out the answers to those questions, plus some wicked vid evidence that’ll keep ya occupied all Easter weekend.

1. What was this year’s best hit?

62% Mitch Belisle mowing over Jarett Park
38% Jeff Zywicki blowing up Colin Achenbach

Belisle screamin’ outta the box and meeting Park in the middle of the floor…

Zywicki yard salin’ Achenbach last weekend…

“Z was planning that hit for weeks by creeping him on facebook. He knew everything about him when the games started. ACHEn’BACK has officially been Z’d, much like many girls are that are creeped out by Z on facebook.”

“Did not like the way Belisle reacted to his hit… typical American!”

“Awesome.” On Belisle’s smash

“Chad Culp’s hit against Calgary this year was huge too.”

2. What was the biggest hit you’ve ever seen, NLL or otherwise?

 ”Gavin Prout rocking Shawn Cable.” Vid evidence below (starts 8 tics in)…

“Gaby Roe sending JT into orbit on ESPN.” Vid evidence below…

“Meat (Eric Martin) hitting, crippling, then stepping over Mike Law.” Vid evidence below…

“Marty O’Neill laying out Tavares. Classic MILL stuff.”

“Mike Accursi flipping Veltman over in the air at Maple Leaf Gardens. Classic picture.” Click here for a Rock photo stream from Rock and Leafs’ official photog, Graig Abel. Shot of Veltman airborne is included.

“Ian Hawksbee’s hit on Tyler Codron last year.”

“When UBC product Tyler Codron rocked a sledgehammer into Kyle Hartzell’s dome.”

“One of my teammates snot bubbled (Urban Dictionary definition for those not familiar with the term snot bubble) a Bishop from OWU once so hard the players bottom teeth went through a mouth guard and his lip… and there was no foul on the play!”

“What about Tyler Crompton’s hit on Bonterre last Friday night? Nothing like a little kid from New West taking out a guy who looks like an NFL player!”

3. Pat Coyle and Regy Thorpe were considered by many to be the pro games hardest hitters. Who is the hardest hitter in the NLL today?

Note: Had an array of answers, including a couple guys not currently in the pro game. Here are the Top 10 guys in the league today as voted by the players.

1 Tyler Codron, Portland Lumberjax
2 Troy Bonterre, Rochester Knighthawks
3 Chris White, Buffalo Bandits
4 Bruce Murray, Colorado Mammoth
5 Jeff Moleski, Calgary Roughnecks
6 Scott Campbell, Toronto Rock
7 Cam Woods, Toronto Rock
8 Geoff Snider, Philadelphia Wings
9 Derek Suddons, Edmonton Rush
10 Eric Martin, San Jose Stealth

“Not in the game anymore, but Craig Gelsvik was by far the hardest hitter!”

“The infamous punch-check, although illegal, still hurts!” on Derek Suddons

“Jeff Zywicki. His training regime consists of eating Chipotle and playing 50 games of NHL a day, followed up by creeping people out on facebook.”

“You always have to know where he is on the floor for your own safety.” on Chris White

“Just a pure hard checker.” on Scott Campbell

“aka Bo Jackson.” on Tyler Codron

“Anyone he touches, flies!!!” on Troy Bonterre

“Might not have the rep yet, but Jeff Bigas was knocking guys around all weekend. More coming soon I’m sure.”

“Woodsy waits for one wrong step and then splatters you all over the floor. It’s usually from behind, but is always hurts for days.” on Cam Woods

4. Do you feel the NLL has done enough over the years to address the issue of high hits and/or concussions?

67% They’ve done as much as they can, but you’ll always get those guys that go high no matter what.
33% They can police things a little better and punish guys a bit harsher than they do now.

“They have to get control before it gets out of hand.”

“Just punish the repeat offenders harsher, increased fines and game suspensions with every high hit.”

“Some better helmets would probably help!”

“There’s still a lack of consistency with the calls. Every ref hands something different out. Or sometimes they are too sensitive. You never know what you’re going to get.”

“Dangerous hits should get three games minimum. Doubled for every hit after that. That’ll keep head hunters in check.”

Note: A number of teams throughout the NLL work with a system called IMPACT, one which many high level pro teams and colleges in the US also use. For more on this unique and useful concussion management system, visit IMPACT at www.impacttest.com

5. In one (or a couple) word(s), describe what it feels like when you get rocked by a monster hit.

“Embarrassing” which was the most popular answer

“Boom… roasted!”

“Mindboggling”

“Scrambled”

“Bo-wang-go!”

“Must be like what T-Rich feels after he loses 10 games of cards in a row.”

“Rhubarb!  The all encompassing lax term, exclusive to our sport.”

“It feels good if it is at the beginning of a game as it wakes you up and I seem to have a better game after. If it is too big then they are never fun.”

“No words. You look for revenge.”

Rate This Story:

(+101 rating, 23 votes)

 Loading ...