NLL Insider

The Buzz

Blaine Manning, Like A Rock

I’m a child of the 1980s and can’t help it. Whenever I see Blaine Manning’s name, I think of Andrew McCarthy’s character in the 1986 Molly Ringwald flick, “Pretty in Pink.”

While I’m pretty sure Blaine Manning’s tougher than Andrew McCarthy, I can say with absolute certainty that Blaine Manning is ready to carry the Rock on offense.  He told The Canadian Press that scoring just 21 goals last season motivated him into a serious workout routine.

“I’m feeling a lot stronger and in better shape than ever and it’s definitely going to help,” he says.

In other news:
Titans Belisle, Powell and Boyle to ring opening bell on Wall Street: NYTitansLacrosse.com
Fifteen players featured in lacrosse book: PR.com

The Buzz

Rock Revitalized, And a Better B2

You could pinpoint the turning point in Toronto’s victory in Chicago on Saturday night at the end of the first quarter. Chicago was up 3-2. Exit stellar Shamrox goaltender Brandon Miller due to equipment issues. The Rock goes on to win 11-9. But there were many other reasons Toronto grabbed the victory. This looks to be a much different Rock team than the last couple of years.

They were a perfect 7-for-7 on the power play where new addition Kasey Biernes blended into the mix as if he’d been there forever. They went 14-for-23 on face-offs (where they’d lost Patrick Merrill) led by free agent Peter Lough’s 11/18. They allowed a meager 9 goals against an improved and deeper Shamrox offence. The Manning/Wilson two-man game created a ton of scoring opportunities. Harasym and Scherman both acquitted themselves well in their Rock debuts. Sanderson and Benesch were crafty and dangerous as usual.

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The Buzz

We’re Off To A Great Start

What a game!

Now that’s how a season should start. Full arena, loud-ass crowd, a back and forth game that epitomized what the NLL is all about.  I think one of the brightest signs for the league right now is media coverage. Sure I didn’t see a single lacrosse clip on any of the major networks Plays of the Year, not even in the “we don’t have enough time for all the sports but here’s what we missed section,” but that’s another bone to pick at a later time.

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The Buzz

Familiar floor for Woods

Toronto Rock defenseman Cam Woods loved his time in Chicago, but it was time to get back closer to home.

The Shamrox obliged, worked out a trade to the Toronto Rock and now … Woods is back in Chicago. The Rock opens its season tomorrow in Chicago, a place Woods is all to familar with.

“Lots of emotion, that’s for sure,” Woods told The Canadian Press about playing playing aganist his old team. “As excited as I am to be playing for Toronto, it wasn’t easy leaving that team. They’re going to be a good team for years to come.”

In other news:
The Toronto Rock unveiled a new web site: TorontoRock.com
LumberJax resume training camp: OurSportsCentral.com

The Buzz

Rochester Proves Power of Power

Thanks to the wonder that is satellite television, I was able to catch the Altitude broadcast of the Colorado/Calgary game right from the comfort of my own home and thanks to the genius behind whatever makes my Blackberry work, I was also able to text message back-and-forth with my brother (Kurt is the GM/VP of the Roughnecks) during the game. 

Things were looking good for Calgary early on and I was sending Kurt messages of praise for acquiring Chugger and solving the goaltending issues which had plagued them for much of the ’07 season.  However, as the game progressed, I found that most of our messages were about the officiating rather than the game itself. 

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NLL Insider, The Buzz

U.S. Indoor Lacrosse Developing Talent

It is the time of year to spell out New Year’s resolutions.  The New Year gives us a fresh start to do better in our personal and professional lives.  I haven’t always had New Year’s resolutions.  For a while I was convinced that these types of life-changing resolutions should take place all throughout the year and not just on January 1^st. 

Nonetheless, it is a good time to evaluate your performance from 2007 and to refocus and set your sights on 2008.

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The Buzz

Wings ready to take off

There’s a new attitude in Philadelphia, thanks to new coach Dave Huntley.

When Huntley, your brand new coach, comes to town and proudly proclaims his belief that the Wings have “the best young talent in the NLL,” you don’t mind running a bit harder for the new boss. A few upgrades on each end of the floor, not the least of which is goalie Rob Blasdell, and the optimism in Philly is flying high.

All the positivity has the Wings hoping that 2008 is the season they return to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

By the way, Wings: Anytime is a good time to update the coaches page on your Web site to let us know that Huntley’s the coach.  

In other news:
Are the Shamrox a contender in the East? NLL.com

The Buzz

Best Players You’ve Never Heard Of

Happy 2008! The season that almost wasn’t is finally under way, and with a bang!! If the season-opener is any indication as to what we have in store this year, I think we are all in for a treat.

Before the season gets into full swing, I would like to take this opportunity to attempt to change the way most of you watch a game. As fans, we are very lucky in that the NLL is littered with superstars, and the makeup of the game allows the superstar to use the combination of stick and ball to do incredible things.

John Grant dancing a goalie, then shooting over his shoulder and hitting the top corner. Colin Doyle getting hit and taking a spinning shovel shot while falling. This is what makes the game so exciting. This is why people buy tickets, coming in as spectators but leaving as fans.

This is also why the stars get all the glory.

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The Buzz

Glad to be back

It’s getting crowded out in Chicago, but the Shamrox are making an impression.

Competing for headliner status at the Sears Centre with an indoor football team, a mixed martial arts team (huh?) and a now-defunct minor-league hockey team, the Shamrox appear to be the top draw and it’s a big reason they’re glad to be back for 2008, according to The Chicago Tribune. With an average attendance of 6,000 per game last season, the Shamrox consistently outdrew the Chicago Slaughter, a football team coached by former Bears defensive lineman Steve McMichael.

The other factor for survival? The league and its players being able to achieve labor peace.

In other news:
The Rochester Knightingales set to launch calendar: Knighthawks.net
Mammoth announce radio schedule: ColoradoMammoth.com

The Buzz

B2 needs to BBetter

Finally! The season’s underway. It always seems like an eternity between the Champion’s Cup game and the start of the next season. And when you’re a player or a coach, the pre-season feels like it will never end. You tend to get a little stale when your preparation is predominantly practice with next to no game action.

I took in last night’s ’08 season debut via the B2 broadcast. Although it was great to be able to take in the game on live video, the broadcast was lacking in a number of areas.

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The Buzz

Classic Rock

Brian Silcott may be none too pleased with the news, but Rock fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the Toronto Sun reports that their team is returning to the defense-heavy playing style that has served them so well in the past. With that question mark answered, Rock fans can go back to worrying about what really matters: whatever happened to Sister Satellite, and are they available Saturdays?

On the sad news front, the Rocky Mountain News has the story of the funeral for the Colorado Mammoth usher who was brutally killed several weeks ago in Denver.

In other Mammoth news, Dan Carey will be going One on One on the radio: coloradomammoth.com

And Rochester’s John Grant will be dropping the puck at tonight’s Amerks game: knighthawks.net

The Buzz

Time to get down to business!

So I have just spent the last few days enjoying time with friends and family, stuffing my face with delicious homemade turkeys with all the fixings and, if you are like me, a fair share of Christmas libations. But starting today it’s nothing but business for all 12 teams!

Wednesday was a yearly tradition: Boxing Day, while watching the future of Canadian hockey open the World Junior Hockey Championships. With a dominating win over the host Czech Republic, 3-0, the game gave us a glimpse of the next one, 17-year-old John Tavares. He scored two goals in his first tournament, showing the world he can play on the big stage. Ironically enough, in a few weeks, Uncle John Tavares will be taking his step on the big stage as he gets set to break the all time goals mark in the Bandits’ first two games, a huge opening home-and-home against I-90 rivals, Rochester Knighthawks.

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The Buzz

Locked and loaded in Denver

Mammothlogo

Bob McMahon is really liking the Christmas present he got in Denver.

“This is probably the most talented team I’ve seen in the league in the last six or seven years,” says the coach of the Mammoth, who open their NLL season Saturday night against the Calgary Roughnecks.

Denver’s first-year coach told The Denver Post of the expectations he’s put on himself and his team, which he expects to see atop the West Division.

In other news:
Big challenges for big names: The Canadian Press
Mammoth reach radio deal: Rocky Mountain News
Cordingley making the adjustment: The Mississauga News

The Buzz

All USA Team

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. 

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.

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The Buzz

NLL Rules

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.

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The Buzz

Get your fix of the mix

OK,  so maybe it’s a bummer you can’t watch all the 2008 games on your new 50-inch HD-whatever, but it’s still better than not watching any at all, right?

NLL games, for the third straight season, will be available for viewing on-line on B2 Networks. The first broadband broadcast is set for the Dec. 29 opener between the Colorado Mammoth and Calgary Roughnecks. Each and every game is available for viewing at $7 a pop and can be accessed at www.nll.com.

What else is going on in the NLL world? Well, a former Philadelphia Wing is now a head coach in the MLL: Phanatic Magazine

NLL Insider, The Buzz

Spandex, Labor and Dan Dawson

There is just over a week left until the season kicks off and I could not be more excited. The NLL has really come into its own over the past few years and I think the league is headed in the right direction both on and off the floor.

Yes, there have been some bumps along the way. Spandex shorts (yikes), Toronto turning the game into a slow-footed slugfest around the turn of the century and, of course, those nagging labor issues. However, everything occurs for a reason and I like what is happening now in the NLL.

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The Buzz

Young and old(er) will lead Rock

It hasn’t exactly been a fall from grace, but the Toronto Rock have been noticeably absent from the Champion’s Cup scene the last few seasons. It’s something the Rock wants changed, so the franchise is turning to young and old(er) for what it hopes is a climb back to its championship form.

Youngster Ryan Benesch, with 6 goals in an exhibition win over the weekend, appears to have picked up where he left off after winning last year’s NLL Rookie of the Year award.

On the other end of the spectrum, the venerable Jim Veltman is being counted on to lead by example before he heads into retirement. The 41-year-old will be working with a roster that includes 11 players that weren’t on the team at the start of last season

The Buzz

CBA Negotiations: Disaster averted again

As Yogi Berra once so eloquently put it, for me it was like “deja vu all over again.”

I’d just heard the announcement that the NLL had decided to cancel the 2008 season due to the inability to reach a labor agreement with the PLPA. The news dragged up memories of a similar lacrosse news thunderbolt I listened to 32 years ago. Then, I had just completed my first season as a player with the Boston Bolts of the original professional National Lacrosse League. I was home, eating breakfast and listening to the sports news on the radio before heading out to my off season employment, digging drainage trenches in the rain in a tree nursery. The story startled me. The NLL had announced it was folding operations.
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