The waiver wire went absolutely haywire on Tuesday, and we break down the two biggest moves of the day. The Atlas claimed Matt Rambo off waivers using the three-games-unprotected rule, and he will suit up for New York in Charlotte this weekend. We get into why it happened, whether it makes any sense at all, and what it says about a defending champion that is already in scramble mode without Jeff Teat. Then the Outlaws signed Ryan Croddick from Princeton and immediately flipped him to the California Redwoods for a 2027 first round pick. Brandon had a reaction. We also get into the 5-for-5 eligibility question and what it actually means for the value of that pick.
Before any of that, we go through the full Week 3 slate from Baltimore. Joey Spallina's pro debut was everything you wanted it to be: five points, zero turnovers, and his first goal assisted by a familiar face. Rob Pannell passed John Grant Jr. for second all-time in professional field lacrosse history. Jim Stagnitta broke the all-time coaching wins record and had a moment postgame that was hard not to appreciate. Denver took down the defending champions 16-9, Wisnauskas dropped a sock trick, and the Waterdogs continued to look like a team that hasn't figured out what it is yet.
The WLL might have already played the game of the season. Maryland Charm 18, California Palms 17 in overtime. Three goals scored in the final minute of regulation. We watched it, we talked about it, and we also get into what the one-game-a-week format is doing to the league's momentum, because that conversation needs to happen.
We close with the Tewaaraton. Shawn Lyght of Notre Dame became the first defenseman in the history of the men's award. We talk about whether this is a one-off or a sign that the award is finally evolving, and what it meant that neither Spallina nor Kabiri was able to separate himself enough to take it.
If you want to keep talking about this stuff between episodes, the Lax Lifers Club is where that happens. JOIN HERE
Neil Barrett: Welcome, welcome, welcome to the runout. I am Neil Barrett. He is Brandon Hooton. We have so much going on this week. The WLL might have already played the game of the season. The waiver wire has been absolutely on fire today. And the Tawariton Award made history last week. But before we get into all of that, as always, Brandon, how you doing, man?
@HootSportsMedia: Good. Had a week off from pretty much everything, so not everything I guess, but much much needed rest. Other than that, just hanging out. Most of what I have to say of how my weekend went relates to the Outlaws game, so I won't say anything now. I'll save that for ⁓ a later time.
Neil Barrett: I saw the the camping the camping was this weekend, right?
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ Memorial Day weekend, but I posted them this weekend, yes.
Neil Barrett: ⁓ okay, okay. For some re I saw the pictures and I was like, ⁓ those are those were dope. And I thought it was ⁓ I thought it was this weekend that you had gone, but ⁓ I couldn't remember. So all right, so that was that was Memorial Day weekend. Okay. All right. Well, either way, the pictures look dope. Look apparently you're as good of a nature photographer as you are, you know, sports photographer.
@HootSportsMedia: I wouldn't I wouldn't say that. I would say I I definitely got lucky with some cool skies. ⁓ and a frog right before we left that happened to be at our campsite somehow. So that was cool. But ⁓ yeah, definitely a test a test of my creativity to say the least. ⁓ don't think I'm gonna do that much unless I'm asked. But hey, it's always it's always good to challenge yourself, I guess, and I'm just glad that I had something that I thought was at least remotely good.
Neil Barrett: Now that you've said it though, you're gonna get asked. Or now that you've posted I mean.
@HootSportsMedia: If I look, if if someone wants to pay me to take nature photos, my line's always open, alright? You can you can pay me to take pretty much with any photo any photos you want. But just know that sports is like my niche, alright? Anything else, I'm willing to try, but I I'm just saying.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. All right. Well at least you did it. I d you know, that's cool. ⁓ unfortunately, since since our last episode, your ⁓ your Colorado Avalanche did not make the Stanley Cup Finals, so we're not gonna get a
@HootSportsMedia: We already talked about that last week.
Neil Barrett: No, we didn't. They hadn't even won yet.
@HootSportsMedia: Yes we did. We w recorded on Wednesday last week. They lost on Tuesday. Run the clip. Run the clip. I promise we talked about it. But since then, since you brought it up, apparently Kale McCarr couldn't even take his own skates off after game four. So that was that's fun that we're just playing with an injured Kale. And then you start hearing I I'm not gonna go into a whole rant. Go go if you guys are into hockey that are listening, go go watch the video where they're talking about the injuries some of these dudes are playing through. I don't know how hockey players do it. I I it makes me even more mad that
Neil Barrett: As he goes into a whole rant.
@HootSportsMedia: We're even that injured and we gotta figure that out for next year 'cause that's crazy. And then McFarland goes and leaves for the Predators today. So best of luck to him. GM Joe Sakick is back, baby. We're coming for the cup next year. But in the meantime, go Canes for Michael Harrison.
Neil Barrett: Did you I'm sitting right here.
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ you're I didn you're a Keynes guy now? I d I wasn't sure.
Neil Barrett: What you mean now? Do I gotta go pull out my jerseys from over there? Is that what I gotta do? I gotta go grab my hat off the shelf? What you want from me?
@HootSportsMedia: The streets haven't seen it. I'm just saying, the street the streets haven't seen it.
Neil Barrett: The street listen, you haven't seen it. The streets have seen it. I've d I've done I've done hurricanes heads, like dyed heads. I have done all kinds of hurricane stuff in in my lacrosse social media thing.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Hmm. Well hey, I hope I hope they win for you too then, since you know, I don't know when the last time you saw your team win a championship was. So I'll support my friends.
Neil Barrett: Thank you. I was alive in twenty twenty six, or I mean in two thousand six. You I I recognize you were two, three, but
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ it's more than that, but it's it's I mean all right.
Neil Barrett: I was I was twenty I was twenty. I I hadn't yet turned twenty one. I was twenty.
@HootSportsMedia: See, so so you remember the peak feeling, that's good. I feel bad for the kids that had their teams win don't remember it. Like that would suck.
Neil Barrett: I mean, that's that's fair. Yeah, no, we ⁓ we actually ⁓ we went and my group of friends went down and there's a there's a the the arena that the hurricanes play in is kind of in the middle of nowhere. It it's in Carrie, it's not really in the middle of nowhere, but there's nothing really in the immediate vicinity except for one like restaurant bar tavern thing. ⁓ and we went to that tavern and watched the game there the night they won the Stanley Cup. in in two thousand six. ⁓ so that was that was as close as we could get. ⁓ I I do have a friend that has has said that she's going to check on ticket prices and if she can swing it, she's gonna get us tickets. ⁓ so hopefully that happens. I that would that would be crazy. I'm I'm hoping that that happens. I'm also kind of hoping that we lose one game so that we can win at home. But I'll take any win.
@HootSportsMedia: That's gonna be crazy. I was like, what?
Neil Barrett: I'll take I'll take anyone we can get. I don't care how it happens, but if I could if I could have my druthers, I would love to win it at home. So we would need to lose one game. Kind of like we did in Montreal, you know. ⁓ lose one game and and and win it at home. I'll I'll take that.
@HootSportsMedia: Why not why not just lose three games and go seventh?
Neil Barrett: How about no? I don't ⁓ no. Game seven's ⁓ too risky.
@HootSportsMedia: Win at home. When at home. Highest stakes in sports.
Neil Barrett: I mean, sure for you that's fun. For me, that's a heart attack.
@HootSportsMedia: No, no, no. It's it's well I mean, yeah, it's it would be fun as a hockey fan. It's it's not fun if it's your team but
Neil Barrett: Right. No, I I would much rather
@HootSportsMedia: Look, after this after this and the NBA we're back down to like baseball. I and soccer, which is your thing, but like
Neil Barrett: We we we do have the World Cup. You gonna watch the World Cup? no. You should watch the World Cup. It's great.
@HootSportsMedia: Congrats to all the all the guys who made it. I hope they stay healthy. That's my take on the World Cup. I shouldn't say we that's all we have. We still we still have the PL. But I just mean from a from a general standpoint, it's yes, from the general standpoint, like that's one time a week and you know, you go from having sport, you know, every sport imaginable every night basically for, you know, eight months to once a weekend and then baseball and soccer.
Neil Barrett: You should watch the World Cup. We do, that's true. And the WLO. You sexist. Yeah. Yeah. I was ⁓ I was I was gonna bring this up when we when we get to the W D to the WLL later. ⁓ but yeah, like the the worst part about the WLL is that it's one game. You get one game a weekend. I'm like, what the heck?
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. We don't even see every team. It's just Yeah. I was thinking about that too, 'cause how are we gonna vote for all stars?
Neil Barrett: ⁓ there's only four teams, like we couldn't I know, I know. They're cause they'll they'll have played what two game b all teams will have played like two games by the time All-Star game rolls around. Yeah, that's that's nothing. That being said, I did vote for All Stars today for the helmet hunt thing, so you know, it's not that much better. So
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Two games. Yeah, I I thought the same actually. I was like, I don't know. These guys have had a couple good games, so we'll put we'll put them in there for now.
Neil Barrett: Also, also, did you ha did you did you have this issue? I had an issue where I was like, this guy was really good, but he's listed as an attackman and he hasn't been playing an attack. I'm trying to think of who the players specifically were. There was an attackman that I wanted to vote for, or someone that was listed as an attackman, but I was like, he's ri he's really been playing midfield. And then there was a midfielder. Sam King was one of them. I can't remember which one he was, but but the guys were listed in in the wrong positions from what they have been playing. And I was like
@HootSportsMedia: Well, it doesn't really help when you have a team that just shuffles the positions like it's nothing.
Neil Barrett: That's fair. That's fair. ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: The league was probably just like, just put him up there. It doesn't matter where it goes. Just
Neil Barrett: I know and and honestly it's we've still got what a ⁓ a month before the All Star game. Like why am I voting on this now anyway? well I mean I know why. It's 'cause of the stupid helmet hunt thing. ⁓ that I'm not even gonna get you know what? Mike Ray was probably gonna tweet in the middle of our recording and we're both gonna miss the the freaking pro seven.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. ⁓ don't don't you worry, I have alerts set up. I am ready.
Neil Barrett: I said I set up the alerts for both the Rapels too for this exact thing.
@HootSportsMedia: I I have I have alerts for so many accounts right now, my phone's going off like crazy on multiple apps 'cause I'm like I I just want a chance. If I lose out 'cause I'm too slow, okay. But at least I can say I tried. And we'll see.
Neil Barrett: It's it's so dumb because I don't I don't even really care. Like I don't care. Like you said, if I l if I miss out, I miss out. Like whatever. I don't care, but also I'm like, I gotta do everything I can to win for no reason whatsoever. It's so dumb.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. One of ninety nine. It's like a trading card, but just a photo of a digital helmet. We're basically chasing NFTs, again.
Neil Barrett: That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. ⁓ yeah, that's exactly what they are. Cause they're they're just digital helmets that could maybe could maybe win you a real helmet. Although although did you see several of them are tied to how many people are participating, and one of them was like
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah, I did. Like the beans one is eighteen thousand.
Neil Barrett: ⁓ yeah, I was like eighteen there's no way we're getting to eighteen thousand it's it's not happening.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. And I I don't know if I don't know if they literally mean eighteen thousand people or if they mean like eighteen thousand like check ins or tasks or something. Like but eighteen I mean, today we're only at like fifteen hundred or something, so
Neil Barrett: We haven't even Wait, there so there's actually you can actually see the number I was wondering about that. Like like the the first one's what, five thousand? And I was like, ⁓ okay, but how do I know where we are?
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, so so if you go to your PLO nation where it says the community, it says like right now mine says two thousand eight hundred forty six out of eighteen thousand. And then it has like the tracker, ⁓ So I would assume that means there's, you know, two thousand people that have done something. But I eighteen thousand just feels gonna have to make eighteen thousand fake accounts and
Neil Barrett: Like we're never we're never gonna get there.
@HootSportsMedia: Sign in.
Neil Barrett: Well, and I know we talked about this in in in our group chat, but the fact that one of the helmets you can only get by physically being at the games in Carolina this weekend is so ridiculous.
@HootSportsMedia: Yep.
Neil Barrett: Like you have already been to a game you've already been to one game this year. Are am I right that you're going to the All Star game as well?
@HootSportsMedia: No, no, no, not this year. Just just Utah and Denver.
Neil Barrett: Okay, Utah and Denver. Are you are you gonna are you planning to go back to Utah? Right. Are you Okay. Okay. But either way, you will you will have done two weekends and you won't get you won't get this stupid helmet thing because of reasons. Cause they just did it on the week you weren't involved. And but and and vice versa. Like I you know, i they could have done it y in Utah week one and and
@HootSportsMedia: But I've already been I've already been to one weekend though. So ⁓ I haven't fully decided that. Probably not, but
Neil Barrett: Ever all I would have been screwed like, you know it doesn't make any sense to me. I don't understand
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. It's alright. I'm I'm hoping they add like a secondary like do this thing to earn it. 'Cause I'm I I'm willing to like do the tasks. I just I'm not gonna buy a flight to Carolina just to get a fake helmet.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. I l I literally watched fifteen videos today to j just to get one of these stupid fake helmets that doesn't mean anything. ⁓ You know, whatever. Anyway, let's talk about the games on the field. How about that? ⁓ let's start. Obviously the PL week three was in Maryland this weekend, the hometown Maryland Whipnik Whipnakes. Am I what's going on today? My brain is broken, I think. Well, let's try that again. The hometown Maryland Whip Snakes won against the Boston Cannons 17-10. It was first-round draft pick Joey Spilina's pro debut. He finished the game with two goals, three assists, and zero turnovers. His first career goal was actually assisted by his Syracuse teammate Billy Duan III. And he also had the assist ⁓ in which Rob Pennell recorded his 335th goal and six hundred and forty-fourth career point to surpass John Grant Jr. for second all time in professional field lacrosse history for points. I know you are a John Grant Jr. guy. What does what does RP3 passing junior say in your mind?
@HootSportsMedia: I'm probably the wrong person to ask 'cause I have not seen the majority of RP three's points. but it speaks to longevity, which is cool and on a team like that especially where they're all maybe not all, but they're moving to a younger unit, you know, collectively. Like it's pretty cool that someone like him can hang around. And honestly, when there's been a lot of talk about like, you know, should he really be on the roster and things of that nature, it is cool to be like, Well, he's still producing at a high level. He's obviously helping the young guys too. And I think I mean say what you want about the Archers not picking Joey. He probably landed in a in a perfect position right now with a guy like Pennell who he's known his whole life and, you know, being able to benefit from not only him but then the younger guys as well with Malone and and Pachra and whatnot. So ⁓ yeah, I mean it's I've said it all the time. You always need veterans on your teams. No matter how young your team is, you need those vets that are gonna be able to spit game and also produce too like I watched the Nuggets win a championship with the Andre Jordan on the bench. He never he like never played. But h him just being there was helpful for us. So seeing someone like RP three have that role and be, you know, four points a night is really, really cool and he doesn't look that old, so
Neil Barrett: No, no. Well, and and you know, we we had the conversation a couple weeks ago, I think, about the the odds that he was going to he I think he's twenty points behind Paul, or he was at the start of the season. He was twenty points behind Paul ⁓ for first place, ⁓ and whether or not he could make it. The way he's playing it right the way he's playing right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see him break the record this season. ⁓ and and I think that you're you're definitely right ⁓ about We we'll talk a little bit later ⁓ about Joey and and you know whether or not he should or shouldn't have been ⁓ number one. like I said, we'll talk about that in minute. But ⁓ I I think that you there is some some truth there about the idea of like he he landed in probably the right spot, not just the right spot for him, but like you said, the right spot for Rob Pinnell as well. Because I think I think it's taken some pressure off of Rob Pinnell to be that guy. To be that quarterback. And like you said, he's he's able to to teach some of these younger guys clearly the future of that team is Joey Spilina and TJ Malone and Aiden Carroll and those guys. and the he has that ability to teach them while still contributing to the roster. What the hell was just on my face? and I I think that that is. Like I said, it it's important for Joey, but it's also important for Rob. And I I think that ⁓ the whip snakes have in a in a weird way somehow slow played this into the right move for them because last year I think pretty much everyone thought Rob Pennell should be gone from from Maryland. ⁓ I I I didn't even think he should have gone to Maryland in in the first place. ⁓ but obviously that that was the decision that was made and then they decided to keep him and then somehow Joey Spilina falls into their lap. And like I said, they have just kind of slow played their way into this fantastic situation for them. and and where where they have a they have a legitimate claim at at least currently being the best team in the league. We'll talk more about that later. ⁓ I don't need you to react to that because I'll ask you later. But ⁓ there's at least a a conversation to be had around whether or not they are. the best team in the league right now. ⁓ That ⁓ that game also tied Jim Stagnita for all-time record in wins. We will get to the second game of the weekend in just a minute. But the first game on Saturday saw your Denver Outlaws ⁓ beat the New York Atlas 16 to 9 in a rematch of last year's championship game. ⁓ before the game, before the weekend really, it was announced that Jeff Teep would be out for the entirety of the season ⁓ with a season ending shoulder that's hard to say season ending shoulder surgery. Ooh, try and say that five times real fast. ⁓ obviously that's a huge, huge miss for them. ⁓ you you can't replace Jeff Teat. That's not that's although they ⁓ they have apparently tried, but again we'll get to that in minute. ⁓ What what do you think their championship odds look like now? I I wouldn't have had them very high even before Jeff Teat was out for the season, but that that feels like a pretty big blow to them.
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ I don't know. It's tough 'cause it's early and they could turn it around. ⁓ 'cause I still think they have a great unit. The I mean, anytime you have one of the best goalies in the in the world, you're you're gonna have a chance, as far as I'm concerned. ⁓ see Brett Dobson as a perfect example. ⁓ and I mean they're getting possessions with Baptiste, they still have a lot of great offensive guys. That said, like you lose Adler in the offseason. I don't feel like we've seen their defense look great.
Neil Barrett: That's fair.
@HootSportsMedia: without him. ⁓ I'm not saying that he was their only good defender, but it is kinda like, okay, at some point someone else has to step up and and assume that role. This I mean, you gave up sixteen goals in this game without Pat Kavanaugh playing. You know, I I that's not very good. So as far as their championship odds, I still would have them above a couple other teams just because I think you have to give them that respect as the defending champs and and again if they turn it around then cool. And I also do think there's a couple teams right now that are really hot. that I don't fully know are gonna stay hot and so from that perspective it's like does that even out towards the end of the year and give Atlas a bump up, I I think so. But yeah, like you said, you can't replace Jeff Teat, ⁓ with a caliber e anywhere close to Jeff Teat necessarily. ⁓ I mean there are ways you can probably get around it with some of those guys they have. I know there's there's you know, having train red attack should help ⁓ a little bit, but it's still just kinda like it's still a tough loss no matter how you how you dice it.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Well, to your point, obviously, I think I think anytime you have Liam Enterman in Cole, you're gonna have a chance to to win games. ⁓ and and then of course you like you said, you have you've ⁓ almost called him Brett Dobson. That's not what I meant. ⁓ Je ⁓ Trevor Baptiste. I almost then I wanted to call him Jeff Baptiste. I told you, my brain my brain is broken today. Anyway, then you have Trevor Baptiste and and everything, but ⁓ you know, a conversation that that you and I were having a lot last year, ⁓ not just about the Atlas. We had it about the the the Denver Outlaws as well, ⁓ but about how much how much Jeff Bab It's ridiculous. Now I wanted to call Jeff Teat Jeff Baptiste. how much having Jeff almost it again, Jeff Teat ⁓ on on that offense helps Connor Schellenberger and frees him up and gives him space and different looks and stuff. And I I'm not saying that Connor Schellenberger isn't having the season he had last year solely because of Jeff Teat's absence. Like it's not a one-to-one thing, but When you watch the outlaw, the Atlas play right now, it he doesn't look the same player at all. And and whether that's just him putting pressure on himself because he doesn't have Jeff T, that was again one of the things that we talked about with the with the ⁓ outlaws last year was how much Brennan O'Neill and Pat Kavanaugh's presence helped the other one out so much. ⁓ they didn't have to put it all on themselves. They were able to, you know. They got different looks and stuff just because there was another threat on their offense. And that I think is one of the more concerning points for me. Obviously, like you said, the defense giving up 16 goals, even with Liam Intamin in net. And it's not even like Liam Intamin played poorly. Like they just gave up that many shots. Right. They just gave up that many shots and that many good looks. ⁓ and and again, that's without Brendan O'Neill shooting well. ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: He had a very good game.
Neil Barrett: So that being said, I I think I think the Denver Outlaws are the other team that really has a claim at being the best team in the league right now. So to your point, is this an early season thing that they'll start figuring out? They'll start putting some pieces together. Again, we'll get into some of the moves that they have made over the last 24 hours or so. But ⁓ you know, ⁓ do they start figuring it out and putting it together and and maybe Maybe in a f in in another month or two this game looks completely different. Maybe. It is still very early. This was essentially week one, ⁓ with you know, total rosters. And even that, even that isn't necessarily the case either, because, you know, like you said, the the Denver Outlaws are missing Pat Kavanaugh and everything. So ⁓ I I think I think what you said though that is is like 100% true is They're not the they're they don't have the lowest championship odds. Are they do they look like a team that's gonna repeat this year? No, but there are teams that look worse than they do for sure. So, you know. ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, and just one quick thing too. A direct comp comparison is the Outlaws. Like, you watch their offense the first two weeks, it didn't look good without Pat. And we were like, Okay, he has to come back 'cause it doesn't look good. All of a sudden here comes game three and it's like, ⁓ okay. Like, we can find ways around it. So that's the other thing of of this is I think it's just taking Atlas a minute to just kinda kick start and be like, Okay, he's not there. It is what it is, what are we gonna do about it? How are we gonna fix it? So I'll give him some time. 'Cause I think they have the talent to do so. ⁓ Not necessarily referring to the exact move they made, but just in general, so
Neil Barrett: Yeah. being being an outlaws fan, I did want to say, you know, what what I'm kind of glad that you brought that up. What what do you think was the key? ⁓ what you know, what made them look so dare. I obviously it probably helps that I don't want to say Atlas's defense is not good, but they certainly didn't have a good day, that's for sure. but but also ⁓ you know, outlaws also looked better. So, you know, in your mind, what what's that look what's that down to?
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ they let Wiz cook. Finally. I've said it for three straight weeks, two straight weeks, that a dude that's that accurate needs more shots. He comes out, he takes more shots, he drops his first career sock trick. Like, when you have a guy like Bernhardt, who's already athletic, can get open whenever he wants, and now he can dish it, that's a big help. And then on top of that, if you watch the first half of that game versus the second, Brennan was not forcing shots in the second half. He was passing the ball very well. And it got to the point where. He wasn't hitting them, but he was getting open looks again because now you have to respect his passing as opposed to that first half. It was just like ⁓ one on one, Brandon, we're just gonna take it and shoot it and hope it works out. So it's a combination of of things, but it's like once they settled in and were like, okay, we can beat this team off immediately with the first step, every time. I mean, JB Ten literally beat his matchup every time. ⁓ and then you have accuracy with Wiz. You have great passing from the other guys, like that type of stuff. is gonna win you a lot of games. But I just think they were sort of unwilling to stray away from the one on one solo hero ball kind of games, the first two games, to where now it's like, okay, Brennan, take your shots, but if you're just missing, like we can't just keep having you just chuck shots all game long and hope it goes in. So ⁓ but overall, shout out to Wiz.
Neil Barrett: Well I I thought in this game, I can't say it wasn't happening in in in the other games, but I don't know. Something about it felt different. I thought Brennan was getting to his spots. He was getting to good locations and he was getting good shots. He just was missing, which is really weird. And we talked about it a little bit last week about the idea of like he's been shooting on a smaller cage. So like, why is he missing the like? Like I'm not he's not missing by miles or anything, but it he's getting good looks and good shots. And he's just not even not even making the goalie work or anything. He's just missing them. And I just it it's just really weird. But to your point, I I think he's he's stayed active and everything. The the big thing I thought was moving JB 10 to back to the midfield just gives this offense such a balance that it it doesn't have even when Pat Kavanaugh's not on the field to have that. That midfield initiator that, like you said, can beat his man every single time. It doesn't matter if he's got a pole or a shorty or what you know, he could have he probably could have had Ryan Terrafenko on it. He could have had, you know, the best S SSDM in the league on him. Doesn't matter. He's going to beat them pretty much at will. and there's just so much that they do off of that, even if even if it's not him getting a a look or a shot. He he creates movement in that defense and just opens stuff up. And especially for a team like the Atlas, who who again at the very least didn't have a good day. We'll see how good that that defense can can turn themselves into. But at least this past weekend did not have a good day. ⁓ they they couldn't seem to hit to find a second slide. There was pretty much always somebody open on the backside. And it like you said, Wiz Wiz is the kind of dude that when when you can get him good looks, he's going to hit shots. It's just, you know, how quickly they can get those. Yeah.
@HootSportsMedia: He he had some beauties from the wrong side of the field that I was like, How did you even like there's no angle on that? How did you even and and like I've I've mentioned several times, he's not athletic the same way other attackmen are. So you're gonna have to scheme some things up for him. But then like I just said, there's also a lot of times where like he had the one where JB Ten just attacked the cage, defense slid, and ⁓ here's a pass to whiz for wide open goal. Like that stuff's open all the time. And especially like even Brennan's only goal.
Neil Barrett: Right. Right.
@HootSportsMedia: That was a miss if Antamon's foot isn't there. That thing's going wide of the cage. And so I think. So it's kind of like if that stuff's happening to where he literally can't get it on cage, you need to rely on some other guys. And sure, it might be more of a burden to have to scheme things up versus saying, hey, take the ball and just do whatever. If that's what it takes, like that's what it takes. And that's where I will give Sudo credit, because that that second half was so much different from the first. The first half I was like, this is dumb. Like we're just.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah, he was sliding wide.
@HootSportsMedia: It's hero ball the entire time and let's just hope it falls and it doesn't fall and then we just run around like chickens with our heads cut off and all of a sudden it was like we're still the best team in the league. So let's hope let's hope that continues, but
Neil Barrett: Well and it And you get you you start getting these shots from Brennan to fall and I mean watch out. Like it seems gonna go nuts. And again, they still don't have Pat Kavanaugh, which was another thing that was kind of weird about this this game was that he was on the roster, he was playing, and then what, an ⁓ a few hours before the game, suddenly he was out again? I I I don't know, like I don't even think he had practiced or anything. I I think ⁓ I don't know. It it was a It was a whole weird thing. ⁓ so it'll be interesting to see what happens with him over the next few weeks and and whether or not we actually see him ⁓ take the field. ⁓ hopefully, hopefully that's the case. But let's move over to the Maryland Whip Snakes' second home game of the weekend that saw them beat the Utah Archers eight to five. Jim Stagnita's ninety-sixth career win. He passed BJ O'Hara.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah.
Neil Barrett: For the all-time MLL slash PLL coaching record. ⁓ he had a great quote post-game about how ⁓ he hadn't scored a goal, he he hadn't made a stop, he'd just been fortunate enough to have great players around him. ⁓ and I thought that was really cool. Staggs is one of those funny dudes that like everybody loves, even though he is like this like grumpy old man. ⁓ I he's so funny to me. ⁓ and it was cool to see. That side of him. Also, also his his ⁓ his daughter was there with his first grandchild. ⁓ so there was a really cool interview ⁓ talking about how ⁓ his grandchild never does anything wrong. ⁓ it was just funny to see like the the grumpy old man of stags having these like very light, like human moments. ⁓ so that was pretty cool. ⁓ Aiden Carroll was s over 72% in this game. ⁓ the third time He's been over 70% in just 12 career games, which is ⁓ crazy. ⁓ Aiden Maguire, the number one overall pick, did make his ⁓ PLL debut in this game. ⁓ I guess now is as good a time as any it obviously it's one game. How are we feeling about ⁓ Aiden Maguire having going number one?
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ it's it's it's one game but it's not one game. ⁓ I don't know. I think I'm not knocking the strategy that Bates wants to implement. Like I I understand the idea of like you need to find something, especially after the season they had. I d I don't mind that he's trying something. The issue is that's gonna take quite a while, I think, to come together. And so expecting anything less than this, or or anything more than this rather, I think is a little bit, you know, pump the brakes there. I I j I just don't know what like I don't even know what to say about their offense. It just doesn't make sense right now. ⁓ Everyone plays every position, but they don't all play it well necessarily and just I don't
Neil Barrett: Yeah, I I don't understand or like this. It reminds me of like like 2020, everyone was like, ⁓ we're gonna play positionless lacrosse. And that died out about as quick as it it started. It was all this like, ⁓ you gotta have these really good two-way guys. And you know, Brian Costabile was at like the top of everyone's list of players that they would potentially want in a free agency, which at that point I don't believe existed, if I remember correctly. I think it came out a year or two after that. ⁓ so it it reminded me the idea reminds me a lot of that time period in the PLL of this positionless lacrosse and nobody's it's gonna be almost, almost like it is in the NLL of like we just have offensive players and we we essentially have ⁓ defensive players and that's everyone else is kind of Or everyone kind of fits into those two categories and even those ta the two categories are are kind of flimsy. ⁓ and I just don't it doesn't make any sense to me the just the overall strategy of like what he's trying to do. But even even if that's the strategy that you want, like there's a reason why short stick defensive midfielders ⁓ aren't number one picks. And And I know short stick defensive midfielders are going to have a problem with me saying this, but they're not for me, they're one of those people that can be the difference between winning a championship and losing a championship, but they're not going to take a bottom level team to a championship. Does that make sense? Like it's it's It's an important position to have. I think the the Archers previously won because of Latrell Harris and and Piper Bond and and b ⁓ Connor Maher and those that that core that they had built out. I think the whip snakes were won in large part due to Ty Warner. ⁓ the the Redwoods good rosters had ⁓ Patrick Harbison, who I think is an insanely underrated ⁓ short stick defensive midfielder. So it it It's a p it's a necessary position. It's a position that you need, especially if you have championship aspirations. I I don't even know why I went that far back. The Atlas have Danny Logan. Like I I don't think that you can win a championship without having that level of player. That the outlaws have Ryan Terrafinko. Like you need to have that that position. But The out the outlaws of, or I guess they were Chrome at that point, the Chrome of 2022 were not a Ryan Terrafenko away from winning a championship. Like, so the the idea of why you would take Aiden Maguire, and again, Duke I love Aiden Maguire. The dude is a stud, he's a great short stick defensive midfielder, and he will have a long career in this league if he wants to, assuming, you know, the MSL doesn't come calling, I guess. But it it just never made sense, especially when you watched this Archers team play last year and you're like, the thing they're missing is Joey Spilina. Like what what that kid offers is the exact same is the exact thing that they are missing. And I think when you watched the Archers this weekend and previously, they've they averaged five goals a game this year, you can tell like They they need help on that offensive end, even though there's great names over there. You know, Connor Farr ⁓ not Connor Farrell, Connor Fields, Sam King. I love like there are there's some great players on that offense, but and it obviously it doesn't help that Grant A. Mint and Tom Schreiber are still out and hurt, but like I don't want to like keep rehashing the same conversation that we had at the draft, but like you see it on the field. You see what Joey's doing, and then you see what what the archers are doing. And how clearly they need a player who can do what Joey does. And it's like What are what are we doing? ⁓ so I don't know. Just not not just because of the result, because of the the eight-five win, but just because of how inept they look on the offensive end of the field and how much they seem to be wanting to like put a square peg and a round hole and have these short stick defensive midfielders be Consistent offenses are it's one thing to come down on a fast break and to to, you know, not get picked up and and hit a goal or something. ⁓ but the but the idea of making them like an active part of your offensive scheme just seems crazy.
@HootSportsMedia: Well, I mean, you have Piper Bond taking as many shots as Mecho Keefe, as many shots as Ryan Steins, Mason Woodward, same thing. Like it again, I'm not knocking the idea of what what Bates is doing 'cause I'm not a coach, but it's also just kinda like y you gotta you gotta lean on your offensive stars, and I don't feel like they're doing that right now a ton. I mean, Fields had four shots. Like
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's insane.
@HootSportsMedia: That's your that's your star attackman. Now, maybe there's there's gonna be games when, you know, your stars don't have to shoot as much or whatnot, but like, come on. Like the you're you're holding teams to eight goals. That should be a win every single time. And that's where it's like maybe if they had another pure offensive talent, like something like that could happen where they're winning even if they're winning nine eight, cool, like they're wins. But every game they've played, like you're saying, even in their win, like it's it's their low scoring and
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah.
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ yeah, I just I just don't know like where they go from here roster wise and trying to figure out, you know, who's playing attack or are we truly just gonna start shuffling and just being like, Okay, next man's now on attack and like i I just don't get it.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Well, and to your point earlier about Liam Insman, the same thing it is true for Brett Dobson. As l as long as Brett Dobson is on that field, they are going to have a chance to win. Like you very correctly pointed out, they only gave up eight goals. That should be a game that you win every single time. ⁓ there's there's no there's no excuse for For only giving up eight goals and only putting up five makes no sense whatsoever. and so in that aspect, you gotta think that if if they can even remotely figure out the offense, they could be fairly dangerous just because that defense is playing very well. And again, Brett Dobson and Cage is always gonna give you a chance. I I just kind of like you were saying, I don't. I don't know what what options they have at offense unless they just find a whole bunch of good players in the player pool or or wherever. ⁓ I I just don't
@HootSportsMedia: Mm. They could they could have signed that one dude that hasn't played for the team they played this weekend.
Neil Barrett: All and Are you're not talking about who the Atlas just signed, are you?
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I I am. I am indeed.
Neil Barrett: No. ⁓ geez. ⁓ now that now that we've covered both of Maryland's games, I did wonder. Actually, I'll I'll ask you. Let's let's finish the games and then I'll I'll ask you just just in case. ⁓ I don't wanna I don't wanna pre I don't wanna presume your answer. Let's let's ⁓ move on. The final game of the weekend saw the Carolina Chaos defeat the Philadelphia Water Dogs 10 to 8.
@HootSportsMedia: They're the second best team in the league.
Neil Barrett: Chad Palumbo, your boy, ⁓ made his debut, had an incredible behind-the-back assist ⁓ early in the game, and then sealed the game with two goals. Blaze Reardon made 14 saves, and Philadelphia shot four for thirty-eight in the final three quarters. ⁓ I don't even know where to start with this game. Just you you just go and and take it and and I'll jump it.
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ Chad Palumbo, leading scorer for Carolina. Didn't have that on my bingo card, but awesome to see. Seven shots. ⁓ I was really impressed with the behind the back assist until I saw the compilation today of him doing that in high school over and over and over. So I guess that's just what he does. so no, but that's even better, because I I would have thought that too.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Did you hear him say he thought he threw it in the dirt? Yeah, we he he said when he when he he said when he threw it, he thought he threw it in the dirt. He thought he totally screwed the play up and then suddenly saw the guy throw it into the you know, shoot it into the back of the g goa and he was like, ⁓ crap, I guess that worked. And I was like, What do you mean you didn't even like know it was gonna work when you did it?
@HootSportsMedia: Well hey. Hey, if he can make that work, awesome. ⁓ Yeah, I mean I mean Blaze was was great. ⁓ both defenses I thought were were all right. I mean you you got two low scoring offenses in this one. ⁓ CJ Kirst picked up essentially where he left off in the NL. ⁓ outside of that, I felt like it was kind of lackluster. I mean, Kieran a and Sours both had three points, but other than that, it was just kinda like you got you got one point from Courier, one from McConvey, one from Yago, nothing from Hannah Kelly. You know, it's just you gotta get more offensively. ⁓ th this is a similar situation, I think, to Utah as far as they have a lot of questions about who's playing where right now. And I just I think they're gonna have to really kinda go through and figure out like, okay, this set of guys needs to play, but then outside of you know, inside of those those lineups, who's playing attack, who's playing midfield, how many touches are each guy's getting, you know, who's shooting the most. Like I just and thankfully Their three attackmen shot the most in this game. But I would like to see some of his other guys get better looks. I mean, Connor Kelly went over seven. Jack Hannah was O for five. ⁓ you know, let's get Zach Courier a shot. Zach Courier plays offense a lot of times in the NL. He can he can score the ball. Like let's get him some looks. So, I don't know, I'd like to see more from that. I think defensively, I know they made some moves this week as well, so we'll see about, you know, how that helps them. ⁓ I didn't think DeLuca was bad though either. I mean he fifty eight percent save percentage, fourteen saves. This was probably his best I think it's his best game of the season, if I'm not mistaken. So also this was a game before I jump back let you run with it, ⁓ Raoulette didn't play as well, so not sure what's going on with that one, but I'm not saying they're better without him, but they did play well without him. I was kinda curious to see like, okay, you know, are they gonna still be a a good defense and I think Blaze definitely helps with that, but I was impressed defensively at least for for the most part.
Neil Barrett: Yeah, I think I think like you, I was I was a little worried, like, ⁓ what are they gonna look like without without Jack Rollett? Especially when when I mean, I know we've talked about that that Water Dog's offense being a little bit disjointed right now, but they still have all the weapons. ⁓ and and feel and feeling like you're missing your you know, your pro ⁓ probably your top pole, I I would say, ⁓ going into a game against that offense. It's like, ⁓ man. But I thought they played well. And like you said, obviously Bra Blaze helps that, but ⁓ you just you just never really know. ⁓ so interesting to to see and ⁓ and kind of like you said, there's been no real word on why he wasn't playing and and so hopefully hopefully everything's good. ⁓ you know, and and he's back on the field. Obviously, ⁓ they are in Charlotte this weekend. ⁓ so hopefully he's he's back. ⁓ and and and playing with the team. As for the Water Dogs, I I don't understand this team. Like the I I think that you are right. There is some maybe not specifically positional questions about like who's playing which position, but definitely some questions about who's who's playing what role on the team for sure. ⁓ and that that midfield is just a mess. And all I could think watching that game. And and I I understand that I'm I'm the I'm the Miles Jones drum banger at this point. But all I could think was this midfield needs Miles Jones. It needs somebody from the midfield who's capable of initiating. And to be fair to Jack Hannah, I think he can be that guy. Although I typically think that Jack Hanna is a better re dodger than an initial dodger. He's the kind of guy that like somebody dodges and then swings it back to him and then he commits kind of a second dodge. But he can Do that, but he just hasn't this season for whatever reason. The other one that I was so puzzled by was Kyle Lewis. They drafted Kyle Lewis and then they sent him to Pro Day last week. And he was and as far as I can tell, obviously I wasn't there, but from everything that I've heard, he was one of, if not the most impressive players there. And then he wasn't put into the this roster that so clearly needs help ⁓ from the midfield in terms of. Initiation and and point production. ⁓ the the one bright spot, although he didn't produce a lot, I thought I thought Josh Yogo looked pretty good. He had a couple of really good looks he missed on. ⁓ that could have ⁓ you know, they lost by two two goals. You know, he hits one of those, like it could it could have been of a very different game for him, but ⁓ I guess I guess my question for you would be, you know, how how not how good can this Water Dogs team obviously they have a ton of the pieces. How how good will this Water Dogs team be this year? Obviously it's early and things will change, but but just based on what we've seen so far.
@HootSportsMedia: I don't know. I'm I'm fearful that they're gonna be a Nighthawks two point ⁓ for me. ⁓ which would actually be that would actually be quite impressive if I happened to be high on a team in both leagues. That ended up not being too great. That's pretty pinpoint accuracy the wrong way, but but but
Neil Barrett: Yeah. One of those one of those you gotta know all the answers to get a zero on the test.
@HootSportsMedia: It Exactly. But no, I think ⁓ my comment about like positional was more so just like like you have a guy like Zed Williams who's played attack his whole career basically. You then move him to midfield, then he doesn't even he's not even on the protected roster this week. And I'm not saying that Zed is like the savior, but it is one of those things it's like Zed Williams isn't on a P L L game day roster, like, ⁓ okay. And then you look at who they have and it's like, ⁓ okay, like like Josh Gago's an attackman. He's playing mid on this team. Like I think it can be fine, but ⁓ okay. And again, like O for seven, O for five, no shots for Curry. Like, if you're I just feel like they need to figure out the distribution more than anything. And at that point, I can then answer how good they're gonna be. Cause right now it's like you have literally the arguably the best paper ros on paper roster of anybody. Like i i I don't see anyone that's really close if I'm being on I mean Maybe you say Denver 'cause they have, you know, four Touritons, but like outside of that, I think Philly has the attackmen, they have the middies, they have the defense, like everything. So I I I do question, like I'm looking at these touches right now. Like Sours had forty nine, Curse had forty two, McCardle had thirty one, and then it significantly drops for everybody else into the teens. Like, do we maybe see more of a a you know what's the word? Trial by committee, whatever for lack of a better term, where Each player's getting twenty, twenty five touches just 'cause I'm like I don't get me wrong, I like seeing CJ have five points. I like seeing Kieran and and Michael Sours have three points, but you guys put up eight goals. All this talent for eight goals and it just it just doesn't make sense in my head, like at all.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. No, I I I'm with you and and ⁓ that's the what what you're saying about Zed is kind of how I feel about Miles is like and especially for
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I didn't even bring up Miles and and Kyle Lewis was now on the roster, like
Neil Barrett: Right, right. And and especially especially for me with Miles, because at least I think you there's an there's an argument to be made that Zed isn't gonna play attack and playing him at midfield is out of position and so I I I'm with you. I'm not sure that that it's necessarily a good argument and that it that it couldn't be done or whatever, but at least I can I can, you know, conceptually understand that argument. But Miles Jones is a midfielder. Kyle Lewis is is a midfielder. They are both known for the thing that you desperately seem to need. And they're they're both sitting at home. And then like you said, you look at the rest of this roster and it's like, you know, Connor Farrell has played great so far this season. ⁓ I think Matt DeLuca has been maybe not great, but he has been good enough for you to win these games. Again, gave up 10 points. That's that's not a losing score line by any stretch of the imagination. So, you know, ⁓ honestly, I I think I I don't think the defense has even played very well, and they still haven't given up a ton of a ton of goals. ⁓ in fact, I I was gonna ask you, ⁓ who in in your mind, whose whose defense is better? Gavin Adler's old defense in the now Atlas defense or the Water Dogs defense, his current defense.
@HootSportsMedia: I'm just gonna say the Atlas because they won a championship with it. I don't know. That's tough. Yeah. Yeah. I don't I don't know. It's it's hard 'cause like I d like you're saying, I don't think their defense this year has been like like when I'm thinking back, I'm like, I don't remember them being great, but at the same time, like, ten goals is is I'd say you you did alright. So
Neil Barrett: Is is a is the better defense? P part of I think my my question in this was like, yeah, Atlas gave up 16 this weekend, but they gave it up to to arguably the best team in the league, with at least three Tauriton winners on the field. ⁓ you know, four on the roster, but three on the field. ⁓ and so it's like, okay, like you didn't have a good game, but you you had a not good game against one of the best opponents in the league. Whereas I I don't think the Water Dogs necessarily played well, but they they I think had a little bit more space to not play as well because I don't think that the chaos are built to to you know blow the doors off of you, even though, you know, ⁓ Chad Palumbo looks to be very good. Owen Hilts looks very good. Brendan Nicktern didn't play very well though this weekend. ⁓ hopefully hopefully ⁓ because I'm because I'm a Nicktern fan, I wanna see him do well. Hopefully he's not ⁓ that this was more of a of a blip for him and he and he gets back onto it ⁓ the way he was ⁓ earlier in the game. But I I just I just was watching this game and I thought I'm not sure that either of these defenses looks good. It looks like they're playing very well, but I also can't decide which one I think is playing worse. And both of them I think got bailed out by some some pretty decent goalie play. Although it should be pointed out Matt DeLuca in the second half was not the same goalie that he was in the first half. The first half, he wasn't he did not look very good. The second half, all of a sudden, he looked he looked way better. I'd I'd have to imagine if you broke his his ⁓ save percentage down by half, he would have it it would have looked very good in the second half. I I'd I'd imagine he was closer to 70 on on that second half. So ⁓ the
@HootSportsMedia: Hey, all I gotta say is they should trade Zed Williams to Utah like I've been saying for a year now.
Neil Barrett: I mean, listen, how many games is he sat now? Do you know?
@HootSportsMedia: I th at least this one, I feel like he played the first two. He definitely played week one, but I don't know about week two.
Neil Barrett: Okay. Okay. I was gonna say, I mean, they may not have to trade for ⁓ although pff the way teams are acting today, ⁓ they'll probably just trade for ⁓ anyway, so you know. ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah.
Neil Barrett: Let me let me ask you the question I was gonna ask you. Maryland sits ⁓ at the top of the standings at three and one, but they're the only team that's played four games. Denver's at two and one, Carolina's at two and one, Boston, New York, Philly, California, and Utah are all sitting at one and two. Who is the best team in the league right now?
@HootSportsMedia: That's a bad question. You know my answer.
Neil Barrett: Yeah, it's probably probably not a good question to ask you just because your biases, but ⁓ honestly, I I feel like I've been surprised at how many people I I and I think this is why I'm asking the question. Because I've been surprised at how many people have talked about Maryland as being the best team in in the the league right now. And I I I'm not sure I fully understand why, because part of the reason why I thought they were gonna win both their games this weekend, ⁓ was because of who they're playing. It wasn't because they were so good, but I I think the archers are atrocious right now. ⁓ and I'm not sure that the cannons are really that much better. ⁓ and and so while yes, they won those two games, people were talking about them as if as if they had beaten. last year's Atlas team by 10 goals. ⁓ so I think I would agree with you that I think the Outlaws are the best team in the league. I think their their wins have been significantly more impressive than Maryland, but and and it probably was not a great question to ask you being a Denver fan, but ⁓ just a just a re Yeah.
@HootSportsMedia: I mean, I'd be honest if I didn't think they were. 'Cause last year there were definitely points where was like But I just I need to see more from Maryland for a longer period of time. Especially 'cause like Emmett Carroll I think has been playing really, really good lacrosse, but I just am like how long can he sustain that into making the postseason run and that sort of thing? they definitely I would I mean I'd be willing to say they have like the brightest future, you know, as if you look at their team and th tons of young guys that can stick together for a lot of years, but You know, maybe if they get Nardella back, maybe that that puts them over the edge. But but yeah, like it's and it's tough too 'cause they beat an Atlas team that I think on paper looks great, but they have not played great outside of ⁓ week one. So We'll see. I I'm not mad at people that put Maryland one, like that's fine. I doesn't really matter to me, but
Neil Barrett: Yeah, I mean it it's still early. The things will change. I just wondered, ⁓ especially I w I was looking at ⁓ Quint's power rankings and I was just like, What are we doing here? He has Atlas at three and I was like ⁓ what?
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I think that's more so just respect for being defending champs. 'Cause there's no way that he watched these last two games and were like, ⁓ yeah, they're gonna be three No. It's and again that's not being disrespectful. I know they just got back some some key pieces, but
Neil Barrett: I mean it it has to be.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah.
Neil Barrett: They I mean they lost they lost their last two games six by six goals and seven goals. Like you can't be the third best team in the league and lose games like that. I that's just not no. So one other thing I'd wanted to ask you about was who I I think there's a re there's a relatively obvious answer, but I I ⁓ let's see what you what you say. Looking at that rookie class this this week, ⁓ who who was the best the most impressive rookie? I don't want to say best rookie, the most impressive rookie for you.
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ That's good question. It's hard 'cause Spellina played two games, so I'd like I I mean I think he probably has the leg up right now. ⁓
Neil Barrett: I mean to be fair to Spolina, he he was very good in that first game.
@HootSportsMedia: I mean I Yeah, yeah, yeah. He I it's probably gotta be him. I mean, Palumbo, again, has played one game. He looked fantastic, so it it's just hard 'cause we've seen less. Ryan Steins, I was impressed with. ⁓ mo more so because I didn't expect him to be as good as he's been. I know he hasn't been anything, you know, crazy, but he is second in terms of points by rookies with five, so ⁓ he's up there. I thought Truis Sunderland looked good too this weekend. But I would say Joey just I think he looks the most pro ready of of any of them outside of you can make the argument for Palumbo. Again, who else is throwing a behind the back passing traffic for your first assist? That's that's stupid. But ⁓ but again I need to see more from that. You know, he could just have one good game and all of a sudden now he's you know, but who knows? One of one of those two for sure.
Neil Barrett: Crazy. Crazy goal. Yeah. Yeah. I I that's what I think I think the obvious answer was ⁓ was Spolina and then obviously Chad Palumbo I think was a was a close second. at least in terms of this week and I and I think that you're right. I think Ryan Stein's had had a good week in week one. ⁓ CKG and Cola for that matter had a had a great week one. ⁓ there's been there's been some rookies that have had some good performances, but at least in terms of this weekend. I thought it was basically those two guys and then ⁓ probably Ada McGuire as well, although it's a lot harder to see ⁓ a defensive ⁓ short stick defensive midfielder's kind of ⁓ input in a game, ⁓ in l at least if they're not, you know, actively scoring goals or or whatever. ⁓ but ⁓ he definitely made some some good plays ⁓ on on the defensive end. But ⁓ I just thought it was so funny to see basically every other rookie look like a rookie. It looked like a like a lost, you know, dude who was kinda out of out of his depth, you know, I th I thought I thought Joshiago looked okay, but obviously he didn't really contribute much. Mikey Weiss hair Weiss hair ⁓ continues to to kind of like we were talking about with Brendan O'Neal, get into good spots, get get good positions, and just miss targets. His his his first step is so explosive. He he's probably one of the closest in my mind to JB10 in terms of like that straight line, just like speed he's gonna get that step on you. ⁓ he just hasn't been able to hit the broad side of the barn all season. ⁓ so I I don't know. I was just I was w watching these games this weekend and wondering You know, for such a so I felt like there was so much hype coming in ⁓ for this class. And then it feels like we three and and almost nobody is none of the rookies are really like living up to obviously again. ⁓ Spolina and and Chad Palumbo had good weekends this weekend, but n not many others did. So ⁓ anyway, ⁓ just just ⁓ interesting question for you. ⁓ let's Let's discuss the thing that we've been teasing ⁓ this whole time. ⁓ it was it came out earlier today, ⁓ and then was officially confirmed probably what an hour or so before ⁓ we hopped on here that the New York Atlas have signed I guess they've claimed him as is really the the language that we should be using. Matt Rambo. he was part of the ⁓ I don't know if there's a name for that rule or what, but but basically the rule that says if if you're not on a game day roster or the protected roster for three weeks, you will ⁓ another team can claim you. If they pick you up, they have to immediately play you that weekend. So Matt Rambo will be on the game day roster for the New York Atlas this week. ⁓ That's that's a weird one for me. I d not just because Matt Rambo in any other uniform than a whip snakes uniform is gonna be weird. ⁓ it's certainly that. But I just I just don't get this one at all. He he's he's trying not to say what he thinks.
@HootSportsMedia: I don't I don't have anything to add. I just it's puzzling. I I just like I I think you had a guy in Peyton Cormier that if you were just gonna add someone to kinda be a temporary thing, like why not just give him a call and say, Hey, come back and play for us? Instead they go get Matt Rambo. I'm not saying Matt Rambo can't ever be productive, but the last several times we've seen him he just hasn't. And so I'm kinda like, Why are you even taking a shot at this? Especially when I think they already have players on that roster and on their practice roster that could probably slot in. Again, you're not gonna be Jeff T, but no one's gonna be Jeff T. Like and so to me it's like you could have had all these other guys that you already h have in your system. Matt Ramble's not playing for the whip, so it's not like you're taking someone to hurt the enemy. Like he's literally not playing. Like so who knows? Maybe if this unlocks him and I look like an idiot next week, like Cool. I you know, that'd be awesome to see Matt Rambo playing at a high level, but At least the last couple seasons it's kind of been like he's just there more so as like an extra body. ⁓ which is why this is puzzling to me. But what do I know? I'm not a GM, I'm not a coach, so I don't know.
Neil Barrett: Well, to to your point, he played in six games last year. He had four points. He was a healthy scratch four times. He was a healthy scratch the first three games of this season. First four games of this season, right? Because they've played four. So first four games of this season, he was a healthy scratch. ⁓ I I don't understand. And people are saying, ⁓ with Jeff Teat out, they needed a left-hander, which one doesn't make any sense to me because Jeff Teat predominantly played a X. And so you don't necessarily need to be a specific hand to play behind the cage. So that seemed weird to me. But then also you already had Reed Bowering, who's a left-hander on your roster, and you signed Hunter Druin earlier in the day, who is a left-hander. So why it was that you suddenly needed a left hander so bad that you went and picked up a Matt Rambo who has been a healthy scratch eight times in the last season and a half. What whatever it's been, what, 14 games? He's been a healthy scratch eight, eight of those games. ⁓ or fit actually, it's I think it's fifteen and nine games. So I just it really makes no sense to me. whatsoever. And I'm not dragging you in on this. I'm going to say what I said to you before. It blows my mind that Miles Jones is sitting on a side is sitting at home. ⁓ you know, Will Manny couldn't get on a roster for the better part of two years and ended up retiring. Jules Hennenberg couldn't get picked up. All of these good players are sitting at home. And yet Matt Rambo still has a job. Despite having been on these rosters for the last year and a half and doing nothing. You know, the the other three guys I mentioned, the last times that we saw them playing on a roster, they were contributing at a high level. And Asher Nolting appears to be done in Boston right now. Despite being what sixth in points in the league last year. And he's sitting at home, but Matt Rambo is getting picked up off of waivers. I don't I it doesn't it's a move that does not make any sense to me. Unless they're gonna try and do that Rob Pinnell thing with maybe Hunter Druin and let him be the like savvy veteran. Although I I don't know that that even necessarily works because I think it works with RP three and and And Joey Spilina, because Joey Spilina's always tried to model his game after RP3. He talks about that all the time, that that was like one of his big things. And so actually having RP3 there to talk him through things and and explain to him his thought process and what he's doing and stuff, what he's looking for and seeing when he's making this move or that move or whatever works in a way that I'm not so sure that ⁓ Matt Rambo and Hunter Did I just say Hunter? Whatever his name is, I'm totally blank I'm like rambling now and I'm blanking on his name. ⁓ Druin i it works. Like I don't know that they're the same player. So I don't know, that one wa that one was really weird for me. Like you said, I hope it I hope it works for Matt Rambo. I you know, it's n I don't people aren't gonna believe this, but I don't I don't hate Matt Rambo. I just I don't get it at all. So Then
@HootSportsMedia: I don't I don't co sign any of that. That's his take. I didn't say any of that.
Neil Barrett: I know because That's fine. I'll I'll I'll include that at the end of the clip. Is that will that make you feel better?
@HootSportsMedia: I don't care what you do. I'm just putting it out there. Those are his words.
Neil Barrett: ⁓ let's let's move on to the other big ⁓ PLL player movement story from the day. There were lots of ⁓ comings and goings across the league. Most of them were relatively unnewsworthy. Another one from the Atlas that was very strange was they dropped a player to the player pool that not even 24 hours before they had extended. That one was a bizarre one. ⁓ I don't remember his name. but I just I was like, what are we doing here? But the other big story of the day came from the Denver Outlaws slash California Redwoods. ⁓ the Denver Outlaws signed Ryan Crodock Crock from Pinc Princeton. Princeton. I keep I always want to say Penn State. Ryan Crodock from Princeton and immediately traded him to the California Redwoods for a 2027 first round draft pick. I have a lot to say, so I'm just gonna let you go ahead and take over. You your team was involved. What you got to say?
@HootSportsMedia: Chestnut checkers, baby. Tim Sudan, GM of the century. What a guy.
Neil Barrett: I love that you I love that you just sway hard back and forth on whether or not you like Tim Sudan. There's never there's never like he's good. It's always like he's totally trash or he's the best in the world.
@HootSportsMedia: Hey. I No, I I have said for a couple years now, I think he's a better GM than he is coach. I still stand by that. I think for the most part, I think he's made a lot of good GM moves. The draft is a different story with Plunkett. I still don't fully agree with that. But like this is one of those where like we already talked about it a bunch of times, but I don't understand how the Redwoods didn't even have a claim for him. They they should have they should have
Neil Barrett: I mean
@HootSportsMedia: The fact that like we claimed him and they're immediately on the phone, like, hey, we want him. Like you should have put in a a waiver claim for him. That makes no sense. But the fact that Sudo even saw the opportunity and was like and allegedly he had the the water dogs on the line as well. So he had two teams bidding for him. Like that to me is insane. I know some people were trying to talk about well, the first isn't gonna be worth it next year. I'm like, I don't really care who's available. It's a first round pick for a guy that wasn't on your roster anyway. Literally he was free. So like
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah.
@HootSportsMedia: To me, that's great GMing that and and honestly, even if no one wanted to trade for him, who's to say he couldn't have taken McElroy's backup spot? You know, like It was it was a great move. ⁓ Trader Joe added again. It's fun, he's living up to his name. ⁓ That that whole goalie's room still puzzles me because I think Dylan Ward's firmly planted in the starting role for right now. And they cut Chase because allegedly he couldn't even win the backup role over Matt Note. And now suddenly it's like, Well, maybe it's actually gonna be Crotix back up spot, so I don't know. I have a lot of questions about about their team, but Great day to be an Outlaws fan.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. I if I was if I was an Outlaws fan, I'd be like like you said, I don't care who the pick is, and I'm I'm gonna talk about the pick in just a second, but it doesn't matter who the pick is because you got a you got an additional first round pick for a guy who was not on your roster. They basically just gave for
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. And you didn't you didn't lose anybody either to to sign him.
Neil Barrett: Right. You you basically got a first round pick for the price of someone's signature. Like that's it. That's it. ⁓ a few things. First of all, you said the part about the waiver wire. That's that's one of my biggest questions on this whole thing. The way that waiver wires typically work in the in the the the the major sports in this country is that the waiver wire the waiver order Is based on parts of the same equation. Essentially, up to a certain point of the season, it's based on how you finished in the previous season. ⁓ for ⁓ a excuse me, for an understanding of why that is, think of it like this if you are, you know, I don't ⁓ who finished last in the NFL last year. I don't know. If you're the Cleveland Browns and You win your first game of the season. You don't automatically like slide down in the the waiver wire order just because you won a game and maybe, you know, the Super Bowl champion from last year, the Kansas City Chiefs or whoever it was, loses their first game. Like that that order doesn't flip in week one. So usually for the first few weeks of a season, it is based On how you finished the previous season. And then it flips to kind of a live update of the standings of the season and and how teams are currently positioned so that the the worse quote unquote teams get a a higher priority over waiver pickups than the better teams. By both of those measures, the California Redwoods should have had a waiver claim priority over the Denver Outlaws and should have. been able to sign Ryan Crock without having to give up anything. So the waiver wire aspect of this makes zero sense to me. ⁓ there was some question, I know Brad ⁓ Laxli in the Lax Lifers Club was talking about teams that ⁓ that when you make a waiver claim that it adjusts the order. Again, that's not how it works in any of the major sports, but I have heard that in in other Places before. ⁓ I don't know if that's maybe how the NLL does it or or whatever. ⁓ I don't really know about their waiver process, but even by that measure, he still thought that California should have had a higher priority because they also hadn't made a waiver wire pickup this year. So the whole waiver part makes zero sense to me whatsoever. The Part about it being a less valuable number one, number one, like you said, shouldn't really matter, period, because again, you got a free num you got a ⁓ essentially a free number one draft ⁓ first round draft pick that could end up being a number one at this point. It's still a little early to know ⁓ how likely that is. I I wouldn't say it's very likely, but could potentially be a a number one bit. Imagine, imagine the outlaws had the number one pick and then like the number seven pick next year. That'd be insane. ⁓ but
@HootSportsMedia: Sean Light, you are Denver Outlaw.
Neil Barrett: Well, I'll g I'll get to that in just a second, but I don't know, right? You you guys are just have you'll just be the div the Denver Tawaritons, but ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: Five five to warotons.
Neil Barrett: But my my my first thought was the the idea that people are are claiming that their thought on why this is going to be less valuable. Let's talk about that for a second, is because of the proposed five for five eligibility in that essentially says that you have five years to play five years. They're getting rid of ⁓ this this thing would get rid of things like medical red shirts and stuff. And it would basically make college ⁓ U twenty five ⁓ division. of sports ⁓ A few things, a few problems with that. One, you're banking on something that hasn't been decided yet. You're just assuming it's going to. ⁓ I know that there has been a lot of support for it and lots of people think it is going to pass, but things change. I don't know why you would bank on something that hasn't happened yet. Part two, even if they do pass it, there there's been lots of discussions about phased rollouts. So it may not even it may not even have a huge impact on the 2027 draft class. First of all. And then again, things could change. I I I it feels like the longer we talk about this and the longer it hasn't been put in place, the more I've seen people start to sour on this whole idea. And it may not even happen at all. But let's talk about the 2027 draft class. Obviously, the Tawarton winner, which we'll get to in just a minute, is I'm looking at Adam Lamberti's way too early. Big board for 2027. Listen to the names that are involved in this. Sean Light, obviously, number one, Ben Johnston, Owen Duffy, McCabe Millen, Brady Wombach, Caleb Fayek, Dom Petramala, Bobby Van Buren, Ryan Goldstein, Charlie Johnson, ⁓ AJ Larkin, Willem Firth, Riley Figueroas, Colin Cardilla, Tucker Wade, Nate Kabiri, Jake Spidel, Ty Banks, John Mullen. That I I did leave off John Schroeder because I'm not gonna lie to you, even watching UVA, I was like, I don't know who that is. ⁓ that that is nineteen of the of the big board for next year that would be surefire first round picks next year. I I don't understand the idea. Even even if everything happens and five for five is a thing, you telling me all 20 of those dudes are gonna come back? It's not worth it to have. Two first round picks for even if even if half of those guys left. You don't you you wouldn't you wouldn't want two of those guys? It it's an it's an eight-team league. It's not it's not the NFL. It's not a 32 team league where like, yeah, you know, if you have if you have the 28th and the 30th picks and five for five becomes a thing and it seriously jacks up the the draft classes, yeah, maybe you're you're not it's not as valuable. It's an eight-team league. There's gonna be more than eight, eight guys that come out next year that are gonna be worth that number one pick. I the the whole thing the whole argument on both sides makes zero sense to me.
@HootSportsMedia: And good players don't just magically stop. Okay, those guys don't come out. Guess who's coming up behind ⁓ Twenty more that are perfectly capable. Like it's just the idea that like all of a sudden it's like there's no good players. ⁓ it's a bad and and and again, who cares? It was a free pick. It cost the Denver Outlaws zero. No money. No nothing. It cost them like two phone calls. Like ten minutes of talking. Like So
Neil Barrett: Nothing. Yep. Yep.
@HootSportsMedia: I don't care who they draft, because at the very least, guess what you did? You hurt potentially an a a in conference rival. They don't have that pick now. So even even if you're not even gonna use the even if Tim Sudan pulls another Evan Plunkett, guess who doesn't have that pick to use now? A team that you have to play directly against for standings. So who cares? Like, granted, I was super pumped when I saw we saw we got we picked him up, 'cause obviously go tigers. But a first? Are we joking a first?
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Also, that's something we haven't touched on. A first round pick for a guy who was undrafted and has not played a single second of a game. He's never even been put on a roster like as a backup goalie. He's not been in the league at all. And they gave up a first round pick for him. That's insane. There were there are guys, there are guys who contributed to teams in this league who went for third and fourth round picks. And and Ryan Crotick is going for a first rounder in a position that is nearly impossible to get a starting role in. They're all insane. And and I I have to imagine that this isn't even a pi ⁓ a pickup for the Redwoods for this year. Like Dylan Ward is in goal for them. And he ain't played poorly by any stretch of the imagination. In fact I think there's an argument to make that he's been the best goalie in the league so far. So
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. I he leads in save percentage by three whole percent right now.
Neil Barrett: Yeah, so so I I I can't imagine that you're replacing him unless well, I I can't even say that. I I don't even want to say unless, you know, Ryan Krooddick blows you away in practice because they get one practice. Like it's not like it's not like Ryan Krottick is gonna have much of an opportunity. The only thing that I can think maybe maybe when we when we go out to California for homecoming and they have two games, maybe they play Ryan Krooddick in one of them ⁓ just to see what they have. And and maybe maybe he just Liam intimates it and and goes for eighty percent and they just ride out with him. But otherwise you you look at this as a as a a ⁓ future pick and you gave up a first rounder for this dude. And I I just
@HootSportsMedia: I mean maybe maybe he turns out to be a first round talent. I'm not even mad at you know, if he does, then it's gonna be like, ⁓ okay, that makes sense. Like, but at least preemptively, it's definitely like, wow. And especially 'cause like they didn't make a a roster move with Matt Note either. So like, are they just gonna carry three? Are they planning on releasing one? ⁓ is someone going on the holdout for some re like there's so many questions there that I'm just like obviously they know their roster better than any of us do. So maybe they do have a thing that's like Matt Note's gonna be on the holdout tomorrow and we just don't know it yet.
Neil Barrett: I don't know.
@HootSportsMedia: But it's definitely one of those like okay, you're trading a first for a guy, he has to be on your roster. Like you're not doing that and then being like, ⁓ just go sit on the go sit on the practice. Like no, you You're gonna be on that on the on the sideline with the iPad at least.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well Well, and and people are i if he does turn into that first round talent, which go tigers, I hope he does. Like I I'm I have zero I have negative hate for Ryan Crock. I love that kid. He he played lights out all year. He's been so good. I hope he is a first round talent. But we have to stop doing this thing where we're like, see, it was all worth it because he was a first round talent. Like, no, it can still be a bad move. Even if it ultimately kind of works out. It's like Owen Hilts with with the Carolina Chaos last year. It was never about him as a player or what he was capable of doing. It was about the fact that that Carolina picked him at a position where no one else was trying to get him. They they like snap reacted and and drafted Owen Hilts when they could have ended up with Chris Kavanaugh and still gotten Owen Hilts. They had another pick, I think five picks after they picked. ⁓ Owen Hilts. So they they could have still gotten Owen Hilts later and gotten, you know, a Chris Kavanaugh to pair with him instead of taking Owen Hilts early and then drafting Levi Firch, who, by the way, they just released.
@HootSportsMedia: That one that one was very shocking today, in my opinion.
Neil Barrett: The Levi Virtuan.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. I know I know the other ones are you know, are bigger names so it gets more attention, but that one I was just like All right.
Neil Barrett: Honestly, I was really surprised by that one too. I thought I thought he played well last year. ⁓ he played a a bit young sometimes, but I thought he played well and he looked like he was going to be ⁓ a long term guy for that defense. ⁓ so yeah, when when I saw his name drop this morning or this afternoon, whenever it was, ⁓ I couldn't believe that. I was I was so shocked. And again, especially because it was it was a year ago that they drafted him. With their second pick. Like I it just doesn't it didn't make a whole lot of sense. Now, to be fair, he was not a Steven Draft ⁓ Steven Brooks draft pick. So maybe there's something there. He doesn't play the way that Steven Brooks wanna play. I I don't know. But like you said, I I thought he played well enough and they could use him long term enough that that he was safe. And then obviously that was not the case. So Anyway, let's move over to the women's game. ⁓ I I mentioned earlier that the the only thing that sucks about the WLL is that there's only one game every week, but it was perhaps already the game of the season. The Maryland charm beat the California Palms 18 to 17 in overtime. ⁓ Cassidy Spillis. Spillis? I think is how you say her name, ⁓ scored the OT game winner for the charm. This was a crazy game. I I watched an early I thought I thought the the ch the Palm were just cruising. They weren't they weren't blowing the the doors off by any stretch, but they they had a pretty consistent three goal lead for much of that first half. And then credit to the charm, they came back and just absolutely Hung in there and and made plays. Ashley Humphreys, what did we say earlier? She had nine points on three goals and six assists. Is that right? Okay. And then Sydney Black had five goals and one assist. They were probably the two big stars ⁓ from that game for the charm ⁓ an insane ending, one of the craziest endings you'll ever see. I I I'm a little off on the time. If you have the stats, correct me. The charm scored. It was tie game. The charm scored with about 30 seconds left, I I believe. ⁓ with what how much was it?
@HootSportsMedia: Five. Five.
Neil Barrett: They had f ⁓ no, no no sorry, I meant Wait, there was five seconds left and then the palms went down and scored again?
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ you're talking about you're talking about before when when ⁓ when ⁓ Baltimore scored, or Maryland, whatever they're called.
Neil Barrett: Yeah, Maryland. Yeah, 'cause it was tied sixteen sixteen. Eighteen seconds. Okay.
@HootSportsMedia: They scored with they scored with eighteen seconds and then the Palms came down sorry, sorry, yeah, and then the Palms came down and scored with five seconds left to send the game to OT.
Neil Barrett: Yeah, to to retie it, to send it to overtime. ⁓ and then
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ and and while we're at it, the Palms actually scored with fifty five seconds, then the charm with eighteen, then the palms with five.
Neil Barrett: Yeah, so just just an insane final minute of that game. ⁓ I I can't imagine. I I hope there is. Wouldn't it be crazy if there was a more insane game? I just can't I can't imagine how you have a more insane game than than that one ⁓ the rest of the season on on either side. I know on the PL side or the WLL side. ⁓ just a crazy game. It was Really fun to see all the messages from this weekend from from dudes saying things like, ⁓ I've been sleeping on the WLL. This was so much fun. I had a blast watching this game. And it was like, Yeah, they've been like this. Like you and I talked at the championship series both years. The last or I guess, I guess actually it's probably Jackson last year. ⁓ because I think that was before you were on the show. But ⁓ but the the WLL is a blast. Like I don't I don't understand people's like reticence to to tune in and to watch. ⁓ it's one of it's one of my favorite things ⁓ every weekend is to watch some of the big lacrosse accounts tweet right up until the moment that the WLL games start and then the second the WLL games start they go completely silent until the PLL comes back on. ⁓ but the WLL is a is a blast. These games are fun. ⁓ and if you're not watching them you're missing out. ⁓ would you like to to t share your story about watching this game?
@HootSportsMedia: I don't much of story. I just I picked the palms and then when I was watching it in the fourth, you know, I was going back and forth and I was like, Come on girls, I need this. I need this for my record. Like and then obviously they tied it with five seconds like, you know, when I when I saw the them score with fifty five seconds left, I was like, ⁓ okay, here we go. And then the charm went up with eighteen and I was just like, ⁓ it's over. I was like, There's no way this is how I go out and then five seconds left, I was like, Yes, okay, we we have some life. ⁓
Neil Barrett: Ha ha ha.
@HootSportsMedia: And obviously I don't have a team that I like root for, but I I needed them for my record. And then to to go out like that in OT I just like, ⁓ man. It was tough. But but ⁓ from I I only got to watch like the the fourth quarter of this game, but ⁓ yeah, it was fun. My only complaint about these games is I just wish it was lower scoring, 'cause the the listeners know I I don't like super high scoring games. I like some some defense, but
Neil Barrett: Yeah, 'cause you're That being said, ⁓ 'cause you're a cause you're a weirdo who's like, ⁓ I need less scoring. To be fair, to be fair, I say that and I I make fun of you. I make fun of you a bit, but I generally don't want, you know, a t I'm fine with with a 17-18 overtime game, you know, a couple times a year. I I'd rather see something more in the fourteen to sixteen range. That's that's kind of more of where I am. So this isn't this isn't that bad for me. ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: 'Cause I'm what? I like defense.
Neil Barrett: But does the like the like twenty plus?
@HootSportsMedia: I mean at least it was close. If it's gonna be high scoring it's gotta be close.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. And for what it's worth, I thought the goalies play good. It's not like it's not like they were you know, every shot was going in. The goalies were playing well. I I thought ⁓ Taylor Moreno, I think, is one of the one of the better goalies in the world. ⁓ and then ⁓ who's who's the charms goalie? Right is it ⁓ no Rachel Halls at at ⁓ Boston, ⁓ ⁓ I'm totally blind. ⁓ Waters. Kaylee Waters ⁓ is in ⁓ Maryland and I I think she has struggled some since the ⁓ championship series, but I thought she looked great in this game. So ⁓ again, I I don't think that that, you know, it was too bad to watch ⁓ or in terms of offensive play versus defensive play. ⁓ obviously being close certainly helps. ⁓ And if you if you think about it, there were those ⁓ what what what was it, four games or four goals in the last minute plus overtime. Otherwise this game is a this game is a sixteen fifteen game. So, you know, that would have been closer to what I what I would have wanted anyway. Hey, listen, put Madison Dusett in.
@HootSportsMedia: We gotta get those numbers down.
Neil Barrett: And and you'll you'll see those numbers drop. So ⁓ let's let's move over to ⁓ Charlotte this weekend. We have the archers playing the chaos, the redwoods playing the Atlas, the guards playing the guard playing the palms, outlaws versus chaos, and cannons versus water dogs. ⁓ what you what what are we looking at here?
@HootSportsMedia: Well, we're looking at checking into all the games to get our helmet, our digital helmet. That's very crucial this weekend. ⁓ y make sure you're there live 'cause you need that other helmet. So but yeah, no, I don't know. I
Neil Barrett: That's right. Get that NFT.
@HootSportsMedia: I don't know. It's it's a couple of a couple of mid games, I think. Friday just teams that just have a lot of just questions right now. ⁓ interest interested to see how Philly responds, quite honestly. I mean Boston to me still is just like it was weird. I I still believe Ash Renulting is injured and that's why he's not playing. I will say Brian Holman's response did not really help that theory though. You know, saying we like what we have and all that like I don't know.
Neil Barrett: No, no he did not.
@HootSportsMedia: So I would hope here's the thing. I don't care how well anyone else plays, I hope they aren't benching Ash Renolton. I think that that'd be a mistake. That said, I'm not a coach, so I am kind of curious to see that dynamic as well. ⁓ if he's healthy, obviously. ⁓ Denver, Carolina. I feel like we lose to Carolina every regular season. Take that for what you will. ⁓ But yeah, those first two games I think are just kinda I just don't know. I d I have a lot of question marks. ⁓ and then obviously first time we're seeing the guard since week what two, I think was Rhode Island, I believe. ⁓ and then Palm's back to back weekends, so I yeah, I'm with you. It's gonna be I think it's gonna be tough to keep up with the WL with it being one game a week and then you're really seeing some teams once every two weeks or three weeks and
Neil Barrett: Week two, yeah. Yeah.
@HootSportsMedia: You know, trying to keep up with okay, how did they play last week and all that stuff, but should be a good one.
Neil Barrett: Well Well, I mean, if you if you think about it, the the charging played week two in Rhode Island, then everyone was off for a week, then they didn't play last week and they didn't play this week. It's gonna be a month between their games. Like it's I understand that there's four teams and it's like, you know, how many times can you really see the same two teams play each other? But just just make them play each other more. Like I I
@HootSportsMedia: A month. Yeah. Yeah.
Neil Barrett: ⁓ especially again, I think that game this past weekend did so much good for the the WLL. And the fact that there wasn't a follow-up game for that is is such a like boneheaded thing. And I and and I get it, there's there's stadiums to think about, there's money for players, they gotta pay for more hotel rooms. Like there's there are so many other things to think about. But I almost wish that. that we were playing instead of ha trying to fit the WLL into as many weekends as possible. I almost wish that if if they were limited to the this number of games, I almost wish they did half as many weeks so that so that you could get multiple games and you could really like sink your teeth into the WLL. The the one the one game a week thing is not fun. ⁓ and it and it definitely ⁓ I think hurts the momentum. And in fact, actually, now that I think about it, it's gonna be over a month before the charging play. Cause aren't aren't we on a whe lee a week line by next week as well? We take another week off. It was two weeks, then a week off, then two weeks and then a week off. Yeah. So it's gonna have been over a month between charging games. ⁓ and that's that's crazy.
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ yeah. Yeah, we are. okay, I feel bad for the charging, but I just realized too the Outlaws play they play in Charlotte and don't play again until San Diego. That's three ⁓ my We gotta we gotta I understand there's there's limits, but this sucks. Why why leave another buy right here? ⁓ I didn't even realize that.
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and and again, it's like I w I was looking at it today and I was thinking, we pushed the season two weeks into the NLL season, into the NCAA season. We caused all these issues. And then we didn't play two weeks in in the first five weeks of the season. It's like we could have just backed everything up to Memorial Day weekend. Had ba had no NLL players miss time at all, and only final four team players miss one week of the season. And again, I I understand booking comes into it, ske is ⁓ stadium schedules, like there are other things that come into it. It just I'm like there there has to have been a better way of of organizing this whole thing because I just don't get it.
@HootSportsMedia: Well and there's two more bye weeks too. Later in the 'cause there's the one right before the quarterfinals and there's one right before the championship. And if you want to include All Star Break, don't get me wrong, like people like us will watch the All Star game, but it's not the same as when you have four to five PLL games, potentially WLO game in there as well. Like it's not the same. So f man, that's a lot of buys. I I I still think we need to put all star break in between
Neil Barrett: A lot of buys.
@HootSportsMedia: end of sea you know, semifinals and championship weekend like the NFL does, I think that makes more sense. So that way you have all the regular seasons straight through. You can put a bye as well, wherever, but yeah, that's wild. I didn't I didn't realize that. So I feel bad for the charging going already you're not gonna play really every week and now you have to wait a month is insane. I don't know how we're gonna pick games for that. Who's gonna win? 'Cause do they have chemistry? I don't know. Like
Neil Barrett: Who knows? Who knows? We just we I listen, I I love it and and my my complaint is that there isn't enough of it. Like I I'm really am seriously enjoying watching it. ⁓ I posted earlier this week that I think I think the WLL is to women's lacrosse, probably even more so ⁓ what the PLL is to men's lacrosse. I think it is
@HootSportsMedia: Hey, there's a women's league, so you know we'll we'll we'll take it, I guess. Yeah. Yeah.
Neil Barrett: Faster, it's more streamlined, it's easier to understand. Like it for me, it's just better. I understand that that on the men's side cut the college game is like the pinnacle. That is the thing that, you know, what what what was the number that came out last week? Over seven hundred and fifty thousand people ⁓ watched the ⁓ final four or the maybe it was just a championship game. I don't remember what the exact numbers were. ⁓ That is in many ways the pinnacle of our sport, ⁓ in terms of eyeballs and and the the reputation of it. And obviously it's a thing that has been competed for for technically over a hundred years, but at least the last 50 as an as an official NCAA title. ⁓ but but for me, the best version of the game is the PLL. And I'm I'm not even gonna put box into it. I'm I'm kind of considering that its own thing. The best version of Field lacrosse will say is the PLL. I think, I think they took out most of the annoying rules and and found ways to make the game faster and more fun. ⁓ and I think the WLL has done that probably to an even greater extent. ⁓ I I watched the the championship game last Sunday and there's still so many things that I just don't understand what's happening and and why This was done this way or that way or whatever. ⁓ so yeah, I I love the WL and my my complaint would be that there isn't enough of it. But like you said, the whole the schedule as a whole across both leagues is just confusing and baffling and why these decisions were made. And again, I know that we don't you and I don't have all of the information, but it it you just look at it and you go, surely there's a better way. There has to have been a better way than this. So final thing to talk about real quick was that last Thursday the Tawaraton Award was handed out. On the men's side, it went to Sean Light. He becomes the first defenseman in men's lacrosse history to win the Tawaraton Award. shockingly, we we both we both thought that that was a toss up bet between Joey Spolina and Nate Kabiri. ⁓ In a lot of ways, it felt to me like they couldn't decide which of the two should get it. And so they went with option C so that they did not have to decide. ⁓ which I don't want anyone to take the wrong way. I'm not saying Sean Light doesn't deserve it. He's an incredible defender. He will be an incredible defender next year. My one com one thought is it feels weird that if someone was gonna win it, that he was gonna do it. ⁓ though, well, let's say because I don't I don't know that he was better than Liam Intamin was or Trevor Baptiste was or whatever. The one counterpoint to that I think would be that those two guys had those two guys specifically had people really separate themselves. And I don't know that anyone separated them any of the offensive players ever separated themselves this year. So I don't know.
@HootSportsMedia: Shut out my defensemen. May have gotten Michael Grace Rookie of the Year, but we got a Touraton. Let's go.
Neil Barrett: Ha ha. Do you do you think this is a changing in the way of thinking in terms of of who wins? Or is this just a one off? Are we are we likely to see another non offensive player win this award for a good while?
@HootSportsMedia: Yes to both questions. It's probably a one off, but I do think it's slowly changing as well. But I think it's just the issue of there was two really good offensive candidates this year, whereas if there was one s like solidified this guy's the best attackman, I think they would have given it to the attackman. But because there was two that were kind of like, ⁓ it could go either way, I think it's much easier than to consider the outside option of like, Well, hey, Sean Light was
Neil Barrett: Well
@HootSportsMedia: was pretty dang good this year. So I think it's a one off, but I'm not saying that I don't think it'll ever happen again 'cause I'm sure it will.
Neil Barrett: Well The the one counterpoint I would say is, you know, the the Liam Enseman years were were Brennan and and ⁓ Pat Kavanaugh as well. Like it I and I've in fact I think that's why a lot of people thought Liam might actually win was because nobody could really decide between Brennan and Pat. ⁓ and and instead it went to Brennan one year and Pat one year and Liam got left out. ⁓ so I you know, I don't I don't know. I I I do think that neither neither Joey or ⁓ Nate Kabiri separated themselves from the pack the way that Brennan and Pat did in those years, which I think i is is a big part of it. But ⁓ I again I think it's just so hard to compare what a defenseman does on the field because there's there's not a stat you can point to. And and even Sean Light, ⁓ I heard him talking on ⁓ Mitchell Pelke La Crosse show, ⁓ about that idea of like there's just not something that you can really point to on the defensive end that that everybody can can kind of look at and understand. He's he said that the closest stat was probably like opponent shooting percentage when he's, you know, directly guarding them. But even that probably doesn't ⁓ you know, make up make up the whole picture. But on the women's side, I think it was a little bit more.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I know p I Poulsky's had before we move off, Poulsky's had some suggestions I saw of how to statistically analyze defensive players that I think could be helpful. I don't have it pulled up so I can't name what he said, but if if anyone's out there listening, go check out Poulsky's tweet, 'cause I was I was kinda thinking, like, there are some some interesting stats you could have. One of them was like shooting percentage as closest defender. Obviously that might be a little bit subjective, which could be a little bit iffy, depending on the stat keeper, but I do like the idea of like figuring out more ways to quantify 'cause even though this might happen again, it's gonna be a while I think until a defenseman, you know, gets the flowers like this, so
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Well and and I mean we we still haven't seen any kind of like specialty posit no no goalies, no ⁓ face off specialists, you know, I I
@HootSportsMedia: Good luck if you're a Fogo.
Neil Barrett: Listen, if if if Trevor Baptiste didn't win, like I don't know how Trevor Baptiste's
@HootSportsMedia: You better go in and score every single game.
Neil Barrett: Yeah, Trevor Trevor Baptiste's what was that 2015 season was insane and and he didn't win. So ⁓ the flip side of that conversation is I'm pretty sure he was up against Lyle Thompson. So you know, so sometimes I say this a lot. Sometimes you are just Charles Barclay playing in the era of Michael Jordan. Like it just it doesn't matter how good you are.
@HootSportsMedia: Well, yeah, that's fair.
Neil Barrett: There is just that one guy sitting out there who's just better than you. Like he's just gonna take all of the attention away from you. And that that sucks, but it it it is a reality of the situation. ⁓ moving over to the women's side finally, Madison Taylor won the Tawaraton on the women's side from Northwestern. there no notes. Like I I who could argue against this pick? I I don't I don't know. ⁓ I I think she was one point behind Chloe T Chloe Humphrey ⁓ for points this season, but beat Chloe Humphrey's team twice, and one of those was in the national championship, in which she had trying to remember off the top of my head, somewhere around seven points or something like that. ⁓ I think she had like five or six goals and an assist. So s something like seven points. So I mean I I I don't I can't say everyone thought she was gonna win it. I think there were a lot of people that thought Chloe was gonna win it, but I think mo most people in the know really thought it was Madison Taylor, so
@HootSportsMedia: It's alright, Chloe's got next year.
Neil Barrett: And maybe even the year after that too. So, you know, we'll see. We'll see. Though though listen, there's there's a few players coming. Alexa Alexa Spolina, Joey's little sister. Incredible at at ⁓ Clemson, if I if I remember correctly, and I'm not gonna get these numbers right, she was the fastest to 100 points ⁓ in in Clemson. I think it was in Clemson lacrosse history. It took The next closest person, something like 80 games to do a hundred to get to a hundred points. She did it in less than thirty. Like in s just insane, like off the charts. Good. So ⁓ I think I think Clemson probably needs a little bit more ⁓ on field success as a team before that happens, but we'll see what happens. Anyway, ⁓ on that, we will get out of here before we do though. What you got coming up this week, man?
@HootSportsMedia: Absolutely nothing.
Neil Barrett: Nothing.
@HootSportsMedia: I mean, nothing that's podcast worthy, I should say. So
Neil Barrett: I mean, a anything's podcast ready for this podcast. Remember there's only there's only like three people listening.
@HootSportsMedia: ⁓ yeah, true, I forgot that people hate us, so ⁓ no, I have just have like grad parties, have ⁓ birthday party. I have a ⁓ we have a chalk art festival down here every year. ⁓ that one of my family members d does a piece in, so I'll I'm gonna go down there. I'll bring a camera. I'm gonna I'm gonna see what I can get this year. It was it's a lot of people, so trying to figure out, you know, kinda the best ways to shoot that. I think it'll be kinda fun, but Nothing ⁓ nothing sports related too much. I'm gonna still try to find a way to watch all these games like on my phone or something, which'll be a joy trying to get connection in a crowd full of thousands of people, but we'll make it work.
Neil Barrett: I like it. I like it. I I I hope you get some cool shots. I'm excited to see that. ⁓ I am checking the score of game one of the Stanley Cup. It is the end of the second period tie game, three three.
@HootSportsMedia: Holy ⁓ after two. Okay, I thought it was after one. I was like three to three.
Neil Barrett: No, at the end of one, I checked in the middle of the sh in the middle of the show. At the end of one, Carolina was up two one. So Vegas had a two one period, so it's three three. I need ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: Alright, good. Yeah. Yeah, I'm pretty s I'm pretty sure the entire nation's rooting actually the entire North American continent's probably rooting for Carolina here, so
Neil Barrett: Yeah, that we'll save that for a different podcast. But yes, that's my
@HootSportsMedia: No, no. Everyone hates Vegas. It's a it's an it's a well known
Neil Barrett: Well I think the I think the Vegas fans like Vegas, but everyone else. Everyone else.
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah, so everyone outside of one little state named Nevada.
Neil Barrett: Not even sure it's all in Nevada. But yes, yeah, you're right. You're right. ⁓ cool. ⁓ I'm going to Charlotte for the games on Saturday. I should be there on a press pass. I'll find out, I guess, tomorrow. But my understanding is that if you if you apply, they pretty much give it to you. So ⁓ that'll be cool. I'll be there. Is it Thursday? ⁓ I I thought they said Wednesday.
@HootSportsMedia: You'll find out on Thursday. trust. Well maybe they changed it, but when I was out there they it was definitely Thursday and I was freaking out since I had a flight plan the next day. I was like these boys I I need to know
Neil Barrett: Yeah. Great. Yeah, 'cause 'cause my thing is if they don't give me a press pass, then I have to I have to get other tickets so that I can get there. ⁓ I it's it's kind of irritating they do that. I I'm sure I'm sure it'll be good too, but kinda like you said, like I you you never know until they they they do it. So ⁓ gonna be doing some well, assuming I get the press pass, I'm gonna be doing some content for shoot up for soldiers. ⁓ and then ⁓ you know, we'll see. ⁓
@HootSportsMedia: Yeah. No, I'm sure you're I'm sure you're good. It'll be a good time. Yeah.
Neil Barrett: Maybe maybe even have some podcast content coming. We'll we'll see what happens. But ⁓ yeah, that I think that's the big thing. That and the the that and the hurricanes this weekend. ⁓ so yeah, I guess I'll I'll ⁓ report back to you. The the good news is that I get to see the WLO game in person. weird, weird random thing. Marie McCool was ⁓ messaging me on t not messaging me, tweeting me, I guess. ⁓ about it today. And I was like, I I don't know what's happening right now. Like what what? ⁓ so we'll see her on the field for the poems this weekend. ⁓ and I will try not to talk crap to her about being a tar heel. I'll probably fail at that, but Anyway, let's get out of here. That is all for this week. If you enjoyed this episode, the Lax Lifers Club is where our community lives between episodes. It's a Discord for the fans watching lacrosse year around, aka a Lifer. The link to join us is in the description. Across social media, you can find me at I Am Neil Barrett and Brandon at Hoot Sports Media. If you haven't yet, rate and review the show on whatever platform you are listening to. It takes about 30 seconds and genuinely helps people find us. But we will be back next week. So until then, we'll catch you guys in the comments.