Denver Was An Odyssey

Neil Barrett: Welcome, welcome, welcome to the run out. I am Neil Barrett. He is Brandon Hooton. Tons of things to get into as the PLL was in Denver this weekend. The archers and water dogs both swept their double headers. The outlaws got run out of their own building, and five Syracuse guys just sued the NCAA in a way that will have huge ramifications on the NCAA and the PLL. But Before we get into that, man, Brandon, how was your weekend? @HootSportsMedia: That was good. Action pecked. sat through five games of lacrosse, two hour rain delay. Neil Barrett: Hey, you did not get hit with a ball this time. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, that's that was my weekend. Pretty pretty busy. I did not get hit with the ball this time. I o actually that's sort of true. My monopod did get hit at one point. there was a ball that kind of bounced Neil Barrett: Mm. @HootSportsMedia: up and went in front of my face but my monopod blocked it, so but yeah, technically I did not get hit this time, which is good. Neil Barrett: You didn't take a full on shot. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. yeah. Well, you know, you're always at risk when Aiden Carroll is on on at Peter Barton, so gotta watch out. Neil Barrett: Fair enough, fair enough. d was was Sunday just all rest? @HootSportsMedia: mostly. It was a family day like usual, so hung up with my family, but trying to think back, yeah, I pretty much just lounged around, did some housekeeping stuff, you know, I had to, you know, clean up different files on my computer and in around the house, but I mean definitely not not as as much as the previous day, you know, sitting in the sun and I actually burned my hand at one point on my camera. It was so hot. my laptop overheated at one Neil Barrett: Use. @HootSportsMedia: point, so that that was challenging. you know, I was kinda juggling my camera a couple of times 'cause it was too hot to hold, so I was kinda just like maybe if I just do this enough and then just s you know, lock in when I need take the photo. so yeah, it was it was it was a a crazy weather change going from, you know, tons of lightning pouring rain into Sunday, which was just hot, hot, hot and, you know, you're drinking Gatorades all day trying to figure out how you're gonna stay hydrated and but it was good. Neil Barrett: Nice. I went to a baseball game Friday night. I was actually really glad for the rain delay because I was supposed to go to a baseball game. I did go to a baseball game. and I was like, crap, I'm gonna have to like rewatch the first game or whatever. And then I got home, it got rain delayed or rain I think they made it through like six innings. And then it just actually was weird is the weather didn't even actually change. It was the same kind of like misty rain that it had been for the previous two hours. And all of a sudden they just called the game. And we were like, @HootSportsMedia: Ha ha. Neil Barrett: okay, weird. but whatever. they still did the fireworks show because it was a Friday night. So they did fireworks, but I got I got this hat. You can't even tell because it looks exactly like the same the one that I had, except this isn't dirty. This is actually gold. So it's it's black and gold instead of black and white. @HootSportsMedia: okay. Neil Barrett: I noticed the other one was getting dirty so I was so I was like, I want to get a new hat. and then I bought one that's gold and so like on here it's just gonna look dirty anyway. So and then I got a I got a I got another one. hanging up over there and trying to think of what it what it's called. the military day one or whatever. It's like army green. and then we went to go see the Odyssey on Saturday. So that was pretty cool. It's pretty good. @HootSportsMedia: nice, nice. I've not seen it yet, but I'm trying. I wanna see it in IMAX, so it's it's one of those things that's Neil Barrett: Yeah. yeah. @HootSportsMedia: like how long do I wait to see it type of thing, you know? But I've avoided spoilers Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: somehow. And when I say spoilers I recognize people are gonna be like, It's based on this Neil Barrett: Ha ha ha. @HootSportsMedia: other thing. I get it. But you know what I'm saying. So, yeah, at some point I I am gonna go see Spider Man on Sunday, actually. So excited for that as well. Neil Barrett: I would like to go see Spider Man two this weekend. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, so trading one for the other, but I'll take it. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I I my mom and stepdad wanted to go see it and they go to this theater, this local theater in this little tiny town that they live in, called the Trex. And it's like it is like going to a movie in like 1995, which I know you don't know what that was like, but it it was about as far away from from a IMAX as you could get. It was still a good movie, it was still an enjoyable @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: experience. But I kinda wanna go and see it in like an IMAX and like really, really see it. but I'm also I'm also one of those people that's like, I've already seen it though. Like I don't I don't know. So @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Well that that's where I'm at. Like, do I just go see it and just get it over with or like everyone I know that's seen it in IMAX has like, it's incredible But at the same time it's like I can't talk to anyone about it 'cause I haven't seen it. So at some point I might just like, Neil Barrett: Ha ha ha. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, we'll just go see it and whatever. Neil Barrett: I I would definitely say go see it if you can. It was it was really good. I I will say it was a little slow at the beginning. And I just I kept thinking, man, this is the movie everyone's like and I mean it's a three-hour movie. So like the beginning, I'm I'm literally meaning like the first hour. I was kind of like, This is the movie that everyone thought. It it's not slow. I shouldn't say it's slow. That's that's not the best. term to use. Because I literally looked down was like, it's already been an hour. So it's not like it's not like it was dragging. It's not like it was slow. But I the I the whole time I was just like, this is the movie. And then all of a sudden it like clicked in and then it just like took off. And I was like, okay, all right. Now I get it. I get it. I see where everyone was. But but yeah I just for for literally like the first hour I was like this is the movie that everyone's like freaking it wasn't it wasn't bad. I just was like interesting. So you know Whatever. but yeah, definitely check that out and I guess we'll talk about Spider Man next week if you go and I go. I'm I'm excited for that. I it's been a while since I've I don't think I've seen any of the last like three or four Marvel movies in theaters. I think I've all I've waited for all of them to come out on on Disney Plus before I watched them. So this will be the first time I've I've gone to a theater for a Marvel movie in a while. So that'll be @HootSportsMedia: Spider Man's always worth it. Neil Barrett: I love Spider Man. Spider Man was al always my favorite. Always my favorite. So wait. How old were you when Toby Maguire's first movie came out? Like four? @HootSportsMedia: I mean what year did it come out? Neil Barrett: That's good question. I now and now I gotta look this up. @HootSportsMedia: If it was in the twenty tens and yeah, I was a child. I never got into Spider Man until Neil Barrett: No, it was definitely not @HootSportsMedia: until Tom Holland. Neil Barrett: No no no no it was not in the it was not in the two thousand tens. What? @HootSportsMedia: No no no. I'm saying Toby was in the the two thousands, was it not? Neil Barrett: Yeah, he okay. When you say two thousand tens, that's like two thousand ten through two thousand nineteen. @HootSportsMedia: I said two thousands. At least that's what I meant to say. Maybe I said two thousand tens, but I meant Neil Barrett: I heard 2010, so I'm gonna ever @HootSportsMedia: two thousands. Neil Barrett: maybe you did it, I just heard it, but we'll get we'll get people to tell us. So Spider Man, the the Toby Maguire, the first Toby Maguire, @HootSportsMedia: Two thousand two. Neil Barrett: two thousand two. Yep. So you were four? @HootSportsMedia: A crisp one year old. Neil Barrett: my @HootSportsMedia: One. Neil Barrett: did it does it does it have mo I just closed it out. @HootSportsMedia: So I never got into Toby. Neil Barrett: I just I just closed it out. Do you do you still have it? @HootSportsMedia: Two thousand two, two thousand four, two thousand seven were the three. Neil Barrett: Do you have when in 2002 it came out? Like what what time of year? @HootSportsMedia: May third. Neil Barrett: Okay, May 3rd, I was I was just wrapping up my junior year of high school when that movie came out. And like I s I I had always loved Spider Man since I was a little kid. Like he he was always my favorite. I think it was you and I that were just talking about this because you cause you opened Some Marvel cards recently, right? So it was you and I that were just talking, @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: and I told you I loved my favorite was Scarlet Spider. I don't even know why, because I wasn't like a super comic book kid, but I used to go the the grocery store around the grocery stores around here are called Harris Teeter. And I used to go to Harris Teeter like with my mom or whatever when she was grocery shopping, and in the checkout lines, they would have comic books. And I would always pick up the the Scarlet Spider ones and and just like again, I wasn't like reading them. I just would like flip through and see all the like cool artwork. And I was like, he's my favorite. He's my favorite. So when when you know Spider-Man came out with Toby Maguire, that was like crazy. It was like the first time that a a a comic book movie had ever I mean, I guess the the Michael Keaton Batman movies had come out and I guess even the George Clooney ones, but they had started to get like so campy and stuff that like I don't know. They were they were kind of in their own category, the Spider-Man with Toby McGuire. And it's the first time people took like superhero movies seriously. It was such a fun time. I don't know. I don't know. Now I now I feel like 107 years old. Like all you're here all you're hearing is like, have you seen that? Have you seen that meme on social media now that's like actually you may not have seen it. I've only seen it in the in military circles, but it'll be like someone that's like someone's like, you know, putting on their uniform in the morning and and it's like what my what my soldiers hear when I tell them about when I enlisted and it's some like history channel like thing. And it's like in the war of 1680. I don't know. It's it's that's what I feel like right now. I feel like I'm like, yeah, we walked up we walked a school uphill both ways in the snow. Like, that's what I feel like right now. So Let's move on and talk about some lacrosse. How about that? @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, ten minutes in. Neil Barrett: Wow. Wow. It really be your own people, don't it? We will @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: start off wait. I just realized my notes are in the wrong order too. you know why? 'Cause I I tr I moved the wrong game. @HootSportsMedia: You are a little robotic right now, just so you know. Neil Barrett: I'm I'm robotic. @HootSportsMedia: Yes, you are robotic and your screen is frozen. So I've no clue what you said. wait, wait. You're back. I think you're back. You're back. Neil Barrett: Dude, you know my internet. What's weird is I I have fifty two percent uploaded. @HootSportsMedia: Hurry, well we have good internet. Go. Neil Barrett: I well what I was saying was I just realized that my g my games are out of order. The archers play the outlaws in game one, right? Yeah, okay. All right. I I wrote these down out of order, so bear with me because apparently I screwed this up. the game that took two hours to get going and then probably wasn't really worth it as a as a Outlaws fan, was it? @HootSportsMedia: I don't know, it still fun. Put up eleven goals. So the fans loved it. the ones that stayed, which was a a decent amount. Neil Barrett: First of all, before we talk about this game, I do gotta talk about the the fans in Denver sitting through that rain delay. I I know some people probably left, but there was still a good amount of people there after two hours and sitting in the rain. And there were even there I felt like there was even a good amount for that second game too, as well, which didn't end until @HootSportsMedia: Mm-hmm. Yeah, there was. Neil Barrett: what 1230 local, something like that. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, basically. And and what people weren't seeing as well Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: on the broadcast was if if you've ever been to DU, you you go up stairs to get to the main Richie Center, and there was a ton of people standing up there because there was coverage from the rain. So you know, not that there was, you know, thousands up there, but there were definitely a good amount up there too, just 'cause some people didn't have umbrellas or didn't have, you know, rain jackets or whatnot and unfortunately, like it was weird. During the during the actual delay there was like no rain. It was just really bad lightning Neil Barrett: Right. @HootSportsMedia: that wouldn't move. And then we get to the field and it starts dumping. And so Neil Barrett: Mm-hmm. @HootSportsMedia: we're sitting there, you know, pouring rain. You know, we're we're handing out ponchos to people trying to cover our gear and we got towels and like I had I had my bucket hat that I ended up putting on 'cause I like at least this way I can like cover more surface area and just it was actually insane sitting through that. So credit to the people that stayed and and sat through that. Unfortunately it wasn't a great game to watch for them, but As a lacrosse fan, it was a fun game. So I guess that has it has that going for it. Neil Barrett: Yeah, no, I I I thought it was I thought it was a fun game, but yeah, it was it was not for the home team it was not fun. But but yeah, I wanted to get that out of the way because you know, we we ta we've talked several times about the games that weren't super well attended. So like I I wanna make sure that we talk about the games that that crowds are are doing really well. the other thing I thought too was that the In both this game and the Outlaws other game, the the Rough Riders, I thought, I mean it it might be a little a little a little too easy to put it all on them, but we'll use that term at at least for that whole crowd. I thought I thought they did a great job of like they were they were into the game. They were like I I don't know. I I I really enjoyed watching the the crowd part of the game and and hearing them and and stuff. So they really added and I I I think I tweeted out this weekend at some point that the the crowd was too good for that team to have been that bad this weekend. which we'll get into the let's let's actually get into this game. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. There's there's there's one goal specifically in that second game, we'll get into in a bit, but the crowd pop on it was the the broadcast to not do it justice. I'll just say that, but we'll get into that later. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. for this game we'll the Archers won sixteen to eleven. Yeah, I don't I don't even I don't even know what to say. I mean the the archers once again are just I I don't know what happened. They just they flipped that switch and they look incredible. Cause i I think at first they were maybe beating some some lesser teams. And you thought, okay, well, you know, n once they start playing some better teams, but we'll get to it in a in a minute here, but you know, they they beat the the top two teams this weekend. So I don't know that that's something that we can really say about them anymore. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I they got Trey Leclerc involved, which is what we said needs to happen for them to be good. So, you know, back to back games that I think they made him the focal point and it works out because it opens up everybody else. this first game, Connor Fields, I didn't feel like had a a crazy good game and he's still at two points. You know, so when you have Leclerc going off and then you have O'Keeffe going off and then on the other end like no one can really get anything consistently going. I don't really know what else to say. This is the second game. Again, there's an extension of this comment here coming a bit, but this is the second game in the row the Outlaws had a five two deficit in the first quarter. I don't know what happens in the first quarter. I don't know if we need better hype up music or we need more caffeine or something for these guys in the morning. But that first quarter has been awful for them. the last several games and I'm not totally sure why because the rest of the game they at least can hang for the majority of it. And then by that point it's usually too late. So I mean Pat Calf had five points, but you know, he he needed to kind of get him himself going. He only had he had two goals. One was a two point goal, so snap, we just lost Neil. I guess I'm still talking 'cause we're still recording. but yeah, I just think everyone just They they look disconnected right now. Brennan is still not finding the back of the net. he only took three shots in this one. you know, Pasino was nice to get a two point goal, but when he's tied with Brennan and Dalton and and Justin Anderson in points, again, that's not the greatest. he was crazy good on defense though, helped my fantasy team a ton. Mick Weerman I thought was great. McNanny unfortunately just had an awful game. At this point, when this game occurred, it was probably the worst game of his career. Again, there's an extension to that coming later in the episode, so yeah, it was a weird game to score eleven and still lose, especially because Brad Dobson's been lights out, you know, keeping teams to eight, basically or less. So I was at least happy we got to eleven. You know, nice little moral victory there. But yeah, just just it's funny because we we talked about how they win lose, win, lose every other game. Now it's every other weekend, because they just so happens to play two games this weekend, so I would assume we should all hammer them to win this next weekend. By by the pattern. I don't know. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I mean we'll we'll see. yeah, I don't I don't know that I I really have anything to add right now. Like I said, we'll we'll talk a little bit more about the outlaws in a minute. We'll probably talk a little bit more about the archers in a minute as well. let's move over the Water Dog Atlas game was the other was the Friday night game, right? Okay. I just want to make sure I'm like, I'm trying to remember which game came in which order. So the Friday night game saw the next game, which again started well, it must have been 10 30 local time for for you guys, because it was it was a little after twelve here. saw the Water Dogs beat the Atlas eleven to ten in Gavin Adler's first game against his former team. he does get the win. CJ Kirst had four goals. Michael Sowers had a hat trick, including the game winner. I I don't e I don't again, we'll probably talk about the the water dogs a little bit more in a minute, but the Atlas are one of those teams that does they seem to do just enough to lose games every week, it feels like. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, it seems like they're they're kind of always in it, but then they can't quite finish out the game. and this one specifically, I just felt like their offense was really just sporadic. Like Brian Costabile with three points, but like you know, he only took four shots. Reed Bowering was two for two for five, which was nice to see, like Connor Schellenberger was just not anywhere to be found. Only two shots on the day. Or knight I should say. their midfield did absolutely nothing to help them again aside from from Costabile. you know, Baptiste getting shot out in the first half, going over ten against Athacus is Neil Barrett: That was that was crazy. @HootSportsMedia: insane. And what sucks the most is yet again, here we are another week where Entamin played out of his mind and it's all for nothing because you know, he had seventeen saves, sixty three percent save percentage and you're losing an eleven ten ballgame. Like that's that's wild. also Sean Byrne, we'll talk about him more in a second, but you know, I know he was only at fifty percent, but man, he looked good on the weekend. And coming in to be the starter after essentially, you know, being the backup all year long, like that's crazy. and against Athakis was awesome, so I mean the Water Dogs, I I still think they're one of the better teams in the league. I think they're starting to separate themselves, but also it's like at this point I think a lot of people are questioning how good is New York and how good is Denver. Which is wild considering some of those same people just said that Denver was a top two team last weekend, but I'm not judging. But I still think they're one of the best Neil Barrett: Well. @HootSportsMedia: teams in the league. I've been saying it since the beginning of the year. and I mean Neil Barrett: Who? Which which team are we talking about? Sorry. The Water Dirt, okay. @HootSportsMedia: The the Water Dogs. That I just think I just think it took him a while to kinda figure it out, you know, especially with the the lineup changes and and and whatnot, but you know, with CJ Kirst just playing out of his mind, it's like it's so it looks so effortless for him and he just smiles the entire game too. Like if I was a defender and he was swearing on me and then like smiling the whole time, like I'd be so mad. Neil Barrett: Was it I I think it was this game where he he scored that goal, like took a a hit and just kind of got up and patted the defender that hit him on the back and was like, @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: like, nice job, nice job. @HootSportsMedia: Get me suspended, dude. Neil Barrett: man. Yeah. Yeah. But @HootSportsMedia: People like, We don't fight here in the P L L I'm like, Well now we do 'cause this guy wants to smile Neil Barrett: Now we do. @HootSportsMedia: and laugh on my face. Neil Barrett: Yeah, no. that reminds me of my high school coach used to always say that like the the the biggest way that to talk is with the scoreboard. And like if somebody does something dirty, like it don't it don't matter. Look at the scoreboard. Like yeah. He used to literally instruct us to like literally rush off your shoulder and just point at the scoreboard. Like that was that was like his his thing was to do that. so yeah, no, I I I'm the same way. Like it it's it's n it is not disrespectful, but it's highly disrespectful, if that makes any sense. @HootSportsMedia: Yes. Yes. Neil Barrett: so yeah, no, it it it's crazy. The the one thing I I did want to say about the Atlas is like you said, Trevor Baptiste shockingly bad. Like just I I can't even put it into words. Like I don't understand why and how he was. that bad in this game. I didn't think that their defense was very good in this game at all. Liam Enzerman bailed them out in in several situations, which is interesting when you read out his stats because I I don't remember him playing well. Like I when I think about that game, I I don't I don't think, yeah, well Liam Enzman was balling. and then like you like you said that the offense wasn't really clicking, wasn't really doing anything. And then like you like you also said, I I think people think that the Water Dogs are one of the better teams. And so it's like it just shows you how thin the margins are here. That the the Water Dogs are one of the better teams. The Atlas are, at least, you know, statistically, the worst team in the league. And it didn't feel like they played very well in any phase of the game. And yet they lost by one. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: I I'm wondering, is there Is there any part of you that feels like if they can play a little bit better that they could actually be dangerous? Or are we just looking at next year pretty much? @HootSportsMedia: Mm, I think it's a mix of both. Like, if you're losing games by one, you're obviously right there. In the literal sense. The problem is, like we s we mentioned earlier, is that they haven't been able to really get on the other side of that roller coaster. They're just kind of stuck at the top right now, and then it's just like, we're falling back down. So I'm not totally sure what needs to happen there to to, you know, get over the hump. Aside from offensively, their stars need to be stars consistently. You look at every other team pretty most other teams, their stars are being stars every week and that's why they're winning. In addition to then they're getting their role players involved. And I feel like right now the Atlas are kind of all over the place. Of one week Shelley looks really great and has a bunch of points and the next week he has something like this where he has one point in three shots or whatever he has, two shots. And it's like okay, we I understand Gavin Adler is a menace out there, but we gotta figure out a way to get you on the board. And so from that standpoint, like what are they now? They're two games under five hundred, I wanna say Neil Barrett: I believe so yeah. No three games, three and six. @HootSportsMedia: Y three okay, so I mean, could they end up coming I mean, we saw Chaos win the championship at two and eight. So I'm not saying they they can't turn it around and make a run, but I just think th at this point in the season, you know, already being three games under five hundred, you have to go on a massive run and I'm not totally certain they can do that right now. I mean if Leah Mensenman's Neil Barrett: Yeah. No, I mean I @HootSportsMedia: making seventeen saves and you're losing games Neil Barrett: Yeah, it's one of those it's one of those things that works kind of both ways where like like we said, you know, they they played poorly all over the field and lost by one. But then the flip side of that is also true, like you said, that Liam Insman bowled out of his mind and you're still losing games. So yeah, I I I I I feel like they there's no coming back for them. And of course, now that I've said it, they'll they'll win the next three games, they'll go into @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: the playoffs and and and make a run and you know, but it it feels like like they are while not mathematically eliminated, they are they're basically out of the playoffs at this point. and it's just they're just playing for the number one pick at this point, which is Which is crazy to think that this team with you know, next year we'll have Jeff Teat back, Trevor Baptiste, Liam Intamin, Connor Schoenberg. Like I, you know, we can go through the whole list. Danny Logan, like we can go through this whole list, is gonna get a number one pick. I mean, I mean, I guess on some level you can do that with just about every team in the league, but like they won the championship. I mean, you know what it's it's the Archers last year. The Archers won the championship. @HootSportsMedia: I was just about to say the archers did it. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, you're you're right. So and actually the Water Dogs did it too. D didn't they do that in they won in what, two the in twenty two? And then I think in twenty three they were No, they went back to the championship game, didn't they, in twenty three. Never mind. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I think so. Neil Barrett: Yeah, never mind. I'm done. but yeah, the the Archers just did it. So first to worst of first, what New York's gonna I think hope to be doing. But let's move over to the Saturday games. The first one saw the Carolina Chaos beat the Boston Cannons thirteen to twelve in overtime. This game was crazy fun. It felt like two teams just going at each other the whole game. Boston came in on a three game win streak. Teddy Malone played out of his mind, had six points, four goals, two assists, including the overtime winner. interestingly, I think I think last week we had a conversation about these two teams and which one you had more faith in. Was that was it these two teams? @HootSportsMedia: No, I think it was Boston and Utah. And I think I said I had more faith in Utah Neil Barrett: Is it Boston and New? @HootSportsMedia: because they were both on a win streak. I think is what the conversation was. Neil Barrett: Gotcha. Gotcha. No, that that makes sense. That makes sense. @HootSportsMedia: I did pick Carolina for this game though, so from that standpoint I felt good. Neil Barrett: I don't think I did. You were you were talking about about fantasy Dude. I hate fantasy. I hate fantasy. Coulter Magazine had negative eleven points. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. Neil Barrett: Like, how is that possible? You're like leading the league in points. And then I pick you on my team and you have negative 11. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: I it is. I've I feel jinxed. @HootSportsMedia: Can you can you can you start picking the players on the teams that are playing the Outlaws? Like that'd be really nice of you to do. Just one time. Just one time. Neil Barrett: That would that would make me an Outlaws fan. @HootSportsMedia: No it wouldn't. It would just make you an acquaintance. Neil Barrett: Acquaintance. geez. Blaze Reardon, another thing that we got to talk about in this game was incredible. 20 saves, 64.5%. I'd say pretty easily his best game this season. Week one, didn't he? He had a pretty good performance in like week one or two, didn't he? Where he had like 20 saves, I think, something like that. @HootSportsMedia: Probably, but we're gonna go with recency bias and say it was his best best game of the year. Neil Barrett: Okay. Yeah. And you know, they also made some moves today. They released Brennan Nictern, brought back in Chris Aslanian, whom they had cut whatever it was two weeks ago. Interesting. I I don't know. I just don't know how to feel about this Carolina Chaos team because I feel like they should be better than they are, but also they kind of feel exactly like who they're supposed to be. @HootSportsMedia: I don't know what this team's supposed to be, but they're fun to watch. Neil Barrett: I mean I there there is that. That's for sure. Like you @HootSportsMedia: You know, I I don't really understand why their midfielders outperform their attackmen literally every week. But I guess technically Teddy Malone's an attackman. He's listed as MIDI, but I mean Palumbo with three, Navlock with three. Yeah, Neil Barrett: I was gonna say he's he's listed as a midi, but he did play Attack this week, so @HootSportsMedia: Ross with three, like I I don't know, but but yeah, it and and it's I was laughing when they scored their twelfth goal. Because of course Boston gave up twelve goals. Like w you know, and it goes to O Neil Barrett: Of course they did. @HootSportsMedia: T and they get a thirteenth. I was like, Yeah, of course they they go over to twelfth because that's how you beat Boston. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yep. @HootSportsMedia: So yeah, I thought that was funny. you know, Boston i that third quarter wasn't great for them, but the rest of the game I thought they were pretty strong. I thought they they spread the ball fairly well, which which was good to see. You know, Kirst didn't have a a a horrible game, you know, forty eight percent, twelve saves, like it wasn't bad. McMeekin was just out of his mind at the dot, you know, ended with a point as well. unfortunately for him, Owen Hilts likes to play defense sometimes, and that leads to an overtime goal to win the game. So Neil Barrett: Sometimes he says. my my one hot I'm not I'm I'm generally not one for hot takes. My one hot take is that Chad Palumbo should win rookie of the year. @HootSportsMedia: I you don't gotta twist my arm, but Neil Barrett: I @HootSportsMedia: Sure. Neil Barrett: I I can admit I can admit a little bit of bias just because you and I have been like on the Chad Palumbo train this year this @HootSportsMedia: Nobody's here. Nobody is here. Neil Barrett: season. but no but I I genuinely think that there's not a rookie who has been more important to their team than Chad Palumbo. Ryan Steins has been incredible. I I think he probably wins it. but I I don't know. There's just something about him that I'm like yeah, I mean it but if it feels like I mean, listen, as far and obviously we'll get into the archers again here in just a second, but it it feels like Trey LeClaire is the most important player on that team. I I'm not entirely sure. May maybe Blaze Reardon, but short of Blaze Reardon, I don't know that there's a more important player on The Carolina Chaos than Chad Palumbo. Rookie or otherwise. and I just yeah, I just don't know that you can say that about anyone else on on the rookies list this year. you know, Joey Spelina has been great. Like I said, Ryan Steins has been great. but I don't think either of them have been as important to their team as Chad Palumbo has been to the Carolina Chaos. @HootSportsMedia: Talk about Steins here in a minute. Neil Barrett: Okay. he's got he's got stuff to say, but I guess I guess we'll just go ahead and move over to that archers game that saw the archers wait, right? The whip snakes game, right? I'm totally losing my mind. I wish I had written these down in the correct order. the archers doubled up the whip snakes sixteen to eight. This game was just I mean, ugly from the start. I'm not even sure sixteen eight was a a adequate like I I think it was it was worse than that. Brad Thompson was insane. Trey Leclerc was great. I don't know. You were there. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I think Ryan Steins is probably gonna win rookie of the year. He he doesn't look like a rookie at all. He had three goals in this game, all three of them were pretty. He had he had two bouncers that went top corner, top shelf. I I don't know how you do that. But he did it twice. he was three for five shooting Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: too, which is just insane. but yeah, I thought Fields he played played well. I thought their attack in general played well. Obviously Leclerc didn't have as good of a game as the night before, but like I feel like he attacked enough. he dodged well. you know, sis was was terrific getting a point as well, and seventy-five percent from the dot. and then Dobson just had a monster game with eighteen saves and eight goals. So it's hard because like that the MVP race, I know people keep saying like It's Dobson and I'm not disagreeing per se, but it's also hard when CJ put up five points too. It's like when like at what point if they both continue to play well, does Dobson actually jump that? This type of performance, I will listen to those arguments all day long. so he was it was one of those things where it's like every time I saw the whip shoot, even if I was photographing the shooter, I knew he was gonna save the ball. Like I didn't it It was almost like I'm taking a stock image of a shot because I know Brett's gonna save the ball and it doesn't really matter. And sure enough he did for most of the game, so Yeah, I don't know. I think I think this we're kind of seeing you know, people early on were saying the whips were one of the best teams in the league, and I think we're slowly seeing some deficiencies where they they struggle a little bit. but also they're facing a red hot archers team, so It's one of those situations again where it's like, Neil Barrett: That's @HootSportsMedia: What do really take from that? Because of course they beat by five. Like it's they're on a roll. So Neil Barrett: Yeah. That that was gonna be my question was are the was this a a whip snakes, you know, showing their true colors or was this the whip snakes playing the archers, who are just next level right now? you know what's so funny about this to me too is I don't know if you saw Joe Keegan tweeted out not Joe Keegan, Adam Lamberti tweeted out that Something along the lines, I'm I'm gonna paraphrase here because I don't remember off the top of my head, but something along the lines of you know, the the I think he tweeted out some stats about the the Archers offense and how how good they had been over the last few games, and then tweeted out said something to the effect of like, I can't believe anyone ever said that. you know, they didn't have the offensive weapons to compete this year. Clearly, I think talking about himself, I d I don't know exactly what he wrote, but I I think he was alluding to himself, probably saying that they didn't @HootSportsMedia: I think he said something like, Who would have said that or something like that? Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah. And I've responded to him and I was like, you know what's funny is I feel I it still feels like they don't. Like even though they keep doing it, it still feels like every week I'm expecting them not to. Like their their offense is just gonna stop putting up points because it just it feels like they don't have the horses. Even though like I get it, they got Connor Fields and Mac O'Keefe and Trey LeClair, the way he's playing, like Is a is a superstar and they've got Sam King and you know, all these guys that can that are good offensive players that we all know, and yet there's something in it, at least in my brain, I won't put it in anyone else's, but at least in my brain, there's something that's that still is like, yeah, but their offense isn't good. And maybe that should change. Maybe again, maybe that's a thing in my brain that should change. because again, they just keep doing it. You know, last year we talked about we talked all season about the the idea that, no, they're gonna figure it out. They're gonna figure it out. And and I and my phrase was always like, How long, how long do we keep saying they're gonna figure it out before it becomes something that we're just trying to convince ourselves? And now it feels like it's almost the exact opposite of like, how long should I continue to tell myself that they don't have the offense before it becomes something I'm just trying to tell myself and they Clearly do have the offer. I mean I well, they they they put up what was it, third was it no, it was sixteenth. So yeah. when was the last time they scored less than four? I'm in in the other game. @HootSportsMedia: yeah yeah. I th I think they said it was four games. They were averaging like sixteen goals a game or something or f or it was something absurd like that. Neil Barrett: Yeah, it's crazy. And and well, I think you can give some credit to Brett Dobson and the defense for that in terms of like they're not it the ball's not going in the back of their net, so it's spending a more time on the offensive end, but they still gotta score it. You know? We just we just talked about Liam Entamin and the and the Atlas, and you know, he played out of his mind, but they couldn't put it in the back of the net on the other end. So You know, again, how how long is that something that I that I need to just like move past, you know? So @HootSportsMedia: Well and who knows if Pete La Sala played the whole game if this is still the result. Like he got injured pretty early on, at least if I'm remembering correctly, so I mean I mean maybe. But you also you Neil Barrett: I mean I'd imagine this is still the result, but w is it this bad? @HootSportsMedia: also don't know if you know, if Sis has more more of a challenge at the dot, like do they get as many shots? 'cause 'cause Utah was very sloppy in this game too. They had s they had five more turnovers than Maryland. So you know Maybe maybe if they get PD back or or an actual face off guy, that would help them. But this game was also really chippy. Lots of trash talk for some reason. Connor Fields stared down at McCarroll. Very next play Leclerc scores and stares down I can't think of who it was guarding him. So I don't know what was said pre or during the game, but very clearly some animosity there, which I found interesting, but Neil Barrett: Yeah. Well, look, they I guess whatever whatever gets up for the game, I g I guess, you know. @HootSportsMedia: Maybe they can teach the outlaws that. did I say that out loud? Sorry. Neil Barrett: Speaking of the Outlaws, the final game of the weekend saw the water dogs just blow out the the outlaws. just I felt again, I felt so bad for that that crowd who had been so good all weekend to just have it all end like that and just @HootSportsMedia: Hey, according to some members in our chat, ten goals is not a blowout. For the record. All right. Neil Barrett: I don't know. I don't know who said that. No, apparently I don't. @HootSportsMedia: I don't know if if you remember that conversation a while back. We were t we were we were talking about what constitutes a blowout in lacrosse. And there were some people in there that were talking about these like what I consider to be astronomical losses and they like, Well, 'cause technically you can still come back and I like, Ooh, okay. but yeah, yeah, it was it was bad. Neil Barrett: Yeah, no, that's that's terrible. Anyway, this game ended eighteen to eight. Brennan O'Neal, probably the the bigger story from this game is he b sat out with an apparent knee injury. what was interesting to me about this was two things. One, Remember, we were we were talking a a few weeks ago about Team USA's game against Yeah, Belgium. that's weird. That that took me back to 2014. against Belgium and why am I totally blanking on his name? Christian Polisic getting injured and pulling himself out of that game. He asked to be pulled out. And you and I haven't talked about this, but I I was watching Landon Donovan. on his podcast talk about that. And he was like, you you would have had to yank me off that like you would have had to physically remove me from that field because At the end of the day, like I have faith in in me. I think I am the best option for this team. Even on one leg, I'm going to back myself that when that ball comes across in into the middle of the box, I'm gonna be the one that puts it in the back of the net over, you know, the guy sitting on the bench. and I I it was interesting to think about that in in the context of of Brennan O'Neill sitting out now. That's a knockout stage game in the World Cup. This is a regular season game in the PLL. not exactly a like-to-like comparison. And I don't know what's going on with nobody seem really knows what's going on with Brennan O'Neal right now. I believe he's going to be re-evaluated at some point this week, which I'll I'll talk about in just a second, because that's my second thing. But you know, you Talked about at the end of the NLL season. you know, he missed, he missed the last couple of games, right? Of the NLL season with an injury. And and I know early in the season you you were suggesting that maybe he was still carrying an injury because he just he just has not looked right at all this season. and @HootSportsMedia: To be fair, I definitely second I s definitely was was questioning if he was actually injured 'cause I felt like that was being used as an excuse the first couple PL weeks. But then after the way that it continued, then I definitely was like, Okay, something has to be going on. So credit to those people who said it initially. I was not jumping on that that wagon, but and this is technically a different injury that they're saying. But Neil Barrett: Yeah, well I mean I mean who knows? There's there's not enough transparency around that. And I and I understand HIPAA and everything. Like there are some legitimate reasons, but there's also just not enough information that we're given about injuries. And I s so again, this is a this is a regular season game, not a not a World Cup playoff or or a knockout stage game. And I certainly don't think that Brendan O'Neill swings a ten goal game in favor of the Outlaws. But it was it was really interesting that he sat out that game against one of the better teams in the league in a game that they really kind of needed to win. not it's it's not necessarily a must-win, but like they really kind of needed to win, especially after losing on Friday night. and and again, you know, just trying to like you're you're at home, like these are your fans. And and like you're not, I don't know. It it's that felt a little weird. But then the the idea that he has to be reevaluated too was kind of sending alarm bells off in my head. again, don't know anything about the injury, not suggesting, but it I it just felt strange to me that he sat out a game and they have to reevaluate him. Like to me, there's something in the back of my brain that's like, this sounds like it might be a bigger deal. then we're we are being initially led to again, no inside information. Like don't quote me on that, but it it just feels like that to me. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I don't know if he swings it in the outlaw's favor, but I definitely think he swings a ten goal loss, for a lot of reasons. I think I think Neil Barrett: yeah, it's certainly not a ten goal loss. @HootSportsMedia: I think you look at what ended up happening and you had J B ten playing attack and he pulls his hammy again. Does that happen if he's playing midfield? Maybe not. We had Dalton Young playing attack and he had some great pus some great possessions. You know, he had that that shovel backhand which I thought was nice, but he's not use playing attack. Like that's a that's a bit and you could just tell from the jump that it was like blood in the water. Like, okay, we don't gotta deal with Brennan over here. We'll just go zoning on Pat and and Logan pretty much and and you you know, and that was on top of I just felt like the offense already wasn't clicking anyway, from what happened the night before. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: So where now it's like, we only gotta face Neil Barrett: All season. @HootSportsMedia: the we only got to face these couple guys. Like 'cause 'cause to me Brennan is he has the gravity like someone like Steph Curry where even if he's missing shots, you have to respect it. And so when you lose him like that, then it's like, shoot, like who you can't replace him. and and I just didn't I did not like the offense from the outlaws. Again, like it's I feel like people haven't talked about it as much as I've tried to bring it up because they've won a bunch of games. A handful, I s I should say. They're four and five. But like because they win, then no one wants to talk about how poor the offense has looked. And it's they're just skating by like they're the opposite of the Atlas, where they're just skating by in these games. And people are just kinda like, Well, they're their best, because they if they turn it on, it's like, okay, but when are they turning it on? What's funny, and and what's funny is this is the second time this year where everyone knows I've been clamoring for we need more consistent midfield point production from as a whole. Twice now, the midfield has played better than the attack and outscored the attack. So why is it that when the attack is popping off, the midfield is just like off in la la land? And then vice versa when the midfield's playing. Like Grand Bundy was our leading score with three points. That makes no sense. Shout to Nolan Byrne, by the way. I want him to get more run. I've been asking for him to play, so it's been awesome to see him get some goals. But why is he your second leading scorer? In his first game ever. Why is Dalton Young your second leading score? Like, I just don't I mean, shout out to Wiz for for two assists, but no shots. For the most efficient shooter in the league, no shots. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Well @HootSportsMedia: We can we can we can bang the drum on these players all we want and and and b so not to cut you off. There are absolutely things I could go in on on each player about. But this is where we need coaching to step up and and draw something up for Wiz. Why does he have zero shots? I don't understand that. Why why does Pat Kavanaugh have three shots? Again, I know Gavin Adler's out there. I get it. At some point something has to change. You're down fourteen to four at the half. You didn't change anything after a seven to two first quarter. Your third game in a row, going down five to two in the first quarter, and you don't change anything. Neil Barrett: Well, you won't know this because obviously you were on the sideline shooting, but there was a there was a whole thing during this game. I think it was this game. It was one of the Outlaws games where Sudan calls a timeout, or or maybe there there was a timeout. I don't know who called it, whatever. They were they @HootSportsMedia: He didn't call them out in this game. Can tell you that much. Neil Barrett: were in a huddle. They were in a huddle. He draws up a play. They go out on the field. No one runs it. No one even tries to run it. And even in the booth, people were like, What was that? Like that was not at all. Like, we just heard in the huddle what he called and what he drew up for you guys to do. And you went out and it wasn't even it wasn't the guys that he asked. It wasn't like the what he wanted to have happen. And it was like, What is happening with the scene? Because like you said, like nothing is working. Nobody's on the same page about anything. you know, I d I The the stick talk guys were talking on on their show today, and and Brian specifically about even JT Giles Harris is pulling things you've never seen him do before. in this game, especially several times, he had poor approaches, just like not playing the the thing that JT Giles Harris does is one-on-one defense. And like even that hasn't been good this year. And it's like, like you see, like you said, McNaney suddenly looks l awful. like I none of it makes any sense. Brennan O'Neill, Brennan O'Neal, I think, in a lot of ways, is playing a lot better than people are giving him credit for. But the thing that he doesn't do, or the thing that you think of when you think of Brennan O'Neill. Is his shooting. And he's shooting thirteen percent right now. Like @HootSportsMedia: Yep. And they're largely uncontested shots as well. Like so many of the shots if you watch the games, he's getting where he wants to. It's just wildly off Neil Barrett: Yes, one hundred percent, getting where he wants to. @HootSportsMedia: target. And to to talk about that point, thank you for telling me about that. If Sudo's doing that and the players are just disregarding it, which I think they already are to a certain degree, a lot more than we're knowing, that's another issue in and of itself. But unfortunately I don't think that the team that wins the championship game just all of a sudden is ignoring their coach every single game of the year because this has been a problem the entire year. So I'm glad that you brought that up. Because if that's the case, then what are we doing? Like obviously whatever they were doing didn't work initially, so you might as well listen to whatever play call is gonna be gonna be happening. but yeah, like same thing with with defense. Like you're saying, like there's just so many times where it's like, why why did why did you gamble for that that Turnover that caused turnover. Cause now you're you're behind there at the crease. Like Ben Randall, I think statistically he's having a great year, but you watch some of these games and he's getting beat. He's slow to react. Like McNamey, it's hard because in a lot of a aspects, he's the only reason we've been in these games all season long. And then this weekend happens and he legit falls off a cliff. And I'm I I don't I don't know what so that's where it's like I'm giving him a little bit more of a leash than the others, 'cause at least every week he's been the con the constant. similar like l in the Liamentum and whatnot, but I'm at the point where it's like, I hope other people are ringing the alarm bells because I've been talking about the the lack of consistency here and it doesn't make sense. And like I'll take wins, but the wins don't work in the playoffs when you're just lucking into them. Unfortunately, that's the best way I can put it. And they've basically locked into four wins, if I'm not mistaken, they've won pretty much every game by two goals or less, aside from like the Maryland game. Which I said at the time too, Maryland was overrated, so you should win by five. and again, I'm still high on the water dog, so credit to them. But like they did not stop. They did not quit. It wasn't like, we're up ten, we're just gonna lay back. Like they continued to try to score. And so that's where it's like credit to Denver's defense in the second half for at least, you know, putting a little bit more pressure on, but like it was far too late. And the offense definitely Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: was far too late to where it like, Well, hey, at least you put up four in both halves. I guess you're consistent there, but you know. Neil Barrett: But you need to do more than that. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, and I mean we'll see about Brennan's injury. I didn't know he was even injured, so I again I would hope that they would hold him out if he was actually, you know, dealing with something serious and not just like you're not hitting the gauge, so we're polling ya, as some people have suggested, but who knows, man. What a w what a wild league to be where both the teams in the championship all of a sudden are I I won't even say bottom half 'cause I don't know if they're still technically both in the bottom half, but they're not playing well right now. Neil Barrett: Let's see. I thought they w I thought they were, but I @HootSportsMedia: They are now 'cause Denver's fifth in overall. So yeah, bottom half of the league. Neil Barrett: I'm interested in your I I think it was while you were maybe with your family on Sunday, or maybe it was after the games on Saturday or whatever. someone in Lax Lifers brought up the idea of moving Brennan O'Neill. And @HootSportsMedia: No, that's dumb. Neil Barrett: N there's there's nothing you would do. @HootSportsMedia: This is such an overreaction. Neil Barrett: I think I agree with @HootSportsMedia: This is this is a Brian Holman cutting Ash Ronulting overreaction. Neil Barrett: I mean, listen, you know I love I love me some asher, but @HootSportsMedia: I I I I'm sor I'm sorry that he was an V P finalist last year and is just having a down Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: year. Neil Barrett: well here here's the only thing I thought because generally I agree with you. and it should be pointed out again that Brendan O'Neill is not playing poorly. He just can't hit the broad side of the barn. I I did a little bit of math. if if he was shooting this season what he shot last season, he would be third in points right now. And if he played the game Saturday, he would likely be second in points right now in the league. So he's he's playing fairly well. Like you said, he's getting to his spots. Obviously, his his assists and numbers are through the roof this season. he's getting to his spots, he's getting his shots, he just cannot hit them for whatever reason. It's that it's that 2020 Paul Rabel season where his whole life Paul Rabel was an was an incredible shooter. I think he shot somewhere in the neighborhood of 30% on like on his career. And then in 2020, for whatever reason, he shot 5%. For whatever reason, that that one week that they did the bubble tournament, he shot 5%. and it feels like Brandon O'Neill is just doing that this year. For what for whatever reason, whether it's injury, whether it's the yips, whether, you know, whatever it is, he just he can't hit the ocean from a rowboat. Like it just don't, it don't matter. I totally forgot. So I I don't think that it's a it's a Brennan sucks, like move him on. The the thought that I had, and because again, I agree with you, I don't think I would move him at all. But the thought that I had that that the person in Lax Lifers, and I I don't remember who it was, and I apologize. It was Will or Colin or somebody in in Lax Lifers, and I apologize for forgetting who it was. was basically kind of the idea of like this team isn't really working. Pat Kavanaugh looks Pat Kavanaugh is the only player from that class of him and Brennan and and all those guys that has not signed a new deal. And obviously the theory is that he hasn't signed a new deal because he wants to sign with the Redwoods in the offseason to play with his brother. We'll see if that happens. Now obviously that we still got We still got plenty of this season to deal with, and then you know, we'll see what happens in the offseason. But that's happening. JB10 getting up there in age, dealing with some injuries, like you mentioned earlier, pulled his hamstring again. hopefully it's nothing major. Hopefully he's back on the field this coming weekend, but @HootSportsMedia: I guess I shouldn't say he pulled it. That's that's I'm not a doctor, but the way he reacted to it definitely made me think he did. Yeah. Just wanna make sure that Neil Barrett: I he pulled up. He pulled up for sure. And it was and it was @HootSportsMedia: it's that I don't have any inside information. That's just my speculation. Neil Barrett: Right, right. he clearly tweaked it in in some manner. and that feels Yeah, @HootSportsMedia: And you came out of the game immediately and didn't go back. Neil Barrett: and it and it feels almost like a every other week kind of occurrence at this point that he's he's pulling something and and and having to come out. So the thought was the thought I had was do you move him while you have the leverage to do so and get something back for him. That was my only the only thing that kinda gave me pause was he's probably not going to be more valuable than he is right now. I mean, I say that he'll have like an V P season and two seasons or whatever, but you know. That's my that's the only thing. @HootSportsMedia: It's idiotic. Neil Barrett: Idiotic is cutting asher naulting and getting nothing. @HootSportsMedia: I didn't say that wasn't idiotic. And I think Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: that was idiotic too. Neil Barrett: I'm just saying that's idiotic. I agree with you. It is n probably not a good move to get rid of Vernon O'Neill. @HootSportsMedia: Why was why like what do you what do you gain from getting rid of Brennan because of if we're gonna overreact because of one season, by that logic, every player in the league basically should be getting moved around every other year. That's that's like that's that's Neil Barrett: I think that's @HootSportsMedia: the epitome of no what are we gonna do? I like yes, the outlaws made the championship and lost. That sucks. So everyone thinks they should get back there. I agree. That's not how sports work though. And for all we know, this could be a down year. They come back and then they're much better. Especially if you think there's even an inkling that Pat Kavanaugh's leaving. Why would you then get rid of your other best player? Because now, if he leaves, you need someone else to step up. And the last thing you want to do is get rid of him, and now you're stuck with like, I don't want to say much nobodies, but nobodies. Like that's we saw what Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: happened when the Chrome only had Whiz. Neil Barrett: Hey, they had Nick Turn too. @HootSportsMedia: That's awesome for Nick Turn. He had a great year his rookie year. How'd that work out for them? Neil Barrett: Him and Wiz were great. I b I actually think that year they were one of the better teams in the league. They didn't win a championship, but they were one of the better teams. @HootSportsMedia: Okay. The year I remember they were one and nine. So Neil Barrett: I think that was the second year. I think that was the second. @HootSportsMedia: Okay, well congrats to their first year. I'm really glad that worked out for them. Surely they won the championship that year with that squad. Neil Barrett: So bitter. So bitter. @HootSportsMedia: No, it's just hammering the point home so these people that that that ask the I like everyone lacks libraries. I'm not saying they're stupid. It's just these types of questions I'm just like, why are we freaking out? Like like Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: are we gonna start saying should Liam Entiman be traded? 'Cause the Atlas I can't win games, so Neil Barrett: Well, no, I I think the idea is Pat leaves, JB Ten leaves, Mike Manley's probably leaving. Like, at what point do you say, all right, we're gonna lightly blow it up a little bit? We'll trade Brendan O'Neill and get as much capital as we can. I I have to imagine Brennan O'Neill will land you a pretty substantial amount of of draft capital. And start trying to rebuild this team because if it doesn't work this season, if Pat Kavanaugh leaves, and I that's an if, you know, it you're not one player away right now, I think is is the idea. And again, I'm with you. I'm not saying that that they should. I'm just saying, like, I can understand the idea of we're not one player away if we get rid of Brennan O'Neill and bring in the draft capital. that could help us rebuild this team. Maybe we're competitive next year or the year after that and we're challenging for a title again, whereas holding on to Brennan O'Neal might just keep us in this like weird limbo where we're like good enough to n to not blow it all up, but not good enough to really be challenging for titles. So @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, but ha the entire league's in that position, with the exception of Philly. Like every single team Yeah. Neil Barrett: Well, I mean are they? @HootSportsMedia: A hundred every single team is mid this year. Neil Barrett: I mean @HootSportsMedia: The Archers finally caught fire. We'll see how they finish out the season. Outside of them, it's Philly. Everybody else technically isn't one piece away. So like tr and also we're all also assuming a lot here that well Pat Cav will leave. well JB Ten will leave. Like I mean, manly that's I would assume he leaves, but that's just 'cause of retirement. I said that last year and he's back, so who knows how he feels. He's ironically, Neil Barrett: No, I know. I yeah, I'm with you. @HootSportsMedia: he's one of the better defenders, I think, on this team right now. So But I'm just saying I also Neil Barrett: I think he's had a pretty good year. @HootSportsMedia: I also don't think what even if you got draft capital back for Brennan, like who are you getting that's gonna impact the game the same way that he will, that's gonna make it worth it. And if you trade Brennan, Pat's certainly leaving. Because he and Brennan are are, you know, as close as the best friends as you can get. So you wanna Neil Barrett: Except for maybe his brother. @HootSportsMedia: Well yeah, but they're all three of them hang out together. So if you're trading Brennan, you Neil Barrett: Nina. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Pat Cav is just gonna be like nah, I'll hang on for the long haul. Like, no. Neil Barrett: No, no, no. @HootSportsMedia: Also the Neil Barrett: I th I think the scenario is Pat's leaving and so you so you say, all right, we're we're just blowing like we're just @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: done with this run. I don't think it's I don't think it's one or the other. @HootSportsMedia: Sure, but like at that point, if he's gonna leave, he's gonna leave. You figure out figure out another way to to replace him. Like I don't think I don't think even minorly blowing up something is gonna is gonna be a good thing. I mean you look at some like it seemed like the archers that did it, and it's working out working out because of their young star studded defense. The outlaws don't have that ability. So if you get rid of all your stars to where now you're down to just a couple mainstays and then bringing a bunch of other guys, you need to make sure then that your defense is locked and loaded because otherwise you're just gonna be back down to fighting for number one pick, essentially. Neil Barrett: Yeah, but I think that's that's the argument here is that you can that you could in theory do what the Archers did when they lost Tom Schreiber and Grant Ayman and and a lot of their big name stars, Graham Hosick. what they did was they they drafted that that defense. They got Mason Woodward, they got well, I mean obviously all their short stick defensive midfielders, they got all of those dudes. And think about this draft that that that's coming out. We know we know B V B is coming out. We know Sean Light, that's his name. I I was like Will Shaler, but I was like, no, wait, that dude's already who got Will Shaler, by the way? I don't know either. I was thinking maybe it was the archers, but I I don't think that's right. But I can't think of who did get So anyway, yeah, I think the idea is that they could do that. Also, I think there are teams that are one piece away. How far away are the are the Redwoods right now? Not that far away. How far the how far are the red wo are the chaos away? May maybe not one. @HootSportsMedia: Okay, okay. Nah, that's asinine. Neil Barrett: How is that asinine? They have @HootSportsMedia: They're no they're not on Utah's level. They're not on Philly's level. They're not one piece away from getting on their level. But that that those are the championship teams. That that's like Neil Barrett: Okay, I'm not saying that they are. I No, I think I think they are. I think they are a piece or maybe two away from that level. They the defense is there. They have Owen Hilts, they've got Jackson Iker, they've got Teddy Malone apparently. @HootSportsMedia: Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. We're using we're using twenty twenty six owned hilts as an example for this. Neil Barrett: No, I'm I'm saying I'm assuming we're @HootSportsMedia: That's my point. That that's my point is ever six of the eight teams are more than a piece away and therefore trading a star. Also, also, are we seriously expecting sudo to draft a poll, the guy who just traded three picks for a mid a rental MIDI in a draft full of polls? Are w are we Neil Barrett: I that's a that might be a fair point. @HootSportsMedia: I would hope, I mean I would hope, like if this were to occur, I would hope to the heavens above that sudo's like, you know what? We're gonna need a lockdown defense and we're gonna go get BVB and Sean Light and whoever else. Do I think he does that though? Absolutely not. And again, like I like I mentioned in the chat, I personally think Pat Cav leaves. That said, he could just be doing this as a well, let me test the market to get more money, which we see in every sport. We saw it happen this past offseason. For all we know, this is a down year for everybody. They re-sign. Or He resigns and they're back next year. Neil Barrett: Listen, I don't have a brother, so maybe I'm just like not reading like maybe I just don't fully understand. I totally get, you know, you're coming down to the end of the end of your career, like, I wanna g I wanna play with my brother again. But like we I just played for you know three, four years with my brother. Like I I don't need to do it right now. We have we have @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. Neil Barrett: we have 10 more years of our career, like we will have time to to try and play together. Now, again, I don't have a brother. Maybe and even if I did, maybe I don't have the same relationship with that person that, you know, Chris and and Pat have. And and maybe they want to, but you know, I I'd I don't wanna be my brother for a little while. But anyway, anyway. @HootSportsMedia: I don't know. All is to say all is to say, I wouldn't do it personally. I don't agree that it would make the team better now or in the future. But if it happens and they do, I'll gladly be wrong 'cause what's happening right now is not it. So Neil Barrett: I mean i you know @HootSportsMedia: I've never I've never been a coach. I've never been a GM. So what do I know at the end of the day? Neil Barrett: I know I know some people that have been coaches that are kinda dumb. @HootSportsMedia: As do I, that's why I just form my opinion and just go with it, 'cause there's no way I can be worse than some of these opinions I'm seeing every week. Neil Barrett: Anyway, let's look ahead to Columbus this week. Friday night we have the Redwoods versus the Chaos. We're gonna call this the one player away game. and the Cannons Archers. That will be Friday night as well. On Saturday, we have the Outlaws playing the Whipsnakes and the Chaos playing the Water Dogs. And then Sunday we have the Stars and Stripes Classic game at noon and the Atlas Redwoods at three. first things first, before we get into the PLO games, Stars and Stripes Classics uniforms came out this week. Including the helmets, which were pretty cool. what'd you think? @HootSportsMedia: I liked the camo one a lot. The the white Neil Barrett: The camo one's dumb. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: one was a little bit busy for me. Overall I thought it was f it was fine. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I'd agree. @HootSportsMedia: Like th I thought the main logo was nice. I personally didn't like the the city at the bottom. and then I felt like the shoulders had too many components that weren't connected. It was kinda like the one here and then a brook a you know, space and then this thing and then space and then so I would like to see that maybe more incorporated somehow, but overall I thought I thought it was fine. but yeah the camo one is by far my I think my favorite. the helmet looked from the limited im images we saw, looked awesome. So I hope those look I guess I don't really Neil Barrett: Yeah. The helmet's The helmet's so sick. @HootSportsMedia: know how we're gonna see it on the field, now that I'm saying it. Neil Barrett: What's that? @HootSportsMedia: The camo helmets and uniforms? Neil Barrett: I mean I I The the field at in Columbus is turf, it'll be a bright green. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, but how are you gonna see it? Neil Barrett: Are we making a camo joke right now? @HootSportsMedia: This is a hundred percent a camo joke. Neil Barrett: Dude, that you came way too serious with that. I was like, I mean, I think you'll be able to see it. @HootSportsMedia: I'll work on my delivery next camo joke. Don't worry, don't worry. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah, there's gotta be a little bit of a wink and a nod there. I was like, I I think you'll be able to see it. @HootSportsMedia: I wanted to see how long you could you were gonna try to figure out how we're gonna see these uniforms. Neil Barrett: Dude, I'd have gone I'd have gone for like twenty minutes probably. You know you know you've seen me on Twitter, you know when I'd have been like I @HootSportsMedia: but yeah. Yes, yes. But yeah, no they're they're good uniforms. I I like them a lot better than the ind indigenous drop, so good to see. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. agree with you. I think I think the one is is a little bit too busy. I don't know if you saw I I read something, I can't remember where it was, maybe one of the Instagram posts or something. The The army one is the is that one. And it's something to do with 9 11. they're centering it. Like that's kind of the story about it. @HootSportsMedia: That's what I figured with the city at the bottom. Neil Barrett: Yeah, and and I mean you can see the the the twin towers in it, but it I it just feels like there might have been a a slightly better way to get that across. I I agree with you that I think it's a little bit too busy, but overall it's still it's still okay. Like I I don't I don't hate it. I just thought, like you said, it it's just a little bit too busy. but the yeah, the camo one is so cool. The the helmet is so cool. there it's a I don't know if you noticed this, it's a wrap. it's it's all decals. and I've been I've been talking to people, like I wish that they would do full wraps again because we've gotten to this point in helmets and I and I understand. Especially with the the cascade helmets, you're getting like less and less real estate to put decals on. but we've gotten to this point where because there's less and less real estate, everybody just kind of does the same thing now. you just get like one little logo on the side or whatever. And and I'm like, I wish we had bring back full reps because that would give you a lot more flexibility, which is really funny because I was just telling somebody this today. I always hated full wraps when they were a thing. because People went way too far with it. They may listen, you think that jersey's busy. Like some of these wraps people were doing were nuts. but I'm glad that that people are are doing it. And I thought I thought if we got back into full wraps with these helmets, that maybe people would try some different things. They would do some some cool things. So I'm glad to see that they're starting to come back. although this the person that I was talking to is a is a decal manufacturer and they're Yeah, it just sucks because You know, when it was like the Pro Seven, you know, you had like one piece that went all the way around. the back of the helmet. And then I think you had one kind of up top. It was only, you know, three or four pieces. But apparently on the new Z helmet, it's like it's literally like thirty-seven pieces to do a full wrap. so many pieces. So that's part of the reason why people don't do them. But The thing that the thing that bums me out, and I'm gonna keep saying it until until they they do it. This is the first merch drop, the first like uniform drop since the the Nike deal that I've been like all in on. I'm like everything that they've done is so cool. and I really want to be involved in it, and I can't. I can't buy any of it, and I'm really annoyed by it. So that's my that's my two cents on that. But @HootSportsMedia: You you can't support the other branches or what? Neil Barrett: Support, sure. But what I'm I'm not w I can't wear any of it. Can't I can't wear any of it. So what am I gonna do? Like just drop 150 bucks and just have it sit on the shelf? @HootSportsMedia: No, I think what you should do is drop four hundred dollars and buy the Green Beret helmet and have that sit on your shelf. Because that thing is sweet too. Neil Barrett: Can you listen, can you buy those? @HootSportsMedia: At the game this weekend they did have a I th I believe it was a Cannons helmet, real helmet for four hundred dollars in the shop. So I don't know if if you can always buy like, you know, different helmets or they just happen to have the one, but it was cool. Neil Barrett: I I think they do sell some helmets because I remember Michael Harrison telling me in Charlotte that they had some for sale in the tent there. But by the time we got around Sunday, Saturday later, I think it was after the the WLO game, they it was already they had all been sold or whatever. So interesting. I'll have to look into that. I I would do that. I I legitimately would do that. And I I'd be more than happy. Like the problem is that so much of the the collection is is like clothing items. But anything that I could like buy and put on a shelf, like I would do that. I that would be a way that I would support right. I'm just not gonna wear @HootSportsMedia: Mini helmets. Mini helmets. PL L, please. Neil Barrett: I was I was just looking, I'll tell you about this off air 'cause I don't want to put it out there, but I I f found how to get three D molds, I guess, I don't know, of the Cascade helmets. and I've been trying to figure out if I can get them printed, like if I can if I know someone that has a 3D printer, if I can get them printed in like a a smaller scale, because I really want to do it if I can. anyway, we've gotten so down a tangent of these games, and I'll reread them to refresh your memory. Redwoods Chaos. Cannons, Archers, Outlaws, Whip Snakes, Chaos Water Dogs, Atlas Redwoods. What are we looking at here? @HootSportsMedia: second double header for chaos in a row. Carl California finally gets one. No, I it's a bunch of mid against more mid. Neil Barrett: Yeah, especially the outlaws. @HootSportsMedia: I have I have something for you off air that we're not gonna we're not gonna show the viewers. it at this point I'm I'm curious to see how they even play Maryland since they beat so bad last time and now I'm kinda like We'll see. I'm just at that point already was just like whatever. Neil Barrett: Whatever. @HootSportsMedia: like Boston hopefully they put up a fight against Utah. Do I expect it? We'll see. I don't know, big I I guess just b overall takeaway is just a big it's a big weekend for Carolina and California. You know, sitting at four and four and four and five with two games, like those are both they they need to go two and and unfortunately you know, they play each other and then Carolina plays Philly. So we'll see how how close they are with their one piece away mentality, see if they can can swipe one away from them. Neil Barrett: What what are you gonna do if they do it? @HootSportsMedia: I also have to start Owen Hilton because I said that he's gonna have like seven points. and then I'm gonna come back next year and be like, Yeah, 'cause that's what happens. Neil Barrett: Listen, I'm with you. Owen Hills has not played well. I would just lean more towards I I I'd like to think that he he will be back to who he was last year. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. Neil Barrett: more so next year. and thus he's part of my I think they could be one, maybe two away, equation, but @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, they just signed they just signed the one, dude. Chris Aslanian. Neil Barrett: Listen, when they grab asher naulting. @HootSportsMedia: If they grab Asher, I will hear your argument for that. Until then Neil Barrett: Listen, I I think I think an ex-attackman and a face-off guy and they could be a r like a really @HootSportsMedia: See Neil Barrett: dangerous team. @HootSportsMedia: I think Inacio can do it. I just I I he's having a tough year. Neil Barrett: To be fair, to be fair, I'm I I'm okay with that. I I I'll be fine with that statement. I'm with you. I think he's not playing particularly well, but I would I don't understand why I think it is part @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: of my thing. I like I I think he is a good face-off guy. I don't know if it's if it's just like wingplay isn't very good or or like what the issue is, but yeah, he's not he's not having a great year. And and so I'm I'm okay with that if you if you want to say that i Ignacio can be that dude, but that only kind of serves my argument better. Like, you know, an ex attackman and and then what are they missing? @HootSportsMedia: On second thought, he's not that guy. They need they need a face off guy. Neil Barrett: Anyway, back to the question about this weekend. I I'd agree with you. I think I think the things to watch are what Redwoods and Chaos do i in in their double headers. and then Yeah, no, that's that's really it. Chaos and Redwoods in their doubleheaders. I I don't think I I gave you a little bit of grief when you said that this was this was a very like mid weekend. It is really kind of a mid weekend. Hopefully that means the games are really good. but there's just not a lot. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. This is also I was thinking about this earlier this week too, is like this is why when people are like Parody's so good I'm like, I guess when everyone's four and four, that's awesome. Like, no. you know, it's like 'cause you're at a point where it's like, okay, you who the top dogs are, at least for this very moment, no pun intended. And then you have a bunch of teams that you're like, did they did they lose games because they just were uncharacter uncharacteristically bad? Or do they just have like a really great matchup that night? Like to where now it's like literally like the woods and chaos could split the weekend and come out being five hundred and one game under five hundred still. You know, and like so from from that standpoint, like, I do kind of hope Boston can pull it off so they can be five and five and maybe climb. Same thing with Denver. I think New York winning would be fun just for their playoff odds that I know are already not great, Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: but Neil Barrett: Well, and t to your point, and actually both two points that you just made, I don't think it would be insane if this happens. the Redwoods beat the Chaos on Friday night. On Saturday, Chaos beat Redwoods, or beat Water Dogs, sorry. And then on Sunday, the Atlas beat the Redwoods. All three of those feel po possible. and yet. the the absolute chaos that would cause in the standings because Atlas would get a win, Redwoods and Chaos would split, Water Dogs would lose, like like you're saying. Like it it just it doesn't I I would I would agree with what you're saying of like I don't love there obviously there's a level of parody. You want you want everyone to feel like they can win, but like You kind of need somebody you like you you need somebody to not be good, you know? And and in @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. I I guess I guess right now it just feels like you have these two that are just like off doing their own thing. And it's like, Wow, that's really exciting. Like, look how great this team is. And then you have a bunch of stuff where it's like, okay, like what version are we getting today? And that to me is more exhausting than anything else of just being I mean, screw the picks. Like th for picks it's awful because you're truly like I don't know what's gonna happen. But also it I think Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: it makes it much more difficult to see like week to week, like, okay, what is this team's problem? Because this week it's this, this or this. But then this week they actually fixed those holes, but now we have these other things that are happening and you know, like like we're saying last week, like Boston had that what was it, three game win streak or whatever it was, and it like, wait, maybe here and then all of a sudden they lose another game like we expect them to lose. You know, by w and so it it's just that's where I get frustrated with like the whole the parody's at an all time high. And I'm like, but is it really parody if everyone's just like mid like I would like to see Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: majority of the league be better on paper here than but that's just me. I recognize that I'm I'm I'm probably a lone wolf roughly in that argument, so Neil Barrett: Yeah, it's it's definitely one of those weird seasons. And and it also, I feel like it's gonna kind of work out the way that we want. It's just not gonna have felt like it at all. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. It feels like every week's just stressful of just like, okay, we're gonna get to the destination but we're gonna like zigzag and go over mountains and valleys to get there. We're gonna get there, but it's just you know i it w yeah. Like I again, I wasn't really dialed in when the Chaos won that championship, but I can only imagine the emotions, I guess for lack of a better term, of going two and eight and then just being like, you know, we'll just play well for the remaining playoff games and go win a championship. Neil Barrett: I went to that championship in DC. And it was so weird because on one hand, you had the Whipsnakes, who were in their third straight championship. They had won the first two. They had, if I remember correctly, they were like nine and one that year. Like they were clearly the best team in the league and had been for now three years. and Then you had the chaos who were like you said, like two and eight or whatever it was, and had just gotten hot at the right time and just it was one of those things I I feel like we were walking into that stadium being like, wouldn't it be crazy if they won? @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: Not thinking that they that they would actually pull it off. And then obviously they did. yeah, was there's a chance. @HootSportsMedia: You hear that, Denver? There's a chance. Just get hot the right time. Neil Barrett: And like that's fun in a way, like when it comes to playoff time, like the idea of like, yeah, it doesn't really matter what you did. and I'm not one of those people that's like, it means the regular season doesn't matter. Like lit @HootSportsMedia: It still matters. Neil Barrett: it it matters and you know, you were you watched that Denver team this weekend, even if they you know, make the playoffs and and and make a run and and actually make the championship game. It doesn't mean that it didn't suck on Saturday night watching them @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. Neil Barrett: get their their brains bashed in. So like it still matters. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Every other weekend you're sitting there just depressed. But hey, we got we got the championship I guess, you know. Neil Barrett: Well and it's so funny because you know, we had we had you there, we had Brian there, we had Dre there all in our in our in our group chat, and everyone's just like, Yeah, this sucks. You know, like so @HootSportsMedia: Yep. Yep. Yeah, th in that second game I didn't realize how bad it was 'cause I was just like I was in the zone, whatever. And I was like, Man, I know they have a lot of goals, but like, what's the score? And I look up and I couldn't even see the outlaw score. All I saw was fourteen for Philly in the first half, and I was just like, my goodness, like Alright and I was like, I'm just gonna focus on the and then and then like in the second half I was like, dude, I need Denver photos because I have like nothing to give, right? It's all Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Philly. And I'm like, but if I go sit on their end, they're not gonna do anything and I'm just gonna end up wasting my time. So I was thankful they at least got a couple goals there, but I was just like, Man, this is this is rough. Neil Barrett: All those Philly photos and no Josh Iago ones. That's all I'm saying. @HootSportsMedia: I there's a couple stock Joshiaga ones I have. Neil Barrett: I gotta I gotta do an edit. I haven't done an edit in so long. @HootSportsMedia: well I have photos that are great for an edit of him, I think. At least a couple. Clean background. Neil Barrett: Did you get did you get one of one thing we didn't talk about, did you get did you get one of Chapolumbo's visor Sally? @HootSportsMedia: No no I was Neil Barrett: On the back side. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I was on the other end and he did that towards the crowd. So I Neil Barrett: Mm. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: saw it on the Jumbotron actually. and I was just like, he just flipped that mask. And then I was like, the group chat's gonna love this and I was like so that's why I ta I texted right away 'cause I was like, this is so funny that he scores a goal and the first thing he thinks of is like, Gotta flip the mask. Neil Barrett: You were you were a solid few minutes ahead of everybody, like @HootSportsMedia: I'm sorry, I didn't I didn't I I forget that sometimes and I never know how much the actual delay is. So that makes it even better that Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah, no, I @HootSportsMedia: everyone was like, What? It's good. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. Everyone was like, What are you talking about? And then, you know, yeah. And then we saw it and I was like, @HootSportsMedia: that's what it was. Yeah. Also, I and I'm su I I like I told you afterwards, if you know if you watch the full celebration, Iker comes over and like, you know, then he's gonna pat him on the head and then he realizes that the visor's up, so he's just like lightly like taps the head Neil Barrett: Ha ha. @HootSportsMedia: to make sure he doesn't like hit it. I was like, This is so funny, dude. Like, Cascade's gotta be loving this. Neil Barrett: Dude, it it's so funny that the thing that's gonna make that that Z helmet take off is Chad Palumbo's celly. Like everyone hated it, and then @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. Neil Barrett: suddenly it's gonna become that. So let's let's switch gears slightly from the PLL move talk a little N CAA, which I don't think either of us were expecting at this point in the season. a couple hours ago, Dan Arescia broke the news that five Syracuse lacrosse players have joined a suit in Colorado, honestly, actually, interestingly enough, against the NCAA seeking an extra year of eligibility for the high school class of 2022. They are the class that just graduated and were the first class left out of the five for five rule. the five players The five Syracuse players are Joyce Fellina, Billy Dwan, Luke Roa, Michael Leo, and Finn Thompson. Dan's article, I don't know if you got to read the whole thing. says that according to the the complaint filed that Gary Gate, that they have already talked to Gary Gate and that they do have roster spots available if this all goes through. And that it will not displace anyone currently on the roster or anyone coming in in this freshman class, that for whatever reason they they it they can keep everybody on the roster. also said that the PL got a statement from the PLO saying that they were aware, but that, you know, unless and until this thing is decided, there's nothing they can really do about it at this point. also something that I left out that I just remembered is that according to the complaint that all five of those players, if they this happens, they are going to use that year of eligibility, which the again, the chaos that that is going to cause. @HootSportsMedia: So does that mean the whips lose Joey? Neil Barrett: So Dan's article said that at that obviously all of this is up in the air, no one really knows, but at at a minimum their PLL contracts would have to be terminated. What that means about rights and stuff, I don't know. Obviously the PLO will have to figure that all out if and when this all gets approved, but I I would and it should be said that I think this is a very uphill battle. I I don't imagine that it's going to be approved, but you do but you never know. Especially with the way college athletics is going right now. there are there all is a level of precedence for this to happen. There have been several G League players that have gone back to school. There have also been several players that have tried to go back from the G League that have been denied. so there are there are a bunch of different ways to to look through this. I was talking with Dugs today and he he pointed out some guys that had gone into the that had entered the NBA through the draft, but had never actually played and played in the G League. and then they tried to go back to school and they were denied. Whereas other guys who weren't drafted, they were undrafted players who made it into the G League, were allowed to go back to school. But there was also some question about, you know, some of those guys had obviously played in college and then entered the NBA draft. Some guys had just never played in college and just went into the G League. and so maybe that was the different like It's all confusing, it's all a mess and it feels like it's only gonna get messier. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I don't know. I don't think any of them get granted it, but it's I wouldn't have done it. if I was in that position, just, you know, already playing a pro game, but I also don't know like what other benefits, you know, they might get out of it. Like I know some some programs and such you can get a master's degree with your fifth year. So maybe maybe they want to get, you know, a master's or something like that. I'm just thinking outside the box. I don't know why else you would do it. unless maybe they just wanted some more star power on the suit and felt like I I don't know. It it's a strange situation. I'm interested to see how it how it plays out and how the PL L reacts to it as well. so yeah, I don't know. Neil Barrett: Well, it's interesting to me. I d I don't know anything about the financials. Take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt. But I would imagine I would imagine guys like Luke Roa and Michael Leo and Billy Duan probably have higher earning potential at Syracuse than they do in the PLO, just because of the stature of that program and some of the money that is around it. Joey Spilina though seems to be one of the guys where I'd be like, I I'd think he could earn more out. Again, I don't know the financials. Maybe he can't. So like I could understand maybe maybe there's a financial component of like I can actually make more money in college. But short of that, I the only thing that I can think of is that those guys really want a national championship. And they want one more opportunity to go after it. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, sure. Neil Barrett: I would think though, let's say this all gets approved, let's say they go back, and let's say they win that national championship. I would have to feel like everyone's going to kind of treat that one with a pretty heavy asterisk. Now, they they don't put asterisks in the record book. I mean they do, technically. but like, you know, it it ain't going on the plaque in in the US lacrosse hall of fame. @HootSportsMedia: But it seems like a lose lose because if you go back and you win it, everyone and their mom's like, No, there's an asterisk, like you have pro experience and if you lose, everyone's like, You have pro experience, why did you lose? Neil Barrett: Yeah. Nah, I @HootSportsMedia: Now, maybe they care more about the natty or like you said, the money component maybe, to where it's like who cares what others say. I would hope as athletes I guess they tune out random people, but at the same time it's still just like why don't you just go win a P L L championship? But I'm also pro centered, so like if I was an athlete, I would care more about that. I've never been you know, I've never competed for a Naddie, so maybe there's something different there. Neil Barrett: You know, I don't I don't think I'm pro centered. You know, I I grew up in the middle of of ACC country. You know, I remember them rolling in the the TV cart for the ACC tournament. i in in you know middle school. We we would just for a week we just watched the ACC tournament. so I think I'm I think I'm probably pretty College centered and even I'm I'm really struggling with. why you would do this. Now, that being said, I'm really struggling with five for five period. Like I it just doesn't make sense to me. I I think I I put in the in lax lifers before we hopped on here that we all wanted a a simplified, like more easy to understand and and and deal with rules around eligibility and red shirt years so that guys weren't playing seven, eight years worth of of college athletics. But somehow we've managed to come up with a system that's better, that's worse for every single person involved, from fans to players to, you know, contribute. Like it's it's easier, but it's dumber for every single person involved. And I don't think addresses any of the actual issues and leads to stuff like this, because all right, the class of 2022 gets it. What if I'm I'm class of 2016? And I'm like, wait, how come I don't get five years? Like why do they get the why do they get a fifth year? But I don't. And I think that's part of what will eventually be decided in this case is like I have to imagine that it just opens a can of worms. Like, no, moving forward, people get five years. We're not rewarding, we're not going backwards with it because where would we stop? @HootSportsMedia: You know what I hear is Chad Palumbo should go back to Princeton, run it back with Kaveri. Go for the the back to back. Hey Ryan Crock, you're not playing much in the PL. Neil Barrett: Back to back. @HootSportsMedia: Feel free to come on back to college, my boy. Neil Barrett: We w listen, we won't give you guys a an asterisk. @HootSportsMedia: No asterisk for the poison orange and black. That's a hundred percent earned championship right there. Neil Barrett: Chad Palumbo can take his rookie of the year PLL award and hang it in his locker. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, let's let's show the boys what what we can aspire to be at the next level. And then let's get drafted and do it again, Neil Barrett: That's right. That's right. Look, you guys are @HootSportsMedia: 'cause technically you'd be a rookie again. Neil Barrett: If if all of this were to happen, and again, huge ifs, what do you think the pl should do with with rights and stuff like that? @HootSportsMedia: I think rights the way they do it now is dumb anyway, so like I think you should be able to draft Neil Barrett: How's that? @HootSportsMedia: a guy and just he's yours. I don't think you Neil Barrett: Stasher. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I mean like I understand the reasoning for people don't like it, but at the same time it's like you were drafted. Like why should that team lose out on you now because you went back to school for a year? Like that should just be hey, we drafted him, we'll get him next year. Like I mean, every other sport does this. to my knowledge. So now I I again I don't think Neil Barrett: That'd be interesting to check. @HootSportsMedia: these players should be allowed to go back to play college bec if they've played Pro Ball, to be clear. So but like yes, yes, but even Neil Barrett: Sure, sure. This is different than than the normal thing that you're talking about. @HootSportsMedia: then, like, I don't think that the whip should lose Joey if this happens or, you know, Leo loses Utah loses Leo or whatever the case is. But yeah, I don't know. Like I to me I think Jeff T should have stayed with where he was drafted. I think Levi Neil Barrett: Chaos. @HootSportsMedia: Anderson, who else did that? May have just been those two, I guess, now that I say it, but that's just me. I've I've had conversations with people about this and they disagree. Neil Barrett: Feel like I feel like you're right. I feel like there was a @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: I j I genuinely see both sides on this. Like I I completely understand why you have the rule in place that you do, and I also understand why you wouldn't have it. and I I genuinely don't know what the right answer is. Yeah. but this the but this is a different situation altogether. And it and it does almost feel like you void those contracts except except that it feels like you're punishing the team for this player's decision. But I I don't know. Like I said, it's a it's a whole entire mess. And I and p and that's part of the reason why I think it won't happen is that like it's just it's just too messy. @HootSportsMedia: It almost feels like they're doing it just to just to do it to the NCAA. Just just to like, Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: you wanna pass this now? Like, alright. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yes. But I @HootSportsMedia: 'Cause it sounds like they j they already j they joined a suit with a bunch of other people. So you know. Neil Barrett: Yes, yes, they did. There there was this was an existing suit that they joined. @HootSportsMedia: And that's why I'm saying it might it may just purely be a strength in numbers thing. I I know the I know the article says that they plan to use it, and maybe they really are. But again, I I just can't fathom being a star for the for the Maryland whip snakes or a a solid defender for the Maryland Maryland whip snakes or whatever the case may be, and then being like, But I'm gonna go back to college to play to play a year. Neil Barrett: The only thing I'd say in in countering that is Why why join the suit if you're not gonna take the year? Like @HootSportsMedia: J just to show that there are are enough people that actually want it. Pure purely strengthened numbers. Again, this is I I'm questioning just like you are. I'm not saying that's what it is. I just I I don't I don't know why else you'd you'd want to do that. But I'm with you too, 'cause then it's like then again, the article then does say they're gonna use it, so I just and also like I'd be so mad if I was like next in line to the school for whatever sport and then it like, actually they're coming back from the pros to Neil Barrett: Yeah, no, I thought I thought about that too. Like obviously the article says that it's not going to affect anything. Like everyone will still have their spot. And I'm and I'm like, but everyone's not gonna have their spot. Like they may not @HootSportsMedia: Right. Neil Barrett: lose their their scholarship or whatever, but they're gonna lose their spot. You know, there's someone that's expecting to step into Joey Spilina's spot at X at Syracuse this fall. Like there there's There's someone that's expecting to step up and and be that number one pole for Billy Duan at Syracuse this year. So like they are going to lose their spot. Now, you know, if you're a freshman and you were coming in, you you likely weren't expecting that. That being said, it's Syracuse, man. They always get really good freshmen. Like, was there a freshman that's expecting to play that's going to lose the spot? I w I'm I don't know because I don't follow Syracuse that closely, but like. I can't say no, you know? So @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Who knows? Crazy times. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Anyway, before we get out of here, one one real quick, quick hit here. the team USA women are three and at the World Championships in Tokyo. They closed pool play with a 23-2 win over Chinese T Chinese Taipei. I don't know why that was so difficult to say. They now head into the quarterfinals where they will take on Puerto Rico. Probably in just a few hours, in in on Wednesday. Canada is the other unbeaten team in the bracket. They will play Japan in the quarterfinal. by all accounts, it appears as though we are careening towards a Canadian USA final. neither team has really @HootSportsMedia: Shocker. Neil Barrett: been tested at all. I believe the US's closest game was eighteen to five. Now, pool play is divided. You the you all of the better teams are divided into separate pools. So like that's part of the the thing. it will get a little bit tougher, but yeah, I just don't see how we're gonna end up with anything other than a USA Canada final. and Canada looks good. I that's all I'm gonna say. Canada looks good. So @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, speaking of Canada, one more thing that came across my desk as we were recording here. Will Malcolm has re signed with Colorado Mammoth for two more years. Neil Barrett: Mm-hmm. @HootSportsMedia: So Brad will be very happy. Neil Barrett: Hence why I came across your desk. @HootSportsMedia: Well, actually it was sent in an email to the media. It was not just for me. But I'm gonna act like Neil Barrett: Media. @HootSportsMedia: it I'm the source. I don't know if it goes Neil Barrett: Media. @HootSportsMedia: to media or if it just if you have to like sign up for like Something. I don't know. I don't know how this is a whole separate email that I don't even use, like for my media stuff, so I don't really know. I I think at one point I did. I don't really know. All I know is there's an email from the team, so I think I'm allowed to say it publicly. So Neil Barrett: I'd imagine so. I'd imagine so. @HootSportsMedia: So that happened. Neil Barrett: interesting. obviously I did not know that, so that's that's good to know. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, a and also Alex Stathakis re signed with Vancouver and they made a bunch more moves, but for the field fans, they'll know him, so fun times. Neil Barrett: do you think Vancouver's gonna be better this year or worse? @HootSportsMedia: my goodness. I have to say better, right? Because they lost in the first round this year. I I don't know if they do worse than that. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I mean if that's if that's if that's the measuring stick of what you're considering better, then yeah, you you would have to think they're gonna get past the first round. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah, I'll s I'll say better. I'll say better. Neil Barrett: Okay. All right. I I'm not holding you to that. We'll see. @HootSportsMedia: I mean do I think Rochester will be better or worse? They better be better 'cause I want to root for that franchise, but you know. Neil Barrett: Just 'cause of the purple and teal. @HootSportsMedia: yeah. I mean that's part of it. I like a lot of their guys too. Pause. But their purple and teal's great. Neil Barrett: Calgary. @HootSportsMedia: What about them? Neil Barrett: Can't wait to to see them knock Rochester around a little bit. @HootSportsMedia: You you broke up. I have no idea what you said about Calgary there. Neil Barrett: I said cow I just said Calgary and then I and then you were like, What about them? And I said, I can't wait to see them smack around Rochester a bit. @HootSportsMedia: yeah, you wish. That's not happening. Unless they get new turf they can't see the ball. Neil Barrett: I think they are getting new turf though, isn't that? Isn't isn't that like the the word on the street? @HootSportsMedia: That's what I thought. But I don't but I don't know if that means like you know, before this season or after. I don't So Neil Barrett: I I was under the impression, based on what I had been told, that it was before this coming season they were getting new turf. That they had actually @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, that's what I thought too, which I hope so. That'd be nice. Neil Barrett: they had actually given the teal turf to like a a junior team or a or a minor league team or something. that they don't even @HootSportsMedia: Sweet, there we go then. Neil Barrett: actually own that teal. That's that's what I've been told. I I Lord knows I am not the guy @HootSportsMedia: Well Neil Barrett: to be asking box stuff. but @HootSportsMedia: Let's let's pray for that junior team then. Since they can't see the ball. Neil Barrett: That's that's what I've been told. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: I you know what's funny is all these Neil Barrett: All but @HootSportsMedia: players probably see it just fine, but on TV all of us are like, Where's the ball? I can't see it. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. Hey, you know what they need? @HootSportsMedia: Anyway. Neil Barrett: They need fluorescent balls. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah they do. I'm on board with that. Don't tempt me with a good time. Neil Barrett: Yeah. geez. before we get out of here, man, what you got what you got going on this week? @HootSportsMedia: doing another football camp this week, so that going to see Spider Man? That's about it. Neil Barrett: That's that's a full weekend right there. @HootSportsMedia: I mean, yeah. lots of stuff going on. Can't be can't be much more busy than last weekend. Neil Barrett: I am supposed to be traveling. I'm not gonna say where because I'm pretty sure it's not gonna happen. but supposed to be traveling this weekend. But like I said, I'm I'm pretty sure it's not gonna happen. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be sitting here watching the PL games and going to see Spider Man. So @HootSportsMedia: See, that's a good weekend too. Neil Barrett: What I had planned would have been better. @HootSportsMedia: But you don't know that. It could've all gone bad. Neil Barrett: I mean that's that is a fair point. That is a fair point. It could have been bad. I I would like to think it would not have been, but that's fair. That's fair. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: anyway, that is all for this week. If you enjoyed the episode, the Lax Lifers Club is where our community lives between episodes. It's a Discord for the fans watching lacrosse year around, not just when the PLL is on aka a lifer. The link To join is in the description across social media. You can find me at I am Neil Barrett and Brandon is at Hoot Sports Media. And if you haven't yet, please rate or review the show on whatever platform you are listening on. It takes about 30 seconds and it genuinely helps people find us. But we will be back next week. So until then, we'll catch you guys in the comments.