Holy Buzzer Beater Batman

Neil Barrett: Welcome, welcome, welcome to the runout. I am Neil Barrett. He is Brandon Hooton. We have so much to get into this week. Brennan O'Neal looked like Brennan O'Neal once again as he led Denver to a comeback win in Columbus. Allie Kennedy might just be the best lacrosse player on the planet right now. And the pl, nll, and wl just announced a brand new Olympic Sixes event all together. But Before we get into all of that, man, Brandon, how was your week? @HootSportsMedia: was good. Another another semi busy one. Another football camp. Saw Spider Man. I was like what'd I do Sunday? Saw Spider Man. very good. And yeah that was that was about it. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I saw Spider-Man too, also Sunday, but early way earlier in the day. I my nephew was in town and we went at 910 in the morning. That was like the one time we could find decent tickets in the movie theater. So we went at nine ten in the morning. but yeah, it was great. I I really liked it. So I don't know what you thought. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, it was good. I mean I I'm not huge on the X Men, so you know, I don't think that's a spoiler. I think I think everyone knew. I won't go much Neil Barrett: I think so, yeah. @HootSportsMedia: further. but so yeah, well we could talk off air about that one. But but overall, like standalone movie I thought it was great. he's he's slowly climbing up my rankings. Like I don't like he's never been my f Neil Barrett: What rankings of what? @HootSportsMedia: like of of favorite superheroes. Neil Barrett: Superman or Tom Holland specifically? Spider Man I mean, or Tom Holland specifically. @HootSportsMedia: Tom Holland specifically, Spider Man. I don't like the others. granted I haven't given them a fair shot, but like I just from what I've seen I'm not a fan. Neil Barrett: I haven't given them a fair shot. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I yeah. But it like everyone always says Spider Man's their favorite, so I was like, that's why he's not my favorite. It's just like I feel like everyone says that and when you look at the other characters, I feel like there are deeper characters. But then every Tom Holland movie that releases it's like, man, he gets way better. So you know, he's climbing up the rankings. I don't know if he'll ever reach the top, Neil Barrett: Spider Man was always. @HootSportsMedia: but you know, he he's up there. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Spider-Man was always my favorite, but I I also grew up at a different time, obviously. like I don't feel like when I was a kid, Spider-Man was everyone's favorite. Like he didn't, you know, he didn't have movies when I was a kid. So like he he wasn't he wasn't everyone's favorite. So I feel like most everyone that I knew was like Batman or Superman or like people that did have those movies. So I hear you. That the only thing I thought was a little funky and I and I Think I can I think I can have this conversation without it being a spoiler. but if you wanna if you wanna remain completely spoiler-free, maybe skip forward a minute or two. the only thing I didn't like or the only thing that I didn't understand was, you know, Frank Castle takes that shot. How do you know where they were? @HootSportsMedia: I ha I had the same thought. Neil Barrett: He's he's it's established he's a he's over a kilometer away in a building he's never been in and he can't see in. How do you know where they were? I don't understand that. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. I remember thinking that like when it happened and I was just like and I was like, you know what, let me not be too logical 'cause my problem with movies is I'm way too logical and it like ruins it for Neil Barrett: Yeah, that's fair. @HootSportsMedia: other people. So I tried to not like even let those th creep into my head anymore 'cause then afterwards I'm like, Wait, but did you guys see this or that? And that was definitely one of that I was like, How like what? And then I'm like, Man, he's super far. Like I'm not saying you can't hit it, but like Come on. Like what? But, you know. Neil Barrett: Yeah. The a lot of those things I have like a lot of suspension of disbelief and and you know, like understanding that especially like these are superhero movies, like people have powers and abilities that aren't necessarily rooted in any kind of reality. But I thought that one was such a th a simple thing. Like if they showed one second of like, you know, like a heat map or something and you can just see like and it's like, okay, he at least knew. You know, how we knew which which people were which in the building or whatever, like that's a different thing. But I'm like, you you have no idea where anyone is in that building. Like, @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: I don't know. I just thought it could have been easy. But other than that, and that I mean that's such a like nitpicky thing, but other than that, yeah, I thought it I thought it was great. I I think I funnily enough, both of the kind of big movies out right now are Tom Holland movies. I really liked the Odyssey, but I I left Spider Man thinking, Yeah, I think I enjoyed that more. so @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. I still haven't seen Odyssey, but I think that's how it's gonna be for me as well. I'm not super interested into like the idea of the Odyssey. It's more so just Christopher Nolan and so I just feel like I have to see it. Whereas like I'm interested in Marvel Neil Barrett: Okay. @HootSportsMedia: so it's like I w you know, I was excited to go see it. But Neil Barrett: Yeah. I I always liked Greek mythology. I thought it was so cool and like fascinating. The stories are all like insane. but I I've never loved the Odyssey. I really love the Iliad, the you know, the the first half of the story, I guess if you want to phrase it that way. the the Trojan War side that that Troy, the movie Troy is based on the movie Troy was like one of my favorite movies growing up. I loved that movie. and but yeah, like I said, the Iliad was never one of my favorites. I always really hated O Brother Rare Art now. I feel like if I watched it now, I would like it, I would enjoy it. But like I don't there was something about when I don't have you seen O Brother Rare Art now? Okay, w do do you even know what that movie is? In s the blank stare as I'm talking about this. @HootSportsMedia: If it if it hasn't come out in the last ten years, I don't know what it is. Neil Barrett: Okay, so Brother or Art Thou was like is it the Cohen Brothers? Maybe not maybe not the Cohen Brothers. I don't remember. It's a fairly well known director or directors movie that stars George Clooney and god, what's his name? John Totoro, the the dude from like Mr. Deeds. and then I always forget who the third guy is. I I he's in like holes, if that means anything to you, which it probably doesn't, but and it's basically a a very like fictionalized version of of the Iliad. and that was like the only like major Iliad I I think I I think that it was like that and wishbone were like the two versions of the Iliad that I grew up on. So, yeah, I never and I never really liked that one. So I don't know. I I had no no high hopes except for other than like you said, it's a Christopher Nolan movie and I I've I don't even know the last Christopher Nolan movie I didn't enjoy. There may not be one. I don't know. @HootSportsMedia: I can only name one other one and it's the best movie of all time, so that's why I have to watch it. Neil Barrett: You can only name one other Christopher Nolan movie? @HootSportsMedia: Like off the top of my head, yes. If you said others, I might be able to be like, okay, I didn't realise but Neil Barrett: Okay, it what's the one that you can think of? @HootSportsMedia: Interstellar. Neil Barrett: Okay. Inception. @HootSportsMedia: I I've heard of that. Don't think I've seen it though. Maybe I have. Neil Barrett: Okay. If wait, you liked Interstellar? @HootSportsMedia: I did like interstellar. Yeah, no, I have not seen Inception. Looking at this now. Neil Barrett: Okay. I think in s people people will be split. Like I'm sure anyone listening to this will be will it'll probably be somewhat fifty fifty. For me personally, Inception I liked Inception better than Interstellar. Not by not like @HootSportsMedia: I I totally lied. I know way more of these movies. I s I saw Oppenheimer, Neil Barrett: yeah, you better. @HootSportsMedia: first and foremost. I d I saw that Neil Barrett: Okay. @HootSportsMedia: in theaters. I didn't realise that was him. I did not watch Tenet. I I know Neil Barrett: Yeah, I actually haven't seen Oppenheimer. @HootSportsMedia: that was a popular one. Dark Knight Rises, I was I'm not into to D C so I never watched it. Although after we watched we were we re watched Interstellar two weeks ago and immediately my family was like, You have to go watch Dark Knight Rises 'cause It's it's just good. And Neil Barrett: Mm. @HootSportsMedia: I was like, I don't know. I I was like, I like Christopher Nolan, I don't know if I like Batman. Neil Barrett: So wait, you haven't seen any of Nolan's trilogy, Batman trilogy? @HootSportsMedia: No, I I never the only Batman I've watched that like I actually enjoyed was the Batman. Batman is like Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: I I can't stand his character. It's Neil Barrett: I @HootSportsMedia: awful. Neil Barrett: I've never been a huge Batman fan, although we go we go all the way back to like when I was a kid watching, you know, like Batman movies were like the only real superhero movies when I was growing up, because there wasn't really a Superman when I was a kid. There was, but it was like Christopher Reeves, which was like well before my time. Batman was the only one that was making movies. You had like Batman, like Michael Keaton in Batman. and then you had like George Clooney and Batman Forever. and then we don't need to talk about Batman and Robin. that was terrible. so like I I was never like a huge Batman guy. I Christopher Nolan's Batman is in though the the trilogy is incredible. I I would disagree with them. The Dark Knight Rises is is good. I liked it, but it's Crap, what's the middle the dark night, the middle one? The middle one is like incredible. It's so good. @HootSportsMedia: Maybe that's the one they were talking about then. I don't remember which one they were talking about because I just kinda heard Dark Knight and I was like, I'm out But Neil Barrett: No, dude, you gotta you gotta watch it. Heath Ledger plays the Joker @HootSportsMedia: I'll I'll give it a shot. Neil Barrett: and it's in it's incredible. it's so good. @HootSportsMedia: I I have heard Heath Ledger plays a good Joker. Neil Barrett: it it's incredible. He did that and then it was the next movie that he was filming that he died in. And it's like it's such a bummer because like everybody wants more of that Joker. Although sometimes I wonder if like not that not that we want anyone to die, but like sometimes I wonder if, you know, if he comes back, if does it like ruin it in a way? Like does it, you know, do we take a turn with a character and like it's just not like was it just this like perfect storm of things that happened? and and and that's why that character is so beloved. But yeah, no, that that version of the Joker is so good. if you if you're again, I I hate to keep doing this, it makes me feel so old, but like growing up watching Heath Ledger and then seeing him play the Joker, it was like, what the hell is this? Like Heath was always, you know, the rom com guy and you know, doing, you know. Totally different movie. So to see him in that role, like you don't even hardly recognize him as when he's playing the Joker. So, you know, I don't know. Anyway. @HootSportsMedia: I I think I've also seen memento actually for a class in college. Neil Barrett: I was gonna say Memento's one that like people love. I haven't seen Memento. and then what the prestige, right? He Nolan did the prestige, right? @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Neil Barrett: The Prestige is really, really good. I haven't seen that one in a really long time. I think I saw it. I think I saw it in theaters and maybe once on D V D, like shortly after it came out. But and I remember liking it, but I I honestly barely remember it at this point. it's been, you know, whatever it's been, twenty years or whatever since Since that movie came out. and and back then nobody knew Christopher Nolan. You know, it wasn't like, you gotta go see this Christopher Nolan movie. It was like, hey, here's this movie with who's in the print? Is it it's Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman? Is that is that it? @HootSportsMedia: I don't know. Neil Barrett: I thought you I thought you had it pulled up. Never mind. there was because there's there's another there were two like period piece magician movies that came out like right at the same time. I feel like I have to look this up now because it's gonna bug me. It's The Prestige and and the illusionist, apparently. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson. I didn't know I didn't remember she was in that. And they were in the Prestige. And then the illusionist was Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, and Jessica Beale. And they're both period magician movies that came out in two thousand six. So, I get them a little bit confused. Like I don't remember which one was which, but anyway. We could talk about movies probably all day. I can't believe you haven't seen the Batman movies. You are young now. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: You s you like you like the comic book movies though. @HootSportsMedia: No no no. I like Marvel movies. I I don't like Batman's Neil Barrett: Listen. @HootSportsMedia: character is just so like everything that he does requires preparation. Like he needs to know like two weeks in advance, get it on his calendar, color code it so he knows when and where to be. Neil Barrett: You really you really need to start with Batman Begins and watch watch Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and then The Dark Knight Rises or whatever, whatever the third one is. I'd I feel like I screw that up. But anyway, you really need to watch those three because so wait, so what what DC movies have you watched? Like the the Zack Snyder ones that era? The newest @HootSportsMedia: watched zero. Neil Barrett: ones? @HootSportsMedia: I've literally only watched I've literally only watched Neil Barrett: Wait, so you haven't even watched him and you're like, I hate him. @HootSportsMedia: the Batman. I like I've seen snippets obviously of of Neil Barrett: And you liked it. @HootSportsMedia: a bunch of them. I mean that was the only one that's even remotely good from the s things I've seen. Neil Barrett: You said you said it's the only one you watch and you liked it. @HootSportsMedia: Well, in full, yes. But I've seen snippets throughout my t like w we've we've had to watch stuff like not not just when I say snippets I don't mean just like you know, thirty seconds. I mean like four or five minutes or whatever it is. like in college I took a whole movie class. That's it was more in depth than just watching movies. But for the sake of time, we watched movies, and and clips of movies and like learned about them and all this stuff, and I just never got into it. It's just like Neil Barrett: I'm starting to wonder if you'd even like movies. @HootSportsMedia: He also he also has no powers, he just has tools. That's not fun. Like Neil Barrett: Again though, I think I think I think the Nolan Batman trilogy does a really good job of like he feels like a superhero. He feels a lot like, you know, he's clearly just a a man, like you said, like he has no powers. But I he feels special enough in that, in that sense. You know, look, everybody's got their own thing. @HootSportsMedia: Hey, I'll I'll give I'll give it a shot at some Neil Barrett: I would say I would say those three. I wouldn't ask you to watch any of the the Snyder ver any of the Ben Affleck Batman movies. I wouldn't ask you to watch you know, in a weird way, some of the old Michael Keaton ones were were fun. they're really campy, but they're fun. But I I can understand not what I you know what I I would I do wonder what you would think watching like even like Batman Forever. Batman Forever came out. I was in like fourth grade. And that was like so cool. Even though it's like horribly campy, it's very clearly shot on like sound stages and like Jim Carrey plays the Riddler and he's like v insane, but in like all the good ways. I don't know. I don't know. That Batman Forever was so cool. They had these You could go to I think it was McI McDonald's or Burger King. I think it was McDonald's. And you could you could get like if you ordered, you know, a value meal, you would get a glass like mug. They were crazy cool. I'm gonna I'm gonna have to send you pictures of them. Like, especially for like a a fast food like giveaway item. There were four of them, I'm pretty sure, that you could get. Like one was Batman, one was two-faced Tommy Lee Jones' two-faced in those movies, which is crazy. The Riddler, and then I don't remember who the fourth one was. Maybe Catwoman was in them or something. I don't remember. but they were like crazy high quality. And like I said, you got them for like as like they came with a a a value meal. They were they were crazy. And we went and collected all of them. Like I my my family had all of them because they were They were cool. I don't know I don't know why. And I don't know what happened to anyway, now that we're twenty minutes into movies and your uncultured swine over here hasn't seen any any good movies. When the w next @HootSportsMedia: I watch all the best movies over and over. And when I'm not doing that, I'm watching Neil Barrett: Like what? @HootSportsMedia: sports. Interstellar, just said. Neil Barrett: What mo what @HootSportsMedia: Harry Potter series. what else do I watch over and over? Neil Barrett: Listen, I'd love I love Harry Potter. I have no idea why you put that in this list of @HootSportsMedia: 'Cause that's that's a great series. I can watch that all the time. Marvel, most Marvel movies, there are a few that I don't really vibe with, but like most of the n of the newer modern ones. which is actually a lot of movies, but trying to think what else. What other what other movies? There's a lot of like s like one off movies here or there that like if it's on I'll watch it but I'm not necessarily putting it on. The Martian we watched again recently. That was really good too. Neil Barrett: I do I do like the Martian. Did you go see @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: Project Hail Mary? @HootSportsMedia: Not yet. That that's also on my list. So if if if I can't get to Neil Barrett: Okay. Cause you know that's @HootSportsMedia: theaters in time I'm just gonna wait 'til it comes out and just watch it at home. But I do need to watch it 'cause I Neil Barrett: You can you @HootSportsMedia: I think it'll be good. Neil Barrett: You can watch it at home now. well, @HootSportsMedia: can you? Sweet. Then I'll just do that. Neil Barrett: to be to be fair, it depends on how you mean. I I don't think it's available for streaming. Like, you know, it's not like on Netflix, I don't think, but like we watched it at home. my mom, I think, rented it, rented it on like Amazon or something, I think, and and and I watched @HootSportsMedia: okay. Neil Barrett: it with her. because I you know, the the book was written by the same guy who wrote The Martian. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Which I need to read that I'm I'm in the middle Neil Barrett: and so @HootSportsMedia: of the Martian book right now, so I need to get that book afterwards. Neil Barrett: Okay. I haven't I never read The Martian, but I read Artemis, which I think came out between The Martian and and Project Hail Mary. and when Project Hail Mary came out, I read that. So I was really excited about the movie. and then I ended up not seeing it in theaters because it it came out while I was moving. and I really wanted to see it in theaters, but I didn't. And then I w I watched it a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty good. I think it It captured all of the best parts of the book. you know, it nobody can film a movie the, you know, the exact same way that they @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: do a a that they write a book. But it I felt like it captured kind of the whole spirit of it and and and made the changes that were necessary to like make certain things translate better on on screen, without, you know, kind of sacrificing that that feeling of it. And in fact a lot of things maybe even felt a little cooler than reading them. 'Cause you could actually get like kind of a a visual representation. but yeah, that was that was that was a great movie. I I really enjoyed that. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Here, I'll I'll tell you a movie that I will never turn off. If I'm flipping through channels and it's on and I will never turn it off. Sweet Home Alabama. @HootSportsMedia: Never seen it. Neil Barrett: Do you do you know what it is? Have you even heard @HootSportsMedia: No clue. Neil Barrett: of it? @HootSportsMedia: Nope. Neil Barrett: It is a rom-com from 2002 with Reese Witherspoon and the guy who now does Home Depot commercials. So Ha ha. @HootSportsMedia: Okay. Neil Barrett: I mean, I'm I'm just saying that's I can literally quote them the entire movie. and I will never turn off. If I'm if I'm flipping through channels and it's on, I will never turn it off. It will I will always, always watch it. So yeah, that's I I guess you could call that a guilty pleasure, although I don't feel guilty about it in any way, shape, or form. All right. Now that we've talked about movies for twenty five minutes, let's let's talk some lacrosse. How about that, this @HootSportsMedia: That is what they're here for. Neil Barrett: week This week the PLL was in Columbus. it was the final neutral site game or neutral site weekend of the season. So everyone played. Yeah. Friday night we had the Carolina Chaos playing the California Redwoods. Carolina won twelve to ten. Blaze Warden made Blaze Rearden made 17 saves, including four in the final four minutes. Henry Bard had a buzzer beaten two pointer that at halftime that seemed to kind of be the the difference in this game. after that, it it felt like Carolina was in control pretty much the the entire second half. interestingly enough though, Carolina Carolina wins this game, but they're not I don't I even know how to say it. They're not in the I they're technically still in the playoff picture, but they're pretty much out of the playoff picture despite this win. So although I guess that probably has @HootSportsMedia: Not necessarily. They're five and six. Neil Barrett: Yeah, but their point their goal differential is so bad. They and they only have this one game. They have one game left. @HootSportsMedia: shoot, I didn't realize I only had one game left. Neil Barrett: Yeah, they play this weekend and then not in Philly. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, so I guess the only way they could get in is if the outlaws are redwoods go and what be five and seven? And they win this week to go six Neil Barrett: Yeah, they need they need one. @HootSportsMedia: and six? Neil Barrett: Yeah, they they need to win and then they need either the either of California or Denver to lose both games and the combination of those three games has to be such a significant swing in goal differential. So they're not technically out, but they need a lot to happen in their favor in order and I can't say it's impossible 'cause this league always seems to figure out a way to make stupid stuff happen. But yeah, I mean it it's certainly they certainly seem to be out. It seems like it's gonna be Carolina and New York sitting at home in @HootSportsMedia: Let's just hope that the Woods Neil Barrett: A couple of weeks time. @HootSportsMedia: let's hope the Woods can overtake them for that final spot so Denver can get first or second overall. That'd be nice, wouldn't it? Sean Light, you our Denver outlaw. Neil Barrett: Hey, we'll we'll talk about we'll talk about five for five here in a minute, but I was we'll talk about five for five later. so yeah, I it's hard to really talk about this game because as much as I want to be like, yeah, Carolina did this or did that, it's like it doesn't even matter. It's not even it's not even fun to talk about because it does it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that they won this game. because of what they did in their next game. So Unless you got anything to say, we'll move on to the next game that saw Boston take on Utah and I don't wanna say shock the PL because you know, Boston at was playing pretty well coming into the game. But it kind of shocked the PL and and beat Utah. And it wasn't it wasn't one of those games where yeah, I think we've had a few times this season where you expect a game to be one way and then the team that you think is gonna win just like doesn't even show up. You the whips I did it a few times this year where you know you thought, okay, they're starting to turn into a good team. They're gonna they're gonna do well. And then they just wouldn't show up at all. And it was like they got beat like twenty to five or or whatever, you know. it wasn't even like that. It was just it was just kind of the Boston beat them. Boston outplayed them. And I don't think that I don't think this game was entirely representative of where Utah is as a team, but you know, we talk about it all we've talked about it all year in the NLL, in the NCAA, and now in the PL. All you can do is beat the team that's across from you on any given day, and and Boston did that. Brian Kelly had four goals. JC Higgenbotham had 11 saves in what I believe was his first career start. I think he's I think he's done some relief. he's come in in in a few games in in relief. This was, I believe, his first career start. obviously played well, played well enough to win. if you are Coach Holman, are you riding with JC Higgenbottom? Or are you going back to Colin Kirst? @HootSportsMedia: I would stick with J C just 'cause I think Kirst had a rough year. And you know, part of this I think is the shock factor. Like I Connor Connor Fields talked about it after the game about, you know, it's a bit of an adjustment, but at the end of the day, it's still a goalie and net and the way he played I thought was much much improved. That's not to say that, you know, Kursed permanently loses his job. I don't think that's the case. I think even if J C plays well enough into the playoffs, I think you probably still go back to Kirst the beginning of next year, but like Neil Barrett: beginning of next year. @HootSportsMedia: You kinda have to ride the hot hand to a degree and you know, that just kinda is what it is. Now, if if he comes in and plays horrible and then it's like, okay, it's just 'cause they didn't have tape on you, then that's a whole nother thing and you go back to cursed immediately. But I would hate for them to switch back and then they go back to giving up twelve plus goals a game when they held them to seven. And it I I recognize that the archers aren't, you know, an offensive juggernaut by any means, but they definitely had that stretch of what was it, four or five games where they were scoring like fourteen plus a game. So they're still a very capable offense that he held down, so I'd stick with him, but that's just me. Neil Barrett: and then you know this the second half of this game is or the second half of the conversation about this game, I should say not the second half of this game, is I I believe they now I believe they've now split the series. I bel I believe Utah beat them earlier this season, if I'm not mistaken. how how do you ranked the these two teams, is is is this a blip on Utah's season? Are they still the t the team to beat, I guess, or has something shifted? @HootSportsMedia: Well, Phil is a team to beat, first and foremost. but secondly, I think this is just more of a a good win for Boston. Again, it can be tough when they switch a goaltender like that to kinda figure it out and so there's that. But also like, Boston just played really sound overall. McMeekin absolutely dominated since of the stripe. So they automatically I know it's a thirty two second clock, but you know, when you're already getting beat to start the possession, then it's kinda like now we have to play catch up the rest of the way. And then you got you just got undisciplined penalties down the stretch too that I think is like kind of uncharacteristic. Like Neil Barrett: Very @HootSportsMedia: I know Dobson, you know, he can get a little bit hot here and there. Like we saw him in Utah last year go after I think it was Geddis who shot the ball after the whistle. Like that type of stuff happens. But just we got dudes taking dudes helmets off and pushing it shoving toward now you got a bunch of guys in the box. So and all of a sudden now it's like okay, you're clearly out of the game mentally. And so to me it's like, do I think Utah's gonna do that again? No, because now it's conscious in their mind that like, hey, we can't let this happen again. so Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: I mean I don't like the loss for them by any means. But at the same time, like it it's not it's not like they lost to New York, you know. No no shade there. I it's Neil Barrett: Right. Right. I @HootSportsMedia: just what it is. Neil Barrett: I'd I'd agree with you that I I think having a a a fresh goalie that no one has really seen in in any kind of real capacity has an effect on on things. and you know, if they played th that game again today, maybe it wouldn't go quite that way. I I'm I'd push back a little bit on the idea that the archers haven't been doing this stupid penalty thing all season because they have you know the they were significantly better in that stretch where you know they won whatever it was four or five in a row. they were significantly better in that although I would say it was still present there. but especially early in the season, like this is exactly who they were. Dumb penalty after dumb penalty Dumb penalty after dumb penalty. And when the week that you were out and Jackson was on the show, that was one of the things that he talked about was how much those penalties were affecting it. Cause they had a stretch of I think back to back games where they had they had really dumb penalties like back to back in the f in the opening minutes of a game. And so they would be already they would start on the back foot and and you just they couldn't get back into games. And I think there's an element of this game wasn't quite going to plan for them. And maybe they lost their head a little bit. obviously Brad Dobson lost his head. but I'd also say the game was probably a kind of already not they were already not gonna win by the time that that happened. That was just a crazy situation on its own. Like, you know, the the defender it was it was your boy, wasn't it? yeah, Warren Jeffrey @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, it was Warren Jeffrey. And to be clear, I'm when I'm when I was when I was talking about uncharacteristic like penalties, I was specifically referring to the ones away from lacrosse. Like why like you d you're not taking a dude's helmet off as a lacrosse plate. And for some reason there was like three dudes and ended up with no helmets at the end of that. And like and you could tell too, you could tell Warren Yeah, you Neil Barrett: For some reason. That reason was Brett Dobson. @HootSportsMedia: could tell Warren knew which is funny, because Warren's like a very fiery guy. Like he can mix it up. But you could tell as soon as it happened, he was trying to break dudes up because he was like, Clearly, I pushed him on accident. Like, it's not his fault. But Dobson didn't know that. He was already going after the guy. And then someone Neil Barrett: I know. @HootSportsMedia: came and like put his glove into Jeffree's face mask. So then Warren was like, Alright, I guess we're doing this, and put his hand back in the other dude's face mask. And then all of a sudden you just got dudes flying in, helmets are flying. I was just like, What is going on? And like I was talking to you guys in the group chat 'cause I was a little bit behind you guys. So I like rewound it and I was like, How did this even start? Like And it's the tiniest shove that's misunderstood and now there's just a whole thing going on. It was insane. Neil Barrett: Yeah. It's one of those ones where like I get it. You know, if I'm Brett Dobson and I don't know that guy got pushed, he but he comes into my knees, like, yeah, I'm not gonna be happy about that. And then, you know, he reacts to that. And then that guy who it was Brian Kelly, I think, though that was the one that was in the crease, @HootSportsMedia: Think so. Neil Barrett: right? So you know, he he goes at Brian Kelly, and then Brian Kelly's teammates are like, yo, what Now they've gotta step in and like it just @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Then Mitt Kelly goes and like one v fours them and I like, yo, that like that's wild. His jersey got pulled with I was just like, my goodness. Neil Barrett: It's just like like it's one of those things that that underst like I understand the dominoes that happen, but the whole time it's just like like what do we do? Come on. I don't know. @HootSportsMedia: I was thinking of you the way you hate fighting in box and I like, you know what, a good tilt right now would solve this 'cause we're just pushing and shoving up against like the little little gates there. All of a sudden we got helmets to fly in is Yeah. But but my point about that was just obviously that you know, it was building up to I understand, you know, getting your knees dove at is gonna be confrontational anyway, but by that point, like you're saying, I think they were just kinda out of it mentally and Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: It just was like, Alright, well if we're already Neil Barrett: It was frustration for sure. @HootSportsMedia: gonna lose, like we're just gonna do this anyway. which is why like d I would hope they w they would learn from it and not do it again. But at the same time it's like Neil Barrett: Yeah, no, I I'd I'd agree. I think it was a I think it was a frustrating night for the archers. I think I think several things didn't go their way. Not in a not in a you know, the world's out to get us kind of way, but you know, like they just they weren't hitting shots. I think I think I think Dober probably feels like he gave up a couple of goals. you know, like it was just it was just frustration. And by that point in the game I think a lot of that stuff was starting to kind of bubble under the surface. and that to what I'm trying to say is like that's something that kind of worries me a little bit is that like their head doesn't seem fully in the game all the time. Like, obviously, as we have seen the last four or five weeks or whatever it's been, when When they're like fully locked in, like they're insanely hard to beat and they are all over the place. But when things sort of aren't going their way, it feels like they take themselves out of the game a @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: decent amount. and they they have all all season long, they have given up dumb penalties after dumb penalties. And it's one of those things, like you're saying, the the thought is like, okay, well, they've learned that lesson, they're not gonna do it again. And then the next week. You show up again and it's late and high and you know in people's heads and it's just like, you know, what are what are we doing? So you know, that being said, I I again I I think I think this was the first game in a few weeks where the defense didn't look like a world beating defense. I I don't think they were bad. You know, they they held Boston to eleven goals. And and Boston's, you know, one of the best offenses in the league. So like it's not like they played bad, but they didn't play as good as they would normally have. And the offense, I think the offense looked like what I've been worried about this offense, for most of this run is like, okay, you guys are getting the stops on the the the defensive end, pushing in transition and are able to create offense for yourself. But what happens when the game slows down? And it becomes more of a slog and and you know, you're relying on Connor Fields to beat his man every time and create some kind of offense. And you know, I I thought that showed in this game a little bit. not that Connor Fields can't do it. He just I d I don't know. I don't I don't know what the answer is, but I I'm I'm not I'm not worried about b Utah in the sense that like they can't do it, but I am worried that they won't do it. Like, if that makes any sense. Although that being said, @HootSportsMedia: Fine by me. Neil Barrett: that being said though, despite this game, I I feel like I'm I'm still more on Utah's bandwagon than Boston's. Despite the outcome. All right. on Saturday we saw I'm I I don't wanna I don't wanna let the recency bias overtake me, but I I I think game of the season. Is that is that crazy to say? You had the you had the Carolina California overtime game. Trying to think of what else we've had. @HootSportsMedia: We had the overtime game in Denver a couple of weeks ago with the Carolina and Boston. That was that was a good one. Neil Barrett: Carolina won that one. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. But they they like they lost the face off, caused the turnover into a s transition score, so that that was pretty sick. I don't know. I mean I'm not mad if you want to say it's the game I I just think there are parts of this game that were absolutely boring that were like this is not a fun game comparatively, but Neil Barrett: That's that's I think the thought that I'm I'm coming back to. Like specifically that that California Carolina game in in California a few weeks ago, I remember it felt like two kind of like heavyweights just like slugging it out. And have nobody really got too far ahead. Every time you started to think, okay, this team's getting on a roll, the other team came right back, and But there was I I there's something about a comeback that that's fun, even though it means, you know, one of the teams was kind of getting pummeled at the beginning, which feels less fun. So I don't I don't know. Like you said, I'm not I'm not mad at anyone who says one of the other the other games that you listed or or maybe a game that we're not even remembering off the top of our heads right now. was better, but I I feel like I would take this game. especially I you know, th that that buzzer beater goal. the only thing that maybe makes it a little more fun is if it was clear. you know, if if we don't have to go to a replay, and it's it's clearly and you you can have that like true moment of celebration. That that maybe makes it a little bit better, but anyway, I don't even think I've said what happened. Denver won 14 to 13 over the whip snakes. Ryan Terra Finko scored a game winner with four seconds left. I I think is what it what it ultimately was. and it was not caught on the field. it was called no goal. and then it was ch well, it wasn't challenged because it was under two minutes. it was reviewed. and determined to have been a goal. and Denver did this all without Pat Kavanaugh and Jared Bernhardt, and with Owen McElroy in goal for the second half. Logan McNaney struggled once again. He I thought he was a big part of the reason why they were down fairly big early. he was certainly not the only reason, like let's not let's not put put it all on him, but I I think he was a big part of of why. but look, this is your team. What what did you think? @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I think Sudan did challenge it actually. because Brennan was yelling at him to challenge it. But but maybe not. Neil Barrett: I didn't Yeah, but I didn't think they could under two minutes. @HootSportsMedia: Who knows? Either which way, good on them for for looking Neil Barrett: I don't know. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: over. He definitely knew it went in though, the way he was adamant yelling at the sideline. But he looked incredible in this game, which is saying something considering he shot twenty six percent and took fifteen shots, but he just he was he was the right type of aggressive, I think, comparatively to other other weeks, which was nice to see and I mean four goals total is is sweet. Wasn't happy that I had Dalton Young in my lineup and then took him out and then he has five goals, so that was pretty awesome to do that to myself again. but he was he was super fun to watch. I think it's kinda like just a weird setup with with the attack line for this game, but I I didn't dislike it by any means. Nolan Byrne with a goal again was fun. Weirman did what he was supposed to do against a non face off guy. Nick Elroy I thought was really good in his relief. back to back games now. Funny enough it's very similar to how McNanny was last year. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah, no I @HootSportsMedia: Almost identical, if I remember correctly. Neil Barrett: As much as I I want to say, you know, McNaney was a big part of the reason why they were down. McElroy was a big part of the reason they were able to come back. You know, but Brendan O'Neal, obviously, Dalton Young, obviously, but McElroy's right there with them in terms of why they were able to come back. You know, he was, I thought he was great in goal, and I'm not entirely sure that I'm not starting him. At least the next few games. You know, the the the conversation has been that McNaney is carrying an injury. I I don't know. I @HootSportsMedia: Is he really? Neil Barrett: don't that's what they're that's what Sudo said after the game was that he's been carrying an injury and that's why he hasn't been playing well the last couple of games. I that could be a coach covering for his guy. Like I I don't I don't know what the truth is. Obviously, I'm not in the medical tent or anything. I would say it if it feels a little strange that there's an injury just because he got he got taken out of the game last week and then was the starter again this week and then came out again. Never as far as I'm aware has never gone into a medical tent or anything. He just comes out of the game. Now, that being said, the change in this game was made at halftime. I I think, if I remember correctly, last week. He came out and started the second half, but didn't last very long before he he pulled himself out. @HootSportsMedia: Which I thought they said he did the same thing this week. So who knows? May maybe he's injured. Neil Barrett: Yes. @HootSportsMedia: Maybe he's d I don't I don't know anything about that. But Neil Barrett: Yes. Well, like I said, I don't I don't know that I believe it. I know that that's what Sudo said was that he is carrying an injury. Either way, whether it whether it's an injury and he needs to like rest up and heal, or it's all, you know, mental, whatever it is. I I think I'd ride with with McElroy at least until he gives me a reason not to. You know, if If next week he's getting shelled and and we're down seven goals and you know we got to throw McNaney back in there, like fine. But on the evidence of the last two relief starts, he's the guy that they should be p playing right now. I think. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, but but also it's tough to know what he would have done had he started, 'cause the offense in this game was horrendous that first half, like just throwing the ball away. So at a certain point it's like if he's getting shelled the same way McNany did, does it, you know, end the same way? I don't know. And then you think back to like similar things were happening last week against Philly and against Utah as well in game one, where like the offense just did nothing. You know, we were losing face offs left and right, and then all that You know, not saying that McNany, you know, was good and the defense let him down, 'cause he definitely was bad. But I'm just saying I don't Neil Barrett: He was bad. @HootSportsMedia: I don't know if like if McElray would've done much better, all things considered, but I I think I'd ride with him for at least next week. And if you see some things that you're like, maybe not, then you know, just give McNaney a a chance. If he is injured, definitely give him a week to be at the backup. And then if if if McElray is bad, then you just say, Hey, sorry, you gotta go play. Neil Barrett: I mean at this point, I might even be like, McN again, if there's an injury, I might just be like, look, McNaney, get ready for playoffs. Like you technically Denver hasn't clinched, but they're basically in and like sure there's you know seating and positioning, but I'd I'd almost just be like, you know what? Like just take the next two weeks off, like rest, recover, get your mind right. Like get whatever's going wrong. Cause we know we know who Logan McNaney is. Cause it's not just it wasn't just last year in Denver. It was his whole career at Maryland. Like we know who Logan McNaney is. And I I'd rather him be at 100% when we really need him than have him in these games that I I don't want to say don't mean anything, but aren't aren't gonna change much. and so yeah, I I'd I'd roll with with McElroy, like I said, unt until he gives me a reason not to. At least until the playoffs. At least. But we'll see what pseudo does there, I guess. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. But I mean they got they got so many other roster decision decisions to make the next couple of weeks that who n I don't know how he's gonna handle that 'cause you're Neil Barrett: I mean we @HootSportsMedia: you're basically doing plug and play the entire way. Neil Barrett: Well, we we just talked about you know the idea of trading a Brennan O'Neal or someone. and of course of course we have that conversation and he goes off. I will stand by the fact that my point in that conversation, well, I didn't have a point because I agreed with you, but my point in that conversation was n it had nothing to do with how Brendan is or isn't playing right. Because you and I both talked about how we he's not playing poorly. He's just not hitting shots. And that's a that's a nuanced conversation because on some level, as an attackman, your job is to score goals. And if you can't hit them, like then yes, you are not playing up to your potential. And certainly not the standard that a guy like Brendan O'Neal has set. But I think there's a difference between not playing up to your standard and playing poorly. And people want to act like Brennan O'Neal had been like trash all year. and he hasn't been. And so my my statement was never about his ability or it was it was mostly the conversation. It was more the conversation of can you build a better team without Brennan O'Neill than what you currently have? Like essentially, you know, can you can you trade your biggest asset, bring in enough? To build a better roster than what you have right now. That's that was kind of the conversation. But either way. @HootSportsMedia: And the answer obviously is no. You just need Dalton Young in the lineup. Neil Barrett: Well, you know what's funny? I was listening to Mitchell Pelke LaCrosse show today, and they were having the discussion, not about do you trade Brendan O'Neill, but a somewhat similar of is is the Denver outlaw organization better served by having instead of you know the Teforaton, these four like superstars who all kind of need the ball and need to create and everything. And instead of that having more of a somewhat balanced roster where guys have roles that they fill and know what they are. and I I don't know what I don't know if that's the case, but There does seem to be a a at least a kernel of truth in the idea of like, who's the number one on this team? It when everyone's healthy, who's the number one? Who's the guy that's the quarterback? Who's the guy that is playing off ball? Who's the guy that's initiating on dodges and stuff? And and maybe just that not being clear because there's so many, for lack of a better term, even though I hate this term, alphas. There's so many guys that are that guy on on any roster that they play on. And here it's a little bit of like, you know, who's going now? Where obviously it worked last year, but maybe last year was the anomaly and now now they're settling in. obviously injuries have been a big problem, you know, but you know, they I've I totally forgot to write this down, but they just picked up Jake Taylor, which Part of me is like, ooh, that could be really good, you know. Of course, he also I feel like maybe kind of fills a similar role to Wiz. So like maybe it's a little bit @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: different because he's a little bit more in and around the crease, but that kind of like finisher, the guy that you know is standing off ball and and and scoring goals. so so maybe it doesn't, but I don't know, man. I @HootSportsMedia: I don't know that I agree with the idea that like the Teforton doesn't work because we saw it work like a machine last year. I think the r the bigger issue right now is you have a bunch of midfield well, you have a bunch of attackmen playing midi that that I Neil Barrett: Yeah, for sure. @HootSportsMedia: don't think I don't it's not that they're bad, right? Like like JB Ten I think is a great MIDI because of his speed. So I don't think anyone's like, he has to go play attack. Like that's fine. Dalton Young, I think, does a a fairly decent job at MIDI. But like you watch him play attack, and it was not just this game. That he's he's played spurts and other weekends and stuff, especially in Denver weekend, where I'm like, he looks much more comfortable there. Like that it's you know, but the problem is you have other guys that kind of are only attackmen. Like Wiz is only playing attack. Cab is only playing attack. Like, sure you can bump Brennan, but you still only have one spot then that you can put someone. So then it's like, does Dalton go there to your point, like I I'm quite I everyone's happy about Jake Taylor and and I like his game, but it What happens when everyone else else is healthy? Like, does he just get scratched every week again? And this is literally just a couple week thing? Apparently we're pa we're about to sign Cole Williams. Same thing. I I'm just what like I can't figure out where these pieces go, realistically. And so Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: that's where I'm kinda like Neil Barrett: Cole, I think Cole I think actually makes a lot of sense because he's a midfielder. Clearly the outlaws need midfield help. So like I can I can understand that one. I would agree with you though. @HootSportsMedia: But but who are you who are you cutting or moving for for him, though? What was more my thought. Neil Barrett: I mean, this coming from the guy who's been bitching about the midfield of the Outlaws Holes. Cut any of @HootSportsMedia: But that doesn't but that doesn't mean that any midfielder automatically is is a good replacement, i is the issue. Neil Barrett: I don't but I don't think Cole I don't think Cole Williams is is just any midfielder. And I I think he can do look, I'm not saying he's, you know, Chad Palumbo in terms of like ability at this level, but I think he I think he can do a little bit of everything. He can be an off-ball scorer. I think he can be an initiator. I think he has Pretty good vision. He can he can pass. @HootSportsMedia: Like I think I think there are a couple guys Neil Barrett: And and at the @HootSportsMedia: he could he could bump off the roster. I just don't know if he's still getting any any field time at this stage in the season. Neil Barrett: Was he was he released cold ru col like they're picking him up from the player pool? @HootSportsMedia: I believe so. I believe he was with the the chaos, I wanna say. But but this and to be fair, Neil Barrett: Okay. 'Cause I know @HootSportsMedia: this also hasn't been like announced. This was just Dan Orestius saying he heard they were trying Neil Barrett: Right. @HootSportsMedia: to sign him, whatever that means. So who knows if the if it this goes through, but I th th the Taylor Neil Barrett: Right. Right. @HootSportsMedia: one was a claim off of the d water dog, so he has to play. But the Williams I think is Neil Barrett: Yes, he has to play. @HootSportsMedia: just a a free agent. Neil Barrett: Yeah, so let's let's cross the Cole Williams bridge when that is official and everything. Plus, I think it's it's pretty obvious if they sign him and they want to put him in, they'll drop one of their underperforming midfielders and he'll he'll slot in. my my question, I guess, for you is what would you do? Because Jake Taylor was a pickup off of the water dogs, which means He has to be in the lineup this week. How are you sorting that out? I'd I'm assuming JB10 and Pac Kavanaugh are still gonna be out. we haven't gotten an injury report, but I I I haven't heard anything that that makes me think they're gonna be back this week. and honestly, they might be a n We'll talk about them later. What are you doing with where are you fitting Jake Taylor in? Like we, like we talked about, him and Wiz have very similar, I won't say skill sets, but roles of kind of being that off-ball guy. Graham Bundy was playing attack this weekend. looked pretty @HootSportsMedia: He was? Neil Barrett: good doing it. Did I say the wrong one? Not Graham Bundy. @HootSportsMedia: I don't think Graham you're talking about Dalton Young? Neil Barrett: Yes, Dalton Young, sorry. I get those two. I constantly swap those @HootSportsMedia: Okay, I was like I must have missed Graham playing attack. Neil Barrett: in my brain. No, yeah, I constantly swap him and Dalton Young in my brain. Yeah, so so yeah, how how are you lining Jake Taylor up in this in this offense? @HootSportsMedia: See how you do it. I don't like Like the obvious answer is you're you're moving Dalton back, but then now you have two guys that can't really create their own shot the same way that, you know, most attackmen in this league can. So from that standpoint, you know, maybe you bump B. O there. But then you're still having the same issue because even if you really think Dalton Young is gonna shot create, like the other two still can't. So Again, I like Jake Taylor a lot. I just don't I don't see the I don't see the vision. Maybe sudo sees something that's like gonna be revolutionary and it's gonna look awesome. But I genuinely am like, unless you're gonna invert every single play somehow, none of this makes sense to me. Neil Barrett: Well, the only thought I had was can you run a lacrosse one one style two three one? And yes, I'm calling it a two three one because you count from the restraining box, not from X, don't be dumb. where your three attack men are left, white, and left, right, and X. And then your three midfielders, you have two up top and one on the crease. And Jake Taylor is your crease midfield player. And then to be completely honest, watching watching them and and he wasn't there a whole lot. I wondered if you don't put Brennan O'Neal at X. He wasn't there a whole lot this weekend, but he was he did he did run back there a few times. And I was like. He he might be your best option at X. Like you said, I I'm not trusting Wiz to to create from X. I'm certainly not cr trusting Jake Taylor to create from X. I I don't think I'd put Jake not Jake Taylor. What'd I just say? Dalton Young down there. @HootSportsMedia: I don't like any of these options. That's the point. I Neil Barrett: I you know. @HootSportsMedia: don't like none of this at least Neil Barrett: Well then @HootSportsMedia: at least at surface level, I I just can't I'm not opposed to like what you're saying because they're obviously gonna have to get creative. And and to sudo's credit, I thought they were creative this past week with getting the middies involved more in the offense as far as the pit game goes, and you know, doing different elevator type screens and stuff that if they just connect on the passes That stuff will work. And from that standpoint, it's like it doesn't really matter who's, you know, playing attack or listed at attack or listed at MIDI. But I I mean, I could see Brennan doing okay at X. You're just then asking him to do a lot. And it's like, you know, I don't even know who we play this week, but how do they slide? Are they gonna end up just doubling him every single play because they know that there's a couple other non shot creating players on the field at that point? Neil Barrett: You guys play the Atlas. @HootSportsMedia: Well, there's no Gavin Adler anymore. Okay. I don't know. I I mean that's Neil Barrett: Lee Men's men ain't looked great either. @HootSportsMedia: that's probably what ends up happening though. I I think you have to stick with with at attack, B O whiz and Jake Taylor. Maybe you get Dalton Young. You know the other thing that could happen actually now that I'm thinking about it is a couple weeks ago in Denver, it's have been happening all year I think too, but McCardle and Silas Richmond were switching off attack and midi depending on what side of the field they were on. So maybe that happens as well. Not saying that I want to see Jake Taylor necessarily running out of the box too much, but maybe that's B.O. that switches or Yo Dalton, I don't know. Neil Barrett: Yeah. does it make it easier if either Pat Kavanaugh or JB Tenn is back in your mind? Because Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: yes. V way easier. Neil Barrett: Yeah, in a in a weird way it makes it more crowded, but it also kind of makes it easier because, like you said, one of the without one of those two in the lineup, you're looking at only having one attackman who can create and one of them bumping up to midfield in order to try and fit Jake Taylor in. But with either either Pat Kavanaugh or JB Ten back, it it does kind of feel like it balances it out a little bit better and it makes it in a weird way a little bit easier. So @HootSportsMedia: 'Cause at least then you have defined roles 'cause now you have like Pat Cav, you can go play X. You're you're good there. Brennan literally won tournament MVP as a midfielder for the World Games as in as a college player. So I d if you want to bump him to MIDI, like I'm all for that, that's fine. And then JB Ten can just kinda play wherever. I don't think he's coming back, you know, anytime soon until maybe the playoffs at best. So I don't I would bank on One of the two, Pat Cav coming back. But even then I don't think he'll be back this week, so doesn't matter, but I was just surprised they found a way to make this game work, if I'm being honest. So Neil Barrett: Do you think that this game la last question about this game, do you think that this can kickstart Vernon O'Neill's goal scoring? @HootSportsMedia: Yes. I mean the the two point fadeaway looking shot that he had was bonkers. And you know, he to see, I think this is probably the most he scored in a game, goal wise. So that has to be, you know, a bit of a confidence boost. And like again, he took fifteen shots, I get it. But at the same time, look at who else he was, you know, playing with it wasn't like he had his full offense that was drawing attention. It was like he had to kind of do a lot, so I hope so. Neil Barrett: Listen, in in his PLL career, which we're coming up on the end of season three of, which by the way, that seems insane that we're coming up on the end of his third season, but in his three seasons, two times he has taken fifteen or more shots in a game. You know what those two games were? @HootSportsMedia: The Utah game was rookie year. And this game? Neil Barrett: Yep. The Brennan O'Neill game and this game. And @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: you know, it's like what's funny is @HootSportsMedia: Give me fifteen shots again, Brandon. Neil Barrett: What's funny is @HootSportsMedia: Every game. Neil Barrett: what's funny is, and you kind of pointed this out or at the beginning, he didn't even shoot that well. he I know at one point he was at like 18%. So he really kind of later in I I think in the fourth, I think he hit like maybe three or four shots in a row, and that kind of brought him his his overall percentage up, but it You know, he still didn't shoot amazingly well. He just, you know, he took 15 shots and he and he really kind of had to take 15 shots. and frustratingly enough, I think there were still several times when when the ball came down and didn't didn't touch his stick, and you're just like, What are you doing, dude? But anyway, let's let's move off of the Denver Maryland game and head over to the Philadelphia Water Dogs taking on the Carolina Chaos. l in the later game on Sunday. Philadelphia walked out with a fairly comfortable 13 to six when Michael Sowers had a hat trick. I think he had six points, I think. I didn't write that down. I should have. CJ Kirst had one goal. He shot one for nine on this night. the one goal was enough @HootSportsMedia: Remind us fantasy owners. Neil Barrett: one goal was enough to tie The single season goals record of Marcus Holman. It it he still needs another one to actually break the record. this game was not that much fun. So let's let's talk about the MVP race here. did this game do anything to move CJ off of the MVP in your @HootSportsMedia: I missed this game, so I can't really speak to what literally happened. I mean Dauber still had a really a a good game against Boston. Twelve saves, Neil Barrett: Yeah. They I mean they didn't @HootSportsMedia: fifty seven percent. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I mean that that's like one of his worst games this season and he's still basically at sixty percent. @HootSportsMedia: That's a that's a man, that's a tough one. Let me see if I can pull this up real quick. So he is second Neil Barrett: Here's @HootSportsMedia: in the league in points at 34. Okay. He's played two less games than his teammate Mike Michael Sowers, who leads the league at 41. Meaning he needs three and a half a game basically to be on the same pace. I think honestly, because of the way Sours is playing, it hurts his case more than anything Dauber's doing. 'Cause Dauber's been doing this, right? But then he he hit a slight little but it's still really good, still doing this. Whereas this is now what the second, I think, bad C J game, if I'm not mistaken. Neil Barrett: Yeah, second and the last four. @HootSportsMedia: yeah, 'cause against the Archers he had one point. So not that I wanna let two games dictate his other six that were really good. But I do think when you look at Dobra's numbers, he's just been good every game, so I think at this point it's a Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: even race between those two, but again I think Sour's is probably creeping up even more. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I think I think you're right. I think they're i in my mind those two are fairly tied. there was a conversation on on Twitter that I I saw in which someone was saying that Michael Sowers is only doing what he's doing because of CJ Kirst. which I just think is such a dumb way to think about this. Nobody is doing what they're doing because of someone else. They certainly benefit from other players on their team, but Michael Sowers is one of the best players in the world. CJ Kirst is one of the best players in the world. If they weren't on the same team together, they'd be doing similar things. But also, if they weren't on the same team together, they may not be doing it to this extent. Or they might be doing it to a little bit better of an extent because there'd be more on them. They'd have to do it more. We don't know. But but also, you know, the the comment made me laugh. really hard because Michael Sowers, Michael Sowers is putting up basically the exact same numbers that he has put up his entire career. in 10 games this season he has 41 points. In 10 games last year, he had 41 points. In 10 games the year before that, he had 37 points. So he's putting up basically the exact same numbers he has always put up with or without CJ Kirst. And And he's been an attackman of the year finalist, an MVP finalist. He was a playoff MVP in 2022. Like the idea that Michael Sowers isn't a a top what three or four player, certainly a top five player in this league, is crazy. the thing that I would say, though, about their battle is CJ obviously. Started so hot. But in his last four games, he has 10 points or excuse me, 10 goals and two assists. In the last four games, Michael Sowers has 12 goals and six assists. So, you know, kind of in in in turn in a in a world where it's these things are so often, what have you done for me lately? Clearly, Michael Sowers has been at the top of that list. I also think he's been the more consistent. Not that CJ has been super inconsistent. Like you said, I don't want two games to determine you know, how we look at CJ's season. but like we talked about a couple weeks ago, we are talking about the splitting the finest of fine hairs between these. incredible players and two games with one with one goal two games with one point period and especially when all that you're really contributing is goals is a is is a reason to differentiate between what Michael Sauvers is doing and what CJ's doing. So I I don't @HootSportsMedia: Well in his worst game was only was two points in the second game of the season. Ever since then, Sours has had three or more points every single game. So even and and the other thing Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And @HootSportsMedia: too is I don't want to get caught up in like the pace. Well, if he played those two games he would have 'cause yeah, that that's fair, but like you're saying, Sours is splitting his points literally basically in half with goals and assists compared to just the one. So like it's hard to take Sours out of a game because you really can't. He's gonna find a way. CJ right now Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: is more of just I'm gonna put the ball in the back of the net. And when that's not happening and he's shooting one for nine, you know, so that's where it's like part of me does think maybe Sowers gets the attackman nod in this and it ends up being between Sours and Dauber type of thing. I I c I I can't see many, you know, at the end of the year many people splitting the vote between Sours and Cursed and then Dauber just getting like the leftover votes. Neil Barrett: Yeah. No, I honestly the the other side of this conversation is no one has ever won the MVP with another MVP finalist on their team. It's never happened. Not saying it won't ever happen, but it has never happened. That seems to be the precedent that we have set. How can you be the MVP of your team when there's another MVP? How can you be the MVP of the league when there's another MVP? of the league level player on not just on your team, on your attack line with you. Again, those two those two are so like linked. You know, like how do you how do you say how do you differentiate what one is doing without discussing the other? Like I like I literally just said, with if they're on if they're on separate teams, who knows how this goes? It it could, yes, potentially be better. More often than not, it's probably slightly worse. So, you know. I don't think either of them is doing what they're doing because of the other person, but they are certainly benefiting from the other person. We talked about it last year with Brennan O'Neill and Pat Kavanaugh. They they both play off of each other. They both get the benefit of playing with another top five, you know, player in the league or whatever. so ultimately, I think the the winner out of this is. Is Brett Dobbs not saying he's gonna win the MVP, but it certainly makes his case stronger that those two are are not just playing on the same team, but they are playing on the same attack line. You know, if if it was if it was you know a a goalie and an attackman, you could at least you could say, all right, well, you know, yeah, they're on the same team, but they, you know, their their play impacts each other. s significantly less, but when they they literally stand next to each other on the field, it's like, you know, these two impact each other a lot more. @HootSportsMedia: I dunno man, I think Owen McElroy's making a pretty big case. Take over that goalie spot. Only seven goals allowed per game. Him and JC Higgin Higginbotham, just saying. Neil Barrett: man. I g I can't with you. I can't with you at all. @HootSportsMedia: Look, look, I don't make the rules. That's just what I'm seeing. Neil Barrett: He's gonna make a late chart a a three and a half game. @HootSportsMedia: A late surge. Yep. All he all he needs to do is give up like one goal the remaining three games, two games, and he's right there. If he just makes thirty saves a game, Neil Barrett: Dirty saves a game. That'd be insane. What's it what is the record? Like twenty @HootSportsMedia: I think twenty five by Blaze, if I'm not mistaken. Neil Barrett: Twenty five. Wow. I was thinking it was lower twenties. Twenty five. @HootSportsMedia: No, I know that 'cause it was against the Outlaws. So yeah. If I'm not mistaken, that was against the Outlaws Neil Barrett: Hm. That's fun. @HootSportsMedia: last year. And then it was just like, yeah, another safe, yeah. Neil Barrett: That's fun. That's fun. And we wonder why Brennan O'Neal can't hit the broadside of a barn this year. the final PLL game of the weekend saw the California Redwoods beat the New York Atlas 21 to 13. This set a record for most scores in a game. I believe I believe it's the record for most goals period in a game. but it was certainly the most points ever scored by a single team. I think we've had we've had several teams hit 20. I think this is the first time anyone's ever hit 21. that at least that's what they said on the broadcast. I don't know. Chris Kavanaugh was incredible in this game. and New York again, not technically, mathematically eliminated. but They have less than a 1% chance. Less than less than a 0.1% chance. the last number I saw said 0.05% chance. I heard on on Mitchell Pelkey they said 0.01%. So somewhere in that neighborhood, that they could make it. They they would need to win a lot, buy a lot, and have a bunch of other teams. lose a lot and buy a lot. So they are all but eliminated from this game. the the big discourse that I was seeing this weekend after this game, because this is another one of those, like there's nothing really to talk about in this game. New New York's done. California pummeled them. Like i you know it wasn't it wasn't there's just not much to talk about in this game. but the big discourse that I was seeing online was there wasn't nine players better than Chris Kavanaugh in the draft. And I just find that such a such a goofy conversation. I to an extent, I guess I should say. I agree with you that probably by the time we got to Owen Hilts at eight and then the ninth pick, I think I think Chris Kavanaugh should have gone over those guys. But when you look at the first seven picks in that draft, I'm like, I mean, I I'm not saying that Chris Kavanaugh isn't better than them, but People think about it from the lens of what he is now versus what he was coming out of Notre Dame and how much his point total plummeted without playing with Pat that season by himself. I think he I want to say dropped 20 points. and in his season total, I think it was something like that. I don't remember off the top of my head. And the idea was that Chris was. Chris was a good secondary player. He was not not an off-ball player per se, because he can certainly dodge and create a shot, but he wasn't the initiator. Like you needed someone to kind of initiate, and then he like redodged and and and scored a lot of his goals. And so, you know, part of me would just wonders like, is he, is he just in the right place? For his game, or you know, maybe, maybe he really is this dude. I really want to see him, I really want to see him in the NL. See what he does. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, well I mean he played a couple games for the Seals back end of last year. and you could you could definitely see he'd he just needs to learn the box game a little bit more, but I think he can I think Pat figured it out decently well, so I think if he follows those footsteps he'll be good there. But I also just think it's hard to say, you know, there weren't that many guys better than him, but when you look at the need of each team, it makes a lot more sense. Like, even if he gets taken at let's let's say he gets taken at two or three by the Woods. So now they don't have Makadory or they don't have English. That midfield room midfield room is now probably not as good. So is the attack line? Is Chris even playing as well as he you what I'm saying? Like that it's hard to to say. I think Coulter fits in super well with the cannons. Again, not to say that Chris couldn't, but like, you know, Brendan Lavelle, I think the Archers needed defense. Look at what he's doing this year. It's hard to be like, I he Neil Barrett: That will @HootSportsMedia: they should have I mean, yeah, this year they could have taken an attackman, but that You know, this that wasn't the situation last year when this happened. Neil Barrett: Yeah, no, not at all. Not at all. I that @HootSportsMedia: And then y and then you go even if you go sorry, it go ahead on the archers or on yeah. Neil Barrett: No, I no, I was gonna say what you're saying. Like, look look at those names. CJ Kirst, Andrew Makador, Sam English, Coulter Mackesee, Brendan Lavelle, Matt Trainer, Aiden Carroll. How many of those guys, if any, are you really like? Chris Kavanaugh is definitely better than those guys. Look. @HootSportsMedia: And even even if he is too, you have to think of like think about who the Atlas already had as their attackman. Who who I love Chris, but whose spot was he taking on that team? He wasn't. The maybe, maybe you can make an argument for Aiden Carroll on the whips. But even then, if they get Chris Kavanaugh, they're probably not getting Joey Spellina on this draft. Neil Barrett: But also Aiden McC Aiden Aiden McCarroll. Jeez. Aiden Carroll correct me if I'm wrong, he's largely been playing midfield for the for the whips, right? Because @HootSportsMedia: Y the way they play offense is weird. I I can't fully tell what position he is, 'cause he's always listed as attack. But then he and like Brandau and whoever else just kinda like do a little bit of everything. So but so yes, for Neil Barrett: Well @HootSportsMedia: the for the context of the question, yes. Neil Barrett: And to and to be fair, last year he probably was a little bit more attacked, but like this year, you know, it's it's Joey and it's RP three. And then that third attack spot has kind of rotated, but I don't think Aiden Carroll's really played much of that because I I believe it's the left side, and I believe Aiden Carroll is is right-handed. so I mean I'm sure he's found himself in that position, but I don't think he's really played it a whole lot. Like you said. Could he could he have fit into the archer's attack line? Maybe, but they really needed defenders. You know, could it @HootSportsMedia: Yep. Yep. And I mean think j again, just just think about the names they had on their offense last year. It's easy to say now because they're they have a had Neil Barrett: Right. @HootSportsMedia: a bunch of injuries, but like he wasn't taking anyone's spot last year. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. No, I I I agree with you. And and sure the Redwoods could have taken him, like you said, with one of those second or third picks. But also, like you said, and again coming into the season, like we've we felt like maybe their attack was was half decent and it was really their midfield that they needed help with. And if they go get Chris Kavanaugh with one of those, they'd likely miss out on one of these midfielders. And now their midfield isn't as good, which probably takes some opportunities away from Chris Kavanaugh. So, like I said, do I do I think he should have gone ahead of Jake Taylor 100%? Though again, where's he fitting on that that Water Dog's roster going back to last year when They already had CJ Kirst, Michael Sowers, Kira McArdle. They had Zed Williams at that point. They had did they have Matt Brandau at the time of the draft? Or was @HootSportsMedia: I think so 'cause I thought Brando was taking he was tr He was w yeah, he he was drafted by the Dogs in twenty four. seventh overall. Neil Barrett: So they still had him at the time of the draft in twenty five? @HootSportsMedia: But I I I don't remember when they traded him. Neil Barrett: I don't remember either. But either way, even if they didn't have Brandow, that's still four attackmen right there that they had on their roster. They were going to take another attackman that you know likely wasn't going to have a spot on the roster and run him out of the box. Then then he he may not get an opportunity. So the the one real spot where I think he probably should have gone for like 100% was Owen Hilts' spot with the Carolina Chaos. And that was one of my complaints about them, the Carolina Chaos taking Owen Hilts, not because Owen Hilts wasn't a good player, but because I don't think anyone was looking to take Owen Hilts that early, at least not based off of. Projections, who knows? Maybe, maybe the Philadelphia Water Dogs wanted him at the beginning of the second round. I don't know. I I I wouldn't think so. Although, would you rather have Jake Taylor or Owen Hilts? So maybe they were, maybe they were, and they needed to go get their guy, or at least the guy that they thought was their guy. but certainly in hindsight, looking at it now, I think yeah, you would definitely take Chris Kavanaugh over Owen Hilts. But the rest of those guys, like you said, I not even necessarily because of fit, although certainly by the time you're looking at fit, but even even just running down that list, Coulter Mackassie has has the potential to be an MVP finalist this year. Are you telling me that that he that Chris Kavanaugh should have gone over him, like definitively should have gone over Coulter Mackesee. You know, Brendan Laval could be a defensive player of the year this year. Should Chris Kavanaugh have good honest, I'm I'm honestly asking, and and feel free to smack this question away. Is Chris Kavanaugh going to be a finalist for any award this year? @HootSportsMedia: Think so. Neil Barrett: I wouldn't think so either. But @HootSportsMedia: And that's not even because he's having a bad year. There's just I mean, half half Neil Barrett: No, he's a @HootSportsMedia: of the attackmen of the year finalists are on the same team. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean right now, what would we say? Attackman of the year, let's assume @HootSportsMedia: You're looking at Sours, CJ, Macassy are the are a shoe-in at this point of the year for those three. And and even Neil Barrett: Yes, one hundred percent. Those three @HootSportsMedia: then, Connor Fields just tied McAcie with 33 points. He's sneakily like inching up there. And I mean Spilina has thirty two, Holman has thirty-two. You know, Chris has thirty Neil Barrett: Yeah, I think I think @HootSportsMedia: in eight games. So I mean, maybe he has a chance to surge as like the final, you know, the final attackman. Maybe. Neil Barrett: Maybe. Yeah. So @HootSportsMedia: I I th I mean he probably he probably passes like Fields has eleven games played. So he's probably passing that. He's probably gonna be maybe just passing Marcus, but right at or below Joey. Maybe he does pass Coulter. Coulter should play two more games. Even then though, it this is one award. that I don't think he's gonna win, regardless, because again, Sours and CJ compared to the other guys that we just named that legitimately have a a big chance of winning. Like Brendan Lavelle legit could win D P O I. Neil Barrett: Also, not for nothing, I've seen several people complaining about Sam English. I feel like they're not watching the same game time. @HootSportsMedia: No. No. There's games that he's the only bright spot on that whole team. Neil Barrett: Yeah, Sam English is incredible. To me, Sam English, and I I know people make this comparison to the enough that it it almost feels a little bit lazy. And so I kind of don't like to make it. But I'm going to make it in this regard. He's a lot like Zach Courier in the sense, not necessarily in how they play the game, although there's some similarities there, I guess. But in in the fact that like if you're really not paying attention to you won't fully understand what all he's doing and what all is getting done on the f when he's on the field and how he's contributing to the game in ways that don't necessarily appear in the stat sheet or you know appear appear in the stat sheet but don't necessarily tell the story of what he's doing or whatever. so yeah I mean s Sam English I know I've I've seen people specifically pull out Sam English and I'm like, you guys are morons. You're you're not watching these games. @HootSportsMedia: That's an overreaction because of of the standings and and being five hundred with negative goal differential. Like that's Neil Barrett: Well and and being being a th a n third overall pick who doesn't necessarily always contribute on the stat sheet. You know, he's @HootSportsMedia: Yep. Yep. Neil Barrett: he's probably got what, a a handful of goals and assists this year. I'm on Swarm it up so I can't see his @HootSportsMedia: Let me see if I can find it. He has eight points on the year or no fifteen points on the year in eight games played. So he Neil Barrett: Eight goals and seven assists. @HootSportsMedia: he's averaging just shy of two points a game, eleven goals and four assists. Neil Barrett: Eleven goals. honestly, that's that's more than I was expecting. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, and they look to be all one point as well. two cost turnovers, twenty four ground balls. You know, he's he's only he's only touched the ball a hundred and fifty five times too. So I I mean that's pretty pretty good point production there for someone who's not really touching the ball all that much. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I I I think he's been incredible and I don't I don't understand anyone. @HootSportsMedia: And aga again, like this is just I recognize people probably aren't thinking this nuanced, but like you have to think of who else could have taken these players after the fact. Obviously, as we saw, there were eight teams that didn't feel like they needed to take Kavanaugh Chris Kavanaugh in the top eleven picks or whatever it was, ten picks. So Like the idea that like we needed to nitpick and say th there's no way there was this many people better. It's like, well, they fit better for that scheme. They prohibited other teams from taking them that are now working out, so like it you know. Neil Barrett: No, I I agree and I I think I think we get caught up on on some of this stuff for no real reason. I don't I don't know. It's it's it's goofy and I think we don't talk enough about how sometimes not I say this not as a shot at Chris Kavanaugh or anyone else. But we don't talk enough about how much guys get into the right position for them. So if Chris Kavanaugh is drafted by the Carolina Chaos, like I like I suggested, was was maybe the one spot where he could where he's arguably better than the guy who was was drafted ahead of him, or or even even the water dogs, even for that matter. But as especially with Carolina. Because Carolina, he would have gotten a chance to play. Maybe maybe it with the Water Dogs, he doesn't really get much of a chance to play. It's like Pat's first season with the Cannons, and he's playing out of position and and it just doesn't work. But then but in Carolina, he would have had the opportunity to play. But in Carolina, maybe maybe him playing pushes Jackson Iker out, which affects the way that that whole offense runs, the balance is all shifted, and and you know. He's not in a position to look the way that he does. Whereas we talk about duos. you gotta think him and Dylan Lloyd. Obviously, Sowers and CJ Kirst are number one. Dylan Lloyd and Chris Kavanaugh might be number two. and maybe Marcus and and Coulter Mackesee are number two, but they're certainly one of the better kind of like duos in the league. Whereas again, drafted in Carolina, who's who's he pairing up with? Him and him and Owen Hilts are on opposite sides. They both they both can create their own shots, but are probably slightly better at being more of an off-ball finisher. So who's the guy feeding them? You know, like Who knows how it works out, basically, I guess is what I'm trying to say. Yeah, that's that's it for the Columbus weekend. Let's look ahead to this weekend. we have Maryland playing Boston. Wait, hold on before we get into the games, it's MLL throwback weekend. We have not yet seen the uniforms. we have gotten some teasers. what? What are your thoughts on MLL weekend before we talk about the game specifically? @HootSportsMedia: I think the jerseys and uniforms will be interesting to see. Since it's the first time they're kinda doing that route. my the only thought I really have is I'm not a fan of doing it when not every team's playing. Especially when you just had a neutral site weekend that Neil Barrett: Yep, that's Yep. @HootSportsMedia: would have been perfect for it, so I'm not a fan of that at all. But from the teasers I think it's cool that we're getting some some old ML stuff. Hopefully the merch is cool. I I'm curious to see kinda how Neil Barrett: That's what I'm hoping for. @HootSportsMedia: how they go about does it say the current team names but with old MLL, you know, uniform styles, and designs, or is it fully it's gonna say Bayhawks on it? Or, you know, I'm just curious to how that goes. but I'm excited. I think it should be cool. Neil Barrett: Yeah, it it's interesting because it it in the teasers feels like depending on which team is teaser is which is which What am I trying to say? W I'm just gonna say the Atlas teaser made it feel like it was a It was gonna be more of like a like an NHL reverse retro kind of thing where it was it was lizard's colors being used on an on an Atlas uniform with their logos and stuff. but also maybe that was just kind of done, kind of thrown together as as just kind of like a teaser to get people excited about the fact that they were gonna be using lizard stuff. although they use striping on the uniform that isn't present on any Atlas jersey or lizards jersey, which makes me think that they were using the actual jersey that's going to be used. Cause otherwise I don't know why you would use that striping. But then also, the Bayhawks teaser is very clearly the Bayhawks, the 2015-ish era, the Miles Jones Bayhawks era of feathers, the the feathered uniforms. And then the other teaser that we saw was California, with the Riptide uniforms. and those are very clearly appear to be Riptide uniforms. so I it's I'm with you. It's gonna be interesting to see because it feels like it's a little bit of both. And I I don't know. I've also heard some some bizarre rumors about what is coming. They're from someone that I trust, but they just don't make sense. So I feel like I'm like, I don't believe you, even though you're almost always right about this kind of stuff. I don't even want to say almost always right. I've never known them to not be right about this kind of stuff. they have the kind of connections where they usually know this kind of stuff. but the stuff that they have said to me feels so wrong that I'm like, I don't think I believe you about this. One of them, I'll just say one of them, the the the thing that I was told, and we'll see, I guess I'm I'm thinking probably tomorrow, was that Philadelphia, who's not even playing this weekend, is doing orange Philadelphia barrage helmets. So a team that isn't playing this weekend is doing orange Philadelphia barrage helmets. For fun, I guess? Unless they're going to wear their throwbacks next week in Philadelphia. Which none of that like literally, no matter how I break that down, it doesn't make sense. But again, this person I have never known to be wrong about this stuff. They are in a position where they usually know. So I'm like, I I don't know. I don't know what to think. Obviously, we'll see what comes down the pipe. but I just I just wondered. I I am almost always against the NLL integration. I think we think we have the outlaws and the canons and the rest of it can stay where it was. I have no nostalgia for the ML. but maybe that's just me. let's look at the games. Maryland, Boston, Carolina, Utah, Denver, New York, Atlas. Redwood's Boston will be the final game. yeah, 'cause it's it's I was like, wait, why is Boston playing so I guess? 'Cause it's it's Boston's homecoming. so that's why. which of these games are you looking at? @HootSportsMedia: There's only one game I'm looking at. We know what game that is. Neil Barrett: Carolina, Utah. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, definitely. How'd you know? Super pumped for that one. Neil Barrett: you're only looking at Denver? @HootSportsMedia: No, I'm actually I'm actually I'm actually kinda sad 'cause I I'm traveling this weekend and I I think we're gonna have to be kinda watching or listening to this Denver game in the the car ride after we land, so we'll we'll see about that one. but I I am excited for that. Utah Carolina entices me 'cause I think Carolina put can put up a good fight against Utah, which would shake some things up. Actually it really wouldn't, 'cause Utah's score differential is so high. Neil Barrett: Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Well, well, but actually it could though, because Denver could finish seven and five and Utah could finish Neil Barrett: It could drop them. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: sixth and six. So actually that's one to monitor, I think, as well. the WLO game with the guard already out, it's kinda you know I think the I think the Palms need it Neil Barrett: Well, I didn't @HootSportsMedia: to make the fine the championship, right? Neil Barrett: I didn't I didn't mention that, but the Palm Guard also do play on Saturday. Brandon's getting a little ahead of me. @HootSportsMedia: Sorry. Neil Barrett: to no, no, no, you're fine. I'm just I'm just giving you grief. It's literally in my list here, but I was like, I'll save that for later because we'll talk about the P the WLL in a second. but it's totally fine. I really don't care. to answer your question, they don't technically need it. They can lose and still be in the championship because they have goal differential. and maybe maybe a head to head as well. but yeah, they're in a similar boat like you were just talking about with Utah. They have a they have a really high goal differential, so they don't technically need it, but obviously if Boston wins by enough, they could lose. I I think I saw they have like a 98% chance of making the championship game. I think they would have to lose by something in the neighborhood of like fifteen to seventeen, something like that. so it it it's all but done. So there's not a ton to watch, although, you know, Boston's certainly gonna want to ruin the the the plans. I did see that they activated Mm, totally blanking on their names. Cassid Weeks was one. I don't remember who the other one was. so they're getting healthy. could be fun. Obviously, they'll still be without Charlotte North. but yeah, probably probably looking at at California making the championship game regardless. So I think California Boston could be the PLF version of that game. I just realized that was the same thing. Califor the Redwoods Cannons game could be really interesting too. not so much for seeding, but I I'd really like to see those two teams and where they're at with each other. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I don't know. Go cannons. Neil Barrett: Go cannons. because of Denver. This guy. This guy. Maryland Boston similarly though. that one would actually have I I think some impact on on some seating. and could set up for a pretty @HootSportsMedia: I hope Maryland wins that one and then Boston loses. no, I hope I hope Boston wins the what am I trying to say here? Yes, I hope Maryland wins the first one, Boston wins the second one, so that way the East is just like this. Yes. Neil Barrett: A mess. Yeah. yeah, no, that'd be fun. I'd I'd enjoy that. A couple more things to get through here. The speaking of the WLL, well, at least the players in it, the United United, why am I spelling why am I saying it out? The US women's national team won its fifth straight World Lacrosse Championship, beating Canada 16 to 4 in Tokyo over the weekend. It is their 10th all-time world title. They have 36 straight wins in the world championships dating all the way back to 2009 was the last time that they lost a world championship game. Allie Kennedy was named Tournament MVP. This is her second straight international MVP after she won the MVP of the women's world box lacrosse championships in 2024, I think is when that was. if I'm not mistaken. I a couple weeks ago, you and I were debating who the best lacrosse player in the world is. Allie Kennedy might have that title. she is, like I said, MVP of the box lacrosse championships, MVP of the field lacrosse championships. And I got to looking at the WLL stats. I think she has a pretty decent chance of winning the MVP this year as well. She has she is I believe tied for like fourth in points. she also has like way more ground balls than anyone else in the top ten. she's everywhere, she's all over the place. So I'm not sure that anyone's better all around at lacrosse than Allie Kennedy is these days. and that brings us International Lacrosse is a good transition point to the global lacrosse games. they were announced last week as a partnership between the PLL, the WLL, and the NLL. these will take place in December at the St. James will replace the championship series in the spring for the next two years. Thoughts on the the games? @HootSportsMedia: I mean, people know how I feel about sixes, so I won't get into that. I do like that it's both leagues, or all three, I guess, technically speaking, but both both entities getting involved, I think that's really good. I'm excited to see that the the expanded rosters I think will be fun, just 'cause I think a lot of times when people watch champs series, it's already, you know, mostly backups from from what we're seeing in the P L L, so now we're getting full on starters from, you know, truly the best in the world, which will be kinda cool. so yeah, I'm excited for that. I'll still be watching even though I don't like Sixes. and I know I know you are not happy about them replacing the champs series. That's an event I'm not high on as a fan, so I I'm okay with that. Neil Barrett: I feel like it's like it's like D C movies, like you've just never watched @HootSportsMedia: I I watch it every year. It's just I watch it to support the league. I just it's not for me. Neil Barrett: that's right. You don't like goals. That's the issue. You don't like when people score goals. @HootSportsMedia: I love goals. It's just sixes removes the best parts of lacrosse to me and I don't enjoy that. Neil Barrett: I don't love sixes. It is by far my least favorite event or version of the game, like by far. I am bummed to see the championship series leave, but a lot of that has I mean, all none of that has anything to do with sixes. I think the event itself is fun. I like that there is this past championship series notwithstanding typically there has been a week solid of lacrosse. I love the the community that that comes out when every single day for a week there are games and everyone kind of tunes in and you know twitter blows up social media blows up Every single night for a week about lacrosse. I do think that the games are fun and enjoyable. I also like the championship series for what the championship series is. Again, not the sixes necessarily, but I like I like that we get to see some different players. I like that we get an opportunity for guys to make a ride. I feel like every year there's there's two guys that come out of nowhere and make a roster during the summer. and that in that sense it it has a lot of almost combine like elements to it of like we're bringing in some guys to to get to see them in in this scenario and it it doesn't it doesn't always translate but you know often does I say that but you know who was it Shane Knock looked like a world beater and in the championship series this spring and people thought he was gonna, you know, push for an MVP and that ain't happening. So so yeah, all that to say, I I am bummed to see the the championship series go. I wanted both of these events. that being said, I understand why you would only do one of them and that you it would be this one and We're certainly gonna get, you know, the the best players in it and that will be fun. one thing I I wanted to ask you about was I've heard that there have been some issues with some of the international teams that have been invited. there is a lot of qualification for world championships and even Olympic qualification that is happening around these times. And teams are having to choose what to go to. And they're obviously gonna choose you know, world championship qualification and Olympic qualification events over this event that does none of those things for them. and so an idea that I had was that I I I mentioned several times last week was that the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 included two, It included a a world team and a team North America. Both were teams. The world team was players who weren't on one of the teams that were invited. I think right now we're all expecting the US, Canada, and probably the Haudenosaunee to be there. And then it's all about that fourth team, though I think there's also potential for the Haudenosaunee to not be there as well. my my question to you was. Who are some guys that you don't expect to be on a US Canada roster that you want to see at this event? @HootSportsMedia: Connor Fields. Neil Barrett: You don't think Connor Fields will be on either roster? @HootSportsMedia: If you if you know, you know. so Neil Barrett: I think he'll be a I think he might be on one of those rosters. @HootSportsMedia: Last I checked he there's like a whole thing about him in World Games and why we never see him play. for one of those, so unless that's changed. Neil Barrett: I'm also I'm also interested specifically Lyle, Dane, some of those guys who could be playing in the PLL if they wanted to, but have actively chosen not to. Do they play? @HootSportsMedia: Yes. Neil Barrett: You think so? @HootSportsMedia: Yes. I think both of them, I think Josh Byrne plays I think there are a lot of box specific guys that'll end up playing. I mean Graham Hostack now. He's one league. Treasy probably plays. Neil Barrett: I'm not saying I'm not saying box specific guys won't play. Obviously they will. The NLL, you know, is a partner in this. I'm just wondering about guys that have like specifically chosen not to play. Could that could they? And I'm not I'm I have no inside information. I'm not. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, b yeah, but I but I think all of those guys I just named are gonna end up playing. 'Cause it's I mean, it's still a you know, a country event, so they're all gonna go I mean they all play anyway when they do these other world games and they seem to win fairly often. Neil Barrett: Well, it's a it's a country event that doesn't now it's gonna be it's gonna be really big, I think. I at least in in the world of lacrosse. It's obviously gonna be a really big event. But it's a country event that doesn't have any meaning. And especially like Lyle. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, but it's good practice for what's to come. Neil Barrett: Well, especially like Lyle, maybe he just wants the week off. Rest up, relax with his family? Again, I have no inside information. I'm not saying Lyle will probably be that. Like I, you know, I'm not I'm not saying he won't. I just want it it dawned on me like, you know, even if we go outside of the specifics, but like it's essentially gonna be a glorified all-star game. And we know people sit out of all-star games. Does that happen here? Again, let's remove let's remove specific names. Could be interesting to see who who chooses to play and who doesn't. That being said, it is likely going to be as a as opposed to an all-star game, you know, especially l like let's look at the PL all-star game from a few weeks ago. I think this will be a very big event. And the fact that all of the leagues have joined together on this is going to make it a a fairly big deal. At least this first one. We'll see how it goes. Maybe, maybe by the time the next one rolls around, people are are out on it. I'm not expecting that to happen, but it could technically. but anyway, back to my original question. What who are some guys that that won't make the cause because we're looking at what twelve twelve man rosters, I think, is a is a sixes roster, is is twelve. So I mean you think about the US and Canada are gonna have a lot of good guys not playing in this event. I mean hell, we were just talking about Chris Kavanaugh. You Chris Kavanaugh's gonna be on the on on a twelve man sixes roster? I wouldn't think so either. @HootSportsMedia: I I don't know. He can play a little bit of defense, so maybe. Neil Barrett: He could, he certainly could. honestly, him and him and Pat might be might be great six play sixes players because they are tenacious on defense. And can obviously score on off. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I don't know. I don't know I don't know who's normally on that team, so that that's gonna be tough. I think Canada's gonna have more tough cuts though than than the US. Neil Barrett: Well and it's it's gonna be interesting to see. I'm I'm interested to see how these teams are built. Not like l legitimately mechanically. Like is US lacrosse gonna build these rosters? Is the PLL and NLL gonna build these ro like who's building these rosters? What do they look like? And then I don't know that we've ever seen a a truly well built built. US sixes team, where they had all of their players available to them and they made I'm I'm gonna say good decisions. the World Games roster I did not like. I did not like it from the start, and I certainly think that that bore out in that championship where Canada absolutely pummeled them. I think they relied way too heavily on two-way players, and Canada went. more or less all in on offensive players that could do a job defensively. Dane Smith was a transition player in the NLL when he first started. Like he can, he can play defense, even though he's an offensive player. and I, you know, we brought we brought Adam Gettelman as a reserve goalie almost solely because he could also play offense. and he played with a shorty. And I do I don't want Adam Gettleman @HootSportsMedia: Who Neil Barrett: playing. @HootSportsMedia: hang on, he did? Neil Barrett: Yeah, he played with a shorty at the World Games in in 2022. @HootSportsMedia: my good for that man. Neil Barrett: Because they went they went full in on versatility. The US roster was built on the idea that this was a game where versatility would be king. And being able to play offense, defense, play multiple positions would be priority over everything. And so they brought all @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I get that, but that doesn't usually that doesn't mean hey we're gonna take a backup old goalie and just hand him a shorty, like just go play. That's insane. Neil Barrett: I'm not even sure. I could be totally wrong on this. I'm not even sure Canada brought a backup goalie. like that it was literally the the way that I like to say the world games in in 2022, I say that was that was the event that determined the soul of sixes because because the two teams were s were built so differently from each other. Where, like I said, Canada seemed to go all in on offensive production with guys who could do a job defensively. And the US went all in on two-way players. and that's not to say every single player on Canada was an offensive player, and that every single player on the US was a two-way, you know, midfield guy. But that was kind of the the basis of the construction of those two rosters. And both teams kind of ran through as you would expect. They ran through the competition until they got into the gold medal game against each other. And Canada just absolutely, I mean, you've you've seen the championship series games. I know there's not a two-point line in international sixes, but it's more or less the same game. And it's just pedal to the metal and the goal and outscoring your opponent is more important than stopping them from scoring. And so I think that the US can build a significantly better roster than they did. @HootSportsMedia: But they should not put any mammoth players on the roster. Jack Hanno, you're unavailable that week. All right? Dylan Wart unavailable that week, Sark Canada. You can have Brett Dobson. Neil Barrett: Who was you know what? Now I feel like I wanna look this up. I'm wondering who their goalie was. Okay, so crap, I gotta go. This is all All right, listen to the listen to this United States roster. Connor Kirst, Colin Heacock, Ryan Tierney, Adam Gettelman, Brian Tevlin, Justin Gutterding, Liam Burns, Ryan Conrad, Zach Goodrich, Tom Schreiber, Jack Kelly, Matt Brandau. Even in twenty twenty two, I was like, this is not a this is not a good sixes roster. @HootSportsMedia: Bad. Neil Barrett: You you guys have gone all in now. Canada, Canada, Wes Berg, Josh Byrne, Challen Rogers, Jordan McIntosh, Reed Bowering, Clark Peterson, Drake Porter, Brett Dobson. so I guess I guess they did bring a backup goalie because Drake Porter would be a a goalie, right? Brett Dobson, Jeff Teat, Brian Cole, Zach Currier, Dane Smith. And people want to be like, Yes, see Canada @HootSportsMedia: That's unfair. That's unfair. Neil Barrett: I'm like, Yeah, that's not even those aren't even comparable rosters in any way. And people want to be like, yeah, Canada won because because they play box and it's similar it's more similar to sixes. And I'm like, No. I mean, that may be @HootSportsMedia: I'm sure it helps, but even then the the talent that's there is we don't have a Zach Courier. Neil Barrett: Right. Then @HootSportsMedia: Like we just don't Neil Barrett: Well, that that was my point. Was not that box doesn't make you a better Sixes player. Th this just didn't prove it because again, the the talent disparity was huge. And again, I think they I think Canada's roster is built so much more for offensive firepower and outscoring a team than the US's roster, which was built on on like the balance of being able to score and try and prevent you from scoring. And I just don't, I don't think that's a good sixes strategy. I think I think you the better strategy is we are going to outscore you. And if we can stop you once or twice here, better. That's all all the better. But we're gonna focus on trying to outscore you. And that's what they did. And then and then like I said, People try to be like, well, Dane Smith was a transition player. He he's a he's really a two-way guy. And I'm like, no, he isn't. No. He's he's an offensive player who can do a job on defense, but he but that's not his primary responsibility. And to be fair, I didn't think he looked all that good playing defense at the World Games. someone will pull up some tape and be like, he was an all star on defense, but The the thing that I don't think helps you is in in in sixes is that there's more space than in box. You don't have the walls to like help be a defender. and I I think guys maybe move a little bit more, you know, in I I'm not saying that there is no movement in box like I feel like this is gonna get taken way out of context. But you know, if you're a righty, you're gonna be on on the right side or the or the left side. on the left side, right? If you're a righty. Yeah. So like you're gonna be over there. Whereas I felt like sixes is a little bit more free flowing, a little bit more movement. Guys, you know, guys well, Canadians probably don't because they're so box hardwired, but guys switch hands and and move a across the field and stuff. So it it's just a very different thing. And and so I th I again I think I think it's all about I re I forgot how b how much I I forgot how not great that that roster was until I just read that, but Yeah. Anyway, I don't even remember what we were talking about here. The the the global lacrosse games. All that to say, I'm I'm very excited. I think it'll be fun. I would really like to see them do a U. I I I wanna say U23, but that might be a little young. So maybe, maybe like a U24, U25 team of of guys who aren't on a national team. roster, you know, like we just talked about twelve twelve man roster. You know, we just talked about Chris Kavanaugh. If Chris Kavanaugh isn't on a isn't on Team USA's roster, I'd love to see a team of him, Grayson Manning. Like get me so Dom Petramala. Like get me some young, exciting guys that like can be kind of a these are the this is the future. Again, I go back to that World Cup of hockey, that twenty sixteen team. I should hold on. The in at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, they had a team North America that was a U23 team of players from North America. Shane Gosses Bear, Connor Hellebuck, Matt Murray, Aaron Eckblad, Jacob Truba. Jonathan Druin, Jack Eichel, Johnny Goudreau, Johnny Goudreau, Dylan Larkin, Nathan McKinnon, Austin Matthews, Connor McDavid, JT Miller, Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Brandon Saad, Vincent Trochek. Like it was an incredible roster. And I think it'd be so fun to have a lacrosse version of that. But if you're not doing anything December, we should go. @HootSportsMedia: That's prime box season there. Neil Barrett: Well th but there won't be box games. The NL's taking a break. You got no excuse. @HootSportsMedia: True, that is true. Well, there's one excuse, but I can't say that publicly, so Neil Barrett: Dirty. @HootSportsMedia: No, no, no. It's it's good. You know what it is. I just I'm not Neil Barrett: Listen, what what you do in your bedroom, we don't we don't gotta talk about. @HootSportsMedia: my goodness, that's not that's not even close to what we're talking about here. You go you go on a fifteen minute rant about Team USA sixes and now you look at you Delirious. Neil Barrett: man. I am I am tired, dude. I am probably. @HootSportsMedia: And we haven't even discussed that the NL is getting an app and a new website. Neil Barrett: We listen, we can discuss that right now. I don't know what there is to to say about it. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: There's nothing to discuss, we're just saying it out loud. That's happening. Should be done before the season, which will be cool. Also Charlie Bertrand got inducted into Merrimack's Athletics Hall of Fame or he will be getting introducted, so there's that as well. Neil Barrett: Interesting. Interesting. I'm with you on the app. That's cool. And not that the NLL should do anything for the sake of the PL, but my hope is that the NLL builds an app and a website that's so good that it pushes the PLL to do better with theirs. Cause I hate theirs too. It's not as bad as what the NLL currently has. It is better than than the current NL setup, but It needs it needs work too. and the company that they're using seems legit and committed. The fact that they're gonna have it up before the start of the season blew me away. I couldn't believe that. So that's r @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Which makes me think they've already been doing it, which is cool. Neil Barrett: yes, I agree. I agree. I I was thinking the same thing that they're they're they're already been in the middle of it somewhere and and are gonna have it ready to go. So that should be fun. The other thing, The other kind of quick note, you and I probably don't have a whole lot of expertise to really dive too deep into update in the Syracuse five for five thing was that the judge granted a preliminary injunction, basically allowing people to go back in for their fifth year. It was interesting that Joey Spolina and Billy Dwan have removed themselves from the lawsuit, it does not mean that they cannot take advantage of it. They don't have to be in the lawsuit to reap the benefits of it. although my understanding, and I'm not a lawyer, I could be misunderstanding this, but my understanding was that there this injunction was then amended to say essentially that people that had signed pro-contracts still lost their eligibility. so that could obviously have an effect. Obviously, Finn Thompson was still in the lawsuit and he played this weekend. so we'll see what happens. Obviously, and Michael Michael Leo has played this season too as well. Has Luke Roa, do you know? @HootSportsMedia: yeah, yes, I think. Neil Barrett: I don't know either. I feel like he has two, but I I I don't know. I feel like I confuse him and Michael Leo a lot. So So yeah. anyway, that's that's kind of the the news for the week. what you got going on this weekend? @HootSportsMedia: travelling for a wedding reception thing, so got that. Gonna hit up a card show while we're out that way on Sunday. And yeah. Neil Barrett: I saw a video today of a of a man and his young child, like 10, 11 looked like, stole a $15,000 card at a card shop. @HootSportsMedia: Yep. Yep. Yeah. At the national. So Pretty crazy. Neil Barrett: I can't believe those cases aren't locked. @HootSportsMedia: I mean, not really because you gotta think like they're opening it up opening up all day, kind of thing. You usually you don't leave it, you know, unattended, but yeah, there's a big pro that it's not even just that one card. There's a lot of stuff that happens that's you know, just stupid, but People will be people, I guess. Neil Barrett: Guess. also made a post about it, but I didn't I didn't say thank you for this. @HootSportsMedia: yeah, I realize I should have sent you a top loader. USPS is Neil Barrett: it's fine. @HootSportsMedia: is pretty What's the word? I don't know. They they just kind of hate if you send it in a top loader in that play my envelope and then they'll they'll send it back or charge more shipping, so I like, Neil Barrett: I just remembered we're on a podcast and I didn't say what this is. This is a signed Zach Greer Duke card. that Brandon got and sent to me. so that was pretty cool. thank you for that. I am dog sitting this weekend, so for the next like twelve days, Starting on Friday, I think. so the next episode I'll be dog sitting and the last two weekends of the PL season I will be dog sitting, so but the good news is lots of money to buy PL throwback gear, right? @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, that's true. Neil Barrett: Assuming any of it's any good. We'll see. We'll see what happens there. But that will do it for this week. If you enjoyed this episode, the Lax Lifers Club is where our community lives between episodes. It is a Discord for fans watching lacrosse year-round, not just during throwback weekend. 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 at Hoot Sports Media. If you haven't yet, rate and review the show on whatever platform you're listening on. It takes about 30 seconds and it genuinely helps people find us. We will be back next week, but until then, we'll catch you guys in the comments.