The Return

Neil Barrett: Welcome, welcome, welcome to the run out. I am Neil Barrett. He is Brandon Hooten. We have a ton to get into this week. The NLL finals are all Canadian. Duke just knocked off Richmond and the WLL kicks off its full season this weekend. But before we get into all of that, Brandon, it has been over a month since we did an episode. ⁓ I feel like it was. What is up guys, Neil here. I just wanted to hop on before we got started with the show and let you guys know a little bit about where we have been and what has been going on as those of you who can see me right now, if you're watching on YouTube or watching, hopefully we are uploading the video onto Spotify with this episode. So if you guys are watching and you can see me right now, you can see that. was a bad time to be off. feel like we missed so much. didn't get to talk about much. How you been? I am not in my normal location. ⁓ I moved back to North Carolina a couple of weeks ago. A lot has happened in my life in the last month since we last ⁓ posted an episode. And that is why we haven't really been around. It was. @HootSportsMedia: Just staying busy, same as always. ⁓ Went to Utah over the weekend. It was a fine trip. That's about it. Yeah. Neil Barrett: It was a fine trip. you wanna, you wanna explain why that, why it wasn't a better trip? As I was saying to someone earlier this week, it was a bad time to have a bad time, at least in terms of ⁓ lacrosse and what was happening in the world of this game that we love ⁓ between the NLL wrapping up their season and heading into the playoffs, the NCAA season wrapping up and heading into the NCAA tournament and the start of the PLL season. ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: I'm not gonna get into everything, just that first day was just like, felt like anything that could go wrong went wrong pretty much. ⁓ But we made it on time to everything, so not complaining. Some good lacrosse was played. ⁓ Great weather, lots of positives. Neil Barrett: Well, and I, yeah, and I told you, I texted you when everything was going down, I was like, the one good thing that you got going on is the fact that literally nobody knew. No one was aware of how awful it had been for you. You did that well, just getting on with things. Cascade S came or Z came out, excuse me. Just all kinds of things, it feels like have happened in the last month. And ⁓ unfortunately, we don't really have time to get into all of that. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. And realistically, I've heard of much worse travel stories and everything like that. So like, it wasn't that big a deal. But definitely in the moment, I was just annoyed. I was just like, of course, like we already go on a time crunch and then, you know, plane gets delayed an hour and just like everything possible is just like, why are we all slowing down? Like we gotta go. But, but hey, it was great and we're back safely. Neil Barrett: we are just gonna kind of pick up as if we did an episode last week, but I wanted to come on here and say, I guess, apologize for having been gone for a while. And hopefully you guys can understand that some things are more important than this. And also say, you know, as best I can over the next few weeks, months. You One Anyone who wasn't looking, go look at Brandon's photos from this weekend, or a lot of them are probably on OTP, right? And you'll post some later this week or whatever. So that's the way it normally goes. Some incredible shots. The one obviously standout one was the aptly named runout shot where they literally dove six feet in front of you, like right at you. Incredible shot and incredible stuff. And hopefully years I am going to get back into ⁓ Doing a lot more content. I have some things in the works that I'm really excited about ⁓ And I'm sorry, I all I can see is this thing on my nose. I scratched my nose raw ⁓ Somehow, don't even know what happened but it's like it looks like a massive pimple or something except that it's literally like not 3d anyway, it's all I can see it's distracting me but ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. Neil Barrett: Trying to think what else, like what we've missed, what can we kind of briefly go over? It's been so much, like I said, was a really bad time to take a break with all that happened in the lacrosse world. Do you wanna talk about the mammoth at all? Yeah, that's kind of an update on where I've been and what's going on without going into too much detail. ⁓ But I did want to say thank you to several of you guys who have reached out and ⁓ noticed that I was gone and reached out and said things to me, encouraging me and stuff. So ⁓ thank you to those of you who did. ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: I've said my piece on a couple shows. ⁓ I'm not gonna beat a dead horse. ⁓ I mean, I could... I will gladly say we got screwed, but... Whatever. It happens. It's lacrosse, I guess. Neil Barrett: I figured. did mean a lot to me ⁓ and hopefully we keep moving forward with this. So I guess we'll get into the show now. Thanks. ⁓ All right. Well, well that being said let's let's talk about the NLL finals We will see the Toronto Rock play the Halifax Thunderbirds You know the the NLL finals we all predicted and back in November, right? Yeah, I Was actually trying to think of who did we actually have it was Buffalo and Vancouver what like like that was pretty much everyone's pick was Buffalo and Vancouver @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. Yep. Yep. Neil Barrett: Neither of them even made it out of the first round. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I mean the first round was basically just a death to the higher seeds. Aside from Georgia and even that was only like a 4v5 I think so. ⁓ yeah, it goes to show and I know people disagree like we got to either pick all single eliminations or all series. I don't understand why it's like a one done and then we get into a series that feels very odd to me but. Neil Barrett: It really was. That was. Yeah, yeah, I think you're right. ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: To preface, I've held this opinion far before my team got eliminated, to be clear. Because I know people are going to be like, ⁓ you just are mad you lost. Neil Barrett: And to be fair, you weren't, yeah, well, and to be fair, weren't suggesting that it should be all series. It could be all one-offs too. Like that would be fine. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I just think it'd be better to be more consistent to the playoffs as opposed to like we saw, like I just said, we saw three of the top four seed to lose in the first round because they all played a poor game, which is on them. They have to win. It is what it is. But then all of a sudden we get a team like Halifax who gets hot during a series and now it's like they're in the postseason. And again, they earned it. I'm not saying they didn't, but. I just feel like we should have a consistent, you know, people are trying to use the whole, the NFL uses a one and done system and it's like, yeah, the entire time, every single game is a one and done. It's not like they get to the Super Bowl and they're like, hey guys, we're gonna play three games and see who wins most of them. So ⁓ that's all I'll say about, you know, getting to this point. ⁓ credit to San Diego as well. I shout them out cause they played some good lacrosse down the stretch too. But Toronto was just better and. their rookies are continuing to impress, I guess. Neil Barrett: Dude, I mean, we should, we should probably talk about those rookies. I think that was the big thing coming into the season that we, we thought, okay, they're going to be better. They're going to be improved, but they're so young. There's, they have so many rookies in so many important positions that there's no, there's no realistic way that they are in the position they find themselves in now at the end of the season. And of course, of course here they are. ⁓ you know and and and What I think has been so great about it is That you it really isn't one of them. It's really been all of them I think I think one that we don't even talk about enough is Hugh Kelliher I think he's been he's been very good for them. I obviously you know, I think Sam English ⁓ CJ cursed and Owen Hiltz obviously kind of take the plaudits rightfully so they have been great. I don't @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: To be completely honest, I don't think we talk about Sam English enough. He's been incredible all season and especially this playoffs. I think he's been, he's been a huge factor in a lot of these games. ⁓ But I don't think that we, we talk about Hugh Keller pretty much at all, really. So it's, it's been really impressive and Halifax, it's so funny. I was thinking earlier today about how Halifax, was like, after game one, like we would have never picked this. And then I thought about it. was like, actually, actually after game one, Halifax did look pretty good. They look pretty good the first couple of weeks. And then, and then really that's when they kind of, fell off after, I I think maybe five or six weeks or so. And then, like you said, they just, they, they seem like they just got hot at the right time to, to, to be here as much as I think, even I think going into game three, I think, I think we thought it was probably going to be. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah. Neil Barrett: Georgia with with Brett Dobson and goal and and you know that offense finally starting to look like they were clicking but That's not the big game three win @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I mean they put up 21 the day before, so it felt like they should power through, but I know losing Michael Grace was tough for them too, at a very unfortunate time, not only for this season, but for next season too. ⁓ But yeah, mean that's how the NLL playoffs have kind of always gone is whoever gets hot at the right time. And I know they weren't great in the regular season overall, but like they got there. And honestly, I think it is good for them as a franchise to have this success just Neil Barrett: Mm-hmm. @HootSportsMedia: since going there they just haven't and it's always like a one and done playoff situation for them so ⁓ i am happy for them in that sense but definitely had me thinking like man we could be playing them this weekend if not for you know the unfortunate events but neither here nor there Neil Barrett: so so angry still just like under the surface Toronto is chasing its first title since 2001 2011 not 2001 and their first finals appearance since 2015 Halifax is I believe the first time as as Halifax that they have made the NLL finals @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yup. Yup. Yeah. Neil Barrett: crazy. I'm wondering ⁓ first. mean, obviously the quote, first question is who you got winning. @HootSportsMedia: I don't know. mean, it just depends. Who does Halifax come out as really is, just, are they getting beat 21 to 10 or are they beating someone 15 to 11 is really the question. But as much as I want to believe in Halifax, I think my gut would say to pick Toronto, but that could very well change after watching that first weekend if. Neil Barrett: Be right. Mm. @HootSportsMedia: if Toronto doesn't find a way to put up a bunch of goals. I could also see Halifax coming alive and I know they just got a bunch of dudes back from IR and ⁓ like Stephen Keough was moved to IR so we'll see how that affects them too but instantaneous reaction I would say Toronto but that could very well change rather quickly. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I mean, I think, I think Georgia, the, the Georgia series really showed that it depends on which Warren Hill you get in so many ways. And I, I hate to harp on him because, when he's on, he's so good. ⁓ it's just, he, he's so here one minute and here the next minute and here the next game and just pinging all over the place. And, know, I think at this point, I think you kind of know what you're going to get out of Toronto. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: ⁓ it's just for me, it's just whether or not that Warren Hill is going to show up and, and shut the door on, on that Toronto offense as to who's going to do it. I'm, I'm with you. I, I feel like Toronto has just a slight edge in terms of, in terms of like picking who I would pick. ⁓ but again, you know, like you, like you said, are they going to have 21 goals scored on them? Are they going to, they going to, you know, win a 15-11 game, know, which Halifax is gonna show up. And because of that, like you said, I think I have more faith in Toronto. But again, we're talking, we just talked about it. That team is so young. And at some point you would expect that maybe that would catch up to them. It may not, ⁓ but you know, we've already seen, know, ticket sales are going crazy. These games are going to be packed. I think ⁓ Brad Brad in the Lackslifers Club was saying that they are ⁓ looking like they're going to open the second bowl in Toronto. Looked like it looked like most of the arena probably by game time in Halifax will be sold out ⁓ if not ⁓ a complete sellout. So, you know, does that change anything for some of these these young guys? And of course, I mean, it shouldn't. right in theory it shouldn't CJ cursed won a national championship last year Owen Hiltz played in the dome for four years like it shouldn't but it might you know you never know when when people are that young and coming into their their first you know kind of finals experience what what it could be so I guess question two is does it go to a game three @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: You think? @HootSportsMedia: Every series has gone to a game three so far, so I have no reason to believe otherwise. ⁓ I mean, would it be like shocking if someone swept? No, but at the same time, I think both teams are gonna have different advantages kind of throughout and playing a game at home each, I think should be helpful. ⁓ No, travel's not too far for either team. So from that standpoint, it's like, I feel like there's gonna be just better lacrosse played overall. ⁓ I mean, from really top to bottom, you got two goaltenders that can do it very well. You got two face-off guys, same thing. Both offenses can put up a ton of goals. I think both defenses are very good too, so. Yeah, I mean, feel like a game three is basically just guaranteed, kind of. Neil Barrett: Yeah, well, and again, so much of it is going to be like, like we said, is Warren Hill going to show up? Is that offense going to be able to score goals? And it feels like one of those situations where they will one of those two games, they will show up, they will perform, and it'll be whether or not they can, they can do it twice in three games. So I, @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah, and we saw both of these teams have huge swings as well in the previous series where like they're putting up 14 goals and they're putting up six and they're giving up 21 and they're giving up seven and it's like if both teams are literally, you know mountains and Grand Canyon Valiing like that's That's the only way I see this series going is in three Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, no, I think I'm with you. ⁓ But hey, I told you, I was leaning towards Toronto. know, next season. @HootSportsMedia: Nope, nope, nope, you can't choose them now, because that's a bandwagon. can't. You gotta pick someone that's bad. Neil Barrett: I didn't choose them when they won. It's been all season. Listen, if you want to slide a few bills underneath the door, maybe next year I'll come around to the Mammoth and we'll see if we can get you guys a championship. @HootSportsMedia: That's not happening. That would be like wasting away money. Neil Barrett: Yeah, because even even with me, they won't win. that what you're saying? @HootSportsMedia: No, because even if I slipped you some hundreds, you still wouldn't jump on board. Neil Barrett: That's also probably true. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah You just want to support a Canadian team, it's fine. You can pick your little Canadian team or whatever Neil Barrett: ⁓ Man, I can't wait for some of the Canadians in the Laxlifers Club to come at you about that one. @HootSportsMedia: They're not gonna come at me. They know what's true. Hey, I have a Toronto Rock jersey, so... Ha! Supporting the cause out here. Yeah, I sent it in the chat when they were playing the Seals. Neil Barrett: ⁓ You have a rock jersey? I don't remember that at all. In you sitting in. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I have the purple, ⁓ indigenous, ⁓ jersey. Tom Schreiber. Yeah. Neil Barrett: You sent that on lax lifers? I genuinely don't remember that at all. Was it? @HootSportsMedia: In fact, I even wore it out in public that day. Neil Barrett: You've seen it like in this playoffs you've seen it. Maybe that's why maybe I was just you know out in another world. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, when they were playing against the Seals. Yeah, yeah, that was my team last series. Neil Barrett: Okay, so you are cheering for Toronto? @HootSportsMedia: Not in this series, in the last series, yeah. Neil Barrett: So you're cheering for Halifax or you just, you're just not cheering for anybody. @HootSportsMedia: I'm not cheering for anybody. I would prefer Halifax if it was up to me and I could just play Puppet Master, I'd be like, want them to win. But I'm not gonna be angry if Toronto wins. I know a lot of good Toronto fans. I like a lot of Toronto's players. It's not gonna affect, I'm more upset that my team isn't here and the way that that happened to the point where I don't really care. I just didn't wanna see San Diego move on to the finals. after what happened because then it was going to be like yeah of course now they're going to the finals and ⁓ but that's taken care of now so don't really care Neil Barrett: Why Halifax? It doesn't matter. I just wondered what makes you want that. @HootSportsMedia: Well, first off, they have several dudes that I think are at the end of their careers that I would like to see them get another one. Cody Jamison, think is one that, like, he's talked about a lot, but I also think he's just kind of like someone that lays low and it's just like, he's so good that we don't even talk about him. ⁓ So I like that. I like that they have a dude like Jake Withers who's so dominant face-off wise that his only real competition, generally speaking, is Trevor Baptiste. ⁓ I also think, again, they just haven't had any success there. Neil Barrett: That's fair. Yeah, I'd agree. @HootSportsMedia: Toronto has at least had the chance to make the finals for a bunch of years in a row. know they haven't been in 11 years to the finals, but they've had their chances. I mean, they just couldn't beat Buffalo. Whereas Halifax, literally, there was a point in time where people were calling them the Dallas Cowboys of the NLL because they'd get to that first round playoff game and it was like, well, it's over. It was fun while it lasted. And so I would like to see them completely get over the hump. But that's not to say I don't want to see some Toronto guys win either. I like a lot of those dudes too, but. Plus Tarifanko plays for the outlaws. I want him to get a ring. ⁓ Neil Barrett: That's fair. And I think you're I think you're right. There are a lot of guys. Nobody nobody dislikes Cody Jameson. Like he's just one of those dudes. Nobody dislikes him. They all I'd be I'd be fine seeing him him win one. I definitely think that the Halifax fans have showed up and shown out for a team that has consistently just consistently been good but consistently been disappointing as well. ⁓ And so I wouldn't @HootSportsMedia: Yep. Neil Barrett: hate seeing them and like you said I think Ryan Tarifenko is another guy that like nobody nobody dislikes Ryan Tarifenko at all. ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. And I think too, they made some very... ⁓ unexpected moves during the season that At the time I think was kind like what are you guys doing? Like you're punting the season That now to be at this point makes me want to root for them because I'm like, okay You guys took a big risk getting rid of Tyson Bell who's been a mainstay there You obviously we knew you're getting someone back who's very good in Casey Wilson But like that's still a big cornerstone piece that you're like we're just gonna have to let it go and I can respect that They felt like hey, we just we have to try something and it's worked out. Neil Barrett: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Now that's not to say Toronto hasn't. mean, they traded for Nick Rowlett and that allowed TD to literally sit out the entire year. And he's been great too. So they made moves as well, but I just respect teams that are willing to be like, we have to make a bigger move than anyone expects. And they did it. Neil Barrett: Well, and to your point, this feels like the start of something in Toronto. ⁓ They have they have such a good young roster that that if they don't win this year, they will probably win several over the next decade. They they could even potentially and I'm not saying this will happen, but they could even become like that next Buffalo kind of thing where like they're just perennially up there challenging for it. because they do have that good young roster. So like you said, they have a chance, whereas Halifax definitely is riding on some guys that are at the latter stages of their career. And this kind of roster makeup that they have right now may not get back here. So I can see that. Like I said, I'm probably going more for Toronto at this point, but I wouldn't be. too mad seeing Halifax pull it out. So with that being said, let's move over to the NCAA tournament. Several big games, several big upsets. ⁓ Let's just get it out of the way. Talk about Duke beating Richmond 14 to 12. Duke was an unseeded team that went into Richmond and beat the number four seed by scoring. the last, I believe it was five goals. Yes, five goals because it was 12 nine to come back in the fourth quarter in front of 6,805 fans at Robin Stadium. That is an NCAA first round attendance record. ⁓ I tried to say that Richmond felt like a quarterfinal team at best and people shouted me down. I guess they were right. Richmond was not a quarterfinal team. @HootSportsMedia: I got lucky. Neil Barrett: Hahaha Got lucky. What did I get lucky about? @HootSportsMedia: I don't know, I didn't watch this game. I just saw the score. ⁓ I wasn't surprised though. I talked about this potentially being an upset last week on the OTB College Show. ⁓ I talked about a few of these games actually, because I just felt like outside of a couple of them, I felt like they were all evenly matched teams in a general sense. And I've been talking about Duke for quite a while as far as just like... Neil Barrett: Yeah @HootSportsMedia: Yes, I don't think they're top five team, but I don't think they were appropriately ranked a lot of times either. Like I kind of felt like they hovered around that like eight, nine spot. And then there were times where they were in like the low teens and I was like, I know they don't look it, but I just felt like they were better. Especially now granted I watched them play Air Force. That's not saying much, but like when you're seeing them and you see the systems in place, it's kind of like, okay, if they're clicking, like they're going to be a good team. So it wasn't shocking to me. And also like Richmond gave the game away to a degree. Like I'm not. discrediting Duke in any way, but you're up 12-9 in the fourth quarter. You know, that's a multi-goal lead, and it's not just like a two-goal lead, it's a three-goal lead. You had momentum. I mean, think about the goal they scored at end of the third quarter. That should have, you should have taken that and just rode that out to the end, and they didn't. So credit to Duke for capitalizing, obviously, but you had your chance, and they didn't capitalize. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I'm with you. I thought that goal at the end of the third and then they get on a run and they, they stretch it out to 12, nine and that place again, largest first round crowd ever at an NCAA game. ⁓ that place was rocking. They were going nuts and it felt like, ⁓ like there's nothing. And especially because this, this Duke team has led at the half of every game this season. every single one of them. And this is the first time that the team they were playing retook the lead in the second half and Duke still won the game. Any other time that's happened, they lost the game. ⁓ So I thought that was impressive. ⁓ I don't necessarily, I don't know that I would go as far as they threw away the game, ⁓ but I also can't really argue against it either because again, 12-9 in the fourth quarter, that place is rocking, everybody's supporting you, and then Duke scores five straight goals. Richmond had five possessions in the fourth quarter after 12-9, and all five of them ended up in a turnover. Like, in a lot of ways, again, I can't argue against you saying that they threw the game away. ⁓ you know, the big, the big C word. I'm not throwing that out there, but I can't argue anyone who would. And the thing that came out after the game that was driving me crazy was people being like, ⁓ Richmond got hosed by the committee. And I'm like, a week ago, you guys were saying Duke didn't deserve to be in the tournament. Like which, which is it? Does Duke not deserve to be in the tournament or were they so good that Richmond got hosed by having to play them in the first round. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, but that's also just fans complaining. Those are the same people that said Maryland should have been in at 7 and 6, so... I don't put much merit into that argument. And I said this to DJ yesterday. If you're gonna say they got hosed as the 4 seed, like, how are you putting them even at the 3 seed over UNC? Or, like, can someone make that argument for me? Maybe there's a valuable and realistic argument out there to be made for that, but I have yet to see that. And... Neil Barrett: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, right. @HootSportsMedia: when you're putting teams in a tournament kind of off of vibes and smiles to a degree, this type of thing happens, but also like I even mentioned before the game happened, like if Duke loses, the discourse is gonna be, see Maryland or whoever else should have made it. But if they win, it's gonna be like, see they belong. And that's where it's like then to see people argue afterwards about, well, Richmond got host, I'm like. Neil Barrett: the old vibes and smiles. @HootSportsMedia: I at least hear you out if they didn't have a 12-9 lead in the fourth quarter. mean, and if you think about it, they had a lead all the way until 6.58 left in the game, and then 6.09 is when the game was tied. So you went another six minutes and didn't score. Sorry, that's not being hosed. You didn't play your best ball when you needed to. It is what it is. Neil Barrett: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and, and as a Duke fan, I, I have liked this Duke team all year, even, even when things weren't going our way, you know, one goal lost to Syracuse where we had the ball with 30 seconds left to go and got a, a bad moving screen call. Um, both, I think it was a dumb play on our behalf. And also I'm not sure that it should have really been called either way, but either way, you know, we had a chance to tie that game and maybe win it in overtime. So right there in that game, lost by one to Notre Dame right there in that game. Honestly, the worst part about that game is that it was, we only scored six goals on the offense and then, and then one goal game against, ⁓ against Cornell as well. So, you know. They were right there and I have really liked this team. I think the move to Buck Cunningham in goal ⁓ has been massive. for some reason, I think that defense plays so much better for them ⁓ and gets him the kind of shots that he wants to see. And then, you know, I texted you guys in Lackslifers. I think it was Lackslifers. It might have been in one of our group chats. I was like, if Liam Kirshus Liam Kirshas and Michael Ortlieb I thought were the keys to this game because they were going to get favorable matchups all game. And if they could make moves, was going to do ⁓ Duke a lot of good. And ultimately they did, especially Liam Kirshas. He was incredible. think he, if I remember correctly, finished with eight points, I believe it was five goals and three assists. So it might've been the other way around. Might've been three assists and five goals. That's the same order I just said. Three goals and five assists. Yeah, Kirshas, yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Liam Kirshus? Yeah, three goes to assist for five points. Neil Barrett: ⁓ Dang see I'm totally wrong. Thanks for thanks for looking that up @HootSportsMedia: But I mean, he took six shots all on goal and it was three for six. Only two turnovers too, so. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, he was definitely the guy. Yeah, he was definitely the guy that like everyone leaned on and to the point where late in the game when Duke went on that run, part of what got them started was I think the Richmond defense started trying to key on him, which got guys like Ben Johnston open. Ben Johnston's only two goals of the game came in the fourth quarter and he's one of their like big heavy hitters. So ⁓ you know, keeping him silent was, was really good. And then finally Richmond had to do something about Liam Kirshen and it got Ben Johnson some opportunities. So yeah, I thought, I thought both of those guys were good. So, ⁓ you know, that being @HootSportsMedia: and Utah Archer's star attacked me in Ada McGuire. I mean, just... Neil Barrett: He did have what two two goals in this game or was it just the one two goals Yeah, yeah from ⁓ One of them definitely was from like right inside midfield and then the other one I think it was a little more towards the top of the restraining box ⁓ and ⁓ You know, hey Attackmen a short stick. We got to come up with a good title short stick attackman of the midfield. I don't know @HootSportsMedia: Two goals, two shots, two shots on goal. Yeah, yeah. Who needs Joey Spelina when you have Ed and McGuire? Neil Barrett: I don't know, that was terrible. Let's move on to one of the other big, big, least in name upsets when ⁓ Johns Hopkins beat Cornell nine to eight in overtime. Cornell, obviously the defending champion playing at home led six to three at halftime. Hopkins held Cornell to zero goals on three shots in the third quarter and ⁓ Cornell committed 23 turnovers in this game before Jimmy Ayers hit the overtime winner to send Hopkins to the next round. This one was another one where I felt like again, listen, I wouldn't have thought Hopkins was gonna beat Cornell, but again, Cornell never felt like a true national championship caliber team to @HootSportsMedia: I actually chose Hopkins to win this game. So I wasn't, I wasn't super surprised. I just, like you said, I didn't, I've been saying it all year. I don't feel like Cornell was ever a dominant team. And that's not to say Johns Hopkins is, but this felt like a game to me where Hopkins was just gonna pop out and just play really well and then have to go play another day in the next week. So I don't know how good the wind does them, you know, this following week, but yeah, I just, I just. Neil Barrett: Did you? I didn't. @HootSportsMedia: And that's not to say Cornell's like a bad team, but they're just an up and down team. And to be fair, it was an overtime game. It wasn't like they got blown out. But Hopkins made all the right plays down the stretch. The sliding, I don't know what you call it, ground ball, I guess, save that the kid had and then drew the penalty. that's the type of stuff that went to games. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, everybody was was talking about that play and how how much it, you know, kind of won the game for Hopkins. And, you know, I'm not one that that tends to think that one play wins you a game. But but one one play can prevent you from losing a game, though. And that was the way that that that play felt it. It felt like a small microcosm of Hopkins in that second half just wanting it again, it was six three a half time. And it just felt like Hopkins just wanted it more than Cornell. ⁓ And again, like you said. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. and they only had three saves in the game. Neil Barrett: Cornell did. @HootSportsMedia: No no no Hopkins. Neil Barrett: ⁓ wow. @HootSportsMedia: Like, if you look at it, they, everybody, I mean, I'm not saying the goalie didn't do anything, but kinda, everyone else just walked in. 3 saves, 8 goals against compared to, let's get this, Cornell's goalie, 9 goals against, saves. Neil Barrett: That's it. Yeah, yeah, that's a. @HootSportsMedia: So, I mean, their offense was getting on net a ton. Neil Barrett: That's almost Dylan Warden in 2025 over there, ain't it? @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah, it's wild. Neil Barrett: May 3 sayers win the game. ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: Yup, it was four, it was four. Don't short hand my save, alright? That was just good communication on his part, know, seeing the rest of the field. He's like, I'm gonna give up a few extra, but these four, I got them. Neil Barrett: ⁓ four. Excuse me. You're right. You're right. Listen, hey, whatever gets a dub, you know? ⁓ The third and final kind of big upset of the weekend was Georgetown beating Virginia 14 to 10. It's the first time in history that Georgetown had beat Virginia, which blows my mind, because Georgetown has been a ⁓ solid program for a good long while. Even, you know, When Brody Merrill was there, were, I'm pretty sure they were a final four team. It just blows my mind that they didn't, they have never beaten Virginia. ⁓ Obviously UVA was the ACC champion in this game. They were playing at home in Clochner Stadium and were hoping, obviously they won't be there now, but they were hoping to be playing the national championship on UVA's campus in a few weeks time. Obviously that will not be happening again, but. ⁓ This was one of the crazier games. felt like, ⁓ it felt like Georgetown just couldn't do anything wrong all night. it was a great crowd. It was a great atmosphere. It was a fun game to watch, but even when Virginia was winning, it never felt like they had control of that game. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, this one wasn't a big surprise to me either just because I know everyone was talking about how hot Virginia was, but Georgetown was equally as hot, if not hotter. So that's why I was kind of like, I don't think it's a done deal the way some people were kind of discussing the game. ⁓ But I was kind of surprised that it was as big of a ⁓ lead, I guess, a finish as it was. I didn't expect it to be a four goal win. I thought it was gonna be a one or two goal game. ⁓ And someone brought up a good point to me too, like. Does playing in the ACC tournament make you little bit more tired than potentially playing in the Big East? I'm not sure I fully buy into that, but it was a talking point that was brought up too, so. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I heard, I know on the broadcast they talked about, well, Virginia played two games. And then someone was like on the broadcast was like, well, yeah, but Georgetown did too. But you are probably right that, you know, Georgetown wasn't playing the same level of competition who that I know they played, they played Denver, right? On one of the games. @HootSportsMedia: ⁓ yeah, like the first game I think. Neil Barrett: I feel like it was the first game and then I don't remember who the championship would have been. @HootSportsMedia: They played... Nova, and they won, ⁓ wait. No, I'm sorry, they played Providence, and they won 14-6. So 11-8 over Denver, and then Providence 14-6, yeah. Neil Barrett: That was the championship. I didn't realize Providence was that close to making an NCAA tournament. @HootSportsMedia: Well, they weren't really that close. Eight goals, but yeah. Yes. But I mean, but that marks Georgetown's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eighth win in a row over Virginia. Neil Barrett: Well, mean, fair, fair. Yeah. @HootSportsMedia: Or I'm sorry, the game against Virginia was their eighth one in a row. I apologize. ⁓ Yeah, so they pretty much the last half of season were just dominating anyone they played. Their last loss was to Syracuse 18 to 12. Neil Barrett: ⁓ yeah, got you, got you. Yeah, no, I got you. ⁓ Yeah, no, they're like you said, people were talking about how hot Virginia was, but they were ignoring how hot Georgetown was. ⁓ It definitely felt like one of those things where Virginia got hot just a little bit too early. It's that old that old Dominic Toretto in Fast and Furious like too soon, too soon. You hit that nose too soon and took off at the a little bit too early. So Do we want to touch the rumor? @HootSportsMedia: I care, allegedly it's fake anyway, so... Neil Barrett: That's that's fair. Well, it's funny because if it seems to have been mildly confirmed, but also Not quite the full truth. So @HootSportsMedia: If they move on from Lars and it's not his decision, I think we're all gonna be scratching our heads a little bit. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah. So just so so we're not talking in riddles anymore. The rumor came out that Lars Tiffany is out in Charlottesville ⁓ inside La Crosse has tried to verify that and spoke with Lars's agent and said that that is not currently true. ⁓ It appears based on some of the other comments that were made that perhaps his contract has expired and they have not yet. Resigned him and that's where maybe the conversation suggesting that he wasn't going to be back originated I I think we'd all like to think that you there's no way they're gonna let him walk ⁓ But like I said to you, pre-show, I just don't understand why you would have even gotten it to a point where his contract has expired, if it has expired. And that's an if at this point, but it just seems crazy that you wouldn't have already sealed him up. know, last off season, why didn't you already start being like, hey, you we want to get you re-sign to a longer? term deal. You know, that just seems crazy to me that like you said, the idea that Laura's Tiffany would not be Virginia's head coach is insane. I have to think it's it's not true. Because again, it's just so insane. Let's look ahead to the quarterfinals this weekend. We got Notre Dame taking on UNC Princeton playing Penn State those two games are it? Did I say it wrong? @HootSportsMedia: No we don't. Notre Dame Spline Hopkins. not UNC. Neil Barrett: ⁓ it's UNC Syracuse. Man, this thing got all kinds of jacked up because those are those aren't even in the same location. I don't know what happened. OK, so Notre Dame Hopkins. This is literally divided by location. And it has. Do playing Georgetown and Syracuse playing Hopkins in Delaware. And then Notre Dame playing. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Neil Barrett: ⁓ So hey, how about this, you tell me what the games are, since apparently my information is way wrong. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah Yeah Georgetown Duke on 17th day before QC UNC for the third time this season Also on the 16th Notre Dame Hopkins and then 17th the Princeton Tigers take on Penn State Neil Barrett: Okay, all right. Okay, now with, I was getting ready to say, do we got to get into, we didn't talk about Princeton because they had a blowout, UNC had a blowout, Penn State, I don't even remember Penn State's game. I know I watched it, I don't even remember it. @HootSportsMedia: The Goat Shad Palambo plays lacrosse. 10-6 over army Neil Barrett: Okay, I mean that's a decent game, but I don't ever remember that game being in much of question. So yeah, we didn't talk about all of these games because there wasn't a whole lot to talk about in a lot of them, but... Where are we at on the Palumbo track? Or this is probably the second time all season we've actually checked in on that. If I remember correctly, 67 points, 65. @HootSportsMedia: thought he was at 65. Oh, 67 maybe? Hang on. I'm pulling it up right now. Let's hope that their website is updated. 67 points as of now. That's 42 goals, 25 assists. Neil Barrett: 67. That is just, I mean, obviously the move to attack helped obviously with those numbers. But I remember, you know, when you and I had several conversations about the 70 number that we suggested he needed to hit and we put, tried to walk it back twice. I think we walked it back to 60 and then walked it back to 50, just thinking, you know, as a midfielder, he was never going to get 70 points. In fact, as far as I'm aware, @HootSportsMedia: Yep. He was always going to get 70 points. Neil Barrett: As far as I'm aware, 70 points in a single season from the midfield has only been done by Miles Jones. I think is the case. Somebody can correct me on that and let me know. I'm pretty sure Miles Jones is the only one that's done that from the midfield. ⁓ Again, I could be wrong on that. But anyway, that was one of the reasons why we tried to walk it back. then I think he had a little bit of a slow start the first couple of weeks. And so then we tried to walk it back a little bit more and say, all right, 50 won't be that bad from the midfield. And so to see him at 67 now, and obviously he's gonna have at least one more game to hit that 70 mark. I think we can fairly safely say pretty good season from Chad. @HootSportsMedia: Yep. Yep. Yeah, we always knew. What can I say? Should have been a tourton finalist. Yeah. Neil Barrett: Listen, I won't disagree with this, with that, but I do have to say Nate Kabiri has been incredible and no one is talking about. In fact, I think Chad Palumbo gets even more attention than Nate Kabiri does, even though Nate Kabiri has more points on the same offense as a Tawarotan finalist. You know, think Chad Palumbo really... ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: Yes, yes. Neil Barrett: his story I think captured a lot of people I think the fact that he was a senior and and was drafted ⁓ into the the PLL which by the way can't wait to see him chaos right that was that was a thing chaos yeah yeah because I yes because I was talking about how he he might just maybe make me a chaos fan even though I have resisted that until @HootSportsMedia: I think you are a down chaos fan already. Neil Barrett: Based on what? @HootSportsMedia: Every single free agent you're like, know where they'd look good? The Carolina chaos. You're like, you're like, I just want to see them in the red and black. They just look so nice. Miles Jones. You should go to the chaos. Owen Hiltz. I just love Toronto rock star Owen Hiltz so much. I need to watch the chaos. Neil Barrett: That's because they have so many holes they would look good. They needed a midfielder. I don't love Owen Hiltz and you can go back to when they drafted him last year and I was like, ⁓ he turned out to be pretty good. So, you know, it is what it is. @HootSportsMedia: He is he is good. He is good. But you know Kabir has 76 points, so he's had a good year, too, but That's why we that's why we took Princeton to win it all because they got both of them Neil Barrett: Yeah, well, and he'll be back next year. Both of them. Yeah. Yeah. And, and look, there are still several more games to be played, but coming out of this weekend, I felt really good about our, our Princeton pick. ⁓ I, they're the team right, right now. I have the most confidence in, ⁓ obviously I think UNC and Syracuse are also, ⁓ in that conversation, but like we've talked about, basically all year. I think both of those teams have a loss in them. We'll see if that comes to pass, but they have a loss in them, whether or not they do it or not. So yeah, I feel pretty good about that Princeton pick right now. Let's look at these games. I'll start with Duke Georgetown. This feels like a true toss up to me. I genuinely don't know which version of either of these teams is going to show up. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I don't know. I would lean Georgetown because I feel like Duke just put up probably one of their better scoring games of the year. Can they do it a second time? Neil Barrett: Well, to be fair, have scored. They've scored a lot of goals this year. They were the they're a top three offense scoring wise. @HootSportsMedia: I don't know. but they also had a lot of games where they didn't score a lot and that scares me. Neil Barrett: Have they though? I mean, Notre Dame? @HootSportsMedia: They put up eight goals against Denver. Neil Barrett: What? No. @HootSportsMedia: Duke? Neil Barrett: Was it? What was the score of that game? @HootSportsMedia: 8 7 Neil Barrett: Let's see, think, was it eight, seven, geez. ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: It was they do have games like the 16-15 lost to Q's but then they have like that like the 7-9 to Cornell the 6-7 ⁓ that's bad 6-7 Notre Dame Didn't mean that didn't mean but they do have back-to-back weeks with at least 14 goals like that's positive too but in my mind in a tournament like this I feel like every team's due for like a a tough game, which is why I'm like, I don't Then again, Georgetown's already won eight straight Can they make it nine? That's also tough like Neil Barrett: Yeah. What? I do, I think, and this is something I don't know enough about Georgetown to really comment. I think Duke really struggles with very organized defenses ⁓ that really slide well. And it's funny to say that about Denver, but there was a stretch right there in the middle of the season where their defense looked incredible. Grayson Manning was just off the charts. When I was watching them play Duke, I was like, this defense is so good. And then obviously, that's what Notre Dame is. know, between that, that being kind of a main struggle and two, I think that they have started to play, I felt like for so long this season watching them play, they were trying to turn Ben Johnston into Brennan O'Neal and that idea of like, just keep feeding him the ball and letting him go to work, ⁓ which ironically is not how they treated Brennan O'Neill when he was there. ⁓ And now they're starting to play more of what they should have been playing all season, which was the cog in the machine offense that they have wanted to play ⁓ all year. And so I would like to think that they can put up... @HootSportsMedia: Breaking news, Lars Tiffany has signed his extension and will be there through the 2027 season. Neil Barrett: the 2027 season? @HootSportsMedia: guess. Neil Barrett: It just feels crazy to me. Like we're only doing a one year. He'd literally just won the ACC championship. Like I get it. I get it was a disappointing round one, but like you just won the ACC championship. He won a national championship, what two years ago, three years ago. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, maybe it's just a one year deal to then get a better deal the following year. Neil Barrett: Well, maybe, but it just feels crazy to me that UVA wouldn't wanna like lock him down. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, his last deal was a four year deal. So maybe he's just gonna be done coaching sooner than we all think. Neil Barrett: Right. I can't imagine he's done coaching, but who knows? you know, I mean, he, no, no, you're good. And you completely invalidated our earlier conversation about him. So thank you for that. @HootSportsMedia: Hey, I don't know. We're just theorizing here. Sorry. Back to... You're welcome. You're welcome. Anytime. Neil Barrett: ⁓ Let's move on to some of these other games. ⁓ Try and talk about them real quickly. Syracuse, UNC, like you said, third time this season that they will have played. I believe they're one and one. Is that right? @HootSportsMedia: 2-0 ⁓ UNC. Neil Barrett: UNC is 2-0. Okay, well, I mean, listen, we know beating a team three times in a season is not easy. Also, I don't think we have any update, but word on the street is that Owen Duffy may have torn ⁓ a hamstring and may legitimately be out for the rest of the season. We will keep an eye on that. Don't quote me on that, but that is... The rumor mill is suggesting that so you got to think that will impact their ability to play. being said, Dom Petromala went off for 10 goals, an NCAA record in round one. So maybe he just picks up the slack. Who knows? We'll see, I guess. ⁓ Notre Dame Hopkins. I can't imagine Hopkins pulls the same thing against Notre Dame ⁓ and Princeton, Princeton State. Did I just say Penston, Prince State? @HootSportsMedia: Yep, you did. Neil Barrett: All right. All right. Great. Great. Awesome. Cool. ⁓ Am I right, Penn State beat Princeton this year? That was the, yeah, that was the week one loss. Yeah, cause they had played like they were in their third game and Princeton just didn't show up for the first quarter and was already down like 6-0. ⁓ You'd like to think they learned their lesson, but you did it once, you can do it again, so. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I I did week one. I think that was the bad one. Yeah. Neil Barrett: You know, ⁓ who are you picking in these games? Let's just run through ⁓ a Pick'em. @HootSportsMedia: Princeton, Dame, Q, Georgetown. easy enough. Neil Barrett: You son of a... @HootSportsMedia: Hey, I gotta rep the Big East. Neil Barrett: No, I think I'm with you. I won't pick a Duke Georgetown game. You know who I want to win. I always feel like a jinx if I actually pick a game. So I legitimately think it's a toss up. I don't actually have any ill will for saying Georgetown because, you know. I don't think there's a result in that game that surprises me. One team could blow the other one out. It could be a close, know, triple overtime kind of battle. Nothing will surprise me in that game ⁓ at all. ⁓ I think Q's again, beating a team three times is difficult. And Q's I think will be a lot like they were against Princeton last year, where like they just are going to turn it on when they need to. ⁓ At least in this round, we'll see what happens in the final four, but ⁓ definitely that. ⁓ What else am I missing? ⁓ Notre Dame, Hopkins. Yeah, again, I don't I don't think there's any way Hopkins really has much of a chance. So any thoughts? I know we talked about Princeton. Any thoughts on on anyone else being a favorite at this point? @HootSportsMedia: Notre Dame. Those two. I that's it. Neil Barrett: I Notre Dame, Notre Dame cracks me up because I watched them play and I'm just like, I just don't feel like they are, but they just don't lose. They just don't lose games. So, know, you know, who knows, but let's move over to PLL week one. You were there. I had a relatively good time. We'll say, ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Great time, great time. Neil Barrett: Great time, great time, except for the Vuvuzelas. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, that was, Yeah, please never again. That was awful. Neil Barrett: I am on record. I love the vuvuzelas. I love that, you know, different supporters in different cities are starting to differentiate themselves and come up with their own kind of culture. I did feel bad for people like you and people that were there like working the games who just had to deal with that like drone watching it at home. It didn't bother me. Maybe it's cause I listened to them for you know, a whole month in 2010 at the World Cup in South Africa. And I just got used to them, but they did. It didn't bother me watching them. But I did feel for people like you who were there on the sidelines, just trying to do your job. @HootSportsMedia: I didn't even know what they were until I got there and then it was just like ⁓ my goodness and They were never used at the appropriate time either which made it even worse and Kids just thought it was funny to just group them together and see how loud they could make it ⁓ And what's funny is I had earplugs with me that I could have used but I kept assuming like ⁓ it'll end soon like they'll be tired soon it just kept going and Then the second day I was like, okay. I'll make sure I have them ready And they didn't even bring them back and use them. I was like, okay, this is cool. yeah, wasn't a fan. ⁓ If the PLL wants to do like some noise makers, would suggest the, one of those like sticks that you fill with air and you hit them together, like the Bam Bam sticks or whatever. I would go with something like that. Cause yeah, wasn't, was not a fan. Neil Barrett: Yeah, bam, sticks, yeah. Alright We had the California Redwoods beat the Utah archers 9 to 5 the atlas beat the Carolina Chaos 16 to 12 the water dogs beat the whip snakes 16 to 4 and This thing doesn't want to show Denver beat or Utah beat Denver. I can't find the score because it's off 10 7 ok, it's off the edge of my screen. So I can't actually see it @HootSportsMedia: 10-7. Neil Barrett: ⁓ I'm wondering being there, ⁓ what you saw, what impressed you? Week one, obviously we know these rosters are very different than what they are going to look like over the next several weeks. ⁓ I know we've already got several more NLL guys already joining after the series ended this weekend. Obviously several of the rookies will be joining as well. But then obviously over the next few weeks more and more guys will be added. to these rosters. So it's hard to predict too much, but I'm wondering what kind of first overall impressions you had. @HootSportsMedia: ⁓ I thought Utah, California and Denver looked like it was week one. ⁓ I thought the middle two games were very, very good games. Definitely high scoring. Would like to see a little bit more defense, but those teams looked much more ready to go in general. ⁓ Jack Hanna stuck out to me in that Water Dogs game. Just he seemed to make a lot of really, really great plays. Seeing Zed back was awesome. Coming out of the box. Neil Barrett: Mm-hmm. @HootSportsMedia: Still have questions about how they're gonna fit some of their other attackmen in. the amount of talent that they had this weekend was just insane. They were down three zip to start the game and came back and won. ⁓ that was nice. Dylan Ward, outstanding. mean, I know he wasn't playing the full archers roster, but I mean, ⁓ it was still great. Mikey Bane, awesome. I don't see how you're gonna take him out of the lineup. Neil Barrett: Outstanding, yeah. @HootSportsMedia: If he plays like that, you're going to have to play him. ⁓ trying to think of where else, I don't... Neil Barrett: ⁓ what's his name? CKG and Cola or what it was that. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, there are a lot of guys like that that I feel like you may not know their names off top of your head, but they definitely showed out to where you're like, okay, they probably deserve a spot. But when the other people come back, then like you can't give them the spot at the same time. like I mentioned this in one of our group chats a while back, like it's gonna be good that we're gonna get to see these players because they're on the radar. They're getting a taste of the actual game action in the PLL. So that way when they expand, it's like, hey, we know these guys can play. Neil Barrett: stuff. @HootSportsMedia: more than just a sixes game for a couple games. So that was really fun. ⁓ Yeah, I don't know, I feel like... I was, it was kind of hard to, to, you know, get the X's and O's of everything, just with the amount of work I was doing at the time, but I felt like... Utah's offense is still gonna be sketchy to say the least. ⁓ Their defense is gonna be very good. Like they have a lot of very solid defenders, but offensively it's kind of like you're gonna rely on your defense, like stopping the other team pretty much every time, which they can do, but also we've seen teams like Ohio State this year who that was their MO and then when it didn't work, it just flat out didn't work. So that's iffy. And then as far as like Denver. Neil Barrett: Mm-hmm. @HootSportsMedia: It was a horrific offensive day, honestly. felt like, not saying that defense didn't play a part, but Brennan missed a ton of open looks that I haven't seen him miss very often. There was one he beat his defender clean to the crease and just shot it vertically into the ground and it just went haywire. ⁓ And you could tell that it wasn't the same with Pat Cav missing, so I am curious to see how that shapes up. Ben Randall though. Awesome. You know, he, thought he, I thought he played very, I mean, he was kind of under the radar too, where like after the game, I was looking at his numbers and I was like, wow, he actually like balled. Like he was one of those where you see it you're like, he's playing well, but he's probably not causing much turnovers, but sure enough he did. But I just felt like they were just taking bad shots. know, Pasino took a deep two at one point that I was like, that's straight to the goalie's chest. Like, but Nick Washuda played a, mean, credit to him, he played probably the game of his life. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I can't believe, I can't believe he got trained. @HootSportsMedia: In in Dobson's absence, so he's a guy that I think once they expand to We'll probably get a starting role somewhere, but But yeah, this it was just a weird weekend because like you said there's just so many guys Missing whether that literally be they're playing NLL or they were coaching or I mean JB 10 wasn't supposed to play and then they lost the day before he jumped on a plane and was playing so Neil Barrett: Well, and JT Giles Harris wasn't supposed to play and then was playing and immediately hopped on a flight to get back for the Jacksonville game the next day. So yeah, it's, it's a, it's a weird thing. Like, like you said, I, I can appreciate getting to see some of these guys get an opportunity. ⁓ I mentioned him earlier. CK was @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Neil Barrett: He just jumped off the screen like he just looked so impressive. like you said, there's a pretty decent chance that when they get their full roster back, he doesn't play again. And that's a bummer. ⁓ But it's good to see them and get there. can't simulate, no matter what you do and as close as you can try and get, you can't simulate the actual games. You know, can play scrimmages, can play, you can play scrimmages against other teams. you, it, you still can't simulate that full speed, full bore go of the actual game. So it's, it's good to get these guys an opportunity and see them in those. And, and you're right. Anytime that we have an expansion, that will be great. Anytime that there's a roster spot in the championship series. ⁓ another thing that I thought was None of us want to see anyone get hurt, when someone gets hurt, someone's going to have to get called in. So there are going to be opportunities for these guys to play. And, and who knows, maybe a guy like CK over the next couple of weeks continues to play at this level. And when, you know, other guys start coming back and filtering back into these squads, maybe he gets an, he does get an opportunity. He, he, he bumps. someone else off or or maybe he gets dropped in and a team another team picks him up because they need help that that they think he can offer something so I'm glad for it I know I know there are some people that are really annoyed by it but as someone who watches the NLL playoffs I'm still seeing you know Owen Hilton and CJ Kirst and stuff and so I like the idea of getting to see some some new guys The only thing that is a little funky, I think for me is the idea that like, you're gonna play three, four weeks of the season and still not really have any idea who some of these teams are. ⁓ And that's kind of. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, it feels like a few years ago where it overlapped and it was just like, can't take anything away from this game. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, for sure. @HootSportsMedia: And then at end of the year, we're gonna be like, well, this team was eight and four, but it's like, well, but their four losses came when they didn't have their team or whatever the case may be. it's like, I don't know how much stock, and that's why like, yeah, I would have liked to see the outlaws play better, but also I was just like, I can't. Neil Barrett: Yeah. Well, yeah, with the, with the outlaws, like you said, I thought Pat Kavanaugh was so clearly missing, not, not just because of the way that he plays, but because he bumps Jared Bernhardt into the midfield. I just felt like that whole offense was missing the balance that they have when Pat Kavanaugh is on the field. ⁓ I, you know, it's hard to really, like you said, judge them. @HootSportsMedia: I don't know. Neil Barrett: based on this performance because we know that in another few weeks that won't be an issue anymore. The other question that I saw some people asking, know, Brennan had been dealing with some injuries at the end of the NLL season. He didn't even play the last ⁓ Wings game and he was supposedly, according to, I think it was pseudo in the ⁓ press conferences over the last week or so, he was supposedly back to 100 % but I didn't feel like he looked like it. looked, he looked like maybe there was still something nagging ⁓ that, or he maybe just wasn't up to game speed or something. You know, he didn't quite look right. ⁓ And again, another, another area where it feels like Pat Kavanaugh could have provided an extra little spark, maybe could have pulled some defenders, gotten Brennan a little bit of space or something. And then obviously, like I said, bumbling JB 10, cause because the other thing about this game, JB10 was fine statistically. Brandon O'Neal was fine statistically. ⁓ Wiz was fine statistically. They got basically nothing from their midfield. So that's another reason why like bumping him up into the midfield and getting some extra looks, that could help maybe get Dalton Young a good open look for a good step down or something like, it just felt like that whole offense was just so. off kilter. @HootSportsMedia: Well, and they couldn't pass or catch either, which if you're throwing the ball away, and I know like statistically they both had 20 turnovers, but like, I feel like a lot of Denver's were just unforced, just like, we're just gonna toss the ball out. And it was like, what are we doing boys? Like, and that's what's funny is the first game of the weekend and the last game were very, very similar in that regard. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah. The other one that I was going to call out is the Redwoods. I think everybody looked for the most part like it was week one. Everyone looked a little rough, a little not quite together. But watching the Redwoods, I was really impressed. I really liked the way that they were playing. And all I could think was, man, these dudes are still going to get Ryder Garnsey back. They're still gonna get, ⁓ who's the other one that I'm thinking of? Yes, Chris Cavanaugh. They're still gonna get both of those guys back to add to this. Andrew McAdory looked like Andrew McAdory, just incredible. ⁓ Like you said, Dylan Ward and Nett for them. They look like a ⁓ wholly different team. Now we'll see, maybe they'll have issues in three, four weeks reintegrating guys and trying to figure out what that roster looks like. Maybe they crash, but week one. @HootSportsMedia: You Neil Barrett: I was impressed by them. So those were kind of my takeaways. Oh, I forgot one more. The water dogs, you brought them up. When they were down three zero, I was like, oh yeah, see, look. Like they don't know how to make this work. And then they just were like, oh wait, oh, lacrosse, got it, got it, we're good, we're good. And yeah, no, they look so good. And it was. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I'm in a nine spot in second quarter. Neil Barrett: It was a similar thought of like, man, think of all the guys they still have to add to this roster. Though I do think that they have, whereas the Redwoods, it was like, okay, Ryder's gonna come take his spot on the left. CJ's, or not CJ, Chris Kavanaugh is gonna come take his spot back. we know where they're gonna go. The Water Dogs, it's like, man, again, we go back to where they were last year. Jake Taylor. Kier McCardle and Michael Sowers is such a good attack line. They all do different things and they all do it at the highest level. And so it's like, okay, boom, that's good. But obviously, you know, we saw CJ last year running out of the box. It didn't work as well as when he was low. They still have Silas Richmond to add as well. And while he's young enough and you figure he's probably got the legs enough to come out of the box, they still have a lot. to figure out, especially because Silas wasn't even in camp. Not that CJ was in camp, but at least they knew him from last year. Silas Richman has not even been with them. He's gonna get one practice. I'm assuming he's gonna show up this week, we'll see. ⁓ But he's gonna, either this week or next week, whenever he shows up, he's gonna get one practice with his team and then be trying to play with them. So. ⁓ @HootSportsMedia: I just don't know where they where they fit I genuinely I don't who spots even even like I said earlier Michael Bame how Sure, it's Ryder. But if Michael Bame has given you five points a game He's got to play he's so he's gonna bump someone from the box like and the water dogs are just super super top-heavy in that same Regard to where miles didn't play in this game. The Kai didn't play in this game They didn't even have courier now couriers back at some point. They'll get Casey Wilson who's Neil Barrett: Right. I know. @HootSportsMedia: I he hasn't played in the PLL but he's a very good midfielder. Zed was playing midfield like are you gonna bench Zed? Like it's, if there's ever one team in this league that's like hey we need some expansion, this is the team to be like look at all these dudes that just can't play. It's just not possible. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, there's just there are just not enough spots in the field. And it's so funny that they're so loaded on that side of the field, because then you look at their the defensive side of the field and you're like, I mean. Did Matt DeLuca blow you away? @HootSportsMedia: I wouldn't say I took note I guess. I didn't think he played horribly either. It wasn't like, he gave up 14 but it was just a high scoring game so I guess I didn't really pay attention to it because it was going both ways. Neil Barrett: No. I and I and I don't I don't mean that to lay that at Matt DeLuca's feet more or less of like that I just didn't feel like it's not like the defense was they feel like a team I'll just put it this way they feel like a team that is going to have to outscore people @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, I mean to look I still had he had 15 saves in the 53.6 Save percentage, which is very good I just think this was a very fast up-and-down game to where they were just getting shot off like nobody's business again both ways and That's where I said earlier. I wish it would have been a little bit more defense played in general. Just I mean I mean credit to Baltimore for not Baltimore Maryland for they put up three plus goals in every quarter like Like it was nothing. It wasn't hard So that's where it's like they have the defense to stop people I think Philly does, but it's just gonna take time I think to put it together, especially because with Gavin Adler coming in and kind of being what I would assume to be the leader of that defense, in addition to the guys that were already there and you add a couple of guys, Malik Sparrow, know, a bunch of other guys at the midfield and stuff. So, and like Dylan Hess at one point I think came out of the game with injury and like, so I am interested to see that point as well. Do we see some of their midfielders maybe go and be like a more defensive midfielder and just... Neil Barrett: Yeah. Well, and we talk on the show all the time. At some point, being a good team means winning a game you shouldn't. And not that they shouldn't have won this game, but like there are holes and they still found a way to win. So that's all you can really do. So, you know, I'm not, ⁓ I'm not saying they aren't in it. I'm just, I just was like, ⁓ man, they're so, so jam packed on that offense. it It just feels like a team that is maybe going to have to outscore people more than anything else. let's move over to this coming weekend. We are going to see the first weekend of the WLL's inaugural season ⁓ in Rhode Island. ⁓ I don't know that we have a ton to talk about the WLL because you and I probably don't. really know too much about them. Although I'll say that that is going to be like the most in on women's lacrosse that I'm ever probably going to be just because it's such a learning curve to learn the regular women's ⁓ I'm excited for the WLL. Again, I don't know enough about like the players and everything. I have claimed. Have you claimed a team? Because I know there's no Denver team. So no. @HootSportsMedia: No. Neil Barrett: I have claimed the palms that will be open if you know Carolina ever gets a team or anything but the WLL is starting this weekend obviously that is of note but on the PLL side we will see the Carolina Chaos take on the Boston Canons the New York Atlas playing the Maryland Whip Snakes the California Redwoods play the Denver Outlaws and the Philadelphia Water Dogs take the Boston Canons ⁓ this is a sort of homecoming weekend for Boston. This will be for anyone who doesn't know, this is about 15 minutes away from Gillette Stadium. ⁓ It will be a home series ⁓ for the Boston Canons. ⁓ Anything that you're looking at this weekend? @HootSportsMedia: I mean first look at Boston, I think will be good They get their rookies back right now obviously for week one, which is different than other teams mostly ⁓ Yeah, I don't know I mean That California Denver game, I think would just both teams being really slow last week. I'm curious to see How and if either of them bounces back if it's another low-scoring game, that's gonna be disappointing ⁓ Carolina still intrigues me just because they have a bunch of pieces that I'm not quite sure how they're going to fit together long term. ⁓ But like Brett and Nick Turn finally got back on the field this weekend, which was cool to see. And Eric Spano in his first action as well. ⁓ But I mean. Neil Barrett: Was it you? It was you that sent that picture, wasn't it? @HootSportsMedia: Yes, yes it was. Look, was his first game, he's a rookie, it happens. Maybe don't shoot up top on Liam Entenman moving forward. Just saying. Neil Barrett: This is so funny. Also, when Liam Intiman is covering like one sixth of the goal, shoot it, the party's not in. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. that was, mean, Michael Harrison was going off on that the whole game. It wasn't just Spanos. It was, I can attest, it was like the entire team. I was just like, man, okay, another stick side, say. I'm like, what is happening right now? try something else. Shoot at his feet. I don't know. Like make him kick the ball away. I don't know. so I am, I don't know. I'm excited to see him play again against a team like Maryland, who I think has a bunch of, we'll call them stars, I guess, for lack of better term, that they already looked. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, their shot selection was not good. Yeah, yeah. And look at @HootSportsMedia: cohesive compared to Carolina is probably the better way to put it. So that game is going to be exciting as well. Neil Barrett: Yeah, yeah, no, I think I think you're right on on all of these obviously ⁓ getting to see the cannons for the first time this season. ⁓ I'm interested to see obviously that we know the names we know Marcus Holman and Asher Nolting and Matt Campbell and and those guys but you know, Mikey Weishauer has signed the deal. He should be in the games this weekend. I'm interested to see how he looks in this offense. I'm especially interested to see how they look against the water dogs ⁓ next week ⁓ or the second game of the weekend. ⁓ And I'm also really interested to see what this defense looks like. ⁓ Obviously they were not very good last year, but they lost. ⁓ They cut some dead weight, let's say it that way. ⁓ And so... In theory, maybe they're they're better, but also, you know, as much as as much as we give Garrett Apple crap, he was a very good defender for a long time. So like, you know, it is it's one of those things of like, you know, I don't don't really know what to expect from this defense. I think the chaos, especially this version of the chaos before they get Owen Hiltz back and some of these these rookies and can't Matt Palin not pay him. I keep calling him Matt Palin. Chad Palumbo ⁓ before they get some of those guys worked in and stuff and really take their full form. ⁓ I think this will be a kind of litmus test to see where they're at. And then they'll go from Carolina to Philly, which will be another kind of jump in execution. So ⁓ I'm interested to see that. And then like you said, California and Denver, I think is very, very intriguing. ⁓ Any you want to make any picks? @HootSportsMedia: No. No, I was three and one last week, just kind of guessing. So I'm just gonna go with that again as we get closer. ⁓ I kind of went with teams that I didn't think were necessarily gonna win, but I was like, I don't know, these rosters are weird. So I'm just gonna go with these ones and it worked out. So. Neil Barrett: We never do pics. And then now I'm like, I don't know. you It is definitely one of those things where I don't generally like doing picks, because again, it only counts when you get them wrong. Nobody cares unless you get them wrong. But also, I have no idea what to base any of this on. Even the teams that we saw last week, I have no idea how much of that's gonna carry over from week to week. So it's really tough. @HootSportsMedia: Yeah. Yeah. Neil Barrett: New York will have Trevor Baptiste back. Does that change anything? I mean, they already won last week. Like, are they gonna be better? Who knows? It's a mess, so. ⁓ One a couple of quick hits before we get out of here ⁓ From the women's game Stanford makes their first ever NCAA quarterfinals appearance ⁓ That's pretty cool after they beat Michigan 13 to 12 on a free position goal at the buzzer. That's insane ⁓ The other big one was ⁓ Stony Brook Upset Boston College. I say upset Boston College had a rough season, but Boston College is still Boston College ⁓ and If I remember correctly, it's Boston College's first time not making the quarterfinals since like 2016 ⁓ so Pretty pretty cool things from the women's game, which you and I are not gonna pretend to know about but worth at least saying You know hats off. ⁓ Great job. Exactly. ⁓ Anything going on for you this weekend or week? @HootSportsMedia: Great job. I'm supposed to have an event Saturday morning that I haven't confirmed yet, so we'll see. If that happens, I will miss the Outlaws game, but not lacrosse related, so nothing much, nothing much. Neil Barrett: Mmm. Yeah, I don't I don't have a whole lot going on I start dog watching which actually reminds me I got to figure out how to do the podcast next week, but I'll figure that out Not a big deal. It's not like I have my full setup right now anyway, so I'm literally holding this microphone. It's kind of cramping my hand so we might we might have to figure that out anyway, but @HootSportsMedia: Nice. Neil Barrett: Yeah, I'll figure that out because like I said, I'm dog-sitting. that's about all I got I'm working on some things that might give me some PLL trips this year might give me some other lacrosse related trips we'll see what happens that will be pretty cool if it happens but we'll see where that goes I'll share when I can but you know we'll see what happens so I guess will end it there. So that is all for this week. If you enjoyed this episode, Delax lifers club is where our community lives between episodes. It is a discord for the fans watching lacrosse year round, not just when the tournament is on AKA as we call it a lifer, the link to the, the link to join is in the description and across social media, you can find me at I am Neil Barrett and Brandon at hoot sports media. 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