The Toronto Rock are your 2025-26 NLL champions. Two games, two wins, and a rookie class that delivered every time it was asked to. Sam English won MVP. Nick Rose finally has his ring. Now the real question: is this the start of something sustained, or just year one of a crowded league with seven teams that could realistically contend?
From there, the NCAA quarterfinals are done, and the Final Four is set. Princeton survived Penn State in a game that came down to one quarter. Notre Dame hung 15 on Hopkins. Syracuse held on against a banged-up UNC team. Duke beat Georgetown by 10 goals, which nobody saw coming. We pick apart every game, talk Josh Yago, Joey Spallina, and give our Final Four predictions.
Then the one that came out of nowhere: Lars Tiffany is out at UVA. We go through the full Matt Nestler timeline, the Jake Malesek extension report that briefly seemed to put it to bed, and then what actually happened. The parent influence rumors are something else if they're true. We get into coaching candidates, who UVA should call first, and where Lars likely lands next.
Also: the WLL played its first ever regular season game. Charlotte North scores the first goal in WLL history but the New York Charging beat the Boston Guard. PLL Week 2 produced some standout performances and one blowout that made Philadelphia look worse than 19-5 suggests. Colin Kirst was at 80% in goal. The whole league is somehow 1-1. And quick hits on the women's NCAA tournament Final Four.
The Lax Lifers Club is our Discord community for fans watching lacrosse year round, not just when the tournament's on. If you're the kind of person who watches a Tuesday night MAAC lacrosse game just because it's on, you belong there. Join here.
speaker-0: Welcome, welcome, welcome to the run out. am Neil Barrett. He is Brandon Hooten. We have so much to get into this week. The Toronto Rock win the NLL championship. Duke makes the final four. The WLL just played their first regular season game and Lars Tiffany is out in Virginia. That was not something we had on our radar. But before we get into all of that, Brandon, how was your week, man?
speaker-1: It was good. Did, ⁓ Did a lot, but did nothing at the same time.
speaker-0: I'm
speaker-1: photography seasons kind of slowing down so trying to figure out that type of thing and where that goes but ⁓ Yeah, I don't know I don't know much much going on right now
speaker-0: No, no big updates.
speaker-1: Not that notable at least. Lots of little things but...
speaker-0: I feel you. I'm trying to think. I don't really have any. Anything too major going on either. I'm. I'm dog sitting for those of you watching ⁓ this podcast. By the way, I didn't even tell you this brand and we I moved to podcasts host, so we're supposed to be able to upload video to ⁓ Spotify now. ⁓ I tried last week and it didn't work, so I got to try and see if I can figure that out this week. Hopefully. Those of you listening on Spotify are also seeing this. ⁓ If not, those of you on YouTube are. ⁓ I'm not in the location I was in last week. I'm dog sitting, ⁓ trying to make a little extra money before I find a job. And ⁓ I'm hot and sweaty and I'm really uncomfortable. So ⁓ maybe let's just get into the show this week instead of the dilly dallying. We will start ⁓ with the biggest news of the week. The Toronto Rock. are your NLL champions for the 2025-2026 season. They swept the Halifax Thunderbirds two games to nothing. Won 13-11 at home in Toronto. Won game two 12-7 in Halifax. I was thinking this week, this is so random, but I was thinking this week, I kind of hate that it's game that like a sweep means you win on the road. feel like I don't know I just I think I just always want teams to win championships in front of their home crowd. I don't know I don't know what the answer is because I was thinking like how do you how could you restructure it to make that happen and there's there's nothing that makes a whole lot of sense I guess unless you did Halifax game one and then did two and three at Toronto.
speaker-1: Pretty sure that's allowed. Pretty sure in previous years they gave the higher seed an option of where they played first, because I feel like there was a series, I don't think it was the finals, I think it was like the semis maybe, where a team played on the road first, with the thought process being if you lose you at least play two games at home.
speaker-0: Yeah. Now.
speaker-1: But then that makes me wonder like if that was still an option, why wouldn't every team just kind of do that for the finals at least, but I don't know.
speaker-0: Well, the only thing I thought was if you start the season at home, technically you start the season with that advantage, obviously, you know, it doesn't guarantee a win or anything, but you start with that advantage. So it's probably better to go into, especially in a three game series to go in with a one lead into game two than being down a game and trying to feel like you have to win back to back games. ⁓ So like. I guess I kind of get it from that spot. just I don't know. There's just something about not winning championships in front of your home crowd, at least in terms of like home and away championships. If it's the Super Bowl and it's a neutral site or whatever, like that is what it is. But yeah, I just thought like, man, 15 years, Toronto's been waiting for this championship and then they win it and it's not even in front of their home crowd. That's kind of a bummer. Even though, you know, it was cool to see them sweep the thing. Obviously, the big talking points. from these two games are the Toronto Rock rookies. ⁓ They were as build as they have been all season. ⁓ C.J. Kirst was great in Game 1. ⁓ Owen Hiltz was great in Game 2. Sam English was great in both games. I Hugh Kelliher was as he has been all season, hugely underrated, ⁓ arguably one of the more important players for them that that just doesn't get any attention. ⁓ And then I totally blanked on his name. The guy who scored in game two that was also a rookie, Hockle? Is that his name?
speaker-1: ⁓ that might be his name. I don't know if that's how you say his name. Yeah.
speaker-0: That's right. They said it and I was like, ⁓ I got to remember that he was like the rookie that no one talked about. And then he scored in game two ⁓ was was incredible. But ⁓ but as much as we talk about those rookies, like you got to also talk about those veteran guys that have been there for a really long time. Obviously, Nick Rose is at the top of that list. But John Rogers, Brad Cree, Littrell Harris. probably plenty more that I'm not, I'm just blanking on right now off the top of my head. I'm wondering what you saw in the series that you liked, you didn't like, all that.
speaker-1: I mean, I like that both games were close, generally speaking. There was definitely a part of me that was nervous just about could there end up being blowouts? I know we talked about, you know, I don't want to just put on Warren Hill, but for lack of, know, a lot of times it was on him where he's giving up a lot of goals one game and then all of a sudden he's locking in the next. So was kind of worried about that type of series. I was surprised that it only went two games. I felt like Halifax had it in them to take one of them. And I just kind of didn't happen. ⁓ And I know it's tough too because I feel like this was kind of their chance. don't, I just don't know how they get back to this point. And especially like I mentioned last week with some of their guys that I'm sure they'll come back and play again. Like they're not that old, but at the same time, like how many more times do they have a chance to make it to this? And how many more times do you upset the number one seed or two, whatever Vancouver was? ⁓ And then continue to roll in the playoffs like that, you know what saying? that's where I also credit to Toronto for getting it done. The first time they haven't seen the Bandits in the playoffs in how many years and they... They went. So it's like that Achilles heel is removed and all of a sudden you're champions, so... ⁓ You know, it's good to see them win, especially because now they have a lot of talent coming in. Not only from their previous draft, but the drafts that are gonna be coming up and we can, you know, thank Calgary for that to a degree. ⁓ But... Yeah, they looked really good. I was very happy to see Sam English get ⁓ MVP. Although I would have loved to Nick Rose get it, just because I think he was consistent throughout. ⁓ Sam English is a guy that not only did he contribute on the stat sheet, but I feel like he does lot of the hustle play aspect for them. Not to say that their other rookies don't, or their other players don't, but he's just a guy that's kind of a spark plug all the time. Not too excited to see them get his brother next year as well.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, I was getting ready to say they got they got Ty coming in and a top five pick also being added to that roster. And so that's that's a that's a great transition point. The question, obviously. And I I hate to ask this, what, two days after they lifted the trophy and to already be looking forward. But obviously, the next question becomes they have this great rookie corps and. They have these veterans that, again, a lot of these veterans are not that old. Like they'll still be around for the next several seasons, probably a decent chunk of this this veteran corps. ⁓ And so the question is, you know, are we looking at the next dynasty in this league? Maybe maybe not. Maybe dynasty is a bit harsh of a term, but the next kind of. team that's going to be in and around it every year. I'm not I'm not out on the bandits yet, but you can certainly see that that maybe their, you know, five year run is kind of over. A lot of that team has gotten older and you know that Matt Vince is probably going to be done if not this this offseason, then then certainly probably next year. know, Dane and Josh are not. the spring chickens that they were, even though they probably still have several years left. ⁓ So, you know, someone's got to step into that void. And I know I know being a Mammoth fan, you're going to think that they can fill that void. And they're absolutely one of those teams up there. ⁓ Vancouver, it feels like ⁓ a boat similar to what we're talking about with with Buffalo, that maybe they can do it again next year. ⁓ But how many more years they really have with that core is is not ⁓ probably high on the list. again, back to the question, ⁓ is Toronto set up to be the next kind of NLL dynasty?
speaker-1: I mean on paper, I don't know if there is a team that's going to be a dynasty. I think it's tough when we just saw one. Like literally, that went to five straight and won three of them. I don't know that they're going do that. ⁓ I think Vancouver. just depends how long they can keep their core together. Like, would I be surprised if Vancouver went 1-3 in a row? No. You know, but that also assumes that they're gonna stay healthy and they keep all their guys and that type of thing. I think Colorado has the chance to do it as well, but even then we still have to see that happen. Saskatchewan? I mean, this is the problem with this type of thing is like, it's just too early to tell because I feel like we don't know what would have happened had Toronto played a Saskatchewan, a Vancouver, Colorado, etc. to where it's like they look dominant on paper and they're gonna get more dominant assuming that those players pan out in the draft and whatnot but also it's really hard to win back to back. It's hard to win three in a row, it's hard to win three or five and so I don't want to put them up to that dynasty level just yet but are they gonna be you know a quote unquote problem like they were I think for most of the 2010s? absolutely.
speaker-0: Yeah, and that's probably a better thing. It's it's really hard to call a team of dynasty after one championship. But the real question is, you know, are we looking at a team that's going to be. In and around the NLL finals for the better part of the next decade, and, you know, I don't know, I don't know how you'd argue that they wouldn't be based on on what they have already done with this crazy young roster that, as we have said, is already. going to get significantly better. One team that you didn't mention, Georgia is also pretty young. They have a pretty young core of guys that are lots of young talent that's in Georgia and they were in a similar boat to Toronto. The only thing I'd say that's arguably better is they have Brett Dobson, the NLL MVP who is Who's in what his this was his third season, fourth season, something like that. So he especially at a goalie position, he's he's probably got ⁓ a good while left in this league, ⁓ and it feels like it feels like if you got Brad Dobson on your team, you're always going to have a chance. So. ⁓
speaker-1: Yeah, something like that. Yeah, but even then you still need a lot more offensively. And that's not to say those guys can't develop offensively too, but I just don't feel like they were close enough this year, even with the historic season by Brett Dobson, to say that they're gonna necessarily contend every season. I think they've solidified themselves as, you know, they proved me wrong that I thought they were gonna be bottom three or four teams, whatever it was. So it's like, obviously you're better than that bottom tier, but... I think when you look at a team like Toronto, if they're playing straight up in a series, think Toronto takes that pretty easily. Especially when you saw what happened at the end of that season with Georgia where Brett Dobson can only hold you for so long. And granted he did it for 23 weeks or whatever it was, but it gets to a point where you kind of need some extra boost there. ⁓ I'm curious to see though, is this who Brett Dobson's going to be? Not saying he's going to be historic every year, but... is see a guy who's gonna be a top two goalie in the league every year, because if that's the case, then yeah, Georgia can absolutely be added to that list of teams that's like, hey, you're gonna be at least in the mix of some kind. So I am excited to see that too, but I mean, I don't know who's gonna do it like Toronto has.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah. And and part of part of what I'm suggesting is that they're in a they're in a good position where you think, all right, if you know, if they had Andrew Q, a healthy Andrew Q, because I know he was in and out, but they had had a healthy Andrew Q in Georgia this year. Maybe that's enough to push them over the edge on that offensive end. So so what I'm more what I'm saying is not necessarily the roster as it was constructed this year, but if they can pick up a guy. and free agency or in the draft this this summer, maybe maybe even one next year. Like, you know, that could they could they could really start making a run at things. So that's what I'm thinking with Georgia, not not so much that they're 100 percent complete. Although, you know, the idea that any team is really ever 100 percent complete, I guess, is is probably a misnomer. But but you certainly look at Toronto and feel like they don't have many holes and they're and they're still getting better. ⁓ I, you know, like you said, at least in the short term, Vancouver feels very, very solid. You know, I still like a lot of where ⁓ San Diego is at this point. You know, they've got some. Yes.
speaker-1: This which is also why I'm hesitant to say Toronto as it could be a dynasty is just compared to like, you know, five years, five year time periods of the past. This one feels like, Hey, everyone can kind of make moves and like, to cut you off, but like San Diego is a team where it's like, they lost a lot of games that were very, very close. You know, if they flip a couple of those or even all of those, like, are they the Halifax of, you know, the next five years?
speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. No, I completely agree with you. And like, it's one of those things where it's like, yeah, Toronto, Toronto does feel like a team that is set up to be this level of good for, like I said, the better part of the decade. But also to your point, like you look around and you're like, yeah, but there's there's probably seven ish teams that also feel that close, you know, a pick or two away from. from also being that good. ⁓ So you're right on that. And it's definitely probably a little bit too early to try and get a sneeze coming to try and try and make that decision. So. ⁓
speaker-1: I'm-
speaker-0: Hmm, I guess we can we can move on and unless you got anything else about the the NLL season now that it's it's officially the offseason any any any hopes at that you want to talk about.
speaker-1: No, no, I'm gonna be watching a lot of ⁓ the Mammoth guys in Summer Box. That's kind of it. ⁓ At this point for the Box season, I guess. I know some Canadians got upset when I said Box season was over this week, so I was talking about the American fanbase that only watches NLL for the most part, but I'm someone that will be watching those guys. ⁓ And there's obviously a couple in the PLL too, so that's about it. can't believe it's over after potentially not having a season to... Here we are. It felt like it went by just so fast.
speaker-0: I sure it's crazy to think about. I completely forgot about that. There was there was a period of time last year where we did not think there was going to be a season. Yeah. Or at least that was a threat hanging over our heads, whether or not we thought it was going to happen or not, I guess. Because now I think about it, I'm like, actually, I think we all thought it was going to get done. It just was a threat. But yeah, I definitely forgot about that. Anyway, let's move over to the NCAA tournament. We had some incredible. games this past weekend. Totally lost myself in the notes here. Princeton beat Penn State 14 to 10. Notre Dame beat Hopkins 15 to 9. Syracuse beat UNC 13 to 11. And Duke beat Georgetown 16 to 6. Some great games. What from from that run last weekend, what kind of jumped out at you?
speaker-1: ⁓ All aboard the Palumbo train First and foremost, we had five points against Penn State. What a baller. Yep ⁓ Unfortunate for you that you have to you know pick against pick one of the two Duke or Princeton Yes, yes, yes, you win either way
speaker-0: Hahaha No, see here. I'm. ⁓ I do. Listen, I've said all year, I've said all year, I didn't think Duke was going to win a national championship. like, I'm there here and it's like, Hey, all we got to do is win one game and we're in, we're in the national championship. like, I'm not suggesting that I'll, I'm happy about a loss, but I'm, I'm, I'm also not too bothered about a loss because I have said from day one, I think this team is built for next season. Next season is the season where I'm like hopeful that we can win a national championship. If we can, if we make it happen this year, I'm all, I'm all about it. But our pick on this show was Princeton from day one. So it's a little bit of a bummer for me that we have to play Princeton, but at least at least if we lose, it's like, OK, that's my pick. They, you know, I'm expecting them to move on. I'm just I'm just happy we got to the final four. You know, like if. If that game against Georgetown had gone the other way, it's not like I could have been all that shocked. So, you know, I like this Duke team and I felt good about their chances against Georgetown. I did not expect them to win by 10 goals. ⁓ That was nuts to me. ⁓ But they are finally playing the way that I've thought they should be playing all year. I thought earlier this season they relied too heavily on trying to force the ball into Ben Johnson and Max Lote. ⁓ I tweeted I tweeted earlier this week. I think that far too often when we had Brennan O'Neill and Michael Sowers on this team, we were trying to play that cog in the machine type of nobody is more important than the team. Everyone's sharing the ball and everything. When when there were times when you literally just needed to get the ball into Michael Sowers or Brennan O'Neill stick and let them let them do their thing. let them take over a game. You and I have joked for several years now about the fact that, you know, Joshua, Wada would be playing at X. Brandon O'Neill hadn't touched the ball in like eight Duke possessions, and he'd get the ball from from the other wing. And he wouldn't even look at Brandon O'Neill. He would just hold the ball kind of cradle. He might look toward the middle or something, but then he would just throw it back out and it wouldn't go to Brandon O'Neill and it'd be like, what are we doing? Like we're We're trying to be too cute here, like just get Brendan O'Neill the ball and let things happen. We've seen what Brendan O'Neill can do, not just himself, but how he can open up the field for everyone else by the just the gravity of his presence on the field. And far too often we were trying to play that way. And then for half of this season, I thought we were playing the way we should have been playing with those guys with a team that we should now be playing more of that that kind of cog in the wheel. And I love this team because I think they have so many guys that can beat you. was Max Slote this week. It was Liam Kirschis last week. It was Ben Johnston against ⁓ UNC. Like it just they have so many guys that are capable of putting up five and six points in a game and leading this team to a victory. So. Like I said, I'm just I'm just happy to be here. No moral victories or anything like I would rather see Duke win. But if they're going to lose, at least it's to Princeton.
speaker-1: Yeah, but everyone knows Maryland should have been there anyway, so... ⁓ Anyway, moving on... ⁓
speaker-0: Okay, alright. Yeah.
speaker-1: Outside of Duke on a serious note, this is about what I picked the final four to be funny enough I did go for four on the Picks last week in the PLL app. I did pick Duke over Georgetown So I know Brian said that Georgetown was making the final four and I called him crazy for it earlier in the year
speaker-0: Nice.
speaker-1: Great run, great run by them, but ⁓
speaker-0: He's a he's a Georgetown fan. Let him let him have his moment.
speaker-1: Hey, I mean he wins either way because he has Q's as well, so.
speaker-0: That's that's true. And in terms of lacrosse, think he would rather have cues than Georgetown. Yes. He's he's a weird guy as a Georgetown basketball background and a Syracuse lacrosse back. He just he just picks and chooses. He just does this. You know, it's fine. It's fine. We don't we don't judge. We judge.
speaker-1: 100%. I also do that. You know, but you know, I've been a diehard Princeton fan for...
speaker-0: For three months now?
speaker-1: All my life.
speaker-0: Yeah. I think I think that Notre Dame Hopkins game that is more or less. I will say I did not have Notre Dame putting up 15 goals. That's impressive. Josh Iago, the man, the man, the myth, legend. Oh, by the way, I didn't even tell you this because we were off for a while and I was dealing with some stuff. I didn't get on on YouTube at all. didn't I didn't look at it. I didn't look at any of the comments. I wasn't uploading. I had no reason to be on it. And I have a separate account. have I have like a personal account that I watch YouTube videos on and then I have a separate account that I actually post, you know, my content and the run out and everything on. And so when I posted last week, I got on and realized that I had missed some comments and some someone had commented while we were gone from like. The video from like February. where where Notre Dame had played one game and we had a conversation about Josh Iago. And both of us were like, he's great. He's amazing. You saw him in person while he was at Air Force. I watched him because I watch Air Force. you know, obviously my connections, I I watch Air Force games. I cheer for that team. So I knew how good he was. But the conversation that we had was how good will he be at Notre Dame? Because this is a a very large step up. And I think they had played they played what Marquette, think, was their like their first game of the season, something like that. You know, ⁓ a low level team that they easily handled. And all we said was we wanted to see what he did against the Syracuses and the Dukes and those level of teams. And we had we we always get people in the comments that are like. Oh, you got what a terrible take. He's this guy wrote he's very athletic. And we were like, I was like, nobody said he wasn't like, what are we? I know I feel like I feel like every time we come out with something, everyone comes at us and like attacks us for what they think we said and not what we actually said. It's like the one just. Yes, yes, it's the Waffles tweet. Yeah. Oh, so you hate Waffles like no.
speaker-1: when athletes are athletic.
speaker-0: No, that's a totally different conversation. ⁓
speaker-1: Also, don't feel like that was a bad... It wasn't even like we made a take. In fact, what we said was basically an anti-take, because we said we need to see more before we make a take. Which isn't... That's a fair thing to say about literally any player on any team in any sport ever.
speaker-0: Yeah, well, it's the same thing from from when when we got blown up about Richmond. And to be fair, was less you and more me saying like, I don't know how good this Richmond team is and got blown up. basically my comment was not that they are aren't good. I'm not making a determination. In fact, that was literally the point is I can't make a determination because I've only seen them play. low level talent that they beat and high level talent that they lost to. And I made the same comparison to Duke. ⁓ So, you know, I just. It's just it's just funny. I I'm not even mad, like I'm really not mad. I literally was laughing at it being like, have to tell Brandon about this guy who's who commented on a video from three months ago. Thinking that we were like dogging Josh, I go. a that we both really like, we just wanted to see what he was going to do in an ACC level competition.
speaker-1: This is why social media platforms need to put everything in chronological order. Or at least put on there like uploaded whatever date in a clear place. Because those shorts it doesn't tell you unless you like really click into it. Like I want to know ⁓ I'm watching something old or I'm watching something- and also you should have the discernment as well if you're watching on YouTube or wherever. Before commenting be like wait when was this uploaded? Am I missing something else? But I understand people don't have that patience.
speaker-0: And I'm and I posted clips, the clips in the clip that that this comment was on was was of them playing in that indoor facility, you know, where they play some of those early games when they can't get on to our lot. ⁓ And it was like, no, this is clearly from months ago. But anyway, all that to say that was the surprise. of this Notre Dame Hopkins game for me, not that Notre Dame won, not even that they won by a decent margin, but that they they won by scoring 15 goals was was a surprise to me. ⁓ Princeton and Penn State, I would have imagined going that way. I got to give props to Penn State. I thought they played so well. They hung around that game for so much longer than I really expected them to until it was ⁓ Until they pinston, I keep saying pinston and print state. Princeton outscored Penn State five one in the fourth quarter, but other than that, it was a 10, 10, nine Penn State lead going into the fourth quarter. So it was really that for her. You know, we talk we talk about in the two games that they've played the first quarter of the first game cost Princeton. And the fourth quarter of this game cost Penn State. Otherwise, these two teams are so evenly matched. ⁓ And it really watching that game really made me like, re-appreciate Jeff Tambroni. ⁓ I just think his teams are. I think his teams are consistently better than the sum of their parts. ⁓ And I say that with no malice, I'm not saying that their players are trash or anything, but you know, Who's who's another, you know, like PLL level player on their team, not named Hunter Aquina. May maybe Jack Frassion, maybe he kind of Fringe level to me, I guess. But. You know, like they just don't have the talent that some of these and they are consistently consistently battling to make the final four. So. ⁓ I really appreciate them. And then Syracuse and UNC was a was a great game. I am. I think if I was a Carolina fan, I would be bummed that we didn't have ⁓ Owen Duffy at at full strength, not saying he would have won the game for UNC. ⁓ But you got to certainly think that it could have changed things if he is fully healthy and able able to play that game at 100 percent.
speaker-1: Yeah, potentially, but- They also, you know, dog walked Albany 24 to 6 without him. I recognize it's a different level of competition, but, ⁓
speaker-0: I was, I couldn't believe so many people had that picked as an upset. I was like, what? You guys have been drinking the Silas Richmond Kool-Aid too much, too much.
speaker-1: Hey, that would have been a crazy upset.
speaker-0: It would have, but that's, that was my point is like, it was a, it would have been a crazy upset. Like people were picking it. They were like, no, I think, I think Albany's going to do it. And I was like,
speaker-1: I thought it would be a closer game for sure. I they were gonna actually do it. But... Yeah, I don't know. It's just... Like, yes, maybe if Owen Duffy's there, you know, they win this game, but also, not there, but I mean, 100 % full strength, but also like, it's hard to beat a team three times. I was gonna pick Syracuse even with Owen Duffy being healthy, just... It sucks, it almost kinda sucks that they beat him twice in the regular season, because it's like...
speaker-0: I didn't- I, yeah.
speaker-1: Ugh, like you need the third one now to come in, you know, crunch time when it's one and done. Uh, so, you know, also, Q's is still Q's, they probably still want to up 13 anyway, you know.
speaker-0: I'm in no way saying that Owen Duffy wins that game for UNC. That's not what I'm saying. Hear me all of Syracuse. I am not suggesting that UNC wins that game with Owen Duffy. But if I was a Carol.
speaker-1: Just right there where you said he wins that game and I'm gonna put it together like see this what he said look
speaker-0: Yeah. Well, and to be fair, I'm not a Carolina fan. I don't care. I'm glad they lost. But I'm just thinking that, like, if I was a Carolina fan, I'd be like, dang, man, maybe maybe we could have won that game because because you put Owen Duffy in the game. It's not a 1311 game. It's going to change so many other aspects. But you would think the logic would follow that it's a two goal game. And arguably your best player is at like. I'm not I'm not even sure he's at 50 percent in that game. He was dragging that leg around and was off the field most of the game. So, you know, that being said, it is what it is. You can't I'm not penalizing Syracuse for the fact that UNC had a player ⁓ injured like that. You know, that sucks. But all Syracuse can do is beat the team that's on the field in front of them. And they did that. Joey Spelina, six points, three goals and three assists. I felt like every time Syracuse needed a play, Joey made it. He and in my, in my to be completely honest, this this should have never been a thing in the first place. But as far as I'm concerned, there should be no one saying, you know, Joey can't win the big games. He disappears and on blah, blah, blah. I think he's proven, especially over these last two years. That's not true at all.
speaker-1: Nah, he has an astronauting play style. Not good enough.
speaker-0: We're gonna get into Asher Nolting in a little bit.
speaker-1: This is a joke. This is a joke for the literal people out there. Since all you people are so literal across the
speaker-0: All you people, it's like two people. No, just like the same two.
speaker-1: There is the same two that are over the top about it, but there's a lot of people that apparently don't sense sarcasm So I'm yes, I just have to like I have to say it now because like you guys clearly can't we saw what they did to Nestle or last week when when ⁓ He put out a rumor and people were like going out I'm just gonna start just putting disclaimers out there every time that
speaker-0: in just a minute. It's a joke. Before we get to Nestler and the Nest bomb from this past week. Looking forward, any prediction? I feel like there are no there's no crazy probably Duke is the craziest idea. The other three are not even remotely like I think there are legitimate cases to be made for all three, really all four, but certainly the three not named Duke.
speaker-1: Yeah, ⁓ I don't know. I don't think anyone picked Princeton preseason, but us. I think we picked a pretty, ⁓ out-there pick.
speaker-0: Listen, again, all I got to say is that that week one when they when they lost a Penn State and we were like, ⁓ we had the conversation about, we're not getting off the train. We just got to get the train. Yes. Going the other direction. I'm I'm just glad that we wrote it out and we're here now ⁓ because for about seven days I was like, ⁓ no.
speaker-1: Thanks for That was a little scary. Especially because I had no rhyme or reason to choose them. Outside of just like, they sounded like a fun team. And then, what was it, like 14 to 7? And I was like, oh no. I was like, this is so bad. But hey, they got on track. My prediction is Princeton over Notre Dame. Is that what I said? Whatever I said on the OTB College show yesterday, go listen to that as well. That's my official pick. I believe it was Princeton over Notre Dame.
speaker-0: Okay.
speaker-1: But if I mix them up, I for sure had Princeton winning though, no matter what. ⁓ But would it shock me to see the others win outside of Duke? No. ⁓ Not that I don't think Duke can win, but just I feel like they've really benefited recently from just getting really hot and playing not two bad teams, but two teams at the level ⁓ of Princeton, Notre Dame, or Syracuse. So I'm curious to see how they come out against Princeton. ⁓ But hey, what I be mad if they moved on a little, only cuz it's against Princeton, but it would also be kind of fun to see like a, you know, the only unranked team left, you know, make it to the championship and potentially win.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, that's my thinking, too, is the other three. Like I said, I think have you can make very legitimate arguments. Notre Dame has that incredible defense and then and then guys like Josh Iago that that are capable of lighting you up. ⁓ Obviously, Syracuse has the stars, the seniors on that team that are hungry and ready to win a championship. ⁓ And then and then obviously Princeton, I think, has been over the course of the last two seasons. think Sarah Princeton has been the best team in the country. Syracuse is obviously right there. Notre Dame's not far behind them. You know, there are other teams involved, but I think I would put Princeton as the best team over the last two years and are certainly. ⁓ At least in my mind probably the favorite again there there's an argument for those other two teams Duke I think is capable they they have the talent on the roster. It's just Are they gonna get it out of the guys on this weekend? I'm also probably worried Mostly about Duke if they get past Princeton this will be I believe The first time that they've played two games in three days ⁓ And I would be real, real surprised by them doing much if they made it to Monday. And I think, again, that's another reason why, like, I'm not super bothered if they lose. Again, they're here. I want them to win. I am cheering for them. ⁓ But I'm not going to be super bothered because I just I just don't think that they're they're quite ready to win a national championship. I'll be happy to be wrong. Very happy to be wrong. I I have heard from so many Syracuse fans this week that want Syracuse to lose. And it blows my mind. Why some of some of them don't like Gary Gate, some of them don't like Joey Spelina, some of them. And I'm like.
speaker-1: Thanks. They're not fans. They're not fans.
speaker-0: That's what I think. I don't care if that is your story. What? Like,
speaker-1: Even if you don't like him as far as like an archetype, like... That dude's the leader of your team. You're the sixth seed in the tournament, in the final four. In large part because of him. And to not like Gary Gate, Gary Gate better have done something specifically, personally to those people. For them to not like Gary Gate.
speaker-0: No, it's just it's just crazy. I'm like, I can't. How can how can you be a fan of a team and hope that they lose like I don't I don't care what sport it is, what level it is, pro sports, whatever, you know, if you if you don't like the owner or the coach or the athletic director or the star player or the goalie or whatever like cool, they're probably not going to be there all that long. Like, you know, in college, Joey Splene is going to be at Syracuse for four years. You don't like him, so what? He has a chance to bring your team a national championship. Like, what are we talking about? I would take the national championship because that will that will be at that school forever. There is there is no part of me that will be mad in any way if Duke wins the national championship. Not at all. If Denver was here. If Colorado State joins Division one, we'll put it real in your wheelhouse. I can't believe they haven't won a club championship in a while.
speaker-1: Yeah, they've been, from what I understand, they're one of the better teams, usually.
speaker-0: They were for a really long time. When I was playing they were like top tier. was them and BYU. They were like top tier.
speaker-1: BYU is still pretty good, right? Didn't they- they won?
speaker-0: Yes, they won this year. Yeah. Yeah. And I they won either last year or the year before they won like they've kind of rebuilt their like I said, they were they were really good when I was playing. And then I think they kind of hit a little bit of a spell where they they were still good, but maybe not quite as good at the same time that Colorado State was kind of like fading out. think Colorado State had a long term coach that retired. And I don't think that they've ever really like replaced him. So that's probably been their biggest issue. But BYU BYU was able to kind of rebuild their club and they've they've kind of rebuilt themselves into that that top tier. Weirdly enough, it's all like Utah Club. It's it's BYU. It's Utah Valley. Obviously, Utah went Division one. ⁓ You know, there are some some really good clubs. I'm a Florida State fan. If you grew up a Duke fan, a Duke basketball fan, you probably have another football team. Florida State was my football team. We get into that conversation at another time. It's irrelevant to this conversation. But I'm a Florida State fan, they actually were in, I'm pretty sure in the national championship. I'm pretty sure it was BYU versus Florida State. And I thought Florida State might pull it out, but they did not. Anyway, last note on the college game. We will get into the the Nest bomb. ⁓
speaker-1: Yeah, talk about not liking ADs.
speaker-0: Yeah. Did we we didn't talk about it last week, I don't think because because we did.
speaker-1: Because there was a point that he resigned for a year.
speaker-0: Yeah. So so we mentioned it, but we decided not to really talk about it because it had kind of come out that it wasn't true. So let's let's go back. Last week, Matt Nestler literally drops a bomb on on lax Twitter and says that Lars Tiffany will not be brought back as the UVA head coach. ⁓ Everyone's like, what the heck, because. Nestle is known to be a bit of a joker on on there. You can't really take him seriously. But this was so out there and he was being so serious about it. There was like no tongue in cheek about it that it felt weird because it was like, surely he's not making this up. Like he's sticking to his guns. He's not just like lying about this for the grant. not doing it for the gram. ⁓ But like also, there's no way this is happening. And So it took a couple of hours within inside La Crosse. think Dan Restia, think several people, you know, made reports that that it wasn't true. They had spoken to Lars Tiffany's agent ⁓ and said that both parties were that was not true, that both parties were working on his next contract. ⁓ And then Jake Malus, I think is how you say his name. ⁓ who is apparently the guy who's running John Gruden stuff.
speaker-1: I so, yeah. My very close, personal TikTok friend, JohnGrid.
speaker-0: Yeah, ⁓ You
speaker-1: Which really means I'm best friends with Jake.
speaker-0: Let's go. Hey, get him on the show.
speaker-1: I'll see what I can do.
speaker-0: You're listen, your close personal friend here. ⁓ So so anyway, Jake tweeted out that. Lors had signed a contract extension. I think people the way he phrased it made it sound like it was a one year extension, but then in the comments, someone was like, why would they give him only a one year extension? It's really hard to recruit when you only have like a one year deal. And he he responded, I don't know how long the deal is. ⁓ So. That seemed to put it all to bed between inside lacrosse saying that that it wasn't true and Jake tweeting out that that the deal had been signed, that seemed to put it all to bed. And then yesterday ⁓ we all woke up to. It very much not being the case, and Lars Tiffany was out at UVA. ⁓ I guess. Let's just start there. What are your initial reactions to Lars Tiffany not being back at UVA this fall, I guess.
speaker-1: have much. ⁓ I think the bigger thing just to remember about this is like things change and it's not always that someone was purposely putting out something inaccurately. Even Jake when he said he signed the extension that very well could have been the case at that point in time and you know in the journalist realm you kind of want to be first. Obviously you want to be correct but especially if he had sources that he trusts saying there's an extension there. I'm sure he didn't think that anything of it you know. Same thing goes for Nests, where people were immediately like, no, this isn't true, and it's like, I don't think he would lie. Like, he might joke around about certain things, but that's a big one to kind of, you know, pull, play with people's heartstrings, if you will. ⁓ As far as him being, you know, not being the coach there, I don't really understand unless he himself was like, I'm done with this. It just feels strange, and then, you know, especially things coming out today about certain potential outside influences, it's just like, If those reports are true, I'm not even gonna entertain them right now, but if that's true that they were listening to parents of kids, I'm like... That's just beyond idiotic, in my opinion. ⁓ Don't get me wrong. Yes, you need them. You need the best players to win games there, obviously, but they're only gonna be there for four years. If you're letting random parents... I don't even want to say random parents, based on some of the rumors that are of who they are. Letting any parent come in and basically say anything about the coach is ridiculous. Like, you, at the end of the day, you and your child agreed to go there and play. So you knew who the coach was gonna be, knew how it was gonna be run. Deal with it. So, again, assuming those are correct, I don't have any sources, but kind of wild.
speaker-0: Did you see the story that ⁓ I can't remember his name. I'm trying to I'm trying to see if I can pull it up real quick so that I can say it. ⁓ Mitchell Whalen posted. He said, this is a little bit of a thread, it's a couple of tweets. So badly do I want to shit on our athletic department and everyone involved in such a horrible decision. But instead I'll take a step back and share a story about the coach we're losing. In 2019, I visited UVA for admitted students day as a scrawny high schooler who didn't want to let the dream die. I sent coach Tiffany a cold email asking if there was any way I could try out for the team. Not only did he promptly respond, but he invited me to watch practice and meet with him in his office. Just one day after losing to Duke. When no other coach would have given me the courtesy of a response, Lars made me feel valued and like I had a chance. I felt special. Since that day, coach Tim Fiddy has made four Final Fours, won three ACC titles and won two national championships. But most importantly, he made me realize that I wasn't special. Lars answers the phone and opens his door for countless fans, alums and media all to grow the game and UVA lacks with coach T. We won a lot of games and graduated even more great men. What more are we looking for? Sad day and taking a lot to bite my tongue. ⁓ I read that to say that is. I don't know Lars Tiffany personally, but from everyone, everyone that I know that that does know him, that is who he is and I say a lot, a lot to people. Lacrosse isn't Lacrosse is not football. It's not people want to act like every single time someone at a big name school has an off season, a bad season or, know, people been trying to fire Nick fire Nick Myers at Ohio State every year for like the past decade. And I'm like, it's not football. Like this is not a ⁓ revenue generating sport. So. the calibrations for athletic directors are significantly different. But in the case of Lars Tiffany, not only did you have that side of him, you also had the guy who was winning championships. He literally lifted the ACC championship two weeks ago. What are we doing? What are we doing? And then you want to talk about people getting in comment sections. These UVA football accounts were going ham yesterday talking about how it was deserved. And I was like, you don't even follow it. Like, what are you talking about?
speaker-1: Yeah, I don't know I I mentioned On the old to be college show last night that didn't then my juice before the stuff from today I was like, you know if there was repeated issues with Lars that it just maybe hasn't come out and this was just kind of the final like We're done. I could totally understand that and maybe that never comes out. Maybe it does that Hey, there was actually problems this time this time in this time We didn't address it publicly and now here we are doing it publicly but also like like you're saying then just talking to people or reading the tweets from people that know him personally or have played for him or whatnot, I was just kinda like, he doesn't seem like a guy that has many issues in his program or whatever, again, not in the building, so maybe some guys have had issues. But then once you start hearing about potential parents being upset with the position their kid's playing and you see former PLL and college coach Andy Towers come out and basically insinuate that there are parents in the program that felt like they know more than him, all of a sudden it's like, mm, this definitely seems like it's a bigger thing than just he wants to be done, or there was an issue with him, and it seems like it was much more of an outside sort of, you know, pressuring. Definitely confuses me as to how then there was that one-year agreement that was reported in the midst of all that, too, or maybe that was just PR to just kind of like, hey, hopefully we can get an extension, you know, done, or a contract done, but... Again, it just feels weird to choose kids that are gonna be there for four years over a coach that-
speaker-0: And especially some of the rumors of who they are are kids that aren't even going to be there for more years.
speaker-1: Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So I just don't, it just, it just doesn't make sense to me. And then like you're saying, like we all want to win. Like everyone, everyone ever, it'd be awesome if all of our teams could win a national championship every single year, but that's also not what college sports is necessarily about when it comes to staffing, I guess, especially, like you said, a non revenue generating sport where it's like, obviously if you're a, ⁓ a football coach and your sports generating a ton of revenue and you're not producing wins, that's one thing. But like, you're also trying to- Right, this is not affecting your revenue in any way. You're still competitive. Like, Virginia was not bad this year. They were 10-7. They- I don't- Like- Like you said, they won several national championships in our lifetime. Like- So to act like it's like a big thing that's affecting their recruitment or something, like, no. Like, people want to play for Lars. And I am curious to see now how many people transfer after this year. Like- Cause I think that'll be telling too. If guys do transfer, it'll be like, ⁓
speaker-0: your revenue.
speaker-1: Those were Lars guys. If they don't transfer, maybe it's like... a little eye emoji. I'm just... you know.
speaker-0: Do you have any thoughts on who could come into UVX?
speaker-1: Nah, I'm not tapped in like that to the coaching... ...availability. And then I do think too, there were some people that were putting on Twitter like, And this is gonna cost some ruckus, I'm not making a take. I'm just presenting a thought that I saw. Of like, would people really want to go there if they know that your AD is so swayed by random parents? Again, assuming that's real. I don't know if it is, but the optics of it, if I'm already a coach somewhere, even if it's a step below UVA, I'm like, hmm, I don't know that I want to make that jump.
speaker-0: One thing I'll say is they can keep stuff quiet, real quiet. Yeah, they're. I'm going to get in so much trouble for saying there's a situation that I have heard about recently. It's it's on the women's side that I'm like, yo, this is like. This is like Dateline level like. Stuff and it it. You know, it's so harsh that like no one no one even knows. I talk to people involved. Not involved. Not involved in the program, but around the program who did who were like, no, that's not true. And then they came back later and like, I asked around and that that is actually true. And I was like. Yeah, anyway. ⁓
speaker-1: I don't doubt that that happens and can happen. But again, I just still couldn't, I couldn't wrap my head around that like, ⁓ I'm the head guy and I'm not actually the head guy. Like you're going to go listen to some random, also we went 10 and seven and made the tournament and you're still going to go listen to a parent. And, and allegedly he's the parent of a kid who had a great year. Out of his non natural position, apparently.
speaker-0: I won an ACC championship.
speaker-1: I'm not calling anyone by name, but I think it's pretty clear his name's all over Twitter. It just doesn't make sense if that's true. I hope it's not true and I hope we end up looking back and be like, ⁓ we were Conspirarizing if that that's not even a word, but you know I'm saying making things up Fit the narrative, but it's just it I just don't see how else you let a guy like that go outside of him saying I want to be done
speaker-0: to fit the- Well, and to be fair, his name has come up before in other things that were along these lines and stuff. So there's certainly a pattern there. That being said, ⁓ I I think this situation has to have some impact on who they can get in the front door. The flip side of that conversation, though, I also think is true. think coaches and athletes, but specifically to this conversation, coaches our competitors and they're always going to back themselves. They're always going to think I can be it's not going to be like that with when I'm there. I'm to be the guy that turns it around. Nobody thinks they're going to go there and and get the short end of the stick. ⁓ So, you know, are there going to be some people who take that into consideration? Yes. Do I think it will prevent them from landing a name? No, the only thing that I have is UVA right now, even even barring the rumor mill about what has happened. Is UVA right now a better position? My fit, the first guy I would call is Jeff Tamburani. I talked about him earlier. I think he's one of the best coaches in the league in the country, and he's. He's taken two teams now to three final fours. I've you know, that's the first call I'd make. Jeff Tambrone. I'm going to make Jeff Tambrone tell me no. ⁓ And he may he may not want to leave Penn State. Penn State is a is a great location and he has built that program into one of maybe not the the blue blood levels, but whatever that level is right below that ⁓ perennial powers, I guess is maybe a good name for it. ⁓ He may not want to ⁓ Similarly, Dan Trimati, those are the two names that I'm like, you call those guys immediately and make them tell you no. I don't know that either one of them wants to leave. ⁓ Dan Trimati is a Duke guy. The word, the rumor about him has been that he is holding out for that Duke job. Don't know if that's true. That's just been the rumor around him. ⁓ Obviously, Coach Donowski is close to the end of his career. ⁓ even if we don't know when exactly that is. So. Again, whether or not he wants to make that move, I don't know. ⁓ Some other names that I've seen, Sean Kerwin, I'm not sure that Sean Kerwin's a good a good hire. He had a had a good season at at Dartmouth last year that didn't really amount to much of anything. He had a mediocre season at Dartmouth this year. You know, he was a good assistant, a good coordinator at UVA, but ⁓ is. Does that make him a good head coach? I don't know. The same thing with Kevin Cassis, who is an assistant at UVA right now. ⁓ Kevin Cassis is a Duke guy. He was a Duke assistant for a while. He was the head coach at Lehigh. I've always thought he was a good coordinator. His head coaching tenures have not been great. ⁓ So, you know, is that is that the right guy? The one name that I've heard that I thought was interesting that would be making a move up. would potentially be, you know, it would make sense for him to move with John Galloway at Jacksonville. know, Jacksonville, even in that, like mid major tier, has been been built into a very consistent program that is like constantly performing. So. That's an interesting one. I don't know. I don't know who who says yes to this job, even though I believe lots of people will think they can be the one that, you know, for lack of a better term, that it's buried and gone, but resurrects the UVA program. ⁓ one more, and this is way harder, so if you got no answer, that's fine. Any thoughts on where Lars may end up?
speaker-1: I have no idea.
speaker-0: Yeah, that one. That one's tough. I think almost definitely I would expect him to to move into a coordinator role in the immediate future. He'll he'll get back to being a head coach. But a lot of times you see these coaches that get out of these big time jobs and there isn't a landing spot for them because they're still kind of too big for some of the like the the lower level schools, you know, and they kind of have to wait for one of those openings. There is absolutely no reason for this. This is purely a guess, ⁓ not even a guess, purely a wild hair thought of like, ⁓ that could be interesting. I know that he is very close to Scott Marr ⁓ at the University of Albany. Scott Marr is very much an offensive coach. Lars is very much a defensive coach. Go be the DC at Albany. See if you can see if you can get that team into a. final four kind of level team, even without Silas Richmond next year. ⁓ That could be amazing. But that, like I said, that's that's not even a scientific guess. That was just like, ⁓ OK. I don't know. What do you think? I don't know. We'll see. They can tell us what they think about that. Let's move over finally to the PLL ⁓ week two. We saw. Carolina beat Boston 14 to 10 Jackson Eicher and Brendan Nicktern had four points apiece. Maryland just absolutely demolished the. I shouldn't say absolutely demolished because there's another game later that was an absolute demolishing. They beat New York Atlas 12 to 6. I don't think anybody saw that coming.
speaker-1: No, that was 12 to 4. It was a 12 to 4 game. I don't care what the score sheet says, that was a 12-4 game.
speaker-0: OK, all right. OK, that makes more sense. Your Denver outlaws were able to hold on and win 10 to nine against the California Redwoods and the Boston Canons absolutely beat the crap out of the Philadelphia Water Dogs 19 to five. I'm not even sure 19 to five is is reflective of that game. I mean, they just absolutely pummeled. the Philadelphia Water Dogs. ⁓ What's what's kind of jumping out at you here?
speaker-1: Um, sticking out that second year in a row, I can't pick winners. So... Thanks.
speaker-0: So you went four for four in the college side. What'd you do in the PLL side? One for four. All right. So so far.
speaker-1: ⁓ Even I'm an even four and four I believe on the year so All right. Yeah, I went three and one week one Which is great. Now. This was just a bad bad week ⁓
speaker-0: On the year, all right.
speaker-1: I know, I flipped Boston... Somehow. I-I-
speaker-0: ⁓ you had them winning the first game and losing the second game?
speaker-1: Yeah, I kind of assumed after watching Philly Week 1 that they were gonna come out and be a wagon and just... ...like what happened. ⁓ Denver gets it done, but still would like to see more from the offense. ⁓ The Atlas, I want to see more. End of sentence. ⁓ Carolina, very big bright spot. I'm enjoying watching them. ⁓ They're still a wild card to me of just how they'll end up, but it is fun to just see guys...
speaker-0: They were not.
speaker-1: Getting back in the group, I like seeing Brendan Nicktern find his footing and not just be a one week off type of player. And him and Iker with the Army Connections Fund, I just think in general. ⁓ I mean, was great for his limited time that he played. I know he got injured or had an injury or something. ⁓
speaker-0: Yeah, he went out, so that's going to be something to watch. Yeah, I did forget to throw that in. Every single team now is one and one the entire league, which is even though it's week two, that's just crazy. Like that never happens. So pretty, pretty crazy to see. Like you said, Blaze went out. That's going to be something to kind of keep an eye on. The good news is the entire league is off this week for the NCAA Final Four. So that's
speaker-1: Wait, but I thought starting earlier was gonna make it so we couldn't watch the final four.
speaker-0: I thought...
speaker-1: ⁓ huh. We should notify Twitter that that's not the case.
speaker-0: ⁓ The good news for Carolina is that Austin Coutt was this much worse. think if I remember correctly, Blaze was somewhere around 65, 66 and Austin Coutt was 63%. So, you know, like literally this much worse ⁓ than Blaze was in goal. He's he's definitely a very capable goalie. ⁓
speaker-1: while their stat line was actually nearly identical.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, I think they had the same five goals.
speaker-1: place had one more save and three more percent. is the CSV percentage? that.
speaker-0: Clean save percentage.
speaker-1: Okay, okay, even that, mean, count, I guess, had 5 % on that, yeah, that's insane how close that stat line actually was.
speaker-0: But also I think that that's probably I'm not a goalie expert here. I would think that has to do with playing style, though, because Blaze is kind of butterfly style tends to to not make saves as cleanly. ⁓ It's part of the reason why, like Logan Mcnaney's clean save percentage is like insane. ⁓
speaker-1: Yeah, but that's just because she's the best. ⁓
speaker-0: Well, it's one of the one of the things that makes Denver so good is that he makes so many clean saves and gets the ball up and out and they're they're pushing in transition. ⁓ Speaking of Denver, I think. I think it was a kind of a continuation. They were they were probably better this week than they were in week one, but it still felt a little bit unbalanced, not quite right. Obviously, Brendan O'Neill's shooting woes have continued, ⁓ you know. I don't know what the answer is for him. Obviously, it feels like maybe there is still an injury and or. Maybe there's some kind of adjustment that he hasn't quite made from shooting on on an NLL goal to shooting on a PLO goal. I don't know. ⁓ I don't want to prescribe something that that's crazy and off the walls. I guess the hope would be that he's he's got the weekend off and he can he can rest and heal and maybe do whatever he needs to do and get ready for. Week three, I don't even know. Are they playing week three? I don't even have the list pulled up in front of me.
speaker-1: They are.
speaker-0: They are. OK. ⁓ Boston was a was a big one because ⁓ I said we would talk about Asher and holding Asher did not play in the second game. He was injured, apparently. There was a moment where he kind of pulled up in the Carolina game, but he didn't come out of the game. So nobody really thought much about it. And then he just he he wasn't he wasn't even dressed for the game on. ⁓ On Saturday night. ⁓ I have to say I got a lot, a lot like probably more than we've gotten about anything else. The number one thing that I've gotten hate stuff about has been Asher and ulting. ⁓ had someone I had someone who pulled up a tweet from last summer where I was like, yeah, Asher when people got into the whole, ⁓ his play style doesn't translate, he's going to be done within three years and because he didn't dress in this one game, people were like, see, see, he's already done. And I'm like. Yeah, the quarterback of their offense, they sat after one game because of his play style. ⁓ But I got so many, so many burners that were like, ⁓ yeah, he's so fat, he leaves the league and fat, all this fat, that fat. And I was like. What are we in fifth grade like? Come on, dude. There we can have a conversation about whether or not a guy showed up in shape or not, that's fine. But the idea that like, ⁓ he's he's fat and that's a problem. Like, come on, what are we doing here? ⁓ I do have to say. In in in this much of a defense of them. Brian Kelly, the rookie, filled in very well. He had five points. in this game. ⁓ Admittedly, that probably had a lot to do with Philadelphia just not stopping anything. Matt DeLuca. Matt DeLuca looked like Dylan Ward last year, except he didn't he did not get the win. And a big question for me is what is Philly doing in the goalie position? We talked about it last year. Matt DeLuca should have should have been cemented as the starter last year, and he never was even with his bad as Dylan Ward was playing. He they were still switching games because they just weren't. They they never wanted to give the keys over to Matt DeLuca and. Now they felt like they did in the offseason. were like, OK, Matt, Luke is going to be our guy. They traded Dylan Ward. And. He has rewarded them with this. I didn't think he was great last week. The offense was just significantly better, so it kind of masked it a little bit.
speaker-1: Yeah, but I think they also have a lot of movement on defense that It's hard hard to say until that gets figured out ⁓ No, I know they added Gavin Adler, but I still think anytime you make a move it's just tough to Figure things out and like even in this game compared to game one. They they made a bunch of roster changes to ⁓ Nikai obviously got his first action as well. So Not putting this on the guy just throwing that out there. Sorry
speaker-0: I'm And someone else dressed for the.
speaker-1: I wanna say, did Ben Weir not play- I- I can't remember if Malik Sparrow played Week 1 or not. I feel like they changed their LSM.
speaker-0: I don't think so. Yeah, I think so too. I wanted to say it was Malik, but I couldn't remember if he actually played or not.
speaker-1: He did not play week 1. It was Hudgens and Weier. So maybe they didn't play. Dylan Hess I don't think played this game.
speaker-0: Yeah, because Dylan has his is injured
speaker-1: Yeah, did Witcher play? This second game?
speaker-0: I don't even remember. You'd think I'd remember with as much as that defense was on the field.
speaker-1: He didn't play. But I was according to the stat sheet. again, not saying that that's, you know, responsible for the goalie woes, but yeah, you do want to see more out of DeLuca. And we've seen him have good games. That's why I'm like giving him some grace, because I do think he can be good. But if their strategy is just going to be outscoring teams, even with as good as they are offensively, it's just, it's going to be tough, because there's going to be days like this where your guys just can't hit the broadside of the bar. You know, it's not like they didn't get good shots.
speaker-0: I was going say, to be fair to that offense, Colin Kurse was 80 % in goal. Like short of short of Brett Dobson's game against Carolina a couple of years ago, where he where Carolina only scored one goal and it was like in garbage time. ⁓ That's that was one of the best performances I think I've ever seen.
speaker-1: 16 saves too, so it wasn't just like he went like four for five or something like he was tested and made a lot of say yes
speaker-0: Yeah. And he was he was incredible. And I'm I'm one of those guys that has never fully been sold on Colin Kurst and not that one game sells me on it. But if if you're going to get not even not even this Colin Kurst, because this is this I mean, I say it's I say it's an unattainable level. But we've said that all season about Brad Dobson and the NLL. And he just kind of never fell off. But you have to imagine 80 percent is not going to be where Colin Kurst is all year. But if he's going to be the kind of guy who can give you an 80 % game here and there and and can stay above 60 % the rest of the season. They're going to be really, really tough, especially with with as good as that offense is the other one in gold that I thought was incredible. Emmett Carroll from Maryland against New York. He was at 75 % on 18 saves like goalies this week looked great. across the board because because then you had blaze and and count splitting time and looking really well, really good. ⁓ Logan McNaney was ⁓ sixty five. I think it was something like that. Sixty five with fifteen saves like goalie play this week was really, really good. ⁓ And so, you know, going back to Philadelphia, like you got to give them a little bit of some credit there, but they're going to be real glad to get CJ back. You know, that was not a great look for them this week.
speaker-1: Yeah, I don't know. I'd be happy to get CJ back. I'd be scared to make offensive decisions though. Because they're thinking about how many guys they're getting right now. They're about to get CJ, about to get Silas. And I think I'm missing one more midi. ⁓ Josh Iago. Yep. Like I just don't.
speaker-0: They still haven't played Miles Jones and I was watching this game and was like, ⁓ midfield initiator right now would do you guys so good.
speaker-1: I don't know.
speaker-0: Don't at this point, I'm starting to think that we were just talking about a guy coming in out of shape at this point. I'm starting to wonder if Miles is just like coming into camps out of shape because it just doesn't make any sense to me every time he gets on the I feel I feel like maybe he's just like Tim Tebow. You know, we're like every time Tim Tim Tebow was on a football field, he was playing well, maybe not every single time. You know, he was tight in for the Jets or something. What? And he at one point, but. By and large, when he was on the football field as a quarterback, he was playing well, but the word was always that, you know, he sucked in practice and that's why coaches didn't want to play him in games because he wasn't any good in practice. ⁓ I just, at some point I have to wonder, think Miles Jones still is putting up numbers in games and just getting dropped from teams anyway. And it just doesn't make any sense to me. So. ⁓ The one last one to end the PLL out on, Coulter-Mackasee. He's no longer a Princeton guy, but is still a Princeton guy. Six points in the loss, in the win against Philly. ⁓ A big, big night for him. ⁓ I almost want to ask you how good this Boston team can be, but given where we are, not just in the season, but how incomplete these rosters have been, it might be a little early for that. Let's move over to the other game that took place in Rhode Island this weekend with the WLL playing their first ever regular season game. The first goal was, of course, scored by Charlotte North for the Boston Guard. They jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. then from then on, it was pretty much all New York charging. ⁓ The rest of the way, Izzy Skein and Aaron Coykendale, Doll, Coykin Doll. I think is how you say her name. Both had six points. They were incredible. I didn't even hear Emily Harris Chuck's name. I don't remember once in this game. ⁓ It was fun. don't I don't really know what else to say. It was it was fun. I enjoyed it. It was the only game played this weekend, so there's not a whole lot to really judge it against. ⁓ New York seems to have kind of picked up where they left off in the championship series where they won the championship. ⁓ Next, not not this weekend, but next weekend, we will see the Palms play the charm. ⁓ At that point, I think we'll maybe have. At least at that point, all four teams I've played will at least have some grasp of these teams. But. I felt like the charging and guard were what they were in the championship series. The guard are a good team that can score, but ultimately don't have the depth of the charging. And that was kind of the story of this game, just like it was in the championship series.
speaker-1: Yeah, I don't have much takeaway other than this format is so much better than the college women's game in my opinion. ⁓ So I very much appreciate that they brought that to the WLL. ⁓ I know some people might disagree, but I find it easier for people like myself who don't watch a ton of women's to understand and follow it. ⁓ appreciate it a little bit more than you know sometimes I watch the women's college game and I'm like what what is happening like why yeah so
speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah, I texted a friend. have a friend that's like a women's lacrosse creator, and ⁓ I texted her. We were talking about the game and everything, and I texted her and I was like, women's lacrosse didn't need to change for morons like me who didn't understand the game. It was on me to learn that game, but it certainly is helpful to turn on a WL game and understand what I'm watching. Even there's a there's a few rules here and there that you know, have some nuance to them that maybe I do understand them because the nuances is fairly small. But we saw, you know, we saw a girl be ejected from a game for hitting an opponent with a shot that was, I believe. No, actually, no. know, Alex Alstholman was kicked out of a game in the in championship series for for that last year. But as far as I'm aware, those are the only two times that's ever happened. ⁓ So there are a few things that like you have to kind of adjust to and learn a little bit, but they're not super difficult. Like I understood. OK, she hit someone with a shot. She got rejected. Like it wasn't wasn't that difficult. ⁓ And so I think it is it is helpful. Again, I don't think that women's lacrosse needed to change. I needed to learn their game, not the other way around. But I think it will only help speed maybe that process along as. the WLL continues to play and grow because it's such a more accessible version of the game for people who follow men's lacrosse. ⁓ Especially the fact that, you know, men's and women's lacrosse at the college level isn't even played on the same field. Their fields are longer. They have lines in different spaces. They have different things. The WLL is played on the PLL field like it made so much more sense. There's also I'd have to get someone who knows the women's game a little better than me to explain. There are some rules about about like off sides in the women's game and who can move and what that are very different from the men's and the W.L.L. basically adopted the P.L.L. ⁓ and that they have often.
speaker-1: It's much easier to understand that it's just like, midfield is just, especially because we already have sports like basketball that already have that. It's where it's like, okay, I know I can't cross this. I was watching a women's game recently. It was, I think it was Maryland Northwestern. And it was just like, so hard to follow. Like, okay, so these people can come basically 75 % of the field, but then they can't. So even if I hold the ball right here, they can't touch me because you have to be a couple steps back here and just try to understand all that was just like, I just can't, you know, and like you said, I- yes, I could have learned it, but it's much easier for the casual fan to just be like, ⁓ look, this is lacrosse and ⁓ I just watched a PLL game earlier in the day. I can easily now understand what's happening here. And, and I think it just, it keeps pace of play up as well. It's not have to stop and do different things. ⁓ check. I still, did they, were they checking the stick in PLL or WLL? I mean, after each goal, I didn't take note.
speaker-0: You know what? didn't notice it. want to say no, because because usually, you know, you get that you get the celebration. Although I think if I remember correctly, I think they actually ⁓ barred that you're not allowed to do that anymore. ⁓ But I don't I don't think they were. I don't.
speaker-1: Seeing it so if they did take that out also much appreciated Because I think that slows some things down too, but yeah, it was good place good place to play overall ⁓ tons of scoring which I think is fun for Everybody including the casual fan Lots of good highlight goals the Charlotte North behind the back on the crease nice ⁓ Some great goalie play I thought overall. Yes, 12 saves from each each goalie. So Yes, I still do wish though. There would be maybe have everyone play. I understand that there's only four teams, but maybe just say, if we're gonna have them play, let's just do, you know, two games or whatever, especially when like, I think the Pielo game had like a, like a six hour time gap or something like-
speaker-0: Yeah. that I think it was because I was watching it on the app, so I don't know. But I think I think Michael Harrison shot on Michael Harrison. I know he listens, although he might not listen until next week when he's working on something for the NLL or whatever. But ⁓ I think he mentioned something about it, about there being an ABC time slot or something. That was why one of the the PLL games was bumped up because it was played at the same time as one of the quarterfinal games. And if they had. If they had not played it there and if they had played it between the PLL between the WL game and the PLL game and just gone WL back to back PLL games, you would have just literally had one game on all day from like, you know, noon when the first quarterfinal kicked off until like 1030 p.m. when the last PLL game ended. But I think he mentioned something about there being an ABC time slot. And that's why that game was played in that kind of weird time space. But. I had the same thought. understand it's for it's a four team league. And you either play two games in a weekend and play less weekends, which I don't think they wanted. I think they wanted the WLL represented represented in as many weeks as possible. Or you have to play the same teams over and over and over and over again and probably play 15 games in a regular season or something as opposed to to just the 10. So ⁓ I'm with you. I wish that we had seen the poems and the charm play this weekend, but I I also kind of understand where they're coming from. So I'm like, it's kind of like a catch 22 for me. Like, I don't know, you know, which which way makes more sense. So, you know, bummer. But I guess I get it also. So. ⁓ Yeah, and until we really see them, it's hard to talk about the future. I did want to you mentioned goalies. I didn't want to say she Dolce playing in her debut game. She was just drafted out of Boston College. She was actually only available in this game because Boston College got beat, got upset and didn't make the quarterfinals for the women's team side of the tournament. So she was able to make her debut this week. She looked incredible. Madison Doucet is, I think, the best goalie in the world. ⁓ So incredible goalie play. There were some great, great goals. Like you said, the Charlotte BTP, Aaron Coykendall had a couple of really, really good ones. ⁓ The talent of these games is off the charts. I love watching them. Like you said, pace of play is fun. I'm looking forward to seeing them the rest of the season. A couple of quick hits before we get out of here. ⁓ UNC advanced to the Final Four on the women's side. Stony Brook ended their ⁓ kind of Cillera Cinderella run to Johns Hopkins and Northwestern actually needed double overtime to beat Colorado. Some some pretty fun games going on over there. I don't have a note on who the fourth team is. Northwestern, Hopkins, UNC. I don't know who the fourth one is. But someone will tell us ⁓ the other note that I wrote was. that your Denver Pioneer ladies club ladies won the national championship. Pretty cool. I don't know if I don't know if I know you shoot the men's club team. I don't know if you ever shot the women's club team, but I saw that this weekend. I was like, ⁓ that's pretty cool. Definitely cool to see the game growing out there. So before we head out of here, what you got going on this week?
speaker-1: they did. Going camping so no no sports for me. Just Might bring a camera see what I can Photograph of the nature don't hold me to that there might be no photos from this trip. I don't I Don't really do that a ton, so we'll see about that But on that note anyone has yeah if anyone has any anything to shoot in Colorado over the next three months, please let me know I am available for quite a few things so Just gonna put that out there.
speaker-0: I'm trying to think.
speaker-1: Unfortunately soccer is taking a mon-fong break for the World Cup, so that eliminates three teams in my area.
speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, sure it does. I mean, not that it'll go through the summer, but maybe you can see the hurricanes lift the cup in Denver.
speaker-1: Yeah, that I am. I have lunch, beat hurricanes every time.
speaker-0: me.
speaker-1: It's not happening.
speaker-0: Well, listen, both of our teams got to make it there first, but.
speaker-1: Yeah, but I mean, one of those teams has Nathan McKinnon.
speaker-0: One of those teams has Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. Who? You know who they are. Don't act like you don't know who they are.
speaker-1: When was the last time they won the cup? I can't seem to...
speaker-0: Congrats!
speaker-1: Thanks, appreciate that.
speaker-0: What's that got to do with this year?
speaker-1: I just want you to know you're gonna lose again this year. Nate Dog, Makar, the boys are pooping right now.
speaker-0: So where are my boys? My boys been sitting at home for a week because they've already
speaker-1: All that lactic acid is building up. They're gonna come out and be stiff and not gonna be able to do anything.
speaker-0: I'm I'm worried about that. I'm worried about them having taken too long of a break because they were because they got the job done so quickly. And I think I think by the time they actually play Montreal, they'll have had 11 days off, which is the longest break in the modern game. The I think it was the 1919 Montreal Canadians had a 12 day break, but no one no one since then has had more than 10 days off. And I'm like, ⁓ no, that could be bad.
speaker-1: Hey, hey, I would take I would take a series. I think that'd be our hardest series by a country mile you know barring something crazy happening against the Knights, but these first two series have just been like We just fat you know any fat one playing a sports video game and you fast forward through the rounds that's basically what I would like to do just because it's You know you try to take it for granted, but it is kind of like
speaker-0: It's yeah, no, it is tough, especially because, you know, Carolina, another thing that they did that no one's done before is swept the first two rounds, which is part of the reason why they have this this break that no one's ever had before. And it's like, cool. Clearly, we are a very good, like very dominant team that you would think should handle the Canadians. But that's why you play the games, because.
speaker-1: You know why both of them were so much success? They both traded Miko Rantan in the last... What was it? 12 months? 18 months? Something like that? That's the key to success right there. Apparently.
speaker-0: You Apparently, he says.
speaker-1: He's a great player, but I'm just saying.
speaker-0: Apparently he's not that great of a player.
speaker-1: He's a very great individual player. just, you know, plays for the stars. Shout out Minnesota.
speaker-0: Minnesota.
speaker-1: ⁓ They beat the stars.
speaker-0: I was like, the nor-
speaker-1: Granted we beat them in five after that, but you know, hey, they did a cool thing. Round one.
speaker-0: They did a cool thing. Learning so much about you. Apparently, you don't like Dallas.
speaker-1: No A.S. you'll ever meet likes the Dallas Star.
speaker-0: I was saying the city.
speaker-1: ⁓ I've been to Dallas, fine. I've been there once, I mean...
speaker-0: I tried to waffle to you.
speaker-1: Yeah, yeah, no, you're... It's not gonna hit me.
speaker-0: ⁓ so you so you what you're saying is you hate Dallas? That's what I heard.
speaker-1: Yep, 100%. Poor city in this state, by far.
speaker-0: in the states.
speaker-1: In the states, yeah. Yep.
speaker-0: All right, that is all for this week. If you enjoyed this episode, the last lifers club is where our community lives between episodes. It's a discord for fans watching lacrosse year round, not just when the tournament's on, a.k.a. 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 and or watching. this episode on. takes about 30 seconds and it genuinely helps people find us. We will be back next week. So until then, we'll catch you guys in the comments.