LAX Sports !

By Sean Connolly

As I predicted. John Grant and the Rattlers absolutely destroyed the Outlaws this weekend with a 16-6 beating. The Rattlers set themselves apart from every other team this season, and they did the same this past weekend.

They were led by the MLL MVP John Grant and Joe Walters stepped up big time for the Rattlers this weekend. He was named the Championship Weekend MVP, as he should as he had 6 goals and 5 assists in just two games…the most important two games of the season.

This whole season the only team I could see taking down the Rattlers were the Outlaws. They had the only team in the league that could possibly compete with the complete team of the Rattlers. But, this weekend they proved me wrong.

As it turns out, surprisingly, the Philadelphia Barrage ended up playing the Rattlers better. In the MLL Playoff Semifinal between the Barrage and Rattlers, the game went into overtime and for several moments it seemed like an upset was imminent. But luckily for John Grant and company they overcame the tough minded Barrage. The game on Sunday though was not nearly as close.

The Rattlers dominated throughout and it makes me wonder if the Barrage won in overtime against the Rattlers if they would be champions. Let’s put it this way if the Outlaws played the way they did on Sunday against the Barrage, the Barrage would be the New York Giants of Major League Lacrosse…Ok maybe I went too far, but these Lacrosse comparisons are tough!

By Sean Connolly

That’s what I’m talking about! Finally, the most exciting season in MLL history is now being supplemented with an outrageously exciting playoff race that encompasses several teams in both the West and East. Let’s take a look at the table right now…

Western Conference

Denver 7-3-0

Los Angeles 5-4-0

Chicago 3-7-0

San Fransisco 2-7-0

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia 6-3-0

Boston 6-3-0

Rochester 6-3-0

Long Island 5-4-0

New Jersey 3-6-0

Washington 3-6-0

How great is this? We have a three way tie in the East between the Philadelphia Barrage, Boston Cannons, and the Rochester Rattlers. Don’t count out Long Island either as they’re just one game behind. The West is clearer to say the least but Los Angeles has been playing well and could sneak up on Denver…but don’t count on it. Denver has just dominated this season and has shown the Lacrosse world that they are the team to beat.

I predicted earlier in the season that it would be a match up between Rochester and Denver in the finals, but this race might be taking a toll on Grant and the Rattlers. Denver has been rolling along smoothly and I think they’re too strong to be taken down.

No matter the result this season will go down as the MLL’s best. Whether it’s Denver, Rochester, or my personal dark horse, Long Island Lizards who takes the crown it’s gonna be an absolute pleasure to watch.

By Sean Connolly

Lacrosse is slowly getting there. The thing is though, it’s slowly getting there. What should the MLL do to improve the league and expand itself? For me it all starts with marketing.

John Grant of the Rochester Rattlers

After Syracuse beat Johns Hopkins, lacrosse was on a high. The championship was widely televised on ESPN and garnered the biggest audience for a lacrosse match. I think right there was the MLL’s chance to shine. And personally, I don’t think they did enough. It was a real legit chance in which they had lacrosse on the proverbial sports pedestal and they failed to hit the nail on the head.

They need to start marketing the big names. In every league in America, big names draw big crowds which bring in big money. Every league has an untouchable hero in which like him or hate him, you have to appreciate him. One player who I think can easily take that role is John Grant of the Rochester Rattlers. He is easily the best player in lacrosse and has been around for a while, so every one appreciates what he’s done. He won last year’s MLL MVP in both the indoor and outdoor league showing his versatility. John Grant should be made the face of the league.

Rattlers’ Attack Man John Grant

Also to develop a league, great story lines need to be developed. Now I’m not saying the MLL should go on making up stories but they need to really drive home the really good ones. They need to make a hero out of John Grant and he needs an adversary. Since Grant plays for Rochester, an East Coast team, his opposite has to reside on the west coast to really develop a rivalry. I think Brian Langtry is the man for that job. He plays for a well rounded hard to beat Denver Outlaws team and would fit the role perfectly. If they can market these two as enemies of each other duking it out it will definitely garner interest.

Brian Langtry of the Denver Outlaws

The biggest chance the have though is coming up a week from today. The MLL All-Star game. It is being held in Denver at Mile High Stadium and is a real opportunity for the MLL to strut its stuff. People will tune in to an all-star game if they don’t follow the league. It happens all the time in American sports. When the MLB has their all-star game next week I guarantee many people will tune in who don’t normally watch baseball. The thing I’m most excited for is the Skills Challenge. John Grant is a participant and it’s going to be so much fun to see what he can do. The MLL needs to realize what is at stake on July 17th when the All-Star game is being played, because if they don’t this league could crumble in a matter of years.