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Washington Stealth

“For every guy on this team and every person in this organization, anything other than a championship is going to be really disappointing” – Lewis Ratcliff, plus the post-season links

Lewis Ratcliff is hoping for a second Champion's Cup title this year, this time with the Stealth (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

It’s been six seasons since Lewis Ratcliff has sipped from the National Lacrosse League’s Champion’s Cup, doing it of coure with the Calgary Roughnecks during the ‘04 season.

With the Washington Stealth finishing at the top of the 2010’s season standings, Ratcliff tells The Seattle Times, anything but another title won’t be good enough this year. “For every guy on this team and every person in this organization, anything other than a championship is going to be really disappointing.”

The Stealth are up against the Minnesota Swarm at home in Everett’s Comcast Arena tomorrow night (10:30PM EST NLL Network), their first post-season step to this year’s Champion’s Cup. After the jump, check out the rest of today’s links (jam packed with post-seasoon chatter, and a helluva lot more Battle of Alberta coverage… have never seen anything like this)… READ MORE »

Philadelphia Wings, Washington Stealth

2010 National Lacrosse League season: What happened to the Knighthawks, and which Geoff Snider is best for Philly?

The Knighthawks had a lot of promise on offense, but couldn't deliver. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

So the 2010 regular season of the National Lacrosse League is in the books. We saw some great lacrosse, and some not-so-great lacrosse. But what’s that old adage about a bad day of lacrosse still being better than a good day at work? We think so too. That said, we sifted our way through the record books and stat sheets to see if we could find anything noteworthy about the season just completed and the playoff season that’s about to get started. And ya know what? We did. So if you’re a stats kinda fan, turn the page and check out some of news and notes we thought are pretty interesting as we get ready for the first round of the 2010 playoffs. READ MORE »

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National Lacrosse League Playoff Time

Can the Boston Blazers bounce back after dropping a rough one last week? Ty Pilson thinks so. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

It’s playoff time. The best part of the season, in my opinion.

In a perfect world, I’d love to see a three-, five-, or seven-game series when it comes to the NLL post-season. However, here in the real world, we know that’s not possible for a multitude of reasons. The consolation is that one-and-done is as exciting a playoff format as you can have. So, here’s my take on the four contests this weekend. READ MORE »

Boston Blazers, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Edmonton Rush, Minnesota Swarm, Orlando Titans, Pick 'Em, Toronto Rock, Washington Stealth

National Lacrosse League Playoff Picks

It’s playoff time! All four games will get off the ground on Saturday starting with Edmonton and Calgary battling at 3:00 p.m. From what I’ve been told, the Toronto-Buffalo game at 7:30 is going to be on TSN2 so check it out! In addition to just the picks table you’re used to seeing in this post, each of the guys gave their thoughts on the matchup as well. All that after the jump!
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A few notes from the League- TV coverage, Fines and Rulings

A few quick updates from the League’s head office in regard to some burning questions on the minds of all you lax fans out there.

The NLL Champions Cup game is to air on U.S. TV Sunday May 16^th at 2 p.m. That is a hard-set date. The question many fans have been asking is will it be live? According to the NLL, “the game broadcast time is set, but we are not going to force a team that can host the championship game on Saturday night to move it to Sunday afternoon to be live.  So it will likely be tape delay, unless the host team decides to host the game on Sunday at 2pm Eastern, which would make it a live broadcast. READ MORE »

Buffalo Bandits, Toronto Rock

TSN2 to broadcast Toronto Rock vs. Buffalo Bandits playoff game live, plus the links

After a huge win last week against Boston, can Brett Bucktooth and the Bandits do the same to Toronto (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

NLL Insider contributor and TSN comentator Brian Shannahan gave us the nod this morning that the Toronto Rock vs. Buffalo Bandits East Divisoin Semi-Final on Saturday will indeed by broadcast live on TSN2 (click here to find out what channel you need to dial up), the game starting at 7:30PM EST at the Air Canada Centre, a barn that’ll be hosting it’s first playoff game since ‘05 (when they beat the Arizon Sting in the Champion’s Cup final), a city that hasn’t won a playoff game since that same season.

The Rock of course hooked up with TSN earlier this year to broadcast several of their regular season games, the first time the team was back on national TV in a number of seasons. For the rest of this weekend’s playoff clashes on Saturday, hit up the NLL Network on NLL.com, and for today’s links… READ MORE »

NLL 3 Stars

Three Star Challenge: Casey Powell, Rhys Duch and Josh Sanderson lead in wins, Kurtis Wagar stands ground, plus 2010 sock-tricks

Rhys Duch ripped a rare sock-trick against Rochester, one of only six guys to bury six this year (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

Well that’s all she wrote, our final set of stars are being handed out today in Insider’s Three Star Challenge finale, giving props to the guys week-to-week that came up big every weekend of the regular season.

The name brand guys did their typical damage in the National Lacrosse League’s Week 16, but there were some secondary performances, and yet another hot backup/relief effort, that headlines the rest of the nods this week. After the jump, check out our top studs from last weekend, and find out who the six guys were this year that buried sock-tricks, that scoring feat happening twice in the same game this past weekend. READ MORE »

Edmonton Rush, NLL Girls, Washington Stealth

NLLInsider Girl of the Year Playoffs: It’s Meghan of the Stealth vs. Amber of the Rush

Amber

(Meghan)

Kate P of the Colorado Mammoth rolled to an easy win over Jade to advance into the next round. We have to say goodbye to Jade, who will surely find her place on the McDonalds’ menu in the near future. Kate P. lives to compete another day, congratulations to her as she avenges a first round knockout of her teammates Haley. READ MORE »

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National Lacrosse League Team Reports for Week 16: Vote for your team MVP

Will Tim O'Brien, Mike McLellan and the Titans cash in on this year's NLL playoff run? (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

Eleven teams started this 2010 National Lacrosse League season and just 8 get to continue it this weekend. That means 3 teams are left in the cold. Did it all unfold the way we thought it would with the East Division and West Division and did you readers (voters) peg your teams correctly? Either way, there’s a championship to play for and no matter who finished where among the playoff participants, it’s a 1-shot deal each weekend from here on out. As the old saying goes, they’re all 0-0 now. So go ahead and check out the Week 16 Team Reports and while you’re at it, cast your vote for who you think is the MVP for each of the 11 teams. READ MORE »

Off the Rug

Preparing for Playoffs in the National Lacrosse League (NLL)

The playoff scheduling in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) sees a winner-take-all scenario that makes every battle a Game 7 – and provides for some outstanding lacrosse that will conclude with a nationally televised game in the United States during championship weekend, May 14-16.

Getting ready for those big games that start up this weekend can be intense. But the pros offer it’s best to prepare for the most important games like you would any other. READ MORE »