2004 season

[mustang_lax]

you guys think that the Barrage will actually have a chance this summer due to the acquaring of Cattrano? Also with Polanco at defense will they finally place another rank besides last???

[WarriorLax22]

wasn't nicky at defense last year? i think if baltimore gets tillman, then the barrage may finish in third to last. but remember that everyone thought bridgeport was heading to the top with rotelli and springer and they left everyone in disappointment. they really have a lot of talent, but they just don't have much teamwork. i'm betting boston will come in last this year. here's what i'm thinking:
1. lizards
2. baltimore
3. bridgeport
4. new jersey
5. rochester
6. boston

[MontclairLax]

i disagree

[WarriorLax22]

ok...it's one thing to say you disagree, but it's another to offer some evidence.

[MontclairLax]

good thinking, this are my standings
1. Pride
2. Lizards
3. Cannons
4. Bayhawks
5. Rattlers
6. Bridgeport

[Stopper22]

I dont see why everyone is over lookign the Rattlers so badly. Other than goalie, they have some of the best players in the leauge. Lets not forget that Ryan Powell only played like 1/4 of the season. Also we will be getting Mike Powell. Or even T. johnson. I dont see why everyone thinks they will do so badly.

1. Lizards
2.Rattlers
3.Bayhawks
4.NJ
5.cannons
6.Barrage

[mustang_lax]

yeah i agree with stopper. The rattlers are one of the top teams if not the top team if only they had a goalie. I think the rattlers and cannons will do great this year...the cannons have gotten so close to winning. My standings:::

1. Lizards
2. Cannons
3. Rattlers
4. Bayhawks
5. Barrage
6. pride

the bayhawks gave away cattrano and even if they do get tillman idk if he'll be like cattrano. Rattlers will have the best attack pairing with the powells. Cannons will step it up they've gotten too close too many times. Barrage will get better but no where near the top. Pride...will just finish last. Lizards will always be a powerhouse

[WarriorLax22]

yeah, i thought so, too. then i remembered how two powells didn't exactly get it done last year.

[mustang_lax]

well warrior you haveto take into consideration that Ryan Powell only played 3 or 4 games last year..not much to bring a team to the top. If he's healthy this year and if the rattlers get Mike Powell...oh watch out for the ministers of attack.. they'd run up a scoring muck

[WarriorLax22]

that's true. mike howley was telling me how ryan really made a difference, but it was too late in the season.

[jmplax31]

OK, I think:

Long Island
New Jersey
Boston
Bridgeport
Rochester
Baltimore

(picks are subject to change after the college draft.)

[mustang_lax]

Baltimore last place...oh man i wish i could see that happening. I dont hate baltimore but im sick and tired of watching the lizards and baltimore duke it out for the championship

[jmplax31]

yeah, I feel like baltimore is getting a little old, and if they don't get a new goalie, I could see them in the bottom. Like I said i'm not going to make inal picks till the college draft.

[mustang_lax]

yea thats true. I heard that Baltimore's average age player is like 30.. as oppossed to Bridgeport which is 20 or so. Yet again Baltimore is old but they're good...so yeah

[MontclairLax]

Mustand Lax, why Pride last?

[mustang_lax]

well the pride has a great attacker in Hubbard and midfielder in Shanon..but they can only do so much. They next a couple more offensive threats. also their defense isnt all that great. Tierney has done a decent job but they need better guys to defend the posts

[MontclairLax]

they had the number one defense last year

[mustang_lax]

Actually they had the 3rd best defense. The Bayhawks and Lizards had better defenses than them. They need better offense. Their offensive rank was pretty good but when you break it down... Hubbard had 50 goals last summer. thats more than 1/4 the goals they had. They need more offense

[mustang_lax]

defense wins championships...plain and simple. Last summer every team including bridgeport scored more goals than baltimore and long island. But then again Baltimore and Long Island let in the least goals so its important to have a better defense than offense

[Stopper22]

Originally posted by mustang_lax
well the pride has a great attacker in Hubbard and midfielder in Shanon..but they can only do so much. They next a couple more offensive threats. also their defense isnt all that great. Tierney has done a decent job but they need better guys to defend the posts they will miss Hess more than anyone is guessing i think

[mustang_lax]

yea he too was one of the better players on the team

[Stopper22]

hes the only player in the league with 100 assists, thats extremly hard to replace. Not many guys are so gifted and unselfish

[mustang_lax]

that tis true..that tis true. i too try to assist more than i score. Last year I believe i had 15 goals and 24 assist or something like that. I was a freshman too my coach this year is bringin me up to varsity cause i was on jv last year and now he says I've proven myself..yeah.. anyway he said "A player that makes a team great is more valuable than a great player" That is totally true in Hess' case

[MontclairLax]

one player has the potential to fill Jon Hess' shoes in the 04' draft. his name is Ryan Boyle. Most unselfish play in college like Hess, knows the Princeton system, like hess, has some one great to feed to, Jesse HUbbard.

[mustang_lax]

yep Boyle is a great feeder as well as an overall player

[MontclairLax]

hokpe he can fill Hess' shoes

[cannonslax624]

yeah he'll be there by the number four pick for nj...cannons have an assister in connor gill, so that means that it'll go tillman, mike powell, chris passavia, THEN ryan boyle...yeah he should be available

[MontclairLax]

thank god

[cannonslax624]

yeah, i mean who knows, someone could pick him up before the fourth pick, but i doubt it

[MontclairLax]

na, they wont, and if they do, o no, if they do! tear, tear

[cannonslax624]

that seriously would be bad for the pride if he were gone by the fourth pick...they seriously need an attack to assist...hubbard and urick can score, but arent the assisters hess was...you cant figure the hawks will take him, or the rattlers, and i doubt the cannons will...with gill, evans, watson and not to mention bobby benson from hopkins...i doubt they take him...he should be available

[jmplax31]

I would not put it passed Boston to go for Boyle, he is after all the thrid best player in the draft so it would make sense for him to go third right. Besides, Watson and Evans are getting up there in age. Benson can be trade bait to someone. Anyway, you don't just have to pick Boyle for this season. He will be the next "Hess" in this league and why would you not want to bank on that in the future?

[cannonslax624]

You dont think the Cannons need more defense than anything? I mean, Peyser, Kuczma and Curtis are great, but Kuczmas getting old , and they need more than3 dpoles on the team...I wouldnt mind getting Boyle, dont get me wrong...but if this team were to go for what they need, not the best player available, id bet they go with passavia or zink...this team needs defense

[MontclairLax]

whos style of play fits the MLL more, passavvia or zink?

[cannonslax624]

i think both are really good...passavia fits it better i think

[MontclairLax]

coo coo, ive never seen either of them play

[NeMeSiS]

i think cattrano will bring a great defensive leadership, but they need better defense without doubt one or 2 good d men can only do so much

[MontclairLax]

especially with the attackmen in the MLL, every team is loaded

[cannonslax624]

well...i dunno about every team...bostons loaded, rochester is loaded...new jerseys loaded...but baltimore and long island arent exactly loaded COMPARED to the other teams...bridgeports better off than those two, in that their worst attack is better than the other teams' worst attack