IL's NLL preview [Archive] - The Lacrosse Forums

Hooligan

12-30-2005, 09:51 AM

Here's what they had to say about team rankings:

Eastern Division
1. Toronto (#1 overall)
2. Rochester (#3 overall)
3. Buffalo (#4 overall)
4. Philadelphia (#6 overall)
5. Minnesota (#9 overall)

Western Division
1. Calgary (#2 overall)
2. Arizona (#5 overall)
3. San Jose (#7 overall)
4. Colorado (#8 overall)
5. Portland (#10 overall)
6. Edmonton (#11 overall)

My question to you is, are they correct? To me, Rochester is ranked way too high, and Arizona is ranked way too low. While the top 6 teams have some deadly lineups on offense and defense, in the second and third lines of some of those teams are shallow. Personally, I feel there are still some surprises in the NLL left to see. San Jose could be one of those teams, as well as Minnesota. Colorado and Rochester, I feel, will be two teams that routinely make the post-season, to be the "odd man out" this year.

Laxin2266

12-30-2005, 10:08 AM

I think that Colorado is ranked too low.

dougm

12-30-2005, 02:11 PM

philly has not had this much talent since 2001 but alot of it lacks nll seasoning. if anything, their attitude will be alot better which means they won't hang their heads once the going gets rough.
i'm ok w/ the rating.

tomahawks11

12-30-2005, 02:13 PM

rochester is too high... casey zaph wont be playing with them for a while and he is a huge part of their defense..... toronto is ranked as usual #1... other than that i cant find anything wrong with it

Gaber

12-30-2005, 03:53 PM

i think arizona is rated low this year, they were the underdogs of last season and ended up losing in the final. also take into concideration dan dawson and craig conn. but as much as i wanna see a new champion, it looks about right.

Hooligan

12-30-2005, 04:17 PM

Zona has one of the most underrated offenses in the NLL. I think you could see them surprise more people this year. Bruce Codd is a force on D as well.

Look for them to possibly be the darkhorse this year.

cbhslacrossemid

12-30-2005, 04:24 PM

I'm bias as a Minnesota fan, but they will suprise some teams. They were a first year team last year and had some adjusting to do. As is expected. Also, their top player in my opioin had come in late from Philly (Ryan Ward) which contributed to their slow start. The team is very young with Ward Culp and others and will only continue to get better.

CoUgArLAX18

12-30-2005, 04:35 PM

colorado is deff. ranked way too low

tomahawks11

12-30-2005, 05:23 PM

i think portland is actually a little under-ranked....i think they will be strong contenders for the western division this year... just my opinion though..... also i think buffalo will have a very strong team that could make the conference finals

HRLAXER

12-30-2005, 05:47 PM

portland is rated too low. GO OREGON!

rampartmiddie

12-30-2005, 06:13 PM

Portland is looking really good, they picked up Philly legend Dallas Eliuk. With him in goal, the Morgan brothers, Brodie Merrill, Ted Dowling, and Ryan Powell things are looking solid. This team may not go all the way this year but I think they will be competing for the best in the West.

cbhslacrossemid

12-30-2005, 06:47 PM

Dallas Eluik deffinatly makes things alot better for Portland. Let's just hope he plays.

NLLStormCA

12-30-2005, 06:48 PM

the storm had a strong offensive, they just need d this year and they will be good...so the JAX shoudl be rated HIGHER>...

Hooligan

12-31-2005, 01:35 AM

Shawn Cable, Casey Powell, and _____________?

I keep hearing how good the Storm were, but I really have never seen the organization with the team. Problem #1 with the Storm franchise was getting them on the same page, for anything...let alone the game.

rampartmiddie

12-31-2005, 02:05 AM

The Storm is dead. I think that those involved with the Storm that are now in Portland know what mistakes were made down South and will not be making them in PDX>

NLLStormCA

12-31-2005, 02:36 AM

pick any one of the morgan brothers...scott #8, Dal...i cant wait to see what happens when the JAX play the WINGS...I hate to see ROIK look bad...but hey you better be nice to Roik that guy is a great guy...

and do we have to go back into the reasons it didnt work in anahiem...anyways there is going to be a team back in 07, if the pond gets there way...

Wings going down in Feb...

Hooligan

12-31-2005, 08:46 AM

Anaheim was not a good team. Portland will have to prove to me they can play together, before I believe. The West isn't as tough as the East, so if they get a few lucky wins, and keep in close games, they could find themselves in the playoffs, and from there anything is possible. But talent isn't their strong suit.

Roik is a very good goalie. He's matured a bit, which will help him immensely. That season in San Jose must have helped him out. Check back through my posts, you'll see I've been saying that since about July...when I saw him play in an OLA game, and saw a much different Matt Roik.

Rock

01-01-2006, 04:24 PM

Portland has got some good players but with limited shelf life left for Dowling and Eliuk. Cant see either of them going for more than a couple more years, but I can totally see Merrill picking up the reigns for Portland. As for the Storm, they should have one more year left to try and get it going down south but if not, please move the franchise to Vancouver (damn GM place strike :angry: )

Im just disapointed that Dowling left the roughies again. The most amazing duo I have ever seen is Keluskey and Dowling, they knew EXACTLY where each other were every shift.

stegmakk

01-03-2006, 01:50 PM

Philly should be real good this year...#2 in east...Roch slips to 3 in East...Buffalo remains low at #4 and the swarm are still too young to get out of the basement in east...

tastycakes

01-04-2006, 11:36 AM

Roik is a very good goalie. He's matured a bit, which will help him immensely. That season in San Jose must have helped him out. Check back through my posts, you'll see I've been saying that since about July...when I saw him play in an OLA game, and saw a much different Matt Roik.

when the hell did matt roik play in san jose???

think anyone that knows anything about matt roik would agree that he did all his maturing when he played in victoria

a different matt roik from when??? I don't get what you're trying to say here. what two different roiks are you comparing???

Boxla

01-04-2006, 01:24 PM

The Stealth seem a little underated. I'm going to go out on a limb here but personally I think cosmo is going to rip it up this season. Coming off a solid mann cup win in another impressive season north of the border. It's about time he steps into the limelight and he better if wants to keep all that playing time. With two goalie behind him that could be starters elsewhere. Player wise the stealth were good last year, and they didn't lose much if anything. They are all a year older and mature.

RockStar

01-04-2006, 03:37 PM

.....
think anyone that knows anything about matt roik would agree that he did all his maturing when he played in victoria.......

I'll give you that he learned how to win in Victoria. However, I'd say that the trial by fire the last two summer seasons has polished him into a top-tier NLL goalie.

In the Athletics' goal, he's seeing more rubber than a Thai hooker every night he plays (Their defense is somewhat more porous then Victoria's). Here, Roik is often "first star" in a win, or the sole reason the game was close.

BTW - I was at the summer game Hooligan is referring to. I can confirm that Roik destroyed the Redmen's final remaining playoff hopes almost singlehandedly that night.

tastycakes

01-04-2006, 03:46 PM

I'll give you that he learned how to win in Victoria. However, I'd say that the trial by fire the last two summer seasons has polished him into a top-tier NLL goalie.

In the Athletics' goal, he's seeing more rubber than a Thai hooker every night he plays (Their defense is somewhat more porous then Victoria's). Here, Roik is often "first star" in a win, or the sole reason the game was close.

BTW - I was at the summer game Hooligan is referring to. I can confirm that Roik destroyed the Redmen's final remaining playoff hopes almost singlehandedly that night.

he was getting shelled long before anaheim, see new jersey storm. and ask anyone that played on either team, the west coast storm were a lot better than the team from the swamp. roik was getting the same accolades in jersey as he was in anaheim, he was often the best player on the floor in new jersey as well. he's been a solid keeper since he went full time in the nll, but becasue of where he played no one took notice. :whyme:

Hooligan

01-04-2006, 04:12 PM

when the hell did matt roik play in san jose???
My fault. The Wings got him from SJ, he never played there. He was slated to back up Cosmo.

tastycakes

01-04-2006, 04:37 PM

My fault. The Wings got him from SJ, he never played there. He was slated to back up Cosmo.

didn't san jose say they drafted and then dealt roik to philadelphia in a premeditated deal to get one of the wing's high picks

don't think roik was ever going to be in san jose

either way, you feel he matured over the last year but didn't even know where he played

bottom line is, roik's been a great goalie for years, and this is a perfect example that not even a so called "insider" knew where he played professional lacrosse last year let alone that he looked great AGAIN

Hooligan

01-04-2006, 05:04 PM

tastycakes

01-04-2006, 05:12 PM

The only thing holding Matt back has been his firey temper.

The Wings did intend to get at least one of San Jose's goaltenders before the draft. They found out one of them was completely out of the question. The other was reasonable. Thus, we have Matt Roik in Philly. And we in Philly are happy with him...very happy.

example please?

outside of the other night in colorado, when was the last time roik's temper got him into any trouble, let alone held his career back?

he had a whole 9 minutes in penalties this summer and a whopping 10 in his two years in anaheim. hardly the kind of numbers I would say held a keeper's career back.

he's been highly touted since he was drafted by toronto, who had cosmo not done what he's done, it would have been roik behind watson. pretty high praise if you ask me.

Hooligan

01-04-2006, 08:09 PM

example please?
I'm not talking PIMs, I'm talking temper and its effects on his game. There have been times that a 3 goal run has pissed Roik off to the point that he couldn't pull himself out of it, and he had to be pulled. I witnessed one game in particular that he held an 8 goal lead, and one by one he allowed a few weak goals by, and got so pissed at himself, through 2 goalie rotations, allowed the game to get away from himself.

I totally agree that Roik has all the makings of a championship calibur goalie in the NLL. And I think he's plenty mature and ready enough for it.

tastycakes

01-04-2006, 08:34 PM

I've seen Eliuk, Watson and a ton of others chased out of their crease, that's boxla. I watch keeper stats pretty closely, all stats in fact, and can't say I remember roik recently dropping an 8 goal lead becasue of his temper and its effects on his game. Out of interest, what game was that? not denying it didn't happen, just can't remember every seeing that, especially recently.

Hooligan

01-04-2006, 08:45 PM

It was a NJ Storm game...that would make it at least...4 years ago? It was against the Wings. Derek General was the backup. I believe it was 2002 or 2003.

tastycakes

01-04-2006, 09:32 PM

looked up the games, four total games between those franchises and roiker never did anything like you say, in fact, he only played in two of those four games

don't think what you say ever happened.

I hate it when people toss this kinda crap around on message boards, making statements about guy's careers, but have no idea what they're are talking about and making stuff up.

Hooligan

01-04-2006, 10:05 PM

Um tasty, I admire your efforts to prove me wrong, but I know what I saw. In the stat sheet you may not find evidence, but it happened.

And I'll thank you not to question my integrity. I don't lie. If you wish this to continue, please PM me. I would be happy to talk about games past with you. I always like making new friends who're just as into the sport as I am. But I think we've run our course on this thread.

tastycakes

01-04-2006, 10:24 PM

so the stat sheet, the sheet used to track exactly what happened in the game is wrong???? are you kidding me dude!

not interested in pming with people, joined the forum for an open, public FORUM, which I assumed this was. you can say you're not lying all you want but you're definitely full of crap on this one dude.

but if this is true, all professional leagues better think twice about keeping score sheets, since apparently a super fan's four year old recolections are more accurate then real stats written down as soon as they happen.

do threads usually run their course after your bs comes to the forefront???

Hooligan

01-05-2006, 02:59 PM

I just noticed something. You joined here, and each one of your posts has been in this thread. Is your whole purpose to come here and call me a liar, just because your stat sheet doesn't tell the whole story? I even admitted that I didn't remember the entire thing. I even admitted that the actual numbers could have been off. But you have spent the entire time here on TLF just to prove me wrong? Wow, you're life is completely useless if thats the case.

Look, I'm not here to pick a fight with you. I told you I've seen Matt Roik get pissed off, and its effected his game. You don't want to believe that, then fine. I could give a crap less. I've seen Steve Deitrich, Bob Watson, Dallas Eliuk, Matt Disher, Matt Roik, etc...all get pissed off and had it effect his game. The fact is, Roik has the body language to back it up. He's slammed his stick, he's cursed out his players on the field, all things that SHOW the opposing team and his own coach that he's fired up, and ripe for the picking. You don't want to believe that either? FINE! I DON'T CARE.

You're stat sheet doesn't tell you the truth either. I can make a stat lie straight through its teeth. I could show you stats that show Casey Powell is a force in the NLL, when anyone who has watched one game knows he's just another righty attacker. I don't get it. You want to live by your stat sheet, and be a jackass to me, then so be it.

But don't think for a second I'm going to allow you to disrespect me. Moderator or not, I don't stand for this crap. You better shape up, and fly right. You want to show things that you have, we're ready for it. I want you to post every shred of knowledge you have about the game, but if you disagree with someone, you better NEVER express yourself respectfully.

Once again, I could care less if I'm wrong with the numbers, but I KNOW what I saw.

ColtsLax

01-05-2006, 03:13 PM

I have to go with hoolie here, when i was at the storm games,(30min for my house) i saw roik on two occasions lose game singlehandedly. Ive also seen him yell at his D, and while i dont knwo what he said, but i have a solid idea. He needs to be able to channel that temper and get himself pumped up.

laxcanada

01-05-2006, 03:16 PM

yea i think toronto is defenetly going to finish first and there going to win the cup again this year

stegmakk

01-05-2006, 03:18 PM

tastycakes

01-05-2006, 09:28 PM

I know how to look at a stats sheet and read that Roik never let in 8 straight goals anytime he played the Wings while in New Jersey. That's fact, not something you think you saw four years ago.

Casey Powell another rightie attacker? You're joking right! He wasn't made to play indoor lacrosse, but to basically call him average is completely ingnorant and obviously uneducated.

I just joined yesterday, how many threads should I have been required to post in in order to discuss Matt Roik with you? How does that have any bearing on what is being dicussed here???

How did I disrespect you??? By backing up my statements with FACT??? Get a grip man, you're a moderator for a small section of a message board and post press releases on a template web site.

And you're second last paragraph in your last post?!?!?!? Were you doing crack for an hour before you finished that up??? By the way, don't threaten me and give your head a shake.

tastycakes

01-05-2006, 09:37 PM

http://www.nll.com/uploads/njy38.htm chris sanderson/derek general, no roik

http://nll.com/uploads/phi53.htm roik in goal, never let go of more then a three goal lead

http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/game0210phnj.htm general, no roik

http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/game0214njph.htm big win by roik, looks like by the game report and stats sheet he played great when it mattered most

just wondering which one of those four games is where roik let up an 8 goal lead??? especially when he only played in two of them, one of which was a huge win for roik and the storm franchise.

am I disrespecting you? are going to stand for this? cuz I heard you don't take this crap as a moderator or a boy.

RockStar

01-06-2006, 06:45 AM

.......

Now we know everything about the history of Matt Roik.

So, are you his mother? or his girlfriend?

tastycakes

01-06-2006, 12:12 PM

Now we know everything about the history of Matt Roik.

So, are you his mother? or his girlfriend?

hahahaha, that was a real good one

are you a stand up comic or just a geek? :guns:

laxcanada

01-06-2006, 12:16 PM

frig man calm down ladies

RockStar

01-06-2006, 12:40 PM

.....are you a stand up comic or just a geek?

Both.

Since you noticed, I'd guess I'm pretty good at both. :thumbsup:

Now, you didn't say you weren't his mother or girlfriend, so which one are you?

tastycakes

01-06-2006, 12:53 PM

Both.

Since you noticed, I'd guess I'm pretty good at both. :thumbsup:

Now, you didn't say you weren't his mother or girlfriend, so which one are you?

was trying to keep that funny but you fixed that with your lame comeback

what am I supposed to say here??? Ah, duh, I'm his mother. Is that what you wanted? How bout we keep the lame crap in your head and talk lacrosse.

inside lacrosse claims this is the best place to talk lacrosse but so far this is brutal. mods making things up and random members butting into discussions with non lacrosse comments.

Hooligan

01-06-2006, 02:08 PM

Um, I believe that we should lock this. I don't even think Matt Roik can say his own name as much as its been mentioned here without getting sick. For whatever reason you have a hard on for me or anyone else who (and I know this is going to be a total shocker here) has NOT disagreed with you that Matty is a good goalie, I only have to say, thank you for ruining an otherwise fun thread.

BTW...thank you for visiting PhiladelphiaLacrosse.com for all your Philadelphia area lacrosse information. Your hits were logged in nicely.