Sawyer Released!!!

[tastycakes]

One of the best young coaches coming up through the ranks, Matt Sawyer, was released by the Rock today!!! The Rock have taken a smart, cohesive bench and brought a couple former players with little to no coaching experience. Terry Bullen is now the assistant coach, added to Clark. What happens when the Rock starts the season say 1-5, where do they turn too? Watters and his new bedmate Klopfer are ruining the infrastructure of this team and I personally believe that this will be a long winter for Rock fans. Who in their right mind would even want to coach this team now. Unless you win it all, consider yourself fired, is the message they've been sending since the departure of the great Les Bartley. These moves make no "lacrosse sense" and Toronto is being ruined.

[laxpimp]

The Rock have a such a strong offence they don't need to much coaching, it's their own end that needs work (IMO). Having two former Rock defencemen manning the bench probably won't be too bad, especially since those guys (Clark and Bullen) haven't been out of the league for too long, and will have a good grasp of what needs to be done defensively.

[tastycakes]

The Rock have a such a strong offence they don't need to much coaching, it's their own end that needs work (IMO). Having two former Rock defencemen manning the bench probably won't be too bad, especially since those guys (Clark and Bullen) haven't been out of the league for too long, and will have a good grasp of what needs to be done defensively.
On paper, when you see who they have on O, yes, the look good. But look at their numbers last year. They rely on the same three or four guys for all of their scoring. The only team in the East with less goals than Toronto was Minnesota, while the only teams in the West were the horrible Edmonton and San Jose scoring. That O needs a wake up in my opinion. And for those old timers that remember Bullen, the guys was the king of the clutch and grab. Mugging defense doesn't fly in the NLL anymore. Their last two drafts I don't think have garnered anything. Their only good pickup, Gibbons, just left for California. Personally, I think if they get hit with an injury anywhere, they will be in serious trouble.

[Chamoo]

The Rock have a such a strong offence they don't need to much coaching, it's their own end that needs work (IMO)

It's all their goaltending. They traded away the future of the league in Cosmo, and now they are starting a washed up Watson.

[tastycakes]

It's all their goaltending. They traded away the future of the league in Cosmo, and now they are starting a washed up Watson.
It sucked that they got rid of Cosmo, but what have they done over those, what, three years now, to replace him and start building for the future. No offense to some of the kids that have come through, but they are not NLL quality goalies. What happens if Watson is sidelined? They are done, that's what. I think a lot will go wrong in Toronto in 2007.

[RockStar]

......... What happens when the Rock starts the season say 1-5, where do they turn too? .........

They tamper with Buffalo again and steal Troy Cordingley?:agree:

I agree that they've dug a big hole with their rookie coaching staff and poor drafting in the last few seasons.

As far as their other holes - The D is alright, and except for a blowout or two early last season, Watson was alright too. If anything, he'll be better this coming season for having actually played Major last summer. If he gets hurt though, God help Toronto. Whetherup is as good a backup as most, but he isn't on the same level as Watson.

What I saw last year was that most of the losses last year were due to poor execution on offense, and having their really sluggish O to D transition exploited by fast breaks. More finish from the top four and more hustle back to the bench when they lose the ball will be needed for them to go 8-8 or better..........This is the first year where before the season even starts you can see a real threat that they won't make the playoffs.

[Chamoo]

Whetherup is as good a backup as most, but he isn't on the same level as Watson.

I have to disagree, I think Whetherup is a starter in this league with alot of other teams. Last year, in Buffalo, Watson was getting lit up, and was pulled, Weatherup came in and shut out Buffalo for 10-12 minutes till half. Then Sanderson decided that he wasn't playing well enough and put Watson back in and he got shelled again.

Watson isn't what he used to be. Get's beat easily from the outside and goes down quick on outside shots. Count how many shots go over his shoulder when he goes down. He looks like Patrick Roy sometimes, but Patrick Roy never played lacrosse.

[RockStar]

I have to disagree, I think Whetherup is a starter in this league with alot of other teams.....

Over which starting goalie? None I can think of.

[tastycakes]

I have to disagree, I think Whetherup is a starter in this league with alot of other teams. Last year, in Buffalo, Watson was getting lit up, and was pulled, Weatherup came in and shut out Buffalo for 10-12 minutes till half. Then Sanderson decided that he wasn't playing well enough and put Watson back in and he got shelled again.

Watson isn't what he used to be. Get's beat easily from the outside and goes down quick on outside shots. Count how many shots go over his shoulder when he goes down. He looks like Patrick Roy sometimes, but Patrick Roy never played lacrosse.
No digs at Wetherup, he seems like a nice guy, but I don't think he is starter quality at all. He's put up mixed results just about everywhere he's played in the NLL. I think Pat Campbell might have been the last of the keepers that were being underused before he went to Edmonton. The league is bone dry on quality keepers. Wetherup is a bit of a Sanderson guy anyways. My bet is Poulin is on the bench when the season starts.

[Chamoo]

No digs at Wetherup, he seems like a nice guy, but I don't think he is starter quality at all. He's put up mixed results just about everywhere he's played in the NLL. I think Pat Campbell might have been the last of the keepers that were being underused before he went to Edmonton. The league is bone dry on quality keepers. Wetherup is a bit of a Sanderson guy anyways. My bet is Poulin is on the bench when the season starts.

My bet is some kid from Barrie Jr. B will be on the bench, Kloefer will probably turn the Rock into the Barrie Tornado like Sanderson turned the Rock into the Excelsiors.

[Chamoo]

Over which starting goalie? None I can think of.

I think I'd rather have Weatherup in net then Blasdell or Miron in Arizona and before Watson

[laxgoalieking]

I think I'd rather have Weatherup in net then Blasdell or Miron in Arizona and before Watson
so youd take a guy who played in what 5 games last year over two goalies who lead their respective teams to the league final?

Poulin, i wouldnt doubt he backs up watson this year at all, that is if the rock keep him. How many times have we seen this rock team pick up a goalie only too see that goalie move on and start with other teams.
Cosmo
Roik
Campbell(ontario??)

IMHO, in about 2-4 years the NLL will see a rise in the amount of talent coming up, espeacilly on the west coast, the have several young stoppers that look promising, not so much in ontario with poulin and wagar picked up.

[RockStar]

so youd take a guy who played in what 5 games last year over two goalies who lead their respective teams to the league final?.......
This makes absolutely no sense.

The year Arizona made the final, Miron and Montour were the goalies. Blasdell was playing for the Stealth.

For what it's worth, I might take Whetherup over Miron, but probably not over Blasdell.

(BTW folks, Miron is with Rochester now. He ain't winning that starting job).

[laxgoalieking]

This makes absolutely no sense.

The year Arizona made the final, Miron and Montour were the goalies. Blasdell was playing for the Stealth.

For what it's worth, I might take Whetherup over Miron, but probably not over Blasdell.

(BTW folks, Miron is with Rochester now. He ain't winning that starting job).
rock win the cup in albany over albany.....ring any bells

haha he and crawley will make the perfect pairing if o'toole goes down

[RockStar]

rock win the cup in albany over albany.....
OK, now it makes sense.

I thought you meant that Blasdell and Miron led the 2005 Sting to the final.

With respect to your other comment about letting goalies go.....Cosmo was traded for the key pieces in a championship team, so even that wasn't a bad trade. It was a short term trade, but certainly not a bad one.

Sadly, there's no way they could have kept Blasdell, Campbell, and Roik. None of those guys have outlasted the Rock in the playoffs anway since leaving, so I'm not sure anything huge has been lost.