East Carolinian

Issue date: 6/18/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: staff photo

Media Credit: SID

Media Credit: staff photo

Major League Lacrosse is coming to North Carolina.
The defending MLL champions Philadelphia Barrage will take on the Rochester Rattlers on Saturday night at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.
The match will mark the two teams' second and final match-up of the season.
The two squads met last year for the Eastern Conference championship, with the Barrage taking down the high flying Rattlers and eventually winning their second MLL championship in a row. However, a season-long road trip has left the Barrage looking vulnerable all season, including a 22-9 shellacking at the hands of the Rattlers in Rochester earlier this season.
With their new stadium under construction, MLL has decided that the Barrage will play all their games on the road this season.
Their scheduled away games are still played at that host team's venue, but their scheduled home games have been placed in cities without MLL teams to gauge interest in areas for expansion plans. Such is the plight of a fledgling league trying to make its way in the pro sports market, but MLL has always gone away from the normal MO for professional leagues.
First off, all the players make the same amount of money. Game day squads are limited to an 18 player roster. Every player on the roster gets a game check. All the checks are for the same amount. There are no signing bonuses or guaranteed money. Players have to play to get paid. Most teams have a pool of around 25 players to choose from to make their game day roster, so that means anywhere from five to 10 guys who practice with the team don't receive game checks.
This breeds the type of competition not seen in pro sports, where players make a salary whether they play or not. This also means that most players have other jobs. Try working a nine-hour day at the office then a three-hour practice, four nights a week.
Also, MLL broke ranks with most professional leagues by making significant rule changes between their league and college play.
The NBA has minor changes with foul allotment and timing, but MLL took a radical approach in fashioning the game to promote the wide array of offensive talent the league possesses. To keep the game moving and increase shot totals they instituted a 60 second shot clock.
This takes out the tactical ability to grind the tempo of a game down if a team is facing a better offense than they possess.
The most drastic difference is the inclusion of a two-point shot in MLL. A 16-yard arch around the offensive zone makes outside shooting a commodity in MLL and makes comeback attempts more exciting and spectacular in the pro game.
This Saturday is an important game for both teams. Four teams, including the Barrage and the Rattlers, are tied atop the Eastern Conference standings at 3-2 and both teams will be looking for a win to get a foothold in the top of the standings. The Barrage will want to build on an overtime victory against Chicago that occurred last week as well as avenge their loss to the Rattlers earlier this season. The Rattlers are looking to bounce back after giving New Jersey their first fist win of the season last week.
Look for the Barrage to get all-star attack man Ryan Boyle involved early in the game. He is one of the best feeders in the game and crucial to their game plan.
Boyle was held quiet in the first meeting between these two teams and they need him to play well to keep up with the high-powered offense of the Rattlers. The Rattlers will rely on reigning league MVP John Grant, Jr. and lefty, sharpshooter Joe Walters in what should turn out to be a barnburner. Expect a high-scoring shootout that should produce some great goals and a wild finish.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.

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