NLL in NYC

With weekly games now a source for comment, I find myself being drawn toward criticism. I guess that is the obvious route to take. In the back of my mind though is the fact that next season the Boston Blazers will be the easy target.

During my playing days I would avoid reading the message boards. I would have friends say “Hey did you see what Dingbat_03 wrote about you?” As he would start to reiterate the post I would stop him … “I don’t want to hear it!” Obviously, message boards and chat rooms allow any a-hole with a computer and an opinion to chime in. The lineup on NLLinsider.com is a bit more reputable, nonetheless it is not my place to throw stones.

Which leads me to Thursday night’s game at MSG. The game itself was a bit lopsided. San Jose dominated on both sides of the ball and in the cage. The energy was a bit lacking. In a building that holds 20K, 4K spectators can only go so far. That being said, it was a good event overall.

In attendance was a variable who’s who of lacrosse. The legendary Princeton (’98) attack of Hess, Hubbard and Massey. Chris Passavia (Maryland ’04) had a crew. Hall of Famer Tim Goldstein (Cornel ’88) and Jim Rogers (Nova ‘91) et al were happy to be taking in a night on the town. What a great opportunity to connect with lacrosse friends.

Back in the not too distant past, there would always be a post-game party conveniently located close to the venue where both teams and fans alike would assemble and have a few pops. I feel like some cities have gotten away from that a bit, which is unfortunate. I remember Rochester used to have theirs in a banquet room at the sponsoring hotel circa 1995-96. It felt like you were at a high school dance, but was a great way to interact with fans. The post game party is a unique part of our league. Let’s face it … it cultivates loyal fans.

I was contemplating going home after the game, but ran into John Gagliardi on the way out and followed him across the street to Local West. Besides running into a dozen friends, I spotted Jack McBrayer standing next to me. He is the flamboyant receptionist Kenneth in the 30 Rock television series. I am not the kind of person that cares about meeting celebrities, but for some reason it struck me as cool. The party shifted to Anchor bar on Spring St., demarcated simply by a blue light and velvet rope out front. We heard this official post game party was crowded, so opted for the Emerald Pub next door. Lots of room and not surprisingly populated with several Titan and Stealth players with a similar mindset.

The bottom line is, NY is good for the NLL. Being the world’s largest stage it’s obviously a tough one to crack. I want to see the Titans succeed on the floor and at the box office. I feel a sense of responsibility being a part of the NLL to help get the word out. So pass this along to your NYC friends. The Bandits and Titans are playing a matinee this Sunday (12:30 p.m.). I am not sure if that is typically a good slot for a game, but it sounds like a good way to start your “Sunday Funday” in the Big Apple.