This summer, the sport of Lacrosse took a big step towards becoming as popular as its players, coaches, and fans think it deserves to be. People familiar with lacrosse talk about the game's fast pace and constant excitement, and wonder why it is not a more prominent sport in the U.S..
A typical baseball game offers nowhere near the excitement level of an average lacrosse match. And on the other hand, goal scoring in lacrosse is sporadic enough to not become unremarkable as in basketball, where only dunks and three pointers are truly exciting.
The formation of the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) league marks the first widely publicized organization of professional outdoor lacrosse.
Now many of us remember what happened the most recent well publicized start up sports league, the infamous and now defunct XFL. When the MLL started, critics drew comparisons but the response was this: one league features the best players in the world for its sport while the other features wannabes and has-beens.
The MLL was founded by former fitness guru Jake "Body by Jake" Steinfeld. The season features 14 regular season matches per team, a mid-season all-star game, two playoff matches and a Championship game. The six teams in the league include our Baltimore Bayhawks, the Long Island Lizards, Boston Cannons, Bridgeport (Conn.) Barrage, Rochester Rattlers, and New Jersey Pride.
Several rules are different in the MLL compared to conventional outdoor lacrosse, including a "two-point shot" from 15 yards and out from each goal, and a 45 second shot clock to prevent teams from playing keep away late in the game. Both rules have helped increase scoring and decrease lulls in gameplay.
Expectations have run high among league officials throughout the year, who were excited to have the opportunity to draw new fans to their sport. Their claim of having the best players in the world has met little objection after the high quality of play of this season.
The concentration of talent in the MLL is perhaps the best thing going for it. With nearly 30 teams each, dilution of talent is a major complaint of fans of the NBA, NHL, and NFL. The Major League Lacrosse league has a mere six teams, which has resulted in a high level of play.
The teams include many standout college players, several of whom have become stars in the new league. Long Island's Casey Powell is a big draw and a favorite of most kids.
Several stars of years past have had career revivals in the league, such as the Gaits and Long Island goalie Sal LoCascio.
Attendance, while by no means spectacular, has been solid. Baltimore leads the league in average attendance, drawing around 5,500 per game to Homewood Field. The league has gotten significant television coverage, with Fox sports net and WMAR-TV in Baltimore carrying some games.
Sponsors who have climbed aboard include Anheuser-Busch, Yahoo!, Reebok, and Merrill Lynch. League owners admit profits are minuscule this year and likely to be so for several years to come. Their primary goal is just to break even within a few years.
Baltimore was a strong team throughout the season in a very competitive division. They played fantastic towards the end of the regular season to secure a playoff berth.
Their attacking trio of Dan Denihan, Mark Millon, and Tom Marechek pose a serious threat to any defense.
Yet Baltimore barely defeated a supposedly overmatched Boston Cannon team 12-11, to advance to the first Championship game of the MLL versus the Long Island Lizards.
The Bayhawks fell to the Lizards in the Championship, by a score of 15-11. Leading the way for Long Island was superstar Gary Gait who netted seven goals as well as MVP honors for the game.
The league hopes to build on this year's success and solidify its position as the world's premier outdoor lacrosse league. If anyone wants further proof that the MLL is not the XFL, here's some: its still alive and kicking.
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