THE RIPPER REPORT

(Rochester, May 14)... The National Lacrosse League Championship is tomorrow night and Calgary and New York have to both be ecstatic that they are the last two teams standing. It is a great honor to fight for the Champion’s Cup and an even bigger reward when you win it. I was a part of the 2000 and 2003 Rochester teams that lost in the finals. I was also with the Knighthawks when we won it in 2007, which more than made up for the past losses.

The playoffs are an amazing time of year. This season, Rochester was one goal away from taking down the New York Titans and advancing to the East Division Finals. It was a crazy season but one that ended with a playoff berth in front of 300 fans that made the trip to NYC on buses provided by Knighthawks Owner Curt Styres.

It was also a season that I have blogged about and filmed on my flip camera for the website. I have so many memories from this season. I would never have thought that I was finally going to have the pleasure of working with Paul and Gary Gait in 2009. I did and I learned, personally, what a class act they both are. It was like working with the hockey equivalent of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. It was fun to just listen to them talk about home, how they went to SU and then played in the early days of the league.

Speaking of past greats, the Knighthawks Inaugural Hall of Fame Night was a success on January 31st. That night, we had over 15 past greats in the arena to congratulate the first class of Tim Soudan, Duane Jacobs and Paul Day. It was also great to mingle with the players that I first met in November of 1999 when I entered my first lacrosse season. Players like Randy Mearns, Pat McCready and Casey Zaph.

Further, I enjoyed travelling with the team all over the United States and Canada, which included my first trip to Calgary. The first road trip was to Buffalo and San Jose in January. On the way from Buffalo to San Jose, we stopped for a quick layover in Las Vegas where some players tried the slot machines. Yes, they have them in the airport. We also got to experience the sun again, which goes into hibernation in Rochester around early December. The Strip was very visible from the windows of the plane. Shawn Evans kept leaning over me to get a look at things before we landed. I also tried to locate new buildings and additions since I was last there about five years ago.

In Denver, we gathered as a group and played Laser Quest as a team-building exercise, organized by defenseman Steve Toll. Later that night, about a dozen of us went to the NBA game between the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz. If that wasn’t cool enough, after the morning shoot around the next day, forward Joe Walters got Nuggets point guard Anthony Carter to give us a locker room tour. It was everything I thought it would be from flat screen TVs, to a personal chef to mountains of sneakers piled high in each players’ stalls. I only wish Carmelo Anthony would have been there so I could have thanked him for helping Syracuse, my alma mater, win the 2003 National Championship. By the way, the team building worked as the Knighthawks earned their first road of the year later that night over the Colorado Mammoth, 12-8.

There are other interesting moments but I only have limited time to write this today. I am interested in what fans have to say about their most memorable moments of 2009. I will be at the Knighthawks Krew NLL Championship Game Viewing Party on Friday, May 15th. The party begins at 9:00 p.m. at the Stock Exchange Restaurant, which is located on the first floor of the First Federal Plaza on Main Street in downtown Rochester. Stop by and I will interview you for the website and a story I am working on.

The Knighthawks are also going to launch a Fan Photo of the Year Contest next week so make sure to dig out the digital camera and review your best shots. The Top 10 will go on the site and the winner will be determined through online voting. A prize pack will go to the winner.

See everyone Friday Night. Blog you later.
Ripper

A HOT ONE TONIGHT IN NYC

(New York, NY, May 1)… It’s game day in NYC and the Knighthawks are getting ready for the New York Titans. The team broke into groups this morning and took the train from Secaucus, NJ, to 4 Penn Plaza. The train ride dropped us off under Madison Square Garden.

Fans that watch the game online or attend the game will notice that the dasher boards are almost completely white, similar to the old days of hockey. The dashers were removed after the New York Rangers were eliminated in Game 7 of their Stanley Cup playoff series. The ice was also removed. The arena is now noticeably warm and should be warmer with fans in the seats.

When we got back our hotel, Knighthawks Owner Curt Styres had a team lunch waiting for us at the Crowne Plaza. It had all the fixings with grilled chicken, pasta, rolls, ham and cheese, fruit and salad. The team also met afterward and reviewed film for the game tonight.

After lunch, it was nap time for most and a nice stroll for goalie Pat O’Toole, who always takes a walk before games and never takes a nap.We will be busing into the city around 4:30 p.m. to get to Madison Square Garden by 5:30 p.m. Traffic should be interesting during rush hour.

The game is a historic one for the arena, as it marks the first time a playoff lacrosse game as be played there. The Knighthawks will try to turn MSG into a home-field advantage, as 272 fans are traveling from Rochester to attend the game. Most of them will be clad in teal T-shirts.

The contest also kicks off the 2009 National Lacrosse League Playoffs. Three more games will determine the combatants for the divisional finals next week. Fans in Rochester can go to The Stock Exchange on East Main Street for the official fan party. The game is also available on NLL.com. It should be a wild ride. Enjoy the game.

Blog you later.
Ripper