ALL-STAR FIRST IMPRESSIONS - By: Joe Beninati
When play begins Thursday night in Denver, many MLL fans will be very familiar with the parade of All Stars on their TV screens. For men such as Ryan Powell, Nick Polanco, Kevin Leveille, Brodie Merrill, Chris Passavia, and Matt Striebel the All Star festivities will be nothing new.
All of them have played in at least four such games. Don’t get me wrong, it’ll be special for them to show off their skills, but it won’t a first-time experience. 14 players will be getting their first view of the All-Star limelight (10 on the Western Conference team) and three fresh-faced rookies head that list.
I, for one, can’t wait to see how Steven Brooks, Paul Rabil, and Matt Danowski will perform. For months, we have raved about how many good players the 2008 collegiate draft class has produced. These three, along with L.A. attackman Kevin Huntley, have had the largest impact on their teams’ fortunes this summer. On Thursday they get some time to be individuals.
Jesse Schwartzman, goaltender for the Western Conference stars, will be pleased to have Brooks on his team. Just a couple weeks ago he mentioned to our ESPN2 crew that Brooks has the hardest, heaviest shot in the entire league. And that it gets filthier to stop when he cranks it up lefty. Over the years, we have seen many instances where rookies come into the league and defer to the veterans on their teams when it comes to taking the big shot.
By all accounts, Brooks relishes the opportunity; he doesn’t take a pass on it. He certainly loved the anxious moments while he was at Syracuse (remember all those game-winners this spring, and the OT jolt he threw at the Blue Jays on Homewood Field) and that hasn’t changed with the Chicago Machine. In the relaxed setting of an All Star game, watch out for Brooks to go well over 100 MPH with his shot during play.
Paul Rabil, the number one selection in the ’08 draft, and his world-class game have adjusted to Major League Lacrosse in no time. He has helped make the Boston Cannons offense a very formidable one. Everyone knew that Rabil would be a handful for enemy defenses to contain and he has not disappointed. His offensive gifts remind some of the explosive talents of Jay Jalbert.
With that in mind, I would expect to see him pushing the pace whenever he can during the All Star festivities. Plus, he’ll be one to watch during the halftime skills competition. Both Rabil and Brooks will be contestants in the Fastest Shot category.
Matt Danowski doesn’t take a back seat to anyone when it comes to performing at the offensive end of the field. His shooting game may be questioned at times, but it’s hard to argue with his sudden increase in scoring for the New Jersey Pride. When I watched a recent Jersey game against Philadelphia, Matt appeared to be much more aggressive with the ball, going to the goal more, daring defenders to stop him.
It will be intriguing to see how he matches up against highly physical defenders like Eric Martin and Brett Hughes in this All Star game. And when they’re not chasing him around, Lee Zink and D.J. Driscoll are two of the best when it comes to “timing” their stick checks. No fun for anyone, much less a rookie.
Let’s face it Danowski, Rabil, and Brooks are likely to amass many individual records for their respective clubs during the regular seasons ahead. They will be All Stars for many years to come in Major League Lacrosse. But there’s only one time, that can be your first time, surrounded by all the other brightest stars. That time comes Thursday, and it should be a whale of a show!
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