Everybody loves a winner; so, I guess it’s fitting that I write to you now from Philadelphia, home of the two-time defending MLL champion Barrage. All of us associated with Major League Lacrosse look forward to the outstanding play we will be treated to in 2008, but I couldn’t help but think back to the past. 

 

MLL founder Jake Steinfeld always reminds me, “Joe, we have a lot of history now” and he couldn’t be more correct. 

 

I wasn’t the full-time TV play-by-play announcer for the league in 2001, but I did call a couple of games “in relief”. I remember fondly just how good those original six teams were that summer. It was appropriate when two titans matched up in the championship game. Baltimore and Long Island, bitter lacrosse rivals at every level, put on a spectacular show. With my fondness for goaltending, I was thrilled to see Greg Cattrano and Sal LoCascio battle for the league crown. Paul Gait’s seven goals were too much to overcome and the Lizards were kings.

 

The next summer, Baltimore got its revenge. The “Cat” was the league MVP in goal for the Bayhawks, but he didn’t need to be anything special in the championship game. Mark Millon scored five times, speedy Josh Sims wore the Lizards out for four, and Paul Cantabene was a dynamo at the “x” as the Bayhawks rolled through Columbus Crew Stadium.

 

There’s nothing like a little playoff overtime to spice up life. And lacrosse fans were treated to it in 2003. Someday, when I actually take time to look back on my broadcasting career, I am going to realize just how fortunate I was to call lax games that involved Gary Gait. He was brilliant in the ’03 final; brilliant to the tune of six goals. But that summers’ MVP, Jay Jalbert, was the man who set up Kevin Lowe for the dramatic championship-game winner early in OT. Scratch two titles in three years for the Lizards.

 

In 2004 the Philadelphia Barrage limped out of the gate to start their season. They were 2-5 and showing little signs of life, when my close friend and colleague, Quint Kessenich, decided to stir the pot. During our ESPN telecast in week seven, Q elected to leave the Barrage for dead. What an inspiration he provided! Philly reeled off seven straight wins from that point. Blake Miller was the offensive player of the year, Nicky Polanco the defensive player of the year, Sal LoCascio - coach of the year, Ryan Boyle, rookie of the year. Roy Colsey scored four times in the finale, beginning a MLL championship game legend for himself. And when it was over, the Barrage paraded the “Steinfeld Cup” as Q likes to call it, right in front of our booth and taunted the esteemed analyst. All in good fun of course….and it was pretty funny!!

 

After Philadelphia broke the MLL tradition of having the Lizards or Bayhawks as champions, the “old guard” came back with a vengeance in 2005. Quint was wrong about the ’04 Barrage, but he was dead-on when it came to the Bayhawks in ’05. With once glance at their roster, he boldly called them “one of the greatest teams ever.” They proved to be unstoppable, with an embarrassment of riches at every position. Do you remember Brodie Merrill as rookie of the year with the Bayhawks? Baltimore finished with a mark of 12-2, laying waste to many MLL records along the way. Behind another six-goal championship-game performance from Gary Gait, they were #1 again.

 

All sorts of new possibilities came to life with MLL expansion in 2006. While it was great to see the sights that summer in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, little changed with regard to the best teams in the business.  Barrage midfielder Roy Colsey has achieved so much in his lacrosse career, collegiately, internationally, and professionally. But his championship game performance in L.A. cemented his legacy as a great big-game player in the MLL.  He and Matt Striebel devoured the Denver Outlaw defense. Colsey racked up 10 points and the Barrage joined Long Island and Baltimore in MLL royalty with two titles apiece.

 

Last year is still fresh in my mind. It’s the reason I am so anxious for this new season to begin. Brian Dougherty has been a star in this league a long time. But he became a bit of a TV star last summer, and we couldn’t be more thankful to him for how he helped enhance our game broadcasts.  A “mic’ed up” Doc in the box was a real treat. When he was injured in the semifinal game vs. Denver, most of us thought the Barrage wouldn’t be able to repeat as champs. All they did was rally behind Kevin Keenan, score three fourth-quarter goals and win the game in OT (did I mention how clutch Roy Colsey is? He had the winner). The Barrage would then hold off the ever-improving L.A. Riptide in the final.

 

This look down memory lane has been good for me. It gets me pumped up for what’s to come, and helps me reflect back to where we’ve been.