Miscellaneous Topics 2023

[carrollax]

I'd have to go with Katie Hoeg as my choice. 233 career assists, great vision and would put the ball exactly where the cutter was asking for it.

[watcherinthewoods]

Would love opinions on best active, or recently active, low attacker?

I loved watching Caroline Steele play ... recall one specific NCAA game where she absolutely unstoppable, maybe a final? Help me out, hive brain.

Off the top of my head on current players, I would say Ashley Humphrey (We'll see if she can deliver when she moves up from JV to varsity) and Emma Ward (Love her style of play and have been a fan since her freshman year. Hope she stays healthy in 2024).

Low attack? Jamie Ortega
2nd all time points in NCAA history

Is Ortega a true low attack? My pick in this category from UNC would be Katie Hoeg.

[Lax247]

Would love opinions on best active, or recently active, low attacker?

I loved watching Caroline Steele play ... recall one specific NCAA game where she absolutely unstoppable, maybe a final? Help me out, hive brain.

Off the top of my head on current players, I would say Ashley Humphrey (We'll see if she can deliver when she moves up from JV to varsity) and Emma Ward (Love her style of play and have been a fan since her freshman year. Hope she stays healthy in 2024).

Low attack? Jamie Ortega
2nd all time points in NCAA history

Is Ortega a true low attack? My pick in this category from UNC would be Katie Hoeg.

I know for most career she was low leftie attack. She could go high and low and started moving around as team needed . With Hoeg she was lethal but after she graduated she continued to set records for scoring and was dynamic in ACC tourneys as an example .

[NotFromMD]

Thank you all for thoughtful responses on those who are exceptional at specifically low attack. Looking to do some film study. Great suggestions.

[Relax77]

Is this Molly Little story legit?
https://laxextras.com/2023/12/20/molly ... 4iQ-jAkBgg

[hmmm]

Is this Molly Little story legit?
https://laxextras.com/2023/12/20/molly ... 4iQ-jAkBgg

Yes. At least the Jax part is true. Can’t speak to Niagara

[Relax77]

Is this Molly Little story legit?
https://laxextras.com/2023/12/20/molly ... 4iQ-jAkBgg

Yes. At least the Jax part is true. Can’t speak to Niagara

Thanks. Looked for other sites but nothing. Didn’t know if that site was fugazy. Not sure how she got hired so quick. Sounds like could be an issue.

[hmmm]

Is this Molly Little story legit?
https://laxextras.com/2023/12/20/molly ... 4iQ-jAkBgg

Yes. At least the Jax part is true. Can’t speak to Niagara

Hanks. Looked for other sites but nothing. Didn’t know if that site was fugazy.

Well known “secret”. Surprised coming out now.

[spidey44]

Is this Molly Little story legit?
https://laxextras.com/2023/12/20/molly ... 4iQ-jAkBgg

Yes. At least the Jax part is true. Can’t speak to Niagara

Don't see her on the Coaching Staff on their roster. They acted pretty quick...

[watcherinthewoods]

I think many people in the lax community have a significant interest in keeping this as quiet as possible:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r ... &FORM=VIRE

https://usalaxmagazine.com/college/wome ... un-you-are

[intheknow247]

I think many people in the lax community have a significant interest in keeping this as quiet as possible:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r ... &FORM=VIRE

https://usalaxmagazine.com/college/wome ... un-you-are

Why do you think this?

[watcherinthewoods]

I think many people in the lax community have a significant interest in keeping this as quiet as possible:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r ... &FORM=VIRE

https://usalaxmagazine.com/college/wome ... un-you-are

Why do you think this?

Because 12 months ago this person was a poster child for combatting relationship violence in several top lax publications. Here is another link that did not age well: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athl ... lly-little

And this: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/pll/ ... nspiration

Note that AU took down a feature on her ... the story is still indexed in Google, so it shows up in search result, but yields a 404 error.

Optics not exactly ideal was my point.

[MolonLaxe]

I think many people in the lax community have a significant interest in keeping this as quiet as possible:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r ... &FORM=VIRE

https://usalaxmagazine.com/college/wome ... un-you-are

Why do you think this?

Because 12 months ago this person was a poster child for combatting relationship violence in several top lax publications. Here is another link that did not age well: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athl ... lly-little

And this: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/pll/ ... nspiration

Note that AU took down a feature on her ... the story is still indexed in Google, so it shows up in search result, but yields a 404 error.

Optics not exactly ideal was my point.

These things come to light and it’s a different equation if you’re a player dating a player. Sometimes youth clouds vision and people in power forget that even though they may be similar in age, they should absolutely not date or have relationships with player—that crosses the line.

The training that’s given for most suggest if you were to date a former player (note: FORMER) it should be two years after they have left the program.

I have no idea how manipulating she was in these situations, but it is just icky on all levels. The U Indy HC was fired for trying to have a relationship with players so this 100% should be called out. However, your average school may want to hide this so they don’t face big $$ lawsuits for putting their child in danger, a la Nasser.

[Relax77]

I think many people in the lax community have a significant interest in keeping this as quiet as possible:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r ... &FORM=VIRE

https://usalaxmagazine.com/college/wome ... un-you-are

Why do you think this?

Because 12 months ago this person was a poster child for combatting relationship violence in several top lax publications. Here is another link that did not age well: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athl ... lly-little

And this: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/pll/ ... nspiration

Note that AU took down a feature on her ... the story is still indexed in Google, so it shows up in search result, but yields a 404 error.

Optics not exactly ideal was my point.

These things come to light and it’s a different equation if you’re a player dating a player. Sometimes youth clouds vision and people in power forget that even though they may be similar in age, they should absolutely not date or have relationships with player—that crosses the line.

The training that’s given for most suggest if you were to date a former player (note: FORMER) it should be two years after they have left the program.

I have no idea how manipulating she was in these situations, but it is just icky on all levels. The U Indy HC was fired for trying to have a relationship with players so this 100% should be called out. However, your average school may want to hide this so they don’t face big $$ lawsuits for putting their child in danger, a la Nasser.

How Niagara hired her is insane. As I’ve said before. I hope they get sued and pay out millions.

[laxl12]

I think many people in the lax community have a significant interest in keeping this as quiet as possible:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r ... &FORM=VIRE

https://usalaxmagazine.com/college/wome ... un-you-are

Why do you think this?

Because 12 months ago this person was a poster child for combatting relationship violence in several top lax publications. Here is another link that did not age well: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athl ... lly-little

And this: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/pll/ ... nspiration

Note that AU took down a feature on her ... the story is still indexed in Google, so it shows up in search result, but yields a 404 error.

Optics not exactly ideal was my point.

These things come to light and it’s a different equation if you’re a player dating a player. Sometimes youth clouds vision and people in power forget that even though they may be similar in age, they should absolutely not date or have relationships with player—that crosses the line.

The training that’s given for most suggest if you were to date a former player (note: FORMER) it should be two years after they have left the program.

I have no idea how manipulating she was in these situations, but it is just icky on all levels. The U Indy HC was fired for trying to have a relationship with players so this 100% should be called out. However, your average school may want to hide this so they don’t face big $$ lawsuits for putting their child in danger, a la Nasser.

The UINDY coach was not let go for having or “trying to have” a relationship with a player. Know this as fact.

[MolonLaxe]

I think many people in the lax community have a significant interest in keeping this as quiet as possible:

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r ... &FORM=VIRE

https://usalaxmagazine.com/college/wome ... un-you-are

Why do you think this?

Because 12 months ago this person was a poster child for combatting relationship violence in several top lax publications. Here is another link that did not age well: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athl ... lly-little

And this: https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/pll/ ... nspiration

Note that AU took down a feature on her ... the story is still indexed in Google, so it shows up in search result, but yields a 404 error.

Optics not exactly ideal was my point.

These things come to light and it’s a different equation if you’re a player dating a player. Sometimes youth clouds vision and people in power forget that even though they may be similar in age, they should absolutely not date or have relationships with player—that crosses the line.

The training that’s given for most suggest if you were to date a former player (note: FORMER) it should be two years after they have left the program.

I have no idea how manipulating she was in these situations, but it is just icky on all levels. The U Indy HC was fired for trying to have a relationship with players so this 100% should be called out. However, your average school may want to hide this so they don’t face big $$ lawsuits for putting their child in danger, a la Nasser.

The UINDY coach was not let go for having or “trying to have” a relationship with a player. Know this as fact.

That's fair. I've heard speculation from different sources and I've heard some stuff from players I know that know players that were on the team. I heard what went down on the plane, etc., but I didn't want to make a definitive statement without knowing. All I can say is I'm glad my daughter didn't go to UIndy (and she was heavily recruited by him).

[laxl12]

My daughter was there, they never took a plane anywhere. She loved her time there and won a National Championship. She left after he was let go to play at a D1 school b/c once the guy that helped your team to win a National Championship is let go then it’s hard to stay! Great coach, great team, good people. We will forever miss it.

[Seacoaster(1)]

I'll put this in Miscellaneous Topics:

https://theathletic.com/5174249/2024/01 ... nyt_sports

Where does a former NFL coach with a Super Bowl title to his name go on holiday for the new year? Wrexham, of course.

Paul McCord and his family swapped Florida for north Wales to take in the League Two match against Barrow after becoming passionate fans of the club through the documentary Welcome to Wrexham.

It meant leaving behind the Tampa sunshine and daytime temperatures of 22C (71.6F) for highs of 9C but Paul, wife Mindy — a successful coach in women’s lacrosse — and nine-year-old son LJ couldn’t have been happier.

“Being here in Wrexham to celebrate the new year meant so much,” says Paul, a member of the coaching team who took the Baltimore Ravens to Super Bowl glory in 2001. He sports the commemorative ring he received after the 34-7 victory over the New York Giants.

“This is our second visit to Wrexham. We first came over in March 2023, for the Southend United game. Then, we took in the U.S. tour last summer.

"That was great, as we got to meet up again with people like Wayne (Jones, The Turf landlord and breakout star of the documentary), who we met on that first visit to Wrexham.

“We’ve fallen in love with the place and the people. In a world that can be very cynical, to have a place that’s authentic and full of gratitude makes you want to be here. That’s what drew us back.

“What got us here in March was the documentary but the people are what brought us back.”

Paul and Mindy’s respective careers in elite coaching are what initially drew the couple into watching series one of a show that charts Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ownership.

“As coaches, we both love watching sports documentaries, like (ESPN’s) 30 for 30 series,” says Mindy, head coach of the women’s lacrosse programme at the University of South Florida.

“Paul was the one who said, ‘Let’s watch this documentary’. He’s writing a book on underdog stories and the show had that element. Straight away, we could both relate to the story.

“I loved the ‘blue-collar town’ element. My dad was an electrician and my grandfather a coal miner, having come over from Yugoslavia. I also loved the community aspect, and particularly how authentic the fan engagement is at Wrexham.

“There’s a real personal element, with the players walking through the fans before every game, posing for pictures and signing autographs.”

The McCords spent New Year’s Eve in The Turf pub that sits adjacent to the club’s SToK Cae Ras home, but both Paul and Mindy seem remarkably chipper.

LJ is excited, too, as he’s brought along a present for Paul Mullin, who the youngster enjoyed an impromptu kickabout with after the summer tour match against Chelsea in Chapel Hill.

“The gift is for Albi,” explains Mindy, Albi being Mullin’s young autistic son. “We wanted to thank Paul for being so great with LJ. It’s what we love so much about Wrexham, the authenticity and the welcome everyone has.”

The McCord family will always remember their first visit to Wrexham.

The Southend game only went ahead at the eleventh hour after volunteers and club staff had worked through the night to ensure the pitch was playable. Snow had blanketed the area.

But there was another issue: the tickets Paul had bought online turned out to be in the area reserved for the away team’s supporters.

“We only realised when we arrived at the turnstiles in all our newly-bought Wrexham gear,” laughs Paul, 6ft 6in (198cm) tall and still built as powerfully as you’d expect someone who once signed for Dallas Cowboys to be.

“The gentleman explained we’d erroneously purchased tickets in the Southend section and then looked at me before saying, ‘You’ll be OK, as they won’t give you too much trouble, but I can’t say the same about the other two’.

“It was totally my fault. I’d no idea it was the away section. I just saw ‘Wrexham’ and clicked for three tickets. The club was brilliant. They escorted us to another section in the stand, which turned out to be where all the reserve team players sit.”

Mindy quickly interjects: “The funny thing is we got on season two of the documentary as a result. We were watching at home when suddenly, there we were, on the screen, looking like total tourists in our Wrexham hats and scarves sitting with all these players!”

There were no such mishaps this time around. As international members, the family bought tickets in the main stand through the club for the 4-1 win over Barrow.

A particular highlight came via the second goal of Steven Fletcher’s hat-trick, a far-post header from James McClean’s in-swinging corner. “The stack play on the corner was similar to a set piece we use in lacrosse,” Paul messages after the match.

Crossovers between Phil Parkinson’s methods and the couple’s own coaching experiences are more common than many might think. Certainly, the Wrexham manager’s famous ‘character test’ when sizing up prospective signings — he’ll think nothing of driving to London and back to weigh up a player’s suitability over a cup of tea — is similar to how Mindy runs things in lacrosse.

Along with Paul, she famously implemented the fast-paced basketball doctrine ‘The System’, as pioneered by Paul Westhead with Loyola Marymount University in the late 1980s and featured in the TV show Winning Time. This had a great effect when she was at the helm of Jacksonville University’s lacrosse setup. Building the right culture was key.

“We needed a good locker room,” says Mindy, named Conference Coach of the Year eight times during her spell at Jacksonville. “We got that by those ladies buying into our core values and our mission.

“Where you say Phil interviews the players here, we were interviewing the parents. You’re dealing with 17- to 23-year-olds, so how they are parented is important. Do the parents value coaching and mentoring? That makes such a big difference in terms of how you can move the needle with a young adult.

“There is an art to finding the right people. We were also very transparent and honest about who we were as people and coaches, our styles, our personalities and what they were going to get from us. You have to build trust.”

One coaching aspect that Mindy doesn’t share with the Wrexham manager is what the documentary makers refer to as “Phil’s enthusiasm levels” — the huge number of times he swears during team talks.

She adds: “We do crack up every time he swears on the show. But then LJ was saying to me one day, ‘Mom, they drop the F-bomb so much — can I say it?’ I’m, like, ‘No way, it is just part of the language there’.”

Dad agrees. “I’ve been in dressing rooms like that,” he says. “Maybe not quite as much profanity but certainly a few things were said. It is when the adrenalin and testosterone get pumping. It comes from the heart.”

Paul certainly speaks from experience when it comes to high-level coaching. Having been part of Brian Billick’s Ravens coaching team for that Super Bowl XXXV triumph over the Giants, he later joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in a similar capacity.

“I worked with the kickers, punters, snappers, holders, return specialists,” he explains. “The Super Bowl was surreal. I was the below man on the coaching staff, the assistant special teams coach. But to just be part of it was incredible. You’re on this journey and you know something great is happening.

“You’re so micro-focused on each game. And each moment. We didn’t really think anything about the Super Bowl until we were there. And once there, we felt we’d easily win this game.

“No one was going to score against our defence, which was the best. Our offence also knew what to do, with our field position game also being great. That’s exactly how it played out.

“It was a wonderful experience, with Mindy and the family all there.”

Along with the book on sporting underdogs he’s writing and helping Mindy’s coaching career, Paul’s goal for 2024 involves helping to spread the Wrexham gospel even further.

“Family and friends all know about Wrexham,” he says. “For our daughter Taylor and son-in-law Spencer (Zapper), we bought Wrexham shirts for Christmas. The plan now is to educate people in Tampa about this great club.

“It’s funny that I wasn’t into Always Sunny (in Philadelphia) when I got into this. Or even a Ryan Reynolds fan. It was the sport element that attracted me — and particularly the underdog story.

“But then I suddenly became this superfan, never missing a game on iFollow (kick-off is usually at 10am on a Saturday in Florida) and shouting so loud all the neighbours know when we’ve scored a goal.”

[GratefulRed]

There is quite a bit going on in this piece--thanks for posting.

[LaxDadMax]

There is quite a bit going on in this piece--thanks for posting.

so many thoughts about that article.....