The stick

[DMac]

The men's sticks have reached such a perverted level that they have somewhat ruined the game for me. Yes, I still watch but all too often I just shake my head and say that never should have happened. Can't remember which game it was but in one of them the ball carrier was getting banged around by three people, sticks clanging, he goes to the turf, gets back up and comes out of the pile with the ball. The commentator said (paraphrasing a bit but I'm pretty close), I can't believe he was able to hold onto the ball. No, he didn't hold onto the ball, it just wouldn't come out of his bagged pocket with sick hold stick and it's just wrong. That just goes against the essence of the game, it's not a level playing field, the balance is way out of whack and favors the O way too much. As if the O doesn't have enough of an advantage with the sticks, it seems as if it's been forgotten that warding off is against the rules and results in change of possession. I can't believe how much warding off I see with no call.
My buddy (a youngster at 62) was playing a little catch with his 11-12 yr old g-son a few days back. An 8th grader happened along with his stick and asked if he could join in and, of course, was welcomed to. He was also a FOGO and gave my buddy a lesson in stick manipulation and how to suck up a ball (pinch) with it. Was the first time my buddy had seen all of that up close and personal, his mind was blown and could only say that should be illegal (with which I fully agree). Tell that to the younger generation and they won't even understand what you're talking about though.
If you haven't tuned into the women's game, give it a look. In that game you'll see how a lacrosse stick is supposed to work.
You won't see anyone running up field with their stick vertical, being held by one hand at the throat and pumping their arms to attain max speed....you have to cradle the ball with a wlaxer's stick, as it should be. The men's sticks are an abomination and, yes, I fully understand that nothing is going change with them....well, maybe they'll find a way to give them even more sick hold and come up with a gripper ball so I guess there is a possibility for some change.
I enjoy the women's game much more than the men's anymore (and it's unbelievable that those words are coming from me), their game is truer to the game and the stickwork (not the stick working for them) is just gorgeous to watch.
End of rant.

[NattyBohChamps04]

I enjoy the women's game much more than the men's anymore (and it's unbelievable that those words are coming from me), their game is truer to the game and the stickwork (not the stick working for them) is just gorgeous to watch.
End of rant.

The design of the women's sticks and pockets have advanced enough that they function similar to men's sticks from the early 90's / pre-Edge days. Women can shoot the ball underhand and sidearm, and get it up to 80mph these days. Men can hit ~95mph with a current women's stick.

As far as the men's sticks, pockets have also advanced in the past 30 years. Those are harder to regulate, so the simplest change would be to eliminate the offset. That wouldn't be a major change in the game today's mesh, but it would help. And it wouldn't be much of a burden on manufacturers to make or officials/organizations to enforce.

[FMUBart]

Pinch and pop is a joke, imho..

[PizzaSnake]

The men's sticks have reached such a perverted level that they have somewhat ruined the game for me. Yes, I still watch but all too often I just shake my head and say that never should have happened. Can't remember which game it was but in one of them the ball carrier was getting banged around by three people, sticks clanging, he goes to the turf, gets back up and comes out of the pile with the ball. The commentator said (paraphrasing a bit but I'm pretty close), I can't believe he was able to hold onto the ball. No, he didn't hold onto the ball, it just wouldn't come out of his bagged pocket with sick hold stick and it's just wrong. That just goes against the essence of the game, it's not a level playing field, the balance is way out of whack and favors the O way too much. As if the O doesn't have enough of an advantage with the sticks, it seems as if it's been forgotten that warding off is against the rules and results in change of possession. I can't believe how much warding off I see with no call.
My buddy (a youngster at 62) was playing a little catch with his 11-12 yr old g-son a few days back. An 8th grader happened along with his stick and asked if he could join in and, of course, was welcomed to. He was also a FOGO and gave my buddy a lesson in stick manipulation and how to suck up a ball (pinch) with it. Was the first time my buddy had seen all of that up close and personal, his mind was blown and could only say that should be illegal (with which I fully agree). Tell that to the younger generation and they won't even understand what you're talking about though.
If you haven't tuned into the women's game, give it a look. In that game you'll see how a lacrosse stick is supposed to work.
You won't see anyone running up field with their stick vertical, being held by one hand at the throat and pumping their arms to attain max speed....you have to cradle the ball with a wlaxer's stick, as it should be. The men's sticks are an abomination and, yes, I fully understand that nothing is going change with them....well, maybe they'll find a way to give them even more sick hold and come up with a gripper ball so I guess there is a possibility for some change.
I enjoy the women's game much more than the men's anymore (and it's unbelievable that those words are coming from me), their game is truer to the game and the stickwork (not the stick working for them) is just gorgeous to watch.
End of rant.

Amen to the sticks and the warding off.

The women's game is looking better and better as the men's game gets modified beyond recognition. I find most games hard to watch as the officiating makes no sense. Reminds me of the perversion that is the NBA. That's not basketball, that's just an entertainment "product," increasingly manipulated in the service of gambling.

[DMac]

I enjoy the women's game much more than the men's anymore (and it's unbelievable that those words are coming from me), their game is truer to the game and the stickwork (not the stick working for them) is just gorgeous to watch.
End of rant.

The design of the women's sticks and pockets have advanced enough that they function similar to men's sticks from the early 90's / pre-Edge days. Women can shoot the ball underhand and sidearm, and get it up to 80mph these days. Men can hit ~95mph with a current women's stick.

Yup, have said many times that I think today's wlaxer's sticks are pretty much the equivalent of the Gait era sticks and the wlaxers can now do everything they did with theirs. Stick technology needed to stop right there.
I tossed the ball around once with a wlax stick and found it to be very much like what I was used to and the way it should be.
When Brendan O'Neil (and plenty of others) wind up to shoot his stick is damn near vertical, head to the ground, and the torque he can get is just beyond ridiculous. You couldn't do that with a wlaxer's stick (ball would roll out), as it should be.

[nyjay]

The women's game is looking better and better as the men's game gets modified beyond recognition. I find most games hard to watch as the officiating makes no sense. Reminds me of the perversion that is the NBA. That's not basketball, that's just an entertainment "product," increasingly manipulated in the service of gambling.

If anything, the officiating in the women's game is worse. It's wildly inconsistent. I admittedly don't know the rules as well as I do for the men's game, but I'm frequently scratching my head wondering what just happened. (Don't get me started on trying to watch HS girls field hockey - that's just truly baffling.)

[oldbartman]

It is still the same test to see if a pocket is too deep. If the ref can see the top of the ball, it's too deep. The real difference is in the shape and height of the sidewalls. The shape of todays heads provides a very uniform channel as compared the old V shape of the heads from the 70s and 80s. When I compare the height of my last college stick, and a 1979 STX Superlight I believe, the new stick sidewall is at least 3/4' taller. It does sound like much, but even with a solid check on my stick in my men's league the ball may wiggle a bit, but rarely comes out. So the imho it's a combination of the shape and height of the sidewalls that has had the biggest effect. Of course I could be wrong...

[NattyBohChamps04]

The women's game is looking better and better as the men's game gets modified beyond recognition. I find most games hard to watch as the officiating makes no sense. Reminds me of the perversion that is the NBA. That's not basketball, that's just an entertainment "product," increasingly manipulated in the service of gambling.

If anything, the officiating in the women's game is worse. It's wildly inconsistent. I admittedly don't know the rules as well as I do for the men's game, but I'm frequently scratching my head wondering what just happened. (Don't get me started on trying to watch HS girls field hockey - that's just truly baffling.)

Women's lacrosse is one of the most difficult sports to officiate. There are a lot more subjective calls than the men's game, and fouls based on viewing a fraction of a second's action of where the sticks are. What's the angle of the check? How far across the body was a check? Was a check or cradle an inch or two too close to the head?

I won't comment on whether the officiating is worse, but it's definitely harder to ref, which accounts for some of the inconsistencies.