New Pro Women's League

[LarryGamLax]

Brownlax wrote : "If they move the 2-point shot line back any further I think it will add more danger to the game. Players looking to shoot from further out is not a great thing."

One of my clients has the ability to make that shot from 10-12 meters, High, Hips and Low. She understands how to shoot the various Bounce shots. If these players are the great athletes that everyone keeps saying(including me), then they will make the proper adjustments. The problem with lots of women who play attack is that they do not really practice shooting. Again, Shooting is a skill that can be taught and learned.

My feeling is moving it back does not mean more will be attempted. I'm guessing that the right people will take it when the opportunity is there.

[DMac]

The league gets two thumbs up, five stars, a standing O, and in Navy talk a big fat bravo zulu from me. Will there be/does there need to be some adjustments made and tweaking of the rules? In all likelihood, yes, but that's not to say these folks did anything less than an outstanding job of bringing together the best in all of the land and putting an absolutely magnificent product on the field, much to the delight of this lacrosse fan and a whole lot of others. This league and the level of play was fantastic, and unfortunately for the purists, this is the game that is going to (more) attract the casual fan and mlax fan who just does not like wlax because of its restrictive rules (more so prior to possession clock, quick start, and play on rules but still prevalent among mlaxers nonetheless). My buddy is one of those, don't like it when he comes over when a wlax game is on but I've learned to tolerate it just as most of us have with the seat up, seat down complaining that goes on in many/most households. From his mouth, "I hate to admit it but this is a good game." With the 6v6, no shooting space or three second rule, along with the girls being able to take more shots they just wouldn't be able to in any other wlax game, there's no denying that this game looks much like a mlax game with a feminine touch. The casual fan sees more of what he/she considers lacrosse when he watches these femme phenomenals play this game and as I've said many times before I do believe this is the game many young female athletes out there want to play (therein lies the dilemma....how rough..pads, no pads).
I didn't see Joe as being the least bit deceptive/illusive/delusory/misleading about having played in the cage, there were many comments made by both he and the five time National Champion (I know this because I heard mention of it several, several, several times), Courtney. Joe just differed to Courtney on many occasions which makes perfect sense to me inasmuch as she actually played the game and is going to be able to give him some insights from experience which he just doesn't have. The mlax mentality is hard for a mlaxer to overcome at times, they just don't see things, or understand things, the way a wlaxer does. A prime example is Joe going on about the McParland shot that hit Wakefield (think I've got the names right)...."What is she supposed to do, hold up the shot on a quick stick like that?" That is a mlax mentality and the simple answer is yes, cuz it just aint allowed in wlax, it is up to you always to not hit another player on a shot. Pretty sure Courtney, the five time National Champion, straightened him out on that. These two did a pretty fine job across the board, IMO.
The weekly choosing of teams is interesting and definitely brings a unique twist to this league. There's not a huge pool of girls to choose from in forming teams for this league/pro wlax, there just isn't. If one team gets a monopoly of the best of the best players the league will quickly become that team and then the rest, and it's not as if you can go across the country recruiting (although you might run across Charlotte North...this league is made for her) and grab yourself a whole bunch of world class wlaxers to up your team's strength. So in that respect the shuffling of players kind of worked for me. It did, however, throw a lot of garbage in the game for getting behind and rooting for a team. In "getting to know" these players and seeing them play week in and week out of course you develop some favorites and it ends up being hard to root more for or against any team. In the end I didn't want to see any of them get beat. One thing the shuffling of teams did do is keep the competition pretty friendly with one another, good sportsmanship was abound in this league. If these teams got chippy with one another I think it could get pretty darn ugly given the level of roughness allowed....those women can be very vindictive and nasty, ya know.
My dime's worth.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

No matter how great the action was and how many players shined on the field it was just a series of exhibitions with an empty "champion" at the end--a single player--champion--at the end of the "season". No standings, no teams, no team celebration at winning the championship because there was none--apart from Maryland gushing and gloating on social media (what else is new?) about their GOAT from days of yore. The Hype Tripe in full blow mode like a geyser at Yellowstone.

So this is the 3rd different pro league in how many years? 3? 4? As Larry has said, there aren't enough folks out there to support NCAA women's lacrosse. There certainly won't be enough to support this gimmick "league". Even if there were, with these meshugana musical chair teams and players, I can't get with it. It's not a league and it doesn't have teams--just revolving and swapping and perpetually movings stars in their exhibition scrimmages. I saw some of the highlights on Twitter and Instagram. Sure, great highlights of great players doing great things. But so what--and to what end? I enjoyed watching Parrella play for Hofstra. A game winning goal showed up on the standings, on the RPI, more so if it was a conference rival, etc. What was her OT game winner in this "league"? What did it count toward? I need that structure. Plus it's hard to get behind a 3rd league when the other two have crashed and burned after one inaugural season. The hype for this "league" is a cacophony of cockamamie claptrap. I'm just glad we still have NCAA lacrosse. Seeing all the first year players today being welcomed by the schools they chose to play for, being photographed in groups of 7,8,9,10 is a solid testimony that the ranks are filled in D1 and thank goodness the AU pro league doesn't represent what we have come to know as women's lacrosse.

And for all the talk of rough play, I've seen worse in the college ranks. Much worse.

[LarryGamLax]

The league gets two thumbs up, five stars, a standing O, and in Navy talk a big fat bravo zulu from me. Will there be/does there need to be some adjustments made and tweaking of the rules? In all likelihood, yes, but that's not to say these folks did anything less than an outstanding job of bringing together the best in all of the land and putting an absolutely magnificent product on the field, much to the delight of this lacrosse fan and a whole lot of others. This league and the level of play was fantastic, and unfortunately for the purists, this is the game that is going to (more) attract the casual fan and mlax fan who just does not like wlax because of its restrictive rules (more so prior to possession clock, quick start, and play on rules but still prevalent among mlaxers nonetheless). My buddy is one of those, don't like it when he comes over when a wlax game is on but I've learned to tolerate it just as most of us have with the seat up, seat down complaining that goes on in many/most households. From his mouth, "I hate to admit it but this is a good game." With the 6v6, no shooting space or three second rule, along with the girls being able to take more shots they just wouldn't be able to in any other wlax game, there's no denying that this game looks much like a mlax game with a feminine touch. The casual fan sees more of what he/she considers lacrosse when he watches these femme phenomenals play this game and as I've said many times before I do believe this is the game many young female athletes out there want to play (therein lies the dilemma....how rough..pads, no pads).
I didn't see Joe as being the least bit deceptive/illusive/delusory/misleading about having played in the cage, there were many comments made by both he and the five time National Champion (I know this because I heard mention of it several, several, several times), Courtney. Joe just differed to Courtney on many occasions which makes perfect sense to me inasmuch as she actually played the game and is going to be able to give him some insights from experience which he just doesn't have. The mlax mentality is hard for a mlaxer to overcome at times, they just don't see things, or understand things, the way a wlaxer does. A prime example is Joe going on about the McParland shot that hit Wakefield (think I've got the names right)...."What is she supposed to do, hold up the shot on a quick stick like that?" That is a mlax mentality and the simple answer is yes, cuz it just aint allowed in wlax, it is up to you always to not hit another player on a shot. Pretty sure Courtney, the five time National Champion, straightened him out on that. These two did a pretty fine job across the board, IMO.
The weekly choosing of teams is interesting and definitely brings a unique twist to this league. There's not a huge pool of girls to choose from in forming teams for this league/pro wlax, there just isn't. If one team gets a monopoly of the best of the best players the league will quickly become that team and then the rest, and it's not as if you can go across the country recruiting (although you might run across Charlotte North...this league is made for her) and grab yourself a whole bunch of world class wlaxers to up your team's strength. So in that respect the shuffling of players kind of worked for me. It did, however, throw a lot of garbage in the game for getting behind and rooting for a team. In "getting to know" these players and seeing them play week in and week out of course you develop some favorites and it ends up being hard to root more for or against any team. In the end I didn't want to see any of them get beat. One thing the shuffling of teams did do is keep the competition pretty friendly with one another, good sportsmanship was abound in this league. If these teams got chippy with one another I think it could get pretty darn ugly given the level of roughness allowed....those women can be very vindictive and nasty, ya know.
My dime's worth.

You said a lot DMac, so I'm just going to address a few things.
You just had to bring up that "Mlax Mentality" thing, didn't you? Smh. Joe KNOWS Lacrosse! Joe has done more than enough Women's Games over the last 10-12 years, so he can differ to Courtney and still show his knowledge especially in the Cage. One time he turned to Courtney and asked her if she "liked an active goalie or one who stayed home" after a Goalie stepped towards a shooter outside the crease and got embarrassed. Courtney replied "an active one" and I'm screaming at the TV "Really, after just seeing that debacle?" Joe should have told her(and the audience) why what they witnessed was bad. He didn't and an opportunity was lost for learning.

Courtney Martinez Connor...the 5 time national Champion? Is that accurate? On the surface it's true. However, factually it breaks down like this...She won 4 NCs as a player at Maryland and 1 as an assistant coach. I have never heard anyone refer to Gary Gait as a 10 time National Champion(3 as the iconic player on Syracuse Men's Lax and 7 times as Cindy's assistant at Maryland. Really no need to gas Courtney up with the 5 time thing. Very annoying.


The talent pool is going to have to expand and I'm looking for D2 and D3 players to have an opportunity to try and make the league. So if players from D 1AA, D2 and D3 can make the NFL, does it stand to reason that there are D2 and D3 players that may be able to make a Pro roster? We'll see.

[DMac]

No matter how great the action was and how many players shined on the field it was just a series of exhibitions with an empty "champion" at the end--a single player--champion--at the end of the "season". No standings, no teams, no team celebration at winning the championship because there was none--apart from Maryland gushing and gloating on social media (what else is new?) about their GOAT from days of yore. The Hype Tripe in full blow mode like a geyser at Yellowstone.

So this is the 3rd different pro league in how many years? 3? 4? As Larry has said, there aren't enough folks out there to support NCAA women's lacrosse. There certainly won't be enough to support this gimmick "league". Even if there were, with these meshugana musical chair teams and players, I can't get with it. It's not a league and it doesn't have teams--just revolving and swapping and perpetually movings stars in their exhibition scrimmages. I saw some of the highlights on Twitter and Instagram. Sure, great highlights of great players doing great things. But so what--and to what end? I enjoyed watching Parrella play for Hofstra. A game winning goal showed up on the standings, on the RPI, more so if it was a conference rival, etc. What was her OT game winner in this "league"? What did it count toward? I need that structure. Plus it's hard to get behind a 3rd league when the other two have crashed and burned after one inaugural season. The hype for this "league" is a cacophony of cockamamie claptrap. I'm just glad we still have NCAA lacrosse. Seeing all the first year players today being welcomed by the schools they chose to play for, being photographed in groups of 7,8,9,10 is a solid testimony that the ranks are filled in D1 and thank goodness the AU pro league doesn't represent what we have come to know as women's lacrosse.

And for all the talk of rough play, I've seen worse in the college ranks. Much worse.

What horseschidt, no, you haven't seen rougher, much rougher, play at the D1 college level of wlax.
These rules allow for rougher play, they much more "let 'em play" in this league, hence a rougher game
than you'll see in the college game. Please spare me pulling up isolated incidents from college wlax
games.
So you don't like it, fine and dandy. I love it, think it's fantastic, these girls can far more showcase their
skills in this game than they can the college game but some people don't like lobster either. So be it.
This exhibition stuff, B*F*D. It is, despite your opinion, an absolutely fantastic exhibition of lacrosse played
by superior athletes, what's not to appreciate and enjoy about that? You can't crown a champion team? That
takes nothing away from my appreciation of watching the stick handling (you should pick one up and try to master it, maybe then you'll have a greater appreciation for what they can do) and level of play we see from these girls.
No secrets being revealed here in wlax having a very small following, so the girls should just learn to put their
sticks down when they've played their last college game. No pro leagues for you, girls...just forget about it.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

The Ladies are Tough!

[wlaxphan20]

They're all tough athletes. I think the point is that a lot of the rougher play in the pro league is legal where it would otherwise be called a foul in college.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

They're all tough athletes. I think the point is that a lot of the rougher play in the pro league is legal where it would otherwise be called a foul in college.

I hear you. I'm just saying I've seen worse--legal or otherwise--in D1.

[DMac]

wlaxfan20 wrote
They're all tough athletes. I think the point is that a lot of the rougher play in the pro league is legal where it would otherwise be called a foul in college.

Zactly, which is why it's horseschidt to say you've seen rougher, much rougher, play in the college game.
In the college game you get carded and with two you're out of the game unlike this league where the
same kind of play is not a card, hence a rougher game. Guess he missed the spare me part.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

No matter how great the action was and how many players shined on the field it was just a series of exhibitions with an empty "champion" at the end--a single player--champion--at the end of the "season". No standings, no teams, no team celebration at winning the championship because there was none--apart from Maryland gushing and gloating on social media (what else is new?) about their GOAT from days of yore. The Hype Tripe in full blow mode like a geyser at Yellowstone.

So this is the 3rd different pro league in how many years? 3? 4? As Larry has said, there aren't enough folks out there to support NCAA women's lacrosse. There certainly won't be enough to support this gimmick "league". Even if there were, with these meshugana musical chair teams and players, I can't get with it. It's not a league and it doesn't have teams--just revolving and swapping and perpetually movings stars in their exhibition scrimmages. I saw some of the highlights on Twitter and Instagram. Sure, great highlights of great players doing great things. But so what--and to what end? I enjoyed watching Parrella play for Hofstra. A game winning goal showed up on the standings, on the RPI, more so if it was a conference rival, etc. What was her OT game winner in this "league"? What did it count toward? I need that structure. Plus it's hard to get behind a 3rd league when the other two have crashed and burned after one inaugural season. The hype for this "league" is a cacophony of cockamamie claptrap. I'm just glad we still have NCAA lacrosse. Seeing all the first year players today being welcomed by the schools they chose to play for, being photographed in groups of 7,8,9,10 is a solid testimony that the ranks are filled in D1 and thank goodness the AU pro league doesn't represent what we have come to know as women's lacrosse.

And for all the talk of rough play, I've seen worse in the college ranks. Much worse.

What horseschidt, no, you haven't seen rougher, much rougher, play at the D1 college level of wlax.
These rules allow for rougher play, they much more "let 'em play" in this league, hence a rougher game
than you'll see in the college game. Please spare me pulling up isolated incidents from college wlax
games.
So you don't like it, fine and dandy. I love it, think it's fantastic, these girls can far more showcase their
skills in this game than they can the college game but some people don't like lobster either. So be it.
This exhibition stuff, B*F*D. It is, despite your opinion, an absolutely fantastic exhibition of lacrosse played
by superior athletes, what's not to appreciate and enjoy about that? You can't crown a champion team? That
takes nothing away from my appreciation of watching the stick handling (you should pick one up and try to master it, maybe then you'll have a greater appreciation for what they can do) and level of play we see from these girls.
No secrets being revealed here in wlax having a very small following, so the girls should just learn to put their
sticks down when they've played their last college game. No pro leagues for you, girls...just forget about it.

I don’t understand why you’re directing your critical comments at me. Larry asked for opinions. I gave mine. I didn’t type my response in response to yours. I typed out what I did the same time you were typing out yours. When I went to post it I got that pop up or whatever that goes something like “another person has posted a post you might wanna read what they wrote before you post yours” type notice. I didn’t. I posted without reading what someone else posted, which happened to be you. My post landed directly under your post by coincidence only, I was not responding to what you wrote.

I have the right and the freedom to share my opinion on these boards, however “horseschidt”-y you consider it to be, the same way you are free to share your opinion on these boards. Larry specifically requested unvarnished opinions.

He wrote: “Okay...love to hear what others thought. And please, do not be nice or fake in your comments. Say what you want to.”

That’s what I did, I gave my comments and they weren’t fake. That is sincerely how I feel about this league and I’ve been clear about that on these boards right from the beginning. I don’t knock you for thoroughly enjoying it. Why do you knock me because I don’t?

[Bart]

The Ladies are Tough!

Right on cue DMac.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

They're all tough athletes. I think the point is that a lot of the rougher play in the pro league is legal where it would otherwise be called a foul in college.

On further reflection, you’re right – I missed that distinction. My error. Thanks again for explaining things in a civil manner. Sometimes it takes a while with me for something to register.

However, when I read comments about how rough the game was in earlier posts under this topic, it wasn’t mentioned whether the roughness was legal or not. That’s what I was commenting on.

[DMac]

One girl's thoughts.
https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/athl ... tNiBF2tbFg

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I would like to see them cut bait with some of the older players that have "name" or "Instagram" recognition but were clearly not at the same level as the better players.

This was an intriguing observation. Do you think they were there solely because of "name" or "Instagram" recognition or could it be that there weren't enough willing and able players to tap? Which players would you replace?

[DMac]

So this is the 3rd different pro league in how many years? 3? 4? As Larry has said, there aren't enough folks out there to support NCAA women's lacrosse. There certainly won't be enough to support this gimmick "league". Even if there were, with these meshugana musical chair teams and players, I can't get with it. It's not a league and it doesn't have teams--just revolving and swapping and perpetually movings stars in their exhibition scrimmages. I saw some of the highlights on Twitter and Instagram. Sure, great highlights of great players doing great things. But so what--and to what end? I enjoyed watching Parrella play for Hofstra. A game winning goal showed up on the standings, on the RPI, more so if it was a conference rival, etc. What was her OT game winner in this "league"? What did it count toward? I need that structure. Plus it's hard to get behind a 3rd league when the other two have crashed and burned after one inaugural season. The hype for this "league" is a cacophony of cockamamie claptrap. I'm just glad we still have NCAA lacrosse. Seeing all the first year players today being welcomed by the schools they chose to play for, being photographed in groups of 7,8,9,10 is a solid testimony that the ranks are filled in D1 and thank goodness the AU pro league doesn't represent what we have come to know as women's lacrosse.

What these gimmick leagues and exhibition games (your description of course, certainly not my words) have done is bring you the wlax game you're now seeing at the college level. A much, much, much improved game than what was seen in '65, '75, '85, '95, and probably right through to today had no one taken a chance and showed the world what a different game wlax could be if the girls were allowed to play under less restrictive rules. After I watched the first WPLL game my comment was, please bring this game to the college ranks, it's just fantastic. It didn't take long for college wlax to adopt many of the rules from that league, so you should be thankful for these gimmick leagues and exhibition games as it's very likely you wouldn't be watching what you're watching today were it not for them.
This gimmick league of exhibition games has done the same thing, shown the world what these gals are capable of when the reigns are taken off and they're allowed to play a little rougher, more wild, and creatively. I thoroughly enjoyed Ohlmiller's driving to the cage with reckless abandon and rolling on the ground after being banged around a little. This gimmick league shone the light on what these gals are capable of doing on a lacrosse field and with a lacrosse stick, and you can bet your life that you will eventually (in the not so distant future) see more of this game in the college ranks because...well, because it's the game these girls want to play (IMO) and the game that the much coveted casual fan wants to see. So you can write it off as an exhibition and gimmick and a league that's doomed for failure, but these pro leagues have done a whole lot to improve wlax which will ultimately attract more good athletes to play the game than the game of yore did. Sure looked to me as if the gals who played this brand of gimmick, exhibition, lacrosse thoroughly enjoyed it too.
Just fantastic players putting on an outstanding exhibition of lacrosse...the girl power, a little rough and tumble version.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I agree with 99% of what you wrote here. Just a couple of little tweaks though: I got “gimmick” from Larry. I also fell into line with his thinking about the league being doomed, so to speak, having already been through the first two failed leagues with great enthusiasm. You know that old saying about being led down the garden path.

And for myself, I could have been more intrigued had there been actual standings and an actual championship game. Everything else you wrote here I agree with spot on.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I agree with 99% of what you wrote here. Just a couple of little tweaks though: I got “gimmick” from Larry. I also fell into line with his thinking about the league being doomed, so to speak, having already been through the first two failed leagues with great enthusiasm. You know that old saying about being led down the garden path.

And for myself, I could have been more intrigued had there been actual standings and an actual championship game. Everything else you wrote here I agree with spot on.

You may still be able to search UWLX and/or WPLL to see how high the enthusiasm was. But after twice down the garden path, I came over to Larry’s point of view regarding pro leagues. This one in particular due to the lack of teams, standings and playoffs/championship.

[Brownlax]

So this is the 3rd different pro league in how many years? 3? 4? As Larry has said, there aren't enough folks out there to support NCAA women's lacrosse. There certainly won't be enough to support this gimmick "league". Even if there were, with these meshugana musical chair teams and players, I can't get with it. It's not a league and it doesn't have teams--just revolving and swapping and perpetually movings stars in their exhibition scrimmages. I saw some of the highlights on Twitter and Instagram. Sure, great highlights of great players doing great things. But so what--and to what end? I enjoyed watching Parrella play for Hofstra. A game winning goal showed up on the standings, on the RPI, more so if it was a conference rival, etc. What was her OT game winner in this "league"? What did it count toward? I need that structure. Plus it's hard to get behind a 3rd league when the other two have crashed and burned after one inaugural season. The hype for this "league" is a cacophony of cockamamie claptrap. I'm just glad we still have NCAA lacrosse. Seeing all the first year players today being welcomed by the schools they chose to play for, being photographed in groups of 7,8,9,10 is a solid testimony that the ranks are filled in D1 and thank goodness the AU pro league doesn't represent what we have come to know as women's lacrosse.

What these gimmick leagues and exhibition games (your description of course, certainly not my words) have done is bring you the wlax game you're now seeing at the college level. A much, much, much improved game than what was seen in '65, '75, '85, '95, and probably right through to today had no one taken a chance and showed the world what a different game wlax could be if the girls were allowed to play under less restrictive rules. After I watched the first WPLL game my comment was, please bring this game to the college ranks, it's just fantastic. It didn't take long for college wlax to adopt many of the rules from that league, so you should be thankful for these gimmick leagues and exhibition games as it's very likely you wouldn't be watching what you're watching today were it not for them.
This gimmick league of exhibition games has done the same thing, shown the world what these gals are capable of when the reigns are taken off and they're allowed to play a little rougher, more wild, and creatively. I thoroughly enjoyed Ohlmiller's driving to the cage with reckless abandon and rolling on the ground after being banged around a little. This gimmick league shone the light on what these gals are capable of doing on a lacrosse field and with a lacrosse stick, and you can bet your life that you will eventually (in the not so distant future) see more of this game in the college ranks because...well, because it's the game these girls want to play (IMO) and the game that the much coveted casual fan wants to see. So you can write it off as an exhibition and gimmick and a league that's doomed for failure, but these pro leagues have done a whole lot to improve wlax which will ultimately attract more good athletes to play the game than the game of yore did. Sure looked to me as if the gals who played this brand of gimmick, exhibition, lacrosse thoroughly enjoyed it too.
Just fantastic players putting on an outstanding exhibition of lacrosse...the girl power, a little rough and tumble version.

+1

[wlaxphan20]

A quick look into Athletes Unlimited could also help. Founder's background, funding, partnerships with other brands, etc. People involved with Athletes Unlimited are clearly seeing the value in it (not just wlax, but in softball and volleyball too), so maybe they're seeing something or know something we don't?

[LarryGamLax]

DMac wrote the following :

"After I watched the first WPLL game my comment was, please bring this game to the college ranks, it's just fantastic. It didn't take long for college wlax to adopt many of the rules from that league, so you should be thankful for these gimmick leagues and exhibition games as it's very likely you wouldn't be watching what you're watching today were it not for them."


I think I'm fairly knowledgeable about the rules of the sport(both sides), but maybe I missed something. Explain and tell us about Women's College Lacrosse and how they adopted "many of the rules" from the WPLL.
You can state that in a post, but I would like for you to tell me where I can see that clear path.