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Miami B&G Recap – More Friday, Some Saturday

Editor’s note: Catch up on Connor’s first post from the Bump & Grind here

This is the kind of outfit people wear after a night out in Miami. Standard.

In today’s Miami post, I’ll run down the Friday and Saturday action while leaving the majority of the pictures and video for later this week and next week.

I know it’s what you all want to see but it takes time to get that stuff together and get it right so please bear with me,  after all, I do still work another job (non-lacrosse related) during the day!

Later this week we’ll also show off some of the custom gear on display down in Miami.  Companies have taken customization to the next level and I think this is being done because more and more people are now believers in the long-term viability of lacrosse as a business.

For now, I’ll just let you feast your eyes on the sweet SWAAAAAAAAAAAAG we picked up as members of the STX/StrikerDanger team.  I love gear and they really hooked their players up:

Uniforms, tshirts, wristbands, an X10 head, socks and a pair Univ. S. Maine shorts from Malcolm Chase. Schweeeeeet.

Like I mentioned in my last post, STX/StrikerDanger took down Team Cans out of DC in our Friday game but we weren’t the only team that came out firing.

Stickhead/ProAthletics (the eventual winner of the tournament) beat up on the Aspen Hooters behind solid goaltending, Dan Cocchi and a nice Duke contingent.  Stickhead/ProAthletics was one team that had custom helmets, gloves and uniforms.  We’ll show these off later this week.  They went with a “gone huntin” motif.  Snazzy.

Lacrossewear/Headstrong also won their Friday game taking down the Univ. of Miami Club Team with the greatest of ease.  LW/HS had a light squad but Greg Gurenlian (PSU/MLL) as your fogo tends to help a bit.  That plus some fresh young legs, Doug Shanahan(Hofstra/MLL/USTeam ’02), Bo Lamon (NEC) and some other vets didn’t hurt either.

Team Awesome took down Team Absolut in the battle of the baby blue uniforms.  Wells Fargo, made up of a lot of Brine/Warrior guys, won their first game as well behind the play of guys like Liam Banks(Cuse/MLL), Nate Watkins (MD/MLL), Justin Smith (Salisbury/MLL), Dan Holdridge (LeMoyne), Neal Goldman (Gtown), Greg Nierowski (Cuse) and goalie, Chris Hettler (Colgate), by beating Uno Mas, a local team out of Hialeah, FL.

The last game on Friday saw the NYC based Salt Shakerz take down Boston based Fat Rhinos. As a teaser, here’s a little clip of the STX/StrikerDanger huddle… we keeps it loose so as not to get tight:

The Saturday games were slightly delayed by everyone’s hangovers.  While we rolled up to the field with about 15 minutes to spare before our 10:30 am game, no other teams were there.

We waited around for a while and tried to find ways to keep from dieing in the warming sun.  Sunglasses and lots of water worked best.  Eventually, the other teams rolled in and we got started.

STX/StrikerDanger took down Team Absolut and we looked pretty awful.  I managed to get smoked a couple of times… but I was happy that I only fell down once (for absolutely no reason) and even managed to pick up a couple gbs, throw some wood and somehow took a 2 point shot with my pole on a clear. An embarassing effort.  I didn’t even look where it went, but did hear the goalie yell “popcorn” as I turned and headed back towards my end of the field.   We still won easily as Dicomillo dominated the face offs.  I have no idea how that guy does it.

Wells Fargo won both of their Saturday games while Lacrossewear went 1-1, Team Awesome went 2-0, beating us in our afternoon game (not our best effort but half the team got drunk at lunch at a local “club for dancers” so we had an excuse all prepared).

The Salt Shakerz continued their winning ways with two more victories while Stickhead/ProAthletics won their first game and then lost to Wells Fargo.  By the end of the day, Wells Fargo, Team Awesome, Salt Shakerz, Stickhead/ProA, STX/StrikerDanger and Lacrossewear had all made the playoffs on Sunday.  After my experience playing on Saturday morning, I was wondering if making the playoffs and playing at 11am the next day was actually a good thing.

If you have ANY doubt as to how a LONG-ass night out can affect your play, look no further than the following video.  I mean these guys are pros but when it’s hot and you’re tired and possibly still a little drunk, this can happen:

Satruday night saw the tournament party move to the Heathrow Lounge.  I ended up going out for dinner before and split a 750mL bottle of delicious Sake at a place called Sushi Samba. They have a place in NYC as well but it’s in Murray Hill so I’ve never been there.  Brooklyn. What!?!?

The food was good though and I didn’t have any more run-ins with Dante Culpepper.  We went back to the Shore Club and experienced their nightlife by the pools.  If you’re looking to go to South Beach and don’t want to pay $650/night then check out the Shore Club.  They had decent deals and have 2 pools and direct beach access… not too bad for a smaller hotel.

Plus the place is just cool, although it isn’t the celeb-filled hangout it once was.

Stools, beds and throw pillows. You want me to sit on these?

I’ll be back with more on Sunday’s games tomorrow and then back again with gear and video whenever I get it all together and organized.

If you want to showcase your uniforms or photos from the tournament, you still have time.  Just not much time!  Just send me an email ASAP at connor@lacrosseallstars.com and we’ll make it happen!  Livin’ the dream.

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About the Author:
After helping to start the program at Weston HS in Massachusetts, Connor Wilson went on to play at Wesleyan University. Post-graduation, Wilson stayed on and coached at Wesleyan for 2 years. He also played in Australia and the American Lacrosse League. Currently Wilson plays for the Southampton Lacrosse Club in NYC and enjoys dyeing lacrosse sticks, eating breakfast sandwiches and a pretentious writer’s bio on LAS.