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Wilson’s Wheelhouse: What’s Good With Lax?

Every once in a while I’m going to put my finger on the pulse of the game, count to 15, multiply by 4 and give you the resting heart rate of the sport. Since it’s summer time and the college season just ended, most people think the game is entering the slowest period of the year. How silly those people are.

Chrome is all over the place. D1 players at Cuse, Hopkins and UNC were seen rocking the new look and even our very own 412 Lax is supposedly getting in on the action. I’ve seen STX, Warrior and Maverik heads in various chromo-colors and overall it seems like a decent innovation style-wise. If companies can limit the amount of chipping (and lower costs) you could actually see these in production next spring.  Of course, if anyone tries to tell you that a chrome head will actually help you play better, tell them to get off the wacky tobacky.

This past couple of weekends, the Denver Outlaws‘ starting goalie (and just maybe the best keeper in the world right now), Jesse Schwartzman, has rocked an orange chrome goalie head along with a silver throat protector.  Cool.  The Chrominess is awesome, but I would like to point out that Schwartzman’s pocket is one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen.  Just awful.  Sure, he can ball with the best of them on the field but that crappy tennis racket pocket is suspect.   He does throw a pretty mean outlet pass though… so what do I know?

Sweet spoon. Fugly pocket. Cankles. (All in good fun, Jesse!)

Stephen Berger, of LI Lizards fame, will also be rocking a chrome spoon but his will be green and he’ll be unveiling his new gear at the MLL All-Star game where the MLL All-Stars will take on Team USA as they prep for the ILF World Games in July in Manchester, England.

While chrome is making a major breakthrough in lacrosse, an older staple of the game is still slowly disappearing: traditional.  I only saw about 5-10 players use traditional this spring in the NCAAs and when you get to the MLL that number seems to drop off even further.  In the college ranks some very talented players still use traditional, like Steele Stanwick of Virginia (I’ve heard that his dad strings his sticks for him) and Jeremy Thompson of Syracuse, but the numbers are way down.  So far this year the only MLL player I’ve seen use traditional was obscured and now I can’t even tell who it was.  I think it’s either Johnny Christmas or Chazz Woodson but either way I don’t think either of them are long time traddy users so now I’m totally confused.

If either of these guys uses traditional and has used it in the past, I apologize for doubting you.  If you’re a recent convert, welcome to the real deal.  For anyone who hasn’t played with a really good traditional stick, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Get out of the way, Seibald! I want to see who is using a traddy spoon, ok?!?!

You know who can string a little traditional?  This dude Shawn at Battlelax.  Don’t believe me?  Check out some of his work below.  He claims he doesn’t string around the ball but that his pockets are still money in the bank with little break-in time.  It looks good so for now, I’ll believe him!  I prefer to string a pocket around the ball itself but I also like whip and about 5 shooting strings.  Maybe I’m just weird.

nice diamonds, good shooters, brown leathers: looks good.

On a totally unrelated note… if someone could explain the shorts selection (seen below) from England to me, I’d be much obliged.  I remember the MILL where everyone wore spandex but that was the 1980s where style was… questionable.   I’m still trying to figure this one out on my own but some help would be appreciated…

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About the Author: Connor is a life-long lacrosse player who doesn’t know when to give up on the game. He played and coached at Wesleyan University and now plays for the Southampton LC in NYC. Connor lives with his fiance in Brooklyn and thanks her for allowing him to keep the dream alive.

Contact him at connor@lacrosseallstars.com.