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Not All NLL Fights Are Created Equal

Bradley Ryder Owens, the fake “BRO” blogger over on LPG, recently wrote a post about a “fight” at the Rochester Knighthawks Training Camp, and below in italics, you can find the entire post:

“Josh Ruys, who stands at 6’3″ 245lbs., and Scott Rouse came to blows at their own training camp for the upcoming NLL season. Yes, two teammates fought each other and the team is promoting it. Does anyone see a problem with this? It is Canada after all. Maybe in-house fights should be allowed for the NFL. That way, everyone on the Philly Eagles could take their anger out on DeSean Jackson.

“By the way, the Knighthawks signed an Anti-Bullying pledge seven days ago. More lacrosse fights.”

Ok, I like that a writer on LPG is taking a stance against fighting in lacrosse.  That’s a good first step.  Of course the writer goes on to link to old lacrosse fights at the end of the post, so that kind of negates the anti-fighting sentiment, but whatever.  That’s not the main point here.  The main point is that this fight makes a LOT of sense and is NOT the big deal B.R.O seems to think it is.  Here’s why:

Fighting is currently legal in the NLL.  You need guys on your team who can throw down.  So when two guys are both trying to make the team, and both want to be known as enforcers, it makes sense that they would get into a practice fight at tryouts.  The coaches want to see you score, pass, hit, play defense and throw down.  It’s the NLL.  This is what happens, and it’s nothing new.  Want to be indignant about NLL fights?  Talk about the scrimmage brawl last year involving the Buffalo Bandits and Toronto Rock.  But this fight is simply not on the same level.  It’s not even close.

And when you continue watching and the fight ends, you actually see that the guy who ended up “winning” helps the other guy up.  So it was CLEARLY a practice fight.  This public service announcement is brought to you by LAS’ desire to NOT create stories out of absolutely nothing.  Not bad for a Yank, eh?  Really getting to know our boxla!

Now I’m an anti-fighting guy, and I’ve consistently said this over and over again.  I don’t think it adds to the sport, and the idea of players self-regulating cheap shots through fighting is ridiculous.  If that were actually the case you wouldn’t need refs at all.  Fighting is just a cheap thrill added on to an already violent game.  Of course all of that is just my opinion.  But I’m also aware that fighting IS currently a part of pro box lacrosse, and it’s not going to disappear tomorrow.  So I can tell the difference between an embarrassing brawl and a gentlemanly fight.  So while I will continue to make a push for the abolition of fighting in box lacrosse, I will also pledge to stay realistic.

And this fight simply isn’t something that needs to be made into a big deal… because it’s not.

joel mccready nll box lacrosse rochester knighthawks lax
There are fights, and then there are FIGHTS!