Know Your Nationals - Joe Walters

Joe Walters has been playing for the Hamilton Nationals for the past three years. Walters headed to the All Star Game for the sixth time in his career and had a 3-point performance earlier this month. He currently leads the MLL in assists at 22, and is tied for fourth with a total of 41 points.  The last game with the Nationals, Walters put in a goal and an assist to help the team with their 17-12 win over Boston to clinch a playoff berth. Walters sat down with Digital Media Coordinator Becca Luden to talk about his lacrosse career.

Becca Luden: How did you get started in lacrosse?
Joe Walters: I played basketball and I used to wrestle. One of my friends during the wrestling season asked what I was doing in the spring. And I was 8 years old so obviously nothing. He said I should come play lacrosse. Our parents talked and I went out for lacrosse and I loved it.

BL: So what’s been your greatest accomplishment in lacrosse?
JW: I guess just being fortunate enough to win championships at the professional level. I think sometimes you take it for granted. I came into the MLL in 2006, won in 2008 with the Rattlers and then with our team the year after (in Toronto). There are some guys that play that don’t have that feeling. So I think just winning championship has been the greatest part of my career. I mean that’s the reason you play. I’m just fortunate to be on great teams and play alongside great players.

I think the overall best and most memorable moment of my lacrosse career was winning the first Knighthawks championship last year. Winning the World Championship in 2012 with the Knighthawks is definitely the most meaningful. I’ve told this story a few times. I’ve played a bunch of big games with college and high school programs and pro championships and I’ve never cried after winning. And last year was the first time that I cried after winning. I think it was just for me picking up the indoor game has been a big challenge and it took three years to finally realize that I was going to have to play during the summer and try and improve my box game. I played with Brampton and we ended up winning a Cup and that really helped to go into 2012 with a fresh attitude. I really felt like I belonged and that’s really why I cried, just knowing how much effort and how much work I had to put into my indoor game. So, I think that’s kind of the main experience and most memorable out of my lacrosse career.

BL: What advantage do you think that you get from playing both box and field?
JW: I think it helps. I think it’s the way that lacrosse is going. Coaches in the states, especially at the top level, are looking for players that are multi-dimensional. You’re finding more and more in Canada going down to the states to play in college so I think that’s where the sport is headed. The skills in box lacrosse really help you in outdoor. You learn basic overall toughness, the two-man game, just being able to handle the ball in tight corners and being able to see the floor. Those really help your field game. Not only does playing with the Knighthawks help with the summer league, as far as skills, but you also have a stick in your hand all year round. You know it can be tough if you’re not playing all winter to start practicing and to start getting ready for the summer league without playing. That can be tough. Playing all winter and having the stick in your hands is an added bonus.

BL: Who is your athletic motivation?
JW: Clearly there’s my favorite athlete, but my father is definitely who really motivates me. My dad didn’t play lacrosse, but he’s probably my biggest lacrosse hero. He’s very hands on, went to every lacrosse camp and took me to a ton of lacrosse camps to get better and try and learn from the best. He was always there and traveled with me. He didn’t just drop me off, he stayed and took notes and tried to learn the game. So that when we were at home we could work on those skills together. Besides that the overall motivation that he gave me, he didn’t let me just sit around and hang out with my friends throughout middle school and high school, he encouraged me and made me to shoot around  outside in the backyard and lift weights. Without him, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.

BL: Are you guys still really close?
JW:Oh yah. He’s defiantly one of my best friends. He is my best friend.

BL: It’s good to still have that strong relationship:
JW: He’s never missed a game. I mean he’s missed a couple because of work or if it’s somewhere really far that he might not be able to make it. He’s coming to Florida this weekend. He hasn’t missed many games, I could probably count on one hand how many games he’s missed through out my lacrosse career.

BL: So you do a lot with the schools and talking to kids. what’s really the main message that you try and get across?
JW: If I’m just talking to kids, I think the main message is that you have to work hard. Nothing in life is going to be easy and I look at my indoor career and give that example. I grew up playing lacrosse and I was pretty good at it and I excelled at the field game. I assumed the indoor game would be a cake walk and I’d be good at it. But I realized that it was a completely different game and it took me a couple years to realize that I could either quit, which I thought about, or work hard and try to learn the game. I think that’s the overall lesson in life. Nothing in life is easy. If you want to excel at something it’s going to take hard work and being dedicated. If you put forth the effort, you will see results. Whether it’s your school work, science project or math homework, the more you practice it, and the more effort you put into it, the better you’re going to get at it.

BL:  You were recently recognized for the work you do to grow the game of lacrosse, so just what are your thoughts on winning the Elliot Cushing award?
JW: I didn’t have to do a speech, but if I were to give a speech what I was going to say was that lacrosse has taken me to so many places and it’s been a huge part of my life. I’ve been able to travel to camps all over the place and I’ve gotten to play lacrosse in Canada, Rome and Hawaii. I’ve been all over the country and the world teaching the sport. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in our country and I think that’s really cool to say. Our sport is growing every year and it’s not declining. I think it’s important, and with my experience, it’s something I love to do and it’s a sport that’s taken me places. It’s really been my goal to be a leader and continue that trend and keep lacrosse growing. Hopefully, one day it can become a big time mainstream sport like it should be.

BL: How do you prepare for a game? Do you have any weird superstitions?
JW: Over the past bunch of years, I like to take a little nap. I don’t like to sleep too much, but I feel like if I don’t take a nap it’ll be in the back of my head so I try to lay down for a little bit. I’m not particular with food, but this goes back to when I was at Maryland, I like to have a diet Pepsi or a diet Coke throughout the day. I guess that’s my only quirky thing.

BL: If you could have any superpower what would it be?
JW: I’d love to be able to be in two places at once. The reason is that there are so many things to do and just a limited amount of time. Sometimes you’re so busy playing games and traveling, you just want to be home too. So there are a lot of things going on and we’re so busy that it’d be nice to be in two places at once. 

BL: What’s a song on your iPod you wouldn’t want people to know about?
JW: I guess it’s kind of from last year but “Call Me Maybe.”

BL: What’s something that you wish you had more time to do?
JW: Travel. I love to travel and explore new places. I think that there are so many cool places to visit. I try and travel as much as I possibly can, but it’s something I wish I could do more of.

BL: Where’s one place that you want to go that you haven’t been?
JW: I plan on going, but I’d like to go to Vietnam. My mother is from Vietnam and met my father during the Vietnam War. She has not retuned since she’s been over here, so it’s been a long time. My goal is to go to Vietnam with my mother because I know it means a lot to her. To go back and see where’s she’s from…so it’s kind of No. 1 on my list.

BL: What do you do in your spare time outside of work?
JW: Well, I like to travel so if there’s any opportunity where I can take a little trip I like to do that. Besides that, I like to shop, shopping. I just like relaxing.

BL: What is your favorite pair of sneakers in your collection?
JW: I haven’t even worn them yet. They’re from 2001, Nike Air Jordan ones.

BL: Do you have a lot of shoes?
JW: Yeah, I have a lot. I used to collect, but I don’t collect anymore. I collected rare and exclusive sneakers. I plan on wearing them soon.

Hamilton Nationals - News and Notes July 29th

The Hamilton Nationals have clinched a playoff berth and will head to Philadelphia for Championship Weekend on August 24th. This will be the third time in team history that the Nationals have advanced to the postseason. The Nationals won the championship in 2009 and in 2011 made it to the Finals before falling short to the Boston Cannons.

Not only did the Nationals clinch a playoff spot, but they also earned their ninth win to extend their single-season wins record. The record was broken last week when they notched their eighth win in a 13-12 win over the Ohio Machine on July 20^th.

Rookie Garrett Thul led the Nationals with six points (5+1+0) in the 17-12 win Saturday night over the Boston Cannons. Thul started off the game with two goals in the first quarter, including his second two pointer of his career, to help the Nationals take a 6-1 lead at the end of the first.  He then went on to score three more times in the fourth quarter to seal the Nationals win.

Brett Queener scored the second goal of the contest, which was the first MLL goal of his career. He also made 17 saves. Queener and the Nationals defense held leading point producer Paul Rabil to just a two-point goal that didn’t come until the fourth quarter.

Kevin Cunningham tied his career best with five points (2+3). Cunningham connected with Thul twice in the first quarter, and also found the back of the net for three points in the first quarter. Cunningham has 21 assists this season and trails just Joe Walters for the team lead. Walters continues to lead to the league in assists with 22. Kevin Crowley, who leads the team with 44 points, scored once Saturday to extend his point streak to 27 games. Crowley is now tied for second in points in the MLL with Chris Bocklet of the Denver Outlaws. 

Thul ,Queener and Cunningham will head to Baltimore for the US National Team try outs, alongside teammates Tucker Durkin, Mike Poppleton, Roman Lao-Gosney, and Cameron Lao-Gosney from August 30th through September 1st. 

The Nationals are back home on Saturday August 10th for a 3:00 p.m. game against the undefeated Denver Outlaws (12-0). For tickets call 905-525-NATS (6287).

University of Florida Removes Hernandez's Brick from Gator Walk

Some could say that this was too far, that he didn't deserve that. Some would agree that it was the right thing to do.
The University of Florida has removed Aaron Hernandez's brick from the Gator Walk. They have been removing pictures and articles about him from around the school since the end of June. Earlier today they removed the largest and most noticeable recognition of the athlete.
The Gator walk is a path to the entrance of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that shows players that have been named All Americans. He played for the Gators from 2007 until 2009, when he was awarded the Mackey Award. He then went on to be drafted in 2010 by the New England Patriots.
On June 26th 2013 he was charged for first degree murder, and the University of Florida decided that they did not want that associated with their school.
He was released from several other organizations that did not want to be associated with him due to these charges and the media that surrounded him. Was removing his brick too much?

He made a choice and there are consequences for that choice. It was a decision made with poor judgement. A University would not want that associated with their athletics program or their school as a whole. When something as large as this case happens, it doesn't matter who you are or what positive things you have done in the past. Your name brings up the negative thoughts. A University as well as any other organization wants to keep a positive image and instil positive values. So No, I do not think that this crossed any sort of line. If i was the Dean, I would choose to do the same thing.

Playoff Update - MLL

Looks like I wasn't too far off from my predictions.
Denver is locked in for the first playoff spot.
Hamilton needs a win this week over Boston and they've clinched the number two spot.
Chesapeake is currently in for the third , while Boston and Charlotte are battling it out for the fourth.

Boston can't clinch a spot this week, but a win would definitely help them out more in the fight. Hamilton needs a win over Boston or a Charlotte loss for them to clinch it. While Chesapeake can clinch it with either a win or either Charlotte or Boston losing this weekend.

Rochester and New York are not out of playoff contention yet, but New York is coming close.
New York will be out of playoff contention with a loss or a win by either Boston or Charlotte , while Rochester can not be eliminated this week.

Boston, Charlotte, and Rochester can not clinch a playoff berth or be eliminated this week.

Hamilton hosts Boston   - 7pm (Live on Youtube)
Charlotte vs Ohio  - 7pm
Rochester vs NY - 6:30pm
Denver vs Chesapeake  - Noon

Hamilton Nationals - News and Notes

The Hamilton Nationals’ 13-12 win over the Ohio Machine may not have clinched them their playoff berth, but it did set the team record for wins in a season. The Nationals earned their eighth victory of the season, surpassing the mark set in 2009 and 2011. Not only did the team break a record but there were several players that hit milestones as well.

Joe Walters opened up the game with back-to-back goals before Martin Cahill put in two to keep the Nationals goal streak going. Kevin Cunningham and Kevin Crowley also put in a goal apiece to give Hamilton a 6-0 lead.

Cody Jamieson had a career best six points with his two goals and four assists. Walters and Jamieson, who also play together for the Rochester Knighthawks, hooked up in the fourth quarter. Walters connected with Jamieson for his 100th assist of his career.

Kevin Crowley’s two-point game not only continued his point streak to 26, but his second goal was his 100th career point. Crowley just came off of the All-Star Game, where he earned the MVP with a five-point game. Crowley is currently in third in points with 43 and second in goals with 31.

Dillon Ward made the second start of his career for the Nationals on Saturday. Ward held the Machine off for nearly 20 minutes before Ohio rookie Logan Schuss found the back of the net to get the Machine on the board. Ward, who made 17 saves, improved to 1-1.

As for the playoffs, the Nationals can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Charlotte loss Saturday. The last time the Nationals were in the playoffs was in 2011, when they went to the Championship and lost by one to Boston. In 2009, the Nationals won the MLL Championship, defeating Denver 9-8.

The Nationals next game will be on Saturday, July 27th at Ron Joyce Stadium against the Boston Cannons. For tickets call 905-525-NATS (6287).

Hamilton Nationals - News and Notes

Five Hamilton Nationals headed to Charlotte for the All-Star Game this past weekend. Kevin Crowley opened up the game with a goal from Supernova, and he was only getting started. Crowley then put in another two as well as two assists en route to five points and MVP honors. The Nationals midfielder currently leads the Nationals in points and goals, and is riding a 25-game point streak.

Joe Walters made his sixth trip to the All Star Game, and put in three goals for Team Supernova. Walters currently leads the Nationals in assists and is the all team leader in points, goals and assists for Hamilton.

Rookie Kevin Cunningham made his first All Star Game appearance and finished with one assist. Cunningham currently has 26 assists for the Nationals, putting him in second just behind Walters.

Goalie Brett Queener was found in the stands throughout the first half of the All-Star Game, getting well acquainted with the fans. This was his fourth All-Star Game of his career. Queener made nine stops and also put in one goal for Team Eclipse. Nationals teammate Crowley scored back-to-back goals on Queener in the fourth quarter.

Brodie Merrill made his eighth visit to the MLL All Star Game after playing his 100th MLL game against the Rochester Rattlers the week before. Merrill has the all-time number of ground balls in the league and scooped up two in the All-Star Game. He also had one assist.

The Nationals represented Hamilton by not only having Crowley bring home the MVP award, but also by collecting in 11 points. The five All-Stars will be back at Ron Joyce Stadium on the Saturday, July 20th to take on the Ohio Machine for the second time this season. For tickets, call 905-525-NATS (6287).

Tim Hortons Field

The Tiger Cats new stadium will be called Tim Hortons Stadium. With over 35 hundred Tim Hortons locations in Canada, the very first of the canadian franchise was in Hamilton Ontario. The Tim Hortons franchise was started by Ron Joyce and his partner Tim Horton.
Ron Joyce Stadium is located on the Mcmaster campus and now his partner Tim Horton will have his own stadium as well.
Although several Hamiltonians and Ti-Cats fans are not overly thrilled with the decision to change the name of Ivor Wynn , due to the lengthy history of the stadium and it's history with the team. The name change will still hold history for Hamilton. The Stadium will continue to stay Ivor Wynn in several Hamiltonians hearts.

As for me .. I'm not so sure i'm comfortable with it. I feel like Tim Hortons should have a hockey arena instead. Due to the fact that Hockey and Tim Hortons go hand in hand .. and Tim Horton was a hockey player here in Canada. It just seems like that would have been a better fit.

Patriots Dennard Breaks Probation

New England Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard has been arrested and cited for driving under the influence. Dennard was pulled over roughly around 2am (C.T) when his red Honda was straddling lane lines. Police issued a sobriety test before transporting him to a substance abuse treatment centre. Although he did not provide an adequate breath sample for the test he was not jailed. Released with a court date set for August 12th.
This is his second run in with the law after he was found guilty of a felony assault on an officer just last year. He was given 24 months probation and a sentence of 30 days that judge permitted he would serve starting on March 1st of 2014.
After breaking his probation by driving under the influence will the judge's call to start his sentence march of next year change? Whether or not when he serves his sentence he will stay pay for it through the league and the Patriots management. The Patriots management is currently looking into the case before taking any action. This is not the first case that they have had to deal with, after Aaron Hernandez's charge for first degree murder.

Matt Stafford Signs new Deal with Detroit.

The Detroit Lions have extended Quarterback Matt Stafford's contract to 2017. Stafford has been playing for the Lions since 2009 when he was drafted first overall. Stafford helped lead the Lions to the playoffs in 2011; which was the first time the Lions have seen the playoffs in nearly a decade.

The Lions have been without a franchise quarterback for several years, and although Stafford has a long way to go, after showing many flaws in the 2012 season. In 2012 he threw 17 interceptions, 20 touchdowns and was sacked a total of 29 times. Although he had a rough season last year, after his 2011 season taking the Lions to playoffs, it shows how much potential he has.

In 2011 he tied the record for consecutive games with at least 1 touchdown pass as well as tying Drew Brees' record for consecutive games with 350+ passing yards. The contract extension will give Stafford  41.5 million guaranteed with the 53 million dollar contract. The extension will pay him on average 18 million for each season... roughly the same average as the Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo.

Stafford tweeted earlier today that he was happy to extend his contract and stay in Detroit for another five years.

Stafford received a signing bonus of 27.5 million according to profootballtalk.com.

Hamilton Nationals - Q&A with Joe Walters

Joe Walters has been playing for the Hamilton Nationals for the past three years, and was recently named to the MLL All Star game. Joe Walters is the all time leader in assists, points, and goals for the Nationals. The past two weeks he has played a huge role for the Nationals leading in points 2 out of the three games. I had a chance to sit down with Joe and talk about his lacrosse career.

B: How did you get started in lacrosse?

J: I played basketball and I used to wrestle. One of my friends during the wrestling season asked what I was doing in the spring. And I was 8 years old so obviously nothing. He said I should come play lacrosse. Our parents talked and I went out for lacrosse and I loved it.

B: So what’s been your greatest accomplishment in lacrosse?

J: I guess just being fortunate enough to win championships at the professional level. I think sometimes you take it for granted. I came into the MLL in 2006, won in 2008 with the Rattlers and then with our team the year after (in Toronto). There are some guys that play that don’t have that feeling. So I think just winning championship has been the greatest part of my career. I mean that’s the reason you play. I’m just fortunate to be on great teams and play alongside great players.

I think the overall best and most memorable moment of my lacrosse career was winning the first Knighthawks championship last year. Winning the World Championship in 2012 with the Knighthawks is definitely the most meaningful. I’ve told this story a few times. I’ve played a bunch of big games with college and high school programs and pro championships and I’ve never cried after winning. And last year was the first time that I cried after winning. I think it was just for me picking up the indoor game has been a big challenge and it took three years to finally realize that I was going to have to play during the summer and try and improve my box game. I played with Brampton and we ended up winning a Cup and that really helped to go into 2012 with a fresh attitude. I really felt like I belonged and that’s really why I cried, just knowing how much effort and how much work I had to put into my indoor game. So, I think that’s kind of the main experience and most memorable out of my lacrosse career.

B: That’s a fantastic story, what advantage do you think that you get from playing both box and field?

J: I think it helps. I think it’s the way that lacrosse is going. Coaches in the states, especially at the top level, are looking for players that are multi-dimensional. You’re finding more and more in Canada going down to the states to play in college so I think that’s where the sport is headed. The skills in box lacrosse really help you in outdoor. You learn basic overall toughness, the two-man game, just being able to handle the ball in tight corners and being able to see the floor. Those really help your field game. Not only does playing with the Knighthawks help with the summer league, as far as skills, but you also have a stick in your hand all year round. You know it can be tough if you’re not playing all winter to start practicing and to start getting ready for the summer league without playing. That can be tough. Playing all winter and having the stick in your hands is an added bonus.


B: Who is your athletic motivation?

J: Clearly there’s my favorite athlete, but my father is definitely who really motivates me. My dad didn’t play lacrosse, but he’s probably my biggest lacrosse hero. He’s very hands on, went to every lacrosse camp and took me to a ton of lacrosse camps to get better and try and learn from the best. He was always there and traveled with me. He didn’t just drop me off, he stayed and took notes and tried to learn the game. So that when we were at home we could work on those skills together. Besides that the overall motivation that he gave me, he didn’t let me just sit around and hang out with my friends throughout middle school and high school, he encouraged me and made me to shoot around outside in the backyard and lift weights. Without him, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.

B: Are you guys still really close?

J: Oh yah. He’s defiantly one of my best friends. He is my best friend.

B: It’s good to still have that strong relationship:
J: He’s never missed a game. I mean he’s missed a couple because of work or if it’s somewhere really far that he might not be able to make it. He’s coming to Florida this weekend. He hasn’t missed many games, I could probably count on one hand how many games he’s missed through out my lacrosse career.

B: So you do a lot with the schools and talking to kids. What’s really the main message that you try and get across?

J: If I’m just talking to kids, I think the main message is that you have to work hard. Nothing in life is going to be easy and I look at my indoor career and give that example. I grew up playing lacrosse and I was pretty good at it and I excelled at the field game. I assumed the indoor game would be a cakewalk and I’d be good at it. But I realized that it was a completely different game and it took me a couple years to realize that I could either quit, which I thought about, or work hard and try to learn the game. I think that’s the overall lesson in life. Nothing in life is easy. If you want to excel at something it’s going to take hard work and being dedicated. If you put forth the effort, you will see results. Whether it’s your schoolwork, science project or math homework, the more you practice it, and the more effort you put into it, the better you’re going to get at it.

B: You just recently won the Elliot Cushing award on Tuesday, so just what are your thoughts on winning that?
J: I didn’t have to do a speech, but if I were to give a speech what I was going to say was that lacrosse has taken me to so many places and it’s been a huge part of my life. I’ve been able to travel to camps all over the place and I’ve gotten to play lacrosse in Canada, Rome and Hawaii. I’ve been all over the country and the world teaching the sport. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in our country and I think that’s really cool to say. Our sport is growing every year and it’s not declining. I think it’s important, and with my experience, it’s something I love to do and it’s a sport that’s taken me places. It’s really been my goal to be a leader and continue that trend and keep lacrosse growing. Hopefully, one day it can become a big time mainstream sport like it should be.

B: How do you prepare for a game? Do you have any weird superstitions?
J: Over the past bunch of years, I like to take a little nap. I don’t like to sleep too much, but I feel like if I don’t take a nap it’ll be in the back of my head so I try to lay down for a little bit. I’m not particular with food, but this goes back to when I was at Maryland, I like to have a diet Pepsi or a diet Coke throughout the day. I guess that’s my only quirky thing.

B: If you could have any superpower what would it be?

J: I’d love to be able to be in two places at once. The reason is that there are so many things to do and just a limited amount of time. Sometimes you’re so busy playing games and traveling, you just want to be home too. So there are a lot of things going on and we’re so busy that it’d be nice to be in two places at once.

B: What’s a song on your iPod you wouldn’t want people to know about?
J: I guess it’s kind of from last year but “Call Me Maybe.”

B: What’s something that you wish you had more time to do?
J: Travel. I love to travel and explore new places. I think that there are so many cool places to visit. I try and travel as much as I possibly can, but it’s something I wish I could do more of.

B: Where’s one place that you want to go that you haven’t been?
J: I plan on going, but I’d like to go to Vietnam. My mother is from Vietnam and met my father during the Vietnam War. She has not retuned since she’s been over here, so it’s been a long time. My goal is to go to Vietnam with my mother because I know it means a lot to her. To go back and see where’s she’s from…so it’s kind of No. 1 on my list.

B: What do you do in your spare time outside of work?
J: Well, I like to travel so if there’s any opportunity where I can take a little trip I like to do that. Besides that, I like to shop, shopping. I just like relaxing.

B: What is your favorite pair of sneakers in your collection?

J: I haven’t even worn them yet. They’re from 2001, Nike Air Jordan ones. B: Do you have a lot of shoes?
J: Yeah, I have a lot. I used to collect, but I don’t collect anymore. I collected rare and exclusive sneakers. I plan on wearing them soon.

Hamilton Nationals - News and Notes

The Hamilton Nationals win this weekend over Rochester tied their team record for wins in a season at seven to tie both the 2009 and 2011 seasons. In 2009, the Nationals went on to win the Championship, 9-8, over the Denver Outlaws. In 2011, they made another appearance in the Championship Game but fell short by just one point to the Boston Cannons.

The Nationals’ 10-6 win kept them in second place with a 7-3 record. Hamilton trails only the Denver Outlaws (10-0) and is one game in front of the Chesapeake Bayhawks (6-4).

Kevin Crowley led the Nationals with five first half points (2+3). Not only did he extend his point streak to 25 games, but he surpassed the 40-point plateau for the first time in his Major League Lacrosse career. Crowley is currently third in the league with 41 points (29+1+11) behind Paul Rabil and Chris Bocklet.  Crowley will be making his first All Star Game appearance this weekend in Charlotte.

Joe Walters collected two goals and one assist to reach 22 games with a point. The midfielder is second on the Nationals with 33 points and leads the MLL with 18 assists. Teammate Kevin Cunningham is second in assists with 17. Both Nationals will play in the MLL 2013 MLL All-Star Game, presented by Moe’s Southwest Grill, on Saturday, July 13th. The 7:00 p.m. game at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

Goalie Brett Queener played another phenomenal game against the Rattlers. In the first meeting, he made 22 stops to finish just two away from tying the Nationals’ record. Sundayafternoon he made16 saves and let in just six goals to tie the team record for least amount of goals allowed in a game. Queener held the Rattlers to just one goal apiece in both the third and fourth quarters. Queener is on the way to Charlotte for his fourth All Star Game.

Garrett Thul notched three points, which included the first two-pointer of his career. The two-pointer was the fifth for the Nationals this season, tying the number of two pointers from 2012. Other two pointers this season have come from Crowley, John Austin, MJ Kiekebelt and Martin Cahill.

Brodie Merrill hit the 100th game milestone this weekend. In his 100 MLL games, he has 115 points (40+3+72) and 685 ground balls, which is an MLL record. So far this season he has seven points and 65 ground balls. Merrill heads to the All-Star Game for the eighth time in his career.

The Nationals will take on the Ohio Machine at home on July 20th. In their last meet up this season the Nationals won 16-9. The Machine are currently in last in the league with a 1-9 record.  For tickets call 905-525-NATS (6287).

Hamilton Nationals - News and Notes July 2

 The Hamilton Nationals filled the stands Saturday night to kick off the long weekend and Canada Day by playing of the country’s National Summer Sport. Although Hamilton fell short 17-10, it still remained in second place in Major League Lacrosse with a 6-3 record.

Joe Walters led the Nationals in points again this week with five (1+4) to extend his game point streak to 21 games. Walters is currently in sixth place in the league with 30 points.
 

Kevin Crowley was kept quiet until the end of the fourth quarter when he managed to sneak one in past TC DiBartolo to extend his game point streak to a team record 24. Crowley is second in the league with 35 points, trailing leader Chris Bocklet of the Denver Outlaws by one point.
 

Jordan Hall put in back-to-back goals in the third quarter for his third and fourth goals of the season. His first two goals came on June 1st when the Nationals played the Bayhawks in Annapolis. His second goal that night was the overtime game-winner.
 

The Nationals are back on the road Sunday to play the Rochester Rattlers for the second time this season. Their last match up was just two weeks ago in Boca, Raton, Fla. The Nationals dominated Rochester in a 17-11 win. Goalie Brett Queener made 22 saves to finish was just three stops away from setting the team record.
 

Hamilton will return home after next weekend’s All-Star Game to take on the Ohio Machine on Saturday, July 20th. For tickets call (905) 525-NATS (6287)

Football Withdrawals

Do you ever start to have withdrawals from football? I know I do.. but i always thought it was something made up.
Loyola University did research on the feeling that fans get when the season is done and there is no football for months ... and they compared it to when someone is trying to quit smoking.

"t’s similar to what a smoker feels when deprived of a cigarette — except there’s no quick fix like a cigarette for the football fan."


I just found this article really interesting because i know people that get that way and I get that way sometimes as well. You get so used to watching something and it becomes part of your routine and then it's suddenly gone. It's why the first game is so exciting... the first game is always the start of another season and it's finally back.
Does that mean it's an addiction because you go through withdrawals ? Some would say yes ... some would say no. But even if it is .. i'd have to say thats one okay addiction ! (could be worse)

So if you're girlfriend or boyfriend or your friends start talking about how upset they are the seasons done.. just toss on some videos. Better yet NFL Network solves this problem, they've got everything you need to stop the withdrawals. I've always got NFL network on to get my football fix during the off season.


What do you do to get your football fix in the off season?