SB Nation Minnesota: All Posts by Bryan Reynoldshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48959/mn-fave.png2012-10-02T08:01:52-05:00https://minnesota.sbnation.com/authors/bryan-reynolds/rss2012-10-02T08:01:52-05:002012-10-02T08:01:52-05:00Minnesota Swarm made 10 draft picks Monday night
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<figcaption>Graig Abel</figcaption>
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<p>The Minnesota Swarm made a franchise record ten draft picks last night, including four in the first round. Who are they, and what do they bring to the team?</p> <p>Going into last night's draft, the Minnesota Swarm were already one of the youngest teams in the NLL. After drafting ten new players, four in the first round, the Swarm only made itself younger. Whether or not that is a good thing or not will be determined next season, but the way it shapes up right now, it certainly looks like a winning way to do things. The team made the Western Division Finals last season, and the players added last night look like they could make the Swarm a contender for years to come.</p>
<p>In the first round, the Swarm selected 6' 6" <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440542/minnesota-swarm-select-brock-sorenson-with-the-second-overall-pick">Brock Sorenson</a>, 6' 5" <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440672/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-swarm-select-kiel-matisz-with-the-third">Kiel Matisz</a>, pure goal scorer <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440772/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-swarm-select-shayne-jackson-with-the-fourth">Shayne Jackson</a>, and added some tenacious D by selecting shut down defender <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440864/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-wild-select-alex-crepinsek-at-tenth-overall">Alex Crepinsek</a>. The team did not select again until the fourth pick of the third round (24th overall), where they selected forward Sam Bradman. In a move that will not shock anyone following the team, they then traded the 33rd & 35th overall picks to the Calgary Roughriders for the 37th and 46th picks in this year's draft, and the Roughriders's third round pick in 2013.</p>
<p>In rounds four and five, the team then drafted trasition player Tyler Tanguay (no word on relation to hockey player Alex), transition player Bryan Campbell (not the same guy who plays for the Chicago Blackhawks), and forward Matt Gibson (of the Yale Gibsons).</p>
<p>The team finished up by making yet another trade, trading their sixth round pick in 2013 for the 49th pick to take defenseman Michael Teeter. Adding in their own sixth round pick, the team closed out their night by taking transition player Chris Cudmore.</p>
<p>Who these guys are can be found over on our <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/swarm">Swarm hub</a>, but what they mean to the team is likely more important. The "Twin Towers" of Sorenson and Matisz are going to give nightmares to the teams lining up against the Swarm next season. How do you set your defense in order to stop a power forward like Matisz when you have Sorenson bearing down on you in transition with Andrew Suitor or Jordan MacIntosh (or both), and Ryan Benesch and Callum Crawford sprinting in off the bench?</p>
<p>Oh, and don't forget to cover Jackson, whose left handed shot is going to give the opposition fits. Crawford to Benech to Jackson, Crawford to Jackson to Benesch, Benesch to Jackson to Crawford. All. Day. Long. Find a way to stop them, and Matisz will just plow through and score anyway.</p>
<p>The excitement of the first three picks is going to over shadow the rest of the picks, but the addition of Crepsinek is going to be fun to watch play out. This kid shut down the all time leading scorer in the NLL for an entire game in one on one coverage. That's a ridiculous feat, to be sure, and will have Swarm fans buzzing (see what I did there?).</p>
<p>The rest of the guys will all push for roster spots, abut could end up back on other teams, or playing in other leagues. Don't overlook any of them, however, as the Arlottas, along with coach Joe Sullivan, have a keen eye for talent.</p>
<p>Next season is going to be an interesting one at the Hive, and could be for years to come once these guys start to develop and get some time under their belts. I wouldn't want to be on the Swarm's schedule this season, that's for sure.</p>
<p><i>Be sure to check out the </i><a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/swarm">Swarm hub</a><i> to get all the details on the Swarm's picks last night, and stay with us as we move toward the NLL season in January. </i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/swarm/2012/10/2/3441404/nll-lacrosse-draft-2012-minnesota-swarmBryan Reynolds2012-10-01T21:00:32-05:002012-10-01T21:00:32-05:00Swarm Make Four First Round Picks, Ten Total
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<figcaption>Graig Abel</figcaption>
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<p>The Minnesota Swarm currently own the second, third, & fourth overall picks, as well as tenth overall. </p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3441386/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-swarm-hold-four-first-round-picks-in-tonightsBryan Reynolds2012-10-01T19:45:25-05:002012-10-01T19:45:25-05:00Tenth Overall Pick: Alex Crepinsek
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<p>With the tenth pcik, the Swarm capped off their first round run by drafting a tenacious defender, Alex Crepinsek. Want to know why Swarm fans should care? He once shut down John Grant, Jr. </p> <p>The final pick of the 2012 NLL Entry Draft belonged to (who else?) the Minnesota Swarm. After drafting three guys who seem to be more comfortable moving the ball up the field and scoring goals, the Swarm made a move to shore up the defensive side of the ball as well, taking Alex Crepinsek out of the MSL. Crepinsek is a stay at home style d-man with a strong one-on-one game.</p>
<p>The Swarm need a little help on D after Rich Morgan left for Colorado this summer, and they certainly seem to have found it in Crepinsek. The Hospitality and Management major at RIT is familiar with Swarm slayer John Grant, Jr, having shur Grant, Jr. down for an entire game in the MSL last season, putting Crepinsek on the radar of everyone in the NLL. To be sure, there is not a Swarm fan to be found that will complain if Crepinsek would hold Grant, Jr without a point this season against the Swarm.</p>
<p>From Stephen Stamp at ILIndoor:</p>
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<p>Watching him D up on Grant was impressive. Crepinsek realized he had to get out the star sniper, limiting his time and space to shoot, so he played an aggressive match-up game. Given Grant's combination of strength and skill, along with his astonishing passing ability, the defender had to be wary of lunging while establishing contact while working to keep his stick on Grant's hands. It's a tall order and one that almost no one is able to pull off.</p>
<p>Grant may have been having an off night shooting, but you have to give a sizable chunk of the credit for that to the man covering him. No one will expect Crepinsek to be able to shut down top offensive threats every night in the NLL. His marquee night in MSL, though, suggests he has the potential to be a reliable contributor to a pro defence and that he's ready to make the jump.</p>
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<p>That should sound like angels singing to everyone who has ever watched the Colorado star pick the Swarm apart.</p>
<p>Crepinsek was also a teammate of current Swarm star-in-the-making Jordan MacIntosh, which will only help Crepinsek's chances with the Swarm. As exciting as the first three picks were for the Swarm, the selection of Crepinsek should be just as exciting for those paying attention. A goal stopped is as good as a goal scored.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see how fans react to this pick, but after a little time, they'll learn to love him. As they always do.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440864/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-wild-select-alex-crepinsek-at-tenth-overallBryan Reynolds2012-10-01T19:17:09-05:002012-10-01T19:17:09-05:00Fourth Overall Pick: Shayne Jackson
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<p>With the 4th overall pick, the Minnesota Swarm went away from the giants they were selecting, and took 5' 9" Shayne Jackson, a pure goal scorer out of Limestone. </p> <p>Closing out their three pick run in the first round, the Minnesota Swarm switched gears and moved away from the size angle, selecting 5' 9", 185 pound Shayne Jackson, a pure goal scorer out of Limestone. Jackson is a left handed shot, which will mesh well with Ryan Benesch and Callum Crawford, which will make stopping the Swarm offense a real pain in the neck for the opposition this season. Pick one of the three to shut down, and the other two will make you pay for it.</p>
<p>In the meantime, try to keep tabs on Brock Sorenson, Kyle Matisz, Andrew Suitor, Jordan MacIntosh, Corbyn Tao... We'll just stop now and wish the rest of the NLL good luck this season.</p>
<p>This is from Bob Chavez of ILIndoor:</p>
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<p>...he gained some very valuable experience on a big stage with the Langley Thunder in the Mann Cup. And even if it doesn't work out for some reason, the Swarm are so loaded with talent by this point, they can shop a few names in trades to bolster any other weaknesses they feel they have on the roster.</p>
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<p>The list of honors Jackson has won is lengthy. This guy should fit right in with the seemingly constant award winning from the Minnesota Swarm. Check this out:</p>
<p> </p>
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<li>2011 USILA First-Team All-American</li>
<li>2011 Tewaaraton Award Finalist</li>
<li>2011 Jac Coyne/Lacrosse Magazine Online National Division II Player of the Year</li>
<li>2011 Jac Coyne/Lacrosse Magazine Online All-American</li>
<li>2011 Conference Carolinas Co-Player of the Year</li>
<li>2011 National Leader in Points and Assists per game</li>
<li>2011 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament</li>
<li>2011 All-Conference Carolinas First-Team</li>
<li>2011 Conference Carolinas Player of the Week</li>
<li>2010 NJCAA Player of the Year</li>
<li>2010 NJCAA National Champion</li>
<li>2009 NJCAA Undefeated National Champion </li>
</ul>
<p>Benesch, Crawford, Jackson... good luck NLL.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440772/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-swarm-select-shayne-jackson-with-the-fourthBryan Reynolds2012-10-01T18:59:08-05:002012-10-01T18:59:08-05:00Third Overall Pick: Kiel Matisz
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<p>With the third overall pick, the Minnesota Swarm added even more size, taking 6'5" Kiel Matisz, a goal scoring power forward type that will give opponents headaches immediately. </p> <p>The Minnesota Swarm continued their run on the first round after drafting 6' 6" Brock Sorenson with the second overall pick by drafting 6' 5", 220 pound Kiel Matisz. There, again, was little doubt that the Swarm would take Matisz, as he is easily a top three pick, and has the pure talent to back it up. The Robert Morris University alumn has been highly productive everywhere he has gone, and has shown leadership ability, serving as captain in his 2011 season at RMU.</p>
<p>The lacrosse world is a small one, with players playing with several different teams, there are strong connections all over. Matisz played with future Swarm teammates Dan Ball and Jeff Gilbert in the MSL, giving him an edge in the transition process to the NLL. Not that Matisz will need much time to adapt. Scoring seems to come naturally to this kid, and that is something that translates well in any league.</p>
<p>The only knock we can find? His favorite TV show is <i>Glee. </i>Unbelievable.</p>
<p>From Stephen Stamp of ILIndoor:</p>
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<p>With all the youth and speed on the team, one thing Minnesota doesn't have a lot of is size up front, especially with Kevin Ross off to Philly. Ross also represents 28 goals and 59 points gone from the roster. The perfect pick here would be a big, talented forward who already has experience playing against NLL players and is ready to step in and make an impact right away. So it's handy that that is basically a description of the best player available, Kiel Matisz.</p>
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<p>The best thing about the conversation with the NLL.com commentator after Matisz was drafted? The premade nickname for Matisz and Sorenson: The Twin Towers. Expect to see that on a t-shirt somewhere.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440672/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-swarm-select-kiel-matisz-with-the-thirdBryan Reynolds2012-10-01T18:44:21-05:002012-10-01T18:44:21-05:00Second Overall Pick: Brock Sorenson
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<p>At 6'6", 220 pounds, Brock Sorenson is going to add a real threat to the Swarm's transition game.</p> <p>The Minnesota Swarm owned four picks in the first round of the NLL Draft tonight, with three in a row at two, three & four. The first overall pick was already known before the night began, with Mark Matthews going to the Edmonton Rush. That put the Swarm on the clock for their bevy of picks, and the Swarm shocked no one by going with Brock Sorenson of "the" Ohio State University.</p>
<p>Sorenson is a transition player who comes in at 6' 6", 220 pounds, and is not afraid to mix it up with anyone of the field. Sorenson should be able to jump right into the lineup for the Swarm, having played for Swarm coach Joe Sullivan in a Canadian summer league for the past two seasons. There were some questions if Sorenson would go this high because of reconstructive knee surgery, but all those questions were answered and the Swarm took no time in making their pick.</p>
<p>From Teddy Jenner of ILIndoor:</p>
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<p>Built much like Brodie Merrill with more of an offensive touch, Sorensen brings a winning attitude and a non-stop commitment to getting better every year. Add him to the likes of Suitor, MacIntosh, Watt and Haas; the Swarm will be one of the deepest transition games the NLL has ever seen. At 6′6, 220lbs, Sorensen is big, mean, fast and will contribute right away. Coming off an ACL injury, he had surgery in May and looks to be ready to go come the start of the NLL season.</p>
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<p>This guy is going to be an absolute beast for the Swarm. While he has size that could make some doubt his hands and speed, the guy is fast and has a sick shot that is going to make him incredibly difficult to defend. Andrew Suitor and Jordan MacIntosh just got some serious help in the transition game.</p>
<p>Keep an eye on <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/swarm">SB Nation Minnesota's Swarm Hub</a> for ore on the other Swarm picks.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3440542/minnesota-swarm-select-brock-sorenson-with-the-second-overall-pickBryan Reynolds2012-10-01T08:00:40-05:002012-10-01T08:00:40-05:00NHL CBA: Weekend Meetings Result in Nothing
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<p>The NHL collective bargaining talks scheduled for this weekend should not have been a beacon of hope for anyone paying attention. They were scheduled to discuss the issues outside the economic issue that is the root of the lockout. The talks were intended to find some common ground on which negotiations would be built. From all reports, that experiment was a failure. </p>
<p>Despite the <a href="http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2012/9/30/3433490/nhl-cba-negotiations-radio-host-says-its-over-beat-writer-says-not-so">Common Man Dan Cole tweeting that his sources told him the lockout will be over by Wednesday</a>, that simply is not the case. The reporters that have sources deep inside the NHL are not reporting any movement at all, and certainly nothing that would end the lockout. In fact, two tweets should be enough to put the ticker tape away fro quite awhile.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1221439/Rossi_medium_JPG.jpg"><img alt="Rossi_medium_jpg_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1221439/Rossi_medium_JPG_medium.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1466753/Russo.JPG" target="_blank"><img alt="Russo_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1466753/Russo_medium.JPG"></a></p>
<p>If you weren't quite depressed enough about the situation, Russo followed that tweet up with another saying he believes the first week of the regular season will be canceled "<a href="http://twitter.com/Russostrib/statuses/252507642994520064">by mid-week at the latest</a>." </p>
<p>This is a now a situation where neither side is showing any urgency to get a deal done, discussions even on so called "minor" issues are not even producing results, and players are starting to take jobs overseas in growing numbers. This thing isn't going to get done anytime soon, hockey fans. No one seems to care much about that, either, to be honest. </p>
<p>Even the fans seem to be resigned to the fact that this gets worse before it gets better. With the Houston Aeros in town to start training camp, 1200 people were said to be at the Xcel Energy Center for the free scrimmage. That number was a bit high, and clearly lower than the thousands who turned out earlier this summer to watch the same players in the development camp. </p>
<p>Was it an affront to the owners? Did fans stay away to show the NHL that maybe they won't come back quite as readily as the league seems to think they will? A few fans sent that message, but the most telling sign is that the fans are just... gone. Silent. No complaining, no angry messages, they just left. </p>
<p>Which should scare the living bejebus out of the league. </p>
<p>There is a long, dark tunnel ahead, and if anyone is seeing a light, it is most certainly a train loaded with explosives that has derailed with toddlers trapped on board with a hungry tiger. </p>
<p>It's that bad. Enjoy your week.</p>
<p><br id="1349037941932"></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3434064/nhl-cba-negotiations-weekend-meetings-result-in-no-movementBryan Reynolds2012-10-01T08:00:33-05:002012-10-01T08:00:33-05:00Minnesota Swarm Hold 4 First Round Picks in Draft
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<figcaption>Angela Taylor - ACT1 Photography</figcaption>
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<p>The Minnesota Swarm currently own the second, third, & fourth overall picks, as well as tenth overall. </p> <p>The Minnesota Swarm made nine selections in the 2011 NLL Entry Draft, two of which were in the first round. Those two picks turned out to be transition player Jordan MacIntosh and goaltender Evan Kirk. The team then took Corbyn Tao in the second round, and Jay Card in the third. All four players played regular minutes for the team in the 2012 season, and each made big impacts on a season that saw the franchise win its first ever playoff game.</p>
<p>The moves Swarm owner John Arlotta made last summer to secure these picks had many second guessing him. Adding so much youth to a team simply couldn't work. Arlotta knew better, knowing that character players with youth and speed were a great way to throw a wrench into a league that deifies the veteran class. Arlotta was eventually proven to be correct, as his team advanced deeper into the playoffs than ever before, and Arlotta took home the General Manager of the Year award.</p>
<p>This year, Arlotta and the Swarm own <i>four</i> first round draft picks as a result of the moves made last summer, among others. The team will select three picks in a row at the second, third, and fourth overall position, and then follow those up with the last pick in the first round at tenth overall. The second over all pick will be the highest in the draft the team has ever selected.</p>
<p>As the draft moves forward, the Swarm will be scheduled to select five more times between rounds three and six, giving them a franchise record tying nine picks in this year's draft.</p>
<p>What does this mean for the Swarm, and who might be on the board with those first round picks?</p>
<p>The Swarm are already a young team. With a core built around captain Andrew Suitor, Ryan Benesch, and Callum Crawford, and now stocked with the talent listed above, adding four first round players into the mix can only suggest the team gets better. More speed, more youth, and all the time in the world to let these guys get to know each other and build their game together, the Swarm should be about to take a huge step forward, and the rest of the league playing catch-up.</p>
<p>The Swarm had very few weaknesses last year, and were a dangerous team to play week in and week out. You can bet that coach Joe Sullivan could rattle of a list, and he and Arlotta will look to not only address those weaknesses, but to turn them into strengths going into the NLL season in January.</p>
<h4>Players likely to be on the board when the Swarm make their first three picks are:</h4>
<p>Brock Sorenson, Kiel Matisz, Carter Bender, Dhane Smith, Jordan Critch, Shayne Jackson, Curtis Knight, Matthew Dinsdale, and Robbie Campbell</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ilindoor.com/2012/09/22/national-lacrosse-league-draft-il-indoor-writers-don-gm-caps-for-the-first-three-rounds/">good folks over at ILIndoor</a> have the Swarm taking Sorenson, Matisz, and Jackson - in that order. Sorenson looks to be best suited for the transition game, and adding him to the powerhouse game the Swarm already have, could make the team that much more difficult to play against. He's a big man, listed at 6' 5", 220 pounds on his <a href="http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-lacros/mtt/sorensen_brock00.html">Buckeye profile page</a>, which is always a benefit in a physical game like the NLL plays.</p>
<p>Matisz would be a big, power forward type player that has the ability to score from almost anywhere. He, too, is is listed at 6' 5", 220 pounds, which would give the Swarm a weapon every team wants. A big man, tough to push off the ball, who can score on a whim? Yeah, the Swarm won't be passing on that. The good thing is, with three picks in a row, they won't have to.</p>
<p>If the Swarm go with Jackson with this group, they would be adding a smaller player that can score. At <a href="http://www.golimestonesaints.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2083">5' 9", 185 pounds</a>, Jackson would certainly be an option if the Swarm are looking for quick, tricky, left handed shot in the forward ranks. This is an intriguing pick for the Swarm, but one I can certainly see Arlotta passing on.</p>
<p>It is difficult to find a reason not to take Sorenson and Matisz, but with that fourth pick, Arlotta could complete a size trifecta and take a guy like Carter Bender, who is a jack of all trades and comes in at 6'4", 220 pounds. He can play in nearly any situation, and short of suiting up in goal, can play anywhere on the field. If Arlotta is thinking size, and someone to match up well with the first two no-brainer picks, Bender could be the best way to go here.</p>
<p>Plus, think of the all the Futrama clips that could be used at the Hive. That's too good to pass up.</p>
<h4>When and Where You Can Watch</h4>
<p>The NLL Entry Draft is in Toronto, so unless you're already there, you likely aren't going to make it. You can watch it live on NLL.com starting at 6PM central time, or you can head down to Joeseph's Gill in St. Paul to watch with fellow Swarm fans, get some deals on food & drink, and be able to participate with the new draft picks in a Google+ Hangout chat.</p>
<p>No matter where you are at, or where you are watching, you should be tuned in if you are a Swarm fan. Four first rounders doesn't happen very often, and this could be another big step in creating a team that can win for a long, long time.</p>
<p><b><i>For continuing coverage of the Swarm, be sure to stay tuned to the </i></b><a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/swarm">Swarm Hub here on SB Nation Minnesota</a><b><i>. </i></b></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3432964/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-swarm-hold-four-first-round-picks-in-tonightsBryan Reynolds2012-09-14T08:00:44-05:002012-09-14T08:00:44-05:00NHL CBA Negotiations: Taking Your Ball and Going Home
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<figcaption>Your carpet is ugly, too, Gary.</figcaption>
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<p>The NHL and NHLPA are done talking. The lockout goes into place tomorrow. Find a new hobby, hockey fans. This is going to get ugly. </p> <p>In any major labor relations negotiation, there are ups and downs. There are moments of progress, setbacks, angry exchanges, vitriol, and eventually, a resolution. If you read the dozens of articles, listen to the radio, and watch on TV (OK, <i>Canadian TV</i>) and collect all of the news about this negotiation, you might just think the same thing. You'd be wrong.</p>
<p>At no point has anything reported given anyone any reason to be positive, or feel as though anything was going to get done. Sure, there were those calling for everyone to take a collective breath, and to trust the process. Those that said this is normal in negotiation, and those that said the Pollyannas need to zip it and let them work. I challenge you, dear reader, to go back and find anything at all that justified any shred of hope.</p>
<p>You won't find it.</p>
<p>If you're an NHL hockey fan, your time is up, and you may want to go find a new hobby. The NHL and NHLPA are taking their respective ball and going home. No meetings are scheduled between now and the Saturday at midnight eastern time deadline for a deal to be in place. Both sides filled the airwaves with words of blame for the other side, and in a completely non-shocking moment, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman went in front of cameras and made himself look like a patronizing blow-hard.</p>
<p>If you want to read some of the quotes, <a href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/169686586.html">Mike Russo of the StarTribune has them</a>. You may want some whiskey before you start. If you're at work, you may want to close your door. You're going to cuss at the top of your lungs, you can bet on that.</p>
<p>The question now is not if they can get this done by the 15th, but rather how long will the lockout last and how many games will be lost. Bob McKenzie says the two sides are "<a href="http://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/246012660196442112">not even in the same universe</a>." NHL agent extraordinaire Scott Norton told Forbes that he believes the lockout <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/nhl-agent-suggests-stoppage-could-last-half-154658993--nhl.html">could last a year and a half</a>. This is all <i>really</i> good news if you're a hockey fan. Well, OK, maybe for hockey fans in Europe, because they're about to get an infusion of talent like they've never seen.</p>
<p>This sucks, you may say. You'd be right. NBA and NFL fans can tell you just how much it sucks. You probably remember how much it sucks, to be honest. 2004-05 wasn't that long long ago. Nor was 1994, the first time Gary Bettman and his band of ego maniacs took the league to an impasse and shut the league down. You'd think the owners might fire the troll and hire someone who can get the job done. But no, they just keep giving him raises, like a school district paying their superintendent six figures to have a district in which 50% of the graduating seniors can't read.</p>
<p>We're off the tracks here.</p>
<p>The point is, Bettman and his crew have to have compromising pictures of someone somewhere. There is simply no way a man as inept as Bettman should be employed at such a high level when the only job he has, to keep the league running, is something he has failed at three times. Good thing this isn't baseball.</p>
<p>The egos on both sides of this fight already know where the finish line is. The same 50-50 split that the NFL and NBA settled on. Even a four year old Brazilian child could tell you that's where this ends up. Yet, we're going to go ahead and lose games, and likely the season, while the powers that be piss away everything they have worked for since 2005.</p>
<p>$3.3 <i>billion</i> in revenues. Massive growth year over year. Their first long term TV partner actually paying the league to carry the games. A trophy that is more recognizable than most celebrities and government leaders. Players making money, owners making money (though they would tell you otherwise), and fans eating out of their collective hands.</p>
<p>Nope. Let's throw that all away and have yet another lockout. Good plan, guys.</p>
<p>The silver lining is, once they settle the economics, everything will be good, and they can get back on the ice. Problem is? Silver linings aren't real. Nor are unicorns. The economics are just one of the issues at play here. Once that is settled, they still need to discuss contract length, rule changes, safety issues, arbitration issues, free agency issues, and any number of smaller concerns. Any of these could derail the talks again.</p>
<p>Oh, and the NHLPA now says they might go after the salary cap, too. That should help get this settled.</p>
<p>Find some plans for the winter, hockey fans. If you asking your humble SB Nation Minnesota Assistant Editor, this season is done for. There is no reason to believe otherwise. The sky is falling, and no one looks ready to put it back up.</p>
<p>Oh happy day.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/9/14/3329994/nhl-cba-negotiations-taking-your-ball-and-going-homeBryan Reynolds2012-09-06T13:52:49-05:002012-09-06T13:52:49-05:00NLL Lacrosse: Minnesota Swarm Announce 2013 Schedule
<figure>
<img alt="The Hive returns. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CE9TngaWj7cn_cuURWmL2eSSqKs=/1x0:1098x731/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/1114299/DSC_0238.JPG" />
<figcaption>The Hive returns. </figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Minnesota Swarm have released their 2013 schedule. Will they play in St. Paul before the Minnesota Wild do?</p> <p>With the NHL lockout pending, the only real question comes down to which team will play first in the Xcel Energy Center, the Minnesota Wild or the Minnesota Swarm? The National Lacrosse League released its 2013 schedule yesterday, setting the date the Wild need to beat at January 26th.</p>
<p>The Swarm will open on the road in Buffalo on January 12th, then take a two week hiatus and play a back to back, with travel, on the 25th and 26th, coming home from Toronto to host their home opener against the much loved Washington Stealth. This means that while Swarm fans, who get to watch their team make three consecutive first round licks in October, will be excited for the season to start, it will be nearly a month in before they get their first taste.</p>
<p>They will have it made up to them in March and April, though, as the Swarm play three straight home games, bringing in the Stealth, Philadelphia Wings, and Buffalo Bandits over a month long stretch.</p>
<p>The full schedule is as follows:</p>
<table id="table_145581"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>Jan. 12</td>
<td>@ Buffalo</td>
<td>6:30 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Friday</td>
<td>Jan. 25</td>
<td>@ Toronto</td>
<td>6:30 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>Jan. 26</td>
<td><b>WASHINGTON<b></b></b></td>
<td>7 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>Feb. 2</td>
<td>@ Colorado</td>
<td>8 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Friday</td>
<td>Feb. 8</td>
<td><b>TORONTO<b></b></b></td>
<td>7:30 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>Feb. 16</td>
<td><b>CALGARY<b></b></b></td>
<td>6 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Friday</td>
<td>Feb. 22</td>
<td>@ Edmonton</td>
<td>8 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sunday</td>
<td>Feb. 24</td>
<td><b>EDMONTON<b></b></b></td>
<td>2 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sunday</td>
<td>March 3</td>
<td>@ Washington</td>
<td>5 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Friday</td>
<td>March 8</td>
<td>@ Calgary</td>
<td>8 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>March 16</td>
<td><b>WASHINGTON<b></b></b></td>
<td>7 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Friday</td>
<td>March 29</td>
<td><b>PHILADELPHIA<b></b></b></td>
<td>7:30 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>April 6</td>
<td><b>BUFFALO<b></b></b></td>
<td>7 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sunday</td>
<td>April 7</td>
<td>@ Philadelphia</td>
<td>3 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>April 13</td>
<td>@ Colorado</td>
<td>8 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Saturday</td>
<td>April 20</td>
<td><b>COLORADO<b></b></b></td>
<td>7 p.m.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fri. - Sun.</td>
<td>April 26-28</td>
<td>Divisional Semifinals</td>
<td>TBD</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fri. - Sun.</td>
<td>May 3-5</td>
<td>Divisional Finals</td>
<td>TBD</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fri. - Sun.</td>
<td>May 10-12</td>
<td>Champion's Cup</td>
<td>TBD</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p> </p>
<p>Plan accordingly, folks.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2012/9/6/3293085/nll-lacrosse-minnesota-swarm-announce-2013-scheduleBryan Reynolds