Colorado Mammoth Message Board

Dear Mr. Govett,

Does the NLL issue fines to teams/players who; outside of the officiating crews demand, refuse to participate in the post game handshake? I thought it was a rule in the NLL that this was to happen but I notice that with a few teams it rarely if ever does? Obviously it is outside of the game clock but if it is a rule of the NLL than why is it not 'unsportsmanlike conduct'?

I notice that in general the Mammoth are good at avoiding fights but we seem to be handing out a few too many cheap shots - why not play clean and let the other teams take the penalties?

Last - Nice work on the presentation of the Championship ring last Thursday! That showed a lot of class and a respect for the player(s)!

Thanks for your time.

I appreciate your kind comments about our presentation to Scott Stapleford, unfortunately I got a little carried away with the concept of "losing" a family member, I guess some people thought someone was dead. I guess I was a little upset with the news earlier that day that our Strength and Conditioning Coach went into the hospital earlier that day with a potentially fatal situation. My concern for him probably came out in my comments. John Ireland is fine and resting comfortably at home. But I digress.

Shaking hands is not a rule in the National Lacrosse League. It has always been an "understanding" or "unwritten rule" in our league, and in fact, in the entire game of lacrosse at all levels. You battle hard and then put it behind you with a handshake. There are times when the heat of the battle affects you as a coach or a player and shaking hands just doesn't feel right and may even escalate an explosive situation. I would like to think that the Mammoth will always shake hands and show the proper respect to our opponents and to the game. I don't think its an excuse to leave the floor just because you are upset, but I can't make other people do the right thing.

You make a valid point that we should just play clean and let the other team take penalties, however, its never that easy. Sometimes you do dumb things when the adrenaline is pumping and things are moving as fast as they do. It just happens. Our coaching staff preaches discipline all the time but sometimes the very traits that make the players such great competitors also creates penalties, ie. tenacity, aggressiveness, passion, risk taking, etc.

Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad and hope that it works out in the end for us. Oh and having a better powerplay than the other team is also a good remedy. Goals always hurt more than cheap shots.

I am probably the last person that should comment about discipline. I wasn't the most reserved player in my career. But I can honestly say that I shook hands after every game.

SG

I'm a little late with my comments on this but, I'm adding my two cents anyway because with so many young fans in the audience, this sets a really strong example of bad sportsmanship. I understand that although sometimes it is for the best, as a fan, I can't help but lose some respect for players who show such blatant disrespect to an opponent. The fact that Crosbie and Dietrich were the only players from Buffalo that did go through the line increased my respect for them as players and people. I would be embarrassed as a fan to see our team behave that way and hope that we never see them in that light.