Rock vs. Roughnecks coaches comments
February 1, 2006 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Calgary Roughnecks News Release
Calgary, AB - The head coach of the Calgary Roughnecks and the Toronto Rock both say that two points is more important to them than any personal vendettas that their players want to exact.
But in a National Lacrosse League tele-conference today, Chris Hall, of Calgary, and his counterpart Toronto Terry Sanderson, did not rule out a bruising battle in light of the 20-12 hammering the Riggers handed the Rock in the last game of the 2005 regular season.
During that slugfest, five fights broke out in the final quarter, including the headliner between Calgary agitator Jesse Phillips and Toronto's captain, former missionary Jim Veltman.
"We don't like each other too much," admitted Sanderson.
While Hall commented, "Boys will be boys and tend to remember what went on in previous events."
Pre-season, the two teams were predicted to win their respective divisions - Calgary the West, Toronto the East.
But both have struggled in the early going, with Toronto languishing at 1-4 and Calgary struggling to 3-2.
The Rock, the reigning NLL champions, won their first game of the year last Friday against the expansion Edmonton Rush.
But Sanderson is still not convinced his team is where he wants them to be.
"The win was a relief," he said, "but we're still not playing at the point we should be. I just hope we can get better."
Hall, on the other hand, was happy with what he saw in Arizona (10-11 overtime loss) and Portland (12-8 win) last weekend.
"I think we're beginning to see the real Calgary Roughnecks at last," he said.
"But (despite Toronto's sorry record) we are still preparing for a team we consider is the cream of the crop."
The Roughnecks-Rock game begins at 1.30 p.m. at the Pengrowth Saddledome (Sunday, February 5).
National Lacrosse League Stories from February 1, 2006
- Knighthawks Grant and O'Toole win NLL weekly awards - Rochester Knighthawks
- Rock vs. Roughnecks coaches comments - Calgary Roughnecks
- Rush battle for first win - Edmonton Rush
- Grant, O'Toole and Merrill Honored - NLL
- Rock hope to turn season around - OSC Original by Todd Devlin
- Sting vs. Mammoth Game Preview - Arizona Sting
- Knighthawk John Grant to make two stops Saturday - Rochester Knighthawks
- Rush Presents Swollen Members At Urban Rush - Edmonton Rush
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