Rabil's Reign & Rookie Rising
Hey. I'm Parker Bottcher, and this is Crease Monsters, the podcast where we talk all things lacrosse. Fuck epic highlights, gear reviews, game predictions, and, of course, some special guests. Whether you're stringing up a new pocket, gearing up for game day, or just chilling between practices, this is your go to spot for all things lacrosse. And if you haven't already, hit that follow button wherever you're listening, and let's get into it.
Parker Bottcher:Say, if you're not crushing your candy right now while listening, you're doing it wrong. Hope you guys had a good Halloween. Alright. We got a stacked episode today. We're gonna talk about hall of fame legends, rookie breakouts in the PLL, and a huge NLL trade, and, of course, our weekly year review.
Parker Bottcher:Let's get into it. First up, we gotta talk about the man, the myth, the legend. So you haven't already heard, Rabel was officially introduced, not one, but two hall of fames this year. First, the USA Lacrosse National Hall of Fame. That ceremony was back in January class of 2024, and then the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame class of 2025.
Parker Bottcher:I mean, come on. This guy literally rewriting rewriting what it means to be a lacrosse icon. Let's break down why Rabel is the guy four time all American at John Hopkins, won two national championships there. Then he goes pro, absolutely dominates 656 career points, which is the all time record for professional field lacrosse. Two time MLL MVP, three time offensive player of the year, and cofounded the PLL with his brother, Michael, whilst he was still playing.
Parker Bottcher:Like, imagine being so good at lacrosse that you are like, I'm gonna make my own league for fun. Insane. And there is something I didn't know until I was reading this about Rabel. He actually wanted to quit lacrosse when he was first started as a kid. His mom made him stick with it.
Parker Bottcher:Shout out to all moms everywhere. And honestly, where would we be without them? So, yeah, huge congrats to Paul Rable. Absolutely deserved. And honestly, it's wild that he's still so young.
Parker Bottcher:The dude retired in 2021, and he's already in two hall of fames. Already, that's the kind of legacy we're all trying to build out here. Alright. Let's shift gears and talk about the future of lacrosse, PLL rookies. The last season, 2024, TJ Malone absolutely dominated as a rookie.
Parker Bottcher:And this guy came out in and put up 37 points and thirty and nineteen goals and 18 assists tied for third in the entire league. Not third among rookies, third among the league. He won rookie of the year, and, honestly, it was not even close. Waterdogs knew what they were doing when they drafted this dude. But now we're looking ahead to the season, and there are some names to watch.
Parker Bottcher:Maxkey out there of Princeton. He's playing for Boston. These guys all time leading goal scorer in Princeton history. Left handed sniper, and Cannon's desperately needed a lefty shooter, and they got one. Experts say saying he could be a rookie of the year contender.
Parker Bottcher:And then you got guys from last year like Brennan O'Neil, rookie class, who are taking that next step. O'Neil had a breakout moment in 2020 early twenty twenty four when he had dropped seven goals, won in game, helped Denver win, like, bro, seven goals, that's video game numbers. The thing I love about the PLL is rookies can actually make an immediate impact. Like, it's not some other leagues where you're riding the bench for two years. These guys come in and ball out, which makes the league so much more fun to watch.
Parker Bottcher:Okay. Let's jump over to the NFL for a sec because there's some big trade that just went down. The Colorado Mammoth trade forward Conor Robertson to the San Diego seals in exchange for a conditional first round pick in the twenty twenty six injury draft. Now if you don't know Connor Robertson Let me fill you in. This guy has been a goal consistent goalscorer for Colorado back in the twenty twenty one, twenty two season.
Parker Bottcher:Robertson put up 71 points, 42 goals, 29 assists. That tied him with six in the six NLL goals in the year. Curtis Dixon, aka Superman. So, yeah, he tied with Curtis Dixon. So, yeah, he can score.
Parker Bottcher:The interesting thing here is San Diego proven offensive weapon. The seals are clearly trying to make a push, and Robertson brings that veteran present. And scoring ability for Colorado is huge for a building area. The trades are always fascinating because the league is always so tight knit. Everyone knows everybody.
Parker Bottcher:So when a guy like Robertson moves and shifts the whole dynamic of both teams, San Diego just got a whole lot more dangerous. And Colorado is beating that on the draft, so to reload. I'll be watching to see how Robertson fits into that San Diego offense. Could be the piece they were missing. Alright.
Parker Bottcher:Time for everyone's favorite part, gear review. This week, I wanna talk about something doesn't get enough love, cleats, especially the New Balance Freezes. Here's the deal. They can make or break your game. You need a lot of traction, but you also need that mobility and cushioning.
Parker Bottcher:It's balance. Last season, I actually swapped over to turf shoes after a recommendation. But back to cleats for me. I like the extra grip in a face off. These Freezes nail it.
Parker Bottcher:The grip, they look good. They are comfortable. They are a narrow cleat. Probably not good for those bigfoot players, but I like them. Overall rating, I'm giving this a solid 9.5 out of 10.
Parker Bottcher:I would definitely recommend these if you're looking for cleats and you have a narrow foot. Alright. That's gonna do it for today this week's episode. Crease sponsors, quick wrap. Paul Rabel is doing a double hall of famer and absolute feel rookies changing the game.
Parker Bottcher:Conor Robertson is heading to San Diego. And if you need new cleats, we got you covered. Hope you had a good hap Halloween, everyone. Stay safe out there, and eat some candy and go play lacrosse. Remember, stay hungry, stay humble, and Alright.
Parker Bottcher:That's it for this episode. Thanks for hanging out. And if you liked this episode, hit that follow button so you don't miss what's coming out next. You can catch extra clips, gear reviews, and more content on Instagram, YouTube, and just search at Crease Monsters. Until next time, share it, save it, string it up.
Parker Bottcher:We are just getting started.
Creators and Guests
