Interview with Nick Desrosiers - Part 2

By Kevin Neibauer 

Kevin M. Neibauer caught up New Jersey Rascals owner, Nick Desrosiers and has the opportunity to announce Nick's newest business endeavor.

KMN- You have a new venture, can you tell us about it?

ND- Yes we recently acquired the Northern League of Professional Baseball, a league that was started back in 1902. Our purpose for acquiring the league was to create new opportunity within the United States for us to provide family affordable entertainment while offering the highest level of professional baseball.

KMN- As an "independent league" are any major league teams involved?

ND- Independent leagues do not have any affiliation with major league baseball or any of its affiliated minor league systems. The Independent leagues are used primarily for the players released on the last day of MLB spring training who are looking for a way to play on a professional platform while showcasing their abilities to major league scouts. The league can also be a stepping stone for players who are not seen or overlooked by major league scouts. Over the year many top notch MLB talents have used one of the uses listed above such as Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Jim Leyritz, J.D. Drew, Matt Scherzer and many others.

KMN- Do you have other investors?

ND- Like all of our assets, we are family owned and operated and do not have any outside investors, and we like to keep it that way. However, league memberships are for sale and each team will be individually owned and operated.

KMN-Any future investments that you can share?

ND- We are always gauging the market for feasible investments, while our goal is to grow this league while maintaining our other investments. I will let you know that there will be more news coming out within the next 6 months, so please stay tuned.

KMN -Any idea as to when or if the Rascals will begin?

ND- We are actively exploring every possible solution to resurrecting the Rascals and building on the momentum we created last year. We anticipate several key decisions will be made in the next several weeks.

Thanks once again to Nick Desrosiers.

 

One on One with Brett Manney

By Kevin Neibauer

Kevin M. Neibauer of LaxPhilly.com recently caught up with one of the Wings Captains, Brett Manney.


KMN - You go back a few years with John Mouradian, comment on your relationship with him...

BM "Well he and the Stealth coaching staff had a lot of faith in me as an American rookie. Therefore they saw something in me and it was up to me how I could develop. I always thought we had a good relationship and I rarely call him Johnny anymore but his nickname "Gypsy."

KMN- The Wings are a storied franchise, how does it feel to be a part of the organization?

BM- "Honored"

KMN - What are your thoughts on being a Captain on this team?

BM- "Well, to be alongside Brodie (Merrill) and Kevin (Ross) and Max (Seibald), when he (Max) gets back, is elite company. I think there are many leaders on our team, therefore it is collective leadership. I will do my best to lead by example on the floor and off"

KMN- Paul Rabil, What does he bring to the team?

BM- "Brings athleticism, leadership, talent, work ethic, and drive."

KMN - The American concept, what should the fans expect from this?

BM- "Athleticism, Creativity, Speed, and playing fast"

KMN - Brandon Miller has been fabulous. Does his performance make your job easier?

BM- "Of course. Brandon is an excellent goalie and even better performer. There are a lot of head case goalies out there and he is not one of them. I love playing in front of him. I have a lot of respect for him."

KMN - As Assistant Captain, do you have any special duties with the team??

BM- "To make sure violations are accounted for in the Kangaroo Court. Other than that not much really other than to be a liaison on the floor to refs."

KMN - How big was the win in Toronto??

BM- "Anytime you win in this league it is big because there are only 9 teams with the best lacrosse players in the floor. There are no easy wins. With that being said, on the road against a tough opponent was big. We want to continue to get better every week and play for each other. After two games we have and will continue to strive for that."

KMN - Thomas Hajek, what has he brought to the defense?

BM- "Simplicity. Thomas is a great lacrosse mind who was a talented player. He understands what our strong and weak points to make sure to capitalize on our opportunities. It was a little weird with him being a coach at first but everyone gives all they have for him every time out on the floor".

Wings Lacrosse 2013 (1-26-13 at Buffalo, 1-27-13 vs. Calgary)

By Tom Hoffman

Off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2008, the Philadelphia Wings will play a weekend of back to back games for the first time during the 2013 season starting with a visit to Buffalo for a rematch with the Bandits on Saturday before coming home to face the Calgary Roughnecks and former Wing Geoff Snider on Sunday. Game time at the First Niagara Center is at 7:30 PM Saturday night and at 4 PM on Sunday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center. Both games can be seen live at www.youtube.com/thelacrossenetwork.


History

The Wings are 23-23 against the Bandits and 2-2 vs. the Roughnecks all time in regular season play. Against the Bandits on the road the Wings are 10-13 (9-9 at First Niagara Center) having split the two games played there in 2012. At home vs. Calgary the Wings are 1-1 with the Roughnecks winning here 13-7 in their last visit on March 5, 2011.

Last Weekend

The Wings notched their second win of the 2013 National Lacrosse League season with an 8-7 victory over the Toronto Rock on Saturday. The Wings trailed the entire game until Drew Westervelt scored the game winner with 10.9 seconds left in regulation. Brandon Miller stopped 53 shots to pick up the win in goal.

Buffalo won their second straight game since losing their opener to the Wings when they defeated the Rochester Knighthawks 14-13 at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena on Saturday. Calgary dropped to 0-2 on the season after falling in overtime to the Colorado Mammoth 13-12 Saturday night in Calgary.

Trivia

Geoff Snider was selected with the fourth pick in the first round of the 2006 NLL Entry Draft. The Wings also had the fifth and eight picks in the first round that year, who did they select?

On this date

The Wings are 3-0 on January 26 having defeated the New York Saints 13-8 at the Spectrum in 1991, the New York Titans 16-11 in 2007 at Nassau Coliseum and the Buffalo Bandits 15-14 in 2008 at the Wachovia Center.

The Wings are 4-0 on January 27 with the wins coming in 1996 against the New York Saints 23-8 at the Spectrum, 18-9 over the Albany Attack in 2001 at the First Union Center, 10-9 over the Toronto Rock in 2007 at the Wachovia Center and 13-10 at Buffalo in 2012.

Stats

Goals: Kevin Crowley (7)

Assists: Kevin Buchanan and Jordan Hall (6)

Points: Crowley (10)

Loose Balls: Brodie Merrill (26)

Goals Against: Brandon Miller (7.50)

Saves: Miller (96)

Answer

After selecting Geoff Snider with the fourth pick, the Wings took Ian Llord with the next pick and with the eighth pick selected Athan Iannucci.

Next Game

The Wings will return to action on February 8 when they host the defending champion Rochester Knighthawks.

Wild 4th quarter propels Wings to victory

By Tom Hoffman

In past seasons, the fourth quarter at the Air Canada Centre and the Philadelphia Wings have not been the best of friends.  Seemingly safe leads for the Wings have managed to turn into very painful losses.  Which made Saturday night's game quite satisfying for Wings fans and players as the Wings used a late four goal run, highlighted by a highlight reel goal from Drew Westervelt with 10.9 seconds to play in regulation, to escape Toronto with an 8-7 victory spoiling the Rock's home opener before a crowd of 11,703.  For the Wings, it was not only win number two in the early National Lacrosse League season, but an incredible third straight victory in what had been a true House of Horrors for the Wings.

The Wings never led the game until Westervelt's game winner but they never let the Rock get ahead by more than three scores.  After trailing 3-1 at halftime, the Wings tied the game on goals from Brodie Merrill and Westervelt but Toronto would get four of the next five goals to take a 7-4 lead with 7:24 to play.  The Wings rally then started on a breakaway goal from Joel White and was followed by goals from Kevin Ross and Kevin Crowley that tied the game at seven to set up Westervelt's late heroics.

But much like last week's opening win over the Buffalo Bandits, it was goalie Brandon Miller who would steal the show in what ended up as a goaltending duel with the Rock's Nick Rose.  Miller was lights out again with a 53 save performance though Rose wasn't too shabby either in stopping 48 Wings chances.  Crowley led the Wings with three goals and two assists while Kevin Buchanan and Paul Rabil each added three helpers.  The Wings will look to keep the good luck going when they play a pair of games next weekend starting with a rematch with the Bandits in Buffalo before coming home to face the Calgary Roughnecks and former Wing Geoff Snider.