The Lacrosse Blog

Well, now, I’m not sure what to think. I was turning into a bit of a Burrards fan this season. Or so I thought. No, I didn’t want them to beat the Bellies. That’s just silly. Still, I was beginning to really respect the team, and as you know, have always thought highly of Ron Schibild. Heck, I even thought that Maple Ridge’s Planet Ice was a great place to watch a lacrosse game. Nowhere else can you sit so close to the players that you can hear what they say to each other, see their facial expressions, and smell their sweat (not that I’m into smelling their sweat…). Plus, Maple Ridge has some serious fans, which is always nice to see (and sometimes a bit rare in this league).

But all that started to change when the Burrards came to town on Tuesday. It was a fantastic game. It was a clean game. Both games gave it their all, and even though the Bellies lost, I thought it was one of the better games they played all year. Still, the negativity in the stands was palpable. There was something about the energy emanating from the Maple Ridge cheering squad that made we uncomfortable going into tonight’s game. But that’s not what started to change my opinion of the team. What changed it for me was the fact that after a great and very fair game, the Burrards marched off to the dressing room yelling “F— you, New West.” Wow, to win (narrowly, mind you) and still be so unsportsmanlike.

And now, after tonight’s game (which the Bellies won handily, I might add), I have no respect for the Burrards (okay, maybe still a little for Schibild). I understand the desire to fight, and for the most part I’m perfectly fine with a lot of what goes on during a heated contest. But I think the Burrards realized tonight that they’re physically and mentally nowhere near the team that the Salmonbellies are, so they decided to let their inner thug out. I guess they figure they stand a better chance of making it through to the Mann Cup if they maim their opponents.

But even more irritating than the players’ shenanigans were the actions and attitudes of the bench. The Burrards’ coaching crew is so abusive that even the floor mopper walked out on them. And to the staff who took his place? Squirting water from your water bottle at Bob Salt is rather childish.

I don’t think the Burrards have what it takes to be a WLA champion team, let alone a Mann Cup winner. And even if they do manage to somehow make it through to the national championship, they certainly won’t have me rooting for them.

Kudos to Bellies Cliff Smith, Tyler Richards, and Jordan Hall for taking third, second, and first stars of the game and kudos to the rest of the team for all you do for your fans. There’s a reason you have such a loyal following.

For several years now, it has bothered the heck out of me that people write “Salmonbellie” instead of “Salmonbelly” when referring to a single player of the New Westminster Salmonbellies or when using the noun attributively, as in “the Salmonbelly logo.” We don’t write “belliebutton,” do we? I’m sure it’s because lacrosse players, executives, and most fans aren’t into grammar and spelling like I am. (And who can blame them?)

Even Wikipedia has noted the odd spelling. They are, of course, a lot more diplomatic about it than I am, saying, “Curiously, the name is never spelled with a ‘y’ even when one writes about an individual ‘Salmonbellie.’”

Curious indeed. But there is one place you’ll see Salmonbelly with a “y”—right here on this blog. Wikipedia never gets their facts right.