Parity: NLL Has Plenty of It

We could be watching the best season in National Lacrosse League history, folks. And why is that? There are only nine teams this season after a team dispersed, surely that causes problems? Well, of course, but the play of the current nine member teams can easily turn on a new fan.

The season has already been incredible. The Toronto Rock started the season 0-2. The NLL Champion Toronto Rock could not get a win. On top of that, they lost their best two players in Blaine Manning and Colin Doyle. But then they defeated Rochester, then Calgary, then Philadelphia, and all of a sudden they lead their division.

In Buffalo, they started the season 2-0. The Bandits were one of the favorites going into the season, and their start surprised no one. However, they would soon pick up losses against Philadelphia, then Minnesota and then Washington. The 0-3 Stealth beat the Bandits in their barn! How things change fast from parity.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia, last year's cellar team, are 2-2 and in second place in the east, behind just Toronto. Their losses were tough ones to swallow against the Rock and Rochester Knighthawks, but they picked up great wins against Buffalo and Washington. They play Buffalo again this week, sure to change up the standings again.

And then the Rochester Knighthawks, who are in last place at 2-3, but just defeated the Minnesota Swarm this past weekend. Their other win was a blowout vs Philadelphia, and they are not a team that should be overlooked.

In the west we see even more parity, but one team is separating from the rest. The Colorado Mammoth, who barely snuck into the 2011 playoffs, sit at 5-0 as the only undefeated NLL team. They lead the western conference by 2.5 games. In second place is the 2-2 Calgary Roughnecks, who started out the season 2-0 with a win over the champion Toronto Rock then the west champion Washington Stealth.

Behind them is the Minnesota Swarm at 1-2, a team not expected to do much this season. They have losses in Rochester and Colorado, but in their lone home game they blew out Buffalo. We should not overlook this team. The Edmonton Rush are an improved team, but are 1-1 with a win over Washington and a loss to Colorado.

The Washington Stealth are the most confusing team of all, at 1-3 and the defending western conference champions. Jeff Zywicki is now hurt, and the Athan Iannucci deal could be on the table, so we should know more as the season goes on.

Is it the playoffs yet?