 Ottawa Rebel logos. |
R.A. Philly
Outsider's Guide Editor-in-Chief
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Ottawa Rebel logos. |
The relocated Syracuse Smash, now playing out of Corel Centre in Kanata, Ontario, announced today that the team will be known as the Ottawa Rebel.
The team's logo is primarily black, silver, and blue, and features a "fierce but friendly" lacrosse player, according to a team press release.
"The name and logo defined for us the National Lacrosse League game," said team president Bryan Black. "The lacrosse player on the logo, just like those who play the game, is rough, intense, and athletic."
"We believe the name 'Rebel' and our logo have an edge to them, but that they will also appeal to our fans at every age," added Black. "The colors are strong and sharp, and offer us a lot of flexibility for team jerseys and merchandising."
Ottawa's first game will be on 21 December, when it visits the two-time defending champion Toronto Rock. The first Rebel home game is slated for 5 January and will also be against the Rock, thus completing the home-and-home series.
The first Rebel practices will be held on 4 November at Soccer Magic in Kingston, Ontario. The site was selected because it is halfway between Peterborough, Ontario -- the home of head coach Mark Vitarelli and several of the team's Canadian players -- and Syracuse, where the team was based the past three years and where most of the team's American players live.
"I'm really excited about playing in Canada," said Rebel star Del Halladay from his home in British Columbia. "There is a real potential for fan support in Ottawa, and management has made some good moves. I'm optimistic. When an organization is run properly, it filters down."
Al Smith, eastern Ontario director for the Ontario Lacrosse Association, says that the lacrosse community in the Canadian capital is eagerly anticipating its newest professional team.
"This will really give minor lacrosse throughout eastern Ontario a big boost," says Smith. "It will also give juniors playing in the Ottawa area something to shoot for, playing on a pro team where they live."
With minor lacrosse thriving in the nearby towns of Nepean and Gloucester, among others, Smith says that a market exists for the pro team.
The Ottawa Senators of the NHL own a share of the Rebel and are helping to promote the team. Included in each of tonight's programs is a flyer providing season-ticket information. Tickets range from $9.00 to $27.50 (Canadian) and can be purchased through Ticketmaster (613.755.1166).
Special thanks to Bob Cochrane for attending today's press conference on behalf of the Outsider's Guide and for submitting a report thereof.
The Columbus Landsharks selected their first eight players Thursday during an expansion draft, claiming Philadelphia's veteran backup goaltender Andy Piazza, New York attacker Mike Benedict, Toronto's Rory Graham, and five others.
Each of the other eight teams in the league -- Albany, Buffalo, New York, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Rochester, Toronto and Washington -- were able to protect either thirteen runners and one goaltender or ten runners and two goaltenders. The Rochester Knighthawks are known to have protected two goaltenders -- Steve Dietrich and Pat O'Toole -- while it can be inferred that since Piazza was left unprotected, Philadelphia protected only Dallas Eliuk in the goaltender category. (Full protected/unprotected lists were not available at the time of this report)
Piazza, an eight-year veteran who has played exclusively for the Wings, had developed a reputation for coming up big in emergency relief situations, such as a 1998 game where Piazza made 30 saves in a 15-8 victory at New York when Eliuk left with an injury just 38 seconds into the game. He has appeared in 27 games during his career, including five games this past season.
Benedict, who played for Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse before joining the Saints for the 2000 season, has accumulated 106 points (49 goals, 57 assists) over his six-year career. If he remains with the Landsharks, Benedict joins a short list of players who have played for five teams in their careers.
One of the most penalized players on the Rock during both of his professional seasons, Rory Graham now must take his enforcement activities south of the border. Graham has tallied eighteen points (6+12) and seventy-two penalty minutes over his career.
Also drafted by the Landsharks were Bruce Codd (Albany), Shane Wannamaker (Buffalo), Neal Powless (Ottawa), Dan Teat (Rochester), and Eric Gervais (Washington). Teat and Powless are four-year veterans, while Gervais has two years of experience. Codd and Wannamker were rookies this past season.