Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. “Fate of a Sport,” a documentary on the advent of the Premier Lacrosse League, came out on ESPN+ on Monday.
Directed by former Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse player Michael Doneger, the film premiered earlier this summer at the Tribeca Festival. Co-founder Paul Rabil recently described it as “raw and unapologetic” during ESPN’s broadcast of a PLL game in Salt Lake City, acknowledging his own discomfort in watching the struggle of starting a pro league unfold on the screen.
The PLL provided a glimpse of that Monday with a three-minute segment on the tense moments leading up to the league’s merger with its predecessor, Major League Lacrosse. There’s also a scene showing Rabil and his brother, co-founder and PLL CEO Mike Rabil, rejecting an earlier offer from MLL to buy them out.
One single league.
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) August 29, 2022
Go inside the PLL-MLL Merger pic.twitter.com/Ld0G4Ax8oJ
This is my favorite scene from “Fate of a Sport”
— JDM (@Joshua__DM) August 29, 2022
After one season the MLL offered to buy the PLL for $35M. @MichaelRabil and @PaulRabil both would’ve made $6M. They declined because they actually cared about the growth of the sport.pic.twitter.com/aGDsd7uKZ9
Watch “Fate of a Sport” on ESPN+.
2. Iona University is adding men’s lacrosse in 2023-24, the school announced Monday.
Iona will become the 77th Division I team, following Queens (N.C.) and Lindenwood’s ascension from Division II in 2022-23. The Gaels had a club team this year. They’ll compete in the MAAC.
3. Randy Staats is on the move again.
Less than a year after being traded from Georgia to Panther City, Staats was shipped Monday to Halifax. The Thunderbirds acquired the one-time NLL Rookie of the Year for current rookie Jackson Reid, who was the No. 9 overall pick in this year’s draft, as well as a 2025 second-round selection.
Staats never suited up for Panther City. He spent the 2022 season on the physically unable to perform list.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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From the Daily Tar Heel, Marie McCool says she decided to quit her 9-to-5 job and become a full-time coach after a heart-to-heart with her parents. North Carolina announced last week that McCool was returning to Chapel Hill as an assistant coach.
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From the Topeka Capital Journal, Kansas basketball star KJ Adams plans to tap into his lacrosse background while pursuing new NIL opportunities.
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From Inside Lacrosse, there’s a new player in the lacrosse stick market. Adrenaline has entered the chat with the Nomad.
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A couple Rabil-penned posts on “Fate of a Sport,” including a LinkedIn article in which he writes, “I hope this film is not what you think” and a nod to his Johns Hopkins roots.
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From the PLL, a Q&A with Doneger on the origin and making of the documentary.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
“Fate of a Sport” is the only answer.
“If you weren’t present doing it, what was it all worth?”
— Paul Rabil (@PaulRabil) August 22, 2022
FATE OF A SPORT
An @ESPN Film
Streaming August 29th on @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/ffUZcoadpM
WHAT’S ON TAP
Will Jared Bernhardt make the Atlanta Falcons’ 53-man roster? The NFL deadline for teams to declare their trim rosters is today at 4 p.m. ET. Among those projecting Bernhardt, the former Tewaaraton Award-winning lacrosse player, to make the cut at wide receiver are Josh Kendall of The Athletic and ESPN staff writer Michael Rothstein, not to mention the Falcons’ own beat writers. Bernhardt caught five passes for 102 yards in the preseason, including the game-winning touchdown against Detroit.
Speaking of which, the Lions waived former Bryant and Boston Cannons lacrosse player Tom Kennedy even though he led the team as in receptions (16), receiving yards (143) and receiving touchdowns (two) in the preseason. Kennedy played in 12 games for Detroit last season.