Josh Sims jokes about “five minutes of chemistry-building,” an exaggeration about the lack of time the Denver Outlaws have spent on the field before they make their debut at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against the Chicago Machine at Invesco Field at Mile High.
The Outlaws, a Major League Lacrosse expansion team whose players work regular jobs during the week, conducted training camp the past three weekends.
But Sims, Brian Langtry, Tom Ethington, Nick Carlson and Mike Law were otherwise occupied, helping win the indoor pro title, the National Lacrosse League Champion’s Cup, for the Colorado Mammoth.
Adjustments to new teammates, the expanse of the field game and rule differences will be made on the fly.
“It’s funny,” Sims said. “I was thinking about it the other day and I couldn’t remember what the rule differences are, which is pretty bad. That could get me in trouble.”
On the plus side, the field game comes more naturally for Sims and his four Mammoth/Outlaws teammates because it is the style they learned as youngsters. It is the dominant American style.
Sims, ranked with teammate Jeff Sonke among the five fastest players in the MLL by Outlaws general manager Brian Reese, is a back-to-back champion, having won the MLL crown for the Baltimore Bayhawks last August.
The schedule allowed for a few months off, which is not the case this year. One week separates Sims’ NLL championship and MLL debut.
“I haven’t slowed down at all,” he said. “I’ve been in a rhythm. Playing every week is the expectation. There is some element of fatigue. I just won’t know how prepared my body is for playing in that much space.”
Outlaws coach Jarred Testa is not overly concerned with blending in the late arrivals.
“They have a high lacrosse IQ,” he said.
One of Testa’s main training camp impressions was from the strong play of goaltender Trevor Tierney, acquired from Baltimore by Reese in a six-team trade.
“We’re pleased to have a guy like Trevor, not only a winner, but an all-star, and a great team guy,” Reese said. “He’s going to be a leader for this team.”
Benson Erwin, a potential superstar, is Denver’s highest remaining expansion draft pick, 11th overall.
“He’s a fantastic athlete,” said Sims, who teamed with Erwin in Baltimore.
The trademarks of Testa-coached teams include an emphasis on scooping up more groundballs than the opponent, team defense and exceptional conditioning. Although the MLL maximum active roster is 23, only 18 are allowed to suit up and the five not chosen are not paid, unlike in the NLL.
“If they’re not ready to perform, they know the next guy will be,” Testa said.
Footnotes
Carlson injured his knee in the NLL championship game and will be sidelined six weeks on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He was replaced on the practice squad by 2005 University of Denver graduate Scott Davidson, one of several team members who are Denver residents.
