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Player Spotlight highlights the finer details and elements while supplying insight to the fans on what a player's thought process may be pertaining to a certain play, game or situation. It brings the intensity, passion, and inner most thoughts of the individual player that otherwise may not be felt or heard. |
04/27/03 John Gallant - Colorado Mammoth John Gallant is a defenseman for the Colorado Mammoth who has a wide range of skill and talent and makes a difference on and off the floor within his team. John led his team in penalty minutes this year as well as made quite a few impressive offensive plays including an important goal in the playoffs against Vancouver. PLPA Correspondent Chrissy Sadowski spoke with John after their semi-final loss to Toronto and discussed the game, the league and of course, the Colorado Mammoth. | ||
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After losing for the third year in a row to Toronto, can you analyze a pattern that needs to be broken? | |
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Perhaps playing Toronto at home instead of at the Air Canada Centre may be the pattern that needs to be broken. Or starting the game the way we finished it. The past three years we have always gotten off to bad starts and created a large deficit for ourselves. And, we are never able to dig ourselves out.
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You had a very strong defensive game, challenging all of Toronto's top players and definitely adverting some major shots, do you feel as if you were alone out there? | |
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No I don't, I think our defense played well. We did however make some mistakes (myself included) and Toronto being a championship team capitalized on our mistakes. I never feel nor have I ever felt alone out on the floor. We are a family and we always play for one another.
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Do you see an improvement in yourself from last year to this year or even throughout the 2002/3 season? | |
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You can always look back at your stats at the end of the year and say "I had more points, loose balls, etc. than last year" But, I'm really not too concerned about that. I'm apart of a team! Even though there may or may not have be improvement in my stats, we lost in the semi-final to Toronto. Our goal was to win a championship and we failed. We ended up in the same spot we did last year, with a semi-final loss in Toronto. So it is very hard to look at the year and see improvement.
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How do you feel about some of the rookies on the team clearly showing a progression throughout the season such as Al Truant and Brian Langtry? | |
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Both Al Truant and Brian Langtry along with our other rookies Tom Ethington, Bryan Cole, Trevor Tierney and Geoff Bieging are all excellent lacrosse players and illustrated during the year that they have the ability to play in this league for a long time.
In the case of Truant and Langtry, they both had excellent seasons and I'm sure next year they will gather some additional attention from opposing defenses. Even though they may be rookies in this league they both have lots of lacrosse experience, and next year they are going to be required to improve their games even more for the Mammoth to be successful.
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Do you credit Jamie Batley for motivating the team to a five game winning streak to even get you into the play-offs? | |
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Jamie Batley deserves all the credit in the world for turning this team around mid-season. He brought a new attitude and philosophy to our team that seemed to motivate not only the rookies but the veterans as well. We began to play for each other and not ourselves. And, it really saved our season. Mr. Bartley and his coaching staff deserve more recognition then they receive. It was a pleasure to play for him and his staff and I look forward to playing for him again.
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Now that the season is over, can look at the pro's and con's of the Colorado Mammoth as a team and a franchise? | |
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I really can't see any con's with this franchise. Kroenke Sports has done wonders for the NLL. Players come here once and fall in love with the atmosphere here about indoor lacrosse. Coming here from Washington D.C. and joining a group that has put together a two time Stanley Cup winning hockey team, and a successful basketball team has been very beneficial in our ability to promote our team in Denver. And, once fans came to the Pepsi Center and saw the great team that the Mammoth front office put together people in Denver were hooked on indoor lacrosse.
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In every interview this year all of the Mammoth players commented that the fan support was like having an extra man on the floor, do you feel that this helped the franchise become what it is today? | |
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The fans here in Denver are the best in the league. The Pepsi Center gets so loud it becomes impossible to talk to teammates out on the floor during the course of the game. Starting their own chants, the wave and heckling opposing players, only creates a bigger advantage for us. And, who can forget "Hey number XX Get in the Box!" Playing at home is a big advantage for us. Hopefully next year we will be able to have more than one home playoff game.
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Are you looking forward to another possible year in Colorado? | |
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Absolutely. This team is the talk of the league. We have a great team but more importantly a great fan base. Visiting players always comment on how loud it gets in the Pepsi Center and how they can't believe how the indoor game has caught on here in Denver. What is there not to love about playing here? Beautiful city, great arena, and the best fans in the league! Not to mention a pretty good team.
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What would you say to a new team coming in like the possible San Jose franchise in how to be as successful as the Mammoth? | |
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I believe the Mammoth have created a very good blue print on how to start an NLL team in a new city. Kroenke Sports and Entertainment have created something very special here in Colorado. San Jose or any other new franchise should take a long hard look at what has been done here in Denver.
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What is your most memorable moment for you and for the team this year? | |
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Playing every home game in a filled Pepsi Center with 17,000 crazy fans was great. But, the times that are most memorable to me are the ones away from the floor, in the dressing room, or on the bus going to airports or games with my teammates. We are a big family and we have a great group of guys on this team. And, what is most disappointing about the season being over is that those memorable times are over for now.
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| PLPA Correspondent Chrissy Sadowski has a degree in Communications and is currently studying broadcasting. |
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