In designing in my mind what I wanted this web site to be, planning which has been ongoing since the spring of 1997, I first thought of making a site devoted to the indoor team that I am openly devoted to, the Philadelphia Wings. Too uncreative.

It became clear as the 1998 NLL playoffs were approaching that a web site about the league as a whole, nasty as can be when it is called for but as praising as possible when deserved, easy enough to understand that a novice to this great sport would understand the ongoings yet in-depth enough for the hardcore fans, would not only be different, but also a pleasure to work on. And it has been.

Now, when I say I'm going to be critical of the league, it might stir up thoughts that I want to ridicule the league into failure. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It should go without much saying that the best method of remedying a problem is to fix it. If I myself can not actively cause change, I'm going to very loudly point it out, and put the league (or an individual team, for that matter) in the position of either being ridiculed for its mistake or moving to fix it and shut me up.

Indeed, that's the message I hope I can send when I belittle decisions of the league or of teams. I want the NLL to know that fixing its mistakes makes for good PR, and also makes for a congratulatory piece on this site.

Even more important to me than sending the NLL on guilt trips is extending the sport's recognition to new places. Indoor lacrosse, as anyone who follows the sport can tell you, is not exactly major league. The league, partly through its own doing, is in need of name recognition. Word of mouth has helped the league over the years, and should continue. By attempting to cover the basics of what indoor lacrosse is and how the teams fit into the history and even existence of the league, I hope to introduce this exciting game to those people who enjoy their sports action-packed, exciting, unpredictable, and a thrill to watch.

A short note before I end: because this site is put together in my spare time, and because it is so extensive, sometimes errors are made (inaccuracies, typographical errors, etc.). If a mistake is found, please inform the Outsider's Guide by sending an e-mail to raphilly@yahoo.com. Thanks for visiting here, and please visit often.