Bob Watson (lacrosse)
Encyclopedia
Bob "Whipper" Watson is a former goaltender for the Toronto Rock
in the National Lacrosse League
and is regarded as one of the best goaltenders ever to play indoor lacrosse Watson won six NLL Championships with the Rock, and was named Championship Game MVP in both 2003
and 2011
. Watson was named NLL Goaltender of the Year
in 2001
and again in 2008
. After 13 years in Toronto and winning 6 Championships, Watson decided to retire to devote his time to family and a new job with the Waterloo Regional Police Service.
Watson considered retirement after the 2010 season
when the Rock lost to the Washington Stealth
in the Championship game, but he later decided to come back for one more season. Mid-way through the 2011 season, Watson announced that it would be his last in the NLL. The Rock made it back to the Championship and in his final NLL game, Watson was named Championship Game MVP for the second time in his career as the Rock beat the Stealth 8-7 in a rematch of the 2010 game.
Announced July 25, 2011, Bob Watson will be the only 2011 inductee into the NLL Hall of Fame. He received 86% of the Hall entry votes, the only player this year to surpass the mandatory 75%. He is the third goaltender to be entered into the NLL Hall of Fame.
Toronto Rock
The Toronto Rock is a lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Rock of the late 1990s / early 2000s has been called a dynasty, having won five NLL championships in seven years. From 1999 to 2003, the Rock appeared in an NLL-record...
in the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
and is regarded as one of the best goaltenders ever to play indoor lacrosse Watson won six NLL Championships with the Rock, and was named Championship Game MVP in both 2003
2003 NLL season
-Awards:-Weekly Awards:The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.- Monthly Awards :Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie....
and 2011
2011 NLL season
The 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:...
. Watson was named NLL Goaltender of the Year
National Lacrosse League Goaltender of the Year Award
The National Lacrosse League Goaltender of the Year Award is given annually to the best NLL goaltender of the year.In the 2008 season, the award was sponsored by the US Navy and was known as the "US Navy Goaltender of the Year award". In the 2007 season, it was the "Progressive National Lacrosse...
in 2001
2001 NLL season
-Awards:-Weekly Awards:Each week, a player is awarded "Player of the Week" honours.-Monthly Awards:Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.-Statistics Leaders:...
and again in 2008
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
. After 13 years in Toronto and winning 6 Championships, Watson decided to retire to devote his time to family and a new job with the Waterloo Regional Police Service.
Watson considered retirement after the 2010 season
2010 NLL season
The 2010 National Lacrosse League season, the 24th in the history of the NLL, began on January 8, 2010 and ended with the Championship game on May 15.-Team movement:...
when the Rock lost to the Washington Stealth
Washington Stealth
The Washington Stealth are a member of the National Lacrosse League, the professional box lacrosse league of North America. Based in Everett , the Stealth began play in the 2010 NLL season, with home games played at the 8,513-seat Comcast Arena at Everett.The team was previously known as the...
in the Championship game, but he later decided to come back for one more season. Mid-way through the 2011 season, Watson announced that it would be his last in the NLL. The Rock made it back to the Championship and in his final NLL game, Watson was named Championship Game MVP for the second time in his career as the Rock beat the Stealth 8-7 in a rematch of the 2010 game.
Announced July 25, 2011, Bob Watson will be the only 2011 inductee into the NLL Hall of Fame. He received 86% of the Hall entry votes, the only player this year to surpass the mandatory 75%. He is the third goaltender to be entered into the NLL Hall of Fame.
NLL
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Min | GA | Sv | GAA | Sv % | GP | Min | GA | Sv | GAA | Sv % | ||
| 1996 | Baltimore | 9 | 268 | 77 | 155 | 17.24 | 66.81% | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1998 | Ontario | 12 | 574 | 115 | 370 | 12.02 | 76.29% | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1999 | Toronto | 11 | 548 | 110 | 344 | 12.04 | 75.77% | 2 | 119 | 12 | 69 | 6.05 | 85.19% | ||
| 2000 | Toronto | 12 | 678 | 125 | 422 | 11.06 | 77.15% | 2 | 120 | 23 | 81 | 11.50 | 77.88% | ||
| 2001 | Toronto | 14 | 715 | 106 | 415 | 8.89 | 79.65% | 2 | 116 | 18 | 72 | 9.35 | 80.00% | ||
| 2002 | Toronto | 16 | 681 | 131 | 425 | 11.54 | 76.44% | 2 | 125 | 23 | 67 | 11.00 | 74.44% | ||
| 2003 | Toronto | 16 | 602 | 101 | 351 | 10.06 | 77.65% | 2 | 120 | 17 | 80 | 8.50 | 82.47% | ||
| 2004 | Toronto | 16 | 571 | 106 | 327 | 11.14 | 75.52% | 1 | 21 | 7 | 11 | 20.48 | 61.11% | ||
| 2005 | Toronto | 16 | 886 | 174 | 543 | 11.78 | 75.73% | 2 | 120 | 23 | 69 | 11.50 | 75.00% | ||
| 2006 | Toronto | 16 | 909 | 170 | 575 | 11.22 | 77.18% | 1 | 57 | 16 | 38 | 16.84 | 70.37% | ||
| 2007 | Toronto | 16 | 855 | 157 | 586 | 11.01 | 78.87% | 1 | 59 | 8 | 52 | 8.12 | 86.67% | ||
| 2008 | Toronto | 15 | 812 | 140 | 513 | 10.34 | 78.56% | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2009 | Toronto | 16 | 820 | 180 | 525 | 13.16 | 74.47% | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2010 | Toronto | 16 | 670 | 104 | 390 | 9.31 | 78.95% | 3 | 177 | 32 | 96 | 10.88 | 75.00% | ||
| 2011 | Toronto | 16 | 850 | 143 | 530 | 10.09 | 78.8% | 3 | 180 | 26 | 114 | 8.67 | 81.4% | ||
| NLL Totals | 216 | 10,443 | 1,935 | 6,471 | 11.12 | 77.0%!! 21 !! 1,212 !! 205 !! 749 !! 10.13 !! 78.5% | |||||||||