Bob Watson (lacrosse)
{{Short description|Canadian lacrosse player}}
{{Infobox lacrosse player
|name=Bob Watson
| position = Goaltender
| shoots = Left
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 195
| nll_team =
| former_nll_teams = Toronto Rock
Ontario Raiders
Baltimore Thunder
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|4|6|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| career_start = 1996
| career_end = 2011
| nickname = Whipper
| nllhof=2011
}}
Bob "Whipper" Watson (born April 6, 1970) is a former goaltender for the Toronto Rock in the National Lacrosse League{{cite news|title= Rock sign veteran goalie Bob Watson |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/lacrosse/article/893301--rock-sign-veteran-goalie-bob-watson|publisher=Toronto Star|date=2010-11-18|accessdate=2011-01-21}} and is regarded as one of the best goaltenders ever to play indoor lacrosse.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/lacrosse/article/806467--toronto-rock-goalie-bob-watson-enjoying-the-ride-again-after-train-wreck-09-season|work=Toronto Star|date=May 7, 2010|accessdate=May 28, 2011|author=Girard, Daniel|title=Toronto Rock goalie Bob Watson 'enjoying the ride' again after train-wreck '09 season}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.therecord.com/print/article/489465|title=Waterloo Region police officer saves and protects in Toronto Rock net|date=Feb 18, 2011|author=Girard, Daniel|work=Waterloo Region Record|accessdate=May 28, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.1310news.com/sports/article/208021--veteran-lacrosse-goalie-bob-watson-nears-end-of-fabulous-career|title=Veteran lacrosse goalie Bob Watson nears end of fabulous career|work=1310 News|author=Neil Stevens|date=Apr 5, 2011|accessdate=May 28, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721203849/http://www.1310news.com/sports/article/208021--veteran-lacrosse-goalie-bob-watson-nears-end-of-fabulous-career|archivedate=July 21, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/lacrosse/article/941128--to-save-and-protect|title=To Save And Protect|work=Toronto Star|author=Girard, Daniel|date=Feb 18, 2011|accessdate=May 28, 2011}}
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.torontosun.com/sports/lacrosse/2011/03/24/17743971.html|work=Toronto Sun|author=Ilika, Dan|date=March 24, 2011|accessdate=May 28, 2011|title=Whipper Watson set to retire}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/701650-toronto-rock-win-2011-national-lacrosse-league-championship|title=Toronto Rock Win 2011 National Lacrosse League Championship|publisher=Bleacher Report|author=Ron Knabenbauer|date=May 15, 2011|access-date=August 20, 2019}}
Bob Watson was the only 2011 inductee into the NLL Hall of Fame.{{cite web |url=https://www.tsn.ca/lacrosse/story/?id=372450 |title=Rock's Watson named to NLL Hall of Fame |website=www.tsn.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910132529/http://www.tsn.ca/lacrosse/story/?id=372450 |archive-date=2011-09-10}} He received 86% of the Hall entry votes, the only player that year to surpass the mandatory 75%. He was the third goaltender to be entered into the NLL Hall of Fame.
Statistics
=NLL=
{{NLLCareerStatsGoalie
|player_name_link=Bob Watson (lacrosse)
|player_name=Bob Watson
|season1_year=1996
|season1_team_link=Baltimore Thunder
|season1_games_played=9
|season1_minutes=268
|season1_goals_against=77
|season1_saves=155
|season2_year=1998
|season2_team_link=Ontario Raiders
|season2_games_played=12
|season2_minutes=574
|season2_wins=5
|season2_loss=5
|season2_goals_against=115
|season2_saves=370
|season3_year=1999
|season3_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season3_games_played=11
|season3_minutes=548
|season3_wins=6
|season3_loss=2
|season3_goals_against=110
|season3_saves=344
|season3_playoff_games_played=2
|season3_playoff_minutes=119
|season3_playoff_wins=2
|season3_playoff_goals_against=12
|season3_playoff_saves=69
|season4_year=2000
|season4_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season4_games_played=12
|season4_minutes=678
|season4_seconds=22
|season4_wins=9
|season4_loss=3
|season4_goals_against=125
|season4_saves=422
|season4_playoff_games_played=2
|season4_playoff_minutes=120
|season4_playoff_wins=2
|season4_playoff_goals_against=23
|season4_playoff_saves=81
|season5_year=2001
|season5_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season5_games_played=14
|season5_minutes=715
|season5_seconds=16
|season5_wins=10
|season5_loss=2
|season5_goals_against=106
|season5_saves=415
|season5_playoff_games_played=2
|season5_playoff_minutes=115
|season5_playoff_seconds=30
|season5_playoff_wins=1
|season5_playoff_loss=1
|season5_playoff_goals_against=18
|season5_playoff_saves=72
|season6_year=2002
|season6_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season6_games_played=16
|season6_minutes=681
|season6_seconds=12
|season6_wins=9
|season6_loss=3
|season6_goals_against=131
|season6_saves=425
|season6_playoff_games_played=2
|season6_playoff_minutes=125
|season6_playoff_seconds=24
|season6_playoff_wins=2
|season6_playoff_goals_against=23
|season6_playoff_saves=67
|season7_year=2003
|season7_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season7_games_played=16
|season7_minutes=602
|season7_seconds=11
|season7_wins=6
|season7_loss=4
|season7_goals_against=101
|season7_saves=351
|season7_playoff_games_played=2
|season7_playoff_minutes=120
|season7_playoff_wins=2
|season7_playoff_goals_against=17
|season7_playoff_saves=80
|season8_year=2004
|season8_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season8_games_played=16
|season8_minutes=571
|season8_seconds=4
|season8_wins=5
|season8_loss=5
|season8_goals_against=106
|season8_saves=327
|season8_playoff_games_played=1
|season8_playoff_minutes=20
|season8_playoff_seconds=30
|season8_playoff_goals_against=7
|season8_playoff_saves=11
|season9_year=2005
|season9_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season9_games_played=16
|season9_minutes=886
|season9_seconds=16
|season9_wins=11
|season9_loss=4
|season9_goals_against=174
|season9_saves=543
|season9_playoff_games_played=2
|season9_playoff_minutes=120
|season9_playoff_wins=2
|season9_playoff_goals_against=23
|season9_playoff_saves=69
|season10_year=2006
|season10_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season10_games_played=16
|season10_minutes=909
|season10_seconds=36
|season10_wins=8
|season10_loss=8
|season10_goals_against=170
|season10_saves=575
|season10_playoff_games_played=1
|season10_playoff_minutes=57
|season10_playoff_loss=1
|season10_playoff_goals_against=16
|season10_playoff_saves=38
|season11_year=2007
|season11_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season11_games_played=15
|season11_minutes=855
|season11_seconds=37
|season11_wins=6
|season11_loss=8
|season11_goals_against=157
|season11_saves=586
|season11_playoff_games_played=1
|season11_playoff_minutes=59
|season11_playoff_seconds=10
|season11_playoff_loss=1
|season11_playoff_goals_against=8
|season11_playoff_saves=52
|season12_year=2008
|season12_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season12_games_played=15
|season12_minutes=812
|season12_seconds=38
|season12_wins=7
|season12_loss=6
|season12_goals_against=140
|season12_saves=513
|season13_year=2009
|season13_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season13_games_played=16
|season13_minutes=820
|season13_seconds=46
|season13_wins=6
|season13_loss=8
|season13_goals_against=180
|season13_saves=525
|season14_year=2010
|season14_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season14_games_played=13
|season14_minutes=670
|season14_seconds=12
|season14_wins=7
|season14_loss=4
|season14_goals_against=104
|season14_saves=390
|season14_playoff_games_played=3
|season14_playoff_minutes=176
|season14_playoff_seconds=51
|season14_playoff_wins=2
|season14_playoff_loss=1
|season14_playoff_goals_against=32
|season14_playoff_saves=96
|season15_year=2011
|season15_team_link=Toronto Rock
|season15_games_played=16
|season15_minutes=850
|season15_seconds=22
|season15_wins=10
|season15_loss=4
|season15_goals_against=143
|season15_saves=530
|season15_playoff_games_played=3
|season15_playoff_minutes=180
|season15_playoff_wins=3
|season15_playoff_goals_against=26
|season15_playoff_saves=114
}}
Awards
{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = none | title = NLL Goaltender of the Year | years = 2001 | after = Rob Blasdell}}
{{succession box | before = Colin Doyle | title = Champion's Cup MVP | years = 2003 | after = Curtis Palidwor}}
{{succession box | before = Anthony Cosmo | title = NLL Goaltender of the Year | years = 2008 | after = Ken Montour}}
{{succession box | before = Lewis Ratcliff | title = Champion's Cup MVP | years = 2011 | after = Cody Jamieson }}
{{s-end}}