Lacrosse vs. hockey fans

Apropos of the recent Sports Illustrated article on ill-behaved fans, it was fascinating to see how the Cornell and Penn fans at Saturday's lacrosse game were mostly positive about their own teams rather than boorish about the opponent.

It may be because:
* There were almost no Penn fans to taunt
* The voices of 625 people (official attendance) in a 52,000-seat stadium wouldn't carry, so why bother
* It was disproportionately parents, alums, girlfriends among the Cornell fans.
* It's harder to rag the other players and fans when it's an outdoor facility

Regardless, you could see Cornell fans were supportive and probably there in greater quantities than Penn fans. Maybe that's all team is asking for. (OK, the pep band / alumni pep band would have been nice.)

You don't know how old this makes me feel, being in favor of good sportsmanship among fans. Not that we should do away with the Screw BU cheer.

Lacrosse really is a different culture- more laid back, fans/family more inclined to party and/or tailgate together. There's less hostile chippy behavior between players. In fact, for half the game the attackmen and defensemen stand next to each other and chat. Really. Plus, it's a smaller, tighter community that tends to persist beyond graduation at the club level where you play with the guys you used to play against.

Because of the smaller crowds, those who taunt/insult stand out more.

TimV
In fact, for half the game the attackmen and defensemen stand next to each other and chat.

Off topic, but that's one of things that just seems weird about lacrosse (to me). The regimented "you can't leave your zone" rules seems odd. I guess it might be a matter of the field being too crowded if all the players followed along like hockey.

KeithK

TimV
In fact, for half the game the attackmen and defensemen stand next to each other and chat.

Off topic, but that's one of things that just seems weird about lacrosse (to me). The regimented "you can't leave your zone" rules seems odd. I guess it might be a matter of the field being too crowded if all the players followed along like hockey.

Yeah, put 10 guys on skates and see how much room you've got.

KeithK
The regimented "you can't leave your zone" rules seems odd.

Kind of like the old Iowa girls high school basketball rules: three players per team staying on each side of the midcourt line (IIRC).

KeithK
The regimented "you can't leave your zone" rules seems odd.

Not after 13 years of Schafer.

I keeeed, I keeeed.

TimV
Lacrosse really is a different culture- more laid back, fans/family more inclined to party and/or tailgate together.

I don't disagree with your basic premise, but I should point out that hockey fans have also been known to party together a bit.

TimV
Lacrosse really is a different culture- more laid back, fans/family more inclined to party and/or tailgate together. There's less hostile chippy behavior between players. In fact, for half the game the attackmen and defensemen stand next to each other and chat. Really. Plus, it's a smaller, tighter community that tends to persist beyond graduation at the club level where you play with the guys you used to play against.

I think a lot of this has to do with how the athletic talent is developed and where it can lead. Unfortunately with hockey, to develope talent often means leaving your family and home town. With lacrosse talent is developed locally at the high school level. Certainly here in CNY, and I'm sure it's true around NYC and Baltimore as well, we get to know the players and their families and it's logical to follow their college careers.

In hockey once you show talent you join teams that travel every weekend to play and then if you're good enough you move to another city to play. Your presence in your home community is lost. Downs grew up in the Syracuse area to a Cornell family. In fact they lived near a doctor in my office, but I didn't know there was even a good recruit there. I had no ability to socialize with him or his family at local games. In lacrosse that happens all the time. You know the families of the players and can get close. As an example Wurzburger, who was a lacrosse star for us in the mid 80's went to West Genny. His mother was a nurse that I worked with and it was natural to follow him in high school. His brother went to Maryland, but it was easy to follow his college career. I'm still friends with the family; that's just much harder to do for the fan of hockey.

Then there is the difference of what happens after college. In lacrosse you don't go pro to make a living, but to have fun. No one leaves college early to go pro. They are in school to play and get a degree so they can get a job. They hang around local games and have a much greater presence in their community.

All of this makes it a lot easier to get to know the families as people and friends, regardless of which college they play at.

Jim,

I agree about hockey and talent and having to leave home. I have a cousin 18, playing for the Wichita Texas Wildcats, jr A - his family is in Ann Arbor, Michigan area - His dad pays B2 to see his son in a 2 inch window via streaming video at all hours of the night - It is a hard thing to do; but the love of the game of hockey, and a strong desire for a good education (interest in engineering, he was a 4.0 student in HS., and a really great kid) has led to his decision to leave his family and friends and play some Jr A at a great distance from home.

He is turning down offers from several other Div 1 programs (Air Force, Canisus, Lake S. State); because he is very interested in an Ivy level/quality education - and playing in the NE. I know OSU is talking to him currently and he may do an Unofficial visit to Harvard. I know his Dad and he have visited Cornell and are strongly interested but that from what they tell me (I talked to his Dad just yesterday) Cornell hasn't shown one bit of interest in him.

I wish one of the Assistants for the Big Red would at least talk to him and tell him why no interest or discuss what he could do to develop into a level that might be mutually beneficial...

But I also do not want to interfere in the hockey staff doing their jobs.

I am just a concerned Big Red fan and a relative of a young and very nice and bright young hockey player observing the difficulties as he tries to make the next step in his dreams come true ... But wherever he goes, I am ceertain, he will do well and become a fine and upstanding young man with a bright future. I selfishly was hoping he'd do it at Cornell and I could cheer for him!

profudge
I know OSU is talking to him currently and he may do an Unofficial visit to Harvard. I know his Dad and he have visited Cornell and are strongly interested but that from what they tell me (I talked to his Dad just yesterday) Cornell hasn't shown one bit of interest in him.

I wish one of the Assistants for the Big Red would at least talk to him and tell him why no interest or discuss what he could do to develop into a level that might be mutually beneficial...

But I also do not want to interfere in the hockey staff doing their jobs.

I am just a concerned Big Red fan and a relative of a young and very nice and bright young hockey player observing the difficulties as he tries to make the next step in his dreams come true ... But wherever he goes, I am ceertain, he will do well and become a fine and upstanding young man with a bright future. I selfishly was hoping he'd do it at Cornell and I could cheer for him!

Don't be afraid to send Mike Schafer an email telling him what you know about the situation. I sent Mike an email about a potential prospect several years ago, and although he was already aware of the player, he sent a very nice email back, including saying something like "feel free to continue to send info on other potential players." I've also had positive responses from other Cornell coaches to leads I've presented.

jkahn

profudge
I know OSU is talking to him currently and he may do an Unofficial visit to Harvard. I know his Dad and he have visited Cornell and are strongly interested but that from what they tell me (I talked to his Dad just yesterday) Cornell hasn't shown one bit of interest in him.

I wish one of the Assistants for the Big Red would at least talk to him and tell him why no interest or discuss what he could do to develop into a level that might be mutually beneficial...

But I also do not want to interfere in the hockey staff doing their jobs.

I am just a concerned Big Red fan and a relative of a young and very nice and bright young hockey player observing the difficulties as he tries to make the next step in his dreams come true ... But wherever he goes, I am ceertain, he will do well and become a fine and upstanding young man with a bright future. I selfishly was hoping he'd do it at Cornell and I could cheer for him!

Don't be afraid to send Mike Schafer an email telling him what you know about the situation. I sent Mike an email about a potential prospect several years ago, and although he was already aware of the player, he sent a very nice email back, including saying something like "feel free to continue to send info on other potential players." I've also had positive responses from other Cornell coaches to leads I've presented.

Please contact the staff. One never knows where such things might lead.

Folks, thanx for encouragement will do that -

Well folks, we lost on my cousin Sean as he leaves the NAHL for Ohio State;
article at: Sean Duddy goes to OSU

“Wichita Falls and Coach Bowkus played a huge roll in my development. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to play for the city of Wichita Falls and Coach Bowkus.”