Lacrosse 2013 pre-season

[www.cornellbigred.com] Lacrosse pre-season polls don't take Cornell seriously:

7th in the Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook Preseason Poll, highest of the Ivies
15th in the Coaches' Preseason Poll, behind Princeton, Syracuse, Colgate, Lehigh and Yale at 10-14.

Loyola, Maryand Duke are 1-2-3 in both polls. Next greatest disparity between polls is Lehigh, 8th in Inside Lax to 13th in coaches poll.

Wow, I did not see that Coach's pre-season poll. I mean, I suppose you could argue that that is where we should be based solely on last year's performance. Of course looking solely at last year's performance is quite probably the most misleading thing you could do when considering how the team will perform this year. I don't see how we're not worthy of a top 5 pre-season rank, as that's where we started last year with most of the same pieces.

One assumes coaches know more than the media. Well, maybe Cornell can sneak up on some people.

If Maryland, #2 in the polls, should win it, then it would be Cornell as the former NCAA champion with the longest barren stretch since then. Last title in 1977. Maryland last won in 1975 (also 1973) and is <cough> 2-9 in title games.

billhoward
One assumes coaches know more than the media. Well, maybe Cornell can sneak up on some people.

I'm not sure that's true. I wouldn't be surprised if a coach in conference A doesn't really know that much about the teams in conference B unless they've played each other recently. I bet we could do some simple studies to test this hypothesis. Ten years ago I probably would be pulling up the hockey preseason polls for the last couple of years so I could compare them to final standings. But I've gorown lazy in my advancing years.

KeithK

billhoward
One assumes coaches know more than the media. Well, maybe Cornell can sneak up on some people.

I'm not sure that's true. I wouldn't be surprised if a coach in conference A doesn't really know that much about the teams in conference B unless they've played each other recently. I bet we could do some simple studies to test this hypothesis. Ten years ago I probably would be pulling up the hockey preseason polls for the last couple of years so I could compare them to final standings. But I've gorown lazy in my advancing years.

Well, FWIW, last year Lacrosse Magazine ranked Loyola 19th in its preseason poll. I suppose we could find some more, but Loyola's example should tell us not to lose any sleep over this.

Anybody view the Albany scrimmage?
Any details??

There are several good recaps over at the laxpower forums in the Cornell 2013 thread: [network.laxpower.com]

Johnny 5
Anybody view the Albany scrimmage?
Any details??

Saw nothing so far on Inside Lacrosse and the like. Only 10 days 'til the opener vs Hobart at ... still TBA? Carrier Dome? When last year's game at Hobart was postponed then cancelled, did the home-away arrow get reset so it's again Hobart hosting at a site it chooses?

Give Cornell credit for scheduling lots of NYS teams (6 + 1 scrimmage), whether to cut travel costs or because it builds NYS lacrosse.

Albany scrimmage
Hobart
Binghamton
Colgate
Canisus
Siena (3/26 last home game before playoffs)
Syracuse
plus Bucknell, 100 miles south of Corning

No Army this year but picking up Siena. Still can't believe there are zero home games in April.

billhoward
No Army this year but picking up Siena. Still can't believe there are zero home games in April.

Not a kind schedule this year with Ivy away games at Yale, Harvard, and Brown...and Princeton at a neutral site, not Schoellkopf when it's our turn to host.

Some say Rob Pannell looked slow (or deliberate) vs. 2 years ago, others say he was sharp, some note the team looked better with him on the field. But this with only a handful of days of practice. "Defense looked aggressive," that sounds like Cornell.

Only one mention of Jr A Cody Bremner who may have scored one goal. Do we have the belief that any player coming to Cornell from Canada is destined to be an All-America, no less?

Can't wait for the season to start.

Cody Bremner missed a lot of practice with the flu so he was probably not 100%. Coaches started subbing in the 2nd quarter, including taking RP out for all but man up situations so everyone got decent playing time. Four goalies played as well.

My conclusion from watching is that there was a steep drop off from first string to subs in "game readiness" -- fewer dropped balls and missed passes and more ground balls retrieved and turnovers forced. But since practice began on Feb. 1, it is expected that many players would look rusty

sad news that legendary Cornell goalie Paul Schimoler has died from cancer. One of the key cogs on the late 80's teams that made 2 straight championship games.

Obit in Inside Lacrosse [insidelacrosse.com])

billhoward
Obit in Inside Lacrosse [insidelacrosse.com])

Thank you for posting this.

This confused me:

The two-time gold medalist with the U.S. Team (1990 and 1994)

There is international lax? Had no idea. Is it just "US vs Canada, best of 19"?

Trotsky

billhoward
Obit in Inside Lacrosse [insidelacrosse.com])

Thank you for posting this.

This confused me:

The two-time gold medalist with the U.S. Team (1990 and 1994)

There is international lax? Had no idea. Is it just "US vs Canada, best of 19"?

See, for example, Ezra Magazine from a few years ago.

The answer is, pretty much.

(Though now that the Slovaks have joined, y'all are history. )

edit:scratch this post.