Cornell-Syracuse lacrosse game thread

[Al DeFlorio]

It just feels like we're underachieving this year.

Quite right. As Carc just said on the broadcast, you can get away with losing so many faceoffs against weaker opponents, but the better teams make you pay. That's been our Achilles heal all year.  And our inability to adequately fill Pulver's spot has really hurt too

Dowiak's, too.

True, but the hole on D is a deeper one IMO

Maybe, but to be successful inside you need a middie who will beat a defender and take it to the net.  No one is doing it this year.  There is no Seibald, Glynn or Buczek...or Dowiak.

[rss77]

Ironically John Desko the SU coach has been a long time proponent of getting rid of the faceoff.

[Beeeej]

Ironically John Desko the SU coach has been a long time proponent of getting rid of the faceoff.

Hard to see that as ironic. As long as the faceoff remains, he's doing his job as a coach and recruiter to make sure he has the best guys for the job.

[CU77]

OK, somebody else start the next game thread ... I'm 0-1.

[ugarte]

OK, somebody else start the next game thread ... I'm 0-1.

we don't need a new game-thread guy we need a FOGO

[Jim Hyla]

OK, somebody else start the next game thread ... I'm 0-1.

we don't need a new game-thread guy we need a FOGO

No, what this game and we need is a rule change.

First I gave up on football and now I'm giving up on lacrosse.

The fun of the game has been taken away. The rule changes on time are helpful, but Desko was, and hopefully still is, correct. If they don't eliminate the FO, the game is ruined.

Basketball eliminated the jump ball after each score and lacrosse has to do the same.

[Trotsky]

At least the face off is driven by a game-related skill.  Basketball eliminated the jump ball because it reduced basketball to "who is tallest?"

[Swampy]

At least the face off is driven by a game-related skill.  Basketball eliminated the jump ball because it reduced basketball to "who is tallest?"

While face offs do involve ground balls, running, ball-handling, etc., the main skill for a FOGO is not used anywhere else in the game.

I'm not sure what the basketball analogy is. But perhaps if U.S. American football determined who has possession based on, say, which team's placekicker kicks the ball furthest, this would be an apt analogy.

[Beeeej]

At least the face off is driven by a game-related skill.  Basketball eliminated the jump ball because it reduced basketball to "who is tallest?"

While face offs do involve ground balls, running, ball-handling, etc., the main skill for a FOGO is not used anywhere else in the game.

I'm not sure what the basketball analogy is. But perhaps if U.S. American football determined who has possession based on, say, which team's placekicker kicks the ball furthest, this would be an apt analogy.

Given the enormous advantage of possession in lacrosse, I think it would be more like this: In American baseball, you still need to get three outs to end the half-inning, but instead of the teams automatically switching, the two catchers have a wrestling match, and the catcher with the first three-count pin wins the right for his team to be up at bat for a full three-out half-inning, even if they were just at bat. The game still ends after 18 half innings regardless of whether there's been a remotely even split.

(EDIT: And yes, I know wrestling isn't a skill used elsewhere in baseball, but I lean even further away from Trotsky's "at least" statement than Swampy does.)

[mike1960]

I agree that the face off should go, but since it's in the rules, we need to recruit and coach better. Bottom line for now.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

I agree that the face off should go, but since it's in the rules, we need to recruit and coach better. Bottom line for now.

In '79 there weren't any face-offs.  What I do remember is after each goal, the fans cheered "one, two, three, four (etc.) We want more...Faceoffs!

I don't remember when they re-instated them.  '80 perhaps?

[semsox]

The shot clock should be extended to 90 seconds, with 30 seconds to clear over mid-field. After every goal, opposing team has to take it from the back end line, and the clear begins. Will likely lead to more turnovers/ridings, and thus more goals while also making the game faster. Face offs suck.

[CU77]

Lacrosse needs to stop changing its rules as if they were diapers.

[abmarks]

OK, somebody else start the next game thread ... I'm 0-1.

we don't need a new game-thread guy we need a FOGO

Do we have any quality fogo recruits due for next year?

[Swampy]

OK, somebody else start the next game thread ... I'm 0-1.

we don't need a new game-thread guy we need a FOGO

Do we have any quality fogo recruits due for next year?

Angelo Petrakis (USA Today preseason 1st team HS AA FOGO).

WARNING: We already have guys on the team whose pre-college press was quite good. So far it hasn't shown.