[Off-topic] Lacrosse

[jeh25]

Al DeFlorio wrote:

To a kid from the northern tier of NY or Long Island, I'd think the Research Triangle would appear a more hospitable place than Ithaca or Hanover or Geneva to play an outdoor sport with a season beginning March 1.

Growing up and playing lacrosse in Syracuse, I can tell you that having your first month of practice on the plowed student parking lot in 25-35 degree weather leads to lots of gravel burns and broken sticks. (The plastic gets brittle. Having a nice slap check can get expensive.)  But in the end, you don't really mind as you love the sport and have never known any other way of playing.

I suspect that keeping Northern kids north isn't anywhere near as hard as getting Baltimore kids to come to upstate NY.  Of course, the cachet of playing for Syracuse, if you are a lax jock, or playing for an Ivy, if you want an education, probably go a long way to ameliorating concerns about the weather.

Still, your point about practice opportunities in the North given an early spring start date are quite valid.  However, I think there are ways around this without building a dome. I think Penn State actually plays their early season games indoors in a Bartells nee Alberding type facility.

[jtwcornell91]

I think I would feel better about a string of gift bids and NCAA losses for Quinnipiac and Mercyhurst if people in the MAAC weren't so proud of their "accomplishment" in making the NCAAs. ::rolleyes::

[Al DeFlorio]

As I mentioned earlier, weather is no concern anymore to Syracuse--one reason they have gone from mediocre in the 60s and 70s to being a perennial top two.  Also note the rise of Duke, Carolina, Georgetown, Loyola, and Towson, which collectively were a lacrosse wasteland in my Cornell era.

[Al DeFlorio]

It would be nice if some if the MAAC spin artists would quit the hype (e.g., the "simply magnificent" comment after Quinnipiac's championship game win and the assertion that next year QU will be "scary") and just give us the straight scoop on the league (e.g., making slow progress but with still a loooooong way to go before being competitive with the other major conferences).

[Ken71]

Al got to see a good game.  Cornell showed they have more than defense.

Though Hahvahd had a 4-2 lead at half-time, Cornell shut them out in the second half to win impressively, 11-4, for a 7th consecutive win.

This sets up a big showdown at Schoellkopf vs #1 Syracuse Tuesday afternoon.

LET'S GO RED!!

Ken '71

[jkahn]

The UVA website lists 1971 as one of many years that they won the ACC Championship, and also shows that their longest winning streak, 12, was from '70 to '71.  Also, they have a list of All-Americans, and the '71 squad had 3 first teamers, one second and 2 thirds.  Also, they beat Navy in the regular season in '71, as their longest losing streak against an opponent was vs. Navy from '59 to '70.

[zg88]

> [Virginia's] longest losing streak against an opponent was vs. Navy from '59 to '70.

...Which ain't too surprising, if you consider that Navy won 9 national titles between '60 and '70!  Virginia finally grabbed a share of the prize in '70 (along with Navy & Hopkins) for their first-ever national championship (by which time Navy had racked up 21 titles).

While Navy continued to be a power throughout the '70's, they could never (to this day) snag an "official" NCAA title.  The closest they ever came was one championship game, in '75 (crushed by Maryland, 20-13. (Those 20 goals remained a record in an NCAA title game until the "all-time-greatest" Syracuse team of '90 destroyed Loyola, 21-9.))

[Al DeFlorio]

Learned today that Scott Lee broke an ankle in the preseason.  Was told he played last weekend but he did not play today at Hahvahd.

[GoBigRed \'03]

Al-  It was his toe.

[Al DeFlorio]

Thanks.  Hope it isn't the big toe.