The Lax addict’s rant
Hats off to those who kept the water cooler threads going this summer. If not for Beta’s demonstrated ability to find the strangest vidoes on the planet, all we would have to show for our summer reading is a litany of coaching changes from established programs.
This off-season has gone from the surreal to “WTF?” and back again. I was half expecting an SNL “Oh Really” skit dealing with BYU’s firing of Jason Lamb. “Wow. Really BYU? reorganization of priorities?…part time coach?…Not getting a big enough cut off the Lax camp proceeds? I guess the athletic department decided they needed to focus more attention on the football team. This worked out great until Florida State (in the running for bipolar team of the decade after losing to USF) had the Mormon faithful dialing the rape crisis hotline by the end of the bloodbath. You gotta love college football. You especially have to love the parity. So many upsets, the rise of programs like Miami who started unranked and are now playing at such a high level that their noses will bleed for a week to ten days. And as I’m finishing up this week’s stream of conscious thought, Va Tech is having their way with the Canes in soggy Blacksburg…thanks for illustrating the theorem. It almost reminds one of the MCLA. OK sit down and shut up, its time to talk lacrosse.
College sports are better than pro sports. At least the ones worth watching. They just mean more. Even MWC fans are in the conversation. But aside from the ubiquitous rants of fellow SEC fans, it’s time for Fall Ball. Thank whatever god to whom you pray, our medicine game is back. Fall Brawls, Alumni games (prepare the oxygen and AED) and pretending it doesn’t matter are hallmarks of the season. But it all matters. The drive for Denver starts here. The teams that are planning on being in Denver are planning for it in September. So what does the Lacrosse addict do? Grab a helmet and get in the game, you’re on the precipice of what has the makings of the best season yet in MCLA play. That’s right, better than last year. Here are some reasons why in no particular order.
1. Parity
There is more parity and there will be more every year for the foreseeable future. Even with the addition of additional D3 and even D1 teams, the MCLA is better positioned to glean the most new sticks. The heads up that teams got from the Championship Selection Committee last year will hopefully translate into more teams traveling, and rolling the dice outside their normal comfort zone. Look for strength of schedule to improve in the 8-15 spots in the top 25. The coaching changes from well established teams seems mercifully over, but those changes could still increase the number of teams vying for the top half of the championship. Now is the time to ramp up that SoS, bubble teams. You will be rewarded.
2. Selection Committee Fallout
Even taking into account the relative ease in Michigan’s corner of the Championship bracket (compared with Chapman’s), you must admit that the Selection Committee hit it out of the frickin’ park last May. How many one goal games? BYU, Chapman, CSU, Colorado and even SFU could have had a shot in addition to Michgan the way they were all playing. And a year later, teams should have a better idea of how to manage their season to position themselves for a run to Denver. See above.
3. The usual suspects.
You have to feel good about Michigan’s chances to keep it going. Those guys were in the hunt, hanging around for years. Now that they have a couple of NC’s do you think John Paul, George or Ringo will be slowing down? Not so much. Consistency has been the tagline for the Big Blue for years. Don’t think for a moment that anything less than excellence will be coming out of Ann Arbor
Chapman isn’t going anywhere quietly, and will reap the benefits of their phenomenal run in Denver. Look for the Panthers to continue the assault and be even hungrier than they looked in ’09.
In a shocking display of normalcy, BYU has grabbed more sick D1 level talent and somehow has seven number one teams on its schedule. They will be tried and tempered by the time they hit Denver in May. Every single person in that organization wants to show that there will not be a hiccup due to change in helmsman.
Simon Fraser quieted the naysayers by engineering the comeback of the year against a quality Va Tech team, and taking Chapman to OT in the Semi’s. Overcoming the obstacles bring teams closer together. The Clansmen are always competitive, but will they contend for a NC this year?
CSU looks to return to championship form. Despite mid-year coaching drama, the Rams still almost pulled it out in Denver. Alex Smith is the only guy that could follow Flip and he will fight to instill the “family values” that got the Rams to the top in the first place.
After getting shelled in Denver to end their season, Oregon is psyched to have Kerwin back at the helm. Can the Ducks claw their way back to the elite level of his first stint?
Colorado was as good as anyone at tournament time but with the loss of long time Head Coach John Galvin, they are a huge question mark. The perpetual growth of Lacrosse in the greater Denver area will keep quality sticks heading to CU. The guys that were there didn’t suck to begin with. Will the Buffs be able to come together and make another run this year?
Florida State lost all everything Corey Noonan but picked up some quality sticks and has a sick goalie. Will the Noles be able to take it up a notch, or are they destined to continue to get only so close? SoS cures that. Rinse and repeat.
UMD, Simon Fraser, Va Tech, Florida, Boston College and Northeastern among others will all be in the hunt again, and the return of Mickey Miles-Felton adds even more story line. Because everyone wants to play in the cathedral that was last year’s title game.
It starts right now, folks. Every play matters. Every groundball, every pass, every day every time without fail…excellence will win the day. Is your team willing to pay the price? Go to work because it only gets better from here, fellow addicts. Say no to rehab. Say yes to your medicine.
But somebody get a urine sample from Connor “Flowseidon” Martin; that dude is just howlin’.
The Lax Addict will offer various lacrosse musings this year on CollegeLAX. If you are interested in blogging, please contact CollegeLAX.
