Northwestern Wildcats

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I did not call you a shallow person. I do not know you personally, you could be a really great guy/gal. I called your notion on this shallow, big difference, at least to me. And yes, I believe your perspective changes once you have had an iron in the fire. In general, I find those whom have never done so are the most critical.

I also did not say you could not voice your opinion. I do not know if I ever have, I may have, but you have that right. Your opinion on this was bold so when you say something like that you should expect there might be some bold statements to the opposite.

I felt like it was implied. My background shouldn’t matter in the least. Jackie MacMullan is a female sports writer here in Boston. She has written about the Celtics for decades. She never played NBA basketball. Karen Guregian has been covering the New England Patriots for decades. She never played NFL football. They are both often critical of the teams they cover. But they also write positive things as well. I post a great deal of positive opinions about the sport and the teams, the coaches and the players, and even an occasional play-by-play or color commentator. Do those also warrant criticism because I have not played the game and I don’t have a daughter who plays the game?

It shouldn't? The two you bring up are sports writers that cover sports they have never played. For the vast majority of people, their target audience, that fact means little. Do you think for the select few that have been directly involved in the NBA/NFL might have a different opinion based on the fact the two writers have never had the same experiences as them and are making their observations having never experience the situations they are commenting on first hand? IDK for certain but I would suggest so.

I would like to be able to offer my opinions without being criticized because I never played the game or I don’t have a daughter in the game, so my opinion isn’t worth as much as yours. The post in question here – did I use facts to back it up? If I offered the same opinion about the New York Yankees, would that make any difference?

You keep saying you generated your opinions based on your experiences watching sports for so many years. That is fine and dandy. Others are sharing their opinions generated from years of first hand experience either as a player, coach or even a parent. You are using facts but perhaps others are using their personal experiences? Facts can be black or white...those colors get a bit grey when you have actually experienced the act you are talking about. Case in point, NW is not a serious contender in your eyes. That is fine and your opinion. If someone has actually played in a game like that they might posit that NW was absolutely a serious contender the last two times they were in the final four. Why? They were in the game and once in the game anything can happen.

As for the Yankees, I would have no basis or experience to make that type of judgement....other than I loath baseball.

Is your opinion worth as much as others who have had direct experience?? IDK, that is up to the reader. I will say that my opinion is worth the time it took me to type it out on the keyboard. Nothing more, nothing less. If people choose to agree...fine. If people choose to tell me to STFU...that is fine as well.

I would just like to have my opinions assessed at face value—not based on whether I played the game or I have a daughter who plays the game.

I can’t find anything to disagree with. I’m glad about that. Hopefully, having read what you wrote has given me a clearer perspective about writing on these boards and the reception it gets. Thanks, Bart.

[wlaxphan20]

correct - get to the final 4 and you have a chance. Don't forget that UNC was literally an Ortega pipe shot away from a different outcome against BC and therefore a different national champion.

Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate in their last 2 semifinal losses. In the '19 game vs Maryland, they never had the lead the entire game and lost 25-13 as they watched Maryland open both barrels in the end by scoring the last 9 goals of the game. In the game against Syracuse this past May, NU scored the first goal of the game and then trailed throughout, never getting closer than a 3 goal deficit with 7:27 left in the 2nd, only to allow 6 of the games final 7 goals to the Orange for a final of 21-13.

UNC.BC.Ortega.Pipe.

You watched the game, right?

Yes--I watched the game. I know Ortega hit the pipe. I think Carolina should have won that game but they choked it away. I wrote "Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate" Not Carolina.

I think this is something we're just going to disagree on but

-BC was ranked ahead of UNC most of the year, and in two meetings they split 1-1
-BC was seeded ahead of UNC in the NCAA tournament
-in a game that was dead even in the 2nd half, BC had the lead in the last 1:55 and UNC tied it up
-BC, Sam Apuzzo no less, gets stuffed by Hennessey on the doorstep point blank at the end of regulation and to go to OT to finish the game
-In the first OT both teams had missed shots & Hennessey and Daly came up with some unbelievable saves


In a game where there was no overwhelming favorite, in which UNC was the lower seed, BOTH teams traded wasted golden opportunities to end a game that required 2 overtimes - there was no choking, on either part. The game was tied 5 different times and there were 4 lead changes in the 2nd half alone.

And I believe was Bowe who hit the post, not Ortega

[seacoaster]

correct - get to the final 4 and you have a chance. Don't forget that UNC was literally an Ortega pipe shot away from a different outcome against BC and therefore a different national champion.

Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate in their last 2 semifinal losses. In the '19 game vs Maryland, they never had the lead the entire game and lost 25-13 as they watched Maryland open both barrels in the end by scoring the last 9 goals of the game. In the game against Syracuse this past May, NU scored the first goal of the game and then trailed throughout, never getting closer than a 3 goal deficit with 7:27 left in the 2nd, only to allow 6 of the games final 7 goals to the Orange for a final of 21-13.

UNC.BC.Ortega.Pipe.

You watched the game, right?

Yes--I watched the game. I know Ortega hit the pipe. I think Carolina should have won that game but they choked it away. I wrote "Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate" Not Carolina.

I think this is something we're just going to disagree on but

-BC was ranked ahead of UNC most of the year, and in two meetings they split 1-1
-BC was seeded ahead of UNC in the NCAA tournament
-in a game that was dead even in the 2nd half, BC had the lead in the last 1:55 and UNC tied it up
-BC, Sam Apuzzo no less, gets stuffed by Hennessey on the doorstep point blank at the end of regulation and to go to OT to finish the game
-In the first OT both teams had missed shots & Hennessey and Daly came up with some unbelievable saves


In a game where there was no overwhelming favorite, in which UNC was the lower seed, BOTH teams traded wasted golden opportunities to end a game that required 2 overtimes - there was no choking, on either part. The game was tied 5 different times and there were 4 lead changes in the 2nd half alone.

And I believe was Bowe who hit the post, not Ortega

What was the game in which Ferucci hit the post?

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Yes--I watched the game. I know Ortega hit the pipe. I think Carolina should have won that game but they choked it away. I wrote "Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate" Not Carolina.

I think this is something we're just going to disagree on but

-BC was ranked ahead of UNC most of the year, and in two meetings they split 1-1
-BC was seeded ahead of UNC in the NCAA tournament
-in a game that was dead even in the 2nd half, BC had the lead in the last 1:55 and UNC tied it up
-BC, Sam Apuzzo no less, gets stuffed by Hennessey on the doorstep point blank at the end of regulation and to go to OT to finish the game
-In the first OT both teams had missed shots & Hennessey and Daly came up with some unbelievable saves


In a game where there was no overwhelming favorite, in which UNC was the lower seed, BOTH teams traded wasted golden opportunities to end a game that required 2 overtimes - there was no choking, on either part. The game was tied 5 different times and there were 4 lead changes in the 2nd half alone.

And I believe was Bowe who hit the post, not Ortega

You know, I hadn’t factored in the times BC wasted opportunities. You have a better memory than me. The thing that stays with me is on Apuzzo’s game-winning goal, the goaltender shrunk down. If she had just stood tall the shot would’ve hit her right in the middle of the chest protector. But, I guess I would have to watch it over again to really be sure. I don’t doubt what you are remembering however.

[wlaxphan20]

correct - get to the final 4 and you have a chance. Don't forget that UNC was literally an Ortega pipe shot away from a different outcome against BC and therefore a different national champion.

Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate in their last 2 semifinal losses. In the '19 game vs Maryland, they never had the lead the entire game and lost 25-13 as they watched Maryland open both barrels in the end by scoring the last 9 goals of the game. In the game against Syracuse this past May, NU scored the first goal of the game and then trailed throughout, never getting closer than a 3 goal deficit with 7:27 left in the 2nd, only to allow 6 of the games final 7 goals to the Orange for a final of 21-13.

UNC.BC.Ortega.Pipe.

You watched the game, right?

Yes--I watched the game. I know Ortega hit the pipe. I think Carolina should have won that game but they choked it away. I wrote "Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate" Not Carolina.

I think this is something we're just going to disagree on but

-BC was ranked ahead of UNC most of the year, and in two meetings they split 1-1
-BC was seeded ahead of UNC in the NCAA tournament
-in a game that was dead even in the 2nd half, BC had the lead in the last 1:55 and UNC tied it up
-BC, Sam Apuzzo no less, gets stuffed by Hennessey on the doorstep point blank at the end of regulation and to go to OT to finish the game
-In the first OT both teams had missed shots & Hennessey and Daly came up with some unbelievable saves


In a game where there was no overwhelming favorite, in which UNC was the lower seed, BOTH teams traded wasted golden opportunities to end a game that required 2 overtimes - there was no choking, on either part. The game was tied 5 different times and there were 4 lead changes in the 2nd half alone.

And I believe was Bowe who hit the post, not Ortega

What was the game in which Ferucci hit the post?

Not sure, but she missed a wide open shot in the first overtime period. Her shot was right at Daly though

[wlaxphan20]

Yes--I watched the game. I know Ortega hit the pipe. I think Carolina should have won that game but they choked it away. I wrote "Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate" Not Carolina.

I think this is something we're just going to disagree on but

-BC was ranked ahead of UNC most of the year, and in two meetings they split 1-1
-BC was seeded ahead of UNC in the NCAA tournament
-in a game that was dead even in the 2nd half, BC had the lead in the last 1:55 and UNC tied it up
-BC, Sam Apuzzo no less, gets stuffed by Hennessey on the doorstep point blank at the end of regulation and to go to OT to finish the game
-In the first OT both teams had missed shots & Hennessey and Daly came up with some unbelievable saves


In a game where there was no overwhelming favorite, in which UNC was the lower seed, BOTH teams traded wasted golden opportunities to end a game that required 2 overtimes - there was no choking, on either part. The game was tied 5 different times and there were 4 lead changes in the 2nd half alone.

And I believe was Bowe who hit the post, not Ortega

You know, I hadn’t factored in the times BC wasted opportunities. You have a better memory than me. The thing that stays with me is on Apuzzo’s game-winning goal, the goaltender shrunk down. If she had just stood tall the shot would’ve hit her right in the middle of the chest protector. But, I guess I would have to watch it over again to really be sure. I don’t doubt what you are remembering however.

That shot was essentially the same one that Apuzzo missed and Hennessey blocked at the end of regulation. And I'm sure it's one Apuzzo wanted back - and she got it. Do you think the Tewaaraton award winner and one of the best attackers in the game is going to miss that shot twice?? Not likely. Hennessey got the best of Apuzzo in regulation, and Apuzzo returned the favor in the 2nd OT period.

There were wasted opportunities on both sides, and so you can't really point to the final play of the game and place the blame or the "choke" on that player as if play before that point had been flawless. Apuzzo went high at the end of regulation when Hennessey stopped her shot. Maybe she anticipated a low shot this time? From Apuzzo's release point she could have gone either way.

Regardless, I don't understand the hyperfocus on this one play when Hennessey literally kept them in the game. She stopped Apuzzo at the end of regulation and came out of the cage to intercept a pass in the first overtime (I think) to give her team the opportunity to score and finish the game (this lead to the pipe shot) to the 2nd overtime. And this was against a top 3 team. You can only do that so many times against a team with shooters like BC has before they're going to get one in.

I understand this is the NU thread and I'd like to throw in that I've considered NU a threat the past few seasons. Again, looking at one small piece of data (the semi-final, one game) out of context does not usually help when you want to make generalizations. NU pushed a very very good UNC team to the brink in 2020 before the season shut down. They had very close losses to Cuse and ND who were also extremely strong in 2020. It was hard for anyone to get a read on them because of the conference only schedule, but I can't get behind the idea that they aren't a serious threat based on only one game. Whether Cuse had a better game plan or NU just didn't execute theirs well enough is hard to say. I'd still put them in the top 5 to start next year.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

You make good points wlaxphan, as usual.

By the way, which team would you like to see win it all next year?

[wlaxphan20]

You make good points wlaxphan, as usual.

By the way, which team would you like to see win it all next year?

I'd like to see another program win their first. Or at least one that hasn't won in over a decade.

I'd love to see Loyola or SBU make it to championship weekend. I'd like to see Cuse win it all - yes KT is young and inexperienced - but GG is right down the hall if she wants to spitball. KT saying she wants to bring more discipline to the program is what I liked best about her hiring interview. Lack of discipline is often what I thought was one of the biggest things holding Cuse back in the past.

Additionally there are usually a few programs that pique my interest as the season starts and progresses. It's fun to watch programs and teams develop and find their identity over the course of the season.

These definitely aren't predictions. I realize what I would like to see is definitely not the most realistic or likely.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

which team would you like to see win it all next year?

I'd like to see another program win their first. Or at least one that hasn't won in over a decade.

Fully in agreement here, although I wouldn't mind in the least seeing BC repeat a couple times. I'd love to see Northwestern win next year while Scane is still here. Princeton and Dartmouth from the Ancient Eight. I'd sure love to see Duke win their first sometime, but like you said, "what I would like to see is definitely not the most realistic or likely". And as long as I'm fantasizing--Rutgers, UMass, Johns Hopkins, Florida and Louisville.

[Dr. Tact]

I'd like to see another program win their first. Or at least one that hasn't won in over a decade.

I'd love to see Loyola or SBU make it to championship weekend.

you and me both

[Lax247]

correct - get to the final 4 and you have a chance. Don't forget that UNC was literally an Ortega pipe shot away from a different outcome against BC and therefore a different national champion.

Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate in their last 2 semifinal losses. In the '19 game vs Maryland, they never had the lead the entire game and lost 25-13 as they watched Maryland open both barrels in the end by scoring the last 9 goals of the game. In the game against Syracuse this past May, NU scored the first goal of the game and then trailed throughout, never getting closer than a 3 goal deficit with 7:27 left in the 2nd, only to allow 6 of the games final 7 goals to the Orange for a final of 21-13.

UNC.BC.Ortega.Pipe.

You watched the game, right?

Yes--I watched the game. I know Ortega hit the pipe. I think Carolina should have won that game but they choked it away. I wrote "Northwestern came nowhere near having a single pipe shot decide their fate" Not Carolina.

I think this is something we're just going to disagree on but

-BC was ranked ahead of UNC most of the year, and in two meetings they split 1-1
-BC was seeded ahead of UNC in the NCAA tournament
-in a game that was dead even in the 2nd half, BC had the lead in the last 1:55 and UNC tied it up
-BC, Sam Apuzzo no less, gets stuffed by Hennessey on the doorstep point blank at the end of regulation and to go to OT to finish the game
-In the first OT both teams had missed shots & Hennessey and Daly came up with some unbelievable saves


In a game where there was no overwhelming favorite, in which UNC was the lower seed, BOTH teams traded wasted golden opportunities to end a game that required 2 overtimes - there was no choking, on either part. The game was tied 5 different times and there were 4 lead changes in the 2nd half alone.

And I believe was Bowe who hit the post, not Ortega

What was the game in which Ferucci hit the post?

Bowe hit the post not ortega.
Ferruci had a pass from Ortega and subsequently faked her shot but sent it right to Daly.

[wlaxphan20]

What was the game in which Ferucci hit the post?

Bowe hit the post not ortega.
Ferruci had a pass from Ortega and subsequently faked her shot but sent it right to Daly.

Yes. I think Sea was referring to another game entirely. His mention of Ferucci hitting the pipe did stir a faint memory of her hitting the pipe in another game and it bothered me so much that I looked through some box scores from close games in 2018 and 2019 but couldn't find anything. Could just be a false memory!

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Bowe hit the post not ortega.
Ferruci had a pass from Ortega and subsequently faked her shot but sent it right to Daly.

Correct. I did a search on Daly and found this from back when the game was played:

“... one could say the Eagles were lucky to have even made it to the championship game this year, given the two huge chances the Tar Heels weren't able to cash in against the Eagles in overtime in the semifinal – one for Ferrucci's point blank chance where she shot it right into Daly's upper body, and the other one where Bowe clanged a shot off the inside of the goal post. A couple inches either way and we would’ve had another UNC/Maryland final.”

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I don’t remember if we were wondering about the status of all 4 of these players but...

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Nice to see some new faces on social media posts

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I don’t know if this was posted here yet so:

“Northwestern has announced that veterans Brennan Dwyer, Lauren Gilbert, Jill Girardi and Ally Palermo will use their extra year of eligibility and return for the 2022 Northwestern women's lacrosse season.”

[seacoaster]

I don’t know if this was posted here yet so:

“Northwestern has announced that veterans Brennan Dwyer, Lauren Gilbert, Jill Girardi and Ally Palermo will use their extra year of eligibility and return for the 2022 Northwestern women's lacrosse season.”

Umm, you posted it two or three entries above on September 30.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I don’t know if this was posted here yet so:

“Northwestern has announced that veterans Brennan Dwyer, Lauren Gilbert, Jill Girardi and Ally Palermo will use their extra year of eligibility and return for the 2022 Northwestern women's lacrosse season.”

Umm, you posted it two or three entries above on September 30.

A knucklehead yet again, me. I guess NU is part of the “in case you missed it” culture.

[seacoaster]

I don’t know if this was posted here yet so:

“Northwestern has announced that veterans Brennan Dwyer, Lauren Gilbert, Jill Girardi and Ally Palermo will use their extra year of eligibility and return for the 2022 Northwestern women's lacrosse season.”

Umm, you posted it two or three entries above on September 30.

A knucklehead yet again, me. I guess NU is part of the “in case you missed it” culture.

Who did they lose to graduation? And what does their freshmen class look like?

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I don’t know if this was posted here yet so:

“Northwestern has announced that veterans Brennan Dwyer, Lauren Gilbert, Jill Girardi and Ally Palermo will use their extra year of eligibility and return for the 2022 Northwestern women's lacrosse season.”

Umm, you posted it two or three entries above on September 30.

A knucklehead yet again, me. I guess NU is part of the “in case you missed it” culture.

Who did they lose to graduation? And what does their freshmen class look like?

Off the top of my head—Lindsey McKone. Great question on the freshman class. Good research project.