Looking Forward to 2022

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

ANYWAY

The article in USA Lacrosse magazine regarding equal TV time for women's lacrosse is good news. It means that next years coverage will be better than ever. I'm glad we have bulldogs in the sport who won't let this issue go:

“'The thing that initially stuck out to me when the schedules were announced was, we’re on ESPN, which is awesome,” said Taylor Cummings, a former three-time Tewaaraton Award winner at Maryland and member of the U.S. women’s national team. “And then you read between the lines and you realize that every single men’s game is staggered and covered on television, and the women’s games are streamed and not staggered. That’s where you’re losing visibility. It’s a blatant slap in the face toward equality of coverage.'”

I remember how much the broadcast production improved for the Big 10 this past season when Cummings ripped them a new one for their dismally poor production early in the season. Good timing too as the NCAA basketball weight room scandal was happening right around the same time. Things are definitely looking up for fans of women's lacrosse. Next year should be the best year of coverage yet!

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Guaranteed better coverage in ‘22

“‘By failing to invest in and promote women's athletics programs in the way it does for men, NCAA prevents women's sports from reaching their full potential"

— US House of Representatives members Carolyn B. Maloney, Jackie Speier, and Mikie Sherrill to NCAA President Mark Emmert”

[LarryGamLax]

OuttaNowhereWregget wrote the following :
"Why is it an excuse at all? I'm puzzled as to why you are trying to paint this as a negative. I absolutely love and adore women's lacrosse. Is it required that fans of D1 women's lacrosse must also watch, learn and embrace/support D2 and D3 or else they're not real fans and just making excuses? Whose standard is this? You have no idea who I am as a person, what I deal with in my life and family or what other commitments I have that require my time and attention. It's very unfair of you to judge me the way you are, Larry. Why are you trying to spin my lack of time/capacity to include other divisions in lacrosse as a negative?"


This is going to be my LAST WORD on this subject. You then can choose to say what you like and that will be it for me about this.

So you seem to be upset about how I have perceived you and how you choose to support the sport. Maybe I'm being a tad unfair, but I'm amazed at your reaction to this considering how you tried to assassinate the good character of NJ Bill because he is not a Charlotte North fan. That's his choice, but you didn't seem to respect that as you tried to make him the UNSUB in a "Criminal Minds" episode.
I haven't forgotten about Bill's departure and the role you played in it. HOWEVER, as I said, this is my last word on the topic of how you choose to support the sport.

[Dr. Tact]

I couldn’t care less about D2 D3. How could I? I’ve never seen either. Even if I could, I have more than enough just following women’s D1. I don’t care about men’s lacrosse either because again, there is more than enough in women’s D1 to intrigue, entertain and keep busy with. Even in D1, I only know so many teams before I run out of capacity to fit any more conferences/teams/games in. Even with my limited exposure, my cup runneth over when it comes to NCAA Women’s D1 lacrosse. It’s a fantastic sport and a full time endeavor to keep up with in even a limited way.

Well, I am sorry to see this ^^^^.

Why is that?

I dont know. Just rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it is just my personal interest in the game. Middle school, High school, Boys/Girls, College Men and Women (D1-D3), Pro Men and Women. I am not an expert in any of those, but will watch any or all. I guess it is like the attraction of minor league baseball. Some watch the minors and majors, just cause they love the game.

What I reacted to was...

I couldn’t care less about D2 D3.

Just my personal bias coming out. We all have different interests, so accept my explanation as an apology if I ruffled any feathers.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I couldn’t care less about D2 D3. How could I? I’ve never seen either. Even if I could, I have more than enough just following women’s D1. I don’t care about men’s lacrosse either because again, there is more than enough in women’s D1 to intrigue, entertain and keep busy with. Even in D1, I only know so many teams before I run out of capacity to fit any more conferences/teams/games in. Even with my limited exposure, my cup runneth over when it comes to NCAA Women’s D1 lacrosse. It’s a fantastic sport and a full time endeavor to keep up with in even a limited way.

Well, I am sorry to see this ^^^^.

Why is that?

I dont know. Just rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it is just my personal interest in the game. Middle school, High school, Boys/Girls, College Men and Women (D1-D3), Pro Men and Women. I am not an expert in any of those, but will watch any or all. I guess it is like the attraction of minor league baseball. Some watch the minors and majors, just cause they love the game.

What I reacted to was...

I couldn’t care less about D2 D3.

Just my personal bias coming out. We all have different interests, so accept my explanation as an apology if I ruffled any feathers.

Thanks for the explanation Doc.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

OuttaNowhereWregget wrote the following :
"Why is it an excuse at all? I'm puzzled as to why you are trying to paint this as a negative. I absolutely love and adore women's lacrosse. Is it required that fans of D1 women's lacrosse must also watch, learn and embrace/support D2 and D3 or else they're not real fans and just making excuses? Whose standard is this? You have no idea who I am as a person, what I deal with in my life and family or what other commitments I have that require my time and attention. It's very unfair of you to judge me the way you are, Larry. Why are you trying to spin my lack of time/capacity to include other divisions in lacrosse as a negative?"


This is going to be my LAST WORD on this subject. You then can choose to say what you like and that will be it for me about this.

So you seem to be upset about how I have perceived you and how you choose to support the sport. Maybe I'm being a tad unfair, but I'm amazed at your reaction to this considering how you tried to assassinate the good character of NJ Bill because he is not a Charlotte North fan. That's his choice, but you didn't seem to respect that as you tried to make him the UNSUB in a "Criminal Minds" episode.
I haven't forgotten about Bill's departure and the role you played in it. HOWEVER, as I said, this is my last word on the topic of how you choose to support the sport.

You got me mixed up with some whole other body, Larry.

To say that I tried to assassinate the good character of njbill is offensive to me. I enjoyed Bill and all he brought to these boards—the knowledge of the game, his grasp of history and popular culture, etc. I went back and forth with him a few times and called him on his stance on Charlotte North (which I still say was ridiculous) but it was always conversational. As long as you made the charge Larry, what “role” did I play in Bill’s departure?

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

OuttaNowhereWregget wrote the following :
"Why is it an excuse at all? I'm puzzled as to why you are trying to paint this as a negative. I absolutely love and adore women's lacrosse. Is it required that fans of D1 women's lacrosse must also watch, learn and embrace/support D2 and D3 or else they're not real fans and just making excuses? Whose standard is this? You have no idea who I am as a person, what I deal with in my life and family or what other commitments I have that require my time and attention. It's very unfair of you to judge me the way you are, Larry. Why are you trying to spin my lack of time/capacity to include other divisions in lacrosse as a negative?"


This is going to be my LAST WORD on this subject. You then can choose to say what you like and that will be it for me about this.

So you seem to be upset about how I have perceived you and how you choose to support the sport. Maybe I'm being a tad unfair, but I'm amazed at your reaction to this considering how you tried to assassinate the good character of NJ Bill because he is not a Charlotte North fan. That's his choice, but you didn't seem to respect that as you tried to make him the UNSUB in a "Criminal Minds" episode.
I haven't forgotten about Bill's departure and the role you played in it. HOWEVER, as I said, this is my last word on the topic of how you choose to support the sport.

I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if folks read some of the vicious personal attacks (replete with expletives and name-calling) that were occurring some weeks/months ago and concluded that that’s what one does on FanLax Div 1 Women’s Lacrosse Forum if one doesn’t like another persons take. I find it interesting that isn’t mentioned in what contributed to Bill leaving.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

One of the most compelling story lines for 2022 will be Kayla Treanor’s first year at the Orange helm--no doubt about it.

And one of the first questions that pops into my mind is: How will Treanor use Emma Ward?

I’m including this clip of Ward from the (what I’m calling) the “Six Chicks” practice from the other day. Her sleight of hand on this pass to Dempsey Arsenault was jaw dropping. It looks like she just kind of let it come out of her crosse but it was obviously intentional, deadly accurate and very deceptive. Her defender didn’t even put her stick up to try to block/intercept the pass, which I’m guessing one reason is Emma disguised it so well along with having to guard against Ward’s formidable drive to cage skills. She’s going to be awfully difficult to defend one-on-one.

Now we all know a weakness in Ward’s game last year was keeping possession of the ball under pressure. I have no doubt she’s working on that, and will continue to work on it this offseason. With her talent and drive, along with guidance from the coaching staff, she should be able to eliminate that weakness from her game. She’s got the stick skills and the quickness. Collectively, they should be able figure it out.

So how will Treanor use Ward next year? With a healthy Hawryschuk and Carney back, along with stalwarts Swart and M. Tyrrell making up the core of the starting 7 on offense, will Treanor make Ward a starter or one of the first off the bench?

Another question is who will the 7 starters on offense be? We’re pretty sure of the aforementioned four, but who else? Is Emma Tyrrell a sure starter? I would think so after the way she performed last year. Will the Orange have any Belle Smith’s or Caitlyn Wurzburger’s emerging from fall ball and practices in the winter?


And of course, one of the biggest games on the calendar will be when Syracuse plays Boston College. It won’t be as big as when Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers come into Gillette stadium early next October to kick the living snot out of Bill Belicheat and the New England Cheatriots (I hope), but it will be up there. Oh yeah.

And who knows, it could be the only time they meet next year. After becoming the only teams in NCAA history to meet 4 times in one season last year, they could meet just the one time in the '22 regular season. No guarantee they meet in the ACC or NCAA tourney’s. That will make that first clash even more compelling. Cain’t hardly wait for it.

[DMac]

ONW wrote
It looks like she just kind of let it come out of her crosse but it was obviously intentional, deadly accurate and very deceptive.

What??? Doesn't look like she just kind of let it come out of her crosse to me, looks like she saw the cutter in front of the cage and put the ball in her stick for her to bury the shot. This is what's nice about playing from behind the cage, your defender can't see what's going on in front of it (hence, not expecting the pass which is why she doesn't get her stick up) and the D has to have their head on a swivel giving the players in front of the cage an opportunity to get a step on their defender when they're looking the other way. Looks to me as if Swart was thinking she was going to have to go help with the D on Ward and that's when DA slipped away. Odds are that's what happened here. Emma's got a great stick but this is nothing exceptional, just fundamental lacrosse.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

D—I wrote “it was obviously intentional”. We are in agreement.

[watcherinthewoods]

ONW wrote
It looks like she just kind of let it come out of her crosse but it was obviously intentional, deadly accurate and very deceptive.

What??? Doesn't look like she just kind of let it come out of her crosse to me, looks like she saw the cutter in front of the cage and put the ball in her stick for her to bury the shot. This is what's nice about playing from behind the cage, your defender can't see what's going on in front of it (hence, not expecting the pass which is why she doesn't get her stick up) and the D has to have their head on a swivel giving the players in front of the cage an opportunity to get a step on their defender when they're looking the other way. Looks to me as if Swart was thinking she was going to have to go help with the D on Ward and that's when DA slipped away. Odds are that's what happened here. Emma's got a great stick but this is nothing exceptional, just fundamental lacrosse.

Fundamentals would dictate that that first priority is to stay goal-side on cutters. Also when the attack sees their defender’s pony tail: GO TO CAGE. And this unbridled mastery of the obvious is why my coaching career ended at the middle school level

[wlaxphan20]

Fundamentals would dictate that that first priority is to stay goal-side on cutters. Also when the attack sees their defender’s pony tail: GO TO CAGE. And this unbridled mastery of the obvious is why my coaching career ended at the middle school level

I still think that's one of the best coaching cues out there

[wlaxphan20]

Her defender didn’t even put her stick up to try to block/intercept the pass, which I’m guessing one reason is Emma disguised it so well along with having to guard against Ward’s formidable drive to cage skills. She’s going to be awfully difficult to defend one-on-one.

This may be antiquated - but as players become more advanced they're taught to hold their stick in what's called "triple threat position" (I'm sure it has other names as well) - but the point is that from that position the player with the ball can either pass, shoot, or cradle/dodge/drive - essentially do ANYTHING. The advantage being that the starting point looks the same on all of these, which gives the defender no indication to what you are about to do. Some players pull this off better than others, and some are gifted with so much natural speed and quickness they don't need refine their deception as much. Those at the highest level though, are usually polished in deception AND gifted with both speed and quickness.

When you're defending - body position takes priority, and against the best players in the country, reaching could easily turn in to a "you reach, I teach" lesson. I assume that's why the defender didn't attempt to block the pass - because from that "triple threat" position, what could at first be a decision to pass could easily turn into a quick face dodge when she sees you reaching. You're out of your athletic position and your momentum is going in a specific direction. Now all of the sudden your attacker has made quick work of you and is 1v1 on the crease with the goalie (hope that slid comes..oh wait DA took that slide across the 8m with her...hope that 2nd slide is ready!). Best to play it safe and fundamentally sound - this can change depending on game management (is the defenders team winning? losing? playing down a player? up a player? how much time is left? what is the significance of the game? are there any face guards happening? etc.)

[Bart]

Now we all know a weakness in Ward’s game last year was keeping possession of the ball under pressure. I have no doubt she’s working on that, and will continue to work on it this offseason. With her talent and drive, along with guidance from the coaching staff, she should be able to eliminate that weakness from her game. She’s got the stick skills and the quickness. Collectively, they should be able figure it out.

Lets say I agree with this statement. Then compared to her peers her TO's in high pressure games should be out of the roof. Now we are just talking TO's here and nothing else....that is the measure of keeping possession under pressure. I think it would be interesting to look how Ms Ward did compared to say, the best player in college lacrosse last year.

Head to head against BC, Ms. Ward had 9 Turnovers to Ms. Norths 8. Seems fairly similar to the best player in the country. Lets throw in the other games they lost as a measure...both lost to UNC. In the one loss to UNC Ms. North had 2 TO's while in the two losses to UNC Ms. Ward had 5. We can throw in the BC win over UNC where Ms. North had a single TO. So in the 6 games compared here the Freshman had 3 more turnovers than the Sr who was player of the year yet you are signifying her here, and previously, as a turnover machine (my paraphrase for weakness)? They both had 34 on the year. Turnovers and keeping the ball under pressure is something every single player works on K-Pro, I just do not get why you keep beating the drum on this aspect of this particular player.

In comparison, Hoeg and Ortega had 23 and 25 TO's respectively for the season. That is pretty remarkable.

[wlaxphan20]

Lets say I agree with this statement. Then compared to her peers her TO's in high pressure games should be out of the roof. Now we are just talking TO's here and nothing else....that is the measure of keeping possession under pressure. I think it would be interesting to look how Ms Ward did compared to say, the best player in college lacrosse last year.

Head to head against BC, Ms. Ward had 9 Turnovers to Ms. Norths 8. Seems fairly similar to the best player in the country. Lets throw in the other games they lost as a measure...both lost to UNC. In the one loss to UNC Ms. North had 2 TO's while in the two losses to UNC Ms. Ward had 5. We can throw in the BC win over UNC where Ms. North had a single TO. So in the 6 games compared here the Freshman had 3 more turnovers than the Sr who was player of the year yet you are signifying her here, and previously, as a turnover machine (my paraphrase for weakness)? They both had 34 on the year. Turnovers and keeping the ball under pressure is something every single player works on K-Pro, I just do not get why you keep beating the drum on this aspect of this particular player.

In comparison, Hoeg and Ortega had 23 and 25 TO's respectively for the season. That is pretty remarkable.

Also at a quick glance - on the top 10 ranked teams according to the last IWLCA poll - the player with the most or 2nd most turnovers is also the player with the most or 2nd most assists on every single team. This makes a lot of sense obviously, players with the most assists usually get the a fair amount of touches on the ball & more passes means more chances for turnovers. Just hats of to Hoeg for keeping it at 23 TO's

BC
Urbank A: 43 (1) TO: 43 (1)
Mossman A: 37 (2) TO: 34 (T-2)

Cuse
M. Tyrrell A: 44 (1) TO: 31 (2)
Ward A: 30 (2) TO: 34 (1)

UNC
Hoeg A: 71 (1) TO: 23 (2)
Ortega A: 28 (2) TO: 25 (1)

NU
Coykendall A: 44 (1) TO: 20 (4)
Scane A: 26 (2) TO: 37 (1)

SBU
T. Ohlmiller A: 56 (1) TO: 23 (2)
Cosidine A: 18 (2) TO: 11 (8)

ND
Wolak A: 20 (1) TO: 23 (3)
Ahern A: 17 (2) TO: 27 (1)

Florida
Harris A: 46 (1) TO: 33 (2)
Hall A: 20 (2) TO: 20 (4)

Duke
G. Rosenzweig A: 39 (1) TO: 36 (1)
DeSimone A: 12 (2) TO: 19 (7)

Loyola
L. Rosenzweig A: 50 (1) TO: 43 (1)
Wilson A: 17 (2) TO: 23 (2)

Maryland
C. May A: 22 (1) TO: 14 (7)
G. Griffin A: 19 (2) TO: 30 (1)

[DMac]

It's absolute garbage and yes, she was stripped a couple of times and made errors just like everyone else in the league did.
All TOs are not created equal either. Ward got jumped and double teamed a couple of times in the NC game and actually made the right play but came up a little short. While backpedaling trying to get away from the pressure she dished to in front of the cage (to M. Tyrell once) and the pass was a little short....so that's a TO. Ward's fine, not worried about her.

[wlaxphan20]

All TOs are not created equal either.

This is important. Very big difference between forced and unforced TOs

[Laxfan500]

All TOs are not created equal either.

This is important. Very big difference between forced and unforced TOs

And TOs that lead to goals from opposing teams
TOs that lead to momentum swings …..
Very true - not all created equal indeed!

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Very big difference between forced and unforced TOs

What’s your assessment of these, wlaxphan?

[wlaxphan20]

Very big difference between forced and unforced TOs

What’s your assessment of these, wlaxphan?

They are all contested. Could she have made better decisions in some of these situations? Maybe. I'm not sure what SU's game plan was, but that's the point of defensive pressure, isn't it? Make them make a bad decision or a mistake. BC did a very good job of that, and sliding once the ball was in the 8. In fact, if anyone's coaching a youth team - that first clip is a great example of collapsing in the 8.

I'd rather not split hairs over 3 turnovers in Ward's very young career. Whether or not we all come to an agreement on why these turnovers happened, they don't define her ability or talent as a lacrosse player. Her last turnover in the game was with almost the entire second half left. So she had 3 turnovers in the first 32 minutes of the game and none in the last 28. What does that tell you? Maybe she made an adjustment? My assessment is that experience is the best teacher.