Cornell 2024

[Chousnake]

As expected, given the importance of the game (i.e., ILT seed and the potential for an at large bid if they don't win the AQ), the boys came to play and took care of business. It was however, a game that I can only describe as both strange and sloppy. Strange in that watching on-line it didn't seem to have the intensity of matchups with top prior opponents + time of day, etc. Sloppy? Perhaps a better way to describe it is that it was not nearly as "clean" on both ends of the field as it was last week vs. Harvard. And approaching the end of the season, you want to be building momentum as a team. An example of strange - the 3rd quarter: up & down, up & down the field, Cornell takes a ton of shots, get 3 pipes, and comes away with a 2-0 quarter.
The other potentially very noteworthy thing is who did not play. My assumption/ardent hope is that Long was simply held out (long season, everyone is dinged). The other big absence was no Rayhill. He has played well as the starter at LSM in a 3 man rotation with Staub and Danny B. And it's worked well. Without him today, Stevens went with Charles Packard who pretty much hasn't seen the field in his career. Both he and Jack Parker (ss) both had several 1st and 2nd half runs and did well. I'd like to see Parker share more of the ss load if Bozzi doesn't return for the ILT (which I'm hoping for).
Other - the good, neutral, and not-so-good:
-Start with Knust. Another excellent day stopping shots; made some terrific saves. His clearing passes, however, were...to be diplomatic, not good at all. A few buddy passes, low-percentage ropes, and ankle passes. I'm sure the coaches will have tape for him to look at. But the shot stopping is just great.
-Excellent day for Staub - he's looking, fast, aggressive, and confident. And Danny Boc has come a long way back. Great effort.
-Face-offs - the Dartmouth FOGO outplayed 3 and 28 today. Won most of the clamps and used his big body very effectively to shield Psyllos from his counter-checks.
-Another excellent game for Kelleher. Almost got another two in the same weird 3rd quarter sequence. Glad that Wirtheim got one late as he worked hard. Tough day all around today for Firth. Caddigan subbed for Long, and while not a feeder, he has a great long/intermediate shot and knows what to do with the ball at GLE. We do lose a dimension, however, without Long.
-In the first half, Dartmouth kept looking to force the ball inside to cutters. Most passes got through, but in traffic, not much they could do to get good looks. Cornell also got caught numerous times with o-mids on D. Tightened things up and looked far more connected in the 2nd half, shutting Dartmouth out until mass late-in-game substitutions.
*Good day elsewhere - I assume Cornell will jump pass Yale in RPI (potential at large competition). Notre Dame beat UVA, and UNC is now out as a long shot at large team.
*"Lager" - there was no attempt in my former post to be...to use your word, pretentious, in writing about Dartmouth's chances today. My post was objective and based on a) the premise that past behavior/performance is the best predictor of future behavior/performance & b) a pretty good knowledge of the '23 and '24 teams. Additionally, as CU77 pointed out, the prior history of the two team (which in most cases under-reflect the goal differential due to mass late subs), also reflect that the 2023 game was very much of an outlier. Close only counts in horseshoes. That's why I used the word "virtually" to qualify my statement.
***The Ivy League Tournament: IMO, if Cornell wins game #1, they look very good for (at least) an at large bid. While everyone wants to win both games, just having to play a second game with one day rest...after a long season...(with exams)..followed by the NCAA's a week away is no small task. One game at a time. LGR

I was thinking this as well. Absent some top 8 team getting a bad loss, If Cornell gets the Ivy AQ, they’ll play at PSU or Maryland in the 8/9 game.

[Booker]

During the Notre Dame game, after Ryan Goldstein scored, the ESPN+ announcer described Ryan as "skinny as a chimney sweep with the hands of a mohel.!

LOL! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VAmi8WUK-6c

That announcer was awesome! had a one liner or metaphor for almost every play.

My oldest son, who is not a lacrosse fan, was loving the announcer.

One of my favorites came early in the in the game, when a Cornell player (I think) shot the ball and it went wide of net. The announcer said something to the effect of "If that shot were any further right, it would have its own talkshow on FoxNews."

I believe the line was “that shot was so far to the right Michael Moore is doing a documentary about it”
Great fun ….. !!

[ICGrad]

During the Notre Dame game, after Ryan Goldstein scored, the ESPN+ announcer described Ryan as "skinny as a chimney sweep with the hands of a mohel.!

LOL! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VAmi8WUK-6c

That announcer was awesome! had a one liner or metaphor for almost every play.

My oldest son, who is not a lacrosse fan, was loving the announcer.

One of my favorites came early in the in the game, when a Cornell player (I think) shot the ball and it went wide of net. The announcer said something to the effect of "If that shot were any further right, it would have its own talkshow on FoxNews."

I believe the line was “that shot was so far to the right Michael Moore is doing a documentary about it”
Great fun ….. !!

You're right, that's what it was. Thanks!

[another fan]

Transfer portal thread indicates Blake will take his last year at Duke and Wirtheim at UNC. These Ivy guys are just not ACC athletes.

[Lager]

Transfer portal thread indicates Blake will take his last year at Duke and Wirtheim at UNC. These Ivy guys are just not ACC athletes.

Obviously trying to stir the pot with that last sentence. The results on the field this year and over the last 5-6 years speak for themselves. The ivy has won plenty of marquee ACC match ups over that time period, even if the ACC may have the overall edge.

[another fan]

Transfer portal thread indicates Blake will take his last year at Duke and Wirtheim at UNC. These Ivy guys are just not ACC athletes.

Obviously trying to stir the pot with that last sentence. The results on the field this year and over the last 5-6 years speak for themselves. The ivy has won plenty of marquee ACC match ups over that time period, even if the ACC may have the overall edge.

I don't think you have any idea what I intended with the last sentence. Purely a guess, but I've probably been a Cornell/Ivy lacrosse fan for longer than you have been alive. This whole debate over who is better is frequently silly and often driven by personal bias rather than objectivity. In this case, I was being sarcastic. Both players are outstanding athletes, both with excellent speed. Blake will probably return to offensive middie, having been pressed into defensive duty due to injuries. He struggles at times as a d mid since it is a new position and he is a long strider, but he is great in the middle of the field, on the wing and clearing. He just glides up and down the field. He should do well at Duke, and I suspect will return to his pre knee injury form as an offensive threat. Wirtheim is very fast, athletic, has a great motor, and hard mid range shot. He is also excellent when he gets caught having to play defense. The only negative I can see in his game is that he really needs to get to his left hand to be most effective. Here's hoping they conclude their Cornell careers with a bang, before becoming valuable contributors for their new ACC teams.

[CU77]

I was being sarcastic.

Sarcasm does not come across in print without the /s indicator

https://www.textline.com/blog/tone-indicator-list

[Lager]

Transfer portal thread indicates Blake will take his last year at Duke and Wirtheim at UNC. These Ivy guys are just not ACC athletes.

Obviously trying to stir the pot with that last sentence. The results on the field this year and over the last 5-6 years speak for themselves. The ivy has won plenty of marquee ACC match ups over that time period, even if the ACC may have the overall edge.

I don't think you have any idea what I intended with the last sentence. Purely a guess, but I've probably been a Cornell/Ivy lacrosse fan for longer than you have been alive. This whole debate over who is better is frequently silly and often driven by personal bias rather than objectivity. In this case, I was being sarcastic. Both players are outstanding athletes, both with excellent speed. Blake will probably return to offensive middie, having been pressed into defensive duty due to injuries. He struggles at times as a d mid since it is a new position and he is a long strider, but he is great in the middle of the field, on the wing and clearing. He just glides up and down the field. He should do well at Duke, and I suspect will return to his pre knee injury form as an offensive threat. Wirtheim is very fast, athletic, has a great motor, and hard mid range shot. He is also excellent when he gets caught having to play defense. The only negative I can see in his game is that he really needs to get to his left hand to be most effective. Here's hoping they conclude their Cornell careers with a bang, before becoming valuable contributors for their new ACC teams.

Wirtheim is an incredible athlete. Fast, quick, etc etc but hes just maybe not the best open field "dodger."

[DocBarrister]

I was being sarcastic.

Sarcasm does not come across in print without the /s indicator

https://www.textline.com/blog/tone-indicator-list

Cornell is such a lucky program! Luck belongs to the Big Red, not the Irish!!!

/s

DocBarrister

[another fan]

I was being sarcastic.

Sarcasm does not come across in print without the /s indicator

https://www.textline.com/blog/tone-indicator-list

True, but context and background work, too. I've been nothing but a slightly objective Cornell homer for many years, and it would not have taken much to confirm my partiality. Your link is helpful, although I'm not sure the these indicators are widely known-- but I certainly could be wrong about that. /neu

Anyway, LGR

[ICGrad]

I was being sarcastic.

Sarcasm does not come across in print without the /s indicator

https://www.textline.com/blog/tone-indicator-list

I dunno...I picked up on it pretty fast.

[Gobigred]

I was being sarcastic.

Sarcasm does not come across in print without the /s indicator

https://www.textline.com/blog/tone-indicator-list

You are correct, but his intent was clear to me.

[molo]

Yo también, and I’m too dumb to get into the Ivy League. Maybe being voted most sarcastic in my class helped me get it.

[Ezra White]

So, when you say:

Yo también, and I’m too dumb to get into the Ivy League.

Are you being sarcastic?

[joewillie78]

Initial weather forecast for Friday night is in a word, SHOCKING. It is supposed to be beautiful with highs during the day in the mid-70s and upper 50's near 60 for the evening.

This might be the first game this year that I attend and don't have to dress like a polar bear, and worry about my coffee freezing before I finish it.

Also, given the time of the game, I can attend the Friday night festivities at my local craft brewery, and still make the game.

Can't wait til Friday night.

Does anyone know Long's status?

Gobigred
Joewillie78

[laxjuris]

Also, given the time of the game, I can attend the Friday night festivities at my local craft brewery, and still make the game.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

Have you arranged for a driver to get you to the game?

[joewillie78]

Also, given the time of the game, I can attend the Friday night festivities at my local craft brewery, and still make the game.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

Have you arranged for a driver to get you to the game?

Well, that may be an issue as all the friends I'm going with, all come to HOPSHIRE (that's our craft brewery about 10 minutes from Schoellkopf), on Friday nights. The beer at this brewery is awesome so limiting our intake is always problematic.

My one friend wants to take a growler with him, so that won't help our BAC later.

My other friend is good friends with Howie Borkin, who has done radio with Barry, and Howie is supposed to also be coming for the game.

Should be a great Friday night.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

[coda]

Also, given the time of the game, I can attend the Friday night festivities at my local craft brewery, and still make the game.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

Have you arranged for a driver to get you to the game?

Well, that may be an issue as all the friends I'm going with, all come to HOPSHIRE (that's our craft brewery about 10 minutes from Schoellkopf), on Friday nights. The beer at this brewery is awesome so limiting our intake is always problematic.

My one friend wants to take a growler with him, so that won't help our BAC later.

My other friend is good friends with Howie Borkin, who has done radio with Barry, and Howie is supposed to also be coming for the game.

Should be a great Friday night.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

Uber, my friend. Better to wait a 30 minutes after the game for a ride, than the possible downside of driving.

[joewillie78]

Also, given the time of the game, I can attend the Friday night festivities at my local craft brewery, and still make the game.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

Have you arranged for a driver to get you to the game?

Well, that may be an issue as all the friends I'm going with, all come to HOPSHIRE (that's our craft brewery about 10 minutes from Schoellkopf), on Friday nights. The beer at this brewery is awesome so limiting our intake is always problematic.

My one friend wants to take a growler with him, so that won't help our BAC later.

My other friend is good friends with Howie Borkin, who has done radio with Barry, and Howie is supposed to also be coming for the game.

Should be a great Friday night.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

Uber, my friend. Better to wait a 30 minutes after the game for a ride, than the possible downside of driving.

I think we now have it covered as some of the wives have offered us safe passage.

Gobigred
Joewillie78

[Lacrossefan25]

Does Cornell have to win the Ivy to get in?