Miscellaneous questions, thoughts, impressions, etc.

[wlaxnut]

It's 19-1 Northwestern over Detroit-Mercy...with 1:45 to go in the first half. An intrasquad practice/scrimmage is more valuable to Northwestern.

Sorry, it is 20-1. Forty seconds to go in the first half.

Exactly. Why schedule teams like this if you're only going to embarrass them (and your teams program if you keep running up the score)? But then you can't very well tell your team to go on cruise control either. Isn't there a risk of developing a bad habit with your team mindset in games like this if you go on auto pilot after a substantial lead? How did/do you coach your teams in this kind of instance--(from either side)?

[wlaxnut]

I know this was discussed quite a bit on the old LaxPower but I would be interested to rehash and reexamine how teams make their schedules. Obviously, some of the games are set before the season begins. Teams in their own conference, teams that are close by geographically, teams they play traditionally, teams that will help boost their RPI for the tournament, etc. But what is specifically on my mind is why teams schedule games against either dramatically inferior or superior teams. I can’t imagine it’s much fun for either team no matter which end of the blowout they’re on.

I am always intrigued and impressed by the amount of knowledge and experience that exists on these boards, (even though there’s only us “10 old guys” “who clearly have nothing else to do.” [as Badlands once humorously wrote])

Part of it is most likely filler. If you're in a six team conference for example, you need to schedule another 10-12 games, so some of those will almost always be mismatches. For teams in smaller conferences, the chance to play a major opponent is probably exciting for some of the players and could be used as a recruiting tool to some extent ("hey, we're playing Maryland and North Carolina this year"). For the top teams, it's a chance to get some reps in before heading into a big game. But ultimately, I think geography has a lot to do with the scheduling.

Syracuse will play Canisius in a half hour.

Thanks Book. Hey--you should sign up for the Fan Polls!

[laxorangebookworm]

I know this was discussed quite a bit on the old LaxPower but I would be interested to rehash and reexamine how teams make their schedules. Obviously, some of the games are set before the season begins. Teams in their own conference, teams that are close by geographically, teams they play traditionally, teams that will help boost their RPI for the tournament, etc. But what is specifically on my mind is why teams schedule games against either dramatically inferior or superior teams. I can’t imagine it’s much fun for either team no matter which end of the blowout they’re on.

I am always intrigued and impressed by the amount of knowledge and experience that exists on these boards, (even though there’s only us “10 old guys” “who clearly have nothing else to do.” [as Badlands once humorously wrote])

Part of it is most likely filler. If you're in a six team conference for example, you need to schedule another 10-12 games, so some of those will almost always be mismatches. For teams in smaller conferences, the chance to play a major opponent is probably exciting for some of the players and could be used as a recruiting tool to some extent ("hey, we're playing Maryland and North Carolina this year"). For the top teams, it's a chance to get some reps in before heading into a big game. But ultimately, I think geography has a lot to do with the scheduling.

Syracuse will play Canisius in a half hour.

Thanks Book. Hey--you should sign up for the Fan Polls!

I'd have to get a little more up to speed with some of the other teams before I could make good choices for the Fan Polls, but I've considered it.

Oh, regarding some of the other stuff above regarding superior/inferior teams, I should also add that for some of these smaller teams, winning their conference tournaments are the only way they can get into the NCAAT. So playing some superior teams actually can help them prepare for conference play.

[wlaxnut]

I'd have to get a little more up to speed with some of the other teams before I could make good choices for the Fan Polls, but I've considered it.

Oh, regarding some of the other stuff above regarding superior/inferior teams, I should also add that for some of these smaller teams, winning their conference tournaments are the only way they can get into the NCAAT. So playing some superior teams actually can help them prepare for conference play.

Makes good sense for the inferior teams to take every opportunity to get into The Tournament by supplying themselves with an RPI boost, but my goodness--how can the committee grant Detroit Mercy a higher RPI number after the demolition job they were subjected to? If they gave them even a hint of a game (like Gardner-Webb losing to Duke by [HA!] only 15). But losing by 27? Seems absurd that would be counted toward the good by any stretch--for either team.

As far as the poll goes, here is all that's required per the admin. Believe me, if I can do it, you certainly can:

"FanLax Forum Poll

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[8meterPA]

It's 19-1 Northwestern over Detroit-Mercy...with 1:45 to go in the first half. An intrasquad practice/scrimmage is more valuable to Northwestern.

Sorry, it is 20-1. Forty seconds to go in the first half.

Absolutely no reason to drop 30 points on another team, lost all respect for NW coaching staff. I would hope the NW athletic director was in the coaches office after the game and read them the riot act.

[wlaxnut]

Absolutely no reason to drop 30 points on another team, lost all respect for NW coaching staff. I would hope the NW athletic director was in the coaches office after the game and read them the riot act.

Not sure I can go along with you here. I don't know what coach Kelly's rationale was in this game. Maybe she's instilling in her team that to win a National Championship you can't show mercy. Maybe she wants to teach them to play all out all the time and that you can't switch it on and off at will. What I Do know is that of all the players who scored for the Wildcats in the 2nd half, most were first year players. Maddy Balter, Kiera Shanley, Dylan Amonte, Hunter Chadwick are all first year. Greta Stahl - a sophomore who played in 9 games last year and scored the first goals of her career last night. Carli Harpel, a senior who has appeared in 12 games total in her career and scored the only goal of her career last night. All rounded out by Jill Girardi, a junior and not considered a powerhouse goal scorer in her career thus far. In all--36 Wildcats saw time in this game. They certainly weren't running up the score with their starters still scoring in the 2nd half. Northwestern is a high scoring team. They proved that last year. Twice they hung 20 or more points on ranked opponents. 7 times in total they scored 20 or more in their wins. So it's not like this was out of character for the team or the philosophy of the coaching staff. All to say, I'm not sure the condemnation of the NU coaching staff is warranted.

[seacoaster]

Agree with 8meterPA, but also that people do differ on this. As a coach, parent of a former player and a person who likes to see something honorable in sports, we had a cap of 21 or 22 in these games, two or three of which you get in some high school leagues. KAH doesn't need to impose a sense of "no mercy" on her kids but scoring an additional 7 or 8 goals against a flattened visitor.

These games are scheduled for whatever reason -- giving one school a game against a famous name? ease of logistics? coaches are friends and the lower-ranked team asked for the match? None of those reasons frees anyone of some sense of decorum.

[wlaxnut]

Agree with 8meterPA, but also that people do differ on this. As a coach, parent of a former player and a person who likes to see something honorable in sports, we had a cap of 21 or 22 in these games, two or three of which you get in some high school leagues. KAH doesn't need to impose a sense of "no mercy" on her kids but scoring an additional 7 or 8 goals against a flattened visitor.

These games are scheduled for whatever reason -- giving one school a game against a famous name? ease of logistics? coaches are friends and the lower-ranked team asked for the match? None of those reasons frees anyone of some sense of decorum.

Thanks seacoaster. I appreciate your feedback and perspective.

[8meterPA]

Agree with 8meterPA, but also that people do differ on this. As a coach, parent of a former player and a person who likes to see something honorable in sports, we had a cap of 21 or 22 in these games, two or three of which you get in some high school leagues. KAH doesn't need to impose a sense of "no mercy" on her kids but scoring an additional 7 or 8 goals against a flattened visitor.

These games are scheduled for whatever reason -- giving one school a game against a famous name? ease of logistics? coaches are friends and the lower-ranked team asked for the match? None of those reasons frees anyone of some sense of decorum.

Seacoaster, you said it better than I did. The wlax community is a tight one, literally one degree of separation from coaches & players and there is a code of sportsmanship. This does not grow the game, i can guarantee you the NW players don’t feel good about it and obviously DM doesn’t either.

They definitely ran up the score and padded meaningless stats for the players.

[laxorangebookworm]

Agree with 8meterPA, but also that people do differ on this. As a coach, parent of a former player and a person who likes to see something honorable in sports, we had a cap of 21 or 22 in these games, two or three of which you get in some high school leagues. KAH doesn't need to impose a sense of "no mercy" on her kids but scoring an additional 7 or 8 goals against a flattened visitor.

These games are scheduled for whatever reason -- giving one school a game against a famous name? ease of logistics? coaches are friends and the lower-ranked team asked for the match? None of those reasons frees anyone of some sense of decorum.

Seacoaster, you said it better than I did. The wlax community is a tight one, literally one degree of separation from coaches & players and there is a code of sportsmanship. This does not grow the game, i can guarantee you the NW players don’t feel good about it and obviously DM doesn’t either.

They definitely ran up the score and padded meaningless stats for the players.

Eh, it's unfortunate, but what are you going to do? Tell the players not to score? For the players on the bench most of the year, this is one of the few times that they're able to do something and for them, it's not necessarily a meaningless stat. I mean, in the Syracuse game last night, Kenzie Harris scored a goal for SU with less than 2 minutes to go and the Orange up 20-6. But she hasn't seen the field for three years due to an injury and the crowd erupted when she found the back of the net. You'll probably see this happen from time to time in the shot clock era where you can't just sit on the ball.

Update: I didn't see the game, but I checked the box score and from what I can gather, it looks like the NU starters were pulled mid-late first half when it was 17-1. So no, I don't think the Wildcats were trying to humiliate. It was probably an example where the second or even third team was that much better than the DM starting lineup. I mean, Maryland's second string could probably handle most teams in the country pretty easily. It happens.

[wlaxnut]

Eh, it's unfortunate, but what are you going to do? Tell the players not to score? For the players on the bench most of the year, this is one of the few times that they're able to do something and for them, it's not necessarily a meaningless stat. I mean, in the Syracuse game last night, Kenzie Harris scored a goal for SU with less than 2 minutes to go and the Orange up 20-6. But she hasn't seen the field for three years due to an injury and the crowd erupted when she found the back of the net. You'll probably see this happen from time to time in the shot clock era where you can't just sit on the ball.

Update: I didn't see the game, but I checked the box score and from what I can gather, it looks like the NU starters were pulled mid-late first half when it was 17-1. So no, I don't think the Wildcats were trying to humiliate. It was probably an example where the second or even third team was that much better than the DM starting lineup. I mean, Maryland's second string could probably handle most teams in the country pretty easily. It happens.

I like your thinking here, Book. Good points, all. Thanks for weighing in.

[8meterPA]

Check how many teams ran up the score to 30 last year. NW ran the score up. 90 second shot clock, use it. No need to score 30. I don’t care if it’s the 5th string it’s unnecessary,

[DMac]

It's not a matter of whether or not it's necessary. Where are you comfortable with the spread, when do your girls stop playing lacrosse and start playing run the other team ragged with a game of keep away? You tell that third stringer to not hit an open gal in front of the cage with a pass, and don't even think about shooting if you've got a shot? The real problem is scheduling teams that are on such different levels.

[wlaxnut]

The real problem is scheduling teams that are on such different levels.

Which is precisely the question I posed at the beginning. Good points, DMac.

[8meterPA]

So I guess everyone cheers for the football team that is winning 52-0 to keep throwing the ball downfield instead of taking a knee to run out the clock. It’s called grace & humility which is why I love the women’s game and why it’s different. None of that on display by dropping 30 and winning by 27.

I would be willing to bet that NW lost more respect than they gained today.

By the way, goal #30 was scored with 9 seconds left, are you all proud of that? If so you’ve never coached or had a kid play the game.

[tothedraw]

Stat that stands out to me is 14 goals unassisted. These coaches know exactly what is coming when scheduling, some handle it with more class than others.

[Matnum PI]

Yes, the opponent isn't amazing but... 30 goals in a game is a lot.

[tothedraw]

Agreed, not a good look for NU.

[wlaxnut]

She didn't play today...

https://gopsusports.com/sports/womens-l ... core/14031

[wlaxnut]

Although I never felt the bitter cold at the game yesterday due to the many layers I wore, I felt wiped out after getting something to eat and getting back to the hotel. Any one else ever experience this?