Johns Hopkins 2020

[wgdsr]

and unc managed this advantage with their "aggressive"defense, turning a 3 to 2 cumulative cto advantage into a comfortable win. i think you've hit the nail on the head and lax is for dummies.

You don’t even need to look at the stats to understand the crucial difference in this game.

Just focus on the SOUND of the game.

Seems like every time a Hopkins player took a shot, you HEARD a North Carolina stick crashing on the shooter or his stick. Tar Heels constantly got their sticks on the Hopkins shooters’ hands or stick. Tar Heel defenders were in position to do that because they played defense aggressively.

Now, compare that to the SOUND you hear (or don’t hear) when North Carolina shooters shot the ball. Yes, some of that is due to the Tar Heels moving the ball better for open shots, but much of that was due to a Hopkins defender failing to pressure the North Carolina shooter.

Go ahead ... focus on the SOUND of the game and you’ll hear the difference.

DocBarrister

]i need more lessons like this to figure out how to understand what i'm seeing like guys like you do.
great encouragement of other sports fans.

One way to reduce the eye pain is to use an ice pick.

Yes, yes ... that’s a great idea! It will help you all to listen to the SOUNDS of the game and achieve a higher level of WISDOM and INSIGHT (which you surely need).

Home Depot has a sale on a nice set of four.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-Mini ... lsrc=aw.ds

DocBarrister

lol. i will pay for your dinner in little italy if ypu come in and give the staff your insight and wisdom.
you are the mike daly of hopkins lacrosse. except you just watch tv.

[Laxsmitty]

Not sure asking how sloppy William's was in the game is going after him. He played poorly. He 2 turnovers but also a bunch of passes that were off target and recovered by Hopkins.

After a 7-goal home loss in which virtually nobody played particularly well, the one kid you call out by name is the only guy with a hat trick? No it was not a perfect game but he was really our only player who showed an ability to beat his man (not just shorties either—he toasted Will Bowen on his last goal). Just think it's odd who you decided to single out. On the list of reasons why the game went the way it did, Williams and his 3 goals were not super high on the list.

The 6 on 6 defense wasn't good—definitely the worst of the season so far (not a surprise given the team they were facing) but it was not as bad as you might think. How many settled 6v6 goals did UNC really have? 17 in total, one of which was a garbage time goal after we started pressing out, so 16 real goals, 5 of which were extra man, that leaves 11, a few were in transition and then you had the one absolute backbreaker on the failed clear in which a UNC player was left one on one with Darby. We had 10 goals, zero in transition and just 1 EMO, so the 6v6 score was, something in the vicinity of, what, 9-9? Our settled offense pretty much matched theirs—the difference in this game were penalties giving them EMO chances aplenty and disastrous clears/turnovers.

The response to the 10-man was truly bewildering, like they had never seen it before and were just totally winging it.

Blue Jays had lots of contributors on offense, which was reassuring. Plus, our “Chris Gray,” Joey Epstein is still at half speed.

All the new Hopkins starters need to learn from this game and keep working at it. They’ll improve with more reps.

Epstein, by the way, is making steady progress. Based on the limited information that we have, I’m not sure he will be 100% even by the end of April. We shouldn’t expect him to be. But even a partial Joey Epstein can be darn productive, as we saw today.

DocBarrister

Next week is Princeton and they have Sowers who had a day today against UVA. How will Hopkins respond? Will Petro make any changes or keep doing the same thing? My guess, based on the fact that nothing ever changes, it’s going to be more of the same.

[HopFan16]

Not sure zone will work against Sowers. He'll pick you apart with skip passes.

Might have to try to shut him off.

It'll help if we can clear the ball and not take 100 penalties.

[DocBarrister]

Point is ... defense starts on rides, and offense starts on clears. It’s an entirely different, aggressive mindset.

We have seen Petro tentatively or temporarily move in those directions in past seasons, but never on a consistent basis. Just not his style. Hopkins has the personnel to play a more aggressive style.

Some of you naysayers criticize my posts, but I don’t see you offering anything about how this team could improve. Status quo? “Stay the course?”

I’m optimistic about this team. I think Hopkins should play more aggressively on defense and on rides. That’s not a radical or extreme idea.

DocBarrister

Define "aggressive". If you are including the element of playing a ten-man ride (something that Petro hasn't done in over 20 years of coaching), then maybe you mean pressing guys all over the field? I honestly don'y know what you mean. As I said, UNC today did not press in the half-field. They packed the crease area and closed out on shooters (evidenced by very few caused turnovers but lots of deflected shots). One reason they were able to play that style is that Hopkins very rarely has more than one guy on the offensive end that can beat their man off the dodge. When you don't slide, your only responsibility on defense is closing out and then sloughing back in/ getting your stick up when off-ball.

If that's your idea, then UNC would have scored 30 today, with Gray scoring 20 of those, because we apparently have no real on-ball defenders. Instead, everyone on D is focused on slides, which makes it very difficult to get into passing lanes and close out shooters.

At some point, you have to overcome stubborness and work with what you've got. If you have defensive personnel that are better equipped for zone (or less exposed in a zone), then play zone. And play a goalie can catch up to high outside shots while your at it. But we won't do that.

We have good on-ball defenders. Press out. Ride hard. Be aggressive on slides. Take some gambles and risks. Harass anyone carrying the ball.

If you’re going to play man-to-man, play aggressive man-to-man. Be disruptive.

I agree with you on one point ... if Petro is going to play a middling passive style of man-to-man, might as well change to playing zone.

What Petro has now is a hybrid defense ... the passive posture of a zone with the structural configuration of man-to-man. Worked in a different era (and with different personnel) but certainly doesn’t win against the better teams out there today.

As you say, if his defense is going to maintain a passive posture, then configure it like a zone.

If he’s going to configure the defense as man-to-man, then take on an aggressive posture.

Staying in some long-forsaken middle no-man’s land? Ain’t workin’, and hasn’t worked for much of the past decade.

DocBarrister

[flalax22]

Next week is Princeton and they have Sowers who had a day today against UVA. How will Hopkins respond? Will Petro make any changes or keep doing the same thing? My guess, based on the fact that nothing ever changes, it’s going to be more of the same.

What will he do? Well he game planned for Gray and Cook so well I imagine he will do the same thing next week.

[DocBarrister]

and unc managed this advantage with their "aggressive"defense, turning a 3 to 2 cumulative cto advantage into a comfortable win. i think you've hit the nail on the head and lax is for dummies.

You don’t even need to look at the stats to understand the crucial difference in this game.

Just focus on the SOUND of the game.

Seems like every time a Hopkins player took a shot, you HEARD a North Carolina stick crashing on the shooter or his stick. Tar Heels constantly got their sticks on the Hopkins shooters’ hands or stick. Tar Heel defenders were in position to do that because they played defense aggressively.

Now, compare that to the SOUND you hear (or don’t hear) when North Carolina shooters shot the ball. Yes, some of that is due to the Tar Heels moving the ball better for open shots, but much of that was due to a Hopkins defender failing to pressure the North Carolina shooter.

Go ahead ... focus on the SOUND of the game and you’ll hear the difference.

DocBarrister

]i need more lessons like this to figure out how to understand what i'm seeing like guys like you do.
great encouragement of other sports fans.

One way to reduce the eye pain is to use an ice pick.

Yes, yes ... that’s a great idea! It will help you all to listen to the SOUNDS of the game and achieve a higher level of WISDOM and INSIGHT (which you surely need).

Home Depot has a sale on a nice set of four.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-Mini ... lsrc=aw.ds

DocBarrister

lol. i will pay for your dinner in little italy if ypu come in and give the staff your insight and wisdom.
you are the mike daly of hopkins lacrosse. except you just watch tv.

Thirteen goals against per game ... last season’s average.

Seventeen goals given up to North Carolina.

I’d be happy to discuss that with Petro.

Don’t get me wrong ... I’m rooting for the Big Guy. I want him to succeed and stay at Hopkins for the remainder of his career. But he needs to change a few things.

Still have not seen a single suggestion from you on how this relatively young Hopkins team can improve. I can only assume you have nothing to offer, except to pay the tab.

Wombat and others know how Petro can reach me.

DocBarrister

[primitiveskills]

We have good on-ball defenders. Press out.

DocBarrister

Who? As defined by someone that has the footwork to keep up with the Grays, Sowers, Krauses, Scanlans, etc of the D1 lacrosse world. We don't have that guy. So play a defensive scheme that suits your personnel. With our personnel, we should be looking for shot clock violations and saves, not caused turnovers.

[DocBarrister]

Not sure asking how sloppy William's was in the game is going after him. He played poorly. He 2 turnovers but also a bunch of passes that were off target and recovered by Hopkins.

After a 7-goal home loss in which virtually nobody played particularly well, the one kid you call out by name is the only guy with a hat trick? No it was not a perfect game but he was really our only player who showed an ability to beat his man (not just shorties either—he toasted Will Bowen on his last goal). Just think it's odd who you decided to single out. On the list of reasons why the game went the way it did, Williams and his 3 goals were not super high on the list.

The 6 on 6 defense wasn't good—definitely the worst of the season so far (not a surprise given the team they were facing) but it was not as bad as you might think. How many settled 6v6 goals did UNC really have? 17 in total, one of which was a garbage time goal after we started pressing out, so 16 real goals, 5 of which were extra man, that leaves 11, a few were in transition and then you had the one absolute backbreaker on the failed clear in which a UNC player was left one on one with Darby. We had 10 goals, zero in transition and just 1 EMO, so the 6v6 score was, something in the vicinity of, what, 9-9? Our settled offense pretty much matched theirs—the difference in this game were penalties giving them EMO chances aplenty and disastrous clears/turnovers.

The response to the 10-man was truly bewildering, like they had never seen it before and were just totally winging it.

Blue Jays had lots of contributors on offense, which was reassuring. Plus, our “Chris Gray,” Joey Epstein is still at half speed.

All the new Hopkins starters need to learn from this game and keep working at it. They’ll improve with more reps.

Epstein, by the way, is making steady progress. Based on the limited information that we have, I’m not sure he will be 100% even by the end of April. We shouldn’t expect him to be. But even a partial Joey Epstein can be darn productive, as we saw today.

DocBarrister

Next week is Princeton and they have Sowers who had a day today against UVA. How will Hopkins respond? Will Petro make any changes or keep doing the same thing? My guess, based on the fact that nothing ever changes, it’s going to be more of the same.

Good question.

My take? You never mitigate the damage from players that good unless you try something (1) aggressive and/or (2) unconventional. Preferably both.

Either way, you have to gamble and take a risk.

Sticking with the “safe” and conventional options is usually a sure-fire way of ensuring a big day against your team.

Maybe the lacrosse geniuses on this forum can offer some insight other than carping on the rest of us.

DocBarrister

[DocBarrister]

We have good on-ball defenders. Press out.

DocBarrister

Who? As defined by someone that has the footwork to keep up with the Grays, Sowers, Krauses, Scanlans, etc of the D1 lacrosse world. We don't have that guy. So play a defensive scheme that suits your personnel. With our personnel, we should be looking for shot clock violations and saves, not caused turnovers.

If you didn’t watch the game, “looking for shot clock violations and saves, not caused turnovers,” is precisely what Hopkins tried to do against Gray and North Carolina. Any additional ideas?

DocBarrister

[HopFan16]

I am not going to say we did anything close to a good job on Gray as the box score pretty much speaks for itself, but how many of his goals were because he just beat our guy one-on-one? 1, maybe 2 of them? He had a ton of production on the EMO and in unsettled situations. I don't think we did an especially horrendous job matching up with him mano e mano. I think the jury is still out on McManus et al in that respect. Of course, it won't really matter if we continue to do all the other things so poorly.

Man did it hurt to hear Quint say that Gray's transfer decision came down to UNC and Hopkins.

[DocBarrister]

I am not going to say we did anything close to a good job on Gray as the box score pretty much speaks for itself, but how many of his goals were because he just beat our guy one-on-one? 1, maybe 2 of them? He had a ton of production on the EMO and in unsettled situations. I don't think we did an especially horrendous job matching up with him mano e mano. I think the jury is still out on McManus et al in that respect. Of course, it won't really matter if we continue to do all the other things so poorly.

Man did it hurt to hear Quint say that Gray's transfer decision came down to UNC and Hopkins.

I don’t think on-ball defense has been a great problem. Off-ball defense has been an issue. That is probably due to new starters and contributors and probably communications issues. Darby has improved, but would like to hear from those who have actually been to the games about whether Darby has improved his vocal command of the defense. Know that has been an issue with Darby (and for that matter, Foley) in the past.

DocBarrister

[molo]

I hate to throw cold water on all this optimism, but upon returning from this debacle, I watched the UVA-Princeton replay. If you did not know that you were watching a top four team playing a team on the edge of the top twenty, you would have come away thinking that two fairly comparable teams were playing and that the more athletic team, which also had the best player on the game, pulled away from an almost peer team.
Gray was superb today, but I think Sowers is even better. Could get rough next weekend.

[primitiveskills]

We have good on-ball defenders. Press out.

DocBarrister

Who? As defined by someone that has the footwork to keep up with the Grays, Sowers, Krauses, Scanlans, etc of the D1 lacrosse world. We don't have that guy. So play a defensive scheme that suits your personnel. With our personnel, we should be looking for shot clock violations and saves, not caused turnovers.

If you didn’t watch the game, “looking for shot clock violations and saves, not caused turnovers,” is precisely what Hopkins tried to do against Gray and North Carolina. Any additional ideas?

DocBarrister

Well, we didn't exactly play for shot clock violations. They had free 12 yard rips or easy takes off adjacent slides whenever they wanted.

Other ideas: well, again, this looks like a zone team to me, or at least a team that should mix in zone quite a bit. I'm obviously not a D1 coach, but if Iooked out on my HS team and saw what I saw today, I would have at least mixed in zone to stop the bleeding.

I think we can agree on this. Hopkins has played the same basic scheme since the early 2000s. Problem is that the athletes and shooters are a different beast now and something (recruiting and/or scheme) has to change. What were seeing now is the definition of insanity.

[primitiveskills]

I hate to throw cold water on all this optimism, but upon returning from this debacle, I watched the UVA-Princeton replay. If you did not know that you were watching a top four team playing a team on the edge of the top twenty, you would have come away thinking that two fairly comparable teams were playing and that the more athletic team, which also had the best player on the game, pulled away from an almost peer team.
Gray was superb today, but I think Sowers is even better. Could get rough next weekend.

Sowers is a problem. He looks unguardable this year, even by great defenders. Not sure we have an answer and it will likely get very ugly.

[Peter Brown]

I hate to throw cold water on all this optimism, but upon returning from this debacle, I watched the UVA-Princeton replay. If you did not know that you were watching a top four team playing a team on the edge of the top twenty, you would have come away thinking that two fairly comparable teams were playing and that the more athletic team, which also had the best player on the game, pulled away from an almost peer team.
Gray was superb today, but I think Sowers is even better. Could get rough next weekend.

Sowers is a problem. He looks unguardable this year, even by great defenders. Not sure we have an answer and it will likely get very ugly.

Why are so many lacrosse fans so pessimistic?!? Relax, Jay fans...Sowers isn't friggin' Superman. You have beaten the Tigers two years' running. Unless Austen Sims suits up again, you'll be fine. Jays are about to turn the corner.

[wgdsr]

and unc managed this advantage with their "aggressive"defense, turning a 3 to 2 cumulative cto advantage into a comfortable win. i think you've hit the nail on the head and lax is for dummies.

You don’t even need to look at the stats to understand the crucial difference in this game.

Just focus on the SOUND of the game.

Seems like every time a Hopkins player took a shot, you HEARD a North Carolina stick crashing on the shooter or his stick. Tar Heels constantly got their sticks on the Hopkins shooters’ hands or stick. Tar Heel defenders were in position to do that because they played defense aggressively.

Now, compare that to the SOUND you hear (or don’t hear) when North Carolina shooters shot the ball. Yes, some of that is due to the Tar Heels moving the ball better for open shots, but much of that was due to a Hopkins defender failing to pressure the North Carolina shooter.

Go ahead ... focus on the SOUND of the game and you’ll hear the difference.

DocBarrister

]i need more lessons like this to figure out how to understand what i'm seeing like guys like you do.
great encouragement of other sports fans.

One way to reduce the eye pain is to use an ice pick.

Yes, yes ... that’s a great idea! It will help you all to listen to the SOUNDS of the game and achieve a higher level of WISDOM and INSIGHT (which you surely need).

Home Depot has a sale on a nice set of four.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-Mini ... lsrc=aw.ds

DocBarrister

lol. i will pay for your dinner in little italy if ypu come in and give the staff your insight and wisdom.
you are the mike daly of hopkins lacrosse. except you just watch tv.

Thirteen goals against per game ... last season’s average.

Seventeen goals given up to North Carolina.

I’d be happy to discuss that with Petro.

Don’t get me wrong ... I’m rooting for the Big Guy. I want him to succeed and stay at Hopkins for the remainder of his career. But he needs to change a few things.

Still have not seen a single suggestion from you on how this relatively young Hopkins team can improve. I can only assume you have nothing to offer, except to pay the tab.

Wombat and others know how Petro can reach me.

DocBarrister

it's actually 11.3 gpg. last year was last year.
as everyone who has ever logged in to this or lp knows, the solution to everything is be more aggressive. i cant believe the most aggressive team doesn't win every year!!!
and when cto stats don't work in your favor, just talk about sound, or hearing or taste. as long as it's aggressive!!
yeah... not fouling (less aggressive) would've helped in today's case. or they should be aggressive without fouling.
staying with their guy might help.
cutting down on fast breaks. unsettleds from clears gone awry.
usually defense is about communication and awareness. not "aggressiveness". but that's just my opinion.
with your experience, you probably know better.

[Laxrat]

I had the pleasure of attending the game today. Clearing is an absolute joke. Too many shots didn’t make it to the goal. Williams is the only consistent scoring threat, but he went into a shooting slump for the majority of the game. All the baskin PT is strange. He’s not really an attack man. Play Murphy more.

They play so vanilla on offense. The reality is that they are probably 4-5 players and a coaching staff away. They can play much better, and they could have won today, but had serious lapses that blew it

[Mightyjoe]

GO HOP!!!! I'll chime in for what it's worth when we win. Still very early.
Signed: Mr.Optimism

[DocBarrister]

and unc managed this advantage with their "aggressive"defense, turning a 3 to 2 cumulative cto advantage into a comfortable win. i think you've hit the nail on the head and lax is for dummies.

You don’t even need to look at the stats to understand the crucial difference in this game.

Just focus on the SOUND of the game.

Seems like every time a Hopkins player took a shot, you HEARD a North Carolina stick crashing on the shooter or his stick. Tar Heels constantly got their sticks on the Hopkins shooters’ hands or stick. Tar Heel defenders were in position to do that because they played defense aggressively.

Now, compare that to the SOUND you hear (or don’t hear) when North Carolina shooters shot the ball. Yes, some of that is due to the Tar Heels moving the ball better for open shots, but much of that was due to a Hopkins defender failing to pressure the North Carolina shooter.

Go ahead ... focus on the SOUND of the game and you’ll hear the difference.

DocBarrister

]i need more lessons like this to figure out how to understand what i'm seeing like guys like you do.
great encouragement of other sports fans.

One way to reduce the eye pain is to use an ice pick.

Yes, yes ... that’s a great idea! It will help you all to listen to the SOUNDS of the game and achieve a higher level of WISDOM and INSIGHT (which you surely need).

Home Depot has a sale on a nice set of four.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-Mini ... lsrc=aw.ds

DocBarrister

lol. i will pay for your dinner in little italy if ypu come in and give the staff your insight and wisdom.
you are the mike daly of hopkins lacrosse. except you just watch tv.

Thirteen goals against per game ... last season’s average.

Seventeen goals given up to North Carolina.

I’d be happy to discuss that with Petro.

Don’t get me wrong ... I’m rooting for the Big Guy. I want him to succeed and stay at Hopkins for the remainder of his career. But he needs to change a few things.

Still have not seen a single suggestion from you on how this relatively young Hopkins team can improve. I can only assume you have nothing to offer, except to pay the tab.

Wombat and others know how Petro can reach me.

DocBarrister

it's actually 11.3 gpg. last year was last year.
as everyone who has ever logged in to this or lp knows, the solution to everything is be more aggressive. i cant believe the most aggressive team doesn't win every year!!!
and when cto stats don't work in your favor, just talk about sound, or hearing or taste. as long as it's aggressive!!
yeah... not fouling (less aggressive) would've helped in today's case. or they should be aggressive without fouling.
staying with their guy might help.
cutting down on fast breaks. unsettleds from clears gone awry.
usually defense is about communication and awareness. not "aggressiveness". but that's just my opinion.
with your experience, you probably know better.

I posted about defense and communications issues about five posts up. Please try to stay current.

DocBarrister

[wgdsr]

actually 11.3 gpg. last year was last year.
as everyone who has ever logged in to this or lp knows, the solution to everything is be more aggressive. i cant believe the most aggressive team doesn't win every year!!!
and when cto stats don't work in your favor, just talk about sound, or hearing or taste. as long as it's aggressive!!
yeah... not fouling (less aggressive) would've helped in today's case. or they should be aggressive without fouling.
staying with their guy might help.
cutting down on fast breaks. unsettleds from clears gone awry.
usually defense is about communication and awareness. not "aggressiveness". but that's just my opinion.
with your experience, you probably know better.

I posted about defense and communications issues about five posts up. Please try to stay current.

DocBarrister

no one said you didn't. not sure what that has to do with your discussion (years long) on aggressive defense.