Athletes Unlimited 2022

[njbill]

Amazing comeback by Team Apuzzo. I didn’t think they would do it when they were down by five.

Sam Apuzzo is playing the best lacrosse in this league this summer.

[DMac]

(e.g., goal circle foul).

I don't like this call, it's after the fact and has no effect on the play. I thought that should have been a goal, but I do understand that it's a rule in wlax.

[Bart]

I think if you looked at many other players in the league with the same lens you would come up with many of the same conclusions.

“Many?” If you said “some,” I’d agree. “Some” of the other players and “some” of the same conclusions.

But the focus here was on North, as it always is. Her talent level does not warrant all of the attention she gets. In their heydays, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan deserved all of the attention they got because they clearly were the best players in their sport.

North is a good player, but there are a lot of good players in this league, and others who aren’t playing in the league this year. She is not the best, or even among the very best, players currently active in the world today. Notwithstanding that, the networks and the commentators treat her as though she’s the second coming. I have said this before: I don’t blame North for the attention she is getting. I doubt she has asked for it.

If you are a big fan of hers, that’s fine. You are entitled to your opinion. I’m not a big fan.

Big fan? No, but I can appreciate what she brings to the table. I’ve said it before the players who get it done on both ends of the field are among my favorite ones to watch.

When I say many i see many. At the start of the day there were 3 players in double digits fir assists and North is one of them. Her TO are on par with others as is her shooting pct. So I do see many in the same position. We can disagree on that but I will agree that Ms Apuzzo is about as good as it gets this summer.

I’m making no claim to who’s the best….fools errand if you ask me. I agree with you the hype is over the top and not her doing.

[njbill]

I think if you looked at many other players in the league with the same lens you would come up with many of the same conclusions.

“Many?” If you said “some,” I’d agree. “Some” of the other players and “some” of the same conclusions.

But the focus here was on North, as it always is. Her talent level does not warrant all of the attention she gets. In their heydays, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan deserved all of the attention they got because they clearly were the best players in their sport.

North is a good player, but there are a lot of good players in this league, and others who aren’t playing in the league this year. She is not the best, or even among the very best, players currently active in the world today. Notwithstanding that, the networks and the commentators treat her as though she’s the second coming. I have said this before: I don’t blame North for the attention she is getting. I doubt she has asked for it.

If you are a big fan of hers, that’s fine. You are entitled to your opinion. I’m not a big fan.

Big fan? No, but I can appreciate what she brings to the table. I’ve said it before the players who get it done on both ends of the field are among my favorite ones to watch.

When I say many i see many. At the start of the day there were 3 players in double digits fir assists and North is one of them. Her TO are on par with others as is her shooting pct. So I do see many in the same position. We can disagree on that but I will agree that Ms Apuzzo is about as good as it gets this summer.

I’m making no claim to who’s the best….fools errand if you ask me. I agree with you the hype is over the top and not her doing.

Yeah, I probably was over the top in calling you a “big fan.” Apologies.

Many or some? Lots of wiggle room there on both sides.

[njbill]

(e.g., goal circle foul).

I don't like this call, it's after the fact and has no effect on the play. I thought that should have been a goal, but I do understand that it's a rule in wlax.

I hear you. A few weeks back, I asked on this board if there was a place to see the AU rules. I haven’t found one.

In this context, what are the AU goal circle rules? Are they the same as college or are they different? If college, then that was a correct call. Different issue, of course, as to whether the rule should be changed. The problem I have is once you start allowing infringements into the goal circle, where do you draw the line?

In fact, the rule in college is that the goal circle is a cylinder. Violations of goal circle airspace are violations even if a body part doesn’t touch ground. Earlier in the AU season, the refs ruled no violation when, to my eyes at least, it clearly looked like a player swung her foot into the cylinder.

My two cents is to leave the goal circle rule as it is. With the more and more aggressive play, if you allow infringements into the goal circle, you invite collisions with a goalie and the metal goal frame.

[Seacoaster(1)]

10-9 Apuzzo, final.
The GSD is just unbelievable when behind.
Great finish.

GSD?

[DMac]

German Shepherd Dog.
Down a couple, Apuzzo scores, then wins the draw, then wins it again and is relentlessly chasing down players.
She plays with an incredible intensity, GSD like. You really don't want to be up one or two with a few minutes
left v Apuzzo, she's coming after you at that point. Didn't catch up and get the W yesterday but I still wouldn't
bet against her at that point in a game.

[njbill]

And she scored three second-half goals in the gold medal game in the World Cup. And was named player of the match.

[njbill]

I’m not a fan of the point system in general, but there are some I particularly have disagreements with.

First and foremost, points for winning a quarter? Why? Winning a quarter or period or inning means nothing in any other sport. If you really, really must have points for a quarter, they should be a lot less than 20. 5? I guess I am OK with points for winning a game, but 45? Let’s cut that down to 20.

Assists and DCs should be worth more than they currently are. Shots that miss the cage should be a deduction, if only one point. With the 60 sec shot clock, if you take a shot, and it misses, you have put your team in a time disadvantage. I think if you take a shot and the goalie makes a save, the shooter loses points (not sure). Shouldn’t the shooter, then, lose points if they take a shot and the other team gets possession some other way?

Defenders get the short end of the points scoring stick. Need to find a way to give them more point opportunities.

I continue to wonder whether they audit the points awarded after a game. My guess is they don’t. There is no way with the lightning fast back-and-forth that the official scorer can accurately keep track of everything, especially turnovers.

[njbill]

Wow, did Taylor learn how to defend North in practice this year. At least based on today’s game, I would say she’s done a better job than even Trenchard.

[Seacoaster(1)]

German Shepherd Dog.
Down a couple, Apuzzo scores, then wins the draw, then wins it again and is relentlessly chasing down players.
She plays with an incredible intensity, GSD like. You really don't want to be up one or two with a few minutes
left v Apuzzo, she's coming after you at that point. Didn't catch up and get the W yesterday but I still wouldn't
bet against her at that point in a game.

Gotcha. She’s the best.

[njbill]

I obviously jinxed Taylor. North goes on to score two straight.

[DMac]

Missed most of the 2nd half, saw Halle score the dagger though. Love her stick in front of the cage like that, renders the GK helpless.
Mastroianni yet to lose a game, I believe.

[njbill]

Yeah, she is the quintessential garbage goal scorer. I thought she got two yellows and was out of the game. AU must have a different rule on yellow cards, I guess.

[LaxFan2000]

Yeah, she is the quintessential garbage goal scorer. I thought she got two yellows and was out of the game. AU must have a different rule on yellow cards, I guess.

I believe it is 3 yellows in this league.

[njbill]

Well, they do say the players make the rules. You can probably safely say that any AU rules that are different than college rules have been put in place because the players don’t like the college rules.

[Lax247]

Yeah, she is the quintessential garbage goal scorer. I thought she got two yellows and was out of the game. AU must have a different rule on yellow cards, I guess.

who?

[njbill]

Majorana. Meant as a compliment. She picks up the garbage in front of the goal and puts it in.

[Bart]

They really should consider moving these weekend games to different cities. I know that opens up financial issues but the in person attendance seems awful. I’d think 3 days of games in 1 location saturates the market. How many weeks of 3 days of games at 1 site?

It’s a pretty good product. Move it around.

[njbill]

It would be nice if they moved it around, but if they did that, they might have to move the entire season to one new location, I think. While they are pro athletes now and really should be able to move around from city to city like other pro athletes do, my guess is the players would veto that. I suspect they would want to stay in one place. But, yeah, let’s move it somewhere other than Maryland. Share the wealth.

Would attendance be any better elsewhere? Don’t know, but it couldn’t be worse. I suppose the only positive in the lack of fans is that I doubt gate revenue is important to overall league viability.

The current format whereby they make up new teams each week is OK, but I’m ready for something new. How about one week teams made up of graduates of, say, UNC, Maryland, BC, and Syracuse? Those who didn’t graduate from those schools could fill in spots via a draft. Or teams made up of Long Island, Maryland, etc. natives. Those two regions might be able to field one team on their own. Maybe combine New Jersey and Pennsylvania for a team and upstate and New England for another. Something different to spice things up.

I’d be interested in knowing the economics of the league. Normally, pro leagues get revenue from TV contracts and the gate (plus other miscellaneous stuff). Looks like from the banners that there are a few sponsors which I presume pay the league. Is ESPN paying money and, if so, how much? Is ESPN making back its contribution from TV ad revenue?

What kind of ratings numbers is ESPN getting? Maybe I don’t want to know.

On the other side of the coin, what are the players being paid? Is the league picking up their housing costs?

Is the league profitable? I would think not, which raises the concern about whether it will return next year. Hope so, but women’s pro lacrosse leagues don’t have a good track record for longevity.

I do like the idea that US Lacrosse is getting some revenue for their field rental.

I like DMac’s idea of using the Dome next year. Among other things, it would increase the chances of Kayla Treanor playing which in and of itself would be a really good thing. And it would avoid the weather problems. They really got snake bit this week with having to move games and TV channels. But it is hard to avoid weather issues when you play in the afternoon in August.