Syracuse 2023

[ohmilax34]

I think Spallina will improve. However, as someone who has followed his career since high school, he has always been the type to want his points, and it can be frustrating to watch. Even when he finally found the net against Vermont, he celebrated all by himself (It was a big goal and his first in college, so I get the excitement). Overall, he is definitely too talented for any of you to say he is a bust after one game lol, just a total overreaction. I do however think he will need to mature and change his game to find similar success from HS.

^^Good post...one of the few here so far.

A couple of bones to pick with the board:

1. Gait said in the press conference that he wants Spallina to be more of a standard X assist guy. Are we under the impression that in all of Fall ball and preseason, that Gait didn't stress to Spallina that that was his role, not to fire off 15 solo shots? Because if Gary did stress that, then Spallina went rogue in his very first game; if Gary didn't stress that, then I'm equally concerned because apparently we're running our offense on the fly now. So which is it, fellas?

2. Why didn't Gary at least pull the kid for a few minutes to tell him to dump the ball off once in a while? Let someone else go in for a few and see what they can do. The kids on Cuse's bench aren't exactly chump change. A humbling bench trip can do wonders for any player.

3. If you played college ball and a freshman came on the very first game and fired 15 shots and had one goal to show for it, most teammates would be supremely hacked off. Hero-ball might work in high school or if you play for Lars Tiffany; otherwise this is a team sport.

4. The solo celebration on the one goal says a lot. It should you, too. ayfkm...

I swear, sometimes I feel our fans are as delusional as the Hopkins fans. Why refrain from calling out bad play...the dad has been in an open arms race with Millon's dad in Baltimore to see who can hype their kid the most/worst. Do not under any circumstance excuse it. The solo celebration...jfc.

I'm gonna start pulling for Hobart, Army, Colgate, or St. Lawrence if this stuff continues.

Please start rooting for those other teams. I thought Syracuse had smart fans. You don't fit that mold.

1) If nobody slides to a standard X attackman, he should shoot. Then in future games he will draw more slides and be able to make passes to open guys. 1 for 15 shooting is bad, but Spallina did the right thing.

2) This is not how college lacrosse teams work. You don't throw someone in to see what they can do. There are plenty of time outs to discuss offensive strategy. No need to pull a freshman starting his first game.

3) Lars tiffany is a fantastic coach who has won multiple national championships. The Syracuse players likely understand what they're trying to accomplish on offense, and see why Spallina took so many shots.

4) I am definitely not going to criticize a freshman in their first game scoring a big goal after not scoring on so many shots. I'm sure he was going through a lot of emotions. He celebrated his teammates' goals with them and he celebrated his own goal with his teammates.

Seriously, bye.

[GaitsRightHand]

If Spallina dodged/ran as fast as he did during his celly after scoring that goal, he'd be an elite attackman. Elite X attackman beat their man. Spallina was having trouble bull dodging AE defenders, good luck in the ACC- where they are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter.

Also, that was a moving screen on his goal.
https://twitter.com/USALacrosseMag/stat ... 3158327299

[Gatsby]

I got the impression they were trying to show off how improved this team is and how it's back to Syracuse style lacrosse, with numerous BTB passes and shots throughout the game. Spallina took the first shot of the game less than a minute in, on the diving attempt, which seemed like a premeditated effort to make a big splash with the new #22 scoring the first goal of the season on a flashy play. Now that the first game is passed, maybe they'll settle down.

[ohmilax34]

If Spallina dodged/ran as fast as he did during his celly after scoring that goal, he'd be an elite attackman. Elite X attackman beat their man. Spallina was having trouble bull dodging AE defenders, good luck in the ACC- where they are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter.

Also, that was a moving screen on his goal.
https://twitter.com/USALacrosseMag/stat ... 3158327299

Meh, Thomson looked set to me when the defender ran into him.

[GaitsRightHand]

If Spallina dodged/ran as fast as he did during his celly after scoring that goal, he'd be an elite attackman. Elite X attackman beat their man. Spallina was having trouble bull dodging AE defenders, good luck in the ACC- where they are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter.

Also, that was a moving screen on his goal.
https://twitter.com/USALacrosseMag/stat ... 3158327299

Meh, Thomson looked set to me when the defender ran into him.

Lol, readjusting your footing to set the pick when his shoulder is already touching yours? Idk man. Glad you're not a ref though.

[wgdsr]

I think Spallina will improve. However, as someone who has followed his career since high school, he has always been the type to want his points, and it can be frustrating to watch. Even when he finally found the net against Vermont, he celebrated all by himself (It was a big goal and his first in college, so I get the excitement). Overall, he is definitely too talented for any of you to say he is a bust after one game lol, just a total overreaction. I do however think he will need to mature and change his game to find similar success from HS.

^^Good post...one of the few here so far.

A couple of bones to pick with the board:

1. Gait said in the press conference that he wants Spallina to be more of a standard X assist guy. Are we under the impression that in all of Fall ball and preseason, that Gait didn't stress to Spallina that that was his role, not to fire off 15 solo shots? Because if Gary did stress that, then Spallina went rogue in his very first game; if Gary didn't stress that, then I'm equally concerned because apparently we're running our offense on the fly now. So which is it, fellas?

2. Why didn't Gary at least pull the kid for a few minutes to tell him to dump the ball off once in a while? Let someone else go in for a few and see what they can do. The kids on Cuse's bench aren't exactly chump change. A humbling bench trip can do wonders for any player.

3. If you played college ball and a freshman came on the very first game and fired 15 shots and had one goal to show for it, most teammates would be supremely hacked off. Hero-ball might work in high school or if you play for Lars Tiffany; otherwise this is a team sport.

4. The solo celebration on the one goal says a lot. It should you, too. ayfkm...

I swear, sometimes I feel our fans are as delusional as the Hopkins fans. Why refrain from calling out bad play...the dad has been in an open arms race with Millon's dad in Baltimore to see who can hype their kid the most/worst. Do not under any circumstance excuse it. The solo celebration...jfc.

I'm gonna start pulling for Hobart, Army, Colgate, or St. Lawrence if this stuff continues.

lmao... virginia has about 200 more assists than 'cuse since tiffany moved down south. don't think changing teams is gonna help much for that either, as maybe the terps have as many, and that's the list.

[ohmilax34]

If Spallina dodged/ran as fast as he did during his celly after scoring that goal, he'd be an elite attackman. Elite X attackman beat their man. Spallina was having trouble bull dodging AE defenders, good luck in the ACC- where they are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter.

Also, that was a moving screen on his goal.
https://twitter.com/USALacrosseMag/stat ... 3158327299

Meh, Thomson looked set to me when the defender ran into him.

Lol, readjusting your footing to set the pick when his shoulder is already touching yours? Idk man. Glad you're not a ref though.

Actually, refs calling moving picks too often, because they don't understand what's going on. And you're being a little disingenuous. SU's #23 sets a pick. By the time UVM's #48 makes contact with him, #23 is set. He isn't getting more in #48's way as contact is made. #23 moved his feet together at the last moment. #48 pushes him (legally). After #23 is pushed, he moves. All subsequent contact between #48 and #23 after the push is #48 making contact with #23 with his hands as he's trying to get around #23. Neither the first contact, nor the second contact seems like a moving pick to me.

[GaitsRightHand]

If Spallina dodged/ran as fast as he did during his celly after scoring that goal, he'd be an elite attackman. Elite X attackman beat their man. Spallina was having trouble bull dodging AE defenders, good luck in the ACC- where they are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter.

Also, that was a moving screen on his goal.
https://twitter.com/USALacrosseMag/stat ... 3158327299

Meh, Thomson looked set to me when the defender ran into him.

Lol, readjusting your footing to set the pick when his shoulder is already touching yours? Idk man. Glad you're not a ref though.

Actually, refs calling moving picks too often, because they don't understand what's going on. And you're being a little disingenuous. SU's #23 sets a pick. By the time UVM's #48 makes contact with him, #23 is set. He isn't getting more in #48's way as contact is made. #23 moved his feet together at the last moment. #48 pushes him (legally). After #23 is pushed, he moves. All subsequent contact between #48 and #23 after the push is #48 making contact with #23 with his hands as he's trying to get around #23. Neither the first contact, nor the second contact seems like a moving pick to me.

Pause at 0:00 and then pause at 0:01... his footing changed. If he stayed in his original positioning, #23 probably wouldn't have had to tip toe the crease after the defender made contact with him.

[OCanada]

Given moving picks are a point of emphasis this year it is likely to take time to get everyone on the same page. Seems certain thete will be more calls made than in the recent past

[ohmilax34]

If Spallina dodged/ran as fast as he did during his celly after scoring that goal, he'd be an elite attackman. Elite X attackman beat their man. Spallina was having trouble bull dodging AE defenders, good luck in the ACC- where they are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter.

Also, that was a moving screen on his goal.
https://twitter.com/USALacrosseMag/stat ... 3158327299

Meh, Thomson looked set to me when the defender ran into him.

Lol, readjusting your footing to set the pick when his shoulder is already touching yours? Idk man. Glad you're not a ref though.

Actually, refs calling moving picks too often, because they don't understand what's going on. And you're being a little disingenuous. SU's #23 sets a pick. By the time UVM's #48 makes contact with him, #23 is set. He isn't getting more in #48's way as contact is made. #23 moved his feet together at the last moment. #48 pushes him (legally). After #23 is pushed, he moves. All subsequent contact between #48 and #23 after the push is #48 making contact with #23 with his hands as he's trying to get around #23. Neither the first contact, nor the second contact seems like a moving pick to me.

Pause at 0:00 and then pause at 0:01... his footing changed. If he stayed in his original positioning, #23 probably wouldn't have had to tip toe the crease after the defender made contact with him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8izfRwzUGaE&t=547s
I watched at .25 speed around 9:04. Thomson's right foot hits the turf as the defender contacts him. Seems clean to me.

[HopFan16]

Initial contact to me looks kosher. After that as Thomson is backpedaling, he's still impeding the progress of the defenseman, which at full speed creates the impression of a moving pick. A bit surprised it wasn't called but not sure that it actually was a violation. In any case, I don't think it changed the outcome of the play. Spallina lets go of the ball at a pretty severe angle, 5 yards away from the defenseman who ran into the pick. Awful D from the shortie on the switch and the shot probably should have been saved. Moving pick was the least of UVM's problems on the play.

[ohmilax34]

Given moving picks are a point of emphasis this year it is likely to take time to get everyone on the same page. Seems certain thete will be more calls made than in the recent past

I'm cool with there being more emphasis in getting the call right. I definitely don't think they need to call more moving picks.

[jrn19]

Feel like I’ve heard “moving picks are a point of emphasis this year” every year for the last decade

[wgdsr]

Given moving picks are a point of emphasis this year it is likely to take time to get everyone on the same page. Seems certain thete will be more calls made than in the recent past

you should watch a high school game sometime. it's like there's a bonus pool every game for who can call it the most.

[stupefied]

I think Spallina will improve. However, as someone who has followed his career since high school, he has always been the type to want his points, and it can be frustrating to watch. Even when he finally found the net against Vermont, he celebrated all by himself (It was a big goal and his first in college, so I get the excitement). Overall, he is definitely too talented for any of you to say he is a bust after one game lol, just a total overreaction. I do however think he will need to mature and change his game to find similar success from HS.

^^Good post...one of the few here so far.

A couple of bones to pick with the board:

1. Gait said in the press conference that he wants Spallina to be more of a standard X assist guy. Are we under the impression that in all of Fall ball and preseason, that Gait didn't stress to Spallina that that was his role, not to fire off 15 solo shots? Because if Gary did stress that, then Spallina went rogue in his very first game; if Gary didn't stress that, then I'm equally concerned because apparently we're running our offense on the fly now. So which is it, fellas?

2. Why didn't Gary at least pull the kid for a few minutes to tell him to dump the ball off once in a while? Let someone else go in for a few and see what they can do. The kids on Cuse's bench aren't exactly chump change. A humbling bench trip can do wonders for any player.

3. If you played college ball and a freshman came on the very first game and fired 15 shots and had one goal to show for it, most teammates would be supremely hacked off. Hero-ball might work in high school or if you play for Lars Tiffany; otherwise this is a team sport.

4. The solo celebration on the one goal says a lot. It should you, too. ayfkm...

I swear, sometimes I feel our fans are as delusional as the Hopkins fans. Why refrain from calling out bad play...the dad has been in an open arms race with Millon's dad in Baltimore to see who can hype their kid the most/worst. Do not under any circumstance excuse it. The solo celebration...jfc.

I'm gonna start pulling for Hobart, Army, Colgate, or St. Lawrence if this stuff continues.

lmao... virginia has about 200 more assists than 'cuse since tiffany moved down south. don't think changing teams is gonna help much for that either, as maybe the terps have as many, and that's the list.

From all Ive been told, he's a genuinely nice kid who has been positioned by dad and others to be the feature and knows little else. He has good vision and can pass well which should be more of a a emphasis . Cuse did retain posssesion on most errant misses but taking 15 shots in first game is definitely a bit much.

[OldRedLax]

Would also add that I think Finn Thomson looks like an exceptional talent.

[henryben]

I think Spallina will improve. However, as someone who has followed his career since high school, he has always been the type to want his points, and it can be frustrating to watch. Even when he finally found the net against Vermont, he celebrated all by himself (It was a big goal and his first in college, so I get the excitement). Overall, he is definitely too talented for any of you to say he is a bust after one game lol, just a total overreaction. I do however think he will need to mature and change his game to find similar success from HS.

^^Good post...one of the few here so far.

A couple of bones to pick with the board:

1. Gait said in the press conference that he wants Spallina to be more of a standard X assist guy. Are we under the impression that in all of Fall ball and preseason, that Gait didn't stress to Spallina that that was his role, not to fire off 15 solo shots? Because if Gary did stress that, then Spallina went rogue in his very first game; if Gary didn't stress that, then I'm equally concerned because apparently we're running our offense on the fly now. So which is it, fellas?

2. Why didn't Gary at least pull the kid for a few minutes to tell him to dump the ball off once in a while? Let someone else go in for a few and see what they can do. The kids on Cuse's bench aren't exactly chump change. A humbling bench trip can do wonders for any player.

3. If you played college ball and a freshman came on the very first game and fired 15 shots and had one goal to show for it, most teammates would be supremely hacked off. Hero-ball might work in high school or if you play for Lars Tiffany; otherwise this is a team sport.

4. The solo celebration on the one goal says a lot. It should you, too. ayfkm...

I swear, sometimes I feel our fans are as delusional as the Hopkins fans. Why refrain from calling out bad play...the dad has been in an open arms race with Millon's dad in Baltimore to see who can hype their kid the most/worst. Do not under any circumstance excuse it. The solo celebration...jfc.

I'm gonna start pulling for Hobart, Army, Colgate, or St. Lawrence if this stuff continues.

lmao... virginia has about 200 more assists than 'cuse since tiffany moved down south. don't think changing teams is gonna help much for that either, as maybe the terps have as many, and that's the list.

From all Ive been told, he's a genuinely nice kid who has been positioned by dad and others to be the feature and knows little else. He has good vision and can pass well which should be more of a a emphasis . Cuse did retain posssesion on most errant misses but taking 15 shots in first game is definitely a bit much.

I feel bad for any kid who's been promoted by his parents since he was a pre-teen. If he's made it through that without becoming a total jerk, that's a credit to his character.

[10stone5]

Finlay Thomson, behind the back,

------------------------------

finlay-thomson-behindtheback.jpg (49.11 KiB) Viewed 489 times

[DMac]

Not only BTB, but delivered with precision too.
That went exactly where it had to be...nice lead.

[flalax22]

I think Spallina will improve. However, as someone who has followed his career since high school, he has always been the type to want his points, and it can be frustrating to watch. Even when he finally found the net against Vermont, he celebrated all by himself (It was a big goal and his first in college, so I get the excitement). Overall, he is definitely too talented for any of you to say he is a bust after one game lol, just a total overreaction. I do however think he will need to mature and change his game to find similar success from HS.

^^Good post...one of the few here so far.

A couple of bones to pick with the board:

1. Gait said in the press conference that he wants Spallina to be more of a standard X assist guy. Are we under the impression that in all of Fall ball and preseason, that Gait didn't stress to Spallina that that was his role, not to fire off 15 solo shots? Because if Gary did stress that, then Spallina went rogue in his very first game; if Gary didn't stress that, then I'm equally concerned because apparently we're running our offense on the fly now. So which is it, fellas?

2. Why didn't Gary at least pull the kid for a few minutes to tell him to dump the ball off once in a while? Let someone else go in for a few and see what they can do. The kids on Cuse's bench aren't exactly chump change. A humbling bench trip can do wonders for any player.

3. If you played college ball and a freshman came on the very first game and fired 15 shots and had one goal to show for it, most teammates would be supremely hacked off. Hero-ball might work in high school or if you play for Lars Tiffany; otherwise this is a team sport.

4. The solo celebration on the one goal says a lot. It should you, too. ayfkm...

I swear, sometimes I feel our fans are as delusional as the Hopkins fans. Why refrain from calling out bad play...the dad has been in an open arms race with Millon's dad in Baltimore to see who can hype their kid the most/worst. Do not under any circumstance excuse it. The solo celebration...jfc.

I'm gonna start pulling for Hobart, Army, Colgate, or St. Lawrence if this stuff continues.

lmao... virginia has about 200 more assists than 'cuse since tiffany moved down south. don't think changing teams is gonna help much for that either, as maybe the terps have as many, and that's the list.

From all Ive been told, he's a genuinely nice kid who has been positioned by dad and others to be the feature and knows little else. He has good vision and can pass well which should be more of a a emphasis . Cuse did retain posssesion on most errant misses but taking 15 shots in first game is definitely a bit much.

I’ve heard the same. A fine young man that can’t help that dad, uncle and team91 are using him as the poster boy. They have put him in a horrible position.