Johns Hopkins 2023

[HopFan16]

Not sure anyone — especially the staff and players — were using fatigue as an "excuse." In fact if you listened to the postgame presser it was clear that was not the case. There's a difference between an excuse and an explanation. The fatigue can be a reason they lost without it being used to excuse the fact that they weren't able to overcome it.

Utah is by no means a cupcake, but the normal week of rest against a theoretically more manageable opponent is what this team needs to get healthier and get back on track. The Utes have put up some pretty big goal totals their last two games, but have also allowed a lot on the other end. Might be exactly the type of game environment the offense needs after the dud vs. Loyola. Hopefully they're closer to full strength.

5k attendance at Ridley. Got to hand it to those Loyola students, they bring it every year. Though I did notice a larger-than-usual Hopkins student section as well who made the short trip. I know the school had arranged buses to/from Homewood.

[jrn19]

Hard to measure these things but Hopkins box score had them at 22 guys who played against UNC. That’s generally a number that you want to be around. It did feel like they shortened the bench offensively in the 2H which may have been unwise considering how it slowed down and they just couldn’t make things happen but also there were injuries that came out after the fact. As we saw, UNC looked a lot like Hop did in the 2H of their game against OSU.

[nyjay]

So what the hell is up with that helmet switch? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. You do that after 3 games? Things probably pretty frosty with STX. Do all the injured guys have concussions or something? Very, very weird.

[OCanada]

STX was started by a Hopkins lacrosse player, Last time i was there it had a former player as President.

It does seem odd.

I expect 2016 probably knows the details

[HopFan16]

Do all the injured guys have concussions or something?

Actually, yes. Well not everyone, but the two key attackmen who were out against Loyola — yes.

Brings me back to the non-call on the crosscheck to Peshko's head vs. UNC. There were one or two others that should have been called but weren't. Not that we'd have cashed in on the EMO anyway but the point is there was a lot of preseason talk about trying to better protect players from head injuries and for one game at least, the refs weren't interested.

I was just starting to come around on the STXs too. They look less melon-like the more you look at them.

[51percentcorn]

This is a story I admit I would like to know more of the details. As Marcille's injury demonstrated - none of us are woodpeckers (one of nature's most impressive BIOM feats) and a helmet can only do so much. So to switch out completely?? Wow.

On another topic - the Hopkins EMO - while the 0-7 is as the ol ball coach would say "Not very good" there are some factors to consider:
- 6 of the 7 opportunities have been of the technical 30 second variety and I wonder what the success rate of 30 seconds vs 1 minute EMOs is? Half? Let's just roll with that SWAG for a sec - so if your EMO is humming in the 40's percentile ( I took one of the great Hopkins passing teams -2003 and they were at 47% - the undefeated 2005 team was at 35%) then you might target the 20's up to 30 percent for 30 second fouls? So if they had scored twice on the 30 second fouls they would likely be well above average (33%) and just once not so horrible on average.
- In half the games they received only 1 opportunity - and the Jacksonville EMO it was the smart play to really hold the ball. In the Georgetown game they got the look I think they wanted but I forget who practically threw the ball onto University Parkway.
- The Loyola EMOs didn't look great but of course 1/3 of your EMO was missing - depending upon when these concussions occurred - practice time could have been very little
- You of course did need to score 2 men up against Carolina for 30 seconds - that could have cut the deficit to one. That's the one that really got away.

So JC needs time and hopefully it will improve

[steel_hop]

- You of course did need to score 2 men up against Carolina for 30 seconds - that could have cut the deficit to one. That's the one that really got away.

So JC needs time and hopefully it will improve

Stats are one of the stories on the EMO but just watching it, it just doesn't look crisp. The ball is staying in kids stick too long. It needs to "spin" as they say now. The quicker it moves, the more the defense moves and then is out of place. 30 second is plenty of time to put a team in a bad spot to get off a good shot.

[primitiveskills]

This is a story I admit I would like to know more of the details. As Marcille's injury demonstrated - none of us are woodpeckers (one of nature's most impressive BIOM feats) and a helmet can only do so much. So to switch out completely?? Wow.

Definitely a strange and dramatic story. Agree helmets can only do so much. The fact that multiple concussions are happening in practice is pretty concerning, though. I won't claim to know how PM runs practices, but concussions happening in practice are pretty uncommon because generally the types of hits that cause concussions (hits to the head or hits on defenseless players) don't happen in practice (or at least you really hope they are not happening). If true that both Melendez and Angelus were concussed last week in practice, that should raise some flags.

In any event, I'll give the staff and administration credit for making the decision. If there's a potential conflict between a sponsorship arangement and players' brain health, you would hope that you'd choose players' brain health every time.

[HopFan16]

This is a story I admit I would like to know more of the details. As Marcille's injury demonstrated - none of us are woodpeckers (one of nature's most impressive BIOM feats) and a helmet can only do so much. So to switch out completely?? Wow.

Definitely a strange and dramatic story. Agree helmets can only do so much. The fact that multiple concussions are happening in practice is pretty concerning, though. I won't claim to know how PM runs practices, but concussions happening in practice are pretty uncommon because generally the types of hits that cause concussions (hits to the head or hits on defenseless players) don't happen in practice (or at least you really hope they are not happening). If true that both Melendez and Angelus were concussed last week in practice, that should raise some flags.

In any event, I'll give the staff and administration credit for making the decision. If there's a potential conflict between a sponsorship arangement and players' brain health, you would hope that you'd choose players' brain health every time.

They happened in the UNC game, not during practice.

Concussion symptoms don't always manifest immediately which is likely what happened here. Often you'll feel okay in the moment only for the symptoms to set in hours later. I remember playing flag football at the practice fields behind the rec center my senior year when an overzealous and possibly drunk frat star clotheslined me on a crossing route. I was a little shaken up but it wasn't till later I woke up in the middle of the night with a pounding headache, nauseous and disoriented. The ER doc at Union Memorial asked if I had hit my head recently. I told him not exactly but some absolute goon in Pike did try to rip my head off. Long story short: The two players in question might not have noticed anything was wrong until the game was over and unlike the NFL, college lax unfortunately does not have concussion spotters whose job it is to notice these things. Like I said before, I think the refs in that game set the tone early that they were going to let UNC hit high and late.

[primitiveskills]

This is a story I admit I would like to know more of the details. As Marcille's injury demonstrated - none of us are woodpeckers (one of nature's most impressive BIOM feats) and a helmet can only do so much. So to switch out completely?? Wow.

Definitely a strange and dramatic story. Agree helmets can only do so much. The fact that multiple concussions are happening in practice is pretty concerning, though. I won't claim to know how PM runs practices, but concussions happening in practice are pretty uncommon because generally the types of hits that cause concussions (hits to the head or hits on defenseless players) don't happen in practice (or at least you really hope they are not happening). If true that both Melendez and Angelus were concussed last week in practice, that should raise some flags.

In any event, I'll give the staff and administration credit for making the decision. If there's a potential conflict between a sponsorship arangement and players' brain health, you would hope that you'd choose players' brain health every time.

They happened in the UNC game, not during practice.

Concussion symptoms don't always manifest immediately which is likely what happened here. Often you'll feel okay in the moment only for the symptoms to set in hours later. I remember playing flag football at the practice fields behind the rec center my senior year when an overzealous and possibly drunk frat star clotheslined me on a crossing route. I was a little shaken up but it wasn't till later I woke up in the middle of the night with a pounding headache, nauseous and disoriented. The ER doc at Union Memorial asked if I had hit my head recently. I told him not exactly but some absolute goon in Pike did try to rip my head off. Long story short: The two players in question might not have noticed anything was wrong until the game was over and unlike the NFL, college lax unfortunately does not have concussion spotters whose job it is to notice these things. Like I said before, I think the refs in that game set the tone early that they were going to let UNC hit high and late.

Fair enough. I thought the inference was that those injuries occurred in practice. I am well familiar with the onset, course, and longer-term complications of concussion (from both professional and, unfortunately, personal family experience). Nonetheless, I will maintain my last thought, which is if there is even a doubt/ consideration about equipment being an issue, the right answer is to address the equipment.

[dms87]

5k attendance at Ridley.

It was a perfect weather day for lacrosse and that facility is wonderful. My 2 cents from being in person:

1. Hop O did try many things to get easier looks (even in the 4th Q when they were picking down low a lot and getting into the middle of the field effectively) but the Loyola D, goalie and gb play was just superior.
2. So many basic stick skill turnovers, brutal- just saps energy
3. this is the best Hop D and goalie play I have seen in 10 years-I think it can continue
4. Hop needs to look to push transition when available, 2-3 easy goals a game is vital, but it wasn't there Sat, I did see impressive hustle to get back into the hole many times to slow fast break opportunities
5. please play more players, it can absolutely work plus the team needs to feel that sense of trust in each other
6. EMO-what are their key concepts? I am not seeing it yet but it is early.
7. Losing to Loyola sucks but they seem like a complete team

[nyjay]

Fair enough. I thought the inference was that those injuries occurred in practice. I am well familiar with the onset, course, and longer-term complications of concussion (from both professional and, unfortunately, personal family experience). Nonetheless, I will maintain my last thought, which is if there is even a doubt/ consideration about equipment being an issue, the right answer is to address the equipment.

I know I started this speculation (the concussion remark was mostly in jest), but I really can't believe the switch had anything to do with the concussions. We joke about the STX lids, but the company that makes them (Schutt) is legit and knows what they're doing. And they've been used for few years for a lot of major programs (Duke and UNC and many others still use them). There has to be something else (probably $ related) going on, but I have no idea what it is.

[hmmm]

Fair enough. I thought the inference was that those injuries occurred in practice. I am well familiar with the onset, course, and longer-term complications of concussion (from both professional and, unfortunately, personal family experience). Nonetheless, I will maintain my last thought, which is if there is even a doubt/ consideration about equipment being an issue, the right answer is to address the equipment.

I know I started this speculation (the concussion remark was mostly in jest), but I really can't believe the switch had anything to do with the concussions. We joke about the STX lids, but the company that makes them (Schutt) is legit and knows what they're doing. And they've been used for few years for a lot of major programs (Duke and UNC and many others still use them). There has to be something else (probably $ related) going on, but I have no idea what it is.

The switch had everything to do with the concussions. It wasn't just the most recent 2. Whether or not the STX helmets were the culprits or not the AD decided not to just sit on their hands and ignore what was going on.

[nyjay]

Fair enough. I thought the inference was that those injuries occurred in practice. I am well familiar with the onset, course, and longer-term complications of concussion (from both professional and, unfortunately, personal family experience). Nonetheless, I will maintain my last thought, which is if there is even a doubt/ consideration about equipment being an issue, the right answer is to address the equipment.

I know I started this speculation (the concussion remark was mostly in jest), but I really can't believe the switch had anything to do with the concussions. We joke about the STX lids, but the company that makes them (Schutt) is legit and knows what they're doing. And they've been used for few years for a lot of major programs (Duke and UNC and many others still use them). There has to be something else (probably $ related) going on, but I have no idea what it is.

The switch had everything to do with the concussions. It wasn't just the most recent 2. Whether or not the STX helmets were the culprits or not the AD decided not to just sit on their hands and ignore what was going on.

Not doubting you, but that's a wild situation.

[OCanada]

In the past Hopkins dropped its glove manufacturer when thumb injuries began to manifest. It was fairly well known.

Given STX has a wide distribution and apparently no others are claiming the concussion issue it makes no statistical sense. Maybe it is a shared element but not causative. Given the two players effected it also seems more of an anomaly to me w perhaps another cause. That said safety is the primary concern so you act on your belief. My concussion occurred in an event that almost cost my eye, involved 66 stitches and had me in a bed for a week. You don’t make bets you cannot afford to lose

[hmmm]

In the past Hopkins dropped its glove manufacturer when thumb injuries began to manifest. It was fairly well known.

Given STX has a wide distribution and apparently no others are claiming the concussion issue it makes no statistical sense. Maybe it is a shared element but not causative. Given the two players effected it also seems more of an anomaly to me w perhaps another cause. That said safety is the primary concern so you act on your belief. My concussion occurred in an event that almost cost my eye, involved 66 stitches and had me in a bed for a week. You don’t make bets you cannot afford to lose

There have been other concussion issues this spring beyond those 2. There have been several. The final 2 were the straws that broke the camel's back on that front. The AD felt like they had to do something.

[wgdsr]

any coach (or ad) that is seeing a decent sized uptick in concussions may look into it. or at least they should. there's a minimum standard of course that needs to pass to be approved, and a coach or a.d. can do further due diligence by asking the manufacturers to share the data on testing. and if that doesn't work, by contacting nocsae or sei.

i'd guess they did a little bit of homework.

[nyjay]

In the past Hopkins dropped its glove manufacturer when thumb injuries began to manifest. It was fairly well known.

Given STX has a wide distribution and apparently no others are claiming the concussion issue it makes no statistical sense. Maybe it is a shared element but not causative. Given the two players effected it also seems more of an anomaly to me w perhaps another cause. That said safety is the primary concern so you act on your belief. My concussion occurred in an event that almost cost my eye, involved 66 stitches and had me in a bed for a week. You don’t make bets you cannot afford to lose

There have been other concussion issues this spring beyond those 2. There have been several. The final 2 were the straws that broke the camel's back on that front. The AD felt like they had to do something.

That's a pretty big black eye for STX. Gotta wonder what the other programs who use those lids think about it.

[jhu06]

Don't let facts get in th eway of a good story - To blame it on the schedule without any real evidence is what is moronic
Szuluk - injured in practice before the season
McDermott - according to QK I believe injured in practice after one game
Deans - only played in one game
Evans/Maher/English - have not played to date
So only Angelus and Melendez are candidates for the schedule nonsense
The schedule did not cause Marcille's head to hit Mazzone's knee (Or whomever's knee)

So without 4 starters and arguably your two most versatile if not the best offensive players and virtually all of your midfield depth you were bringing a dull spoon to a machete fight and had no hope. WHat I would take issue with the staff over is that only 24 guys played in an 11-2 game and only 2 offensive subs Smith and Phillips - maybe 10 SSDMs is not the way to go - Charboneau? Krampf? Teachout? they should have played if dressed.

Scheduling and injuries aren't excuses. This is Hopkins, you're expected to play and beat the best and have kids ready to step up. We get the same number of scholarships as the acc. One of PM's best comments was when he corrected one of QK's many misses "That this was still petro's team-actually quint these are my players because I'm the coach and I want them here", he's had years now to prowl the country and roster for the necessary talent to win in the coaching and playing ranks. I think he said that either mazzone or melendez was a kid he'd been after since cornell and had a connection to his older brother. In fairness to PM who I've been as critical with as anyone, the defense and goaltending have been hits and jameson is working w/similar guys from the petro regime as crawley is. We also hit this "our front line guys stink do we have anyone else?" thing for years w/Petro on and off over his last 15 years usually in march/april and he'd had years at Homewood to build and re build and re rebuild his roster and program. You play veteran coaches with quality rosters and they are going to rise and expose you.

They should smash the fighting Majeruses (RIP) beat a competitive st joes and then 6 games in, you'd think they could give UVA a fight. I didn't see in the game notes when the last time we beat a top 5 team in february, much less at all, but it's been awhile and there should be confidence that a veteran offense and new coach should warm up with the weather.

[DocBarrister]

- You of course did need to score 2 men up against Carolina for 30 seconds - that could have cut the deficit to one. That's the one that really got away.

So JC needs time and hopefully it will improve

Stats are one of the stories on the EMO but just watching it, it just doesn't look crisp. The ball is staying in kids stick too long. It needs to "spin" as they say now. The quicker it moves, the more the defense moves and then is out of place. 30 second is plenty of time to put a team in a bad spot to get off a good shot.

We have all seen good Hopkins EMO play in prior seasons.

Obviously, the current EMO has “issues” … namely, lack of zip on ball movement and inadequate off-ball movement by the players. The entire EMO is just too static.

It’s also difficult to understand what they are trying to do on EMO.

Blue Jays have played some stellar defenses. Maybe some lighter competition will “fix” these deficiencies on EMO.

I’m skeptical but hopeful.

DocBarrister