THE 2019 Hopkins Lacrosse Fallout Shelter (44, we want more!)

[Hoponboard]

Zinn gb pick up, spin, sprint and look off feed. The epitome of athleticism and skill.

I can look at that play a hundred times.

[Homer]

Maybe we're both cherry picking. We'll find out soon.

Was really hoping against hope we could've come up with one more play tonight and made all of this academic. What a game.

Just want to be clear that I do think it's more likely than not that the Jays hear their name called tomorrow. Enough of what needed to happen happened for them this week to feel good about their chances. If they don't make it, though, my reaction will be disappointment and mild surprise, not shock and disbelief. Either way they have absolutely nothing to apologize for -- tremendous effort this past week and change to come back from where we all thought they were back on Easter.

[beastboyz99]

I will be surprised if I don't hear the Blue Jay's name called tomorrow... Can't undermine tonight's OT game against arguably the best team in the country.

[HopFan16]

If we do get in I think there's a very good chance they ship us up the street to either Loyola or Towson. I don't love the idea of seeing Spencer or Woodall again but both would be opportunities to avenge early season losses—and the Jays are not the same team they were in February. The committee is not supposed to use the "eye test" in their deliberations, but certainly, if they've watched the Blue Jays over the last week or two they will have seen a team that is tournament ready. Luckily I do think we have the numbers to back it up.

[genesrfree]

Geez, two weeks ago, a lot of your "so-called" Hopkins fans were cashing in your chips, firing coaches, talking about players. Now read your posts!!! As a fan of the game and onlooker of these posts, I have less and less respect for this program because of what I read.

Good teams get better. You folks bailed. I don't think Hopkins makes it to the final four, but they hung with the best team and they sealed their ticket last night, even with a loss.

[cantrelax]

Exciting, inspired play for the last two weeks with backs to the wall...that's character! My vote counts for nothing, but if it did - Jays would be IN! The Charm City will be hopping with lax and horse racing the next two weeks! Should be fun!

[44WeWantMore]

Look at this bleeping groundball

https://twitter.com/Inside_Lacrosse/sta ... 7627021312

I think I read a post on this forum about the unsung hard work a middies do on defense, ground ball, and clearing it to the attack, who cans the shot and gets all glory.

[DMac]

Geez, two weeks ago, a lot of your "so-called" Hopkins fans were cashing in your chips, firing coaches, talking about players. Now read your posts!!! As a fan of the game and onlooker of these posts, I have less and less respect for this program because of what I read.

Except for the much maligned DocBarrister. Turns out he's the best, and perhaps most knowledgeable, fan Hop's got, eh?

[44WeWantMore]

Part of coaching is making adjustments. The team that beat Maryland twice in a week is not the same as the one that Penn State drubbed two weeks ago. It always helps to have a few helpful recommendations, of course.

Where do you think Petro learned to coach? By reading this board!
- Playing Zinn more
- Pushing transition
- More Cole Williams up top
- Cutting down on turnovers
- Go deeper into the bench for FOGO, LSM, and SSDM
If only he had listened to all us experts back in February.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

Part of coaching is making adjustments. The team that beat Maryland twice in a week is not the same as the one that Penn State drubbed two weeks ago. It always helps to have a few helpful recommendations, of course.

Where do you think Petro learned to coach? By reading this board!
- Playing Zinn more
- Pushing transition
- More Cole Williams up top
- Cutting down on turnovers
- Go deeper into the bench for FOGO, LSM, and SSDM
If only he had listened to all us experts back in February.

There’s still one problem: 0.451 save percentage.

And there are still bad decisions on who they roll out on faceoffs and when. Example, start of second half yesterday.

[viper]

Part of coaching is making adjustments. The team that beat Maryland twice in a week is not the same as the one that Penn State drubbed two weeks ago. It always helps to have a few helpful recommendations, of course.

Where do you think Petro learned to coach? By reading this board!
- Playing Zinn more
- Pushing transition
- More Cole Williams up top
- Cutting down on turnovers
- Go deeper into the bench for FOGO, LSM, and SSDM
If only he had listened to all us experts back in February.

There’s still one problem: 0.451 save percentage.

And there are still bad decisions on who they roll out on faceoffs and when. Example, start of second half yesterday.

Great heart shown by the team last night. Exchanging punches every step of the way. They obviously believed in themselves right up until the end.

Overall I was very impressed but I do agree with Wombat in one area; if you swapped goalies last night then the other team wins. 25% saves does not a tournament or even an NCAA D1 goalie make. Somebody needs to go find Dahrar in his writing seminars class and get him back on the field!

[Homer]

If we do get in I think there's a very good chance they ship us up the street to either Loyola or Towson.

Definitely a likely possibility and either would shape up as a great rematch. Another scenario that could be in play is if Notre Dame gets a home game (and Cornell is out, which I think is most likely), the committee might need to fly one of the Big Ten teams to South Bend because they can't match up Cuse-ND. If it's ND seeded and JHU, UMD, Cuse as the remaining AL's, I think you might see something like:

Maryland @ Towson
Syracuse @ Loyola
Hopkins @ Notre Dame

[Typical Lax Dad]

Part of coaching is making adjustments. The team that beat Maryland twice in a week is not the same as the one that Penn State drubbed two weeks ago. It always helps to have a few helpful recommendations, of course.

Where do you think Petro learned to coach? By reading this board!
- Playing Zinn more
- Pushing transition
- More Cole Williams up top
- Cutting down on turnovers
- Go deeper into the bench for FOGO, LSM, and SSDM
If only he had listened to all us experts back in February.

Didn't Petro recruit Evan Zinn or was he a hold over from the prior staff? You can't rush development and not every player is on the same timetable. I would rather see Zinn improve and solidify his spot on first mid field and be a dominant player the next three years versus a player that walks out the door as the same player he was coming in. I imagine if you were to ask Evan how his experience hasbeen this year, he won't have a problem with it. The kid was a freshman getting on the field.

[44WeWantMore]

I have been in stack ranking committees before, and it is possible that it turns out this way:
1. Dust off last year's spreadsheet
2. Plug in this year's numbers
3. Look at last in / first out
4. If it passes the giggle test, and you have a flight to catch, you are done
5. If it passes the giggle test, and you don't have a flight to catch, look at the second-to-last in / second out
6. If either fail the giggle test, you swap and repeat

This implies:
1. Last year's formulation frames the debate (you might call that anchoring bias)
2. The ADs on the committee will rely heavily on the coaches on the committee when it comes to the giggle test

[51percentcorn]

7 fewer saves - double the amount of turnovers in the second half from the first - that's probably the difference in this game

O'Keefe has to be Darby's worst nightmare - an incredible outside shooter that can pick corners on the off stick side - RD's save percentage in the last 3 games (and Hopkins of course won 2 of them) is 31% - as the 'ol ball coach of FL/SC and the Redskins would say "Not Very Good". If Petro is indeed back and not some sort of lame duck - goaltending likely has to be the number one priority. Mid-field is number 1 A.

Way back in the Syracuse game - Evan Zinn badly misplayed a simple pass - couldn't find it - the Syracuse LSM stole EZ's lunch money and the Orange had their first goal of the game and the freshman midfielder looked bad. It would seem to this reporter that he was inserted into the Petro/Benson doghouse for quite some time as a regular offensive midfielder that not even two transition rockets against UVA could extract him from said lodging quarters. I think Petro has to look himself in the mirror and say "I f'd that chicken".

Speaking of not very good - Senior Captain Marr has not played well in the last 3 games really - 3 for 16 shooting total - 4 turnovers last night (when you are not charged with carrying the ball - that's 2-3 too many) and 2 avoidable penalties that led directly to goals. The Hopkins version of the box score does not give Foulds goal at 14:37 as an UP goal but it was.

Even if they make it - a trip to Ridley or Johnny U would be an incredible challenge. Both teams embarrassed Hopkins - they should be at least re-focused

No one can question the effort last night kudos

[DMac]

Zinn gb pick up, spin, sprint and look off feed. The epitome of athleticism and skill.

I can look at that play a hundred times.

I get the getting caught up in the moment, the excitement, the adrenaline rush and all of that, but the reality of this play is that it was one that any decent HS laxer should make, a fundamental lacrosse play. Zinn's speed (which can't be taught) is really the biggest part of this play. Picking up a GB and hitting the open man when you've got numbers on a fast break is basic lacrosse, "the epitome of athleticism and skill" is a huge exaggeration, IMO.

[viper]

Part of coaching is making adjustments. The team that beat Maryland twice in a week is not the same as the one that Penn State drubbed two weeks ago. It always helps to have a few helpful recommendations, of course.

Where do you think Petro learned to coach? By reading this board!
- Playing Zinn more
- Pushing transition
- More Cole Williams up top
- Cutting down on turnovers
- Go deeper into the bench for FOGO, LSM, and SSDM
If only he had listened to all us experts back in February.

Didn't Petro recruit Evan Zinn or was he a hold over from the prior staff? You can't rush development and not every player is on the same timetable. I would rather see Zinn improve and solidify his spot on first mid field and be a dominant player the next three years versus a player that walks out the door as the same player he was coming in. I imagine if you were to ask Evan how his experience hasbeen this year, he won't have a problem with it. The kid was a freshman getting on the field.

Good call, actually John Haus and the previous coaching staff got a commitment letter from Zinn's parents while pregnant with him.

I suspect that you are correct about Zinn being okay with his freshman year. Though its difficult to not wonder what might have been different if he had been moved along just a tad bit quicker. No reason he couldn't have been on the field more during games that were already decided against teams like Towson, Loyola, PSU, etc.

[44WeWantMore]

Zinn gb pick up, spin, sprint and look off feed. The epitome of athleticism and skill.

I can look at that play a hundred times.

I get the getting caught up in the moment, the excitement, the adrenaline rush and all of that, but the reality of this play is that it was one that any decent HS laxer should make, a fundamental lacrosse play. Zinn's speed (which can't be taught) is really the biggest part of this play. Picking up a GB and hitting the open man when you've got numbers on a fast break is basic lacrosse, "the epitome of athleticism and skill" is a huge exaggeration, IMO.

I agree ... when your team just rolls the ball out and runs and guns, is is the kind of thing you see a dozen times a game (in the old days, maybe 20 times a game).

However, for our fans here, it is a breath of fresh air. He did not pause and get caught in a double team; he did not pull the ball out for settled offense; he simply looked a step faster.

[Peter Brown]

Geez, two weeks ago, a lot of your "so-called" Hopkins fans were cashing in your chips, firing coaches, talking about players. Now read your posts!!! As a fan of the game and onlooker of these posts, I have less and less respect for this program because of what I read.

Good teams get better. You folks bailed. I don't think Hopkins makes it to the final four, but they hung with the best team and they sealed their ticket last night, even with a loss.

This is a nonsensical post.

No one 'bailed'; if anything, the fans on this board (and other boards where there is lacrosse banter) actually re-charge their school passion by debating and arguing over 'what needs to be done'.

Part of being a fan is having the passion to take time to figure out why things aren't going well when they aren't going well; discussion boards are a decent way to do that. genesrfree would I suppose prefer the fans to keep quiet if a team loses and goes on a month-long energy funk; that'd be some rabid fan base!

I have another theory; Petro might not read these boards but I guarantee someone he knows does. And the fans at this board have been screaming loud to (among other matters) play Zinn. Petro might not have decided to play Zinn due solely to fanlax forum members, but there's a chance that the echoes of voices here ended up somehow in the guy's head, and maybe that helped in some small measure to make some necessary team change. Maybe not. But fans are passionate because they think they can help steer change. 146 pages of posts might make you reconsider the charge. (oh, btw, I'm a Loyola fan).

[Hail to the Victors]

I doubt that there’s anything written on this board that the coaches haven’t already thought of.

Except cats.