Syracuse 2024

[tech37]

Had 2 shots w little angle in 2OT to win it .

When you couple this, with the absence of March in the OT portion of the game....those were crucial ill-advised situational shots. It seems more like a summer ball offense mentality, which is not a bad thing, so long as discipline and situational awareness is part of the equation...and that is where I believe March would/could have inserted himself in those O-huddles.

I think you're giving March far too much credit. SU, especially Spallina, was great in the 2 man game yesterday and should've touched the ball more as others have noted. Perhaps March will stop crying to the refs in the future and just coach. Both teams had good chances to win in OT and both goalies were very good in stretches. Fun game to watch!

No. No, it was not.

[Pensky Material]

Good point. They run two pretty equal midfields but play start an attackman that most teams short.
Related trivia question: how many other games have you seen in which both teams ran EMO units that omitted a starting attackman? I’ve seen a few teams that don’t run their starting attack on EMO but don’t recall a game where both teams did so.
Bonus question: what do you think of SU’s strategy of playing an entirely different unit on EMD?

This has been discussed a decent amount over on the Syracusefan site. I think the majority who voice an opinion have not liked it but before last night they had been pretty good. Shoot even last night they weren't terrible but I still think fans will say that experiment needs to end.

[youthathletics]

Had 2 shots w little angle in 2OT to win it .

When you couple this, with the absence of March in the OT portion of the game....those were crucial ill-advised situational shots. It seems more like a summer ball offense mentality, which is not a bad thing, so long as discipline and situational awareness is part of the equation...and that is where I believe March would/could have inserted himself in those O-huddles.

I think you're giving March far too much credit. SU, especially Spallina, was great in the 2 man game yesterday and should've touched the ball more as others have noted. Perhaps March will stop crying to the refs in the future and just coach. Both teams had good chances to win in OT and both goalies were very good in stretches. Fun game to watch!

Then what value does an OC play on game day, if you believe March would have made zero difference on the sideline for this game?

[a fan]

Good point. They run two pretty equal midfields but play start an attackman that most teams short.
Related trivia question: how many other games have you seen in which both teams ran EMO units that omitted a starting attackman? I’ve seen a few teams that don’t run their starting attack on EMO but don’t recall a game where both teams did so.
Bonus question: what do you think of SU’s strategy of playing an entirely different unit on EMD?

This has been discussed a decent amount over on the Syracusefan site. I think the majority who voice an opinion have not liked it but before last night they had been pretty good. Shoot even last night they weren't terrible but I still think fans will say that experiment needs to end.

It's only been a half a year, and it seems to be working well. See what it looks like in a couple year, when you have kids who spend the bulk of their practice time running man down D.

I think is a smart thing to try. Kids roll out to the field rested, and ready to play. And gets the kids on the field, which is a great thing.....and can lead to payoffs if someone gets injured, and you're not throwing someone in their place who never sees the field. These kids are going to get better as the years roll by.

And they're at .714, putting them at #20 for D1 . There's a whole mess of teams with worse man down numbers: UVa, Duke, Army, Notre Dame, Hopkins, etc.

Stick with it.

[stupefied]

Good point. They run two pretty equal midfields but play start an attackman that most teams short.
Related trivia question: how many other games have you seen in which both teams ran EMO units that omitted a starting attackman? I’ve seen a few teams that don’t run their starting attack on EMO but don’t recall a game where both teams did so.
Bonus question: what do you think of SU’s strategy of playing an entirely different unit on EMD?

This has been discussed a decent amount over on the Syracusefan site. I think the majority who voice an opinion have not liked it but before last night they had been pretty good. Shoot even last night they weren't terrible but I still think fans will say that experiment needs to end.

Agree. Had my early reservations about wholesale subbing on man down but those youngsters are athletic and have become a well coordinated group that quickly recovers space and have done a very good job on man down. No longer say its a experiment but a defensive plus and wouldn't change a thing.

[Gobigred]

Had 2 shots w little angle in 2OT to win it .

When you couple this, with the absence of March in the OT portion of the game....those were crucial ill-advised situational shots. It seems more like a summer ball offense mentality, which is not a bad thing, so long as discipline and situational awareness is part of the equation...and that is where I believe March would/could have inserted himself in those O-huddles.

I think you're giving March far too much credit. SU, especially Spallina, was great in the 2 man game yesterday and should've touched the ball more as others have noted. Perhaps March will stop crying to the refs in the future and just coach. Both teams had good chances to win in OT and both goalies were very good in stretches. Fun game to watch!

Then what value does an OC play on game day, if you believe March would have made zero difference on the sideline for this game?

So Gary Gait knows nothing about offense?

[BigTurn]

Had 2 shots w little angle in 2OT to win it .

When you couple this, with the absence of March in the OT portion of the game....those were crucial ill-advised situational shots. It seems more like a summer ball offense mentality, which is not a bad thing, so long as discipline and situational awareness is part of the equation...and that is where I believe March would/could have inserted himself in those O-huddles.

I think you're giving March far too much credit. SU, especially Spallina, was great in the 2 man game yesterday and should've touched the ball more as others have noted. Perhaps March will stop crying to the refs in the future and just coach. Both teams had good chances to win in OT and both goalies were very good in stretches. Fun game to watch!

Then what value does an OC play on game day, if you believe March would have made zero difference on the sideline for this game?

So Gary Gait knows nothing about offense?

Exactly. They’re complaining about a lack of OC in a game where they put up 17 goals. It’s a joke. And the insinuation that your HC can’t handle the offense for 3 quarters? That’s far more concerning…

[coda]

Not sure anyone mentioned it, but I did think one of the turning points was when Cuse decided to slow play the 5 on 5 and wait for the 20 second mark to get to the 6 on 5..

[FMUBart]

Had 2 shots w little angle in 2OT to win it .

When you couple this, with the absence of March in the OT portion of the game....those were crucial ill-advised situational shots. It seems more like a summer ball offense mentality, which is not a bad thing, so long as discipline and situational awareness is part of the equation...and that is where I believe March would/could have inserted himself in those O-huddles.

I think you're giving March far too much credit. SU, especially Spallina, was great in the 2 man game yesterday and should've touched the ball more as others have noted. Perhaps March will stop crying to the refs in the future and just coach. Both teams had good chances to win in OT and both goalies were very good in stretches. Fun game to watch!

Then what value does an OC play on game day, if you believe March would have made zero difference on the sideline for this game?

I'd like to think GG knows a little about O and is somewhat engaged in the overall scheme, therefore having your OC ejected shouldn't be too painful. SU scored plenty of goals last night...the D gave up 1 too many

[Finster]

Well we’ve had time to decompress. And I’m not sure how I feel. laughing, crying, laughing, crying. Crying.

Charlie Chaplin once said "life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but comedy in long-shot". That’s the life of any lacrosse fan. Today’s game can be tragedy; a season is comedy and good times.

That game simply defied logic. Neither team should’ve won, neither team should’ve lost. Syracuse was up 12-6, then lost 12-5. How is that possible on a cold rainy night!!!

I’m unsure what happens now. UNC away, UVA home. Just two more games. Over the next 30 days. What?

Lost four games by 5 goals. All to good to great teams.

Kohn and Mark have been outstanding. AA #1’s imo. God bless.

The life of a Cuse fan is why so many have prematurely gray hair. It’s never easy. I’m rambling so apologies.

Good night.

[UVAlaxfan]

Reffs were garbage in this game.

[The Orfling]

Not sure anyone mentioned it, but I did think one of the turning points was when Cuse decided to slow play the 5 on 5 and wait for the 20 second mark to get to the 6 on 5..

Coda, this is a really good observation. When I went back and looked at stats, play-by-play, and replayed some of the game video, I came up with the conclusion that penalties may have cost Syracuse 6 goals. 4 goals: Start of course with the four (4) goals that Cornell scored on EMO. 5th goal: Then remember that after Leo scored to make it 13-6 'Cuse, he was flagged for taunting and Cornell was given possession with no faceoff on a day when Syracuse was winning 64% of the faceoffs -- Cornell scored on that same possession. Not an EMO goal but arguably goal number 5 caused by a Syracuse penalty. and 6th [possible] goal: The possible lost 6th goal is the most tenuous, but it's what you identified: Cornell was flagged for unnecessary roughness, 2 minute penalty, but Spallina was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. 'Cuse held the ball in 5 on 5, then had only 20 seconds on the shot clock and essentially forced a saveable shot with the shot clock winding down. Cornell cleared and Syracuse got nothing in return for a 2 minute penalty opportunity. Syracuse is a 42% EMO team -- without that Spallina penalty they have a 2 minute EMO opportunity during which to score. One can't be sure they would have scored but pretty good chance with such a good EMO unit.

Experience is the best teacher. On Twitter, I listened to a clip from the Syracuse student coverage of the game and the student reporting from the game commented that Cornell seemed much more composed than Syracuse; he commented that the Syracuse bench was amped up, throwing around lots of profanity, etc. and he thought Cornell's composure played a role in the comeback: https://x.com/WAERSportsTalk/status/177 ... 79694?s=20

My favorite team, Yale, is at times chippy and chirpy (and were particularly that way in 2019, the year after winning the national championship). On the one hand playing with an edge can be great -- they were/are not intimidated -- but on the other hand there were times when it seemed to work against them. I think refs are now pretty tuned into this from the Orange, and from #22, so the team and some of the players may want to try to keep the on-field edge but channel things a bit more.

I know it's awful to have your team be on the wrong end of a comeback (Yale had a 7-goal lead against PSU and lost this year) but 'Cuse is a great team. I think they have to be an NCAA tournament pick and who knows what they might do then? Great goalie, great FOGO, some real creators with the ball, and potential to play some excellent defense (as they did against Duke). Good luck the rest of the season.

[enterprise]

I think the absence of the OC for most of the game played a huge part in the outcome. Of course Gait can coach the offense; the problem is that the game plan assumes there will be an OC on the field to participate in coaching. When you lose that set of eyes and have one less person to speak one-on-one to players on the sideline, etc., it can only hurt the rest of the staff's effectiveness.

[Gobigred]

I think the absence of the OC for most of the game played a huge part in the outcome. Of course Gait can coach the offense; the problem is that the game plan assumes there will be an OC on the field to participate in coaching. When you lose that set of eyes and have one less person to speak one-on-one to players on the sideline, etc., it can only hurt the rest of the staff's effectiveness.

Somehow, Cornell managed to score 17 goals in regulation without the additional set of eyes of an offensive coach. Matter of fact, there is no offensive coach.

[ICGrad]

Not sure anyone mentioned it, but I did think one of the turning points was when Cuse decided to slow play the 5 on 5 and wait for the 20 second mark to get to the 6 on 5..

Agreed, especially since the extra minute was unreleasable for Cornell. A curiously bad decision on their part. Use the extra space created by the 5-on-5 to try to score a quick goal, win a faceoff, and then you still have the 1 minute unreleasable to play with. Instead, Cornell made the stop and was able to completely negate the man down.

Not to mention the horrible decision by the Syracuse player to pick up an unsportsmanlike at that point, negating the first 60 seconds of Cornell's 2-minute unreleasable. Syracuse could have really buried Cornell there, but instead came up empty.

[enterprise]

I think the absence of the OC for most of the game played a huge part in the outcome. Of course Gait can coach the offense; the problem is that the game plan assumes there will be an OC on the field to participate in coaching. When you lose that set of eyes and have one less person to speak one-on-one to players on the sideline, etc., it can only hurt the rest of the staff's effectiveness.

Somehow, Cornell managed to score 17 goals in regulation without the additional set of eyes of an offensive coach. Matter of fact, there is no offensive coach.

My point was that Syracuse was down a coach and therefore had to adjust the coaching responsibilities of the remaining personnel. That had to have impacted the outcome. I happen to be a long-time Cornell fan and am well aware of the fact that we have no offensive coordinator. I would say the same about Cornell's coaching strategy if Paolo Ciferri got ejected.

[molo]

Does the OC last the season? The head coach seemed determined that there would be no repeat.

[youthathletics]

I think the absence of the OC for most of the game played a huge part in the outcome. Of course Gait can coach the offense; the problem is that the game plan assumes there will be an OC on the field to participate in coaching. When you lose that set of eyes and have one less person to speak one-on-one to players on the sideline, etc., it can only hurt the rest of the staff's effectiveness.

Somehow, Cornell managed to score 17 goals in regulation without the additional set of eyes of an offensive coach. Matter of fact, there is no offensive coach.

My point was that Syracuse was down a coach and therefore had to adjust the coaching responsibilities of the remaining personnel. That had to have impacted the outcome. I happen to be a long-time Cornell fan and am well aware of the fact that we have no offensive coordinator. I would say the same about Cornell's coaching strategy if Paolo Ciferri got ejected.

I also posed that concern....but I was assured that since ggait played lacrosse 30 years ago, he had no problems, I am sure he is completely Intune with all facets of the O-game plans, individual discussion that took place all week, film breakdown with the OC and his players, and not to mention...each of the situational play calls that take place during TO's and in between OT's. Hell, might as get rid of the DC while their at it, ggait played against defenses so he also knows how to beat them no matter what he sees.

[tech37]

Does the OC last the season? The head coach seemed determined that there would be no repeat.

Would that please you molo?

[Gobigred]

I think the absence of the OC for most of the game played a huge part in the outcome. Of course Gait can coach the offense; the problem is that the game plan assumes there will be an OC on the field to participate in coaching. When you lose that set of eyes and have one less person to speak one-on-one to players on the sideline, etc., it can only hurt the rest of the staff's effectiveness.

Somehow, Cornell managed to score 17 goals in regulation without the additional set of eyes of an offensive coach. Matter of fact, there is no offensive coach.

My point was that Syracuse was down a coach and therefore had to adjust the coaching responsibilities of the remaining personnel. That had to have impacted the outcome. I happen to be a long-time Cornell fan and am well aware of the fact that we have no offensive coordinator. I would say the same about Cornell's coaching strategy if Paolo Ciferri got ejected.

I also posed that concern....but I was assured that since ggait played lacrosse 30 years ago, he had no problems, I am sure he is completely Intune with all facets of the O-game plans, individual discussion that took place all week, film breakdown with the OC and his players, and not to mention...each of the situational play calls that take place during TO's and in between OT's. Hell, might as get rid of the DC while their at it, ggait played against defenses so he also knows how to beat them no matter what he sees.

Yes, March's departure at the end of first period was a definite detriment to the Syracuse offense in period 2...when they only scored seven times. Maybe he sneaked into the halftime dressing room and his inspired insights resulted in the offense's brilliant second half performance.

If the sarcastic nonsense you wrote about Gait were true he has no business being a head coach at a Division I school. John Tillman graduated from Cornell 33 years ago and don't tell me he is not involved in Maryland's offense and defense, and that he couldn't step in capably if one of his assistant coaches were disabled during a game. Although, I have to say, watching the 2022 Syracuse- Cornell game on video, it sure appeared that Pietramala was the real coach of the team while Gait stood by and watched.