2021 National Championship UVA vs UMD

[Matnum PI]

Slightly off-topic but... Maybe not.
Can't help but think that player leadership plays no small role in each team's success. When a corporation hires an entry level employee, they're thinking can s/he do the job but they're also thinking, where will s/he be in 10 years within our business. i.e. Would s/he make a good CEO/CFO/COO/etc.? Of course you can always hire a CEO/CFO/etc. from the outside but growing one internally tends to garner better results. organic is better. and, with that in mind, i wonder if it was a coincidence that the two teams with the biggest transfers, Gray and sowers, won't be playing today. and, conversely, both UVA and UMD seem to have some quality, organically-grown leadership. maybe that'll be a big piece of the puzzle today.

[stupefied]

Slightly off-topic but... Maybe not.
Can't help but think that player leadership plays no small role in each team's success. When a corporation hires an entry level employee, they're thinking can s/he do the job but they're also thinking, where will s/he be in 10 years within our business. i.e. Would s/he make a good CEO/CFO/COO/etc.? Of course you can always hire a CEO/CFO/etc. from the outside but growing one internally tends to garner better results. organic is better. and, with that in mind, i wonder if it was a coincidence that the two teams with the biggest transfers, Gray and sowers, won't be playing today. and, conversely, both UVA and UMD seem to have some quality, organically-grown leadership. maybe that'll be a big piece of the puzzle today.

Maryland has eight transfers on their roster. Diff is Brown and Holden are the only one year grad transfers'.

Grill would have been a one year transfer in 2020 but Covid gave all another year of eligibility.

Wouldn't mix Gray and UNC with Duke and their one year grads . UNC has taken in few transfers . Mc Carthy was their only grad .

Gray transferred into UNC as a junior and will have played three years for them, he fit seamlessly into their ways and locker, lead and significantly improved that team and its play with his inclusive talents.

[Matnum PI]

Gray transferred into UNC as a junior and will have played three years for them, he fit seamlessly into their ways and locker, lead and significantly improved that team and its play with his inclusive talents.

All true. My theory stands corrected. though... maybe not with Duke. To the end, Coach D was saying, Duke is still figuring out who they are.

[stupefied]

Gray transferred into UNC as a junior and will have played three years for them, he fit seamlessly into their ways and locker, lead and significantly improved that team and its play with his inclusive talents.

All true. My theory stands corrected. though... maybe not with Duke. To the end, Coach D was saying, Duke is still figuring out who they are.

Totally agree with you on Duke and some others just see UNC and Gray outside that group.

[Matnum PI]

What has seemingly been true, is that it's not the team with the best players that wins it all but the team that comes together as a team. UMD and UVA both seem to have this in spades.

[Dip&Dunk]

Grill is ready. Kabobs already made. Beer cold. Wine ready (it’s wife’s birthday so getting away with two reasons for party). Appetizers plated. Guests about to arrive. (All vaccinated BTW) Have reason to root for and against both teams.

I am still alive.

Life is good.

Enjoy.

[molo]

Is Maryland up there with SU 1990? They do have one more hurdle to clear before they earn that comparison. Could Bernhardt run wild early and set off a rout? He’s done it before.
We may want to consider that today’s opponent has a statistical edge at the dot and the nation’s best big game goalie.

[molo]

Who knows how effective Moore will be after Saturday’s injury? Might Aitken return to ff form?
Maryland has good ssdms, but Virginia has depth there, with 32 playing as well as any dm down the stretch.

[molo]

Maryland’s d has been touted, with justification, all year. Why did Breschi go with two middies and Gray in the final minute Saturday? Because two of his starting attackmen couldn’t beat their men. Don’t sleep on the UVA close d. Their pole ain’t bad either.
Both teams have routed good opponents recently. I don’t think that wil happen today as the better riding team with slightly more offensive balance should repeat as NC.

[Matnum PI]

23 minutes...

[stupefied]

Who knows how effective Moore will be after Saturday’s injury? Might Aitken return to ff form?
Maryland has good ssdms, but Virginia has depth there, with 32 playing as well as any dm down the stretch.

Suspect Moore has dealt with a injury since early season. He torched a physical Wyers of Loyola for five goals by being physical himself but then started to take his game outside with large drop-off in shooting % . Suggests that something was hurting. If he reinjured then little recovery time . Bears watching, should be able to quickly tell .

Maryland ssdm are excellent, such a important unit . Their ability to cover allows their excellent close defenders to focus mainly on their assignment. Believe their overall defense is deeper and better than ND.

Figuring Maryland wins unless McNaney and Shockey have poor games.

[youthathletics]

Grill is ready. Kabobs already made. Beer cold. Wine ready (it’s wife’s birthday so getting away with two reasons for party). Appetizers plated. Guests about to arrive. (All vaccinated BTW) Have reason to root for and against both teams.

I am still alive.

Life is good.

Enjoy.

Happy Birthday to your wife from your Fanlax family. Thank you, for your Service!

Added the rub at 7 am, to the 12 hour brined 4lb pork loin this morning, going to put er' on the grill after the game. Game snacks are beer, and my homemade Pimento Cheese, served with Cracked Pepper crackers, and some grilled Jalapeno's stuffed with the Pimento Cheese spread. Jalapeno's pair well with a small pour of bourbon.

[youthathletics]

Who knows how effective Moore will be after Saturday’s injury? Might Aitken return to ff form?
Maryland has good ssdms, but Virginia has depth there, with 32 playing as well as any dm down the stretch.

Suspect Moore has dealt with a injury since early season. He torched a physical Wyers of Loyola for five goals by being physical himself but then started to take his game outside with large drop-off in shooting % . Suggests that something was hurting. If he reinjured then little recovery time . Bears watching, should be able to quickly tell .

AC joint? Those can be ailing, but you can play through them with some pre-game prep.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Who knows how effective Moore will be after Saturday’s injury? Might Aitken return to ff form?
Maryland has good ssdms, but Virginia has depth there, with 32 playing as well as any dm down the stretch.

I believe Dox will have a big game. It will be rooting for him. I like both teams but hoping Dox goes out with a big game.

[wgdsr]

moore has been dropping his shoulder into guys all year. if he had an injury, it certainly wasn't that. his shooting has just been off and he hasn't adjusted.

love to see everyone taking the hoos again, that's 3 games in a row!!!

[Matnum PI]

[wgdsr]

main concern for moi is whether uva handles the picks for #1 behind (i think we mostly will), then whether saustad can keep up straight line, then we don't sell out on sliding to him. oh, and last saustad ball watches and gets caught on picks off ball. and bernhardt's as good as gray at that. that's quite a list.

[10stone5]

Field looks great,
like an actual lacrosse field.

[Matnum PI]

It's taken all season to get to this point and... These are two really good teams.

[Nigel]

Miss the days where the dmen slide and deliver a hit on the shooting opponent. First two goals by MD and nobody put on their back. Just not the same...