LaxPower Back-Up Stick

Steel Hop. I share your thought about a national search. I thought there would be one as well.

I am more sanguine, if that is the appropriate word, about Baltimore, I grew up in a rough environment, ended up graduating from a HS 90 miles away. Some kid in our group stole a car and drove it through a cabin party on a finger lake People died including one girl in my class. Her name was Memory Clarke. I have never forgotten her.

I have been in Rio and gone into the favala, Peru when the Shining Path was at its height, Israel and Lebanon back in the day. Maybe I am desensitized to violence to some degree.

I lived in the 2800 block of Maryland Avenue fir several years after graduating and then for a bit in Leakin Park. Intetesting Times

-it would be interesting if IL did a survey of top 100 recruits and top 50 hs coaching staffs to get answers about things like why you chose your school, what schools have the best/worst rep, what players/programs you looked up to, what were the determining factors in choosing your school so we could get real answers to some of this stuff not just blog hypothesizing.

-Petro is fantastic at following the bb hc of nep model of saying as absolutely little as possible in the few interviews he does. You can go back "hopkins is a great school with great tradition""we have high academics""we're doing some new things this year and the standard is so much higher" dodges he really needs to be honest and transparent and he needs to be asked why next year is not going to be more of the same. I understand players feelings, I also understand that many of you have given decades on the field, with your wallets, and in the stands and lip service is discourteous.

-all schools have their own issues, and a lot of them would take our problems. I was honored to get in and graduate and never really got the kids who starting with orientation wanted you to know they were there because hyps told them no. Baltimore isn't safe, but it also has to be one of the cheapest cities and you can get anywhere for interviews, internships etc on the mid atlantic. A lot of kids-particularly the lacrosse players ended up staying after graduation and building great lives for themselves.

Former AD moves up, right before a decision has to be made that will be damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

That decision is now stuck with the newbie.

Call me cynical. I call the whole effing thing over the past several years questionable, beginning with TC making a career decision to move into development. Yeah, right.

I was told today for what it’s worth there is an opening at close D for the Jays. The person I talked to was very sure.

If that is true, will the replacement be an upperclassman? If they couldn’t crack a lineup that gave up a ton of goals (notwithstanding the goalie play) where do they go from here? There are some highly touted d-men on the roster, L C Hogan, Lyne, Shure and Blondell, who got some runs and looks like a space eater. I think McManus might be a better d-man and Blondell a better SSDM. Is a freshman going to step up? Any insight on them would be appreciated.

flalax22 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 5:31 pm I was told today for what it’s worth there is an opening at close D for the Jays. The person I talked to was very sure.

Damn, that's a huge bummer if true.

These would appear to be the most likely candidates to fill it:

- Brandon Shure: junior, has played some on the man-down
- Brady Keneally, sophomore, has never played but was getting high marks in the preseason last year
- Mike Gomez, sophomore, like Keneally he didn't play at all as a freshman but was a highly regarded UAAA
- Blake Rodgers, incoming freshman, one of the top defensemen in the class, would have been UAAA but was ineligible for taking a PG year. Long and athletic
- Hunter Jaronski, incoming freshman, I've talked quite a bit about him already. Very tough versatile defender
- Jack Ruddy, incoming freshman, also very tall like Rodgers, played well at the IL Committed Academy against top competition

There are some other guys floating around who just as easily can make a name for themselves: Lucas Capobianco-Hogan, Paul Steel, Jake Calnan, and Jake Fox's brother, Hayden, another gigantic incoming frosh. I suppose if they're feeling good about the LSMs they could bump Reinson down to close and elect to go with Blondell/Lyne/one of the freshman (Finley-Ponds? Jaronski?) at LSM instead.

My preference is that they let the best man win and play the best guy, whoever that may be, or whatever class he is. That said, if he's a senior, then you're back to graduating your entire close D unit after next season. I kinda hope that one of the freshmen or sophomores step up so at least after 2020 there's something of a foundation at the position already.

Not the news I wanted to hear—if true I wonder what exactly happened.

Steel for sure. been looked over for 3 years.

EDIT: Corrected name spelling.

youthathletics wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:36 pm Steele for sure. been looked over for 3 years.

I’m certainly surprised he didn’t have more of an impact. I saw him in high school and thought he would get minutes early in his career.

Sometimes timing in sports doesn't work out. First, Paul Steel hurt his knee late in high school if I remember correctly. His freshmen year saw a very heavy brace and a loss of lateral quickness. By the time he got it back Foley had returned, and Rapine and Colwell were here. A victim of injury and Hopkins roster size.

That's a very cryptic way of saying Foley decided to not return or the NCAA denied his waiver. Why not say that? Or did one of the other two blow out their knee or get themselves kicked out of school? Assuming it is Foley - I think - as usual - the actual pool of replacements is smaller than you think with the caveat that Petro has not seen the freshmen at practice. Close D is where you see maybe the most freshmen start from day one at Hop. Durkin, Lightner (LSM first year), Foley, Drennan, Rapine etc. It. Could be a blessing in disguise, this way you are not likely replacing all 3 close D in 21.

flalax22 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:30 pm

youthathletics wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:36 pm Steele for sure. been looked over for 3 years.

I’m certainly surprised he didn’t have more of an impact. I saw him in high school and thought he would get minutes early in his career.

If he wanted to 'have an impact as a freshman' and 'get minutes early in his career', I'm afraid he chose the one program in D1 where you're guaranteed to get neither!

'Come to Hop and cheer on less-talented teammates!' (*Trademark Pending)

Joe Epstein et al. It’s. Long list

OCanada wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:12 am Joe Epstein et al. It’s. Long list

Joel Tinney, Shack Stanwick, Tal Bruno....

I don’t waste time debating trolls like PB. I know the program far better than he does. Thanks for chining in

51percentcorn wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:37 am the actual pool of replacements is smaller than you think with the caveat that Petro has not seen the freshmen at practice. Close D is where you see maybe the most freshmen start from day one at Hop.

A little confused by these two sentences—are you saying the ship has sailed on the upperclassmen poles already, and that the spot is most likely to go to an incoming freshman? (I don't necessarily disagree, just trying to parse this.) Is the caveat that the freshmen might be better than expected, and thus expand the pool of players competing for the spot? Or that they might be worse than expected and thus force one of the veterans to take over the job? I think Shure is as good a candidate as any, having played man-down last year. That was the role Colwell had as a freshman before being elevated to close D starter as a sophomore. At this point, I'm not sure how realistic it is that the other junior/senior poles earn significant playing time. If Rodgers is anything close to advertised then I think he's got a legitimate shot at it. I also think there's a nonzero chance they bump Reinson down low. It might be a better spot for him.

In your prior post I think you named virtually every longpole on the roster or going to be on the roster. All I meant was instead of the 12 or whatever names - the actual pool of folks who are in the running to replace Foley is probably in reality only 1 to 3 players - and I wouldn't count out freshmen because alot of freshmen have started on D for DP.

51percentcorn wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:37 am That's a very cryptic way of saying Foley decided to not return or the NCAA denied his waiver. Why not say that? Or did one of the other two blow out their knee or get themselves kicked out of school? Assuming it is Foley - I think - as usual - the actual pool of replacements is smaller than you think with the caveat that Petro has not seen the freshmen at practice. Close D is where you see maybe the most freshmen start from day one at Hop. Durkin, Lightner (LSM first year), Foley, Drennan, Rapine etc. It. Could be a blessing in disguise, this way you are not likely replacing all 3 close D in 21.

Posted intentionally that way as Admins have at times discouraged the posting of players situations/team status by name.

Spell it out. F-O-L-E-Y.

Heard from another source today that Foley's college career is indeed over. Not sure exactly what happened between the end of the season and now—I had heard from more than one person in the know that he expected to get another year—but I guess it doesn't really matter now.

Since we were unsure of his status I'm not sure he ever got a proper send-off so here's mine. Foley was sort of a rejoinder to a lot of the criticism of the program: rely too much on early recruiting, too much emphasis on local talent, no player development, etc. But here was a late bloomer from Massachusetts who improved every year of his career, IMO. (If you don't like the eye test, he also improved in CTs and GBs each season.) As a freshman he was a nice young complimentary piece on defense whom you could imagine being the #1 guy some day. After the unfortunate absence in 2017 he returned and indeed was that #1 guy and played quite well in the role. And then in 2019—particularly toward the end of the season—there were stretches of dominant play, where he could shut down the team's top attackman, vacuum GBs, and spark transition. As close to a complete defenseman as we've had in awhile.

With all due respect to Marr, Kuhn, and Jones, who were important players on this team (despite what some posters have wrongly argued), Foley is easily the biggest loss headed into 2020 and, if you ask this general optimist, significantly dampens the Jays' prospects. I was cautiously optimistic about the team next year but am now feeling that familiar sense of dread knowing Foley won't be back. It's a major hit to the defense at a time when the defense simply could not afford such a major hit. I do see a lot of potential in a few of the poles in the incoming class, but it's anyone's guess at this point if and when they're ready to step in. Barring one of these freshmen completely wowing, I assume Rapine now becomes the #1 cover guy. Very solid defenseman but I don't know if he (or Colwell) have the feet to match the quickness of guys like Sowers, Bernhardt, Kraus, Ament, etc. Rapine, Colwell, Reinson, etc.—strong and physical. but with the losses of Foley and Kuhn, I think this group of poles is lacking a bit in the speed department. Perhaps Finley-Ponds can help in that area.

OCanada wrote: ↑Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:04 am Steel Hop. Peru when the Shining Path was at its height,

Intetesting Times

You will have to tell me about Peru, there is a small chance Ms. Steel Hop takes a detail there for 2 years. We aren't sure we are going to take it because it would be a huge hit on my side of the economic ledger but, if she is offered the detail, it is something we are considering. We also have to deal with 3 children (one of which would be starting HS at the tail end of the detail so not screwing that up is a consideration).

I'm sure it has changed since the Shining Path days and we've heard the food is fantastic.

HopFan16 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2019 11:13 am Heard from another source today that Foley's college career is indeed over. Not sure exactly what happened between the end of the season and now—I had heard from more than one person in the know that he expected to get another year—but I guess it doesn't really matter now.

It was a long, long shot that he could have been given an exemption. Sort of stinks but I'm not surprised the NCAA came down this way. Use it as a life lesson for Foley and others if you let other entities, like the NCAA get involved in the decision making because of actions that were under your control but you let it slip away, more than likely you are going to be disappointed in what those entities decide.