LaxPower Back-Up Stick

HopFan16 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:33 am

jhu06 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2019 11:04 pm Onto our next favorite fall game-studying new season rosters to see who they added w/out telling us!

And who might have dipped out. There's always one or two...

On the topic of roster size, this freshman class is 18 deep, per Forry in that video on Instagram (4 attack, 6 middies, 6 poles, 1 goalie, 1 FO, per my count). Nobody tell 51, he might have a stroke. Especially when you consider we're only losing 7 guys that we know of (6 seniors + Cattoni). So barring unexpected transfers in or out or more attrition than usual, the roster is getting 11 guys bigger. Final tally should be slightly over 50.

Sounds like Coach Pietramala is trying to build a team that wins right now ... trying to collect all the pieces to make a serious run on the title in 2020. Obviously, can’t keep bringing in classes with 18 freshmen.

In other news, the CDC has issued a warning to Wombat:

https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/09/14/health ... 37E8C50160

DocBarrister

DocBarrister wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:23 am
Sounds like Coach Pietramala is trying to build a team that wins right now ... trying to collect all the pieces to make a serious run on the title in 2020. Obviously, can’t keep bringing in classes with 18 freshmen.
DocBarrister

Almost like Coach will be coaching for his livelihood.

With no announcement from the AD one can only assume if there is an offer it will come after the season. Makes me think they have already made a decision and didn’t want to eat salary. Either way I expect a more desperate and stressed Coach. Somebody will be taking and feeling the brunt of that.

flalax22 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 3:39 pm

DocBarrister wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:23 am
Sounds like Coach Pietramala is trying to build a team that wins right now ... trying to collect all the pieces to make a serious run on the title in 2020. Obviously, can’t keep bringing in classes with 18 freshmen.
DocBarrister

Almost like Coach will be coaching for his livelihood.

With no announcement from the AD one can only assume if there is an offer it will come after the season. Makes me think they have already made a decision and didn’t want to eat salary. Either way I expect a more desperate and stressed Coach. Somebody will be taking and feeling the brunt of that.

The huge problem with this scenario is the extra power it puts into the hands of the players. They know he’s walking the plank.

Don’t like how you’re being treated? Quit on him. Half ass things. Ensure suckitude so you get a new coaching staff next year. That might be in the works anyway, but the players can damn well guarantee it.

And I wouldn’t be surprised. Which is why I’m expecting a 6-7 season, and would be totally unfazed by worse, even 4-9.

He will have to have loyalty and get players to run through walls, not necessarily for a W, but FOR HIM.

I’m not sure that’s going to happen.

They need to win their first few games and build off that trajectory. It could turn in to an unexpectedly good season.

But if they lose a few early, as they often have in recent years, don’t be surprised to see them drop over a cliff. Thelma and Louise style.

That’s my problem with this whole mess - it should have been handled one way or the other ALREADY.

Kiss that next class good by. At least the top players. A few people who know squat

OCanada wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:39 pm Kiss that next class good by. At least the top players. A few people who know squat

A little cryptic as usual - can you elaborate for us chuckleheads? Are you saying Grimes, McDermott, Bauer are decommiting regardless or are you saying that happens if Hopkins jettisons Petro? I have no idea how to interpret "A few people who know squat"

DocBarrister wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:23 am Sounds like Coach Pietramala is trying to build a team that wins right now ... trying to collect all the pieces to make a serious run on the title in 2020.

Absurd statement as usual - bringing in 18 players and securing one of your only 2 or 3 non Top 10 classes is not a contribution to winning a title in 2020. Maybe Murphy gets to play some, maybe one of the freshmen plays D and or LSM, maybe one or two get some time on SSDM, maybe maybe Marcille is your goalie (doubt it for this season). This is a classic example of the early recruiting problem - recruit a truckload so maybe a few work out. Here's an article/snippet that was written about one of the recruits over 5 years ago:
https://www.lacrosseplayground.com/here ... the-world/
Too bad the article is not about the best 12th grader in the world - he went to UVA
So maybe this class has some good projects but the greatest probability is it has little impact on 2020 because there are so few spots to fill

And, if Cowan, Townsend, Cordish, et al, are going to help make sure he returns, why the hell hasn’t it been done ALREADY?

WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:30 pm

flalax22 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 3:39 pm

DocBarrister wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:23 am
Sounds like Coach Pietramala is trying to build a team that wins right now ... trying to collect all the pieces to make a serious run on the title in 2020. Obviously, can’t keep bringing in classes with 18 freshmen.
DocBarrister

Almost like Coach will be coaching for his livelihood.

With no announcement from the AD one can only assume if there is an offer it will come after the season. Makes me think they have already made a decision and didn’t want to eat salary. Either way I expect a more desperate and stressed Coach. Somebody will be taking and feeling the brunt of that.

The huge problem with this scenario is the extra power it puts into the hands of the players. They know he’s walking the plank.

Don’t like how you’re being treated? Quit on him. Half ass things. Ensure suckitude so you get a new coaching staff next year. That might be in the works anyway, but the players can damn well guarantee it.

And I wouldn’t be surprised. Which is why I’m expecting a 6-7 season, and would be totally unfazed by worse, even 4-9.

He will have to have loyalty and get players to run through walls, not necessarily for a W, but FOR HIM.

I’m not sure that’s going to happen.

They need to win their first few games and build off that trajectory. It could turn in to an unexpectedly good season.

But if they lose a few early, as they often have in recent years, don’t be surprised to see them drop over a cliff. Thelma and Louise style.

That’s my problem with this whole mess - it should have been handled one way or the other ALREADY.

I understand your skepticism, Old Friend, but I think the young men will play hard for their coaches. Last season, when Hopkins beat Maryland twice and then took Penn State to OT, I don’t think they were fighting just to save their season. The guys, I suspect, knew more than an NCAA tournament spot was at stake. I was impressed with their play when their backs were against the wall. Really do believe they upped their game for their coaches.

I’m optimistic about the 2020 season. Very optimistic.

DocBarrister

You’re optimistic about every season.
We’ve had one good season in the last eleven years.
Therefore you have a 9% chance of being right this time.

Wow, the toilet swirl continues at Hop. From unathletic players, poor schemes, poor coaching, and wrong players on the field, to a coup by the players. What a mess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw8YKQGAw6A

DMac wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:35 am Wow, the toilet swirl continues at Hop. From unathletic players, poor schemes, poor coaching, and wrong players on the field, to a coup by the players. What a mess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw8YKQGAw6A

I've given up trying to keep the Loyola thread as active as Hopkins. I can't compete with the insanity ('I'm really optimistic about this season'; how do you countenance that delusion?!?!? )

Looking forward to my meeting with the new AD. I will take some sanitizer along.

51percentcorn wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 5:20 pm

OCanada wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:39 pm Kiss that next class good by. At least the top players. A few people who know squat

A little cryptic as usual - can you elaborate for us chuckleheads? Are you saying Grimes, McDermott, Bauer are decommiting regardless or are you saying that happens if Hopkins jettisons Petro? I have no idea how to interpret "A few people who know squat"

Doesn't seem like you're getting a response on that reasonable request for clarification but my assumption, for whatever it's worth, is that he's saying if the staff is given their walking papers after this season then some kids will decommit—which should of course be the expectation. When they show the door to the guy who recruited you that tends to leave a bad taste in the mouth. Some will obviously stay the course—others will wait to see who the replacement is—maybe if it's someone widely respected like Nadelen then you've got a shot at keeping some of those "top players" before they defect to the Dukes and the UVAs and the Yales. I personally have no opinion on the status of this staff right now but those calling for their heads have to accept the inevitability that things are very likely to get worse before they get better. That isn't a reason to keep a guy around who shouldn't be kept around (again I don't have an opinion...right now) but it's certainly something you don't see talked about much among the pink slip committee. If that's indeed what OC was saying, I think he's probably right.

That pretty much sums it up. I didn’t feel the necessity to a few who don’t recognize the real issues but like simple solutions.

HopFan16 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:01 am

51percentcorn wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 5:20 pm

OCanada wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:39 pm Kiss that next class good by. At least the top players. A few people who know squat

A little cryptic as usual - can you elaborate for us chuckleheads? Are you saying Grimes, McDermott, Bauer are decommiting regardless or are you saying that happens if Hopkins jettisons Petro? I have no idea how to interpret "A few people who know squat"

Doesn't seem like you're getting a response on that reasonable request for clarification but my assumption, for whatever it's worth, is that he's saying if the staff is given their walking papers after this season then some kids will decommit—which should of course be the expectation. When they show the door to the guy who recruited you that tends to leave a bad taste in the mouth. Some will obviously stay the course—others will wait to see who the replacement is—maybe if it's someone widely respected like Nadelen then you've got a shot at keeping some of those "top players" before they defect to the Dukes and the UVAs and the Yales. I personally have no opinion on the status of this staff right now but those calling for their heads have to accept the inevitability that things are very likely to get worse before they get better. That isn't a reason to keep a guy around who shouldn't be kept around (again I don't have an opinion...right now) but it's certainly something you don't see talked about much among the pink slip committee. If that's indeed what OC was saying, I think he's probably right.

2020 class won't have time to leave they will have already been admitted and enrolled before Petro could potentially be let go. Currently Hopkins only has 1 2021 commit so a new coach would probably be fine with trying to build his own class anyways

The 2020 class is supposed to be (or you hope they do) signing NLIs in a matter of a couple months correct? So while a coach getting released after you sign your NLI is grounds for the institution releasing you from that obligation - one might guess the young lads and their parents want to know the 411 of the situation as soon as possible - if the issue has dawned on us it has certainly come up with them.

Urgency is not a bad thing and coaching with your hair on fire from the go might be better than waiting until the b1g tournament to stop playing kids that have shown they can't excel at this level. You'd think off the success of the last few years from towson and decade from loyola they'd be getting better kids. oh well. 18 is an absurd number. I think the schwartzman class had 8 and between football and men and womens lacrosse that's 170 student athletes in a school with less than 5,000 undergrads.
ILs incoming 2019 100 ranking by opponent

maryland-7 16
princeton-5 10
osu 5-12
(hopkins 5-42)
carolina-4 34
loyola-3 91
penn state 3 17
michigan 3 18
syracuse-3 highest-67
navy-2 72
umbc-1 66
towson/rutgers-0

others uva 6, 1 duke 8, 2 nd 9, 20. conference b1g-23 acc 30

jhu06 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:49 pm
umbc-1 66

Is UMBC back on the schedule? I was under the impression the Jays still owed Mount St. Mary's a trip to Emmitsburg.

Given how precariously close we've been to .500 the last couple years, maybe scheduling them both in the same season wouldn't be such a bad idea. Then again, while that gives you some wiggle room in the win-loss department, the ol' SOS/RPI—the things that've gotten us into the tournament of late—could suffer.

Still waiting to hear if those rumors of another ACC team on the schedule (read: Duke) in place of Virginia were real or just wishfully masochist thinking.

HopFan16 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2019 9:01 am

51percentcorn wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 5:20 pm

OCanada wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:39 pm Kiss that next class good by. At least the top players. A few people who know squat

A little cryptic as usual - can you elaborate for us chuckleheads? Are you saying Grimes, McDermott, Bauer are decommiting regardless or are you saying that happens if Hopkins jettisons Petro? I have no idea how to interpret "A few people who know squat"

I personally have no opinion on the status of this staff right now but those calling for their heads have to accept the inevitability that things are very likely to get worse before they get better.

Yeah, it was awful to see UVA worse off for that one 1 year and win a title less than 3 years after showing Dom his walking papers. Just awful.

As for the aforementioned 2020, class, a couple of points.

First, the fact he doesn't have a contract extension right now is almost equivalent to being fired. It will most definitely be use against him by other coaches on the recruiting trail (while Petro might not call other recruits you can bet others aren't so ethical). We will see if the class lasts through the beginning of the season's results.

Second, if Petro is shown the door after the season, most of the players will already be locked in to Hopkins. Even the kids without scholarships will have signed commitment documents to Hopkins in the spring. Some will be able to get out of those commitments and find other options but most kids will likely have no option but go to Hopkins.

OCanada wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2019 4:39 pm Kiss that next class good by. At least the top players. A few people who know squat

we've had a decade of top 5 in many cases top 1 classes, none of whom delivered titles and most of which were busts. I don't remember a mass desertion at duke after Danowski came in, at terp u after tilman arrived, at uva after lars came over. If he doesn't have a new deal-and he hasn't earned one, he's coaching for his job which means if connor disimone is a bust again, if having a midfield full of ex attackmen doesn't work out, if the ssdms aren't able to stay with guys, if the goalie can't stop shots, we're not going to wait until we're 1-2 in the b1g and bubble out to see changes. Whomever is on the sideline in 2021, Petro or someone else will still have the resources, tradition, networks, best uniforms, academics, location, the energy of cornell willis, the greatest band in land, most passionate/kind/informed message board commenters, berger cookies from eddies, almost all games on tv, and about 234121 other things the kids were high on when the signed on and maybe some new reasons. I can imagine the exact same convo is happening on cuse lax blogs and message boards right now and what this would be like if we had their recruiting rankings. Put up or shut up time. let's go.