Final Four Predictions (Poll)

[blue angels]

So far:
Cooter - PSU, UMd, UVa, Syracuse
Hoodat - UVa, Cornell, Duke, Penn
laxrules - PSU, UMd, UVa, Syracuse
Hop16 - PSU, Yale, UVa, Duke
FannOLax - UVa, PSU, Yale, Syracuse
molo - UVa, PSU, Syracuse, UMd
calorie - Yale, PSU, UVa, Syracuse
DocB - Duke, PSU, UVa, JHU
Dip&Dunk - UMd, PSU, JHU, UVa
stupified - PSU, UMd, UVa, Penn
jersey shore lax - PSU, Duke, Yale, Delaware
Typical Lax Dad - PSU, UVa, Duke, Penn
AreaLax - UMd, Penn, PSU, Yale
BigTom4 - PSU, UVA, Yale, Penn
DAlaxDad - UVA, Penn, Syracuse, UMd
QuakerSouth - Duke, JHU, Penn, UMd
Spartanslynx - PSU, UVA, Yale, Penn
ABV 8.3% - OSU, Syracuse, Brown, UMd
RumorMill - Yale, Duke, Notre Dame, UMass
Drcthru - PSU, UVA, Yale, JHU

20 entrees so far, Notre Dame finally got picked. No Denvers.
PSU - 15, UVa - 15,
Yale - 9, UMd - 9, Penn - 8, Syracuse - 7, Duke - 7
JHU - 4, Cornell - 1, UMass - 1, Notre Dame - 1, Brown - 1, Delaware - 1, OSU - 1

Penn, Maryland, Duke, UNC. Penn will be the top Ivy team this season. Maryland has the right mix of great coaching, good recruiting, and tradition to get them back. UNC isnt expected to do much but they are my dark horse. They might have the best goalie in the country next year which could take them a long way. They also added an AA transfer attack man to bolster the other end of the field. UNC has always recruited well. The negative, if there is one, might be coaching. Breschi, usually, does less with more. PSU has the best team on paper but I don’t buy that they will put it together at the end once again. I left Virginia out because they are breaking in a bunch of new guys on the defensive end. Several key players will be 1st years. If that gels, they could be in there

[44WeWantMore]

5 votes for JHU to win it all? Some must be rewatching the last two games played agaisnt Maryland.

And they gave PSU all they could handle, but I assume those voters are going with their hearts over their heads.

And it might be still wishful thinking, but I think it is five to make the FF (Cooter's count of four, plus one anonymous poll voter), not five to win it all.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

5 votes for JHU to win it all? Some must be rewatching the last two games played agaisnt Maryland.

And they gave PSU all they could handle, but I assume those voters are going with their hearts over their heads.

And it might be still wishful thinking, but I think it is five to make the FF (Cooter's count of four, plus one anonymous poll voter), not five to win it all.

Probably is wishful thinking.

I still think the W-L record is more likely to be .500 or worse again. Much more likely of that than making the FF.

[PizzaSnake]

Penn, Penn State, Maryland, UVA.

Penn wins it all.

[Laxter]

I left Virginia out because they are breaking in a bunch of new guys on the defensive end. Several key players will be 1st years. If that gels, they could be in there

I think the D will be fine UNLESS there are injuries to upperclassmen. If that happens, I agree that return to FF will be unlikely. There are, relatively, experienced starters at close (Kology and Saustad), LSM (Connors and Rock) and SSDM (Fox, Merle, Sallade). Yes, there will likely be a first year (Brower, Matsui, or Guilieri) starting at close and one getting major minutes at SSDM, but that was the case last year as well. Could be some growing pains early but could see things jelling as they did last spring.

[ABV 8.3%]

5 votes for JHU to win it all? Some must be rewatching the last two games played agaisnt Maryland.

And they gave PSU all they could handle, but I assume those voters are going with their hearts over their heads.

And it might be still wishful thinking, but I think it is five to make the FF (Cooter's count of four, plus one anonymous poll voter), not five to win it all.

maybe cooter was thinking an AQ, you know, the ones playing that mid week game all the D1 coaches complain about , that the NCAA doesn't recognize, will possibly win it all. Very possible this could happen, given that each team still can only field 10 players, at a time. So you having 50 rostered bench warmers means not much with every passing season.

[Typical Lax Dad]

5 votes for JHU to win it all? Some must be rewatching the last two games played agaisnt Maryland.

And they gave PSU all they could handle, but I assume those voters are going with their hearts over their heads.

And it might be still wishful thinking, but I think it is five to make the FF (Cooter's count of four, plus one anonymous poll voter), not five to win it all.

maybe cooter was thinking an AQ, you know, the ones playing that mid week game all the D1 coaches complain about , that the NCAA doesn't recognize, will possibly win it all. Very possible this could happen, given that each team still can only field 10 players, at a time. So you having 50 rostered bench warmers means not much with every passing season.

What is the average number of healthy rostered players that play each week. I would guess that it is more than 10. Closer to 25 healthy which is above 1/2 the players.

[stupefied]

25 sounds about right, giver take a few depending on team/ game. UVA -Cuse game used 27 and 26 respectively

[blue angels]

I left Virginia out because they are breaking in a bunch of new guys on the defensive end. Several key players will be 1st years. If that gels, they could be in there

I think the D will be fine UNLESS there are injuries to upperclassmen. If that happens, I agree that return to FF will be unlikely. There are, relatively, experienced starters at close (Kology and Saustad), LSM (Connors and Rock) and SSDM (Fox, Merle, Sallade). Yes, there will likely be a first year (Brower, Matsui, or Guilieri) starting at close and one getting major minutes at SSDM, but that was the case last year as well. Could be some growing pains early but could see things jelling as they did last spring.

Concur with your view. The young guys got a head start on development. With Saustad out this Fall. 3 of the top 4 poles were 1st years. They struggled initially in the 1st scrimmage against the all Senior PSU attack but played much much better the next week against a stronger Team USA and Team Canada.

[Typical Lax Dad]

25 sounds about right, giver take a few depending on team/ game. UVA -Cuse game used 27 and 26 respectively

On 11 players players are on the football field at any point in time.....too many DIPA for ABV 8.3%.

[DALaxDad]

There are a couple aspects to large rosters. The more players a coach has, the greater the chance that one will devlop into an exceptional player. Equally important, and not to pick on Lars, if the player is sitting on the UVA bench, he isn't playing anywhere else.

Since 1973, the NCAA has reduced the number of full scholarships for football from 105 to 85 in part to prevent top programs from stockpiling players. In 1973, the third string from some top programs could have beaten anyone but the top 10 in the country.

[ABV 8.3%]

There are a couple aspects to large rosters. The more players a coach has, the greater the chance that one will devlop into an exceptional player. Equally important, and not to pick on Lars, if the player is sitting on the UVA bench, he isn't playing anywhere else.

Since 1973, the NCAA has reduced the number of full scholarships for football from 105 to 85 in part to prevent top programs from stockpiling players. In 1973, the third string from some top programs could have beaten anyone but the top 10 in the country.

Did more programs get better after the rule change ? Not sure how this is relevent to my point. Which is this. Brown lost to Penn by one goal in the Ivies, correct? Who did they lose to graduation? exactly. So, Brown ran with anyone and, well....anyone. Sometimes. Tough to be undefeated in today's game. Why, because , you want to believe the myth that a TOP football player, or in ANY sport that gives them a full ride, is content to just practice and never see the field ? Also, my point has nothing to do with scholarships.....but playing time.

Guys who have played, especially in old man tournies, know that more often than not, less is more. ( more than 16 guys on a team stinks, for playing time. except for after game activities. hard to get into the game flow with too many subs. ) I think that 90-95 % of playing time is done by the same number, 16 players, instead of the mid-20's mentioned. I mean, how often are you changing attack and in close d? The goalie?

Back to Brown. Evident that Brown got better. At least their top 16 did. Like the greatest NFL coach, evah, sayz, special teams is a factor. Brown's "special teams", the other 10 players, some getting 2 or 3 runs, total, on a wing or ride....garnering little to no stats. Were they the difference in that one goal loss to Penn ?

In short, roughly 600 kids are currently freshman at a DIV 1 college. You telling me the top 2-3 freshman recruits, not according some kid or other payolla scheme, heading to UNC or Notre Dame, is really that much better than a kid heading to Sacred Heart or Dartmouth. Go ahead everyone, tell TLD that his kid can't hang with ACC's middies. It's laughable. TLD's offspring is a heck of a player. Could have played anywhere. Same with Max Tuttle, from the former named college.

Teams that can win it all still get shut out of the tourney. Patriot league suffers. Same with CAA. One bid leagues, even though........in the past 4-5 years, serious gripes of deserving teams being left out. For the sake of what? Tradition? Sometimes the stars just have to align. They did for UNC. It was cool to watch. Obviously, for UVA, that post goal, was some cosmic stuff. (and please dont equate the toe on the paint when the Terps scored. Key word. SCORED. Uva did NOT score on that pipe shot. Again, cosmic. The Creator wanted it that way, so who can't be good with that outcome ?

[ABV 8.3%]

What the heck...... just realized that I entered into MDLAX long winded, droning on and on about nothing writing prose. HELP

[DALaxDad]

Droning but lucid!! I didn't realize I was walking into a rant about the number of teams that should make the NCAAs. That's not a battle I want to get into today.

[HooDat]

you need guys to practice against - 16 don't make for good practices.

those guys need to embrace being part of making a great team better.... in practice.

If that is not a player's cup of tea he can go be a star in a smaller pond.

And I am not judging. I personally would probably rather play for a less good team than be meat for the grinder on a world beater where I was the last guy on the team.

[ABV 8.3%]

you need guys to practice against - 16 don't make for good practices.

those guys need to embrace being part of making a great team better.... in practice.

If that is not a player's cup of tea he can go be a star in a smaller pond.

And I am not judging. I personally would probably rather play for a less good team than be meat for the grinder on a world beater where I was the last guy on the team.

Point is, many good players are doing just that, playing for a "less good team". Not everyone wants to suffer PC wokeness at a Duke type academic, some guys just wanna ball and become fire fighters or addition builders. Not everyone wants to be a wallstreet bankster........somebody has to be the stooge and loose it all. (investments )

[wgdsr]

and yet, sacred heart and dartmouth don't dot your final four.
dartmouth in particular i don't believe you've seen play much recently.

[stupefied]

ABV might want to switch to O'Douls about now

[ABV 8.3%]

and yet, sacred heart and dartmouth don't dot your final four.
dartmouth in particular i don't believe you've seen play much recently.

ok, you want to split nuts, fine. But, no, no they don't. Nor will they. I was referring to teams like Denver (won with NO Maryland or NY kids, I recall ) or Rutgers. Or St. Johns. Or Nova. Or Bucknell. Or Utah. Or High Pt. Richmond. or Bryant. or Hobart. Or Mercy, here comes Detroit. (not this year )

How's that transfer portal looking

[Typical Lax Dad]

There are a couple aspects to large rosters. The more players a coach has, the greater the chance that one will devlop into an exceptional player. Equally important, and not to pick on Lars, if the player is sitting on the UVA bench, he isn't playing anywhere else.

Since 1973, the NCAA has reduced the number of full scholarships for football from 105 to 85 in part to prevent top programs from stockpiling players. In 1973, the third string from some top programs could have beaten anyone but the top 10 in the country.

Did more programs get better after the rule change ? Not sure how this is relevent to my point. Which is this. Brown lost to Penn by one goal in the Ivies, correct? Who did they lose to graduation? exactly. So, Brown ran with anyone and, well....anyone. Sometimes. Tough to be undefeated in today's game. Why, because , you want to believe the myth that a TOP football player, or in ANY sport that gives them a full ride, is content to just practice and never see the field ? Also, my point has nothing to do with scholarships.....but playing time.

Guys who have played, especially in old man tournies, know that more often than not, less is more. ( more than 16 guys on a team stinks, for playing time. except for after game activities. hard to get into the game flow with too many subs. ) I think that 90-95 % of playing time is done by the same number, 16 players, instead of the mid-20's mentioned. I mean, how often are you changing attack and in close d? The goalie?

Back to Brown. Evident that Brown got better. At least their top 16 did. Like the greatest NFL coach, evah, sayz, special teams is a factor. Brown's "special teams", the other 10 players, some getting 2 or 3 runs, total, on a wing or ride....garnering little to no stats. Were they the difference in that one goal loss to Penn ?

In short, roughly 600 kids are currently freshman at a DIV 1 college. You telling me the top 2-3 freshman recruits, not according some kid or other payolla scheme, heading to UNC or Notre Dame, is really that much better than a kid heading to Sacred Heart or Dartmouth. Go ahead everyone, tell TLD that his kid can't hang with ACC's middies. It's laughable. TLD's offspring is a heck of a player. Could have played anywhere. Same with Max Tuttle, from the former named college.

Teams that can win it all still get shut out of the tourney. Patriot league suffers. Same with CAA. One bid leagues, even though........in the past 4-5 years, serious gripes of deserving teams being left out. For the sake of what? Tradition? Sometimes the stars just have to align. They did for UNC. It was cool to watch. Obviously, for UVA, that post goal, was some cosmic stuff. (and please dont equate the toe on the paint when the Terps scored. Key word. SCORED. Uva did NOT score on that pipe shot. Again, cosmic. The Creator wanted it that way, so who can't be good with that outcome ?

You sound delusional sometimes. Any roster lower than 40 is on thin ice. Tuttle was a very good player.