Game #1 - @Syracuse, 2/16, 4:00

[UAalum72]

Game is on ACC Extra, ESPN3

Syracuse lacrosse forum

 

[AlbanyFan2018]

6 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

Game is on ACC Extra, ESPN3

Syracuse lacrosse forum

 

Thanks for that link. And I thought we bickered sometimes on our board. Oh my, the Syracuse fans already have a for sale sign in front of Desko's house after the first game.

[UA'08]

Wow lacrosse is back already 

[AlbanyFan2018]

I have no idea what to make of this game. 

I think offense will be fine as long as attack is productive.

Ground ball game has to be better, not just on face offs. We have a  couple of really good ground ball guys that are not seeing a ton of time. Will be interested to see if we struggle if those guys get a chance to show what they can do.

Face-off unit - ties into ground balls. Need to be no worse than 40%. I think 50% would be a huge win.

Defense - need to see good communication and no phantom slides. Especially since against Colgate there was no apparent initiator. 

I think offense will have to score 14-15 goals to come out on top.

[HOF2013]

6 hours ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

I have no idea what to make of this game. 

I think offense will be fine as long as attack is productive.

Ground ball game has to be better, not just on face offs. We have a  couple of really good ground ball guys that are not seeing a ton of time. Will be interested to see if we struggle if those guys get a chance to show what they can do.

Face-off unit - ties into ground balls. Need to be no worse than 40%. I think 50% would be a huge win.

Defense - need to see good communication and no phantom slides. Especially since against Colgate there was no apparent initiator. 

I think offense will have to score 14-15 goals to come out on top.

Interesting.   Ground balls is a key and as we have said all week, slides on the corners of the crease.  Can't let guys step clear into the crease.

 

Edited February 13, 2019 by HOF2013

[dslyank]

1 hour ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

Ground ball game has to be better, not just on face offs. We have a  couple of really good ground ball guys that are not seeing a ton of time. Will be interested to see if we struggle if those guys get a chance to show what they can do.

Can you elaborate who we should be looking for here? And would we only see them if we struggle or might they get some minutes straight up??

[AlbanyFan2018]

2 minutes ago, dslyank said:

Can you elaborate who we should be looking for here? And would we only see them if we struggle or might they get some minutes straight up??

Two guys who have always impressed me on ground balls are Barrow, and Spahr in particular. Spahr was an amazing ground ball vacuum in high school and every chance he gets all he seems to do is get ground balls. I don't think he has the stature to be an every play LSM, but if we need to double pole I could see either of those guys out there with Gleason on the wings.

Barrow is a little more rough and tumble and can mix it up more, but either way we need more physicality on the wings and in the middle of the field.

To me Gleason is the clear #1 LSM and has earned it. I don't know why Barrow hasn't gotten more opportunities. I think there are 2-3 better options on the man down unit that would make it more productive as well, and I would put Spahr and Barrow on that list as well.

[dslyank]

I say we win. Syracuse was bad last year; barely a 500 team and made ncaa on reputation only IMHO. I do not think they are much or any better this year. Offensively they have issues, defensively some serious injuries and not dominant even heathy. Very strong at mid field and appear their fogo is much improved. They have something to prove after the beating we gave them last year; and 0-2 at home would be a disaster for them; and of course the DOME is, well the DOME.

But UA competed well against Colgate (and I am not surprised they beat cuse) and Rutgers (who IL seems to LOVE). Clean up a few scrimmage mistakes and I think we embarrass cuse again. Remember now it counts and some of the scrimmage mistakes were due to experimentation and taking a look at guys you may not see when things get real.

Edited February 13, 2019 by dslyank

[UA'08]

There was a full story on TD Ierlan and his whole transfer process as well on IL.

[DanesRGood]

11 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

There was a full story on TD Ierlan and his whole transfer process as well on IL.

Here's the link:  https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/february-cover-story-td-ierlan-s-next-chapter/53728

He says it was academics and the ability to get a job in the financial field is why he made the decision.  I found one quote interesting. 

“How every program runs is different, but that doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong,” Ierlan says. “It’s just different. Certain programs work certain ways and for different kids.”

Edit: Guess it's the wrong place for this discussion.  Not sure if there is a right thread for it though.  

 

[UA'08]

1 minute ago, DanesRGood said:

Here's the link:  https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/february-cover-story-td-ierlan-s-next-chapter/53728

He says it was academics and the ability to get a job in the financial field is why he made the decision.  I found one quote interesting. 

“How every program runs is different, but that doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong,” Ierlan says. “It’s just different. Certain programs work certain ways and for different kids.”

Edit: Guess it's the wrong place for this discussion.  Not sure if there is a right thread for it though.  

 

I mean he's not wrong. No matter how much we love Albany there's absolutely no comparison between the two degrees. 

[AlbanyFan2018]

50 minutes ago, DanesRGood said:

Here's the link:  https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/february-cover-story-td-ierlan-s-next-chapter/53728

He says it was academics and the ability to get a job in the financial field is why he made the decision.  I found one quote interesting. 

“How every program runs is different, but that doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong,” Ierlan says. “It’s just different. Certain programs work certain ways and for different kids.”

Edit: Guess it's the wrong place for this discussion.  Not sure if there is a right thread for it though.  

 

i think TD had some legitimate gripes, and on some points he was off base. In the end it wasn't a good fit for him.

 

[AlbanyFan2018]

[HOF2013]

22 hours ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

i think TD had some legitimate gripes, and on some points he was off base. In the end it wasn't a good fit for him.

 

I read the article and I think that a lot of that is "hindsight" philosophising!!  Just my gut, like me or hate me.  I still say it shows a total lack of loyalty.  Knowing who was graduating and thinking UA might not be as good over all.  And Yale, just winning the title - the grass is always greener!   They did NOT destroy Syracuse in their pre-season ending scrimmage.

[AlbanyFan2018]

I hear you on the loyalty front. There are some things which are not common knowledge to further reinforce your point of view. I will say that the one thing where I think TD, and others who want to take and have tried to take more challenging classes, the 10am practice schedule interferes with those players who are striving for academic excellence. There are and have been other players who are contemplating or have contemplated transferring to other schools because of the class and practice conflicts.

I know that was part of TD's frustration.