ualbany mlax MLAX - Game 7 - Conference Game 2 Mar 25 (Sat) 12:00 PM Burlington, VT Virtue Field

[cwdickens]

At 9-2, I have seen enough, at least I did not have to watch this in person.  No need to see more.

[Laxdawg20]

Why do we have faceoff guys on roster if you don’t use them? Enders not working today but they throw Piseno up there every time! How about using Karnes ( who has been good. ) or the freshman give them opportunity 

[dslyank]

48 minutes ago, Laxdawg20 said:

How are you not up to play these guys??? Have beaten you 7 straight and they look like still on the bus! 

What the team got off the bus??

If anybody showed up to watch this disaster, PLEASE explain to me how UA can play competitive against teams like Maryland & Cornell and look like scared chickens running around the barn yard, against a VERY mediocre VT team. If you like me you only steamed, feel free to input your explanations also. 

[PrisonMike]

This offense is painful to watch. They cant even get a good look on a man up, let alone 6 on 6. In the 1st quarter against lowell the offense was playing well with hogg, sheehan and salit on attack, and richmond coming out of the box. Then the second quarter starts and they're back in the same offense that hasn't been working all season. 

There have been a few puzzling coaching decisions. Vermont comes in with a similar offensive game plan year after year and Albany is never ready for it.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Eventually something has to change. I dont know the contract situations, but Marr needs to bring in new assistants after this year. It should have happened after last years abysmal season. Go after young coaches who played in the ACC or Big Ten. Vermonts assistants played at Maryland and Michigan. UMBC's assistants are from Virgina and Lehigh. You need guys who come from top tier programs.

Edited March 25, 2023 by PrisonMike

[cwdickens]

Can we now say, "The Dane Train is a Dane Wreck"?  As mentioned earlier in this thread by another blogger, many of the Great Dane Men Sports are wrecks in their own right.  How can this sports administration expect us to contribute during March Matchness?

Edited March 25, 2023 by cwdickens
correction

[AlbanyFan2018]

I didn't catch the game, and hoping to watch it tomorrow. I have been saying for years that the defensive scheme and coordinator is a problem. I know something which was very frustrating is that the game plan would change week to week, almost as if if was a panic move by the DC every week. There were several good players who could have stayed around or asked to stay for an extra covid year, but wanted nothing to do with it.

The offense was always our bread and butter and that is the most discouraging. Look at the Bryant UML score and it doesn't make our performance last week look all that great. I also don't understand why we constantly abandon the FOGO. The UVM FOGO is one of the best in the country.

[cwdickens]

6 hours ago, dslyank said:

What the team got off the bus??

If anybody showed up to watch this disaster, PLEASE explain to me how UA can play competitive against teams like Maryland & Cornell and look like scared chickens running around the barn yard, against a VERY mediocre VT team. If you like me you only steamed, feel free to input your explanations also. 

Based on recent results, when the UVM MBB, WBB, MLAX and WLAX hear UAlbany is their next opponent and they find their inspiration to prevail.  Lastly, are the UVM coaches flat out better recruiters, mentors and game times coaches?  I think so, while only marginally in WBB.  That being said UVM Men's Ice Hockey. well they are bad, real bad.  It is their football problem.

[AlbanyFan2018]

IMO the program developed a culture issue during the run to the final four. We saw the writing on the wall which ultimately led to Irelan leaving. I don't know if he would have stayed, but at least from what I saw and heard, that was a significant part of his decision to leave which is why I sort of defended him. I've also said that I thought losing Gleason to Siena was a pretty big deal, and that while I love Coach Marr's loyalty to his former players, always having a staff of former players isn't a great thing. At the end of the day Marr is their former coach and that has a whole set of issues when it comes to how a program operates. 

I have no idea how Benson's leadership or lack of it has impacted lacrosse. I guess he could give Coach Marr a directive that he has to find the best staff, and that means potentially hiring non Albany guys.

 

[dslyank]

7 hours ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

Coach Marr a directive that he has to find the best staff, and that means potentially hiring non Albany guys.

I certainly have no idea what UA pays for assistant coaches; but I am betting it would cost more {probably considerably more} to hire assistants from outside the program. And if those assistants were from Power 5s OR were highly successful at some even mid major level, more $s again. Also, if I was an up & coming assistant and looked around at what Benson has done to a once proud and even dominant athletic program, I'd think twice about coming here unless the money was overwhelming. Pretty much a fact that Benson overpaid for Duane Killings---maybe Benson had no choice to overpay given how desperate he was/is to have a successful hire???

I maybe off base on all of this, and like I said really have no idea how UA's athletic budget compares to other AmEast and other mid-major lacrosse conferences. But suspect strongly, that hiring from within comes with "cost advantages."

[AlbanyFan2018]

2 hours ago, dslyank said:

I certainly have no idea what UA pays for assistant coaches; but I am betting it would cost more {probably considerably more} to hire assistants from outside the program. And if those assistants were from Power 5s OR were highly successful at some even mid major level, more $s again. Also, if I was an up & coming assistant and looked around at what Benson has done to a once proud and even dominant athletic program, I'd think twice about coming here unless the money was overwhelming. Pretty much a fact that Benson overpaid for Duane Killings---maybe Benson had no choice to overpay given how desperate he was/is to have a successful hire???

I maybe off base on all of this, and like I said really have no idea how UA's athletic budget compares to other AmEast and other mid-major lacrosse conferences. But suspect strongly, that hiring from within comes with "cost advantages."

I can't speak for the SUNY system vs other places, but generally a large part of the assistants comp comes from camps, clinics, and then donors kicking in. I think there are plenty of up and coming defensive minds who would love the chance to be Coach Marr's understudy. 

[AlbanyFan2018]

On 3/25/2023 at 6:09 PM, cwdickens said:

Can we now say, "The Dane Train is a Dane Wreck"?  As mentioned earlier in this thread by another blogger, many of the Great Dane Men Sports are wrecks in their own right.  How can this sports administration expect us to contribute during March Matchness?

We've lost to UVM the last eight times, UMBC rising, Bryant looks solid and now I am seeing ranked in some polls. I love my Danes, but this is a pretty epic collapse of a program, and whether it is Benson or whomever, someone needs to stop living in the past and figure out what has gone wrong. I am tired of listening to Wyland's show on Monday and hearing nothing but coach speak and softball questions. 

[cwdickens]

1 hour ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

We've lost to UVM the last eight times, UMBC rising, Bryant looks solid and now I am seeing ranked in some polls. I love my Danes, but this is a pretty epic collapse of a program, and whether it is Benson or whomever, someone needs to stop living in the past and figure out what has gone wrong. I am tired of listening to Wyland's show on Monday and hearing nothing but coach speak and softball questions. 

Sadly, whatever journalistic credentials Roger ever had and for that matter, in my opinion, his TV Station, have long left the building.  Many of us have been left wondering is Scott just riding this latest contract extension towards his retirement and/or is his one other lacrosse commitment just enough of a distraction from his UAlbany position?

[dslyank]

On 3/27/2023 at 5:47 AM, AlbanyFan2018 said:

We've lost to UVM the last eight times, UMBC rising, Bryant looks solid and now I am seeing ranked in some polls

100%. Somebody at UA {I wish I knew WHO} needs to WAKE-UP and soon.

"Syracuse, Marquette, Delaware, Dartmouth, Saint Joseph's, Bryant, UMBC, Vermont, Richmond."  This weeks media poll 27, 28,29 AmEast teams. While UA is playing top ranked teams to get better and get attention, other AmEast teams are the ones getting better & getting attention??? ps. Bingo 6-2(2-0) ) may be even better than the 3 ranked? Leaving UA 5th and not even qualifying for the tournament.

I know HOF will say UA played the toughest schedule and the others have pretty much played nobody and HE IS RIGHT. But the discussion previously about does paying and losing against GOOD teams help or hurt, is yet to be answered?? And not to say the two are related and I know I am in a small minority who follow UA Volleyball. This year the UA Volleyball team played one of the most difficult pre-season tournament schedules in the county (granted they do that pretty much every year) and for the first time in their DI history did not make the AmEast tournament.

Do I sound like I am in panic mode and being irrational? Well yes. I HOPE I'M WRONG.

Edited March 28, 2023 by dslyank

[dslyank]

2 hours ago, cwdickens said:

Many of us have been left wondering is Scott just riding this latest contract extension towards his retirement and/or is his one other lacrosse commitment just enough of a distraction from his UAlbany position?

Interesting point. Not sure many have been thinking this or not. But I have wondered, if Scott's commitments to the Native American teams, hosting PLL games and now being host for second round [elite 8 games] ncaa tournament are stretching him too thin?? I know these associations help in recruiting and bring notice and exposure to UA & UA Lacrosse. But they also come with a price & time & commitments.

Many on this blog have commented on how UA did NOT market, promote and expand from their ncaa experiences. I for one AM NOT seeing much benefits, growth, or results from Scott's extra curricular commitments (for lack of a better term)?

Wondering how the MANY feel?? All opinions and thoughts appreciated.

Edited March 27, 2023 by dslyank

[cwdickens]

2 hours ago, dslyank said:

Interesting point. Not sure many have been thinking this or not. But I have wondered, if Scott's commitments to the Native American teams, hosting PLL games and now being host for second round [elite 8 games] ncaa tournament are stretching him too thin?? I know these associations help in recruiting and bring notice and exposure to UA & UA Lacrosse. But they also come with a price & time & commitments.

Many on this blog have commented on how UA did NOT market, promote and expand from their ncaa experiences. I for one AM NOT seeing much benefits, growth, or results from Scott's extra curricular commitments (for lack of a better term)?

Wondering how the MANY feel?? All opinions and thoughts appreciated.

The PLL and NCAA are unlikely to be large distractions however; our past success have long been forgotten by current recruits.  We have had few "surprises" in talent for the past five years and one would think that twenty plus years in D One Lacrosse, one would think we would reap much more benefit from UAlbany LAX Alumni, considering their coach is still here.