83 replies to this topic

[Oriole85]

Agree w/ you on NASCAR.  I'd attend an Orioles game over NASCAR any day of the week.

 

I would go to any Os game if invited.  I just prefer faster paced sports where the games have more weight like NFL and lax.

One loss in 162 games doesn't mean that much. One loss in NFL or lacrosse carries a lot more weight.

 

if you have time, give the lax semi-finals games a watch on TV. Maryland playing will charge the crowd for sure.

I went to the finals at M&T in 2003, 2004 and 2007....all were great events!

Not my intention to turn this into anti-NASCAR thread btw, just using that as an example of something that I don't care for but plenty of people do. I've become better over the years on tolerating different interests and viewpoints. 

 

To me, the NFL is good because it's 16 games a year. There's actually a lot of dead time between plays, commercials, timeouts and halftime. It translates well to the small screen so that stuff is masked.

 

You're absolutely right that one loss in baseball doesn't have the same impact as those other sports. But coming here after a "heartbreaking loss" in the middle of April, you'd think that. I personally like the fact, baseball is an everyday thing. I get that isn't for everyone.

 

I went to the semis one of those years, I think 2004. I watch from time-to-time moreso when MD is involved, just not appointment TV. I can respect lacrosse players for what they do.

[211sports]

Very happy to see MD make the Final 4.  Of all the teams left they are the school w/ the longest tradition.

Last title they had was in 1975 so it's long over due for the Terps to hoist the trophy.

hey looked great last week vs. Bryant, but Notre Dame is at a higher level.

 

Also congrats to Deemer Class of Duke for getting First Team All-America honors. He went to Loyola HS.

[Bmore Irish]

Last time I went to championship weekend was in 2010 when Duke beat Notre Dame in a 6-5 overtime win. Rather anticlimactic finish too, the Duke longpole won the opening faceoff of OT and ran right up the middle to put away the winning goal.

I always root for the Maryland teams and Notre Dame, but I gotta go with the Maryland connection in this one. OG lacrosse!

[Oriole85]

Maryland down 2-0.

[BSLChrisStoner]

6-4 Notre Dame... 1:39 left in the half.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Terps have won 10 of the 12 faceoffs.

[Bmore Irish]

They need to convert on these scoring chances right on the doorstep and stop turning the ball over or the faceoff wins won't matter.

[Bmore Irish]

The Irish could be a good matchup with Duke.

Notre Dame tends to create offense off of transition, as well as ball movement (both with the ball and off-ball). If their offense continues to click, and Kelly stays hot in goal, I think they can gain an edge.

Notre Dame has the defense to at least somewhat stifle Duke, but the quick second slide will be crucial as the Blue Devils have so many weapons at any given time on offense.

Faceoff and goalie play may very well be the x-factors.

Oh, and the all-ACC championship game. I so wish there was more than just one year of this conference.

[Oriole85]

@notthefakeSVP Ladies Night @ Bentley's?  Congrat "@umterps: National. Champions.

@MarylandWLax 15, @SyracuseLax 12. #GoTerps

 

[211sports]

Final 4 was all about turnovers.

 

SF

MD loses game to ND in 1st half b/c of turnovers. 2nd half they were decent.

 

Final

ND loses game to Duke in 1st half b/c of turnovers. 2nd half they outscored Duke, but the hole was too deep.

 

This is true at ANY level of lacrosse: if you come out flat and not mentally ready to play in the first 10 minutes of a game, you are in major trouble. 

 

It happend to MD and ND in the final 4 games.

[Oriole85]

What do you think of going to MLS stadiums or maybe even mid-sized college stadiums? They did used to play at Byrd after all. Not trying to hate here, I think it was a good idea for cbb to stop playing in domes besides the Final Four.

[211sports]

I have no issue w/ the final 4 moving to a smaller venue, but the location has to have other attractions close to the stadium.

M&T is hard to beat b/c of the close proximity to Baltimore, Federal Hill, Canton, the Harbor, etc.

 

I actually think if they tweaked the schedule a bit it might help....for example:

 

Friday night: D-1 Semi-finals in prime time

Saturday: D2 and D3 finals

Sunday: D-1 finals

Monday: travel day

[DJ MC]

I have no issue w/ the final 4 moving to a smaller venue, but the location has to have other attractions close to the stadium.

M&T is hard to beat b/c of the close proximity to Baltimore, Federal Hill, Canton, the Harbor, etc.

 

I actually think if they tweaked the schedule a bit it might help....for example:

 

Friday night: D-1 Semi-finals in prime time

Saturday: D2 and D3 finals

Sunday: D-1 finals

Monday: travel day

 

1. Nobody watches TV Friday night. You're going to get fewer viewers for those games then on Saturday, and probably a smaller crowd, too.

 

2. Putting the finals on Sunday puts them up against the Indy 500, as opposed to Memorial Day when there are no national sporting events of note.

[Oriole85]

@Ourand_SBJ TV numbers for the lacrosse final four: Terps-Notre Dame (239,000 viewers), Duke-Denver (229,000 viewers).

[Oriole85]

WNST: A QUICK RE-VISIT OF THE LACROSSE WEEKEND IN BALTIMORE

 

As for the attendance and the crowds of 30,000 and 25,000.  I get it that people are disappointed.  The stadium is less than half-full when those crowds are in the place.  It looks bad.  I understand.  Just, please, remember this:  with all due respect, and I have a lot of friends in the lacrosse community, it’s still lacrosse.  To get 30,000 people to show up when there’s no “true” hometown team is fairly respectable in my opinion.  I understand that Maryland was playing, but it’s not Maryland basketball we’re talking about, it’s Maryland lacrosse.  Now, had Hopkins played on Saturday, there might have been 45,000 there.  But there was no real hometown team in play and 30,000 showed up.  I thought that was acceptable, but a lot of folks didn’t.

Ok I admit I don't really know much about lacrosse, but is it really fair to think 15k more people would've shown up if Hopkins were in it? I think Maryland as the state's flagship University is enough of the home team, being well within a reasonable drive too.

[211sports]

There is no conflict w/ The Indy 500 at all from a viewing perspective.  

 

If you need to draw more viewers then you are right, Friday night is not a good idea, but lax fans will watch these games on Friday night or Saturday day time....they don't care.  I don't think the viewing numbers would drop a lot....just my opinion.

 

Also, the issue w/ day games on Saturday is they often conflict w/ other lacrosse events. I know, since I coach 2 teams in the spring and summer.  Pushing the games back gives families a chance of attending after their other events have finished.

 

The finals also used be at 11am to allow for more travel time back home. Having the game at 1PM doesn't do them any favors. Also, competing against ANY pro league events is just a bad idea.

[DuffMan]

22,000+ there on Sunday for the Sea Gulls, which is fantastic for a D3 game.  Too bad they couldn't pull out the W.

[Oriole85]

22,000+ there on Sunday for the Sea Gulls, which is fantastic for a D3 game.  Too bad they couldn't pull out the W.

That's much more than I would've thought for a D3 game, really impressive.

[Oriole85]

There is no conflict w/ The Indy 500 at all from a viewing perspective.  

 

If you need to draw more viewers then you are right, Friday night is not a good idea, but lax fans will watch these games on Friday night or Saturday day time....they don't care.  I don't think the viewing numbers would drop a lot....just my opinion.

 

Also, the issue w/ day games on Saturday is they often conflict w/ other lacrosse events. I know, since I coach 2 teams in the spring and summer.  Pushing the games back gives families a chance of attending after their other events have finished.

 

The finals also used be at 11am to allow for more travel time back home. Having the game at 1PM doesn't do them any favors. Also, competing against ANY pro league events is just a bad idea.

I think moving the games back on Saturday like Drew suggested in the article would've been great. Of course as pointed out, TV dictates all of this.

[211sports]

Agree that TV dictates the times, but if ESPN wants more viewers, Saturday night is not a bad idea.  

A twilight DH if you will...first game at 4:30 or 5...2nd game at 7:30.

 

Regardless of the time of the games, the quality of the product is consistently high.  

Going back to 1986 when the final format was started, only a few final games have been blowouts.

 

The drama on a faceoff in a tie game or 1 goal game in the 4th qtr. with less than a minute left is off the charts.