Why Denver Shouldn’t be in the NCAA Tournament
http://blogs.insidelacrosse.com/2008/05/08/ils-scouting-report-annapolis-bracket/
Denver is the third team from the Great Western Lacrosse League in the 2008 NCAA tournament. There are so many reasons I can come up with that they should not be playing Maryland on Saturday. So lets look at some of them, as well as why they do deserve to be playing:
1. The Ivy League only has one team in this year’s tournament-Cornell is the only representitive. They became the Ivy AQ after Princeton lost in consecutive weeks to Dartmouth and Brown. While Dartmouth was a bad loss, Brown was also in contention for the Ivy AQ. Usually the Ivy League gets 2-3 teams in the NCAA Tournament.
2. Georgetown is a lot better than Denver-Georgetown was the only team to figure out how to stop the top ranked Duke offense and beat them. They also beat Navy. Which means they have just as many wins against tournament teams as Denver. But they beat the #1 seed, while Denver beat the #6 team. They both have wins against unseeded teams.
3. Georgetown or Princeton would have been better matchups- Most people remember in 2004, Maryland’s Joe Walters missed an empty net thinking that Maryland was going to the Final Four, then Princeton scored two quick goals to win the game. Wouldn’t you like to see that rematch? Or how about how people were wondering if Georgetown would get a shot to break their NCAA quarterfinal curse, now they don’t even get the chance to be in the tournament. They lost to Maryland the first game of the season, and would probably make a great rematch there too.
4. NCAA Tournament thinking of future $$$-The GWLL was created to provide a team outside the East Coast a chance to play in the NCAA tournament. Having three is a little ridiculous. Denver is a future sight of Quarterfinal games and Final Fours due to its explosion of high school lacrosse, as well as high attendence at pro events. The NCAA is thinking like the do during football season and trying to milk some money out of the Denver area by placing a team in the NCAA tournament when they have more suitable options. Although I do agree that it is good for the sport’s future, it goes against fair competition that the NCAA is supposed to represent.
May 11, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Trudie,
You certainly made for an easy counterpoint. Let me guess you played in the late 70 or early 80’s, lax on the East Coast has been king for you and still is. The “West” will always acknowledge the history and respect of it’s lax roots, but clearly in 2008 things have changed. The GWLL has three legitimate NCAA contenders, in the tournament and all season long. Let’s review, less than 36 hours after your posting, OSU pounded your pick 15-7, ND proved everyone wrong and does beat peaking Colgate (two teams Denver beat, pounding Colgate 15-5 during the season). Yes Denver did loose to MD, but was clearly in the game, if not in control, in the first half at 5-5. MD’s experience (30 more appearances than Denver) proved to pull them through the second half (and a little home cooking, I was there). As for your point #1 – the Ivy League simply had a bad year. Denver beat both Brown and Penn, Cornell was again the best, but did I mention the GWLL team that beat them in round one. Princeton is the ‘Cuse of last year, so they will be back even stronger next year. Point #2 – “Gtown is a lot better then Denver”, just based on beating Duke? Denver stayed with Duke last year all game. Georgetown had the chance to peak at the end of the year, but lost to lowly Penn State when it mattered the most. A team that Denver played last year and shut out 8-0 in the second half to win. Point #3 – you can go back to 2004 or any past match up / rematches you want, again you’re living in the past. Joe W is not at MD anymore, and who cares about what people would be wondering about Gtown breaking a (again in the past) “curse”. The past is the past, and we could name 100’s of “great to see rematches”, but with teams changes so much, would it ever be a real “rematch”? Lastly, point #4, where you almost got it. The future is now. Rightfully so Denver is a site for anything. The city continues to be #1 or #2 for indoor attendance, with a league champion, set an outdoor record for the NLL, a team that went to the finals in it’s second season, and yes the high school explosion is the real deal – did you even notice that a “lowly Denver HS” team came out and beat then ranked #1 Loyola this year. There no need to “milk some money out of Denver area”, when that part of the country and many others in the “West” are already filling the seats, buying the merchandise and even funding the alumni banks at a better rate than nearly everywhere in the East. It appears that you need to agree that what’s “good for the sport” and “fair competition” are alive and well as this great sport grows across the nation. Be proud about the heritage, supportive of the contribution (and traveling) the “West” does to “represent” and stay tuned, you just may continue to eat more of your words as the tournament rolls along with 2 of the 3 “little ridiculous” GWLL teams are still at the dance. Heavy forbid, you just may see a Texas of California team in the future – not the past.
May 11, 2008 at 10:40 pm
For the record I graduated from Goucher in Maryland in 2002, and am a lifetime resident of Arizona. I think it was good for lax that Denver got to play, but I would have rather seen Georgetown or Princeton play. Regardless, Maryland won and it doesn’t matter anymore!
May 18, 2008 at 2:57 am
That’s your come back? “2002?” that gives you a long history and experience to draw from. Figures from “golf State” resident.