"None shall rule but the humble..."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Boston Hymn," 1863.
with
"None shall rule but the humble..."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Boston Hymn," 1863.
with
The Game of the Week:
....Virginia at.. Johns Hopkins
featuring:
...
and
In the Swami's Spotlight...
Most scoring lost in 2005 from 2004:
|
Team
|
Highest Percentage Scoring Lost
|
|
Syracuse
|
57.6%
|
|
Johns Hopkins
|
56.5%
|
|
Towson
|
55.7%
|
|
Navy
|
50.7%
|
|
Yale
|
44.7%
|
|
Rutgers
|
37.4%
|
|
Villanova
|
37.2%
|
|
Fairfield
|
36.6%
|
|
Notre Dame
|
33.3%
|
|
Duke
|
33.3%
|
|
Ohio State
|
32.7%
|
The return of the Swami...
A back injury?...or sabotage?...you be the judge...
The Swami received much nasty email regarding his comments two weeks ago concerning ex-Clintonite and Harvard president Larry Summers' statement about women and math and science. Most of it came from servers at Johns Hopkins University. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone. The Swami will clear the record and explain the Swami's recent partial absence from the scene.
The Swami likes to take his thrice weekly run on the track that surrounds the lacrosse field of a popular Baltimore university. For legal reasons, the Swami cannot tell you which one. Anyway, the Swami parks his car near the corner of Charles Street and University Parkway before each run. One evening, about three weeks ago while running, the Swami was struck in the back by a lacrosse ball when one of the players practicing on the field must have missed the goal with a shot (not uncommon for this team). Hey, who knows how fast this ball was traveling? 90 MPH? 100 MPH? It didn't matter because it didn't hurt the Swami at all. But with all the lawyers looking to sue people these days, an athletic official at this university insisted that the Swami visit the internationally prominent medical facility affiliated with this university.
Anyway, the Swami ended up on an examination table at the ***** ******* Sports Medicine Clinic. It was there that the Swami thinks his identity was learned when the outpatient nurse saw a medical coverage card from Laxswami Enterprises.
The Swami eventually ended up under the care of a chick physical therapist. When she finished with the Swami, the Swami couldn't get up from the table. That's when the back problems started. To get fixed up, Miss Bimbette had to drive the Swami to the sports medicine facility at the University of Virginia, where a competent male physician, who was good at science, set the Swami straight.
The Swami's back is still not returned to normal, but at least the Swami can get around a bit. The Swami would like to thank all his many fans, especially those who sent fruit baskets from Harry & David. Hey, the Swami loves those!
Miss Venus Lee comments...
Week #5 is traditionally the best weekend in the Division I season for competitive games, and this year is no exception. Mid-Atlantic fans can watch Duke-Georgetown, Virginia-Hopkins, UNC-Maryland, UMass-Loyola, Towson-Delaware, or Vermont-UMBC. That's a pretty full plate for an area which only featured one game last week. All the games except for the (7:00 PM) Towson-Delaware match take place at the same time. How inconvenient!
Which brings me to my next thought: why don't Mid-Atlantic area teams get together and coordinate scheduling a little better? I would personally like to see most of these game this weekend, but, of course, that's impossible. Why no games one week, then too many the next? The Swami explains it by noting that the same people who have ranked Army over Syracuse in the coaches' poll are scheduling the games. I dare not ask whether the Swami is referring to their collective cognitive dissonance or the Swami's perceived notion that they have no problem collaborating with each other on certain other issues.
It's probably too early to draw conclusions, but more evidence is emerging that Navy may have one of the best defenses in quite a long time. While the Swami may argue that Navy has yet to play a real competitive team, Navy's opponents are finding it difficult to even bring the ball upfield on clears. Top-rated Johns Hopkins and Virginia have opponent clearing rates of .743 and .733 respectively. Navy's is .655--an amazingly low number for any team at any time.
Navy's defensive midfield will get its first big test next week at Georgetown. Then it's Maryland, Army, and Hopkins successively. If Navy's defensive middies can keep breaking up 35% of all clears, we're all in for an exciting final month of lacrosse.
Top defensive teams as of 3/20/2005:
|
Rank
|
Name
|
Games
|
Goals Allowed
|
Per Game
|
| 1 | Navy |
6
|
28
|
4.67
|
| 2 | Villanova |
6
|
33
|
5.50
|
| 3 | Vermont |
3
|
17
|
5.67
|
| Virginia |
6
|
34
|
5.67
|
|
| 5 | Drexel |
7
|
40
|
5.71
|
| 6 | Rutgers |
4
|
26
|
6.50
|
| 7 | Duke |
7
|
48
|
6.86
|
| 8 | Brown |
3
|
21
|
7.00
|
| Stony Brook |
3
|
21
|
7.00
|
|
| Harvard |
3
|
21
|
7.00
|
|
| Johns Hopkins |
4
|
28
|
7.00
|
|
| Massachusetts |
5
|
35
|
7.00
|
|
| 13 | Providence |
5
|
37
|
7.40
|
| 14 | Lehigh |
7
|
52
|
7.43
|
| 15 | Notre Dame |
4
|
30
|
7.50
|
| Delaware |
8
|
60
|
7.50
|
|
| 17 | Army |
4
|
31
|
7.75
|
| 18 | Fairfield |
5
|
39
|
7.80
|
| Loyola |
5
|
39
|
7.80
|
|
| 20 | Colgate |
5
|
40
|
8.00
|
| Ohio State |
5
|
40
|
8.00
|
|
| Towson |
6
|
48
|
8.00
|
Last Week...
In Maryland...
Miss Venus Lee reports from College Park...
How much of a hand did the Retrievers have in beating themselves?...
Having been shut out of any opportunity to visit Syracuse, I retreated to Maryland from New York City to see UMBC play at the University of Maryland. This turned out to be a game beyond any advance expectation that I may have had. This contest began ugly and ended ugly.
In between, however, there was some good lacrosse, and a lot of hope for Retriever fans.
UMBC is athletic enough. But this team's problem is leaving its head in the locker room from time to time.
Not even a minute into the game, Maryland grabbed a lead that it would maintain throughout. Midfielder Bill McGlone put a spin move on his defender and scored from close in on the left side. Thirty seconds later, in what looked like a cloned play, Joe Walters would do the same, but without the spin. Both scores were unassisted.
At 12:33, after constant Maryland possessions, UMBC attempted its first clear. Maryland broke it, and McGlone scored seconds later from 10 yards in front. UMBC's defense was leaking like a sieve, and the Terrapin attack was getting good looks inside.
After a needed Retriever time out, Maryland won its fourth consecutive faceoff and Terp Ryan Clarke, a substitute long stick, took a shot on the Retriever's goal that was only wide right by inches.
By the time UMBC has its first sustained possession, Maryland had won all the faceoffs and done all the scoring.
With 11:30 left on the clock, the Retrievers began their second clear of the game. With the memory of the first thwarted UMBC attempted clear still fresh, Maryland's defensive midfielders swarmed Retriever Justin Haworth as he crossed the center line. This left Joe Cahill one-on-one with Maryland goalie Harry Alford. Cahill scored from five yards on Haworth's feed. Once again, Maryland's Achilles heel--a tendency to smell blood before it is drawn--was exposed.
Bill McGlone completed his hat trick less than a minute later for Maryland, on a feed from Xander Ritz. McGlone was alone just four yards in front of the crease line.
At 9:02, UMBC was given a 30 second extra man opportunity, which it could not convert. The team's only shot, from Andy Gallagher, hit the post.
Three minutes later, Maryland would muff the same opportunity. Within the unpredictable sea of UMBC's demeanor was an island of consistency: its man down defense. The Retrievers' defense sometimes looked better with a player in the box than they did without. Maryland would muster only one score on four penalties during the entire game.
Brendan Mundorf finally made an appearance for UMBC at 4:27, when he scored on a classic pick set by a teammate.
With 2:28 left, Joe Walters scored unassisted for Maryland. Bill McGlone followed with another goal on EMO at 1:27.
The first period closed mercifully for UMBC with the Retrievers down 6-2. It could have been a lot worse, given their sloppy play.
With 11:05 left in the second quarter, Nick Fatseas, a red shirt freshman who sat out last season with a torn ACL, scored high in the goal on an unassisted shot for UMBC.
Up now by three goals, Maryland went to its bench and began defensive substitutions. But UMBC was beginning to get its act together. The same team that had been plagued by mental mistakes throughout the first 20 minutes now began to look more methodical.
At 9:48, only seconds into Maryland's third penalty, Retriever James Hyland scored from far out on the left side with a real burner on a feed from Drew Westervelt.
With Maryland's McGlone having already achieved his hat trick, and Joe Walters nearing his, the Terps began to rush shots while UMBC became patient.
At 4:11, Drew Westervelt executed a quick turn and fired a shot past goaltender Alford from eight yards out on the left side. The score was now Maryland 6, UMBC 5. The Retrievers looked to be climbing out of their grave, and UMBC goalie Kevin Cepelak had recorded several spectacular saves to rally his defense.
But it was Maryland that was next to score when Joe Walters struck left-handed from 12 yards out on the left side on a shot that looked like it went through Cepelak's legs. This goal, however, only seemed to encourage Maryland's tendency to hurry everything. The Terps were rushing shots and their defense was doubling too quickly. The home team's coaches called a time out shortly after UMBC won its second faceoff of the game and Mundorf and Haworth peppered the Maryland goal with uncomfortably close shooting.
Mundorf scored again for UMBC at 1:19, assisted by Westervelt. The Retrievers were again within a goal, down 7-6.
UMBC had been stymied at the faceoff "x "all day. The Dawgs were 0-9 in the first quarter and 3-7 in the second, and one of those was won on a procedure call.
On the faceoff that ensued Mundorf's goal, the Retrievers had clearly won the draw, but rather than scoop the ball, the Retrievers center midfielder attempted to kick it out to wing man Luke Reilly. Bad decision. Maryland picked up the ball, worked it to Walters, who scored with nine seconds on the clock. This gave the Terps an 8-6 lead going into the locker rooms.
The weather for the game was not quite 50° and partly cloudy, so it was a little chilly. The crowd was small (less than 1,500), and most of them sat on the north side of the field to soak in what little sun poked through the clouds. Perhaps for this reason, Maryland chose to open its concession stands on the south side of the field only. I had to walk all the way around the stadium to wait in line for a drink and some french fries. When I received the small soda I had requested, the cup was so tiny that I thought it was complementary--possibly some sort of beverage promotion. But no. $2.00 for a small Pepsi--one that looked all of four ounces. Last summer I went to my first Giants' game at SBC Stadium in San Francisco. I sat in a $70 seat and marveled that a 12 oz. Anchor Steam beer sold for $7.00. Ounce for ounce, the Pepsi at Byrd Stadium looked like a far worse deal.
I was hoping that UMBC would gather its collective wits and make this a competitive game. The Retrievers were keeping up with Maryland athletically, but their play was erratic and, I'm sure, not often as smart as their coaching staff would like.
The first half was largely a time of possession game. Only when UMBC could deny Maryland sustained possessions did it show any life.
Maryland padded its lead with a goal from Brendan Healy with 12:17 left in the third quarter. UMBC looked to have reverted to its first quarter mentality, passing without precision, and turning the ball over the Terps. Not a good sign for the visitors.
Sure enough, opportunistic Maryland made the most of UMBC's foibles. The next four goals were all scored into the Retrievers' net. First, a controversial shot by Ian Healy on a feed from Xander Ritz. It looked to me like Cepelak stopped it short of crossing the plane of the goal, but the refs ruled otherwise and counted the goal for the Terps.
At 8:30 UMBC attempted another clear. But the Dawgs just kept passing the ball between their goalie and two different defenders. Meanwhile, precious time ticked off the 20 second clock. Realizing that the whistle would soon blow, Cepelak passed the ball wildly to the midfield area, only to suffer an interception at the hands of the Terps. Seconds later, Joe Walters scored again--his fifth goal of the game. Walters would also add the next score, at 4:54, as he cut to the right side, got a step on his man, and fired a left-handed sidewinder past Cepelak. This would cap a six goal run for the Terrapins. It was now 12-6, and UMBC had yet to add a single goal in the second half.
Retriever Nick Fatseas would end the drought for the Dawgs at 2:25. He was the recipient of maybe the best feed of the day. Brendan Mundorf threaded the ball to him while Fatseas was standing on the crease. He quick sticked it in for the tally.
Brendan Mundorf looked like he scored with only 25 seconds remaining in quarter 3 (on yet another patented clockwise move around the crease), but the referees ruled him in the crease and the quarter ended.
By the time the fourth quarter began, Maryland had relatively aired its bench. I say relatively because 34 players is a big number to read on a Maryland scorecard. Last week, Navy played 42 of its squad in a single game.
I had expected to see a replacement for Harry Alford by this time. Maryland has been playing Alford with no apparent thought to his replacement. What to do if Alford is injured? Backup Teddy Murphy has only logged two saves in three minutes, 32 seconds of total playing time all season. That represents approximately 1% of total goalie minutes through five games. But fans waiting to see Murphy would not have their chance until just 36 seconds remained in the game. That is far less time than Retriever backup David Coker would log (8:41). Each team scored three goals in the final period. But they were all meaningless, and no one took any shots while Murphy occupied Maryland's net.
Was this game a blowout? The score would indicate so, but UMBC looked like it could play Maryland a lot closer if it could only keep its head in the game.
Final score: Maryland 16, UMBC 10.
This Week...
Lacrosse broadcast links...
Each week the Swami notices questions on the Laxpower board about which games will be broadcast that weekend. Hey, they're all here!
If you need to connect to lacrosse games on the Internet, remember: the Swami's list is the most complete compilation of lacrosse TV and radio broadcasts on the Internet.To get to that page, or any of the Swami's other exciting pages, just run your mouse over the floating link bar at the left of your screen. That will activate the pull-out tray which contains links to Radio/TV, the Swami's other links and the Swami Fan Club, which is now the most populous fan club in lacrosse. Hey, when you read the Swami, you get it all!
It usually takes a while to get down all the many changes that college stations make to their webcasts between seasons, so be patient.
Swami's Game of the Week:
Virginia (#1) at Johns Hopkins (#2)
Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM, Homewood Field, Baltimore, MD
1. Swami's Game of the Week: Virginia (#1) at Johns Hopkins (#2)--(Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM, Baltimore, MD)--TV GAME--Only a deluded handful of Blackenbloosers still believe that Johns Hopkins is #1. This is true even though the Jays escaped a fourth quarter surge by unranked UMBC to register a 9-6 victory over the Retrievers and remain undefeated. Virginia was severely abused by the Homewood crowd last season despite having notched its belt with a win over Hopkins during a losing campaign. Yes, the Cavaliers arrive in Baltimore with a great deal of motivation. What could be more exciting than Virginia vs. Hopkins in Baltimore? Probably only Virginia vs. Hopkins in Charlottesville, where changes in latitudes cause changes in attitudes. The Swami likes Virginia to prove its mettle and win in a fourth quarter surge. The misguided Miss Lee takes Hopkins. Note: this game will be a sellout. Fans who have experienced large crowds at Homewood Field should know what that means for concession lines. Let's just say that, despite the many bartenders in Baltimore with degrees from the Homewood Campus, Hopkins does not offer a Food Service Management program, if you know what the Swami means. 
2. Syracuse (#6) at Princeton (#11)--(Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM, Princeton, NJ)--TV GAME--The Swami committed double heresy when he picked Syracuse to finish a lowly #8 and Princeton a meager #6 in his pre-season rankings. But where are the Cruisers and Tigers now? Clearly not ranked #2 and #3 as the coaches predicted in the annual Face-Off Magazine Poll. No! They have a combined record of 1-6. This weekend's game is especially important for Princeton, which, after Syracuse, only has Ivy League teams, Rutgers, and Butler left on its schedule. If Princeton can pull off a win this weekend, and Syracuse can defeat UMass later this year, that , coupled with the Cruisers' earlier victory over Army might offer Princeton a quality win. The Swami thinks that hungry Princeton has improved and takes the Tigers in this game. Miss Lee disagrees. She is fortunate the Swami is not one of these "I told you so" guys who will lord his superior prognosticatory© ability over her next week.
3. North Carolina (unranked) at Maryland (#4)--(Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM, College Park, MD)--The season has barely begun and North Carolina has already given up 54 goals. Out-hustled by Notre Dame, shamed by Hofstra, bullied by Duke, and clearly outplayed in Annapolis, what is up with this team? Hopkins fans, eager to save face by blaming their former coach's departure on opportunism rather than their own boorish behavior, are already leading cheers for his ouster from Chapel Hill. But the Swami has news for the Blackenbloosers: after you leave Homewood Field during the fourth quarter this Saturday, you will not have enough time to drive to College Park and watch the Tarheels. Worse, the result that awaits you may not be to your liking. North Carolina is alive and well and merely struggling with a defense that is young and improving each week. The Tarheels need this game, and are due for a win. No need to worry about your personal safety this weekend in Prince George's County. College Park is always tranquil when it becomes another team's Upset City. The Tarheels gain new life with a big win over Maryland. Miss Lee likes Maryland.
4. Duke (#3) at Georgetown (#5)--(Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM, Washington, DC)--TV GAME--Whenever you hear Navy players interviewed after a successful effort on the lacrosse field, they always seem to credit team units rather than individuals. This was never true for Georgetown until last season, when the Hoyas put on a blue collar and came within a literal step of facing Navy in the Championship Game. Is that still true this year? Or will Georgetown's recent exposure to Hollywood go to the team's head? If so, the Tooners are in for a rough season. The Iron City squad of 2004 may have finally re-emerged in last week's victory over Syracuse, even though earlier games had Hoya observers wondering if the team had not reverted to its old ways. So far, so good. Maybe. The Swami predicted that a Syracuse victory might not be worth much this season. After Duke, Georgetown has only Navy and UMass as competitive teams on its schedule. It's time for this squad to get together and play as a team. The Hoyas must win this contest to be sure they punch their playoff ticket this year. The Swami likes the Hoyas to move up with a convincing win over the Blue Devils. Miss Lee, who covered the Hoyas' first game, likes Duke. But, here's some extra motivation for the Hoyas: The Swami has learned that there are rumors that if Georgetown wins this game, some of Notre Dame's wealthier alumni will petition the Vatican to make it a Catholic school. Imagine that rivalry!
5. Rutgers (unranked) at Hobart (unranked)--(Saturday, March 26, 12 Noon, Geneva, NY)--Rutgers is a team that the Swami thought was overrated in the pre-season polls. The Scarlet Knights have a terrific collection of selfless players who have been nothing but inspiring under new head coach Stagnitta. But Rutgers is not immune from the normal woes of rebuilding after the graduation of five starters and almost 40% of its scoring. Aside from a two goal loss to Georgetown, Hobart is undefeated. The Swami likes the Statesmen, so does Miss Lee.
6. Ohio State (unranked) at Brown (unranked)--(Saturday March 26, 1:00 PM, Providence, RI)--This should be a pretty evenly matched game. These two teams share only one common (home) opponent this season: Quinnipiac. Brown defeated the Bobcats 14-7, while Ohio State beat them 15-2. If that were the Swami's only basis for analysis, the edge would seem to be Ohio State's. But, the Swami thinks this game will come down to effectiveness on extra man offense. Brown is giving up under two minutes of penalties per game. Ohio State, with 32 penalties already this season, would seem to have a "Welcome Home" doormat at the sin bin. Hey, that's almost nine minutes of penalties per game. In addition, Brown is shooting .500 vs. OSU's .316 on EMO. But, that's not Brown's only advantage. Since this game is being played in Providence, Brown will have its traditional "eleventh man" edge: it's food service staff. You may remember the now infamous 1999 NCAA quarter final playoff doubleheader in Brown Stadium. At that game, Brown ran out of food in the first quarter of Game 1, creating long lines of complaining fans while its own food service workers called out for Domino's Pizza only to feed themselves in front of a famished throng. All this was aggravated by denying pass-outs, thereby making it impossible to walk across the street for a hot dog and get back into the game. Will Brown resort to starvation tactics to take visiting OSU fans out of the game? The Swami likes Brown, but won't go too high on Bruno just in case OSU fans reading this wise up and bring box lunches. The unconvinced Miss Lee likes OSU.
7. UMass (#7) at Loyola (unranked)--(Saturday March 26, 1:00 PM, Baltimore, MD)--If there is a "close, but no cigar" award in this young season, it goes to Loyola. How much closer can this good team come to glory without tasting it? Losers to Duke and Towson by a total of three goals, the Greyhounds have been fine-tuning their offense, swapping Shane Koppins and Greg Leonard at attack/midfield. UMass is still showing signs of inconsistency, beating Hofstra and Brown, but losing to Albany. Moreover, the former high-scoring Zoomen have yet to notch more than 12 goals in any single game this year--and that includes an early tryst with Hofstra and a match against depleted Yale. The Swami still likes UMass to take this game, however, as does Miss Lee. A message from Miss Lee to UMass parents planning to attend this game: the pre-game music at Geppi-Aikens Field is not children's fare.
8. Penn (unranked) at Harvard (unranked)--(Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM, Cambridge, MA)--After defeating Bucknell and Holy Cross handily, the Crimson were tripped up by the slow-down tactics of Fairfield, dropping that contest 7-6. Penn looks totally discombobulated so far this season--probably a good sign of an upset here. But both the Swami and Miss Lee are going to pick Harvard to win this game at home.
9. Notre Dame (#13) at Hofstra (#9)--(Saturday, March 26, 2:00 PM, Hempstead, NY)--What can be said of Hofstra? The fastest improvement for any team from the beginning of the season? Or just luck in defeating a weakened North Carolina and an off-stride Princeton? Notre Dame beat North Carolina also, and has only lost one game (and that by a single goal) to Cornell. Whatever is up with these two teams, this weekend will tell the tale. The Swami likes Hofstra to win this game. Miss Venus Lee takes the Irish.
10. Army (#10) at Colgate (unranked)--(Saturday, March 26, 3:00 PM, Hamilton, NY)--After dominating the Red Raiders in the face-off circle last year, winning 20 of 27 draws, Army broke down, allowing five Colgate goals in the fourth period. Then, the Cadets committed a fatal unforced turnover with only two minutes left in the contest to give that game away, 12-11. The team was stunned and really did not recover for three games. It was Army's second loss in a row to Colgate. This year the Swami likes Army to realize that, with Navy's defeat by Bucknell, Army has a real chance to take the League's free pass. The Black Knights roll, and so also says Miss Lee.
11. Towson (unranked) at Delaware (unranked)--(Saturday, March 26, 7:00 PM, Newark, DE)--Delaware's "Saturday Night Specials" can be brutal for visitors. Fans are subject to the vicissitudes of Mid-Atlantic weather, which, in the Spring, can be glorious during the day, and barbarous the same night. Worse, visiting teams are often treated no better by Newark's notorious Blue Men. Some say they are the most undomesticated animals in Delaware, others call them a scrappy lacrosse team. Opinions may differ, but the Hen's very nearly scrambled the Hoya's egg in their nest last week. That game featured a prodigious face-off battle between Georgetown's Andy Corno and Blue Man Alex Smith--two of the best, with Delaware winning narrowly. This weekend Smith will face another top draw--Towson's Matt Eckerl. For those fans who are planning to attend an earlier game in Maryland, remember, this is a 7:00 PM start that is only 50 minutes from Baltimore just off I-95. Delaware's Rullo Field can be a snake pit for the unwary--especially under the lights on Saturday nights. Both teams need this win badly, and, if any game is too close to call this weekend, this is it. The Swami is going with the Blue Men, who are a bubble team this season. Miss Lee likes Towson. Delaware has never won its big games easily. This weekend will be no exception. Hey, two great face-off guys (Smith: .751, Eckerl: .637), two great goalies (Collins: 7.43 GA, Sothoron: 7.87 GA), two combative defenses, and two offenses that like to shoot. And two teams that know this game will not be a Saturday evening tea dance. Don't miss it!
The "Big Boyz" go at it again...
What is the "Big Boyz" system?...
Anyone can pick the winners of lacrosse games. The lacrosse boards are full of people who pick Duke over St. Andrew's every year. There are several contests going on right now where the participants will actually pick more winners than the Big Boyz. But the Big Boyz do not just pick the winners of games. The Big Boyz use a system of weighted picks, and confine their picking to the most difficult Division I games. That enables you to analyze the degree of certainty imparted with each pick--a significant difference with other competing slates of games.
Each week the Big Boyz pick the winners of an average of a dozen games. In a typical 11 game week, winners are chosen by placing between 1-11 points on a team (with no number being used twice). If that team wins, the winner receives the number of points placed on it. So, for example, in using this system, the prognosticator would place 11 points on the team he (or she) was most confidant of winning, 10 points on the second most confidant pick, down to a single point on the game that the picker thought was most in doubt. This eliminates most ties and places a premium on upset picks. It also values a picker's win/loss record relatively, thus giving little recognition to luck.
Despite this unique and difficult system, the Big Boyz are so accomplished at picking that each of the past two seasons have come down to the final game before a winner has been decided.
for Week #5!
From Swampy...
UNC is done...
In a season where I have gotten few things right, I prefer to dwell on the one thing I have gotten right…lately, at least. UNC is done. This year’s Tarheels squad might not finish with a winning record. What else have I noticed so far? Someone seems suspiciously like an older version of themselves…Navy. They're not looking overly impressive on the offensive end these days.
Virginia at JOHNS HOPKINS (5): This maybe the toughest game of the year for the Blue Jays. Virginia is now a traditional fall-down game for Hopkins, plus Virginia is on the rise again, plus Hopkins hasn't really played an inspired game yet. If Virginia pulls this one off, they could sail smoothly right to quarterfinal game.
SYRACUSE at Princeton (6): I couldn't have been more wrong about Princeton. I know they usually don't get started until the Ivy League schedule starts, but losing to Hofstra? Come on! Syracuse rolls, and Princeton begins thinking about it's annual run through the cheese puff Ivy league for an automatic berth.
North Carolina at MARYLAND (10): The Tarheels basketball team might win more games during the tournament than their lacrosse counterparts win all year.
DUKE at Georgetown (1): One advantage on the Devils’ side is that they've had an entire week to prepare for this game. In years past, UNC was a midweek game followed by this game. The Duke win here puts Syracuse in some hot water also.
RUTGERS at Hobart (4): I'm not fooled by Hobart’s close call with Georgetown. They do that every year. Rutgers needs this one badly.
OHIO STATE at Brown (7): The Buckeyes are better than I thought. The Bears are not as good as I thought.
UMass at Loyola (2): Loyola is close to pathetic. They're barely beating anybody these days.
PENN at Harvard (3): I have no idea what I'm doing.
NOTRE DAME at Hofstra (8): This one might not be as easy as I thought, given Hofstra’s two most recent games, but Notre Dame is really quite good. The new goalie looked great in California.
ARMY at Colgate (11): Tough for the Red Raiders to keep up with the Black Knights.
TOWSON at UDel (9): Who knows, the Hens could pull this one off. But probably not.
--Swampy.
From STaTs...
My picks this weekend...commentary above...
11.) Virginia at Johns Hopkins JOHNS HOPKINS (9)
Hopkins looks unstoppable right now!
2.) Syracuse at Princeton SYRACUSE (1)
I am expecting anything in this one, including a surprising Princeton win!
3.) North Carolina at Maryland MARYLAND (2)
Both Princeton and North Carolina are underachievers at this point and anything can happen!
4.) Duke at Georgetown GEORGETOWN (6)
Duke is HOT! But it can't last much longer...Hoyas should win this one...especially if they play as they did vs. Cuse.
5.) Rutgers at Hobart HOBART (5)
Another one that could go either way...it seems like every game could go either way!!!
6.) Ohio State at Brown BROWN (4)
The Buckeyes have been up and down and are beginning a tough 3 away game stretch...I'm seeing them down this week.
7.) UMass at Loyola LOYOLA (3)
This probably isn't a smart pick...but I have been rootin' for the Hounds since I could hold a stick. I'm hoping they snap out of this funk they are in!
8.) Penn at Harvard HARVARD (7)
This one kills me, but Harvard beat a Very Good Bucknell team and Penn beat only Air Force! I'd love to see an upset in this one!
9.) Notre Dame at Hofstra HOFSTRA (8)
ND is ripe for a loss, and Hofstra is a tough place to play.
10.) Army at Colgate ARMY (11)
Army is on a roll. This is the only easy pick of the week!
11.) Towson at Delaware TOWSON (10)
Delaware is a good team, so I hope Towson is ready...but I have been rootin' for these guys since the 80's!! I want to see the Loyola's and Towson's rise again!! Heck with the Georgetown's, Army's and Notre Dame's!!!
--STaTs.
From Miss Venus Lee...
Where to go this weekend?...
There are so many good games to see this weekend that I have not yet made up my mind which one to attend. You have, by now, probably heard that the Swami is recovering from a back injury caused when an errant shot from a women's lacrosse practice struck him. The Swami has recovered enough from that injury to be able to attend the Virginia-Hopkins contest, so all I know is that I will not be sitting in Homewood Field this weekend.
My game comments are contained in the Swami's summary of this week's 11 matches.
From Glory Days...
Another rough week...
All the Big Boys got squashed picking Princeton over Hofstra with the Dutchmen pulling off the upset of the week. Other minor upsets were Stony Brook over Penn State (not really) and Fairfield over Harvard. Although it was not on our slate of games, maybe the real shocker was Dartmouth beating Maryland in Florida. Has parity finally arrived...not quite yet. The two undefeated titans Virginia and Hopkins enter the coliseum called Homewood on Saturday to decide who is the clear #1 men's lacrosse team. It doesn't get any better than this...
(1) Virginia / Hopkins - You know I'll never bet against my Wahoos. The Jays have more offensive punch especially at midfield but the Hoos are playing smart lacrosse with a ton of confidence. I believe the difference will be in goal where both teams are young but look for my man Kip Turner to step up.
(5) Syracuse / Princeton - A 1-2 team vs. a 0-3 team. Cuse has looked shaky but the Tigers have been worse. Mr. Lacrosse says that Princeton has to win a big game but it won't be this week.
(4) North Carolina / Maryland - After the Dartmouth fiasco I can't believe I'm still taking the Terps but the Heels did beat Cornell so this actually may prove to be a toss up.
(2) Duke / Georgetown - Duke is the best young team out there and look for them to battle Virginia for the ACC crown. The Hoyas are playing better and this will be a close game with the Devils offense getting the upper hand.
(6) Rutgers / Hobart - The Knights have been a major disappointment at 2-3 while the 4-0 Statesmen have played well. It could be a mud fest in Geneva which favors the home team.
(3) Ohio State / Brown - Neither of these teams impress me so I have to pick the Bruins on their home turf.
(7) UMass / Loyola - Minutemen looked good till they stumbled against Albany but the Hounds have not shown much of anything. This may be closer than expected but UMass will win.
(8) Penn / Harvard - Quakers have been dreadful losing to Villanova and Lehigh along the way. The Crimson have some good young talent but just need to put it all together.
(9) Notre Dame / Hofstra - Going against Mr. Lacrosse again but I think Princeton is not that good and the Irish are a physical athletic team that can play with anyone.
(11) Army / Colgate - Army goalie Matt Darak is out with a broken thumb but Wagner and Walker are enough to carry them to victory.
(10) Towson / Delaware - Hens are not bad this year especially with Collins in goal but the Tigers will win the Colonial Conference and be at the dance.
--Glory Days
From American Iron Horse...
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Horse is on top and he's not sure why. The picks over the last few weeks have been coming naturally to him like Miss Cleo's Taro Card readings. Could it be the intake of an extra multi-vitamin or running the extra mile? The bottom line is he's hot and trying to keep them coming.
One bold prediction is going to be made right now: 2 teams that have never before gone to the NCAA tournament will be there this year. That is understandably controversial, but this is finally the year. Army is on the rise, Stony Brook and Fairfield are bumping off teams, SU is on a losing streak, Princeton surprisingly dropped one to Hofstra, what are we to think?
Over the past few seasons, the Swami has been predicting a decline of the former powerhouses and an increase in the prowess of the up-and-coming teams in Division 1. Last year Navy's run to the top was a good chunk of the iceberg, but still just the surface. As lacrosse grows in America's high schools, the ability of the former dynasties to recruit the top 20 players in the country to 4 or 5 teams has diminished. Now the top 20 players are going to 10 to 15 different schools and the top 20 - 50 are filling up equally among the ranks of former mid-level teams.
The Horse predicts in the next 4 years, there will be 6 teams in the final four that have not been there for at least 10 years. Bookmark this page and reference it down the road. The Horse is pretty sure you'll find this statement true.
The American Iron Horse would like to apologize for the lack of commentary the past few weeks and the potential in the near future. There is quite a turbulent time coming in the future and mere "picks" is all the Swami's fans may see for a few weeks. Speaking of Swami fans, we haven't seen a posting on the "forum" from SWAMIFAN in a while. Just wondering if that person is still out there…
Enough rambling… here we are:
3. UVA @ HOPKINS-- Hopkins on a streak. Keeping it going.
4. SU @ PRINCETON--SU will drop another, Princeton will rebound after last week.
5. UNC @ UMD--Maryland will rebound after Dartmouth's great win, UNC will struggle this season.
6. DUKE @ GEORGETOWN--Georgetown will be impressive and will contend this post season.
7. RUTGERS @ HOBART-- What do you say, Upstate?
8. OHIO ST @ BROWN--OSU needs to have a great season. Let's see these guys do it.
9. UMASS @ LOYOLA--Looking for UMASS to keep momentum from last week.
10. PENN @ HARVARD--Going with the Quakers in this Ivy League match up.
11. NOTRE DAME @ HOFSTRA--Come on Irish.
1. ARMY @ COLGATE--Rock the black gold, the black gold….Let the plebes do it!
2. TOWSON @ DELAWARE--Blue Hens all day….maybe.
Some inspiration…
So baby dry your eyes
Save all the tears you've cried
Oh, that's what dreams are made of
'Cause we belong in a world that must be strong
Oh, that's what dreams are made of
Yeah, we'll get higher and higher
Straight up we'll climb
Higher and higher
Leave it all behind
Oh, we'll get higher and higher
Who knows what we'll find?
--Van Halen
--AIH out.
From goygoy 21...
Last week...
...Teams like Stony Brook, Hofstra, Cornell, Army, and Rutgers are making it real hard to pick games this year because you never know what team is going to show up. There has been a lot of low scoring games this year and the Goy wants to know where the offensive talent has been. Towson scored 3 times, Princeton had 8, Harvard had 6, and Penn State and Cornell each only had 5 in the games for last week. These teams all need to figure out how to score or they all could be in for a rough rest of the season.
This week the Goy
Rants...
There have been a few things that have
been bothering the Goy this week. One is when I saw Loyola's roster
with only 7 Maryland kids on it. When you are located in the middle
of the best 20 mile radius anywhere on earth for high school lacrosse
talent and have 7 Maryland kids, with only 5 coming from that
area, it is inexcusable. Their failure or refusal to recruit from
Baltimore might explain why their wins have gone done every year
since 2000. 11, to 9, to 7, to 4. I am not going to compare Maryland
and New York lacrosse but there is nowhere in the country with
as high of a concentration of lacrosse talent as Baltimore and
Loyola should be going after it and they obviously aren't.
The other thing that has bothered the Goy of recent is not lacrosse related but instead turns to the need that everyone has to use the phrase, "what happens in (fill in the blank with anything from Vegas to the local 7-11) stays in wherever." It has gotten absolutely ridiculous. >From Toby Keith's terrible song about a wife and husband cheating in Mexico, to the stupid commercials for Las Vegas, to middle schoolers talking about a birthday party they are going to, enough is enough. Lose the phrase that should have gone faster than the fanny pack phase, but instead is everywhere. When kids are using it to describe the upcoming weekend that will consist of playing video games in their neighbors basement, and the dim-witted networks MTV and VH1 are using it four times an hour, the Goy thinks it is safe to say that it has run its course.
The Games:
1.)Virginia
(3) at
Johns Hopkins
Virginia handled a tough Towson team
last week with ease and the Goy likes them to win in the most
anticipated game of the year so far.
2.) Syracuse
(4) at
Princeton
Princeton is in rough shape right now.
They need a win but not as bad as Cuse, who has no automatic bid
to fall back on. These two teams have been looking all year for
Ryan and Mike's replacement but so far that void has not been
filled on either squad.
3.) North Carolina at Maryland
(5)
UNC at 2-4 is not a team that should
beat 4-2 Maryland. They have the talent to play the spoiler but
the Terps coming off a very disappointing loss to Dartmouth need
a win here.
4.) Duke at Georgetown
(1)
Duke at 8-0 is poised for a let down
and Georgetown has been getting their legs under them in the past
few games. Georgetown at home wins this game.
5.) Rutgers at Hobart
(2)
Hobart gets the edge at home. Rutgers
needs to find some scoring in a hurry but Upstate New York is
not usually kind to the visiting teams, especially those who have
lost 3 in a row.
6.) Ohio State (6) at Brown
Brown has less game experience this year with only 3 games played and that's one of the reasons the Goy is going with the Buckeyes. The nuts also have been getting better play in the goal, which of course is turning them into the team they can be. Browns season starts in two weeks when their ivy league schedule heats up.
7.) UMass (7) at Loyola
Loyola has only 7 guys from Maryland
on their roster. They are located in Baltimore. The Goy doesn't
like this.
8.) Penn at Harvard
(8)
Very important game for both teams as
the Ivy League is wide open this year.
9.) Notre Dame (9) at Hofstra
It is impossible to figure out Hofstra
this year but the Goy thinks their winning streak will be over
when the Irish come to town.
10.) Army (10) at Colgate
Army is everyone's favorite so the Goy
will jump on this week and go with them for the 10 pointer.
11.) Towson (11) at Delaware.
Towson needs to avenge their loses to Maryland and UVA with a win at neighboring Delaware.
--goygoy21
From Baldo...
Fellas, me and the Swami are still waiting for you to throw us a rope to get out of the cellar...
11. ARMY over Colgate - yeah,. I know but no upset this year.
10. MASSACHUSETTS over Loyola - meltdown city for the Hounds
9. HARVARD over Pennsylvania - Let's try again with the Crimson.
8. MARYLAND over North Carolina - Heels in deep doo-doo.
7. BROWN over Ohio State - take the home team.
6. HOBART over Rutgers -in Geneva the Statesmen are tough
5. DELAWARE over Towson - upset special
4. NOTRE DAME over Hofstra - pick 'em
3. DUKE over Georgetown - just a feeling here
2. PRINCETON over Syracuse - think Coach T will have the Tigers ready
1. JOHNS HOPKINS over Virginia - its at Homewood
--Baldo
From Ivyman...
Is the Ivyman really Larry Summers?...
Since we're getting heavily into the season and the weather is getting better, I'm sure more of you are going to games. On top of that, more games are televised in more regions than ever before. And there's the hoop tournament, too. My suspicion is that more of you guys are spending less time with your wives/girlfriends than at any time since the NFL season. In order to help you avoid communication problems, I provide you with a tool I have developed through several courageous attempts at successful marriage/relationships. I present you with Ivyman's Wife Translator. Feel free to format and print it on laminate cards for reference purposes. No need to thank me.
We need = I want
It's your decision = The correct decision should be obvious by now.
Do what you want = You'll pay for this later.
We need to talk = I need to complain.
Sure... go ahead = I don't want you to.
I'm not upset = Of course I'm upset, you moron!
You're ... so manly = You need a shave and you sweat a lot.
You're certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?
I'm not emotional! And I'm not overreacting! = I've got my period.
Be romantic, turn out the lights = I have flabby thighs.
This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house.
I want new curtains = and carpeting, and furniture, and wallpaper....
I need wedding shoes = the other 40 pairs are the wrong shade of white.
Hang the picture there = NO, I mean hang it there!
I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep.
Do you love me? = I'm going to ask for something expensive.
How much do you love me? = I did something today you're really not going to like.
I'll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game on TV
Is my butt fat? = Tell me I'm beautiful.
You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me.
Are you listening to me!? = [Too late, you're dead.]
Yes = No
No = No
Maybe = No
I'm sorry = You'll be sorry.
Do you like this recipe? = It's easy to fix, so you'd better get used to it.
I'm not yelling! = Yes I am yelling because I think this is important.
All we're going to buy is a soap dish = It goes without saying that we're stopping at the cosmetics department, the shoe department, I need to look at a few new purses, and those pink sheets would look great in the bedroom and did you bring your checkbook?
This week's picks: Definitely no need to thank me.
1.) Virginia at Johns Hopkins - 8
2.) Syracuse at Princeton - 9
3.) North Carolina at Maryland - 10
4.) Duke at Georgetown - 4
5.) Rutgers at Hobart - 3
6.) Ohio State at Brown - 5
7.) UMass at Loyola - 2
8.) Penn at Harvard - 7
9.) Notre Dame at Hofstra - 6
10.) Army at Colgate - 11
11.) Towson at Delaware - 1
--Ivyman...
From Radio Mike...
An expensive lesson on Sam Adams...
Radio Mike's Week 5 commentary and picks...
After spending a lot of last week on the road last week, It is good to be back home. I saw WAY TOO MUCH of Hartsfield this past week. Over $6.00 for a Sam Adams at the airport??? Where do they think they are? Georgetown? A week of upsets and surprises has left me humbled and in awe of the Horse! Could he be another alter ego of the Swami? Close games and some surprises…Swami says week 5 is the best for competitive games…we will have to see if the upset fairy is active. March Madness continues both on the court and with some of last week’s scores, on the field, as well.
Virginia at Johns Hopkins: Both the Jays and Hoos have won close games with Syracuse this year, and based on that gauge, I would say this should be the Game of the week…I give the home sweet Homewood the difference in this contest, with JHU staying up on top. 2
Syracuse at Princeton: The Orange have lost some contests many would see them win. Losing to both the Jays and the Catamounts on the same night had to sting the school hard, and I can see a resurgence coming. I would expect the Orange to win this one, as long as they are on their toes. A loss will see more fuel for the fan forums looking for blood. Princeton is also looking for its first win of the year (Boy, does that sound strange!). I would expect this to be a good one. 1
North Carolina at Maryland: A few weeks ago, I would have give this one to Maryland easily. Now I am not that sure. However, I think the Terps will hold on to this ACC battle at home. 9
Duke at Georgetown: Having seen Georgetown last week, and Duke’s impressive return to form, I think Georgetown will have its hands full. This could be a good game, with Georgetown getting some time to recoup from a very busy time last week. 8
Rutgers at Hobart: Hobart gave Georgetown a hard time and just could not hold on for the victory in a very hard fought and emotional game. I don't see this as a repeat this week, with the Statesmen getting back on track before a very big and emotional game on Tuesday. 7
Ohio State at Brown: Will OSU bounce back from a series of close games? Brown will be a good test and I think a physical OSU team will sneak one out. 4
UMass at Loyola: I can not see Loyola beating the Minutemen, even at home this year. 10
Penn at Harvard: Harvard lost a squeaker to Fairfield. I think they will be more fired up for an Ivy league foe, though Penn has improved this year, but is still a mystery. 3
Notre Dame at Hofstra: The Pride showed it can contend this year with a good win over Princeton. However, Notre Dame is back with some impressive talent and guts. . I like the Irish in this one. 5
Army at Colgate: Colgate should be no match for a tough Army squad this year. 11
Towson at Delaware: A conference match up and with two teams trying to get settled. I have to go with the Tigers on this one, as they seem to be hungrier, as of late, and everyone knows a hen is no match for a large hungry cat! 6
--Radio Mike.
From Wombat...
Wombat causes an international incident at the Canadian Embassy in DC...plus we get a special Easter visit from Monty Python's killer rabbit...
WOMBAT'S WEEK 5 COMMENTARY AND PICKS
Yes, you are now entering the Wombat Zone, where a train wreck happens practically every week. If you have read this far down through Swami's page, I guess you are a true diehard who just can't get enough. Then you read this Wombat Zone stuff, and you think to yourself, am I crazy or is Wombat crazy? Is this about lacrosse, or is this insane? Well, if you feel like that, welcome to the Wombat Zone, and I have the phone numbers for some good doctors if you would like to talk about it professionally.
Oh Canada. Another fine country with some French-speaking people in it, God bless their hearts. A country that imports beer recipes from other countries, brews them up, and then sells the beers to the good old USA as imported (Australian, Japanese, you name it) beer. Folks, read your beer bottles and cans, it is a conspiracy I tell you.
So, since I survived the French Embassy episode without creating World War Two and A HALF (which, if there were a war with the French, it would only count as half a war... hard to have a war when the other side usually retreats), but I digress. Anyway, the Wombatress felt brave enough to let Wombat visit the fine Canadian Embassy. Again, I won't say exactly when this happened, because I don't want anyone tracking my records of when I have visited embassies. Again, I got a little lecture from the Wombatress before the visit that went something like this:
Wombatress: "You did well at the French Embassy. Now try not to screw up at the Canadian Embassy. And don't embarrass me."
Wombat: "Hon, I never try to embarrass you, it just always seems to turn out that way."
Wombatress: "Well, stop hanging out by the hors d'oeuvres table so much, and stay close to our main group, and again, try not to create an international incident."
Wombat: "How the heck do you spell hors d'oeuvres anyway? It's another French corruption."
Did I take the advice of the Wombatress? NOOOO.... Visit number gazillion to the DOGHOUSE for me. But here is what I did. I wondered off to the hors d'oeuvres (I really hate spelling that) table one too many times, and in an odd moment of international relations, a nice gentleman from Finland and I looked at each other as we were admiring our hors d'oeurvres. So, knowing a little bit about military history, I struck up a conversation which immediately led to world affairs, which of course led him into a dialogue about how the US is being an ogre these days, and the whole world thinks very little of the US, blah blah blah, which I politely listened to (but I was really thinking "Tough cookies for you bud!") Then the conversation wandered over to the subject of how tough it is to get a visa into the US these days (and I was wondering about how we screen the Finns that we let in). And then I did it. I tried to compliment him with a little knowledge of history, and I said "I admire how Finland beat the Russians when they invaded your country in World War Two!"
That is actually a true statement, but my Finnish friend made his veins on his head pop out, and he started repeatedly saying: "Invaded? Invaded? We have NEVER been invaded!!! NEVER!!!" This dude was severely offended and I had done it.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot time, the real Canadian beer I was drinking was getting to me, and now we have an international crisis...
So I tried to backtrack a little and said, (which is also a true statement), that the Finnish elite ski troops all dressed in white snow camouflage (ack, another French word) had really been a tough match for the Russians. He started getting less offended, and then said something like "Stalin had great plans for a victory parade through Helsinki, but he never got that far!" Yes! And then we toasted! I wholeheartedly agreed. How wonderful to beat the Russians!
Then it finally hit me that he thought I meant that the Finns had been conquered when I said invaded. The Russians sure did invade Finland, the Russkies crossed the border. (And that is why I got confused when my friend the Finn got riled up.) But no, the Finns were not conquered, not conquered at all. Invaded, yes, conquered, no. Ah, the subtleties of language. My Finnish friend spoke English fluently, but boy, I learned another of life's lessons from this - our perceptions of things, particularly involving language differences, but on life as a whole, really depends on the complexities of our backgrounds. We were speaking English, but not comprehending each other.
And, boy, I am glad that I don't work for the State Department. And the rest of us Americans should be glad about that too.
My reaction was "UH OH." This incident took me quite awhile to get myself out of, and by the time I got back to the Wombatress, it was the third degree:
Wombatress: "Where have you been?"
WOMBAT: "I think I just created an international incident. But don't worry, I fixed it."
I won't go into the long-winded explanation of what happened next, but I am on probation. Sentence: Doghouse.
Why did I go into this story? Two reasons.
First, the above story is true of the lacrosse community as well. We all speak the same language, but mainly root for different teams. So we have many different biases, varied opinions and for some unfortunates that show up on the Syracuse forum, downright hatred of other teams and other people to the point of defamation of character. So, we should all try to be more diplomatic - our behavior and respect for others are what makes the lacrosse community what it is. And that is why I contribute to Laxpower and their discussion forums. Laxpower is a class outfit.
Second, this week's beer recommendation is from Canada, and it is Alexander Keith's, a very fine beer from Nova Scotia. The India Pale Ale is very, very good. I enjoyed it so much, I think I had about six of them while at the Embassy because I wasn't driving, and I was on number four when I met my Finnish friend. Alexander Keith's is from the oldest working brewery in North America, since 1820. I don't think you can get this beer in the US, because I have only gotten it from the Canadian Embassy twice, and well hey, these Canadians do have great beer of their own recipes. Eh? They must smuggle it in through diplomatic pouches. What would you say to that? I know one thing, when I get around to visiting Canada some time in the next few years, I will rendezvous (ack, another French word) once again with Alexander Keith's. Their light beer is very good also from what I hear.
So let's move on to some lacrosse discussion for the week, enough of the opening monologue already.
Wombat made some interesting statements and predictions about last week's Hopkins-Syracuse game:
"They (JHU) should start each game as if they are already three or four goals behind, and pour on the gas to catch up and out distance each opponent. Going into games thinking you are favored and that you should win are a guaranteed recipe for disaster."
and,
"I expect the Underdogs to pull this one out, winning on the road by two or three. A 12-9 score sounds about right."
OK, so, I was off by two on SU's total and didn't call for OT, but I got the 12 right. But what was really disturbing was the first quote. I thought JHU should imagine themselves already behind coming out of the first whistle. Sheesh, I didn't call for them to REALLY get 4 behind, and then down 7-1 with 3:42 to go in the second quarter. Wow, but, at least they showed character and pulled it out anyway. Wow, what a game it was, and it is still only March. One nightmarish night for SU with two games lost in OT, one to JHU and one to Vermont in basketball...
Anyway, JHU needs to play a full 60 minutes to beat Virginia this week. And forget about the #1 ranking. JHU should think of themselves as the Underdog with something to prove. And they do have something to prove, as does Virginia. Which brings us to....
Wombat's Game of the Week:
....Virginia at.. Johns Hopkins 
What is that image next to Virginia?
Well in the spirit of Easter, let's have a visit to the Wombat Zone by a twisted Easter Bunny...
From Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
Tim the Enchanter: There he is!
King Arthur: Where?
Tim the Enchanter: There!
King Arthur: What? Behind the rabbit?
Tim the Enchanter: It IS the rabbit!
King Arthur: You silly sod!
Tim the Enchanter: What?
King Arthur: You got us all worked up!
Tim the Enchanter: Well, that's no ordinary rabbit.
King Arthur: Ohh.
Tim the Enchanter: That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!
Sir Robin: You tit! I soiled my armor I was so scared!
Tim the Enchanter: Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!
Sir Galahad: Get stuffed!
Tim the Enchanter: He'll do you up a treat, mate.
Sir Galahad: Oh yeah?
Sir Robin: You mangy Scots git!
Tim the Enchanter: I'm warning you!
Sir Robin: What's he do? Nibble your bum?
Tim the Enchanter: He's got huge, sharp - eh - he can leap about - look at the bones!
King Arthur:<