"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 Games of the Week:
Maryland vs. Duke 
and
.. Virginia vs. Hopkins
featuring:
...
and
In the Swami's Spotlight...
Lincoln Financial Field
Comments...
The Swami and Miss Lee are alone among the Big Boyz...
Duke is powerful...
Our commentary is located farther down the page, but the Swami and Miss Lee both think that Duke will be our next National Champion, and the margin of the Blue Devils' victory may not be so slim.
I am 60 minutes from being in a LOT of trouble!!!
Wombat's Memorial Day Commentary:
The Wombat Zone - the place where crazy things can happen - has set up camp in Philly, and the craziness of the playoffs has taken over the Linc! Things were so crazy, it is like Halloween out there!
Wow, if Memorial Day is any more memorable than Saturday's UVA-JHU game, we will be remembering this weekend for a LONG time. As it is, even if Monday turns out to be a bit of a yawn either way, I will still be remembering Saturday's Hopkins victory for a LONG time. Whew!
Overall, there were many games within the game. The 0-0 first quarter. The eventual breaking of the ice by senior Kip Malo from Colorado! Gradually pulling away in the third. And then, it was as if fate had interceded. The skies darkened throughout the third quarter, and then it all let loose in the fourth quarter. It was a bizarre scene. The rain started with showers with big raindrops, not too heavy. But the WIND!!! Philadelphia airport recorded a peak wind gust of 69 miles per hour just before 4 PM Saturday. The wind was swirling around the field, and the TRASH! Wow, it was all over the field. All kinds of stuff all over the place. And kids (and young adults too acting like kids) in the stands were deliberately throwing paper and empty bottles into the air, and the wind was so strong that the wind would catch it and blew the stuff horizontally all the way out to the field, even if you were in the 25th row.
During all of this, Virginia had the ball most of the first ten minutes of the fourth quarter. Major credits to them for the gutcheck comeback and huge momentum swing. JHU was on the ropes for sure. It made the game way more exciting than I could have imagined. The lightning delay was called, and appropriately so, because there was thunder in the area.
Then Harrison immediately applied the equalizer, UVA ran the clock down, and Ward scored with 12.9 seconds left. My comments about whether Coach Pietramala would call a stick check were speculative this past week, but he said after the Maryland game last year that he does not do that kind of thing. I conjectured that he might only if it were BLATANT that something was wrong with the stick. He didn't make the call for a stick check, and on replay, Ward went through some traffic but nothing seemed amiss. With 12.9 seconds left, I told people in my vicinity that Virginia scored and had left too much time on the clock.
Then Coach Starsia called for the stick check on Byrne. Say what you want about it, but it did not look like a BLATANT situation to me - it looked like a way to finesse a victory for Virginia by attempting to win by the rulebook. All within his rights of course. I don't think it looks good on national TV though, and as I said in my write up last week leading to the semifinals, I would be very disappointed to see the stick check issue pop up again on Memorial Day weekend after what had transpired in both games at the quarterfinals in Princeton. Unfortunately, the issue did pop up, with no effect other than to delay the game, and to call into question the integrity of Jake Byrne. In the end, it backfired, and it fired up JHU that much more, and it called into question the integrity of the tactic itself. Note how I worded that - I am saying that it calls into question the integrity of the RULE that allows for this stick checking tactic to win. I have no quibble with the act itself.
And so, 2005 will mean there is no Orange colored teams lifting the trophy this year for the first time since that UNC 1991 victory. Will it be the Blue Devils or JHU? Let's go to Wombat's quick game analysis:
Duke vs. JOHNS HOPKINS [1]
Duke is an offensive machine. And Fenton in goal is an absolute stopper - congrats on the AA team. If any team can knock off JHU this year, Duke is THE TEAM. An absolute threat and they took JHU to double OT back in April - 12-11 - in one of the other very thrilling games of this exciting 2005 season. Can we ask for anything more? Anything better than what we have already experienced on Saturday and in the regular season? Stay tuned, because this could be another CLASSIC!!! Wombat is putting his one point on JHU because this finally could be THE year to break the drought. JHU should control slightly better than half of the faceoffs - those were even at Homewood. Both JHU and Duke have very good defenses - I would rate the JHU D a bit better although the real key is who will have the better day in the nets, Jesse or Fenton? Jesse came up big when it really mattered on Saturday. Offense, I give Duke a major edge, but you have the UNDERDOG - and JHU will have to scratch and claw their way to victory to beat this Duke team that is extremely good and deserving of a tremendous amount of praise for their turnaround from their 2004 season. Both of these teams have a lot to be proud of and I am sure they will leave it all out on the field at the Linc on Monday! Get Ready! Showtime for all the marbles!
That's it for this special weekend edition of the Wombat Zone. I will be at the D3 and D2 finals rooting on Salisbury (or Middlebury, I am split on this one after seeing the Keeper of the Kohn) and I will root for Limestone in the second game. Wombat hopes to see two more exciting games on Sunday, and then ANOTHER one on Monday!
Have a great Memorial Day weekend,
Wombat,
still...
"Alone at the Bottom"
There are six elite teams...
But that will soon change...
Only six teams this season shared one common thread: they defeated and/or narrowly lost to more than one Final Four team. They form the elite teams of Division I: Hopkins, Duke, Virginia, Maryland, Navy, and Georgetown.
The good news is that Princeton and Syracuse will probably not remain outside this group much longer. That will give Division I lacrosse eight top teams--more than it has ever had. With Cornell a rising power, and UMass making a statement, lacrosse fans are in for some heavy action next season.
Going out in style...
Brodie Merrill is 2005's best player...
The first mention of Brodie Merrill on the Laxpower.com Forum was on May 6, 2003. Merrill had just subbed for an injured Kyle Sweeney in a losing effort against Syracuse. Here is what the Swami said, "While Kyle Sweeney hobbled in crutches and cast on the sideline, Georgetown's Brodie Merrill played the game of his life, scarfing up ground balls like a vacuum cleaner and intercepting opposition passes with abandon...During a restart from midfield in the first half, Orangeman Liam Banks was stripped of the ball by a beautiful overhead stick check by Merrill, who then began a play that led to a quick goal by the Hoyas. This is the Swami's "Play of the Week," and Merrill is the Swami's "Player of the Week." Merrill played the kind of game that every high school player who dreams of playing with a long stick in college should watch."
There should be no doubt in the minds on anyone who saw last Sunday's Georgetown-Maryland clash, that Merrill should be everyone's Player of the Year. His heroic play single handedly kept the Hoyas in a game that they seemed destined to lose.
From Swami Headquarters in Center City Philadelphia...
The Huge Swami tribute is already underway...
SWAMI HEADQUARTERS:
THE DEVON BAR AND SEAFOOD GRILL
225 S. 18th Street, Rittenhouse Square
Yes, the Swami is already in Philadephia helping with preparations for this weekend's Huge Event. Swami Headquarters will be located in the Devon Bar and Seafood Grill, just across 18th Street from the east side of Rittenhouse Square, and near the northeast corner of 18th and Locust Streets in Center City ("downtown") Philadelphia, one block south of Walnut Street. This location was specifically chosen because the powers that be have earmarked several bars on 18th Street as unofficial headquarters for various lacrosse teams. They are all in very close proximity to each other.
Where the "Elite Eight" crowds will hang out...
The Devon is Navy's gathering place due to its nautical theme, and also because it never runs out of beer. Just north of the Devon, at 227 S. 18th Street, is "Bleu," where Blue Devil fans will be meeting. A few doors north of that is "Rouge" (205 S. 18th Street), which has been commandeered by a prominent Cornell grad who is now very high up in the administration of Temple University. In a recent communication with the Swami he related, "I chose Rouge, not only because of the significance of its name (French for "red"), but also because its worldly and sophisticated clientele reminds me of a lot of my fellow Big Red alumni, and Rouge has a special affinity for Ithaca types in general." This unnamed academic has arranged for an autograph signing party on the evening of Saturday, May 29th, featuring none other than the Ivyman (Cornell, 19??).
Smith & Wollensky, on the west side of Rittenhouse Square, has been chosen for Cavalier fans, perhaps because "Glory Days" is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, or alternatively, as Hopkins fans suggest, steak is the commonly requested last meal of the condemned on death row.
UMass fans are being banished to socialist Camden, NJ, just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. It is thought the Bay Staters will be more comfortable in a less capitalist atmosphere. The Swami is unaware of any restaurants or night life in that municipality.
Most Georgetooners will probably be staying around the Sheraton Rittenhouse Hotel at 227 S. 18th Street, just one door away from Swami Headquarters. This is one of the first eco-friendly hotels in the United States, and has special appeal to the socially conscious, the progressive, the nuturing, and to followers of Marion Barry. And, since most DC people are all four, well, this place hits a grand slam. It features a lobby constructed of sustainable elements like bamboo, and unlike most hotels, its wallpaper has no toxic chemicals (hey, anyone who has ever observed the unfortunate stumbling down the street knows what kind of wallpaper their hotels have). A friend of the Swami related that the staff will also excise the name of George Bush from its guests' morning newspapers upon request. In addition, it also boasts the "Square Bar," described as a "see and be seen" place by the developers. Now, if that doesn't have appeal to the DC crowd, what will? (A special Swami warning to Washingtonians: the cheesesteaks at Pat's and most other well known such emporiums are not made with organic meat. Georgetooners will want to mitigate the political risk of being seen in such establishments are advised to patronize a healthy and organic alternative. Perhaps at a place like Jim's Steaks).
Maryland fans will be hosted by the Bar Association of Philadelphia. This is a charitable group because it claims many lawyers as members. Its headquarters is home to a restaurant and bar that employ menus featuring only pictures of food and beverages rather than the complicated series of English language menus used by many other establishments in Philadelphia. "Our members have always preferred this system because it follows the same format as the test they have to take to secure membership," said a spokesman. The Swami does not know where it is, because there are no written directions.
A spokesman for the City of Philadelphia said, "we feel that to give Johns Hopkins visitors a fixed headquarters might raise their hopes too high. After all, this city's new administration has cut the suicide rate by 38% since 2002. Maybe if Hopkins wins something--in any sport--we will consider assigning them a bricks and mortar headquarters at some point in the future."
As a result, Hopkins fans will be meeting on the various park benches in Rittenhouse Square, where their alumni have traditionally gathered for many years. The Swami reminds them that all alcoholic beverages in Rittenhouse Square must be consumed from containers discretely covered with brown paper bags. But, if you're a Hopkins fan, you probably know that drill by now.
Hey, if you are not an East Coast urban sophisticate like the Swami, take a tip: do not order crab cakes in Philly. Philly is for cheesesteaks, and the best of them can be found at Pat's King of Steaks at the corner of 9th and Wharton in South Philly.
And don't forget to meet the Big Boyz at Devon's. From Swami Headquarters in Center City you can take the subway directly to Lincoln Financial Field.
Don't miss this weekend, which features almost all the Big Boyz, the Ivyman, Miss Venus Lee, Miss Bunny Bimbette, the movie star, and the fabulous Swamiettes. Does it ever get better than that?
Some tips for getting along with Philadelphians...
First, do not be offended if Philadelphia fans boo you. This is considered acceptable behavior in the City of Brotherly Love, where even Santa Claus was booed at an Eagles game. Second, do not order a cheesesteak with anything but Cheese Whiz on it--that marks you as on out-of-towner (Hopkins fans: Philly cheesesteaks are not consumed with white wines). Third, never, ever, make a reference to the 1964 baseball season. This will get you in real trouble. If someone overhears you talking about that season, explain that you are a Hopkins lacrosse fan, and understand their torment. Biting your bottom lip while contriving a pained expression may also help convince your listener.
This weekend's media coverage...
All games this weekend will be televised nationally by ESPN. Saturday's double-header will appear on ESPN-2, and Monday's Championship Game will air on ESPN. Radio coverage will be spotty.
Last Week...
At Homewood Field for UMass-Hopkins...
The Minutemen's strategy for this game is not discernable...
Down 8-2 at the half, UMass cannot bring its 2002 game out of the locker room this time...
The only similarity between last Saturday's UMass-Hopkins quarter final confrontation and its 2002 predecessor was the halftime score. But the Minutemen could not duplicate their second half scoring run of three years ago. Whatever strategy UMass intended to employ to defeat Hopkins last week was lost on the Swami, who saw 11 different Blue Jays score in what can only be described as a rout. Hopkins outshot UMass 48-27, and led the Minutemen in ground balls 43-28. That says it all.
The Blue Jays jumped to an immediate 3-0 lead and never looked back.
UMass scored more than half its goals on extra man opportunities, as Hopkins committed seven penalties.
Why would a coach whose team was leading 18-8 call a timeout in the fourth quarter after the clock had run down to 6:40? Well, with four penalites in a row in the fourth quarter, someone had to get things under control. This is undoubtedly what the Blue Jays will need to work on this week. Hopkins is giving opponents a .341 extra man percentage, and Duke is shooting .388 on EMO. If those two statistics get to meet, things could be troublesome for the Jays this weekend.
Final Score: Johns Hopkins 19, UMass 9.
swami@laxswami.com
At Homewood Field for Navy-Virginia...
The Cavaliers stay a step ahead of the Midshipmen for the entire game...
Navy's valiant season comes to an end when the Mids concede a goal with 1:40 left to play...
Navy had to be happy with its numbers. Iceman Chris Pieczonka went 16 for 21 in the face-off circle in what would be his last game. Billy Looney had a hat trick. Matt Russell was solid in the pipes. And Navy picked up 46 ground balls to Virginia's 38.
With 5:22 left in the contest, the score was tied, 8-8. But before the end of the first quarter Navy had made two mistakes which would cost it the game. The first was a Cavalier goal allowed on a possession caused by a Midshipman offside. The second, Virginia's fourth goal, came when the Cavaliers checked the ball from Navy on a clear and forced Matt Russell into an impossible one-on-one situation.
But for those lapses, Navy would be headed for Philadelphia.
The game ended effectively when Navy pulled its goalie with 1:40 left, giving Virginia the gift of an empty net goal. Maybe the Cavalier coaching staff took a lesson from its failure to shoot into an empty net against Syracuse in the 2002 playoffs. That mistake probably cost UVA a national championship.
Be that as it may, this was a very evenly played game, with great defense and goal tending on display by both teams.
Navy defenseman Mitch Hendler completely shut down Cavalier leading scorer Matt Ward, who had no goals and no assists. Equally bereft was Navy's Jon Birsner, who was robbed of his feeding ability by a stout Virginia defense.
As the Swami noted before the game, more than half of Virginia's goals this season have been scored by its midfield, and Navy had to break that pattern to win. In the end, UVA's middies accounted for six of the ten Virginia goals, including four by Matt Poskay. That was one or two goals too many.
Would a healthy Steve Looney have made the difference? Maybe, but all teams must play with the cards they are dealt and Navy certainly has the depth to compensate for an injured player.
It was the end to another valiant season for the Midshipmen, who proved that they can sustain play at the very top of Division I. Next year, the Mids can look forward to a banner class of recruits coming out of the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, RI.
The result was a salvation for Virginia, which was plagued with a plethora of inconsistencies in 2004. The Cavaliers will now get their second shot at Johns Hopkins.
Final Score: Virginia 10, Navy 8.
swami@laxswami.com
At Princeton for Georgetown-Maryland...
Miss Venus Lee sees a game within a game...
The Terps, perhaps outplayed, make their shots count...
It was the beginning of the fourth quarter and I still couldn't figure this game out. Georgetown seemed to have massively longer possessions than did its opponent. And the Hoyas had outshot Maryland 23-15 at that point. But the scoreboard showed Maryland with a 7-4 lead.
Most puzzling of all, however, was that there was absolutely no momentum in this game. After Scott Kahoe broke the scoring ice for Georgetown, Maryland put together a three goal run early in the first quarter with tallies from Joe Walters and the Ritz Brothers, but the game went flat from there.
I had covered Maryland's earlier (13-6) romp over the Hoyas at College Park, and I had written about Duke's (12-3) dismantling of the Hoyas in Washington on March 26. In both of those games I called Georgetown's shooting "powderpuff." The Hoyas entered this game shooting .230--the lowest of any Elite Eight playoff team:
2005 SHOOTING PERCENTAGES:
| # | TEAM | % |
| 1 | Duke | .366 |
| 2 | Hopkins | .316 |
| 3 | Cornell | .306 |
| 4 | UMass | .289 |
| 5 | Virginia | .280 |
| 6 | Maryland | .263 |
| 7 | Navy | .260 |
| 8 | Georgetown | .230 |
But it was not powderpuff shooting that did the Hoyas in last weekend. It was unsustained momentum in the fourth quarter, coupled with only four saves in goal that ended Georgetown's season.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Georgetown was down, 7-4. Things were beginning to look hopeless. Then, with 8:25 remaining in the game, Brendan Cannon caught his brother's rebound off the pipe and rammed it past Maryland goalie Harry Alford for a quick score.
Twenty seconds later, he scored again, this time from outside, to cut Maryland's advantage to 7-6. Georgetown fans came to life.
Maryland padded its lead to two on a goal by Maxwell Ritz, but Georgetown's artillery, in the form of the Cannon Brothers, was not finished.
Pete Cannon scored at 5:54--it was Georgetown's third goal in two and a half minutes, and it was obvious that the Hoyas' offense was on a roll. But could their momentum be stopped? That answer came all too soon. The next faceoff was given to Georgetown on a procedure call when Maryland's Dave Tamberrino moved his stick way too early. One would normally think that a team could get its personnel organized on the sideline in the few seconds a procedure call brings--especially when the team seems to be in a hot streak. But Georgetown seemed unsure who to put on the field. Brodie Merrill and another player ran off just as the Hoya offense wanted to assault the Terrapin goal, but they had to pull up. The players on the field looked to the sideline for direction. None was forthcoming. The Hoyas only had four players on the offensive end of the field. It took a full 30 seconds for the Hoya coaching staff to make its changes. Georgetown fans in the stands groaned, as the momentum seemed to drain from their team. It would take an EMO situation four minutes later for the Hoyas to strike.
With only a minute and a half in the game, Terp midfielder Bill McGlone's stick was checked after the Georgetown coaching staff noticed that the ball seemed not to move when McGlone threaded his way through several Georgetown players on his way to scoring a goal at 1:33. Referee Hans Wittlelsberger held the stick upside down and the ball was still firmly lodged in it. This stick's mesh looked like it had visited the beauty parlor for a permanent and a large application of hair spray.
McGlone's goal was erased, according to the rule, and he was penalized for three minutes--a non-releaseable penalty that would carry into overtime, if necessary.
Pete Cannon scored again on the extra man play and the horn sounded the end of regulation with the score tied, 8-8.
Georgetown could not score before the penalty had elapsed. And with less than a minute left in the first overtime period, Terp midfielder Andrew Schwartzman ended the agony with the game's final goal.
Overshadowing every other player on the field, Georgetown's Brodie Merrill brought an intensity and fervor to the play of the game unlike any I have seen all season. Or, maybe, for several seasons.
Division I lacrosse will certainly be diminished by his graduation.
Since I was traveling with friends who had to be in Washington for dinner, I was unable to see the second game.
Final Score: Maryland 9, Georgetown 8.
venuslee@laxswami.com
The Swami reviews the TV broadcast of Georgetown-Maryland...
It's no wonder CSTV is eating ESPN's lunch...
Absent Quint Kessenich, the broadcast was pretty much a zero...
The Swami often wonders if the top dogs at ESPNU are religious. If so, they ought to be prayerfully thankful that they have Quint Kessenich, because that's all they have.
The Swami will not give this production a complete review, but here are some observations:
At the end of the first quarter ESPN put on a pre-taped primer on lacrosse, called "Lacrosse 101," narrated by Kessenich. It was a good, tightly-spun 30 seconds on the highlights of the game. The first activity featured was face-offs. One of the most interesting things about it was that it was an unwitting critique of one of ESPN's greatest flaws: face-off camera coverage. The network had to go back over a year in time to come up with three face-offs that were shot closely enough for the fans to actually see what was transpiring at the "X." It's a good thing ESPN did not have to use any of the four face-offs that had already transpired in this game, because all were blown by poor coverage. Some were missed in part, and others were shot from atop a crane from a distance so far away that it was impossible even to see the players' numbers.
All during the second half, play-by-play caller Dave Ryan and color man Kessenich kept referring to their halftime interview with Johns Hopkins head coach Dave Pietramala.
It's a shame no one tipped them off that ESPN ditched their interview in favor of two analysts speculating about the consequences of several college basketball players opting for early draft by the NBA. This is, of course, old news--the names having been announced on May 12th. And ESPN brought precious little enlightenment to it. Guess what? Their teams will miss them!
ESPN kept apologizing for having to join the Texas Tech-Oklahoma State baseball game in progress, even cutting to 20 seconds of an at bat during the lull at Princeton before the overtime period. Immediately after the winning goal, Dave Ryan was literally cut off in mid-sentence, as ESPN rushed to air the baseball game. What of the thrilling ending to the Georgetown-Maryland game--which was, bay far, the most exciting of all the playoff games? Sorry, no post-game stuff at all.
ESPN opted to not show the second lacrosse game live because they deemed the baseball game more important--a rather interesting statement about where lacrosse ranks in the network's pecking order.
Possibly the worst moment of this broadcast came when Bill McGlone drew a penalty for an illegal stick. The camera work was great, focusing a close-up shot on an inverted stick in the hands of referee Hans Wittelsberger, with the ball still securely wedged in its pocket. But there are two different illegal stick penalties. One, for a pocket that is too deep, is a one minute non-releasable infraction. The other, for alteration of equipment, is a three minute non-releasable penalty. Both penalties would negate the goal just scored with the improper equipment. With only 1:33 left on the clock in regulation, the length of the penalty was critical. If Georgetown could tie the game, a three minute penalty would extend into overtime, giving the Hoyas a decided advantage.
When fans learned the assessment would be three minutes, everyone wondered why? It looked like a pocket violation--the one minute variety.
The fans also knew something else: This was no judgement call on the part of the referees. A veteran referee like Hans Wittelsberger is going to get this one right, and there were plenty of NCAA officials around if he needed to conference with them (which he didn't).
Wittlesberger ran to the sideline, the ESPN hand held camera and sound boom following him every step of the way. Maryland head coach Dave Cottle was also questioning the length of the penalty saying very clearly, "it's the pocket," to which Wittelsberger answered, "it's not the pocket."
So, what was the logic behing the ruling?
We were all going to find out because Wittelsberger was headed to the official scorer's table to give a full explanation, with the ESPN camera close by and the sound man picking up his voice very clearly. But, just as Wittelsberger began to explain his ruling, announcer Dave Ryan interrupted, talking over Wittelsberger, and drowning out everything he said.
The important information Ryan had to impart: The penalty might result in some advantage for Georgetown.
We needed to know that.
swami@laxswami.com
The Wildcats finish undefeated and win it all in Annapolis...
A lacrosse championship goes to the Midwest for the first time in history...
How improbable is it that a team ranked #31 just two years ago, finishes an unblemished season and takes the first lacrosse title of any sort to the Midwest? That's exactly what happened when the Northwestern Wildcats beat the University of Virginia for the Women's Division I National Championship in Annapolis last week.
Ironically, the Wildcat's last loss was to Virginia in the 2004 playoffs.
The Swami would like to thank Miss C. C. Ryan for covering Northwestern for a good part of this season. The staff of "This Week" is only sorry that we were unable to make arrangements to cover the Women's Final Four. We hope that next year will offer us a better opportunity to do that.
swami@laxswami.com
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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!
The Games of the Week:
Maryland vs. Duke
and
.. Virginia vs. Hopkins
Saturday, May 28, beginning at 11:30 AM, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
To connect to this week's Internet radio games, click on CALL LETTERS next to game.
(Game times are approximate and subject to adjustment, so check schedules for changes College radio is hit and miss, the Swami's media links may not always work.)
Saturday, at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA:
1. Maryland (#6) vs. Duke (#3)--(Saturday, May 28, 11:30 PM, Philadelphia, PA)--TV GAME--There's just no telling which team will win this game. After being down 5-4 at halftime, Duke came back with a late five goal scoring run to beat Maryland in College Park 10-8 on March 5th. Later, in the ACC Tournament final game, Maryland dominated Duke to the tune of 9-5 in a game in which Maryland's control was never seriously contested. Duke's defense will have to range out to Maryland's dangerous outside shooters, while protecting the middle at the same time. The Swami thinks the Blue Devils will be able to do this and that Duke will win. Miss Lee agrees, but this is still a game between two ACC teams, and anything can happen. 
2. Virginia (#4) vs. Johns Hopkins (#1)--(Saturday, May 28, 2:00 PM, Philadelphia, PA)--TV GAME--WINA RADIO--The Swami thinks it is all over for Virginia, which just barely got by an injured Navy last week on Homewood Field. Hopkins is just too strong for the Cavaliers. Both the Swami and Miss Lee pick the Blue Jays to win this game.
Monday, at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA:
3. Duke vs. Johns Hopkins--(Monday, May 30, 12 Noon, Philadelphia, PA)--TV GAME--Miss Lee has covered Duke three times this season and the Swami has covered the Blue Devils once. Both agree that Duke is be best team in Division I when it brings its game to the field. The Blue Devils' problems have been more of not getting to championship levels, whether nationally or regionally in their conference, than in performing in pressure situations. Duke will not leave its game in the locker room this Monday. The Swami and Miss Lee look for Duke not only to win, but to win by a margin that will surprise many lacrosse fans. Come Tuesday morning, the Championship Trophy will be traveling to North Carolina. Both teams were pretty evenly matched in the face-off circle in their first meeting at Homewood Field earlier this season, but that may change, now that Duke's largely new face-off crew (primarily a freshman and a sophomore) have a full season of experience under them. Shot statistics are remarkable similar by both teams, especially after adjustment for differing numbers of games. This game will be won on hustle and aggressive offense. We think Duke has both in spades. How will Duke's disdain for the slide play at the Linc? Expect adjustments, but the Devils held Hopkins to a single digit at Homewood.
The "Big Boyz" go at it again...
Radio Mike wins the regular season contest, but it's not completely over yet...
Yes, Radio Mike has won the regular season contest by A SINGLE POINT!!! The Ivyman, who finished far down the pack as usual, is threatening to sue because he claims that Radio Mike's position as a producer of lacrosse broadcasts puts him in position to get inside information on the game results. As the Ivyman put it, "everyone knows that lacrosse is like professional wrestling. Some people get the skinny early."
Left to be decided are the playoff winners, and the overall winner. The Big Boyz point system is tripled during all playoff games.
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 #14! Hey, this week the Big Boyz triple the points!!
From Swampy...
Hopkins will not be stopped...
--Swampy.
From STaTs...
It all comes down to one game...
1.) Maryland vs. Duke--DUKE (3)--Dukies will get revenge for the ACC Championship!
2.) Virginia vs. Hopkins--HOPKINS (2)--Can the Hop exorcise the demons of Memorial Day Weekend? I think so...
3.) winners meet--HOPKINS (1)--Day of destiny for Pietramala and the gang from Hopkins. It hurts me to say it, but the Hop will be the 2005 National Champions.)
--STaTs.
From Glory Days...
ACC Rules!...
This week's quarter finals showed why the ACC is still the dominant conference in Mens' lacrosse, sending three teams to the Final Four.
I attended the Saturday games at Hopkins and was extremely impressed with how easily the Jays rolled over UMass. I expected a much closer game, but Hopkins showed the crowd why they are #1. As most lacrosse people know, a game is usually won or lost in the midfield, and the Jays have the best two lines in the game. Harrison, Rewkowski, Rabil and the Peyser brothers are an awesome group.
The Virginia - Navy game was a real treat. Both teams played well--especially the goalies. Turner and Russell were excellent. As predicted, the Hoos had just a little more fire power. Not having Steve Looney hurt the Mids, and if they had Dingman, who knows? Virginia played a smart game and moved the ball very well. Poskey seemed almost hidden in the mix, but ended up with 4 goals prowling the crease.
Terps - Hoyas was closer than I expected but after last year I should realize Georgetown saves their best for the tournament. The Terps escaped with their lives after the illegal stick gave the Hoyas three minutes of extra man. They tied the game and really should have won in overtime with the EMO, but like the ACC tournament game against Virginia, the Terps found a way to the next round.
Duke - Cornell went about as expected. The Blue Devils are really playing well, and Danowski is proving that he is the best attackman in DI. Watch out for the Big Red down the road. This team will be back.
Playing for the Super Cheesesteak...
Duke / Maryland - Although the Terps beat the Devils in the last meeting for the ACC Championship, I don't think it will happen on Saturday. Duke is really playing with a ton of confidence and Danowski and Greer will be a handful for the Terp defense. This game will probably be close, and watch out if Alford get's hot in the Terp net.
Virginia / Hopkins - After watching the Jays this past weekend, they surely look like the team to beat, but I can't pick against my own team. Mr. Lacrosse likes the Hop and says I'm picking with my heart (which I am). If the Hoos want to have a chance, they must win the face-offs, score when they are man up, and find a way to slow down the Hopkins midfield, especially Kyle Harrison. Over the past few years, Virginia has had Hopkins' number. Let's hope they get it on Saturday.
--Glory Days
From American Iron Horse...
The Horse's picks...
1.) DUKE-1
2.) JHU-2.
3.) JHU-3.
--AIH out.
From goygoy 21...
This Week's Goy Award Winners...
Matt Danowski, Duke - 5 and 1 in over a good Cornell Team
Dave Urick, GTown - Good call with the stick check that got them into OT, perfectly ethical play in any situation
Kyle Harrison, Hopkins - 2 and 3 basically assures him of Player of the Year
Ben Rubeor, UVA - Freshmen was in on half of the 10 goals UVA put up
M&T Bank Stadium - For being ready to host the Final Four despite being the better venue and not getting the call
The Second Round...
1. Virginia v Johns Hopkins - Virginia 1
Hopkins is certainly on a roll but undefeated teams rarely win tournaments. Why is that, the Goy doesn't know, but he has seen Hopkins falter in the playoffs for the past decade. This game will be decided in the nets. Last time they faced each other Hopkins won the game on their goalies shoulders and it will be the keeper who decides who wins. These teams are both so complete in their defense, offense, and midfield, the x factor is going to be the goalie play. Turner has looked good and if UVA's faceoff game is on, the Goy likes UVA to win.
2. Duke v Maryland - Duke 3
Duke lost to Maryland last time they played each other but they are 1 and 1 on the season against the Terps. Maryland is a good team but right now Duke might have too much offense. Fenton has been playing well starting face breaks with saves that Danowski and company have been finishing. This game is going to come down to who controls the midfield and the transition game. Duke did it in the first game, Maryland did it in the second, Who will do it in the third? The Goy thinks Duke.
Final - 2 .
--goygoy21
From Baldo...
Here we go...
DUKE over Maryland - this could be the Dukies year
HOPKINS over Virginia - drum roll, please .
--Baldo
From Ivyman...
From Center City, Philadelphia...
1.) Maryland vs. Duke -2
2.) Virginia vs. Hopkins - 3
3.) Duke vs. Hopkins - 1.
--Ivyman...
From Radio Mike...
Radio Mike reports from the shores of Seneca Lake...
Wow! Some really close exciting games last week. Except for the Johns Hopkins - UMass contest, all were up to expectations. Too bad the Hoyas and the ECAC could not get into the final weekend. It is the ACC minus one for the finals.
Johns Hopkins vs. Virginia : The Blue Jays phenomenal season continues, with a trip to the City of Brotherly Love for Memorial Day Weekend. Clearly, they were the dominant team last weekend, and I expect them to be the favorite (unless you are an ACC fan) for the championship. Don't expect the Cavs to go away quietly. A lot of people had them out of this weekend mid-season. I expect this to be a great game, with Hopkins earning the nod to the finals. 3
Duke vs. Maryland: This is my "I have no idea" contest, as if you look at the regular season, Duke takes Maryland early, but then falls by 4 in the ACC tourney. Both had tougher contests than the other opponents this weekend, and I would think that Duke may have the advantage. I am impressed with the Blue Devils this year, but Maryland keeps winning when it counts. I see an all "Blue" final, with Duke advancing. 2
And for the final....
Johns Hopkins vs. Duke: I don't know if you are one of the few that don't want this rematch, but ever since that 2 OT win by the Blue Jays in early April, there is the nagging question of who is the better team? Johns Hopkins carries their 15-0 record into this contest, with a perfect season on the line. A 15-1 will be a hard one to take, after getting so close, but no cigar in recent years. Duke is a team that has been inconsistent, except when it counts. Will it count this weekend? I sense another great game, with a slim victory for the team wearing Blue. This time, it will be the one with feathers. 1
Radio Mike.
From Wombat...
The Penultimate Edition of the Wombat Zone - Monty Python's Killer Rabbit returns!!!
WOMBAT'S WEEK 15 COMMENTARY AND PICKS - Philadelphia - The Final Four (even if the NCAA doesn't want to call it that...)
Welcome to the Championship Weekend Edition of the Wombat Zone. Well, I am not sure what to talk about this week, so here we go, a journey deep into the twisted mind of Wombat, once again, a strange twisted tale it will be. So here we go - musings from within the Wombat Burrow. A happy place.
I considered writing up something nasty about Jane Fonda, but I will skip that and maybe save it for next year. Then I considered showing pictures of Saddam's underwear, but I see the pictures already made the press before I could get them out on Swami's site. Oh well. I have already offended Catholics, so I guess I don't need the Muslim world upset too.
Well, the Wombat Challenge to JHU still exists, and the big problem I am having now is how do I break the news to the Wombatress? I mean, I haven't mentioned it to her yet because, well, I don't like getting yelled at for things that might not happen. I mean, if Hopkins loses, my hair will stay intact (except for its continued gradual natural loss rate). And I will save myself from being yelled at. But, if they win... how do I break the news? Wombat gets yelled at for telling the Wombatress things after the fact... this is the perpetual Catch-22 that Wombat lives in. It is not that I am trying to be a sneaky S.O.B., but when you are probably certifiably partially crazy, well, you have to find ways to lay as low as possible. So here is Wombat's Plan for Secrecy to Avoid the Doghouse:
Since the Wombatress is not coming with me to Philly, I am going to leave her a sealed envelope. Inside the envelope I will have a letter that reads:
"Dear Wombatress,
If you are reading this, Hopkins won. Just so you know, I have committed to shaving my head into a Mohawk haircut since they won it all. I then plan to do some other things that I would rather not repeat to you since I know you are easily embarrassed and are concerned about appearances. After that, I will shave the rest of my hair off. Don't worry, I think all of it will grow back. Eventually.
Thank you for understanding,
Love, Wombat"
On the outside I will write:
OPEN THIS ENVELOPE ONLY IF JOHNS HOPKINS WINS ON MONDAY.
(IF THEY DON'T WIN, PLEASE DESTROY THIS LETTER WITHOUT READING THE CONTENTS).
There, I think that will get me off the hook. Or will it? Tune in next year... how is that for a cliffhanger?
I wish the two words "Lorena Bobbitt" had never become national news...
OK, enough of that. I am rather scared about the prospects of Hopkins winning it all. I am rooting for that of course, but you see, I sort of have a problem now... of my own doing... nightmares. Lately I am waking up at 5 AM with a lot of anxiety issues!
Now, let's see, to wrap up this tournament special, let's revisit Week 5 of Swami's This Week, which also happened to be Easter Weekend, and Wombat went off the deep end by bringing out Monty Python's Killer Rabbit. Virginia personified that evil and deadly rabbit.
Here is what the Virginia Killer Rabbit looked like before the regular season game between Hopkins and UVa. Cute, isn't he?:
And here is what he looked like after that game when Virginia lost at Homewood by a score of 9 to 7:
That's one bloody killer rabbit, with a heck of a mean streak, and it is out for revenge, and it personifies Virginia and what they are out to do this weekend. What does Hopkins do about that killer rabbit? Now, I don't usually like to reuse material, but in case you missed it, here is what Wombat wrote back in Week 5:
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: Go on, Bors. Chop his head off!
Bors: Right! Silly little bleeder. One rabbit stew comin' right up!
[after the killer rabbit kills Bors]
Tim the Enchanter: I WARNED you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you know, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little BUNNY, isn't it?
And as I pointed out at the end of March, Hopkins can not take that BLOODY KILLER RABBIT lightly!!! It is out for revenge. It is out for BLOOD!!! That is not a harmless little bunny AT ALL!!!
So, how does Hopkins get rid of this foul beast?
Yes! There is a solution! (I think there is eventually a point to this story that involves lacrosse, so hang in there with me... I am getting there... don't get like a backseat driver telling me to get to the point Wombat, hey, we are growing old here, you know? OK, OK, OK!!!)
How does Hopkins do it? How does JHU defeat the VIRGINIA KILLER RABBIT? The solution is...
The HOLY HAND GRENADE!!! (ah, yes, I do love explosives!!!)
Let's pick up the Holy Grail story about where we left off, more or less, after the Killer Rabbit has gotten very bloody, not so much from his own blood, but from flying around tearing up King Arthur's troops...
KNIGHTS: Aaaaugh! Aaaugh! etc.
KNIGHTS: Run away! Run away!
TIM: Haw haw haw. Haw haw haw. Haw haw.
ARTHUR: Right. How many did we lose?
???: Gawain.
???: Hector.
ARTHUR: And Boris. That's five.
GALAHAD: Three, sir.
ARTHUR: Three. Three. And we'd better not risk another frontal assault, that rabbit's dynamite.
ROBIN: Would it help to confuse it if we run away more?
ARTHUR: Oh, shut up and go and change your armor.
GALAHAD: Let us taunt it! It may become so cross that it will make a mistake.
[WOMBAT: By the way, taunting is what happens on the Laxpower Forum, just ask UMass fans.]
ARTHUR: Like what?
GALAHAD: Well,....
ARTHUR: Have we got bows?
???: No.
LAUNCELOT: We have the Holy Hand Grenade.
ARTHUR: Yes, of course! The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch! 'Tis one of the sacred relics Brother Maynard carries with him! Brother Maynard! Bring up the Holy Hand Grenade!
[singing]
How does it, uh... how does it work?
???: I know not, my liege.
ARTHUR: Consult the Book of Armaments!
MAYNARD: Armaments, Chapter Two, Verses Nine to Twenty-One.
BROTHER: "And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, 'Oh, Lord, bless this thy hand grenade that with it thou mayest blow thy enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.' And the Lord did grin, and people did feast upon the lambs, and sloths, and carp, and anchovies, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats, and large --"
MAYNARD: Skip a bit, Brother.
BROTHER: "And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shalt be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thou foe, who being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.'"
MAYNARD: Amen.
ALL: Amen.
ARTHUR: Right! One... two... five!
???: Three, sir!
ARTHUR: Three!
[BOOM!!!!]
The number is THREE, and so spake Sir Hans Wittelsburger to Coach Cottle: "Thou shalt send Mr. McGlone straight to the penalty box, and three minutes shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shalt be three." Argue about it, and the number of the counting shalt be four!!!
So, Coach Urick pulled out the Holy Hand Grenade last week, and it almost worked. The Terrapins, who being naughty in my sight, did snuff it!!! Gave up one goal, but they could have and should have lost!!! If only Coach Urick's troops could have shot a few more arrows at the goal during those three minutes, the Terrapins would have been bushwhacked for the second straight year!!! [And some PLB dude over on Laxpower would have been in therapy.]
Now, would Hopkins dare call for the Holy Hand Grenade if the opportunity presented itself? If a situation were so blatant that the call literally had to be made? What happened in the Maryland-Johns Hopkins game last year to JHU's Frank Potucek was one thing. But this is the Final Four. This is the first senior class entirely recruited by Coach Pietramala and his staff. This is their last chance. Wombat thinks that Coach Pietramala would have dire reservations about ever calling for a stick check, but if there was ever a time to do it, and if the situation were extremely obvious, yep, Wombat could see the Holy Hand Grenade coming out. Particularly after last weekend's shenanigans in Princeton.
But, on the other hand, if there is a single player on any of these Final Four teams that has a funny stick after last weekend, you had better be ready to face a nightmare that could haunt you for the rest of your life. Bill McGlone luckily got off the hook from something that could have haunted him forever. You think ANY player will let that happen this weekend? Wombat thinks NOT.
But here is the thing. You can talk about pulling strings on the mesh, but the stick itself can change through the course of the game. If it gets wet this weekend, even that can affect the pocket. Scooping balls off the ground can warp the plastic if you push down hard enough - and that is particularly true on faceoffs of course. So men, check your sticks!
So, sometimes these stick things are accidental and do occur during the course of the game. I, for one, believed McGlone when he said it was OK at the start of the game. So every player needs to keep an eye on their stick's condition at times during the games.
So, that beats the stick check question to death.
Let's get back to the story. A stick check is not going to beat Virginia. It probably won't beat any team this weekend, and I will personally be saddened to see any additional flags from stick checks because even though it is part of the game, I really do NOT like seeing stick check penalties - whether they be at the end of the first and third quarters, or called for by the coaches.
So, how does JHU beat Virginia? Is there any other type of Holy Hand Grenade out there that might work?
Well, what it will basically come down to is which team has the better game plan and who does the better job of executing that game plan. Do that, and your favorite team mayest blow thy enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.
Enough Monty Python for now. Hope you enjoyed it this year.
Oh, yes, it is time for the Wombat Weekly Beer Recommendation. As the #2 ranked recommendation from my 100 Beer Tasting, err, that should be Beer DRINKING (I don't believe in just beer tasting...), anyway, beer #2 is from a part of the world that my ancestors came from: Scotland. McEwan's Scotch Ale. A fine beer, also with a higher alcohol content, and when I say high, this is 8.5% which is one of the higher alcohol contents that you will find in a beer. I keep saying I like higher alcohol contents, and I guess it sounds like I have a drinking problem, but I don't. I have NOT had a beer since mid-January shortly after I finished the 100th beer. Yep, and I know the horrors of alcohol abuse too, which is why I always recommend to STAY IN CONTROL. Have your fun, but not to excess. McEwan's Scotch Ale has a nice distinctive taste that sets it apart from many other beers. I was sitting in Savage, Maryland drinking it and I felt like I was back in the Old Country. "Aye McEwan's, the best buy in beer." Aye!
OK, so that is my beer recommendation for this weekend. The thing about McEwan's is that even though it is more expensive, you don't have to drink as many because it is so strong. So, maybe it is not the best tailgate beer, but for a little variety, it is nice to throw one into the tailgate experience. Drink several though and you will be rolling around on the parking lot, so limit yourself to just one of the McEwan's. And stay in control.
This has been quite a joyride this year. No matter how this weekend turns out, Wombat is sure it will be memorable. May the better team that can put two complete games together raise the trophy proudly. They will have earned it, because this has been a very competitive season.
For the JHU seniors, thanks for the past four years. It has been a lot of fun. 53-6 going into this weekend, and anything you do this weekend is icing on the cake. Regardless of whether they bring a championship home to Homewood for the first time in a long, long time, this whole team, and many classes that have gone before them, have brought the level of lacrosse at JHU back up to the top of the game. They can not be judged solely by wins and losses. The team and the staff have this program headed in the right direction. What direction is that? Well, first and most important, they are getting prepared for the rest of their life. The game itself is just a game, and we often lose sight of that. It is what is learned, both on and off the field, during those four years at Hopkins, that prepares you for the rest of the way. So Wombat wishes them the best of luck this weekend to break the jinx, the cicada curse, the drought, but in the end, this is just a game. Maybe two games. Maybe a trophy. Life often teaches the greatest lessons through adversity instead of success, and it is now time for them to hopefully taste success. They deserve it. This has been a very special senior class and a great 2005 team.
The three ACC teams will have a lot to say about that though, and I am sure the ACC programs also bring forth the best qualities in their student athletes as well. Best of luck to all four D1 teams this weekend, and the two Division 2 schools (NYIT and Limestone, Wombat likes Limestone) and the two Division 3 schools (Middlebury and Salisbury, Wombat prefers Salisbury, but after seeing the "Keeper of the Kohn" movie last week, Wombat has to ask, "Hey Pete! What time is it?" Peter responds, of course, "Time to beat Salisbury!!!") So good luck to all EIGHT teams this weekend!
OK, let's move on to predictions and wrap this up for the week. What is Wombat's Game of the Week? Does anyone doubt which game I am ranking first? BEWARE OF THE KILLER RABBIT! Get Ready!
Wombat's Game of the Week:
Virginia vs. Johns Hopkins 
One last week for Wombat's Cracked Crystal Ball... Can Wombat pull off the upset and emerge from his "Alone at the Bottom" status? Well, Wombat has gone with Hopkins all year, so it wasn't exactly rocket science... and Hopkins is the Underdog. The long shot. But they have X-factors of leadership and a bunch of other things, like a workmanlike approach. Can it simply be that JHU is long overdue? Hey Pete, what time is it? Time to beat Virginia!
Let's go on to this week's game predictions:
At Lincoln Financial Field: Bring it on!
1) DUKE vs. Maryland [2]
The big surprise to me was that Maryland knocked off Virginia AND Duke back to back in the ACC tourney. Hey, that cost Wombat points! Anyway, can Maryland do it again? Yes, they can. The Terps Defense and Alford are looking particularly stingy. But, Duke has played EIGHTEEN games so far. Incredible. Can the Blue Devils be hitting the wall? They have looked tired at times. But they can turn it on and score in bunches like they did against Cornell in the third quarter. Wombat thinks an upset can occur here, but Maryland will need a complete game at both ends of the field, and they do NOT want a shooting match run and gun. This will be close, and Wombat thinks the final score will be 12 to 10, with Duke advancing to the final. Fenton could be the difference.
2) Virginia (the killer rabbit) vs. JOHNS HOPKINS [3]
Many of the Wombat consultants are giving me mixed signals on this. Here is how Wombat feels: either team could turn this into a lopsided affair (although I think JHU is more likely to do that than UVa), but more than likely this is going to be a one goal nailbiter. You know, things get tight this time of year, and scoring can go down in tight games. The JHU offense needs to keep clicking on all cylinders. 22 or 19 goals are not necessary, but 14 might be. Special teams have to gear up. The faceoff battle between Jack deVilliers and the JHU five man tag team of Kyle Harrison, Greg Peyser, Lou Braun, Jamison Koesterer and Stephen Peyser should be very interesting to watch. Braun and Koesterer both had very good success in March against deV, but last week's 6 out of 22 performance against Navy will NOT be repeated by Jack, you can count on that. The JHU defense will have its hands full, but will the UVa offense have enough depth, particularly, of course, at midfield? If UVa offensive middies get trapped down on D enough, this could be a long day for Virginia. But the temperatures might be cool enough to work to Virginia's advantage. Time of possession will also be key, and JHU hopes to dominate that again. Wombat really does not know for sure what to think. I think JHU has the edge, but there is this thing of Virginia having JHU's number - accounting for 3 of JHU's 6 losses during the past four years (Syracuse has two wins and Princeton has the other one). Anyway, let's face it off and see what happens. Wombat likes JHU by a score of 10 to 9. Nail biter. Maybe even overtime. Jesse and Turner will have to put up good games. If either gets hot, the game could be lopsided. Beware of that killer rabbit! Oh yes, and no black jerseys for JHU! They seem to be bad luck against Virginia!
The Championship. Four conditional picks depending on how the semifinals go.
3) Wombat chooses not to reveal his championship pick until after Saturday. Swami knows the four conditional picks that I have submitted. Wombat has [1] point riding on the final.
One thing is for sure, if JHU advances to the final, I am going with JHU. If Virginia is in it, Wombat will get back to you. I have this problem known as Radio Mike who is neck and neck with me for the Big Boyz Title, and so, hey, this is like poker. I am not going to show all my cards yet.
For the first time ever, an all JHU vs. the ACC Final Four! Should be pretty exciting! Blow the whistle, and let's continue MAY MADNESS!!!
Well, that is it for the Wombat Zone, Week Fifteen. Wombat and his Cracked Crystal Ball are heading out of the Wombat Burrow, and headed to Philadelphia. Wombatress has her envelope. Later she will put me in the doghouse because of the haircut, but that is only a maybe...
Have a great weekend of exciting CHAMPIONSHIP action, and travel safely,
--Wombat
still...
"Alone at the bottom"
What's new...
RPI's: A primer...
This week: Hopkins finishes on top...
It's all over now...
Hymie! has just refurbished his RPI and SOS pages. They now contain more information that ever. If you're a fan, and you haven't been to Hymies! pages, you are missing one of the best lacrosse web sites around. Hymie! has incorporated a "what if" scenario on his site. So you can take a look at this week's big games and plug in the team, or teams, you think will win, and see the impact of that (those) win(s) on their RPI's. This is especially important in 2005 since so many opponents' RPI's are being devalued by upsets.
Here is a quick primer on RPI's:
The Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) is a tool used by the NCAA to compute a mathematical ranking of teams based on valuing wins and losses in accordance with the strength of their schedules. Out-of-division records, as well as records including the team being considered, are not included in the computations. RPI considerations incorporate:
1.) The team's winning percentage;
2.) The average winning percentage of the team's opponents; and,
3.) The average winning percentage of the team's opponents' opponents. These factors are multiplied by25%, 50%, and 25% respectively. Hymie!, a computer programmer, computes RPI's for Division I lacrosse on a regular basis. In addition Hymie! has taken the RPI calculation a step further than others. At his website, fans can plug in hypothetical game outcomes and see how a given team's RPI would change for specific game results.
RPI is only one factor used in picking teams for the annual NCAA Division I tournament in May, but it appears to be the largest consideration.
You can connect with Hymies! web page through the Swami's pull out links try on the left side of the screen, or follow the links below. Note: the "LXP" column refers to the proprietary rankings developed by Laxpower.com. See that site for a detailed explanation of that formula.
Link HERE to Hymies! RPI page.
Link HERE to Hymies! Strength of Schedule (SOS) and Major Strength of Schedule (MSOS) page.
Hymie's RPI chart (end of 2005 regular season):
| # | TEAM | W-L | RPI | SOS | MSOS | QWF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | johns.hopkins | 12-0 | 72.18 | 62.90 | 65.77 | 421 |
| 2 | duke | 14-2 | 65.66 | 58.38 | 65.26 | 214 |
| 3 | virginia | 9-3 | 65.64 | 62.53 | 65.56 | 121 |
| 4 | maryland | 9-5 | 65.58 | 66.02 | 72.40 | 221 |
| 5 | navy | 11-3 | 62.62 | 57.31 | 64.42 | 103 |
| 6 | towson | 11-4 | 61.20 | 57.15 | 61.80 | 001 |
| 7 | massachusetts | 12-2 | 61.19 | 53.02 | 56.74 | 021 |
| 8 | syracuse | 7-5 | 60.68 | 61.47 | 63.30 | 001 |
| 9 | georgetown | 9-4 | 60.33 | 57.37 | 62.25 | 111 |
| 10 | cornell | 10-2 | 59.89 | 52.07 | 55.75 | 011 |
| 11 | army | 11-5 | 58.95 | 55.68 | 65.27 | 010 |
| 12 | penn.state | 9-5 | 57.67 | 55.46 | 60.40 | 010 |
| 13 | north.carolina | 5-8 | 57.39 | 63.70 | 68.53 | 010 |
| 14 | notre.dame | 7-4 | 57.25 | 55.12 | 56.43 | 002 |
| 15 | delaware | 11-5 | 56.78 | 52.80 | 59.89 | 010 |
| 16 | albany | 10-5 | 56.76 | 53.46 | 61.73 | 010 |
| 17 | hofstra | 8-8 | 55.76 | 57.69 | 63.68 | 002 |
| 18 | fairfield | 11-4 | 55.32 | 49.31 | 54.94 | 002 |
| 19 | bucknell | 8-5 | 54.01 | 51.50 | 57.52 | 100 |
| 20 | dartmouth | 8-4 | 53.61 | 49.26 | 53.58 | 101 |
| 21 | denver | 9-5 | 53.54 | 49.96 | 55.35 | 001 |
| 22 | yale | 7-5 | 52.53 | 50.59 | 55.86 | 000 |
| 23 | stony.brook | 10-6 | 52.00 | 48.50 | 58.55 | 002 |
| 24 | princeton | 5-7 | 51.41 | 54.65 | 58.09 | 000 |
| 25 | lehigh | 9-5 | 50.91 | 46.45 | 53.45 | 000 |
| 26 | umbc | 7-8 | 50.83 | 52.21 | 59.99 | 000 |
| 27 | drexel | 8-5 | 50.57 | 46.92 | 53.50 | 000 |
| 28 | loyola | 5-8 | 50.32 | 54.27 | 62.76 | 010 |
| 29 | ohio.state | 6-8 | 50.11 | 52.53 | 60.12 | 001 |
| 30 | villanova | 7-8 | 49.72 | 50.74 | 58.48 | 000 |
| 31 | rutgers | 4-9 | 49.47 | 55.71 | 59.81 | 001 |
| 32 | hobart | 7-7 | 49.46 | 49.28 | 56.64 | 000 |
| 33 | brown | 6-6 | 48.95 | 48.59 | 53.45 | 000 |
| 34 | sacred.heart | 6-8 | 48.68 | 50.62 | 58.52 | 000 |
| 35 | harvard | 5-8 | 48.30 | 51.58 | 58.35 | 000 |
| 36 | mt.st.marys | 8-9 | 47.89 | 48.17 | 57.91 | 000 |
| 37 | colgate | 7-7 | 47.35 | 46.47 | 52.22 | 000 |
| 38 | marist | 8-7 | 46.66 | 44.43 | 50.62 | 000 |
| 39 | butler | 5-7 | 45.47 | 46.73 | 52.30 | 000 |
| 40 | vermont | 4-7 | 44.59 | 47.33 | 49.55 | 000 |
| 41 | providence | 8-8 | 44.36 | 42.48 | 50.83 | 000 |
| 42 | manhattan | 7-7 | 44.34 | 42.46 | 48.29 | 000 |
| 43 | air.force | 4-8 | 44.27 | 47.91 | 51.86 | 000 |
| 44 | binghamton | 4-9 | 44.13 | 48.58 | 53.39 | 000 |
| 45 | pennsylvania | 2-11 | 42.81 | 51.96 | 54.77 | 000 |
| 46 | vmi | 6-7 | 41.56 | 40.03 | 45.20 | 000 |
| 47 | bellarmine | 3-1 | 41.56 | 30.42 | 30.42 | 000 |
| 48 | holy.cross | 3-11 | 40.25 | 46.53 | 53.05 | 000 |
| 49 | canisius | 5-7 | 39.95 | 39.38 | 43.15 | 000 |
| 50 | lafayette | 2-11 | 39.08 | 46.97 | 53.68 | 000 |
| 51 | st.johns | 2-11 | 38.52 | 46.23 | 53.93 | 000 |
| 52 | quinnipiac | 2-11 | 37.90 | 45.41 | 48.37 | 000 |
| 53 | st.josephs | 3-11 | 37.48 | 42.83 | 49.26 | 000 |
| 54 | siena | 4-11 | 36.19 | 39.36 | 46.36 | 000 |
| 55 | hartford | 2-12 | 34.44 | 41.16 | 47.35 | 000 |
| 56 | wagner | 2-12 | 33.39 | 39.76 | 46.45 | 000 |
| 57 | robert.morris | 0-13 | 27.96 | 37.27 | 41.87 | 000 |
The Swami's Top 16
(May 24, 2005)
1. Johns Hopkins
2. Maryland
3. Duke
4. Virginia
5. Navy
6. Georgetown
7. UMass
8. Syracuse
9. Army
10. Bucknell
11. Delaware
12. Cornell
13. Towson
14. Dartmouth
15. Fairfield
16. Denver
USILA Coaches' Poll
Division I--Final--May 9, 2005 |
||||
| No. | Name |
Record
|
(First place votes) Points
|
Previous
|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins |
12-0
|
(10) 200
|
1
|
| 2 | Duke |
14-2
|
189
|
2
|
| 3 | Navy |
11-3
|
182
|
4
|
| 4 | Maryland |
9-5
|
162
|
6
|
| 5 | Cornell |
10-2
|
159
|
3
|
| 6 | Virginia |
9-3
|
157
|
5
|
| 7 | Massachusetts |
12-2
|
146
|
8
|
| 8 | Georgetown |
9-4
|
127
|
7
|
| 9 | Syracuse |
7-5
|
118
|
9
|
| 10 | Towson |
11-4
|
103
|
11
|
| 11 | Penn State |
9-5
|
90
|
15
|
| 12 | Army |
11-5
|
88
|
10
|
| 13 | Albany |
10-5
|
73
|
T17
|
| 14 | Dartmouth |
8-4
|
72
|
13
|
| 15 | Fairfield |
11-4
|
62
|
T17
|
| 16 | Delaware |
11-5
|
55
|
16
|
| 17 | Bucknell |
8-5
|
48
|
14
|
| 18 | Denver |
9-5
|
39
|
12
|
| 19 | Notre Dame |
7-4
|
13
|
NR
|
| 20 | Hofstra |
8-8
|
11
|
19
|
|
Others receiving votes (in order): Stony Brook 7, North Carolina 4, UMBC 3, Ohio State 1, Princeton 1 |
||||
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--Swami (Official winner of the "Prognosticator of the Year Award"; the prestigious L.P.A. "Goldfinger" trophy; the 1999 "Best Seed" selector; the 2000 Best Playoff Record Award; the 2001"Most Accurate Rankings Forecast," and, in an independently audited open poll conducted during the 2000 season, was selected "Prognosticator of the Decade" by an impartial fan vote.)
Some of the Swami's many other awards: 
This Week's Music: "Soul Sacrifice." Those too young to remember the many hits of the group Santana (so named after its leader, Carlos Santana) in the early '70's ("Black Magic Woman," "Oye Como Va," "Evil Ways") may still be aware of the fact that this band was brought to prominence by an electrifying performance of this song at Woodstock in 1969. Drummer Michael Shrieve's solo was one of the high points of that concert. Shrieve was only 18 at the time of the original Woodstock production and was later to appear at Woodstock '99 playing drums for another group. "Soul Sacrifice" was released the day after Woodstock (August 19, 1969) on the album "Santana." The album sold well, but the single never charted.
This page is sonified. The Swami says that if you're listening with a cheap browser related sound program you're not hearing the right stuff. You need to get the Beatnik Player 2.2 (it's free and it's an upgrade from last year's version) so that you can hear the sounds the way the Swami wrote them. And, if your Beatnik Player doesn't seem to be working right, you can test it HERE. NOTE: this page now contains a mute button for those readers whose musical tastes may be retarded. It is located near the top of the page just below the introductory Flash graphics. If you cannot see the mute button, or if the mute button appears to be a truncated portion of an audio icon, that means that you haven't yet downloaded Beatnik Player 2.2. If you download Beatnik, you will see a small, clean icon that enables you to turn off the Swami's music.
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