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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 30, 2024 21:39:48 GMT -5
This is an interesting development, but I guess it really doesn't change anything for us. Atlantic Hockey was already running CHA before....just brings them under one name.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 30, 2024 12:29:33 GMT -5
Final ooc game tonight (6pm) at home vs. Brown, overall 9-26 record (4-14 Ivy). This is our 46th game of the season but only our 10th at Fitton where we're 7-2 (How our players keep up with their academics is admirable). I do not believe any D.1 team in the country has played as many game as we have up to this date. The reason for that is the Patriot League having four game weekends and finishing the season a week early. BTW, Lafayette has played 45 games heading into today and Navy 44
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 30, 2024 5:47:58 GMT -5
Exactly my point, Bucknell has two NCAA berths in the 2000's and eight regular season patriot league championships in that time period. Holy Cross has none of those in their HISTORY. When Bucknell earned those NCAA berths, and when Bucknell won all of those regular season championships, they had exactly 0 scholarships. The first scholarships they ever gave for lacrosse were in the last two years. But it’s become a lot tougher to win without having a good number of scholarships. Beyond the money issue, Bucknell for many years was more successful than Holy Cross due to better facilities, a winning tradition, and incredible continuity of staff. As a matter of fact, Bucknell has had lacrosse for 58 years and has had two head coaches in that time. That has traditionally made recruiting much easier and also has created an incredibly loyal and supportive group of alums. But as I mentioned, it has gotten a lot tougher in recent years. Well it got tougher when Loyola and BU joined
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 29, 2024 21:59:25 GMT -5
Paige was playing the 3 this season anyways...I wouldn't expect her to change next year. Chen is better offensively than Arnold and Shade. Paige was nominally playing the three in a 3-guard offense. The only difference between her role and that of the two guard was due to her being a tmuch player with an ability to put the ball to the floor. She guarded the SF defensively because she was much taller than the other two UConn guards And a far better rebounder. I had a pretty good view of Paige this year on a few occasions.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 29, 2024 21:58:28 GMT -5
I know some of the other teams in the conference are not fully funded.... Bucknell men’s lacrosse currently has about three scholarships although that is going to rise to about six over the next two years. Exactly my point, Bucknell has two NCAA berths in the 2000's and eight regular season patriot league championships in that time period. Holy Cross has none of those in their HISTORY.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 29, 2024 12:45:59 GMT -5
Princeton's Kaitlyn Chen to UConn and Bryant's Mariona Planes Fortuny to Maine. UConn backcourt very crowded if everyone is healthy next year. Paige, Azzi, Chen, KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, and incoming McDonald’s All American recruits in Allie Ziebell and Morgan Cheli. They could really use a dominant frontcourt player like Beers from Oregon Stare but she’s dragging her feet deciding between UConn and Oklahoma. Paige was playing the 3 this season anyways...I wouldn't expect her to change next year. Chen is better offensively than Arnold and Shade.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 29, 2024 12:42:56 GMT -5
You would think Holy Cross would succeed as many of the best high school programs in the country are elite prep schools or suburban schools in metro areas Those players like scholarship aid, too. Even a partial athletic scholarship is a bragging point over a walk on to a similar quality school. As I understand it, HC is pushed by one anti-discrimination measure, title nine, to discriminate against men's lacrosse schollies in favor of women's schollies. Not required to exactly but probably the best work around they can come up with. Although I doubt women's lacrosse has that much aid to give, they have some and the men have none I believe. I know some of the other teams in the conference are not fully funded....
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 29, 2024 6:48:39 GMT -5
Lacrosse is a pretty simple sport. You need at least a couple of middies who can draw a slide, an attackman or two who can finish, a fogo who can win more than 50% and a well coached defense. That’s a baseline, obviously not a PL championship winning formula. But we lack most if not all of those. Takeaway D, depth, d pole beaters at Attack and Middy are what legit programs have. Thats where scholarships and academic flexibility need more application (I think). It’s really not that hard to do, but HC doesn’t want to. BU figured it out in like 2 yrs. I know lax isn’t important to everyone, but I just think all alums need to be concerned that our supposedly high caliber educational institution can’t successfully field a sport that more and more people care about. As was mentioned none of our sports are for-profit, but they all reflect our brand and pride in where we attended. You would think Holy Cross would succeed as many of the best high school programs in the country are elite prep schools or suburban schools in metro areas
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 28, 2024 21:36:56 GMT -5
Congratulations Caitlin. Make a splash and get drafted. It will be fun to compare Weimar's stats with BPC's next year. I wonder if Bronagh will have any involvement with Ireland's national team's quest to get to the Olympics. I'm not sure how countries qualify for the Olympics and if Ireland has any realistic shot of making the games in WBB. I think if she wanted to play for the Irish National Team for a year she could use her remaining Covid season of NCAA eligibility in the 2025-6 season if she chose. Ireland WBB has never appeared in the three major international tournaments (Olympics, Eurobasket or FIBA World Cup). I don't see a single appearance by BPC on the senior national team which had a player from DeSales on their recent Eurobasket 2025 qualifiers.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 28, 2024 21:34:47 GMT -5
Princeton's Kaitlyn Chen to UConn and Bryant's Mariona Planes Fortuny to Maine. Chen is a perfect replacement for Muhl with better offensive talent but a downgrade on defense. I am interested in Mitchell from Princeton and who gets her. She was the heart and soul of that Princeton team who did the dirty work.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 27, 2024 14:02:29 GMT -5
I don't think many Big East schools are worried about it when Kansas is playing at Creighton and Baylor is at UConn this upcoming season. PC last season had the 39th toughest schedule in the country. Those games are part of the Big East vs Big-12 challenge series which I previously alluded ends this upcoming season one year after the final BE-Big Ten challenge series. The loss of these challenge series (with two quality games guaranteed) are a big hit for much of the Big East. While the very top programs (UConn, Marq, Creighton, Villanova) may still be able to get marquis games versus power teams, many other members might struggle to replace what had been two quality opponent contests. I think this will much apply to schools such as Depaul, Seton Hall, and PC.
I disagree with you....DePaul yes but Seton Hall and PC both have bigger fan bases that will demand it. Time will tell.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 26, 2024 20:04:58 GMT -5
If it’s just talent, why doesn’t Duke win every year? Duke isn't the most talented team every year
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 26, 2024 14:30:49 GMT -5
It seems that Providence fans are paying a bit more attention to the the crafting of their OOC schedule and its strength this year. For many seasons the team had the benefit of automatically being in two BE conference challenges along with an MTE Tournament. They didn't worry too much about their other OOC opponents so much as they only wanted them for easy wins to pad their record. The BE had recently been so strong that the quality of OOC opponents did not matter as much. That may now be changing. BE teams did not provide the big SOS NET numbers LY it had typically done in recent seasons. There were big gaps in the league's NET rankings last year. Three teams were rated in the top 15 but the next six fell in the 32-68 range with half of them hovering near .500 records. The bottom two members (min 4 games) dragged down everyone else being ranked #205 & #320. This very much factored in the league only getting three NCAA bids, its lowest total since it was reformed back in 2013. The conference challenge with the Big Ten ended last year and the similar series with the Big12 ends this upcoming season as a result of these power leagues increasing members and adding more conference games. The quality of OOC games may now have more importance for BE members, especially for teams such as a PC or SHU. Friar fans are already a bit antsy about the 2024-25 schedule as it looks like something the program might have had some 50 years. Supposed opponents at this time for Providence are thought to be Central Ct, Holy Cross, @uri, BC & UMass at Mohegan Sun, and BYU (Conference Challenge). Some of their fans fear this may again not be strong enough. It is getting particularly hard to even now gauge the possible future strength of opponents as rosters are in such a state of flux. I don't think many Big East schools are worried about it when Kansas is playing at Creighton and Baylor is at UConn this upcoming season. PC last season had the 39th toughest schedule in the country.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 26, 2024 14:24:08 GMT -5
Excellent post. HC could redirect money from the pledge to meet the full financial need of every enrolled student to providing high amounts of merit and athletic scholarship aid to the students it thinks will help the college the most. That approach has weaknesses also as the lower range of admitted students might have to be richer with lower academic aptitude than currently and diversity could suffer. It's tough but you can't spend the same dollar twice. The only wiggle room might be budgeting a little extra to attract and retain the small percentage of coaches who have proven they can recruit, scheme, motivate and win at Holy Cross or a reasonable facsimile of Holy Cross. I think Kit has come close to this with the Paulsen and Curran hires and MB did a good job identifying Magarity and Riga. The question is how much money is there to implement that strategy in the non-revenue sports? Apparently not enough. Genuine question: What (if any) HC sports really generate revenue? I could see football, but beyond that I can't image many are getting close to breaking even. As at most schools, football is a huge loss for a college.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 25, 2024 21:05:00 GMT -5
We gave up 21 runs in two losses to Bryant on Tuesday which brings our record to 10-31 Just what the doctor ordered with (maybe) a worse team than ours coming to Worcester today for a dh starting at 3 - it's Maine with a 3-32 record They split with Maine winning 4-3 before losing 11-10.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 25, 2024 20:54:49 GMT -5
We led 9-5 after 3 qtrs - then proceed to go scoreless in the 4th while LeMoyne scores 5 times - yes, this 10-9 loss to conclude another miserable season has to increase the concern Well, Lemoyne was a NCAA D-2 Semifinalist LAST year.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 24, 2024 22:08:20 GMT -5
I got a kick out of the coach being suspended; they bring a new coach in, same players; and the team doesn't do very well. Then they claim that's because the new coach didn't have enough experience. Maybe it's because the players aren't very good. It's time for her to go based on a number of things that I won't bring up. However, it is interesting that these players only won 5 games this past season and if a new coach is brought in all these returning players should be recruited over. One interesting tid bit is the story in the Globe references a dysfunctional relationship with her assistant coach. I believe that person was the Worcester Academy GBB coach this past season. Interesting that the WA job is now open. Finally, I wonder if enough time has past that BG could be a candidate for the WA job or is his reputation in disrepair. Their AD is Ed Reilly who was on Blaney's staff with BG years ago and I'm sure they are friends. The assistant coach was also the acting head coach this past season.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 24, 2024 10:42:12 GMT -5
He has a smorgasbord of quality graduate disciplines to choose from at Stony Brook. Options to snag grad transfers by smaller institutions might be limited due to narrow graduate degree choices. I think Joe compares favorably to a little used frosh or soph in the portal looking for more playing time. Of course coaches have to balance the classes on their roster but grad transfers with four years of experience and only a one year commitment are an attractive investment. A coach can also have confidence a grad transfer from HC is not in the portal as a disgruntled player because HC is undergraduate only. I think schools have been happy with HC grad transfers like Butler and Faw. No more grad transfers now unless they have a redshirt season.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 24, 2024 10:38:17 GMT -5
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 24, 2024 9:31:00 GMT -5
Another rule change
Penalizing horse-collar tackles that occur within the tackle box as a 15-yard personal foul. Previously, a horse-collar tackle within the tackle box was not a foul.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 22, 2024 21:44:27 GMT -5
Playing overseas and that is the reason Brittany Griner was in Russia. Probably also the reason the new CBA has the WNBA finding placements for their players with their corporate partners in the offseason...they can either get a job here or take their chances overseas. Russia historically paid the highest salaries for women's players. Becky Hammond actually became a Russian Olympian at a time after playing so long in Russia.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 22, 2024 14:48:16 GMT -5
This debate is so tired, especially when the WNBA gets injected into as nobody cares about it. Also worth noting that the season is less than 1/2 of the games and 1/2 of the time commitment, enabling many of the players to play for another team overseas. Their housing is also paid for. Now doubling the salary and adding in housing still doesn't approach NBA salary...but doubling the WNBA's popularity or ad revenue also doesn't approach the NBA's Playing overseas and that is the reason Brittany Griner was in Russia.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 22, 2024 14:45:37 GMT -5
I had NIL requests from D-3 athletes on the first day that NIL was allowed. There is NIL and there's NIL. Some athletes are getting money for just being athletes. Some are actually getting money for name, image, likeness - things like wearing Nike sneakers, eating this brand of power bar, etc I'm curious about D-III athletes asking you for NIL stuff. Are they asking you to hand them cash? Use your professional contacts to help them line up legitimate NIL opportunities? Get free photography services to push their brand with a professional look? If I am overstepping with these questions feel free to tell me it's none of my business. I won't be offended Basically, they wanted to use my images to promote their NIL deals. Aka, they think giving Barstool the rights to use their likeness is a deal that will help them out. The school's will NOT allow their copyrights to be used without permission so these images can't be used for that. BTW, I don't work for free so free services is never happening.
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 22, 2024 14:39:30 GMT -5
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Post by bfoley82 on Apr 22, 2024 14:07:24 GMT -5
NIL money will surely make its way to D-3--guaranteed. Of course it won't be miles away from the level of D-1 but there will be payments to D-3 players. I had NIL requests from D-3 athletes on the first day that NIL was allowed.
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