Men's lax

[Trinity84]

According to Inside Lacrosse, Carolina will announce the dismissal of men's lacrosse coach, John Haus, today. I wonder if the Heels will contact Mike Pressler about the job?

Link: http://insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?p...storyid=190507

[Bluedog]

According to Inside Lacrosse, Carolina will announce the dismissal of men's lacrosse coach, John Haus, today. I wonder if the Heels will contact Mike Pressler about the job?

Link: http://insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?p...storyid=190507

Considering ZERO Division I teams offered Pressler a job after his Duke gig, I'd find it unlikely that North Carolina would, but who knows...Although Bryant is making the move to DI now, but won't be a "core member" until 2012.

[sagegrouse]

Men's and women's lax, men's and women's soccer, women's basketball, and field hockey have been to a collective 21 Final Fours, and won 1 title. That's not a good batting average.

Men's basketball 3 of 14; women's golf does not have a Final Four format but does have a stellar championship record. Women's x-country was a favorite a couple years back, but finished third.

I love and support the Duke teams, but our difficulty at "closing the deal" is bothersome.

Different sports, different players, different coaches, different eras. Aside from being a statistical curiosity, do you think your numbers have any meaning? Do you think the letters D-U-K-E are bad karma on a jersey in a FF game but good karma in a regional final?

OTOH, 35 final fours in seven sports -- most of them in the past 20 years --is really good and indicative of a strong athletic program.

FWIW, many college sports have dynasties (UMd and then NW in women's lax, e.g.). In women's golf, it's Duke.

sagegrouse

[Ben Cohen]

None of the seniors with the option of another year of eligibility declared for the draft Tuesday morning, The Chronicle's sports blog (dukechroniclesports.com) is reporting.

For the 11 players, that likely means three things: 1) some are returning to Duke for graduate school, 2) some are using their extra year somewhere else, 3) some are simply moving on from lacrosse. The two seniors with the most impact on this year's team were Zack Greer and Brad Ross.

In other not-so-surprising news, Matt Danowski, Dan Loftus, Nick O'Hara and Tony McDevitt all declared for Wednesday night's draft.

[Trinity84]

Considering ZERO Division I teams offered Pressler a job after his Duke gig, I'd find it unlikely that North Carolina would, but who knows...Although Bryant is making the move to DI now, but won't be a "core member" until 2012.

Time has passed. The questions and concerns surrounding Pressler immediately following the false rape fiasco no longer exist. No AD is going to have to postion Pressler as a risky hire. My bet is most folks think Pressler got screwed by Duke; and there is plenty of evidence to support that view.

More importantly, he is a helluva good coach and Carolina wants to win. This doesn't mean Carolina will pursue Pressler, but it is an intersting possibility.

[Devil07]

Man that one was painful to watch. I kept waiting for the moment when we would turn it on and take control and it just never came.

But since we've got to move on, does anyone know what kind of team we should expect for next year? Not counting the potential 5th year guys, it does seem like we have some nice talent in the midfield returning with Crotty, Schoeffel, Catalino and Payton becoming seniors and Quinzani should be the star of the attack if Greer doesn't return. Does anyone know much about this year's recruits and also the kids who were freshmen this year? Do we have some talent coming in to compensate for the huge dropoff from losing so many great 5th year seniors? Somebody give me some good news please...

[Trinity84]

Somebody give me some good news please...

The Bratton twins will be sophomores! One step closer to graduation. How's that for some good news?

[greybeard]

The Bratton twins will be sophomores! One step closer to graduation. How's that for some good news?

Was anyone besides me blown away by the pedigres of those kids playing for the 'Cuse. It seems that, to play there, your father has to have won a "ring" playing at the 'Cuse, and at least one brother. Otherwise, they don't want you.

Whatever training techniques the coach there employs, everybody better start doing it. His kids seemed to have so much more in the tank than either Va or Hopkins. Hopkins, I have to believe, played the game of their season against Duke. Besides Rabil, none of them showed up on Monday, or so it seemed. Or, was Syracuse that good? Score was closer than the game seemed, was the announcer's take; mine too, for whatever that is worth.

I agree, this was a difficult one to handle. Nevertheless, a terrific season! A team to remember; young hearts mend.

[pratt '04]

Whatever training techniques the coach there employs, everybody better start doing it.

Those same training techniques didn't even get 'Cuse into the NCAA tourney in 2007... I think they just happened to play great lacrosse last weekend.

[Mike Corey]

Those same training techniques didn't even get 'Cuse into the NCAA tourney in 2007... I think they just happened to play great lacrosse last weekend.

Word on the street is that they were played a song about Nan Keohane, and they were so inspired that their lives completely changed for the better. Three guys on the team got Rhodes Scholarhips; four guys won the lottery; one is now dating Jessica Simpson.

Crazy song.

[greybeard]

Those same training techniques didn't even get 'Cuse into the NCAA tourney in 2007... I think they just happened to play great lacrosse last weekend.

Not so. Those techniques, which involved structured running routines, were implemented after last season's disaster. That training, and the replacement of the defensive coordinator, were the principal differences from last year, along with the freshman goalie. The announcers predicted that Syracuse would be stronger at the end, in the fourth, against UVa and they clearly were.

For some bizzare reason, Hopkins seemed to go early in their possessions, in contrast to playing slow ball against Duke. They got eaten. Except for Rabil, who is a complete beast (his last goal, taking on at least 5 defenders who bounced off him like fleas on a horse was a testiment to a terrific career), Hopkins was simply out run the entire game, more so as the game wore on.

The number of mistakes Hopkins made on clearances alone was astonishing and precluded a serious run at victory.

Hopkin's coach I think is amazing; he shut down Dan, Greer and Crotty, and did the same thing to Syracuse's principal scorers. Only he tried to run with Syracuse, perhaps because knew that, in the end, either he built a three plus goal going into the fourth or it would be over anyway, and once he got behind, he had no choice, or Syracuse had legs going into the last game while P's boys didn't, in which case we are back to where we began--the training regimine which is brand spanking new for this season.

[formerdukeathlete]

Considering ZERO Division I teams offered Pressler a job after his Duke gig, I'd find it unlikely that North Carolina would, but who knows...Although Bryant is making the move to DI now, but won't be a "core member" until 2012.

that no D 1 school would offer after he was fired by Duke - that this would predict interest today...you have to be kidding right...?!

One thing you point out speaks much more loudly and clearly about Pressler's ability as a coach, that Bryant is planning on stepping up to D 1.

So, it may come down to a number and who else might be interested. UNC may think Pressler may be too close to (his former) home.

But, unless Hopkins coach would hop down to Chapel Hill, there may not be a better choice if the goal is to make the most of lacrosse and win. Hence UNC's possible interest.