Week That Was, Part One
TFBO2F is a huge fan of mystery shows. Our best discovery thus far is that "CSI: Miami" headliner David Caruso is trying a little too hard to be taciturn Lt. Castillo from "Miami Vice." Anyway, Gil Grissom of "CSI:" has a saying: People lie, evidence doesn't.
And it is in that vein that TFBO2F will examine the previous week's action in special two-part blogs. The first part features quotes from people who don't lie, plus MVP of the Week and Bad Call of the Week. Part two will come tomorrow and will include analyses of the games we taped on ESPNU in Wilbon's office, even though he doesn't know that we're using his office to tape games that are on ESPNU. Included will be Maryland's 13-8 win over UNC.
Quote of the Week
"Obviously, if you're a team like Duke, the good and bad part of it is whenever anybody's got you on their schedule, they've got the game circled. And I would be lying if I said guys weren't looking forward to this game since this past summer. Throughout the past couple weeks, we've been having this in our minds."
--Georgetown senior goalkeeper Miles Kass following an 11-7 victory over No. 1 Duke. It was Georgetown's first victory over a team ranked No. 1.
Lt. Columbo's "Just One More Question" of the Week:
Is Johns Hopkins in Trouble?
It can't be a blog in Washington, DC without a lawyer involved somehow. Our lawyer happens to be a great goalie. Larry Quinn was an all-American at Johns Hopkins and also was an assistant coach there for many years. He currently practices law in Baltimore, is the radio analyst for Hopkins games and contributes to the successful radio/internet show Lacrosse Talk. He has graciously agreed to weigh in on all things lacrosse for TFBO2F from time to time.
I think they will be fine and will turn it around. Three overtime losses are not devastating to their playoff chances. Their schedule enables them to get right back into the top tier for the playoffs, though obviously they have to win a few.Their wins are quality wins. I know Princeton has struggled but they should have a decent record by year end as they get more experience and some Ivy league wins. UMBC is showing that it is a good team. And Albany is better than its record so far indicates.
I think Hopkins needs to improve its clearing game. They have given teams too many second chances. [Goalie Mike] Gvozden played well on Saturday and with a few more wins he should be playing with plenty of confidence. Last year's struggles should help them through this rough patch, but the cliche about not being able to turn it on and off applies.
The Hofstra loss was a bad because Hopkins came out flat and never matched Hofstra's intensity. Syracuse was bad because they gave up a 3 goal lead. The Virginia loss was bad because it was the third in a row. If the U-Va. loss doesn't come at the end of a tough three game stretch (in terms of results) it would not be a big deal. They very nearly beat a super UVA team at home in front of a hostile crowd. Some of the things that Hopkins had struggled with showed improvement--face-offs, clearing, team D and goalie play. And I think Petro is too good a coach and the team is too talented not to continue to get better.
MVP of the Week
Brendan Teague, Navy
Navy gave up six goals in more than 120 minutes of lacrosse this past week, so it doesn't take a crime lab to figure out the defense played pretty well. Teague guarded two of the top offensive players in the Patriot League--Bucknell sophomore A Austin Winter and Colgate senior MF Matt Lalli. Winter scored two goals, though one was on extra-man offense, in Navy's 4-3 overtime win on Wednesday. On Sunday, an in-game adjustment moved Teague to defend Lalli after Lalli ran over a Navy defender for the opening goal. Lalli, and Colgate, went scoreless for nearly 54 minutes in an 8-3 loss. Lalli scored again late, though Teague was not defending him then, either.
Jordan DiNola did pretty well, too--he held Bucknell's Tim Brandau and 'gate's Brandon Corp to a combined one goal, scored by Corp in the final minute yesterday. But I think DiNola had a chance to win those matchups, or at least make them a push. Teague's matchups were more of a question mark.
Bad Call of the Week
TFBO2F's Final Four basketball picks ran in the paper last Monday. Here's what they look like now:
Georgetown
Memphis
Notre Dame
Xavier
But really, would you trust a Navy football and college lacrosse beat writer who also knew something about college basketball?? It's like when people say that a politician or CEO is good in golf, like it's good news. To me, that means that maybe he or she is spending too much time on golf and not enough time doing their job! The same applies here--and thus, the fact that my Final Four picks were bad is actually good.
By Christian Swezey |
March 24, 2008; 7:00 AM ET
Previous: Georgetown's First Win Over No. 1 |
Next: Added Updates
Posted by: Fill | March 24, 2008 09:24 AM
If you could see me right now, I'd be pointing and laughing at you for picking Georgetown. Good spin though!
But with Navy's schedule this weekend, I should probably keep any laughter at Georgetown's expense in check.
Posted by: The Birddog | March 24, 2008 09:50 AM
Larry Quinn's analysis is insightful, since there are some very un-Hopkinsian behaviors in the three OT losses. In each game, the Blue Jay defense allowed a 3 goal spurt (UVa within 3 minutes; SU within 2 minutes; and Hofstra, within 1 minute). Plus, in each game, multiple last minute goals were allowed (2nd and 4th period at Hofstra; 2nd and 3rd with the Orange; the 2nd and 4th vs. the 'Hoos). It's a bit subtle, but giving up goals in clusters and at the end of periods points to something in need of correction. Maybe it's just the law of averages catching up with Coach Pietramala in one goal games, but there might be evidence that an "edge" is missing so far with this year's team.
Posted by: Timbosky | March 24, 2008 11:51 AM
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I think Hopkins will be fine as well, but I disagree that their wins are really quality wins. Quality is determined by how those teams have performed to date, not by their potential or what their record will be at the end of the season. Princeton is not a quality win right now, and there's really no way to spin that.