Between the Lines
4/20/2012 10:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
This Week: Perspective is a wonderful thing. The veterans on the lacrosse team have never had to worry about NCAA playoff eligibility at this or any other point of a season. At 7-5 that is decidedly different this year. Instead of panic those vets have accepted the current situation with eyes still pointed forward.
“This is an interesting thing because I never had to experience fighting for the playoffs all my four years here,” Bobby Eilers contemplated. “This year we're actually having to fight to get in. It's interesting learning what we have to do. We're Syracuse, people think we're going to be in the tournament anyways, but now that there's this Big East tournament going on that actually means something for getting in the NCAA tournament we definitely want to win that.”
Call it realization, not resignation. And it's not just the veterans who are ready to press on. “It's totally different,” increasingly relied on freshman long pole Ralph D'Agostino noted. “Us not being in the top five…is weird. That's what I came here for, expected to be there. We just have to win out our next couple of games and come ready for the Big East tournament and get that AQ and get in the tournament. That's what it's all about now.”
Of course the Orange have yet to secure a spot in the in the automatic bid doling Big East Tournament. A win Saturday against Georgetown or in South Bend in a week would take care of that. Heaven forbid the very possible three way tie scenario, because breaking into Fort Knox may be easier than the latter steps of the Big East tiebreaking formula. Of course the Big East tournament simply existing was beyond comprehension a scant few years ago.
“I'm a guy that was against it from the beginning thinking that our schedule was tough enough,” John Desko said. “But here we are in a situation probably lucky to have the opportunity to go to a conference tournament like this because we can get ourselves into the (NCAA) tournament by winning it.”
The reason for all this Big East Tournament talk with two games left on the schedule is that if the season ended today the Orange very possibly would be on the outside of the NCAA Tournament looking in. Of course the big picture is Coach Desko's domain. “I think at least the ball's in our court. We have the ability to win some games and kind of control our future. I think with a win over Georgetown and a win over Notre Dame then you have an argument for getting in the NCAA Tournament without the Big East Tournament.”
And as always the big picture goal of the Orange remains the same. “We don't want to go home early,” said Ralph D'Agostino about the approaching end of his freshman campaign. “We want to be there Memorial Day weekend holding that trophy over our heads. So we're really going to have to crack down in practice and bring it these next couple weeks.”
The Carrier Dome: Home to a first round playoff game each of the last four years, even a best case six game season ending winning streak may not bring the NCAA Tournament back to the Dome this year. The immediate impact being Saturday will likely be the seniors last time under the Teflon. “For the first time in a while this senior day is actually going to be our last game in the Dome,” said departing senior Bobby Eilers. “We know we're not going to have a home seed for the first round. It doesn't matter if we get in 16th seed or 15th, 14th, whatever we'll take it. Anyone who's going to play us in the first round, they're going to be upset about playing Syracuse in the first round.”
Bobby, a scheduling scholar on top of those communication and rhetorical studies classes, has long been aware that regardless of the postseason his senior Dome opportunities would be limited. “I figured that out my sophomore year, alright we're traveling this much that means our senior year we're going to be traveling a lot. We've made the most of it, and it's been a great experience here.”
Only six home games in this road riddled year for the Orange. Syracuse is 4-1 in the first five. As far as the seniors 4 year run, how does 29-4 in the Dome sound? Pretty good. After Georgetown leaves the Dome turf around 5:00 Saturday afternoon, 30-4 would sound even better.
Higgo's Heroes: Chick-fil-A and 5-hour Energy, the unofficial sponsors of the trip to Charlotte for the ESPNU Warrior Classic. It's still a shame(save for your waistline) that the delightful southern chicken has yet to penetrate Syracuse's borders. Though if you plan ahead, say a month, you can round trip to the Philly airport for lunch for less than $200. While waiting for a fresh spicy chicken just outside Charlotte, the friendly staff did inform us that a recently opened outpost in Chicago was giving deep dish a run for its money. Eat Mor Chikin indeed.
And a tip of the cap to 5-hour for allowing I-81 to be the road home instead of shall we say a direct shot to a ditch south of Wilkes-Barre. Not sure I'd chug it every day like that groggy mussed haired gentleman in the commercial, but boy does it work as advertised.
Next Broadcasts: The Orange run of five games in 15 days concludes Saturday against Georgetown. Lax faces off at 3:00 and if you take in the spring football game, your whole day(no not snacks) is free. We'll get Orange Pregame for lacrosse rolling on TK99 and ESPN 97.7 in Syracuse at 2:30. 10 goals in a week earned Derek Maltz a slot on the dance card and Coach Desko will join as always. Orange All Access has you covered wherever you may be.
If anyone wants to take a crack at the Big East tiebreaking procedures, let me know @BrianHigginsSU.
“This is an interesting thing because I never had to experience fighting for the playoffs all my four years here,” Bobby Eilers contemplated. “This year we're actually having to fight to get in. It's interesting learning what we have to do. We're Syracuse, people think we're going to be in the tournament anyways, but now that there's this Big East tournament going on that actually means something for getting in the NCAA tournament we definitely want to win that.”
Call it realization, not resignation. And it's not just the veterans who are ready to press on. “It's totally different,” increasingly relied on freshman long pole Ralph D'Agostino noted. “Us not being in the top five…is weird. That's what I came here for, expected to be there. We just have to win out our next couple of games and come ready for the Big East tournament and get that AQ and get in the tournament. That's what it's all about now.”
Of course the Orange have yet to secure a spot in the in the automatic bid doling Big East Tournament. A win Saturday against Georgetown or in South Bend in a week would take care of that. Heaven forbid the very possible three way tie scenario, because breaking into Fort Knox may be easier than the latter steps of the Big East tiebreaking formula. Of course the Big East tournament simply existing was beyond comprehension a scant few years ago.
“I'm a guy that was against it from the beginning thinking that our schedule was tough enough,” John Desko said. “But here we are in a situation probably lucky to have the opportunity to go to a conference tournament like this because we can get ourselves into the (NCAA) tournament by winning it.”
The reason for all this Big East Tournament talk with two games left on the schedule is that if the season ended today the Orange very possibly would be on the outside of the NCAA Tournament looking in. Of course the big picture is Coach Desko's domain. “I think at least the ball's in our court. We have the ability to win some games and kind of control our future. I think with a win over Georgetown and a win over Notre Dame then you have an argument for getting in the NCAA Tournament without the Big East Tournament.”
And as always the big picture goal of the Orange remains the same. “We don't want to go home early,” said Ralph D'Agostino about the approaching end of his freshman campaign. “We want to be there Memorial Day weekend holding that trophy over our heads. So we're really going to have to crack down in practice and bring it these next couple weeks.”
The Carrier Dome: Home to a first round playoff game each of the last four years, even a best case six game season ending winning streak may not bring the NCAA Tournament back to the Dome this year. The immediate impact being Saturday will likely be the seniors last time under the Teflon. “For the first time in a while this senior day is actually going to be our last game in the Dome,” said departing senior Bobby Eilers. “We know we're not going to have a home seed for the first round. It doesn't matter if we get in 16th seed or 15th, 14th, whatever we'll take it. Anyone who's going to play us in the first round, they're going to be upset about playing Syracuse in the first round.”
Bobby, a scheduling scholar on top of those communication and rhetorical studies classes, has long been aware that regardless of the postseason his senior Dome opportunities would be limited. “I figured that out my sophomore year, alright we're traveling this much that means our senior year we're going to be traveling a lot. We've made the most of it, and it's been a great experience here.”
Only six home games in this road riddled year for the Orange. Syracuse is 4-1 in the first five. As far as the seniors 4 year run, how does 29-4 in the Dome sound? Pretty good. After Georgetown leaves the Dome turf around 5:00 Saturday afternoon, 30-4 would sound even better.
Higgo's Heroes: Chick-fil-A and 5-hour Energy, the unofficial sponsors of the trip to Charlotte for the ESPNU Warrior Classic. It's still a shame(save for your waistline) that the delightful southern chicken has yet to penetrate Syracuse's borders. Though if you plan ahead, say a month, you can round trip to the Philly airport for lunch for less than $200. While waiting for a fresh spicy chicken just outside Charlotte, the friendly staff did inform us that a recently opened outpost in Chicago was giving deep dish a run for its money. Eat Mor Chikin indeed.
And a tip of the cap to 5-hour for allowing I-81 to be the road home instead of shall we say a direct shot to a ditch south of Wilkes-Barre. Not sure I'd chug it every day like that groggy mussed haired gentleman in the commercial, but boy does it work as advertised.
Next Broadcasts: The Orange run of five games in 15 days concludes Saturday against Georgetown. Lax faces off at 3:00 and if you take in the spring football game, your whole day(no not snacks) is free. We'll get Orange Pregame for lacrosse rolling on TK99 and ESPN 97.7 in Syracuse at 2:30. 10 goals in a week earned Derek Maltz a slot on the dance card and Coach Desko will join as always. Orange All Access has you covered wherever you may be.
If anyone wants to take a crack at the Big East tiebreaking procedures, let me know @BrianHigginsSU.
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