I spoke in the podcast not long ago about how "May Madness" isn't comparable to March Madness, but this year, in lacrosse something has happened that we often hope for in basketball: a "mid major" has broken into the Final Four.
True enough, mid majors aren't nearly as defined in college lacrosse. Sure we know who the haves are: The ACC. Hopkins. Syracuse. Princeton. Cornell. And in a pinch, it surprises no one if a school with big-time college football makes a run. But if not being among the elites isn't enough, Denver walks through the door with an additional handicap: they sit over 1,500 miles west of the traditional lacrosse establishment. With that in mind, Denver's really had to put in work to thrive in a sport with a true east coast bias.
Despite being a bit of a western Mecca for the sport with the likes of the MLL's Outlaws and the NLL's Mammoth, Denver was turned down in a recent bid to host quarterfinal action. The Pioneers instead went out and took a home game themselves, earning a 6 seed and hosting Villanova in an opening round matchup. Following that, the Pioneers came back east and earned a win that was their symbolic coming out party: Becoming the first team west of the Mississippi to earn their way into the Final Four - at the expense of Johns Hopkins, the bluest of lacrosse's bluebloods.
If Denver is to continue their "To be the man (WOO!) you gotta beat the man" campaign, they'll have to burn through two ACC schools on their way to a national championship: They will face four-time national champions UVA in the semifinals tomorrow, and a win there earns them an unenviable matchup with either Duke or UMCP for the championship. But does being one win away from playing in the national title game put them in the conversation with the likes of Butler basketball and Boise State football, programs known for busting through the glass ceiling? I'd argue that it doesn't, and the difference is coaching.
Boise State's Chris Petersen and Butler's Brad Stevens are up-and-coming (or, more accurately, up-and-come) coaches who made their bone bringing excellence to their respective universities. They have, at least to this point, been resistant to the lures of bigger programs, instead choosing to try and continue the excellence at their current stations. Bill Tierney, however, walked through the doors at Denver already a Hall of Famer with six championships under his belt. It is a different conversation in the manner that the coach made the program; Steven's and Petersen's rises were symbiotic with their respective programs; Tierney walked in with clout. This was not a co-building process, this was a made man laying hands on a new adventure. So while I'll give Denver credit for plenty, the story simply isn't the same when a legend joins your ranks.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Labels
- A-Rod (1)
- A.I. duPont Tigers (7)
- AAF (1)
- ACC (55)
- administration (3)
- AHES (21)
- Air Force Falcons (6)
- Akron Zips (1)
- Alabama A and M Bulldogs (4)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (41)
- Alabama State Hornets (3)
- Albany Great Danes (4)
- alcohol (2)
- Alcorn State Braves (2)
- Alcorn State Braves (2)
- All 80 (29)
- All Star (7)
- America East (1)
- American Athletic Conference (18)
- Appalachian State Mountaineers (4)
- Arizona Cardinals (2)
- Arizona State Sun Devils (8)
- Arizona Wildcats (3)
- Arkansas Razorbacks (6)
- Arkansas State Red Wolves (6)
- Army (1)
- Army Black Knights (6)
- Atlanta Falcons (4)
- Atlantic 10 (2)
- Auburn Tigers (16)
- audio (5)
- auto racing (1)
- B4 (292)
- Ball State Cardinals (1)
- Baltimore (4)
- Baltimore Orioles (7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6)
- band (504)
- band holiday (5)
- band on the road (92)
- baseball (14)
- basketball (112)
- Baylor Bears (10)
- BBQ (2)
- BCS (27)
- BCU Wildcats (7)
- beer (16)
- Before the Clock Starts (20)
- Ben Roethlisberger (1)
- bias (2)
- Big 12 (4)
- Big East (42)
- Big South (1)
- Big Ten (28)
- Big XII (11)
- Binghamton Bearcats (4)
- Black Music Month (3)
- blogs (4)
- Blue Devils (11)
- Blue Knights (1)
- Blue Stars (2)
- Bluecoats (5)
- Boise State Broncos (12)
- books (6)
- Boston (2)
- Boston Bruins (2)
- Boston College Eagles (5)
- Boston Crusaders (5)
- Boston Red Sox (3)
- bowl (9)
- Bowling Green Falcons (4)
- bowls (311)
- Brett Favre (1)
- Buffalo Bulls (2)
- Butler Bulldogs (1)
- BYU Cougars (11)
- Cadets (10)
- Cal Golden Bears (4)
- Carolina Crown (24)
- Carolina Panthers (9)
- Cavaliers (6)
- Central Michigan Chippewas (4)
- CFB150 (1)
- Championships (142)
- Charlotte 49ers (4)
- Charlotte Bobcats (1)
- Charlotte Hornets (2)
- Charlotte Hounds (1)
- Charlotte MLL (2)
- cheerleading (1)
- chess (2)
- Chicago Bulls (1)
- Chicago Cubs (1)
- Cincinnati Bearcats (17)
- Cincinnati Reds (1)
- Citadel Bulldogs (2)
- classic (10)
- Clemson Tigers (32)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (2)
- club sports (1)
- CMB150 (2)
- Coach K (1)
- Coach Kay Yow (1)
- coaching (15)
- Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (1)
- Colgate Raiders (1)
- college (597)
- Colorado Buffaloes (2)
- Colorado State Rams (4)
- colorguard (1)
- Colts (1)
- commercials (1)
- community service (3)
- Conference USA (3)
- conferences (9)
- contest (3)
- controversy (4)
- Cornell Big Red (3)
- coronavirus (11)
- Creighton Blue Jays (1)
- cricket (1)
- Crossmen (1)
- cymbals (1)
- D-League (3)
- dallas cowboys (6)
- Davidson Wildcats (1)
- DCA (1)
- DCI (109)
- decade in review (2)
- Delaware (12)
- Delaware 87ers (2)
- Delaware Blue Hens (4)
- Delaware State Hornets (2)
- Denver Broncos (2)
- Denver Outlaws (3)
- Denver Pioneers (2)
- Detroit Lions (2)
- Down and Dirty Dawg Band (2)
- Draft (3)
- drumline (17)
- Duke Blue Devils (19)
- dynasty (1)
- Eastern Michigan Chippewas (1)
- Eastern Michigan Eagles (1)
- Eastern Washington Eagles (1)
- ECU Pirates (15)
- electronics (5)
- ESPN (17)
- expansion (38)
- facebook (2)
- fail (1)
- family (4)
- FAMU Rattlers (18)
- fans (4)
- fantasy football (1)
- fashion (2)
- FCS (5)
- FIU Golden Panthers (2)
- Florida (2)
- Florida Gators (14)
- Florida State Seminoles (17)
- food (11)
- football (334)
- Fresno State Bulldogs (4)
- FSU Seminoles (11)
- fundraising (1)
- gambling (6)
- game of the week (68)
- Georgetown Hoyas (4)
- Georgia Bulldogs (21)
- Georgia Southern Eagles (2)
- Georgia State Panthers (1)
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11)
- Glassmen (1)
- Golden Band from Tigerland (3)
- Golden State Warriors (1)
- Grambling State Tigers (3)
- Green Bay Packers (1)
- Greensboro Swarm (1)
- Hall of Fame (5)
- Hampton Pirates (1)
- harebrained schemes (18)
- Hartford Hawks (1)
- Hawaii Warriors (2)
- hazing (11)
- HBCU (64)
- Heisman Trophy (1)
- Herd of Thunder (2)
- high notes (64)
- high school (7)
- hockey (4)
- Hofstra Pride (1)
- holiday (7)
- homecoming (3)
- Honda Battle of the Bands (19)
- Houston Cougars (12)
- Howard Bison (3)
- i (1)
- Idaho Vandals (1)
- Illinois Fighting Illini (3)
- Illinois State Redbirds (1)
- Inauguration (2)
- Indiana Hoosiers (2)
- Indianapolis Colts (4)
- injury (1)
- interleague (1)
- Iowa Hawkeyes (7)
- Iowa State Cyclones (5)
- Jackson State Tigers (7)
- Jacksonville State Gamecocks (2)
- James Madison Dukes (1)
- Jersey Surf (1)
- Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (10)
- Kansas Jayhawks (1)
- Kansas State Wildcats (15)
- Kent State Golden Flashes (1)
- Kentucky Wildcats (2)
- lacrosse (85)
- Las Vegas Golden Knights (1)
- logo (16)
- Los Angeles Lakers (1)
- Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5)
- Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (6)
- Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (1)
- Louisville Cardinals (12)
- LSU Tigers (23)
- Madison Scouts (5)
- Marching 100 (8)
- Marquette Gold Eagles (1)
- Marshall Thundering Herd (5)
- Maryland (7)
- Maryland Terrapins (35)
- mascot (3)
- MEAC (7)
- media (14)
- Meineke Car Care Bowl (1)
- Memphis Tigers (6)
- metaphor (2)
- Miami Dolphins (1)
- Miami Hurricanes (10)
- Miami Redhawks (1)
- Michael Vick (3)
- Michigan State Spartans (9)
- Michigan Wolverines (16)
- Mid American Conference (2)
- Mid-Atlantic (1)
- Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (2)
- military (1)
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (6)
- Minnesota Vikings (2)
- mission (1)
- Mississippi State Bulldogs (8)
- Missouri State Bears (1)
- Missouri Tigers (5)
- mlb (12)
- MLL (8)
- MLS (1)
- Morgan State Bears (1)
- movie (7)
- MTSU Blue Raiders (2)
- NASCAR (3)
- National Battle of the Bands (3)
- National Signing Day (1)
- Navy Midshipmen (14)
- NBA (21)
- NC A and T Aggies (21)
- NC Central Eagles (1)
- NC State Wolfpack (12)
- NDSU Bison (1)
- Nebraska Cornhuskers (7)
- Negro League Baseball (1)
- Nevada Wolf Pack (5)
- New Jersey Nets (1)
- New Mexico Lobos (2)
- New Orleans Saints (4)
- New York Jets (1)
- NFL (56)
- NHL (6)
- NIT (3)
- Norfolk State Spartans (3)
- North Carolina (25)
- North Dakota State Bison (4)
- North Texas Mean Green (2)
- Northern Illinois Huskies (8)
- Northwestern Wildcats (6)
- Not Box 5 (1)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (30)
- odds (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Ohio State Buckeyes (42)
- Ohio State Buckeyes' (1)
- Ohio University Bobcats (12)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (1)
- Oklahoma Sooners (18)
- Oklahoma State Cowboys (10)
- Old Dominion Monarchs (1)
- Ole Miss Rebels (11)
- Olympics (4)
- Oregon Crusaders (1)
- Oregon Ducks (17)
- Oregon State Beavers (3)
- Pac-10 (1)
- Pac-12 (8)
- parade (8)
- Penn State Nittany Lions (19)
- pep band (34)
- Pepsi Max (1)
- petition (1)
- Phantom Regiment (3)
- Philadelphia (10)
- Philadelphia 76ers (6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (35)
- Philadelphia Flyers (4)
- Philadelphia Phillies (5)
- Philadelphia Soul (1)
- pictures (2)
- Pittsburgh Crawfords (2)
- PIttsburgh Panthers (13)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (2)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
- playoffs (65)
- PLL (1)
- podcasts (14)
- politics (9)
- polls (1)
- pop culture (2)
- Prairie View A and M Panthers (3)
- Preakness (1)
- preseason (2)
- Prince (1)
- Princeton Tigers (4)
- Pro Bowl (3)
- pros (1)
- Punkin Chunkin (1)
- Purdue Boilermakers (6)
- Queen City Battle of the Bands (5)
- quidditch (1)
- Radford Highlanders (1)
- radio (3)
- random thoughts (1)
- rankings (4)
- realignment (67)
- review (3)
- Rice Owls (4)
- RIP (6)
- rivalry (31)
- Ron Artest (1)
- Rose Bowl (8)
- rules (12)
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights (16)
- San Diego State Aztecs (7)
- San Francisco 49ers (1)
- San Jose State Spartans (2)
- Santa Clara Vanguard (6)
- scandal (1)
- schedule (1)
- SDSU Aztecs (1)
- Seattle Seahawks (1)
- SEC (26)
- shout-out (1)
- SMU Mustangs (5)
- soccer (15)
- South Alabama Jaguars (2)
- South Carolina Gamecocks (17)
- South Carolina State Bulldogs (3)
- Southern Conference (6)
- Southern Jaguars (11)
- Southern Miss Golden Eagles (4)
- Staccato (8)
- Stanford Cardinal (19)
- Stanley Cup (1)
- Stony Brook Seawolves (2)
- Sudler Trophy (11)
- Sun Belt Conference (1)
- Super Bowl (13)
- survey (1)
- SWAC (5)
- Syracuse Orange (14)
- tail (1)
- tailgating (32)
- Talladega College Tornadoes (4)
- Tampa Bay Rays (1)
- TCU Horned Frogs (13)
- Teal Sound (2)
- Temple Owls (11)
- Tenessee State Tigers (1)
- Tennessee Volunteers (12)
- Texas (3)
- Texas A and M Aggies (16)
- Texas Longhorns (13)
- Texas Southern Tigers (2)
- Texas State Bobcats (1)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (4)
- the South (1)
- The Undersigned (10)
- theater (1)
- Toledo Rockets (6)
- Toronto Nationals (2)
- Tour of Champions (13)
- tournament (69)
- Tournament of Roses Parade (5)
- Track and field (1)
- tradition (4)
- travel (74)
- Troopers (2)
- trouble (2)
- Troy Trojans (2)
- Tulane Green Wave (3)
- Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4)
- TV (44)
- twitter (13)
- UAB Blazers (3)
- UAPB Golden Lions (1)
- UCF Knights (22)
- UCLA Bruins (6)
- UConn Huskies (6)
- UMass Lowell River Hawks (1)
- UMass Minutemen (5)
- UMBC Retrievers (90)
- UNC Tar Heels (27)
- UNCG Spartans (25)
- uniforms (25)
- USC Trojans (9)
- USF Bulls (87)
- Utah State Aggies (6)
- Utah Utes (7)
- UTEP Miners (1)
- UTSA Roadrunners (1)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (5)
- Vermont Catamounts (1)
- video (25)
- video game (1)
- Villanova Wildcats (2)
- Virginia Cavaliers (18)
- Virginia Tech Hokies (14)
- vision (1)
- VMI Keydets (2)
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons (24)
- Washington Capitals (1)
- Washington Commanders (2)
- Washington Huskies (9)
- Washington Nationals (1)
- Washington Redskins (8)
- Washington State Cougars (5)
- West Liberty Hilltoppers (1)
- West Virginia Mountaineers (12)
- Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4)
- Western Michigan Broncos (5)
- WGI (3)
- Wichita State Shockers (2)
- Wilmington Blue Rocks (1)
- Wisconsin Badgers (14)
- World Cup (2)
- wrestling (1)
- WSSU Rams (2)
- WVU Mountaineers (7)
- Wyoming Cowboys (1)
- Yale Bulldogs (1)
- Year in review (8)
- Youngstown State Penguins (1)
No comments:
Post a Comment