Rooting against the status quo
OK, so today’s lesson is about the "Inverse Law of Lacrosse Growth" -- the more people who attend the national championship, the slower the game grows. That’s an observation made over thirty years. On a year when a team like Delaware or anyone other than Virginia, Hopkins, Princeton and Syracuse makes it to the final four, the attendance is said to be lower, yet we know for a fact it excites lacrosse people everywhere and broadens the game’s possibilities.
Seeing the same old teams win year after year is just about as boring as Oxford and Cambridge battling at crew. To the crew purist, that big matchup is heaven on water, but nobody is drawn to crew by that 100+ year-old rivalry. A few years back, an American team went over and beat either Oxford or Cambridge and it made The Washington Post, The New York Times and most evening news broadcasts. It’s the same in lax, except the Times will write some obligatory lacrosse paragraph either way. The World Cup suffered from the same affliction until the game of soccer grew to include just the possibility of new champions from time to time. The game has grown many-fold since. Entire nations play soccer today that did not know the game only decades ago.
While the lacrosse press and the NCAA seem to go gaga every time we add a few hundred to our championship weekend attendance total, the game actually appears more elitist, insulated and small at our biggest event. How crazy must it seem to the lacrosse novice that 40,000 pack a stadium to watch Princeton play Hopkins or Virginia play Syracuse in some sport they just heard of? I have interviewed quite a few ticket scalpers in Baltimore and Philly who had no idea which teams were playing in the games inside and when I told them, in almost every case, they were not impressed.
It must be even stranger to them than it is for me. I live in the lacrosse community on a daily basis and it is still boucoup bizarre to me every year.
It all starts with the myopic decisions made by our very best high school players to value a guaranteed national lacrosse championship over the challenge of earning one, because lets face it, some teams remaining in the field of eight will have to earn it on the field more than others. The traditional winners all have easier roads than the other four (and Duke is in this group, replacing Princeton in the eyes of lacrosse elite, believe me). Again, it started when 70 percent of the top recruits went to just four or five schools this past fall and every fall before that. It’s sad really, to think that if a player the caliber of a Steele Stanwick (Loyola) had chosen Notre Dame, Ohio State, Albany, UMBC, Hofstra, Colgate, or so many others, the game might actually change (though we're not putting that burden on the players). As it stands, the young man will comfortably walk into a championship or three that have relatively no significance, like the last few championships, unless you are alumni or a fan of that school.
Hopkins' and Virginia’s victories after the long, long stranglehold by Syracuse and Princeton have been worthless to the game. The Michigan and BYU college club championships have affected growth so much more. The indoor team in Portland is far more valuable to lacrosse. Almost any high school championship is more inspiring. Add that the game is now largely owned by corporate entities ESPN and Inside Lacrosse and it has become the most elitist and facetious event of the sporting year.
There are three ways this tournament can go. The first is toward the future – the end of the tunnel, so to speak – a break from this claustrophobic incest fest. The second is status quo – same old crapola. And then a mix of the two is possible but still less likely than the escape from mediocrity we, most of us, crave.
The first scenario would feature next-round winners and final four participants Navy, Ohio State, Maryland and Notre Dame. It doesn’t matter who wins. They are all modern-era virgins. A matchup of Ohio State and Notre Dame in the final would be historic and really move the game for the first time since UNC won it when I was a boy. We had hope back then. It would be nice to get it back. The sport reeks of stagnation.
The second and likely scenario has Hopkins, Virginia, Duke and Syracuse in the greatest snooze and privilege-fest since, well, last year. Foxboro would be the only attraction in that scenario. Look kids, they have different cloud patterns up here ...
Now, granted, the bigger crowd will show if Syracuse is in and if the Hop and Virginia get back to the show. Most people either love or hate Duke in every sport so the Blue Devils will draw too. But again, that’s the WORST-case scenario. What is most unfortunate is that a team like Notre Dame, Ohio State, Maryland or Navy probably will get to the semi or the final and keep it close but that’s when this year’s 12th blue-chip recruit from the Hopper, ‘Cuse or Wahoos gets some garbage goal on a rare substitution to win and we can all say, “The Hop was just too strong” or “Those Cavs were too loaded -- maybe next year we’ll get someone new.”
Isn’t that fun? I so look forward to seeing all the exact same people at the celebration tailgate parties acting like they couldn’t lose and rightfully so. They’ll be already bragging about next year’s class, and rightfully so.
So instead of picking games based on merit for you today, I simply wish you, the game and Notre Dame, Navy, Maryland and Ohio State my very best for the next two weeks. It’s nothing against the kids at Hopkins, Virginia, Duke and Syracuse. Oh, who am I kidding? Those kids took the easy road while others took a chance, put themselves out there and pioneered the game. The latter deserve, at the very least, my best wishes and yours too.
Comments
Wow Mr. Weaver...I live in the lacrosse community and couldn't disagree your views on the growth of the sport any more.
SK
Posted by: Anonymous | May 16, 2008 4:42 PM
I also couldn't disagree with your views more. Well, I'd rather see the better team (no matter who it is) win. If I were a top HS recruit of course I'd rather go to the best school possible--this is the same for all sports not just lax. And saying that the Hop and Virginia wins were worthless is ridiculous. Get over yourself already and stop whining. Yeah it would be nice to see a variety of teams make it further, but your article is a little too cynical and narrow minded for me. May the best team win. Who knows-maybe it may be a ND or OSU. I guess we'll see
Posted by: nbenn | May 16, 2008 10:58 PM
I don't buy this at all. As a Michigan resident, I can tell you that Michigan lacrosse has virtually no presence in the Ann Arbor media or fan base. If this is the wave of the future, lacrosse is in trouble.
The logic that history and tradition are hurting the game is mind boggling.
Rod in Michigan
Posted by: Rod | May 17, 2008 8:06 AM
You could not be more wrong. To think that players at UVa, Syracuse, and JHU just walk on the field and get national championships is one of the dumbest statements I have read. You have no idea how hard the coaches and players at Hopkins have worked to earn those 2 titles in the last three ears, and frankly, you sentiment in this article is insulting. I hope you rethink what you have said here today, because it shows a basic lack of understanding.
Posted by: herman | May 17, 2008 8:45 AM
The NCAA Championship is the most "elitist and facetious" event of the sporting year? Which other NCAA Championship event attracts thousands of kids under the age of 16 including entire youth teams? Which other NCAA Championship event is it possible to attend on the day of the event? The Basketball Final Four? Don't make me laugh. The NCAA Championship in lacrosse is the Woodstock of Lacrosse uniting an ever expanding Lacrosse Nation. There is nothing "elitist" about it. And "facetious" meaning "jocular or humorous"? Frankly, I think you need a new thesaurus...
Posted by: Lax Fan | May 17, 2008 8:45 AM
This article points out the fundemental dichotomy in growth here. Without the hallmark names in American news there is no press hype, after all, no "overdog" no "underdog".
The backing of ESPN and IL are absolutely necessary for growth and these corps. need hype.
Lax roots are far more parochial and provincial( the part I love and cherish)
So --- CHOOSE ; Door 1 or Door 2
I do not believe there is a Door 3.
Homewood Field, Geppi-Aikens e.g. is the model of where lax started and belongs.
So off I go to Gillete Stdm and 50 K poeple( ? ), tra-la.
Posted by: freeline | May 17, 2008 11:50 AM
The fact is, if you go back far enough, the sport has grown. There were great military academy teams in the sixties, Syracuse was tough in the fifties, and Hopkins and Maryland were tough before that. Hopkins arguably has the longest tradition, but even the Blue Jays saw a long drought before their championship in 2005. Syracuse was quiescent from the late fifties to the eighties. Duke has been a powerful newcomer, but has yet to win it all. The point is that the sport transcends small minded people, and it's traditions are rich indeed. I would suggest that Mr. Weaver take a long couple of days and really check out the National Lacrosse Museum and Hall of Fame to see where the game came from in the nineteenth century to where it is today. The spirit of the game is as vibrant and strong as ever.
Posted by: asgaard | May 17, 2008 8:42 PM
Great Comments. I respect all of your opinions, but might disagree with some. For example, was a commenter inferring that Army and Navy and every other school don't work as hard as Syracuse, Hopkins and Virginia? Does Syracuse work harder than Navy? Hmmm?
Second, I am well aware of the history of lacrosse and have written a blog here this year that showed that the history of the game is not a broad and inclusive one. It will be but it has not ever been thus far.
Thirdly, as I am in Dallas covering Michigan's first National Club Championship, I can say with certainty that the Michigan team gets about as much attention as most college teams locally. Lacrosse does not get covered generally at schools outside of a few states. That said, a Michigan - Michigan State lacrosse game will consistently out draw all but about 10 of the big NCAA team rivalries. Maryland v. Hopkins draws about 10, maybe 12 thousand. Michigan v State is an average of maybe 5,000. If these were varsity programs, they would just crush the Hopkins-Maryland numbers in short order.
I was in Dallas, like I said, this weekend for the MCLA Championships. I had the Lax Power live game report for Virginia v. Maryland and Navy v. Hopkins coming in on my cel phone while watching Grand Valley State play Winchester and Michigan play Chapman for the D2 and D1 club championships. (props to Brine and 1Lacrosse for sponsoring) I would give regular reports to the folks around me and they loved it. With the exception of a couple Baltimore friends who were there, everyone was disappointed with the results.
Also, ESPN will own or ruin the game. Follow their dealings with the pro leagues. They just broadcast the NLL championship, attended by 18,000 in Buffalo, on ESPN360. Sound familiar? That's what they do for a living - create more channels and somehow get you to pay for that. They are our new slumlord. I am glad you like it. I don't. And if you think ESPN hasn’t created less instead of more viewers proportional to growth (not even getting into financial demographics), just look at the record numbers that Lax Power has been putting up in their delivery of the games via TEXT REPORTS. I am guessing ESPN or NCAA will sue them soon to get the live text reports to stop. We can’t have 1500 people experiencing our game without paying the man.
Posted by: John Weaver | May 18, 2008 11:16 AM
John weaver is right - if anything will ruin the game it is it's sell out to the overlords at ESPN. Combined with the NCAA two organizations where is it ALL ABOUT THE MONEY
Posted by: great white | May 18, 2008 2:51 PM
I'm not sure, but you sure sound like a guy how could not get into Hopkins, Virginia, Duke, Princeton or even Syracuse!
Posted by: NJBlueJay | May 18, 2008 3:15 PM
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Of course I was not good enough to play for Hopkins, Virginia, Duke, Princeton or even Syracuse! And I wasn't bad. That's the point! Do you think I should feel bad NJBLUEJAY because I was not in the top 35 players in the country? But you are also looking down your nose at 99% of the lacrosse community. I have a name for that but I have sworn to the editors here that I would not insult any of our loyal and much appreciated readers.
There are only 5 schools where a kid has a shot at the title and not because we want it that way, most of us. It's quite obviously that because Title IX constricts the big national universities from all jumping in and we have such precedence set within the schools that do play that no one who can go to Hopkins, Virginia, Duke, Princeton or even Syracuse goes anywhere but Hopkins, Virginia, Duke, Princeton or even Syracuse.
If I got the jist of your personal jab wrong, then you were insinuating that I wasn't smart enough. I'll never know since I applied to none of those schools. I did get into every school I applied to without disclosing too much ancient personal information. One of my choices was even an Ivy but I could not afford it. Alas, I was also poor. And I had acne. Wow! It feels good to get that off my chest and just to talk with someone about my miserable less-than-elite status at age 17. It’s rather cathartic. THANKS NJBLUEJAY!
Posted by: John Weaver | May 19, 2008 3:49 AM
You are welcome!
Posted by: NJBLUEJAY | May 19, 2008 7:51 AM
i think you've touched a nerve, mr. weaver. frankly, i don't think the lax community has any interest in seeing the game grow. having titles shared among hopkins-uva-duke-syracuse, year after year, is just fine, thank you. you know, its their club. by the way, how did northwestern crash the party in women's lax? horrors!
Posted by: laxwatcher | May 19, 2008 8:58 AM
I agree with a lot of your comments except the one about Portland. I hate to say this, because I know it's drawing big crowds, but the NLL stinks. Watch a game: guys standing and trotting around, trying to crank one past a goalie wearing an embarrasing three times the amount of padding he should.
(Notice college goalies aren't made to look like 400-pound marshmallows).
It's sad that no one in marketing can figure out how to bring a pro field lacrosse product people will pay to see. A part of me appreciates that the NLL is drawing the crowds it is, but I personally find the game impossible to watch.
Posted by: Shore | May 22, 2008 7:29 PM