Manhattan is Icky with Fractions: One-Third Home, Two-Thirds Not Home

Manhattan is kind of living in a dark, twisted universe. As if the Jaspers' 8-22 record over the last two seasons isn't enough nightmare fuel, Manhattan will enter 2013 with a new head coach -- Steve Manitta -- while only getting five -- five! -- home games in Riverdale. The road can be a painful place to try and bend the will of reality in your favor, and given the Jaspers' current situation, petulance and insubordination from an uncooperative travel schedule may significantly limit the number of Gatorade baths Manitta could enjoy.

Let's cut this into itty-bitty pieces of death.

Everybody Hates Riverdale
February 9: @ Rutgers; February 13: @ Army; March 2: @ Providence; March 9: Mount St. Mary's; March 12: @ Princeton; March 16: @ Binghamton; April 2: @ Wagner

Look: Manhattan, in the universe of Division I lacrosse, doesn't exactly have leverage to demand home games in their non-conference schedule. The Jaspers are pretty far down the ladder in terms of clout. This schedule, though, is almost hilariously imbalanced: Of Manhattan's nine non-conference games, only two -- Lafayette and Mercer -- are at home. How is that possible? (This has been a recurring issue for the Jaspers over the last few seasons.) It's not like Manhattan is giving away home games for neutral site games, nor is Manhattan bowing to blue bloods just to get that game. Nope, the Jaspers signed up for bus trips because, I am to assume, the Jaspers have a soft spot for the oil industry and desperately want to keep it in business.

Outside of that, here's the especially exciting knife-to-neck part of this scheduling methodology: Where are the wins? The Jaspers' best shots for victory in this non-conference EZ-Pass adventure looks like Providence, Binghamton, or Wagner, but there's obviously a sliding scale of possibility in those games. So, Manhattan will work the road against, in general, less than stellar competition in the overall, with only a few real opportunities at getting some wins. Heart you, Jaspers.

Reverse Survivorship Contention Looks Decent
February 23: Lafayette; March 2: @ Providence; March 16: @ Binghamton; March 20: Mercer; April 2: @ Wagner; April 20: @ VMI

In case you don't know, College Crosse crowns the last Division I team to win a game as the Reverse Survivor champion. Manhattan's chances at taking home top honors in 2013 aren't too shabby: If the Jaspers can't drop Lafayette in late February, there's a pretty good chance that Manhattan enters the Mercer game in late March perfectly winless in a vital Reverse Survivor-off against the Bears. If the Jaspers still can't drop Mercer, they'll get two more opportunities to avoid summary defeat against Wagner -- the two-time reigning Reverse Survivor champion -- and against MAAC comrade VMI in late April. These are the good times people.