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A Full Pint
2014 Face-Off Yearbook DI Top 20 Rankings
Face-Off Yearbook dropped just after Thanksgiving and if you're like me you're slowly meandering through the material, drinking in the potential for 2014. I'm not sure that the publication's rankings are the biggest draw for the annual, but they are the fuel that keeps conversation burning through the early stages of winter. Inside Lacrosse made available the annual's top 20 yesterday and I'm neutral on much of the consensus rankings. There are a few slottings, though, that are . . . interesting:
- Princeton looks a little low to me at 13. I had the Tigers in my fall top five, but maybe I was a little more aggressive than others (or maybe I'm way, way wrong on Princeton going into the coming spring).
- I have this sneaky feeling that Maryland may act like Virginia last season. Interestingly, Face-Off Yearbook had the Cavs at number nine last year (the Terps came in sixth in this edition). Now, 2014 Maryland is different than 2013 Virginia, but there are some important connections between the two.
- Loyola remains a wild card for everyone. I, too, had the Greyhounds at the back-end of the top 20, but I think they could be much better than that when the season starts.
- I really like the inclusion of Towson in the top 20. I may walk down that path come January.
Preseason POY: NCAA Division I Men's Finalists
The cold winds of December always blow one way: Toward the heat of the regular season. I don't know whether any of the five guys that Lacrosse Magazine lists as preseason player of the year candidates (Wes Berg, Kieran McArdle, Tom Schreiber, Lyle Thompson, and Jordan Wolf) will actually sit in that position when May rolls around. In fact, I'm interest-neutral on that fact. The more interesting question to me is this: Of these five guys, which one would you take to start a team? Or, alternatively: Of these five guys, which one is most valuable to his team?
Those are layered, difficult questions that make blood leak out of your ears. Off the cuff, I think the answer to those substituted questions is the same: Lyle Schreiber (a person I genetically engineered that is going to crush faces).
New York City cockroach can survive frigid winters
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooope. Nope. NOPE. nopenopenopenopenopenopenope. Nooooooooooooooooooooope.
Flights
Lasagna: Be Special Seniors
Alternate title: Do your job.
Give and Go with Carolina 2-Sporter Mark McNeill
I was a no-sporter in college (unless naked laps and eating tacos are somehow varsity sports).