NCAA Lacrosse Tournament Final Four Infographic: Bill Tierney vs. Syracuse

Hey kids! Did you know Bill Tierney used to coach at Princeton? And he played Syracuse in the Final Four a lot? And now he's at Denver? And Denver's playing Syracuse in the Final Four this weekend?

Well, congratulations -- you're a lacrosse fan that isn't living under a rock and/or haven't been able to avoid the constant nostalgia that has been brought up since 3 P.M. on Sunday afternoon. This Saturday, Bill Tierney and his Denver Pioneers will face off against the Syracuse Orange for a berth in the national title game. It's a matchup that harkens back to the glory days of Syracuse-Princeton, a rivalry that almost guaranteed a Memorial Day Weekend showdown. The chess match between Tierney and either Roy Simmons Jr. or John Desko became a cornerstone of great lacrosse games of yesteryear, but it's now a part of the present, finding renewal this weekend in Philadelphia.

Personally, this is a conflicting showdown. I'm one of two things: a Levittown, New York native and a Syracuse University grad. Tierney is our loyal lacrosse son here in Levittown, a beacon of lacrosse hope in a baseball-driven community (and even a former coach at our (now no longer used) high school). On the other hand, Tierney is arguably coaching-public-enemy-number-one at Syracuse for his legendary battles against the Orange when he was at Princeton. So . . . hooray personal emotional struggle! (And a fun one to watch for you, the lacrosse fan, as well.)

Here's a little infographic with facts and figures about Tierney's career against the Orange. Although the storyline has shifted around a bit, his presence at Denver has opened up a whole new chapter in this great coaching rivalry between him and Coach Desko.

Stay tuned later in the week here at College Crosse as we also have a great infographical treat for the Cornell-Duke matchup in the works!