Detroit Lacrosse Schedule: Inside Out

PROGRAM SCHEDULE PROPAGANDA: PRESS RELEASE
THIS IS WHY WE FIGHT: THE SCHEDULE

Here are some schedule highlights and games of note:

No Sunshine
February 7: Ohio State; February 14: at Michigan; February 21: Robert Morris; March 4: Mercer

Detroit will play four of its first six games indoors, rolling against Ohio State, Robert Morris, and Mercer at Ultimate Soccer Arenas -- that's a real place that exists; there are two full-size fields (110 yards by 75 yards) and a somewhat smaller field (85 yards by 47 yards) in there -- in Pontiac and will travel to Oosterbaan Field House to face Michigan. Going outside is overrated: While the sun gives life it is also a real pain in the ass, creeping through your window shades in the morning and robbing you of continued dreams about stopping the robot apocalypse with only a soldering iron. Staying inside is underrated: You don't have to wear pants (I'm not sure if there's an NCAA competition rule about that, though).

Due to where Detroit's home dates fall on the calendar, though, the Titans will play only half of its home games on Titan Field in 2015. That may not mean anything in the entire universe of Detroit lacrosse -- the Titans played half of their home games in Pontiac last season -- but it does erase some of the atmosphere of playing on campus (the team, however, will play all of its MAAC home games on Titan Field).

Equals Aren't Equals
May 1-3: MAAC Tournament

This is a really strong catch from Great Lax State (did anyone else notice this?):

Starting at the end, because it’s not opposite day: Even if the Titans are the top seed in the league the MAAC website says "Highest Seeded Full MAAC Member" which implies that no associate members (Titans are the only non-full member in the league) can host. It makes sense geographically – basically all the other schools are a drive from each other, while UDM is a flight or long-ass bus ride for all – but stinks for the Titans’ purposes.

There are inherent benefits to hosting a conference tournament, but it's not like hosting the MAAC Tournament means an automatic approval of a May adventure: In the history of the MAAC Tournament, the host of the league's postseason event has won the whole shebang exactly once -- in 2005 (Marist). Hell, the host of the tournament has progressed to the final just twice -- in 2005 and 2014. Detroit's biggest issue with respect to the MAAC Tournament isn't that the program is precluded from hosting the event, but rather navigating the bonkers nature of the MAAC and the crazy brain worms the league seems to breed.

Book It
March 21: at Quinnipiac; March 28: Manhattan; April 4: at Marist; April 11: Monmouth; April 18: at Siena; April 25: Canisius

Will Detroit go 3-3 in MAAC play? Should Southwest Airlines commercials be burned in a trash can?