[quote=baldbear]IWLCA Poll for Division I, March 6 How is NU still in top 20?????
My guess is that you never played a competitive sport in your life.
Northwestern just played 5 games in 28 days all on the road against 5 current Top 10 teams the last game was played on one day of rest.
Stony Brook was playing on 12 days of rest and they have not played a single top 10 team. Maybe that is why they are not prepared come Tournament time.
For the last few years the NU fans have the same lame excuses. NU sets it's own schedule, it's not like teams don't want to play NU and could stay home and have teams come to them, but the coaching staff chooses to travel early in the season playing a schedule that is obviously too difficult for them. If SB hasn't played in 12 days and Spallina is smarter than Hiller and was better rested and prepared to play and handed an absolute whooping on your team than that's on Hiller.
I would say the NU players will be better prepared for life as well as the playoffs. Having the courage to challenge yourself and fight through adversity and difficult times is what athletics and life are all about. Nobody will remember who beat who on a cold march day but the strength that will be developed by the young women who challenge themselves will serve them well for the rest of their lives.
I bet you are one of the posters who caution others about going to a powerhouse lacrosse program or highly competitive university. Don't go to North Carolina or Maryland there are too many players on the roster. Don't go to Princeton or Harvard you might fail out. Stay away from Northwestern, they own you, to much pressure. Etc.. Etc... much better to "Go to a place where you can thrive". You will forever be the King or Queen of Mediocracy.
I am not an NU Dad and my children are not committed to Northwestern. However, I am very impressed with The University, The Program, The Coaches, and The Players (past, present and future). Collectively they have all earned my respect. So pound your chest about a meaningless win and keep telling yourself that it actually matters.
You should be an Obama spin doctor. The Girls will be better because they got a beat down while claiming to be the best and blaiming everything from the weater, to the schedule the coach set for them, but thats ok because they used to be good so we'll screw an up and comming team later because Hiller has connections from an over priced school, where TA's are teaching my daughter, in the murder capital of the country.
Spin Doctor? Really?
Reading comprehension must not be one of your stronger competencies. No excuses, no blame to be placed, Stony Brook won the game.
The original question was: "How is NU still in the Top 20?". The answer to the question was factual, there were no excuses it was an explanation of why some pollsters may have ranked Northwestern in the Top 20.
The reference to Stony Brook was also factual. SBU was playing on significant rest and had not played a single Top 10 team. The pollsters consider all when ranking teams. It is not unreasonable to say that Stony Brook has been ill prepared for the post season based on their actual results as opposed to their ranking during the season.
All schedules are not created equal and factors such as travel, rest, and how rigorous the competition is all contribute to results as well as rankings. Pollsters do not simply look at Wins and losses.
It is quite possible that a season that does not challenge the players may result in a soft team come Tournament time.
Attempts to tear down a great university, a great program and a great coach will not elevate your daughters school, program or coach.
Is it an inferiority complex or is it resentment and jealousy that causes such animosity and distain?
To be fair, Northwestern had only played one other game in the last 14 days before Stony Brook. They had plenty of rest. As for the rest of it, they play a ridiculous schedule, almost a full Big 10 and ACC tilt. At some point you need to win and not just play the hard games. I think the point is several years ago they played the same type of schedule and won the games.
