This commentary just out in Inside Lacrosse, some very good points!


Quint Kessenich Aug 20, 2014

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Opinion

Quint: Proposed Rules Fall Short, Committee Needs More Data

(Inside Lacrosse Photo: John Strohsacker)



So what in fact was accomplished? In my eyes, very little.

What upsets me the most is that the NCAA Rules Committee sat down without any MLL vs. NCAA lacrosse tempo stats and without consulting FOGOs. If college lacrosse is truly serious about addressing the issue of a slower tempo, then data is needed. The Committee did not rely on MLL data, a luxury of nearly 14 seasons of multiple rule incarnations, some of which the Committee considered. Can you imagine a corporate business meeting without stats, sales figures or appropriate data? How is a decision made without a statistical comparison of what NCAA lacrosse looks like now, compared to what it would look like with a shot clock and 2-point arc (like in MLL)? No competent organization in the world operates this way.

What is known about the methodology is questionable at best.

Were any FOGOs consulted with before or during the meetings? Constant adjustments to the face-off has FOGO Nation on eggshells every two years. Shouldn't the committee be using the expertise of Chris Eck, Alex Smith, Paul Cantabene or Greg Gurenlian? How can that hurt?

So now, after seven straight years of declining Final Four attendance, we live with the status quo and minor tweeks. I'm OK with it all, but based on the stats of 14 years of MLL I find these two statements to be comedic.