Still Competitive After All These Years/I Want HomeField Mobile
By Reece
I am a former college lacrosse player. I am a former pro, too. But for me now, the seriousness of the game is supposed to be over…
And yet, here I am, on a rainy Saturday, on a team bus to Philadelphia, heading to the championship game of the American Lacrosse League, reading an email scouting report about our opponent, wondering how soon I’ll be able to see game film of my opponent on my iPhone…
'Club' lacrosse is supposed to be just that - a club. No practices. Show up and play. Fun. But let’s face it, for competitive athletes, it’s only fun when you’re winning, and being ready for every play is one of the keys to success.
Watching game film on a mobile device wasn’t possible when I or any of my teammates played in college. The tech just wasn’t there yet. But it’s so close now, I can taste it, and I’m dying to see how we @OvertimeMedia can keep evolving athletic performance for the serious athlete.
The Pro Sports Draft Dilemma: Are Age Limits Harmful or Helpful?
By Nick
With the NBA Draft only hours away, the age-old discussion has risen once again: When should players be eligible for professional drafting, and what's more important - money or education.
Up until 2005, when the NBA's minimum age limit was raised to 19 (with much scrutiny), players were allowed to forgo enrolling at a college in favor of entering the NBA Draft. On a very basic level, the age limit rules were changed not only to encourage high-schoolers to get a college education; but also because Commissioner David Stern didn't want young players viewing the NBA as a sure-fire shot at fame and wealth. The change immediately drew accusations of racism, as former high-school-to-NBA star Jermaine O'Neal took offense to the rule.
Unfortunately, the system has somewhat backfired. Many feel that the age limit has only delayed the inevitable, and has even contributed to some scandals involving recruits being paid under the table , including current Memphis Grizzlies guard, O.J. Mayo (pictured above). Another player by the name of Brandon Jennings, decided to skip college and play 1 year professionally in Europe. Jennings' reasoning was, he can play at a higher level and gain professional experience before entering the NBA Draft, while also getting paid. After a year playing for a pro team in Italy, Jennings is now a projected early first-round pick in tonight's Draft.
There are some college coaches that feel the age limit is negatively affecting the college game, and the college experience in general. Jeff Capel, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Oklahoma University, recently said, "It's a bad rule. A really bad rule. It makes a mockery of a college education." The coaches naturally have a gripe, knowing that the top-notch players they recruit to come to their school are going to play for one year, and then bolt to the NBA (or as it's commonly known, the "one and done" rule). Stern has received criticism from more than a few, and recently even from Congressmen, prompting some to view the 19-year-old age limit as a "free NBA Minor Leagues."
Let's switch gears to baseball, for a moment. Recently, a 16-year-old prospect by the name of Bryce Harper elected to leave high school after 2 years, take his GED, and enroll at a local Nevada college in the fall, which would make him eligible for the 2010 MLB Draft. A quick glance at the age will make most people gasp. As a result, Harper's father, Ron, was immediately criticized for allowing his son to make such a decision. When it came down to it, Ron said, "people say, well, you're the adult, you need to make that decision for him, but he's a pretty mature kid, and he's a good kid, and the level of baseball that he's been playing at, and the level of school he's been at, he needs to be pushed. And I believe that, and my wife and the coaches and the whole staff from the HS believe it too."
Based on Bryce's highlight reel, it's hard to argue with him and his family's decision. And with the MLB Draft eligibility rules, such a decision is possible. So the question remains, is the age limit unfairly preventing young prospective players from making their own career decisions?
A point that seems valid, specifically in the NBA vs. College case, is that at the age of 18, a player is already legally capable of making employment decisions, among many other rights. What right, then, do any of us have in prohibiting that? As Jermaine O'Neal appropriately put it, "If I can go to the U.S. Army and fight the war at 18, why can't you play basketball for 48 minutes?"
Unfortunately for college sports, it would seem the age limit rule is neither valid nor effective. If a player opts for the NBA straight from high school and fails to be a star, or gets injured, that player can always go back to school and get his degree. On the flip side, if a player opts to stay in school and fails to be a star or gets injured, he's missed the chance at the very least to try his hand at the higher level and the chance to earn a salary. And we've seen what the rule has done to college basketball -- believe it, the one and done's will continue.
So if the question is, what's more important, money or education? The answer is, choice. The right to choose our own future path and make our own decisions, is something we all possess at the age of 18. To establish any rule against that right is unjust.
Of course, we all know this debate will continue for years to come; or at least until 2010 when the rule is up for amendment. But in the mean time, what do you think? If you're a high-school player, would you want the option of going straight to a professional league? Or if you're a parent, would you want your child to be obligated to enroll at a college institution? Even if they're sitting on a winning lottery ticket?
"I can not but wish I was better qualified for the job." - John Adams
The above quote by John Adams was in response to being asked to initiate an alliance with France during the Revolutionary War. Without going into the politics of the time, or deeper into the story than I would like, John Adams was one of, if not the most respected member of Congress around this time.
Thomas Jefferson said of John Adams, "Every member of Congress in 1776 acknowledged him to be the first man of the house...he was our colossus on the floor." And yet, even while his colleagues held him in the highest regard, Adams still felt, and knew, he could be better. It is men like this, I believe, who are truly successful in life.
Whatever success might mean to you, the way to achieve it is to never be satisfied. Be grateful for what you have, and be happy with the life you lead, but never stop striving to be better. Can you honestly say there isn't an area in your life that can't be improved upon, however slight the improvement may be?
Learn as much as you can. Pay attention to every detail. Study the area of life you want to conquer as often as possible. Whether it be sports, your career, or being a great father, always strive to be better. And I guarantee, you always will be.
Meet Roger Gentilhomme. Or as I knew him growing up in Falmouth, "Pepe."
Pepe was my neighbor as a child. As a 4 year old, I remember him being old way back then. How incredible to see him still active, playing tennis and lifting weights at 100 years old! Awesome.
Preparing to Win: Stat Analysis of the Men's Lax Championships
By Reece
Coolest t-shirts at the Final Four.
Memorial Day weekend just isn't complete without the NCAA men's lacrosse championship. So, despite the fact that my dear Brown University Bears didn't get to dance in the Final Four, I piled the Overtime Media team (minus Dan, with his prior obligations to "his wife") into the official HomeField-mobile and headed North.
My truck, a.ka. - the HomeField-Mobile.
The Division 1 semi-finals weren't nearly as exciting as lacrosse fans usually like - Syracuse rolled over Duke with ease and Cornell dominated Virginia. I was happy for Cornell - representing the Ivy League well and further showing they are an excellent team (thereby making Brown's win over them earlier in the year that much more sweet. Maybe bitter-sweet. Cool nonetheless.). What really impressed me was Cornell's focus and discipline. They had a game plan and they stuck to it. Virginia, who seemed unstoppable most of the year, didn't seem to show up. Perhaps they were looking ahead to Syracuse in the final, when they should've focused on the steps to get there.
On Sunday, we were at Gillette for the D-III Final see Gettysburg against Cortland State. Gettysburg battled the higher ranked Cortland hard all day, and they held a good lead for most of the game. In the end though, they played too much defense and couldn't get the ball going on offense against a solid Cortland D with a good goalie. The box score shows that the game was really evenly matched: Looking at these numbers, you can't say either team had some major advantage over the other like a dominant face-off man or a stud goalie. So the difference in score at the end of the day was a matter of a few possessions, just a couple plays really. A tough loss to swallow for Gettysburg, as those little differences in the game will always stay with them and it's hard to pin-point which play it was that cost them the game.
Conversely, Monday saw an upstate showdown between Syracuse and Cornell that one may attribute to 'Cuse's OT game-winner, but really Cornell broke down in a few areas along the way. Cornell took a lead throughout the game and held fast until the fourth quarter when Syracuse slowly but surely crept back to within striking distance. Again, let's look at the box score: The game was evenly matched in most stats except that Cornell failed to clear the ball four times (to 'Cuse's one failed clear). In particular, the Big Red didn't clear the ball in the final seconds of the 4th quarter, which led to the Orange's tying goal with 4.5 seconds left in the game, and eventually, this photograph...
Joe celebrates Syracuse's OT victory over Cornell.
Again, I don't think any one or two goal losses can ever be directly associated with a single play. Cornell could've failed to clear that ball, then won in OT. Or they could've cleared it and won the game. Either way, it's the accumulative effect of every single play of the game that makes the difference in close battles like these. Every shot, every save, every possession, every turnover... they all matter.
Interestingly enough, do you know how many Division I men's games were decided by one goal this year? It's about 25%. That's a lot. Patrick's been running numbers on this and will post more info later.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say that Gettysburg or Cornell failed to prepare for their games. These teams battled all year and worked hard to get to the championship. Both games could've gone either way based on a few plays. What I am saying, is that being prepared for your contest both physically AND mentally is absolutely crucial to succeeding on the field. Whether it's studying the game film or practicing the "little things" - the basic mechanics of the game - you've got to prepare to win.
Patrick and Joe, reppin' HomeField in our "Prepare to Win" T's.
