When I started watching the men’s lacrosse team last year — watching because I had to as a sports editor — I can’t say I really knew what was going on.
OK, that’s being generous.
Lacrosse and Texas just don’t mix. I’d never seen the sport, never really even heard of it before I came to East Hill.
I imagine I’m not alone. For every Long Islander (or kid from Pennsylvania or Maryland) who grew up watching this sport, there are ten people who’ve never seen lacrosse. That needs to change.
As it turns out, I couldn’t believe what I had been missing. This sport is quite possibly the coolest combination of football and hockey, my two favorite sports. If you like either, and you haven’t seen what lacrosse has to offer, you’re missing out. Big time.
But I digress.
Today, the 11th best team in the country hits Schoellkopf Field to open its home season against the Red Raiders of Colgate. Now the last time I wrote about a ranked team, I may have jinxed it, but we’re just going to hope that doesn’t happen today. I digress. Again.
The point of this column isn’t to tell you what a great team we’re going to have. This Friday’s Spring Sports Pullout in The Sun will do that. The point of this column is to create something that isn’t necessarily at lacrosse games right now. Atmosphere.
If you look at the old photographs of Cornell lacrosse games, you’ll notice one very distinct thing. The stands are full in every shot. That’s just not true today. The same apathy that plagues a majority of sports on campus now appears ready to strike the hearts of Cornellians everywhere for a spring season.
So, this is a call out to all of you who have nothing to do on a Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. It’s time you see the 11th best team in the country, if for no other reason than to let them know you appreciate where its been and where its going.
Show up to let new head coach Jeff Tambroni know that you respect him and believe he can continue the tradition that Dave Pietramala started. Show up to thank them for getting into the NCAA tournament last year. Show up to let them know you expect more this year.
Go to Schoellkopf today because you know junior Addison Sollog will be down in the cold and snow, scrapping on the ground to win every face-off. Go today to let senior tri-captain Drew Schardt know you believe he’s every bit as talented as Sean Steinwald ’00. Go because you recognize that this defense is one of the most underrated in the country. Go because junior goaltender Justin Cynar is as good as any in the land. It’s your duty to remind Colgate when Cynar stones them at the doorstep.
This week, a good percentage of the people who read this column will be going to watch Cornell play Princeton in hockey. You do it for the fun, you do it for the atmosphere and you do it because the team is good enough to warrant the support. Things should be no different out there at Schoellkopf today. Go to have fun. Go because it might just end up that you like this sport.
No excuses this time. Snow be damned. Welcome our boys home.
That way, I won’t be out there all alone.
Archived article by Charles Persons