Hunting for its first NCAA bid in a couple of years and its first Ivy title since Reagan was President, the men’s lacrosse team has a pretty rough schedule remaining still. Two top-20 teams, the perennially tough Hobart — a team Cornell beat for the first time in five years with last season’s victory — and a Dartmouth team that would love an opportunity to knock off someone like Cornell.
Thanks to Tuesday’s win over No. 1 Syracuse, the bull’s eye that been hovering around the Red is now squarely on the team’s back. That should mean a pretty exciting final four regular-season games before a probable NCAA bid.
So what’s it to you? It’s time to open your eyes — realize the big glowing orb in the sky is not here to crush us, but rather is our long-lost friend Mr. Sun — and hit the bleachers.
Two of the team’s final four games are at home, including tomorrow’s tilt with the Big Green. If you missed Tuesday because of the monsoon that hit Schoellkopf around gametime, you may be excused, but the weatherman has assured good weather for tomorrow. Trust me on this. Facing upstart Brown on the 27th should offer even better weather and even better lacrosse. There’s no reason to not be there either weekend for a few hours, no matter how much work you think you have.
Here’s what I’m really asking out of you, though. In two weekends, on the 20th, the Red travels to Princeton to try to wrestle that Ivy title from the greedy Tigers. You know you love New Jersey. You’ve always wanted to vacation there. It’s the Garden State, right? Okay, don’t leave just yet, I’ll explain this all, for those of you unfamiliar with the story behind this thing.
A little history: These cats in Jersey have had the thing long enough, and the Red is posed to finally claim a title that they used to print the word ‘Cornell’ on before the season even started. Yes, from 1970 to 1983, Cornell failed to earn the title just once, in 1973. Then Yale went nuts for a couple of years until Princeton regained its lost form from 30 years before and started winning constantly. But now, Cornell looks poised to regain its form of 30 years before. Perhaps it’s time to start the cycle again.
Anyway, tangent aside, we could be finally be ready to take this title back. Princeton’s 4-4 record isn’t exactly winning over critics, though the Red still hasn’t beaten the Tigers since 1995. This year on the road won’t be any easier. The Tigers could easily go the rest of the year without a loss, making them a dangerous playoff team once again.
But in a year where the hockey team won an ECAC title, the women’s basketball team nearly pulled out a title, the women’s track team won Heps, this just might be the Big Red’s lucky year. Plus, if you followed the hockey team to two or more away games, this is mandatory attendance. Like Intro to Wines. I know you are more than available to head out this weekend. You won’t have work, the weather will be beautiful and like I said above, Jersey’s the Garden State.
And if you’re a senior, this request is especially for you. Grab a cooler and go tailgate. Be proud that you’re graduating from this institution and go see a team that will in the future be getting a chunk of the money you donate to this place. It’s a pride thing people.
After that, it’s downhill for this team until the NCAAs. But two weeks from now is the big one. Yes, it’s a long drive. I know.
What else have you got to do? Study?
Please.
Archived article by Charles Persons