Reply to thread

Message

[QUOTE="fieldystick, post: 4065057, member: 8152"]
Like you, I'm really torn on the issue. I am a traditionalist, and I would prefer to keep the Final Four on Memorial Day weekend if at all possible, but I feel like we're either fast approaching - or maybe even past - the point where that doesn't make sense anymore.

Between the NCAA tournament expanding from 2 weekends to 3 and with conference tournaments now taking up the weekend before that - and in extreme cases (e.g., 2019 ACC, 2021 and 2022 Big Ten), two weekends before that - we've lost 2 or 3 weekends of what used to be prime regular season lacrosse.

Broadly speaking, the season from first game to crowning a champion now lasts 16 or 17 weeks. It's a matter of identifying when the best 16-17 weekends to hold those competitions are, not necessarily a question of less or more lacrosse in my mind. From March 1 to Memorial Day weekend is roughly 13 of those weekends, and I view those as a no-brainer.

The question is the other 3 or 4: February or June?

If it weren't for the tradition of Memorial Day final fours, I know what I would choose. But the tradition makes it tricky.

Foy wrote about this issue on IL several years back if anyone is interested in more fleshed out thoughts: [URL='https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/opinion-ncaa-di-mlax-needs-a-universal-start-date-new-tournament-format/36617']Opinion: NCAA DI MLAX Needs a Universal Start Date, New Tournament Format[/URL]

I agree with some of his ideas and have minor issues/other ideas about others.
[/QUOTE]

Verification

What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?