We know better than the rest and the answer to any and all disappointments is fire the coach. No coach (Waldrum, Clark, Brey, Jackson, Corrigan, Halfpenny other than Muffet (who has had some less than flattering coaching moments as of late) and Lou for which ND Nation serves as little more than an uncritical piece of hagiography)) is spared from the ND Nation wrath. Sure, Sir Alex Ferguson and the remainder of the soccer world thinks of Clark as one of the best minds in all of soccer but not Indy77 who knows better, calls for his ouster at every turn, refers to him as a choker etc. It's just what we do here.
Great post. THere are other internet sites where you can actually have rational discussions about various ND sports. Nott here. Basketball is an exception here. But even with great posters there, mike was roundly berated because of his tourney record a few years ago even though he had a very tough recruiting road and little university support and still won a lot. Thank god he's turned that around. Corrigan has built his program from the ground up and has won a lot at a school with no history in his sport. Why even think about pulling the plug? Because that's the usual course here when lofty exspectations aren't met. Yes, every school has it's nuts, I guess I used to think in my younger day nd was different, I guess I was wrong, st least here.
We were number 1 ten days ago and preseason because of the perceived talent on this team.
There are only 61 Division 1 lacrosse teams so being a top 10 team is not an awe inspiring achievement, winning a NC is noteworthy. This team is supposedly loaded with talent and may be the best team we have had in many years. The play seems very inconsistent at times and we have not suffered injuries to key players, as we unfortunately have in the past. The team has not appeared to improve as the season progressed. Other than Doss having some bad stretches, to what do you attribute the apparent under-performance of this team? I realize that faceoffs could be better, aggressiveness stressed, man-up situations closed out, etc.
Are these lapses due to personnel, recruiting, coaching? As another poster mentioned, Duke improves as the season progresses, we do not. This has been evident not only this season but in past seasons as well. If finishing in the top 10 is a goal and the measurement of a successful season, we have a very successful program.
about 101 teams. Other than maybe VMI, Cleveland State, and NJIT, there are few gimmes. Being a top-10 team is a huge accomplishment. UVA, Georgetown, Brown, Navy, and UMAss haven't been able to do it. Ask Georgetown how Urick's retirement has treated them.
Corrigan has his flaws. He would admit them. It's why Byrne has remained a stabilizing force. He also knows exactly what type of kid he wants for the program, who will fit in at ND, and what type of player he wants for every position. The same can be said for successful coaches like Jackson and Brey. It can't be said about Kelly.
Corrigan made Desko look like a stooge last year on alumni weekend at the Orange dome when ND clowned them 17-7. This year Cuse beat ND in overtime. You want Desko?
You want Lars Tiffany? Just lost to ND this year. Want Bill Tierney? Didn't make the final four last year after entering as the #1 seed.
ND has made as many final four games as anyone over the last 10 years. And they could again this year. If this is to be a down year, so be it. It happens.
...over the course of his career at Hofstra and Duke.
Being a native Long Islander, I'm well aware of his work with the then Flying Dutchmen. And given the enmity one has towards the four-letter word, it really pained me when he joined his son in Durham following the scandal down there because he was finally going to be able to get top tier talent to work with.
The starting point was, of course, the painful 4-3 OT loss, which stills sends a shiver down my sightlines (I was right behind our goal).
But what he does that is great is this...he molds each team to their talents and does not panic in early season. If they need more practice, do it. If an adjustment in personnel, make it. Patience. You bet. And never show up kids.
Result: Duke peaks in the playoffs, year in, year out.
Now, I'm not calling for Corrigan's outster...far from it. But I think I'd like to see a bit whole season approach factor into it. One suggestion: factor in some local games that perhaps are not top(pest) tier to let the kinks get worn out. Duke plays some local games like that and they're not necessarily easy, but he can work on them without worrying if the impact is going to send the Dookies down the national rankings.
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titles. Desko 5, and Tierney 7, most recently in 2015.
Desko and Tierney have both had better careers than Corrigan. No argument.
Would you swap for either of them right now? If not for age, I might swap for Tierney. Desko doesn't seem like anything special to me. I think he panics at time.
My point is that if you listed the top 10 coaches in college lacrosse each of them would have warts. Years where they fizzled out of the tourney with a high seed. Years where the regular season didn't go well despite great players and high expectations.
ND loses to three teams (all ranked in the top 10) and the coach must go. I don't see it.