Lost 19-3 at Navy

[fufanatic]

Down 19-0 at one point, lost face offs 22-4. Need to start over with a new coaching staff if this doesn’t improve for the Xth straight year. Simply stunning they can’t find one guy to do a critical part of the game. Would be like if you had to tip off after every point scored in basketball and you lost most of them.

[Affirm]

Would that be like 137-21 in football? 76-12 in basketball? What is a “respectable” losing score in lacrosse for a bad team playing a decent team?
What is our overall W-L in lacrosse since we started the sport X years ago?
What would be the downside to scrapping Men’s Lacrosse? Are we being held hostage by some indispensable donor?

[FUBeAR]

2020 is Furman’s 7th season of fielding an intercollegiate men’s lacrosse program

Furman’s Men’s Lacrosse’s All-Time Record is:
23-62 (.270) Overall
18-21 (.461) All Conf.’s
17-17 (.500) SoCon
0-3 (.000) SoCon Tournament (all 3 losses to Richmond)

2014: 1-12 / 1-4 (ASUN)
2015: 4-9 / 3-3 (SoCon)
2016: 2-11 / 2-5 (SoCon)
2017: 7-8 / 6-1 (SoCon)
2018: 4-10 / 4-3 (SoCon)
2019: 4-10 / 2-5 (SoCon)
2020: 1-2 / 0-0 (SoCon)

2017 seems to have been the high point success-wise. Furman, the #3 seed, lost their opening game in the SoCon Tournament, 13-6, to Richmond (the #2 seed) that year.

[FU3]

This is a program in complete disarray. Unfortunately the previous athletic administration structured a contract that wouldn't allow (financially) for a coaching change, hopefully this changes next year. Contrast this with the women's LAX team that has built a solid program with wins to start this season over East Carolina and Fresno St. FU Bear is completely right about 2017 being the high water mark. The current team is not nearly as talented as that group and certainly can't compete against one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the country. Why we continue to schedule a number of top 10 programs with our current level of talent is beyond me.

[fufanatic]

This is a program in complete disarray. Unfortunately the previous athletic administration structured a contract that wouldn't allow (financially) for a coaching change, hopefully this changes next year. Contrast this with the women's LAX team that has built a solid program with wins to start this season over East Carolina and Fresno St. FU Bear is completely right about 2017 being the high water mark. The current team is not nearly as talented as that group and certainly can't compete against one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the country. Why we continue to schedule a number of top 10 programs with our current level of talent is beyond me.

I think maybe the most disappointing aspect of all of this is that we actually get elite teams at home. What other Furman program can host the likes of Penn State, UNC, etc.? I suppose golf and cross country are the other two options. I really thought Furman lax had the potential to be a national power considering how few teams there were playing the sport at the time and the high level of competition that we had coming to Paladin Stadium. I couldn't have been more wrong. Very, very disappointing and a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

[ccoates]

This is a program in complete disarray. Unfortunately the previous athletic administration structured a contract that wouldn't allow (financially) for a coaching change, hopefully this changes next year. Contrast this with the women's LAX team that has built a solid program with wins to start this season over East Carolina and Fresno St. FU Bear is completely right about 2017 being the high water mark. The current team is not nearly as talented as that group and certainly can't compete against one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the country. Why we continue to schedule a number of top 10 programs with our current level of talent is beyond me.

I think maybe the most disappointing aspect of all of this is that we actually get elite teams at home. What other Furman program can host the likes of Penn State, UNC, etc.? I suppose golf and cross country are the other two options. I really thought Furman lax had the potential to be a national power considering how few teams there were playing the sport at the time and the high level of competition that we had coming to Paladin Stadium. I couldn't have been more wrong. Very, very disappointing and a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

I drove down to Annapolis for the game. It was bitter cold.

I was joined by a nicely representative group of parents and former players.

We started off fairly well with some nice defensive stops, but once the face off losses started to pile up, the air went out of the balloon pretty quickly. I don't think the team as a whole is that bad, but it doesn't make much difference if you can't get the ball after a score

I tailgated with several former players. They were loyal to and supportive of their former teammates, but beyond that, the best I can say is that their silence was thunderous.

I definitely think its a contract issue, but I think the blame (and, at this stage, that's the nicest thing you can call it) lies at a higher level. I have a fear that, when Smolla signed Meade on, he made him a tenured professor.

[fufanatic]

This is a program in complete disarray. Unfortunately the previous athletic administration structured a contract that wouldn't allow (financially) for a coaching change, hopefully this changes next year. Contrast this with the women's LAX team that has built a solid program with wins to start this season over East Carolina and Fresno St. FU Bear is completely right about 2017 being the high water mark. The current team is not nearly as talented as that group and certainly can't compete against one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the country. Why we continue to schedule a number of top 10 programs with our current level of talent is beyond me.

I think maybe the most disappointing aspect of all of this is that we actually get elite teams at home. What other Furman program can host the likes of Penn State, UNC, etc.? I suppose golf and cross country are the other two options. I really thought Furman lax had the potential to be a national power considering how few teams there were playing the sport at the time and the high level of competition that we had coming to Paladin Stadium. I couldn't have been more wrong. Very, very disappointing and a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

I drove down to Annapolis for the game. It was bitter cold.

I was joined by a nicely representative group of parents and former players.

We started off fairly well with some nice defensive stops, but once the face off losses started to pile up, the air went out of the balloon pretty quickly. I don't think the team as a whole is that bad, but it doesn't make much difference if you can't get the ball after a score

I tailgated with several former players. They were loyal to and supportive of their former teammates, but beyond that, the best I can say is that their silence was thunderous.

I definitely think its a contract issue, but I think the blame (and, at this stage, that's the nicest thing you can call it) lies at a higher level. I have a fear that, when Smolla signed Meade on, he made him a tenured professor.

Thanks for the insight. Good intel. Feel bad for the players and alumni. Any of them say why they think it’s so hard to find face off guy?

[Flagman]

Is there a stat that shows how many face-offs lead to a goal without a possession by the other team (Furman)? I know nothing about lacrosse, and have only seen two games, but everyone blames our woes on the face-off guy. It also seems to be a lack of defense and the goal-keeps.

[Jasper]

This is a program in complete disarray. Unfortunately the previous athletic administration structured a contract that wouldn't allow (financially) for a coaching change, hopefully this changes next year. Contrast this with the women's LAX team that has built a solid program with wins to start this season over East Carolina and Fresno St. FU Bear is completely right about 2017 being the high water mark. The current team is not nearly as talented as that group and certainly can't compete against one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the country. Why we continue to schedule a number of top 10 programs with our current level of talent is beyond me.

I think maybe the most disappointing aspect of all of this is that we actually get elite teams at home. What other Furman program can host the likes of Penn State, UNC, etc.? I suppose golf and cross country are the other two options. I really thought Furman lax had the potential to be a national power considering how few teams there were playing the sport at the time and the high level of competition that we had coming to Paladin Stadium. I couldn't have been more wrong. Very, very disappointing and a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

I drove down to Annapolis for the game. It was bitter cold.

I was joined by a nicely representative group of parents and former players.

We started off fairly well with some nice defensive stops, but once the face off losses started to pile up, the air went out of the balloon pretty quickly. I don't think the team as a whole is that bad, but it doesn't make much difference if you can't get the ball after a score

I tailgated with several former players. They were loyal to and supportive of their former teammates, but beyond that, the best I can say is that their silence was thunderous.

I definitely think its a contract issue, but I think the blame (and, at this stage, that's the nicest thing you can call it) lies at a higher level. I have a fear that, when Smolla signed Meade on, he made him a tenured professor.

Thanks for the insight. Good intel. Feel bad for the players and alumni. Any of them say why they think it’s so hard to find face off guy?

The problem clearly is Meade. He was hired on his reputation and that was even questionable. He had been forced out as the coach at Navy and was serving in some kind of administrative capacity. Why was he forced out? Why did we hire someone who was? It seems to me that Meade is an older guy that has had the game pass him by. LAX is a dynamic, changing sport and he has not kept pace with it.
Another problem is that he is totally unsuited for Furman. What works with the kind of kids at Navy does not work with the kids Furman attracts. These boys just want to play lacrosse and go on to trade bonds on Wall Street - not to become Navy SEALS. Furman is an ideal place for LAX and we have had some good kids come here and leave in a year. That is a reflection on the coach and something has to be done about it. He is simply a bad fit from a LAX technical standpoint and also personality.
Lots of people have talked about the lack of a Face Off man for the last three years. That is incomprehensible. The disadvantage that puts our team under is hard to imagine. I am a long time LAX fan and I cant even watch anymore. Compare the way that Clay Hendricks is handling the loss of a great kicker - a much less critical spot than FO man. He already has 2 kids on the roster who look very capable and is bringing in another gang of kickers in the fall. There is no question in my mind that FU will have a very good kicking game next season, both in punting and place kicking. And he didn't even find out about Atkins leaving until a few months ago. Meade knew his FO man was leaving as a senior and he did nothing to replace him except try to coach up some other position players. That is terrible management. I hate to see a very beneficial program like lacrosse be shut down because of one hiring mistake and that is what many people are suggesting. There are kinds of positive reasons for having a LAX program at Furman but we cannot continue to let it drag down the overall men's athletic effort. There are a ton of bright, young coaches out there who would love to coach at Furman …..and from what I hear at a much lower cost than Meade. A mistake was made, let's correct it simply rather than dump the whole program.

[fufanatic]

This is a program in complete disarray. Unfortunately the previous athletic administration structured a contract that wouldn't allow (financially) for a coaching change, hopefully this changes next year. Contrast this with the women's LAX team that has built a solid program with wins to start this season over East Carolina and Fresno St. FU Bear is completely right about 2017 being the high water mark. The current team is not nearly as talented as that group and certainly can't compete against one of the toughest out of conference schedules in the country. Why we continue to schedule a number of top 10 programs with our current level of talent is beyond me.

I think maybe the most disappointing aspect of all of this is that we actually get elite teams at home. What other Furman program can host the likes of Penn State, UNC, etc.? I suppose golf and cross country are the other two options. I really thought Furman lax had the potential to be a national power considering how few teams there were playing the sport at the time and the high level of competition that we had coming to Paladin Stadium. I couldn't have been more wrong. Very, very disappointing and a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

I drove down to Annapolis for the game. It was bitter cold.

I was joined by a nicely representative group of parents and former players.

We started off fairly well with some nice defensive stops, but once the face off losses started to pile up, the air went out of the balloon pretty quickly. I don't think the team as a whole is that bad, but it doesn't make much difference if you can't get the ball after a score

I tailgated with several former players. They were loyal to and supportive of their former teammates, but beyond that, the best I can say is that their silence was thunderous.

I definitely think its a contract issue, but I think the blame (and, at this stage, that's the nicest thing you can call it) lies at a higher level. I have a fear that, when Smolla signed Meade on, he made him a tenured professor.

Thanks for the insight. Good intel. Feel bad for the players and alumni. Any of them say why they think it’s so hard to find face off guy?

The problem clearly is Meade. He was hired on his reputation and that was even questionable. He had been forced out as the coach at Navy and was serving in some kind of administrative capacity. Why was he forced out? Why did we hire someone who was? It seems to me that Meade is an older guy that has had the game pass him by. LAX is a dynamic, changing sport and he has not kept pace with it.
Another problem is that he is totally unsuited for Furman. What works with the kind of kids at Navy does not work with the kids Furman attracts. These boys just want to play lacrosse and go on to trade bonds on Wall Street - not to become Navy SEALS. Furman is an ideal place for LAX and we have had some good kids come here and leave in a year. That is a reflection on the coach and something has to be done about it. He is simply a bad fit from a LAX technical standpoint and also personality.
Lots of people have talked about the lack of a Face Off man for the last three years. That is incomprehensible. The disadvantage that puts our team under is hard to imagine. I am a long time LAX fan and I cant even watch anymore. Compare the way that Clay Hendricks is handling the loss of a great kicker - a much less critical spot than FO man. He already has 2 kids on the roster who look very capable and is bringing in another gang of kickers in the fall. There is no question in my mind that FU will have a very good kicking game next season, both in punting and place kicking. And he didn't even find out about Atkins leaving until a few months ago. Meade knew his FO man was leaving as a senior and he did nothing to replace him except try to coach up some other position players. That is terrible management. I hate to see a very beneficial program like lacrosse be shut down because of one hiring mistake and that is what many people are suggesting. There are kinds of positive reasons for having a LAX program at Furman but we cannot continue to let it drag down the overall men's athletic effort. There are a ton of bright, young coaches out there who would love to coach at Furman …..and from what I hear at a much lower cost than Meade. A mistake was made, let's correct it simply rather than dump the whole program.

What in the world is his contract? Lifetime? Just outrageous. Been playing since 2014.