They obviously didn’t compete well with the elites, and I tend to think the number is more like 5-10 of them, rather than 10-15. But then, I also think the perception is that if you’re not an elite in D1 lacrosse, you’re mediocre. Perhaps there’s not enough programs quite yet to get a real feel of a middle ground?

It’s too bad we didn’t get the chance to see what the program would be like with all the Canadian guys that Munro booted or chased off before his own canning. Before all that went down, it seemed like they were moving back in the right direction.

Regarding Denver…
Strides were being made. no doubt there. I remember when they added D1 lax ( I was a SR in HS) and it was a huge deal.
But to the point about their “mediocrity”…
in 2010 they were rated 21 out of 60 (according to laxpower) with Tierney at the helm. His first year with the team. this year they are #7 (right now).
in 2009, #30 out of 59 under Munro.
In 2008, they were 21 out of 57 teams.
in 2007, they were #30 out of 56.
in 2006, they were #15 out of 57.
In 2005, they #14 out of 57.

All of these seasons are over 5 years removed from starting their team.

When I think about D1 lacrosse, I usually see 10-15 top teams, then 20-30 more who are definitely behind them. Then I see a bottom with 10- 30 teams, and it all depends on year.

They got into that top bracket (BARELY!) once or twice and for the most part were in that middle section… so to me, they were mediocre. They weren’t bad, they weren’t good. They were right in the middle. Maybe I should have used the term “middling” but the point stands.

I don’t mean they played mediocre lax… I just mean that in a small division, they were not near the top, and now they are. And it happened very quickly, and with mostly the same players.

Your opinion on DU before Tierney is far too low. Yes, they had some issues and it lead to Munro’s dismissal, but I don’t know where this impression of supposed mediocrity comes from. Not only that, they’ve only been D1 since 1999. The strides were being made, regardless. It appears as though they’ll get ‘there’ much faster under Tierney, but it is not Tierney alone that they are where they are right now.

a 6-2 205 defender is not a 6-4 245 defender. 2 inches and 40 LBs makes a difference. Even Ridgeway is pretty skinny. Brenneman = beast. no doubt there, but he’s sort of a non-traditional kid in that he comes from East Hampton, NY. it’s a different part of the island, IMHO, at least lacrosse-wise.

Beattie, Foley, Pfeifer, Igoe and Hopkins aren’t exactly monsters either. Are there a couple big boys? Sure, it’s D1. But to me, teams like UVA, Duke, UMD, Hopkins not Cuse (they are another exception. ND isn’t the only one!) are just a little bigger on average. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, and maybe I’m seeing something that isn’t there… I just couldn’t escape it. I like the discussion though… maybe I’m wrong about that.

I was just saying they seem to be looking at different kids than a lot of other programs look at. Many of the teams with top notch defenses have some serious size down low, whereas ND doesn’t seem to have the same focus. Definitely NOT saying that heavier players are less intelligent. Clearly, I had a hard time communicating that idea…