Has anyone besides me watched lacrosse? Maybe it's the similarities to hockey that I love about it (hard hitting, fast, methodical) or maybe it's the fact I haven't seen a lot of it, so the sport is relatively new to me, but I could see myself glued to the tube for a lacrosse marathon if ESPN ever decides to run one.
Right now, Cornell is destroying the top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers 15-6 with just a couple minutes left and have a two-man advantage for 60 seconds. Now, I don't know much about lacrosse, but even I know that Virginia has been awful on both ends of the field for all four quarters of the game.
Lanes have been left open all afternoon for the Big Red to shoot through, while the Cavaliers tallied just one goal in the first 25 minutes of the game. Virginia hasn't been within five goals since about the early part of the second quarter.
Despite the blowout, however, I'm enthralled. The goaltenders record save percentages that would have NHL netminders pulled and released in a matter of minutes, but are All-Stars. There are power plays. Teams can move the ball 80 yards and score in seconds, like Cornell did late in the second quarter. If the ball goes out of bounds on a missed shot, whoever is closer to it where it rolls out gains possession, but if a pass goes out of bounds, it's a turnover.
It can be fast and hectic or slow and deliberate, depending on a team's style of play. Lacrosse has its fair share of highlight-reel goals, but also highlight-reel saves. The players don't really stop moving, whether on offense or defense. And games are fairly high scoring.
A lot of these qualities are what people love about sports, but nobody realizes that lacrosse has them.
Fortunately, I'm here to spread the word. If you get a chance, check out a lacrosse game, whether on TV or in person. If you like speed, hitting and scoring, you won't be disappointed.
It's basically the opposite of soccer in those aspects. You can't go wrong.
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