Apparently, I'm not on the Big East's lacrosse mailing list, an issue I'll try to rectify at some point when it seems more pressing than Jan. 28.
But there was a release today, informing the masses that Syracuse of all teams is the preseason favorite in the league's first season.
As a friend and fellow lacrosse press box mainstay noted to me in an e-mail, "Stop the presses!"
No kidding.
It's nice that central New York's rock-em, sock-em lacrosse juggernaut so kindly agreed to hop on the Big East train. And for the sake of a mass audience, the Big East certainly ensures a lot more recognition than the ECAC or the Great Western Lacrosse League.
But the problem that exists (and will for at least a little while, anyway) is that Syracuse is Syracuse. And, relatively speaking, the rest of the league is the six dwarfs (go ahead and choose which of the seven if either taking a hangover sick day or just got excluded due to budgetary constraints. I kid, I kid).
Here are the series records for the Orange against their six new lacrosse siblings:
Georgetown: 14-4 (losses in 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2006)
Notre Dame: 3-0
Providence: 1-0
Rutgers: 37-8 (losses in 1996, 1998, 2003 and 2004, plus four more pre-1960)
St. John's: 2-0
Villanova: 2-0
OK, so Syracuse isn't completely invulnerable. But given where everyone but Notre Dame is in the league --- either transitioning up from less imposing leagues or coming off lackluster seasons --- this has the makings of a sumptuous Syracuse feast.
At least for now.
Which is why it's hilarious anyone even bothers with a preseason poll for Big East lacrosse.
It's important that it's here. And it provides legitimacy for the sport.
Yet until Syracuse doesn't actually take home the hardware at the end of a season, the name's reputation will far outpace reality. And since Syracuse has won two straight national titles and the other six schools have combined for two final four appearances in their histories, it might be a while before the Orange isn't favored to open a season.
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