GRLC Championship Seeding

[reLAX10]

final lindenwood win 14-13

[dclax80]

I would like to tip my hat to Harding for the great effort that they put up against us during the championship game. I'm confident that if they keep playing as they did during the playoffs they will represent the GRLC well in Dallas as they have in the past years, take it to them Harding.

[sicklax809]

As a Illini lacrosse alumni, I really feel that the GRLC needs to address where the GRLC conference tournament is held. Two years in a row Lindenwood has pulled out one goal victories in thrilling games, but who knows how these games would have gone if they were played on a neutral site. The Illini earned the number 1 seed this year for the tournament, but still had to go into Lindenwood's house and defeat them for the second time to get the right to go to nationals. No where else in the MCLA does a team seeded higher have to go play at the lower seeded teams home. I understand the need to host the tourney in either St. Louis or Chicago due to the need for referees for the weekend, but why can't it be at a neutral sight in St. Louis. In talking to some of the Illini players they definitely did not feel like they received any benefit of the #1 seed as they had the visitors side of the field, weren't allowed to play their own warm up music, and were given a pregame meeting room where Lindenwood players were constantly coming in to get treatment from trainers. Obviously, this is something I hoped the Illini could overcome, but it is something the GRLC must address for next year.

[uhavbalimnctrl]

Agreed. The entire situation was unfortunate for Illinois. They are a good team and deserve to go to Dallas just as much as Lindenwood does. But why didn't anyone say anything before? Unless there was a huge upset, everyone could assume from the beginning of the season that Lindenwood would play Illinois for the championship. This issue should have been addressed long ago when the decision for Lindenwood to host the GRLC Tournament was made. Not after it's over. As it stands.... it just seems like sour grapes. And i doubt anyone would have said anything if Illinois won.

[essn1064]

Well it all comes down to tournament bids.

-STL/St Charles is the most centralized location

Lindenwood has been the only one to bid to host the tournament, which is expected because of their facilities and central location

The SELC plays at a high school stadium in ATL.... Do we want to look for a neutral stadium in STL?

I do not want the tournament moved from STL unless its closer to us... kidding aside (its the center of the conference)

Side note: Ole Miss was excited to play in the playoffs and learned a lot from Illinois State...Thank you and Thank you to the GRLC

Here is the side note....We drove up and lost...thats it/ I think we need to do something about the conference tournament... Have a BBQ for the teams a meet and greet something more than just get off a bus and play then leave

Make the playoffs special... No one from the hosting team (Lindenwood) introduced themselves or talked to me seemed that we were being snubbed

Or if there was a meet and greet we were never told

[cjwilhelmi]

Alright here we go again since I was pretty much tournament director for the weekend I'll answer these accusations with facts.

As a Illini lacrosse alumni, I really feel that the GRLC needs to address where the GRLC conference tournament is held. Two years in a row Lindenwood has pulled out one goal victories in thrilling games, but who knows how these games would have gone if they were played on a neutral site. The Illini earned the number 1 seed this year for the tournament, but still had to go into Lindenwood's house and defeat them for the second time to get the right to go to nationals. No where else in the MCLA does a team seeded higher have to go play at the lower seeded teams home. I understand the need to host the tourney in either St. Louis or Chicago due to the need for referees for the weekend, but why can't it be at a neutral sight in St. Louis.

The GRLC tournament is decided each fall at the fall conference meeting. We take applications from teams who would like to host the tournament sometime in August as per our bylaws. Lindenwood was the only team to bid for the tournament and as such it was given to them at the fall meeting. Each team knew that where the tournament was going to be held and the dates before they left St. Louis. It doesn't matter what a team is seeded or if they even make the tournament, the site is decided well before the season even starts. I am currently working on a new tournament bid application packet and it should be finished within the week. Trust me, as the pseudo tournament director, I would love for someone else to deal with the hassle.

In talking to some of the Illini players they definitely did not feel like they received any benefit of the #1 seed as they had the visitors side of the field,

Before the game started, Coach Hood, Coach Shanahan, Coach Smith and myself all met to determine how things were going to occur during the game. None of the coaches really cared what side they wanted to be on and flipped a coin for it. Coach Shanahan called heads and the coin landed on the ground as tails.

weren't allowed to play their own warm up music,

How did I know this one was going to come up? The computer in our press box is controlled by the Lindenwood Dean of Communication. As such, we have to have all music approved by him. We cannot plug any other devices into the computer as everything else is locked out. That means you cannot play an IPod directly (its all computer controlled) and we cannot dump an IPod playlist into the computer as you have to have a password to get into the admin section to upload music. Nobody but the Dean has that password. I am sure that the U of I playlist was good and probably better than what we have available but the rules are the rules.

[quote=sicklax809] and were given a pregame meeting room where Lindenwood players were constantly coming in to get treatment from trainers.[/quote]

I arrived at the fieldhouse two and a half hours before the game and U of I had already taken up the room. I asked Coach Smith if they would rather have the football locker room and he turned it down saying that they were comfortabnle where they were. Yes the room is adjacent to the training room and some of the training supplies are in that room. But you should also know that the trainers were available to both teams. I know Black (U of I #35) took advantage of it for his wrist during halftime. The football locker room was available to any team who wanted it the entire weekend. If it was such a big deal, Coach Smith knew he could move to the locker room, the door was unlocked.

Obviously, this is something I hoped the Illini could overcome, but it is something the GRLC must address for next year.

One would think so. Is it such a disadvantage not to have your music played before a game? wow.

I have a great idea for all of you who want to complain out there: instead of complain and say someone should deal with it, how about a great idea of coming up with an actual solution that can be looked at. It would really help instead of just hearing/reading people bitch all the time. It makes our job on the EB really hard to deal with all of it.

Oh and specifically to sicklax809 and all others who want to complain. How about getting a real name where people know who you are. Anonymous posters who bitch and complain are really annoying.

Corbin Wilhelmi

You can read my stuff below:

[cjwilhelmi]

Make the playoffs special... No one from the hosting team (Lindenwood) introduced themselves or talked to me seemed that we were being snubbed

Or if there was a meet and greet we were never told

Umm, there were only two of us there.... Troy was really sick and wanted to stay away from people as much as he could and I was in the press box running everything. Umm if you wanted a red carpet thing then sorry. You had the late game on Friday, we were all doing things to get the tournament going. Commisioner Mosher was on the field. Troy was sick and somewhere probably throwing up. Div 1 Director Stevens was trying to help get things going. Secretary Martin and Div 2 Director Gilner were at the Div 2 game. Sorry we didn't have a parade or anything.

Please read sarcasm in the entire thing. If we had more volunteer help it would realy make the tournament better. I had some alumni from other schools that had asked about help. Probably should have taken Beckner up on it (sorry bro) and a couple more didn't make the trip into St. Charles. If you have any alumni that want to help next year (where ever it is) that would be fantastic.

[OutCold20]

Sounds like sour grapes to me......no warm up music!!! are you serious?? It was a great game, don't ruin it by whining

[kschuh5]

I was not there so I can not speak for the tournament this year, but I think the idea of making it a big event as opposed to just some games is a great idea, but difficult to pull off. I understand the difficulty of running an event like that with limited resources (workers, money), but it could happen. I know that LU has an event management dept. (I know this because I used to be in charge of it) with student workers who could use extra hours. LU also has a great sport management department that I know would jump at the chance to give their students first hand experience setting up and working a sporting event. Coordinating concessions, giveaways, off the field entertainment (i.e. radar gun at the Manhatten-Bellarmine game), apparal sales, and everything else that goes into a large event is taxing on the director of the event (in this case Corbin) but is very rewarding and can elevate the league and event that much more. I know I'm rambling a bit but event management is my passion and the idea to make this a huge annual event is very exciting to me. Corbin, I'm currently interning at UT but will be back in the St. Louis area after this summer (job permitting) and would love to talk about the tournament and any possibilities to make the GRLC tourney even better. I'll update my info so you can email me if this is of any interest to you.

Kevin Schuh

[MBlax327]

Please read sarcasm in the entire thing.

Don't worry, Corbin. I don't think anybody could miss the sarcasm.

In my opinion, a little bit of the southern hospitality would be a great idea. Encourage the conference players to meet, let everybody cool off from a win or loss, i think it would be a complement to the entire tournament. However, exactly what Corbin said is true. There simply was not enough staff to support something like that. Corbin was, for the majority of the tourney, keeping time in the box the entire weekend alone, which left the players on the field, their coaches or the refs to handle a post-game party. Not exactly do-able this year.

Who knows, though, maybe this guy could run the show. he had energy enough: www.pbase.com/frim/image/43949830

[kschuh5]

okay, I guess I can't change my email in my profile. My email is schuh.kevin@gmail.com.

[essn1064]

Corbin I dont take kind to your sarcasm...... I wasnt looking for a parade or red carpet... but maybe a hello (if your incharge don't you think you should atleast talk to the teams involved)

Its too bad Troy was sick...because I know he would have done that

You may not think its a big deal... but making playoffs is important

Mr. Mosher and Mr. Stevens were there and very helpful

I think the site was perfect

But I just have some ideas and on the forum its a good way to see what others thought

I understand how busy it can be runing a tournament... I have done several

It should be something more than just a game... next year I volunteer myself to making a tournament meet and greet.... I would have liked to have talked with other coaches and I know several of my players would have liked to do the same with other players or coaches...

Does anyone see this as a bad idea?

[cjwilhelmi]

Kevin, I would absolutely love the help next year. You and I will be in contact.

[essn1064]

Playoff t-shirts are a good idea for the grlc... All of my team would have bought them

Good idea for GRLC fundraising

Next Year

[essn1064]

Maybe we are just accustomed to "southern hospitality" and expect it