Best Offense and Best Defense

[scooter]

1. We went 13-2 (losing both games to ranked opponents) and won the GRLC.

2. In our final seven games last season, including both the GRLC playoffs and Plano, we went 5-1 versus ranked opponents.

3. I return 23 of 26 players from last year's team, included in that are three complete middie lines, a starting defense and attack. We have also added eight freshman to the mix.

As for fall ball, we went 1-8 last season but still managed, apparently against insurmountable odds to muster the courage and strength to go 13-2 and win the GRLC outright. Entering the GRLC playoffs we were ranked #24. We then went on to defeat Wheaton, then-ranked #7 Harding(11-10) and #19 Creighton (12-7).

We next went to Plano, now ranked #10. We lost to a very good #7 Eckerd team (10-18 ) , defeated #14 Southwestern (10-4)and #2 UVSC (9-2). Did Plano go as well as I had wanted it? Absolutely. My seniors, who in their first year went 0-8, went out as conference champs and played in a national championship tournament that 15 months before was something that they didn't even dream of happening. The other 23 underclassmen on the roster had another year of high-level lacrosse under their belts to take into this year. Not too bad for a team picked 14th in the GRLC preseason poll

At Augustana, we have one goal simple goal: to win championships. That's it. Not to be #1 in a poll, make all-conference, all-america, etc... That we leave up to others. If you notice, you don't see my players on this board trashing other teams or starting threads in which they tell each other how good they are. We don't call out other teams. We don't worry who is an elite team and who isn't. We have more important things to worry about. So by Augustana's standards, I think we are doing just fine.

i will give it to augustana, they beat harding...but i think if they were to go up against the squad that harding has this year it would be a different story...

Just 2 thoughts.....
1. How do you say something like that?

2. What basis do you have to make such a bold and arrogant statement?

Augustana sounds pretty solid this season, maybe even better than last season. If I were you, I would be a bit leary of writing a check your behind can't cash. If I played for Augustana, I would do my absolute best to make you eat those words.

sidenote: Do Harding and Augustana play one another in the season or not until the GRLC playoffs maybe? If so, I would love to come to this game and see how everything is played out. seems to be much animosity and bitterness on both ends

[cjwilhelmi]

sidenote: Do Harding and Augustana play one another in the season or not until the GRLC playoffs maybe? If so, I would love to come to this game and see how everything is played out. seems to be much animosity and bitterness on both ends

Just during the playoffs if they do. Emphasis added to if.

[norway]

[beckner11]

I'd strongly recommend you not praising yourselves too much. HU may have a solid team but no one likes arrogance.

[norway]

I'm confident in HU's ability to play that is all.

[Madlax16]

i agree with beckner. Its fine to have confidence, and be proud of your team and its accompishments, but leave the rest on the stuff on the fields and not on the boards.

[Matt_Gardiner]

So was it confidence or arrogance that lead to Harding not bringing the GRLC trophy to the playoffs and not giving it to Augustana?

[culax]

that was a good one matt.

merry christmas to all and to all a good night.

[scooter]

i will give it to augustana, they beat harding...

HU wants to play Augustana; we came up just a little short last yr. (And, I will be so bold to say that the playoff game was a fluke game.)

First, if HU is going to come on the forums and discuss game outcomes, be sure to have the same story going... Augustana either beat you fair and square, or you all had an off game and it was a fluke, not both ways

Second, Norway, how dare you insult Augustana like that and call it a fluke?!?! Augustana played out their heart and souls and came back from a 5 goal deficit twice. That is what champions are made of. HU didn't want it bad enough, end of story.

Also, I think it reflects poorly on your team to have you constantly running your mouth and telling everyone how good you are. If you really are the elite squad you claim, show it on the field and don't brag here.

I have not seen 1 post from any Augustana player telling everyone how bad they beat you and throwing it your face, but have numerous ones from HU about how good you guys are. I have never seen anyone being so proud to take 2nd place in a conference. Remember, you guys are #2 now, until Augustana loses the crown, they are #1. You should show them the respect they have earned and deserve.

The Vikings are class of the B division right now, not only in this conference, but throughout the MCLA, maybe HU should take a page from their book.

[norway]

Let me set this straight for everyone. The comments I have made are my own and in no way are the views of the rest of the HU team. These are my opinions and feelings, and no one else's. My goal was to try and stir things up on this forum, which has been accomplished.

[scooter]

Let me set this straight for everyone. The comments I have made are my own and in no way are the views of the rest of the HU team. These are my opinions and feelings, and no one else's. My goal was to try and stir things up on this forum, which has been accomplished.

You represent your school and your team wherever you go and whenever you speak. To talk the way about other teams and belittling their accomplishments is unnecessay, and has cast a negative light on the rest of the Harding lacrosse program

[pepsi24]

Second, Norway, how dare you insult Augustana like that and call it a fluke?!?! Augustana played out their heart and souls and came back from a 5 goal deficit twice. That is what champions are made of. HU didn't want it bad enough, end of story.

Also, I think it reflects poorly on your team to have you constantly running your mouth and telling everyone how good you are. If you really are the elite squad you claim, show it on the field and don't brag here.

I have not seen 1 post from any Augustana player telling everyone how bad they beat you and throwing it your face, but have numerous ones from HU about how good you guys are. I have never seen anyone being so proud to take 2nd place in a conference. Remember, you guys are #2 now, until Augustana loses the crown, they are #1. You should show them the respect they have earned and deserve.

The Vikings are class of the B division right now, not only in this conference, but throughout the MCLA, maybe HU should take a page from their book.

i totally agree with every point you have made. especially the above mentioned one (i could figure out how to double quote). and being one of those represented by the comments made, i just want to say that in no way does harding have anything but the upmost respect for augustana. after the game last year the president of the team told me straight up, "they wanted it more than we did, plain and simple." it was not a fluke game. and saying anything to the contrary demeans everything that augustana gave the grlc last year. and i know that in most peoples minds on this team, they are the team to beat in this conference and a team that you definitely need to watch for in nationals. they are a class act and definitely deserve every amount of recognition they have recieved.


norway, i know that your intentions were honorable, and i know you well enough to know that you would never try to take away from what augustana acomplished last year. but you cannot try to remove your comments from hardings team. just look at the duke case 47 players lost their season and nearly their lacrosse program because of somethingthat 3 players supposedly did one night. how much more so does it reflect when the words you say are posted onthe internet for all to see. i understand pride and confidence, i even understand a frustration in being a team not recognized for its talents. but as was stated...let the field talk. as for now harding is number 2.[/quote]

[DIEHARDLAX]

Its hard to let the field talk when we have to beg teams to play us. Harding was overconfident last year, but it served as a wake up call. Its time for all people to put up or shut up, and put your money where your mouth is. Maybe you people who argue on these forums should pay more attention to your seasons then who said what on the forum. and for the guys who dont play anymore and still post on this thing...get a life. :roll:

[pepsi24]

[quote="DIEHARDLAX"]Its hard to let the field talk when we have to beg teams to play us. [quote]

well first of all you have to handle the games that you do get scheduled. until you have gone undefeated its hard to make comments that you arent playing the right talent.

and lets be honest here. searcy arkansas isnt on the top of anyones list for a visit. especially when they will only get to play one top 25 team. and so yes it is hard to get people to come, and being a small school its hard to afford to travel to play better talent. but if you think that people dont [/i]want to play harding your crazy.

[quote]Maybe you people who argue on these forums should pay more attention to your seasons then who said what on the forum.[quote]

are you aware that are doing the very thing that you are speaking out against?

[quote]and for the guys who dont play anymore and still post on this thing...get a life.[quote]

well...as is evident on this thread...active players should be posting. and by definition this is a fan board. and since most guys that played in this league are fans...using the transitive property (a=b, b=c, then a=c for those non math kids out there) one can deduce that old players would post in order to keep up with their teams and have good healthy debate thats healthy for the growth of this league. to some of us we actually care about the school that we played for and the guys on our team and wouldl ike to know whats going on with them.

[mdlax]

i will say this...augustana wanted it more than harding, and played like it...i would not try and do anything to take away from their achievement...i apologize if it seemed like thats what i was trying to do, because it was not...i hope there are no ill feelings between any aug. or har. players...and with that i am not going to say anything more until we play again...see you on the field boys