Sideline Chatter: July 2009 Responses
What rule would you change?
For a sport so married to its traditions, lacrosse boasts a peanut gallery like no other. We want it quicker, cleaner, more entertaining, fairer, more mainstream, etc.
Want a shot clock? Speak. Helmets for women? Speak. Done with stalling away a win? Speak.
It's your game, so simply put: what rule would you change?
Related: What major college should add lacrosse as a varsity sport? Click here to chime in.
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This Month's Winner: Greg McManus, Lincoln, Neb.
Definitely a shot clock, but not too short. I would make it 75 seconds. Not a whole lot translates well from box lacrosse to field lacrosse and vice versa, but field could learn some things from the up tempo of the box game.
Greg wins the adidas 2010 Grant head. The ultra-lightweight head weighs in at 5 ounces and features the adidas radical off-axis technology. It's got more stringing holes for customization and maximum ball control for scooping ground balls. More at evolve-lacrosse.com.
I would actually get rid of the eight-meter arc in women’s
lacrosse. The referees call shooting space all of the time, and it
gets annoying, especially on defense, when you know when you were
properly marked up — and yet the referee still calls shooting
space!
-- Rachel Wadsworth, Syracuse, N.Y.
Ditch the faceoff illegal procedure where the FOGO has to get off
the field. The rule was created largely by those facing off against
former Delaware Blue Hen, Alex Smith, where they would
intentionally jump the ball to prevent a fast break. The rest of
the lacrosse world isn’t Alex Smith, and not all jumps are
respectively unsportsmanlike. Giving a free fast break to someone
who jumps is a punishment worse than the crime. Ditch it.
-- Ryan Pavlicek, Memphis, Tenn.
I would change the rule that says one team can’t be in the
crease at all after a goal. I miss Chazz
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| "I would change the rule that says one team can't be in
the crease at all after a goal. I miss Chazz Woodson jumping over
the crease and doing superman shots." -- Jorge Zetina, Franklin, Tenn. |
Woodson jumping over the crease and doing superman shots.
-- Jorge Zetina. Franklin, Tenn.
I think the Air Gait should be legal again. Also we should make
women’s eye wear more protective. I play both boys’ and
girls’ lax, and compared to boys I get hit way more in
girls’ lax with their sticks than the boys. In girls you
should make hand protection a must with padded gloves.
-- Lindsay Furar-Cavazos, Goodyear, Ariz.
Let’s throw in two balls. You want more excitement in the
game? There you go.
-- Chris Turner. Frederick, Md.
Sixty-second shot clock, but maybe only turn it on in the last
five minutes of a game.
-- John Keitz, Fallon, Nev.
Definitely the shooting space rule, because I just feel like it is
unnecessary. I get the call all of the time, and I feel like if I
hadn’t gotten the call I would have been able to stop her
from going to the goal and scoring. I would make the rule a little
more lenient and stop the rule from causing defenders to go four
behind.
-- Alexandra DiStefano, Mercellus, N.Y.
Amend the college and high school scoring rules by installing the
two-point arc extending 16 yards (15 in high school) from goal.
Hopefully the two-point arc will yield better shot management,
smarter defenses, potentially better rallies and storied lead
changes.
-- Alan Miranda, Alexandria, Va.
I would change the rule on loose ball push. The game would go
faster and smoother without this rule. If they were to eliminate
this rule, it would be necessary to make an interference call for,
let’s say, 5-7 yards away from the ball. Eliminating this
rule would also increase the need for scooping on the run, and
therefore make the game faster with more skill — not just
braun.
-- John Metz, Annapolis, Md.
I would adopt a version of the hockey rule for timeouts. Reduce to
one per half and you can only call it in a dead-ball situation. No
more calling a timeout because you draw a double-team or are about
to lose the ball.
-- Andy Winchell, Summit, N.J.
I wouldn’t mind wearing helmets, because I do wish the
girls’ game could be a little bit more aggressive. I do not
want a shot clock. I think it would rush the defense and the
offense, and the game of lax would not be a game of fluidity and
skill as it is now.
-- Meghan Gray, Noblesville, Ind.
Limit timeouts to one per quarter per team. Need to get these
coaches out of the game.
-- Brian King, Mason, Ohio
Offsides. I think they should have a gray area. One-step rule.
Sometimes when you are chasing someone hard toward the midfield,
it’s hard to pick up the line. It would be nice to be given
that break especially if it does not affect the play, and you were
truly attempting to stop. It would be tough for officials to call
and coaches would probably have heart attacks, but as a player I
would love it.
-- Tim Bethke, Derry, N.H.
I would actually really enjoy a shot clock. It would speed up the
game. In those situations where you are on defense and you need the
attack to make a mistake so you can have the ball back, this would
help out a ton. I was thinking like a 35- to 45-second shot clock
so it gives the offense enough time to set up. The clock would
start as soon as the ball crosses the restraining line.
-- Dan Ono, Phoenix, Ariz.
In women’s lacrosse, I always felt that chasing down a ball
as it was going “out” was way cooler than the current
hard boundary rule. There was much more hustling after a ball. So,
I’d have to say that I’d get rid of the boundaries in
women’s lacrosse.
-- Bean Callen, Gilbert, Ariz.
Simple. Diving in the crease should be legal. A long time ago
that’s how a lot of guys scored their goals. Why can’t
we do what they did?
-- Jack Marshall, Biddeford Pool, Maine
Goalie interference. Those stupid goalies don't even attempt a
legitimate pass on three quarters of the goalie interferences!!
-- John Martin, Roseville, Minn.
I would change the rule that girls arent allowed to hit. You
know that sometimes players get frustrated and, personally, I would
love to take a swing at a player or two. I know that's not
nice, but it feels good while you're doing it.
-- Catherine Connerty, Norwell, Mass.
I think most of the rules in girls' lacrosse are fair and put
there for the safety of the players, but the refs are out of
control. They are snide, rude and mostly disrespectful to the
girls. We do one thing wrong and they hold a grudge for the rest of
the game. Refs hold grudges on whole teams sometimes. These grudges
can last a few games, a season, and maybe even years... The refs
are out of control. JUST LET THE GIRLS PLAY AND BE FAIR!!!!
-- Mariah M., Worthington, Ohio
I would make the box smaller to force the teams to “mix it
up” more and to make stalling harder and less effective. To
use a basketball analogy, there are some who want to camp outside
the 3-point line -- let's see some more “physical” back
in the “Creator's Game.”
-- John Troyer, Knoxville, Tenn.
For the girls game, the rule I would choose to change is
shooting space. I would choose shooting space, because it's the
defenders choice to get in front of the shooter. If the defender
gets hit, she gets hit; if she doesn't, she doesn't.
-- Gabbi Klein, Danville, Calif.
While I was waching the Womens' Division I Championships,
Northwestern got a yellow card against Penn, so they had to serve a
man-down penalty. But in girls' lacrosse, the penalty only affects
the middle (between the two restraining lines) part of the field.
So Northwestern was "all even" in its defensive and attack zones.
Penn only had man-up opportunities on turnovers. I don't think this
makes sense. It should be like guys' lacrosse, where a man-down
penalty affects the whole field. This also might make the game
safer by making it be a real punishment for your team when it gets
a penalty!
-- Corinne Wessels, Woodbridge, Va.
For women's lacrosse, when a player gets a yellow card, the team
must play down below the goal line. If a goal is scored by the team
with the player advantage, the three-minute penalty is released and
both teams are at full strength. For a red card, the team plays
down for the entire three minutes.
-- Jeff Secor, Colorado Springs, Colo.
I hate the rule that says you can only have a certain amount of
long poles on the field at once. If you're man down, you should be
allowed to have five long poles on the field, but you can only have
four. It seems like one of those rules thast was made up just to
add a line to the rule book.
-- Mike Keegan, Boston, Mass.
Overtime. I think that if no one has scored in at least two
overtimes, there should be something like a penalty shootout like
in hockey. It would be a way to showcase either the shooter's or
goalie's skills, and it would be sweet to see.
-- Evan Polito, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
I wish that the rules for girls' lax were the same as the rules
for boys' lax. Don’t get me wrong, I love girls' lax and
think it is the most fun game out there, but sometimes I just want
to hit someone really bad.
-- Raisa Ebner, Portland, Ore.
I would change the girls' three-pass rule, because boys can just
run the ball down the field and shoot while girls have to make
three stinkin' passes first . I know the goalie's pass counts, but
still, two passes is just ridiculous. I really would appreciate it
if that rule were to be changed!
-- Grace Bielefeld, Indianapolis, Ind.
I would change the goalie four-second rule. I mean, the rule that
says the goalie can only stay in the crease for four seconds after
he gets the ball. I think it should be seven seconds, or something
around there. In my game, the goalie was barely in there for three
seconds when the ref blew the whistle. It just annoys me, it's too
short.
-- Mike Keegan, Wakefield, Mass.
I would change the holding rule. I believe it's ridiculous when a
defensmen like myself can't prevent a goal by hooking his arm for
more than a split second. All the refs at my level call it, and I'm
sick of it.
-- Doug Smith, Milford
I would change the rule that even after a goal is made, shooting
space can be called. If the defense is at fault, why should the
offense be penalized for it? It's unfair when an offensive player
has to re-shoot a shot she already made, with the chance she won't
score a point, when she already did.
-- Kelsey Nelson, Scandia, Minn.
I would definetly change the rule how in middle school girls'
lacrosse you can't scream, yell, roar, etc., to the person you're
defending anymore. The refs think it is distracting.
-- Monica Firmani, Seattle, Wash.
I would make it so you dont have to wear arm guards or elbow pads
on the field. They are the biggest reason for not playing good
(plus, they're annoying).
-- Sam Ozminkowski, Saline, Mich.
If there was one rule I could change, it would definitely be
warding. Allowing the players to stiff arm would make the game more
interesting. The only aspect of warding that should be kept is no
grabbing of the opposing player's shaft or head.
-- Ryan Garner, West Jordan, Utah
In the Minnesota girls' state high school tournament, the
third-place game ended in a tie -- both teams receiving third place
due to the MSHSL rule stating that no overtime would be played in
the third-place game. Even though all season long all games played
to a tie were completed with overtime -- not so in the state
tournament!
-- Michaela Schwartz, Lino Lakes, Minn.
In women's lacrosse, when "shooting space" is called, allow the
shot, and if the goal is scored, the following penality shot allows
for a two -point play. Similar to basketball when the player is
fouled and the ball goes in, the player gets the free throw for a
three-point play.
-- Don Bryant, Monument, Colo.
Playing without the stick. It just looks more sick if you lay
someone out without your stick. As long as you don't break any
other rules, who cares?
-- Ben Peacock, Rutland, Vt.
From the Lacrosse
Magazine on Facebook:
Jake Pechet at 8:31pm April 14
warding shouldnt be a rule anymore. i get called every time for
just sticking my arm out. sometimes i havent even made contact yet.
i agree with bethany the refs cant see.
Joey Myers at 1:08am May 21
Hehehehehehe...... good sportsmanship after an injury...
>=D
Parker Tully at 7:05am May 21
slap checks......
LAX4LIFE
John Scaggs at 7:17am May 21
I would love to see on a face-off still make the attack and D stay
in the box but when the whistle blew, it would be an all out brawl
for the ball from both attack and defense, WHY? more fastbreaks for
your viewing pleasure.
Michaeline Torres at 7:55am May 21
Definitely the 'loose ball push' in youth lacrosse. Just keep the
game going!
Christopher Deist at 9:37am May 21
Bring back the 5th longpole!! We can lead a break, clear the ball,
face-off, and would have the means to dominate the game again;
bringing back a tough nosed game of lacrosse we all love to see.
The goal tallies are too great these days because of the unfair
pinched design of sticks and how the rules commitee have strewed
the game to be more offensive minded.
Oh yeah, offensive players should be able to leap into the crease
and score, or else crease violation; protect goalies? come on!
Meghan Gray at 4:17pm May 21
i wouldnt mind wearing helmets because i do wish the girls' game
could be a little bit more aggressive. but i do not want a shot
clock. i think it would rush the defense and the offense and the
game of lax would not be a game of fluidity and skill as it comes
across now.
Dylan Voneiff at 5:18pm May 21
i think girls should be able to push eachother a little bit more.
We don't need helmets for that! In girls soccer they can slide
tackle and in girls basketball they can push eachother around and
they have no head protection what so ever! Just a small push is not
going to kill any body!
Teddy Secor at 11:10pm May 23
i think that faceoff guys feet should be alowed to be in the
neutral zone and they should be able to have their hand on the
plastic
Robby FlowMuffin Dunigan at 6:56pm May 21
I think we should allow 5 poles on the field for a man down team
