Off-topic to FSU or Canadian NT, but, just for records, some Homare Sawa debuted in 1993 for Japanese NT, when she was aged 15 years and three exact months, scoring 4 goals in her first NT match vs Philippines. She retired in 2015, after a long and satisfaying career including a World Cup win and an individual Ballon d'Or, and she's now mother of a beautiful daughter. I guess we can safely say that she wasn't too much traumatized by her early debut. I am not necessarily a fan of young teens already committing to international football so early, but not everyone is the same and, in a case by case analysis, you'll found that some people just did what they had to by debuting at 15.
Yeah our generation younger and older are starting kids much older. I'm on the tail-end of millennial in my mid 30s but I'm planning on a baby in the next 20 months.
Now that it's "after tomorrow's games," I have: 1.1 Stanford with 2.4 Kansas 1.2 North Carolina with 2.3 Southern Cal 1.3 Virginia with 2.2 UCLA 1.4 Florida State with 2.1 South Carolina A big ??? is Florida State with a #1 seed. The problem is, there really isn't a fourth legitimate #1.
Stanford has played 10 road games, which is tied with BYU for the most among the top 15 of the RPI. That's different from Men's Basketball, where Duke played 17 home games and 9 away games last season with no nonconference away games. Hofstra, who I like along with FSU, is 16th in the RPI, and has played 11 road games. Professors could have strict attendance requirements, and some professors wouldn't know what FIFA is. If playing for a national team could lead to an F for poor attendance and/or academic ineligibility, it can be a tough situation for an athlete. My sister had her only child so far at age 31, and most of her friends aren't married. I don't know if she has any friends with kids.
I am 99% sure Mark did not prevent her from going to the Ireland national team. As a matter of fact, Gabby Carle missed the ACC tournament due to Canadian national team duties. He has always done that.
That would be insane similar to what they did to USC last year! We will know in a few hours. I would be shocked if anything less than a two seed
Our loses are to UVA, twice in overtime, UNC, UCLA and USC. I think we had the better run of play in round two against UVA. Against UNC, they just flat beat us. UCLA dominated us and the USC game was 50/50.
Overall the obvious area of concern for FSU is the defense. Probably our worse in over ten maybe more years. Backline and goalkeeping combined.
Which is weird. I have a lot of faith in three of the four spots on the backline. Obvious issues with corner kicks as well, which is hard to explain. I was glad to see FSU charging the second ball this week at least. Hasn't always been the case earlier in the year. I'd throw out depth as the other concern. With departures and injuries and slow or underperforming recoveries (why haven't Lynch's minutes gone up across the season?), not a lot Mark feels comfortable turning to currently.
Well, that's 4 of the top 7 teams in the game, if we want to include Stanford and Arkansas. Really hard to find fault with those losses.
Your question may have in it the reasons why my system gives FSU the last #1 seed. However, be careful. One of the things I've learned over the years is that it simply isn't possible for an avid fan of a team, who has followed them day in and day out over the course of a season, to be even close to objective. I've learned this as much through observing myself as through observing others. My data driven system gives them a #1 seed. CH's data driven system gives them a #3. Massey has them at #6, which would give them a #2. There could be a good rationale for any of those seeds. Remember, its not who you think is the best, for all the NCAA sports except basketball. It's who has performed the best over the course of the season, as demonstrated by match results.
i only watched your games vs UVA closely. From those, I would say your biggest issue is a lack of penetration in wide areas. You certainly had more of the ball vs UVA in both games, but corners and set pieces aside you rarely looked like scoring from open play. If you had a real wide player and fixed your aversion to defending corners I think you would be the right there among the very best teams in the country.
I think FSU does not deserve a 3 seed and certainly not a 1 seed. A 2 seed makes the most sense. Going 0-5 against top tier teams does not look good but historically the selection committee does not punish teams for playing difficult schedules.
I agree the defense is shaky at times, but I'm more worried about out lack of offense, especially at this time of year. Control the ball, control the ball, but ...in last ten games, FSU has scored more than one goal only four times.
Strange isn't it when you have the MoY and Offensive PoY, the most offensive minded CB who is also DoY and and All ACC CAM . Just goes to show that it takes the right players in the right spots to score goals. Olympicos and long shots dont really work consistently vs good teams. You have to have more penetration than FSU does. I think Nishwonger is a fine player, but no way is she a wide threat. This is where technique can be overblown relative to the other skills required. You have to have the combination of skills to be special. When i watch ACC games, there is a real shortage of pacy, skillful wide players who can win 1vs1 consistently vs outside backs.