Having a 1-seed is definitely an advantage, but the difference between a 2-seed and a 3-seed is a bigger deal. The 1's and 2's generally host the weekend of the round of 32 and 16 games after the first one. That means a 2-seed gets 3 home games, but a 3-seed only gets 1 unless the 2-seed loses its first-round game which rarely happens. Also, a 2-seed has a shot at hosting the round-of-8 game if the 1-seed gets knocked off in one of the first 3 games which is not as unusual as a 2-seed losing in the first round. In the last 11 years, there are 44 teams that were 1, 2, 3, and 4-seeds. In terms of making the final 4 #1: 30 #2: 10 #3: 1 #4: 1 Other: 2 The higher seeds tend to be better so we'd expect better results from the higher seeds. But I have to believe the home-field advantage in the playoffs is also significant.
Correct, however if Mark had stayed he would have had Emily Madril and Yujie Zhao on last year's roster. Madril would have solved the possession and penetration issues that you point out. Also, had Mark stayed there is at least a chance that Jenna Nighswonger and Heather Payne would be on this year's roster. My guess is that Jenna would have gone pro anyway but there is a chance that she would have stayed. I think that there is a slightly better chance that Heather would have stayed but we'll never know. Also, technically Madril could have played on this year's team had she decided to use her Covid year but even before Mark left she made it clear that she didn't intend to use her Covid year. Regarding this year's team, if Mark was still the coach let's assume that neither Madril, Zhao, Nighswonger or Payne would have stayed because that is a reasonable assumption. In that case, as I said before Huff, Echegini and Claire Rain would not be on the team (although of course since Rain is out for the year with an injury her absence is a moot point) but it is likely that Mark would have compensated with a couple of internationals, transfers or HS recruits. Remember, FSU lost about a month or so of recruiting time just between when Mark resigned and when Brian was hired. Also, I'm not sure how hard Mark was recruiting in the weeks before he resigned since he probably knew that he was leaving. In any case, the team would have been good either way but it is a fun thought exercise determining how different things would have been had Mark stayed.
Real quick on Echegini: I'm assuming that she wouldn't have come to FSU had Mark stayed but I don't know that for sure. Basically she had decided to transfer from Mississippi St. and she wanted to go to the ACC. However, had Mark stayed he would have had Olsson, Brown and Smith up front with Nighswonger, Zhao, Robbins and Nesbeth in the midfield and that assumes that he wouldn't have had any transfers or internationals come in. Therefore, I am assuming that Echegini would have looked at the depth chart and probably chosen another team. This is not to say that she couldn't have started at FSU (I'm sure that she would have gotten regular minutes at the very least) but I think that it is more likely that she would have chosen a team that could offer her a more clear path to the starting lineup. I might be wrong though. There is a scenario where she looks at all that talent and says that I could go there and win a natty.
So in that video where UNC scores, 2 UNC players were clearly offsides, the one who collected the ball and scored may not have been. Is that offsides or not? Honest question. Still learning the game.
The one who scored was clearly onside. The other two would have killed the play IF they interfered with the play - like screened the keeper for example. But they did not impact the play at all so they let the goal stand. I am neutral and I thought it was the correct call.
I appreciate the answer. The obsessive part of my brain is not satisfied with it, b/c it requires the side ref to make quick real time decisions that I almost never see them make. In almost all cases I see, they make immediate arm raises for offsides. In this case, the other two players' presence is in and of itself an INTERFERENCE to the GKer. That split second of distraction could be the difference between a stop and a goal. Whatever!
It’s not as hard on the Assistant referee as it first appears. Most often it is the referee who makes the judgement whether the keeper is interfered with. The AR is mostly concerned with whether the player who made the play is offside.
My son in law, who played in HS and is an avid Soccer fan echoed your sentiments. Thanks for the info. Clive you are one of a few posters on here that I would award the EF Hutton designation. Those of most advanced in age will know what that means.
I hope it doesn’t mean you think I plead guilty to 2,000 counts of check kiting, money laundering, securities fraud, mail and wire fraud, and associated other felonies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_Hutton
This week in “who the hell votes in the coaches poll and also why?” FSU received all first place votes last week. This week they demolished Notre Dame. And lost a first place vote to… Penn St, who didn’t pick up a win this week but did tie Northwestern and also tied the mighty 3-11-3 Purdue Boilermakers. Make it make sense.
I can't twist the objective data well enough to make that make sense. I'm just glad we are in a good position to secure one of 4 #1 seeds, although there is work to be done. Playing at home in the playoffs is so important!
It doesn't make sense. The only explanation is that no one really cares about the poll. If they actually cared there would be more than eight voters.
The coaches cast their votes the day after a busy weekend when they are exhausted. They don't put time into it.
Penn State getting any first place votes after the week they had is a complete joke. After the unanimous FSU vote last week, the Penn State coach must have called the Michigan coach (who is the Big 10 rep on the rankings committee) and said "WTF dude, UNC can be number one with all those ties but we can't?".
Our defense has stepped up recently. Much of that (similar to UNC) is probably b/c of a dominant MF and front line. I'm anxious to see how that holds up against the Pitt offense.
I love the attacking talent on this FSU team and it’s very fun to watch them in the offensive third…. But man this team is annoying to watch in build up. Passes between CBs until one of them launches it over the top. They’ll be better if they build through the midfield some. The complete reliance on the over the top long ball has shown up a few times this season. I know Pensky doesn’t like it either… seems to need to work with the cbs and mf to get some other patterns worked in.
We won 3-2! yay! Pitt is a legit team and they dominated the 1st half going in up 1-0. We scored 3 in the first 2/3s of the 2nd half. Pitt got a second goal on a PK while the key starters were out. Starters came back in and took care of business. Neither Duke nor NCSt brings anywhere near the firepower Pitt does. This ref was letting them play very physical which benefitted Pitt the most IMO. All 3 of our goals were good. 2 were excellent! Jordynn Dudley beat a defender into the R side of the box and with the GKer ready hit a laser into the Right upper corner. It was hit too hard for the GKer to get her arms up and stop in. Echegini made a great move back to defender in the box to the right side and hit nice low shot into the Left side of the box
I say it every week so here I go again… Dudley is so so good. My goodness. It feels like she can do whatever she wants with the ball at her feet.