Lacrosse World Championships begin Thursday with U.S.-Canada rematch

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Thu Jul 10, 2014, 02:24 PM - Edit history (2)

Lacrosse World Championships begin Thursday with U.S.-Canada rematch

A record 38 nations are taking part in event over the next 10 days outside Denver

By Jon Fogg, The Baltimore Sun
5:51 p.m. EDT, July 9, 2014

For proof of the expanding reach of lacrosse around the globe, look no further than the Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships, which begin Thursday night in the Denver suburbs. ... A record 38 teams, representing nations from six continents, will take part in the quadrennial event over the next 10 days at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. ... That's an impressive number for an event that began with only four countries in 1967 and had just six as recently as 1994.

The 38 teams are grouped into nine divisions; the elite Blue Division features the top six teams in the world rankings: the United States, Canada, Australia, Iroquois, England and Japan. Four of them will advance from pool play to the quarterfinals, with the top two getting a bye to the semifinals. The best team in each of the eight divisions after pool play will have the opportunity to advance to the quarterfinals.

As always, the Baltimore area's ties to the world championships run deep. Representing the United States are attackmen Brendan Mundorf (UMBC, Mount St. Joseph) and Marcus Holman (Gilman); midfielders Matt Abbott (Chesapeake Bayhawks), Dan Burns (Maryland, Severna Park) Kevin Buchanan (Calvert Hall), Paul Rabil (Johns Hopkins) and Kyle Harrison (Johns Hopkins, Friends); defensemen Michael Evans (Johns Hopkins, South River), Jesse Bernhardt (Maryland), Mitch Belisle (Severna Park), Kyle Hartzell (Salisbury, Archbishop Curley), Tucker Durkin (Johns Hopkins) and Lee Zink (Maryland); and goalkeeper Jesse Schwartzman (Johns Hopkins, Pikesville).

No time is wasted getting to the drama -- the first game is between the United States and Canada, which have combined to win every world championship. In 2010, Team USA defeated Canada, 12-10, in Manchester, England, behind an MVP performance from Rabil. Tonight's game will air live on ESPN2 at 9 p.m.

ETA:

Darn! Someone started a thread about the games in the Lounge yesterday:

Love the World Cup? Get ready for the World Lacrosse Championship

ETA, part the deux:

2014 Lacrosse Men’s World Championship Schedule (subject to change)

Thu, July 10
9 p.m. Canada vs. USA ESPN2

Fri, July 11
10 a.m. Netherlands vs. China ESPN3
1 p.m. Scotland vs. Thailand ESPN3
4 p.m. Germany vs. Belgium ESPN3
7 p.m. Australia vs. Japan ESPN3
10 p.m. England vs. Iroquois ESPN3

Sat, July 12
10 a.m. Korea vs. Sweden ESPN3
1 p.m. France vs. Ireland ESPN3
4 p.m. Japan vs. Iroquois ESPN3
7 p.m. Australia vs. USA ESPNU
10 p.m. Canada vs. England ESPN3

Sun, July 13
10 a.m. Wales vs. New Zealand ESPN3
1 p.m. Germany vs. Hong Kong ESPN3
4 p.m. England vs. Australia ESPN3
7 p.m. Japan vs. USA ESPNU
10 p.m. Iroquois vs. Canada ESPNU

Mon, July 14
10 a.m. White #1 vs. Turquois #1 ESPN3
1 p.m. Red #1 vs. Gray #1 ESPN3
4 p.m. Japan vs. Canada ESPN3
7 p.m. England vs. USA ESPNU
10 p.m. Iroquois vs. Australia ESPN3

Tue, July 15
10 a.m. Elimination Game ESPN3
1 p.m. Elimination Game ESPN3
4 p.m. Japan vs. England ESPN3
7 p.m. Iroquois vs. USA ESPNU
10 p.m. Canada vs. Australia ESPN3

Wed, July 16
10 a.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
2 p.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
6 p.m. Quarterfinals #1 ESPN3
9 p.m. Quarterfinals #2 ESPN3

Thu, July 17
10 a.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
1 p.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
4 p.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
6:30 p.m. Semifinals #1 ESPNU
9:30 p.m. Semifinals #2 ESPNU

Fri, July 18
10 a.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
1 p.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
4 p.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
7 p.m. Consolation Round ESPN3
10 p.m. Consolation Round ESPN3

Sat, July 19
1 p.m. Fifth-Place Game ESPN3
4 p.m. Third-Place Game ESPN3
9 p.m. Championship Game ESPNU

[bluedigger]

1. I'll be rooting for the Iroquois Nationals.

They were robbed of a chance to participate in 2010 when UK refused to honor their passports.

It’s a bittersweet return to the world championship for the Iroquois Nationals, who were denied a chance to compete in the 2010 world games after the United Kingdom refused to honor the team’s Haudenosaunee passports. Although Haudenosaunee passports had been accepted for international travel for nearly three decades, England’s changing political posture kept the Nationals from competing.

Despite diplomatic efforts and a widely supported publicity campaign to overturn the decision, in the end, the Iroquois were prevented from traveling to the championships, sparking international outrage that the originators of the sport were treated unfairly.
...

To add salt to the wounds, last year the FIL tried to bar the Iroquois Nationals from competing in the 2014 Blue Division based on “non-appearance” at the 2010 FIL World Championships in Manchester, England.

The controversial decision by the FIL Board of Directors was appealed by the Nationals, and later overturned with majority support from 30 countries. The FIL is the governing body for men and women’s lacrosse worldwide.


Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/07/05/iroquois-nationals-receive-warm-welcome-fil-championships-ranked-top-division-155676

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Hmm. You're right. I had thought it was the U.S. Department of State

Last edited Thu Jul 10, 2014, 12:36 PM - Edit history (2)

that had held them up. Hit the WABAC machine*:

Iroquois lacrosse team denied visas by U.K.

* For the younger DUers:

WABAC machine



Sherman and Mr. Peabody enter the WABAC machine ca. 1960 to witness another time and place in history.

[bluedigger]

3. That was quick!

You get up to pour another cup of coffee and you're already late...

[KamaAina]

4. The proper name for the sport is "baggataway"

"la crosse" came from French Canadians who thought the sticks looked kind of like crosses.

[bluedigger]

5. Maybe if the Nationals win they can petition for a name change.

In the meantime I'll continue to enjoy lacrosse, and return to ignoring soccer, er, football.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. Iroquois Nationals Behind the Scenes: Part I — 2010 Memories Burn Strong, Meeting Obama, More

Iroquois Nationals Behind the Scenes: Part I — 2010 Memories Burn Strong, Meeting Obama, More

Four years ago, the Iroquois Nationals were barred from traveling to England with their traditional passports. Opting not to switch to the new passport format, the team missed the 2010 FIL World Lacrosse Championships, sparking outrage and putting world-wide attention on the Iroquois Nationals organization.

This week, the Iroquois Nationals are preparing for the 2014 FIL World Lacrosse Championships in Denver with what many believe is their strongest team ever, stacked with current NLL and NCAA stars, and with the memory of the 2010 debacle burning strong in the minds of the Iroquois staff and players.

This Inside Lacrosse writer was fortunate to be invited to join the Iroquois Nationals for the length of the tournament as an embedded writer to help share the team’s story and progress throughout the event.
....

Thursday brings the opening ceremonies of the FIL World Lacrosse Championships. Be sure to check back with InsideLacrosse.com all week long for more on the Iroquois Nationals, as well as coverage of all of the happenings at the tournament.

For more, follow the social media accounts below:

Iroquois Nationals on Twitter (@iroquoisnatslax)
Iroquois Nationals on Instagram (@iroquoisnatslax)
Inside Lacrosse on Twitter (@inside_lacrosse)
Inside Lacrosse on Instagram (@il_photos)
ILGear on Twitter (@IL_Gear)
ILGear on Instagram (@il_gear)
Casey Vock on Twitter (@cvock)

The Iroquois Nationals shaking hands with Ireland after the international friendly on Wednesday evening.

[bluedigger]

7. Looks like the Irish need to start a youth movement.

Thanks for posting!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. For trailblazing Israeli lacrosse squad, a pioneer for gay athletes in net

Last edited Fri Jul 11, 2014, 08:22 AM - Edit history (1)

For trailblazing Israeli lacrosse squad, a pioneer for gay athletes in net

BALTIMORE (JTA) — In the years after coming out as gay, lacrosse player Andrew Goldstein recalls being asked on panel discussions whether major American professional sports leagues would include openly gay athletes.

It’s a question, Goldstein said, that is no longer relevant with Jason Collins in the National Basketball Association and Michael Sam, who was drafted recently by the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League.

“We’re in a new era, and at the very least, kids in high school who are closeted can say, ‘If I’m good enough in my sport, I can play at any level,’ “ said Goldstein, one of the earliest U.S. team-sport athletes to come out. “That is a huge change.”

Goldstein, 31, who twice earned All-America honorable mention as a goalie at Dartmouth, is playing for a national Israeli lacrosse team that like himself is somewhat of a pioneer.

The Israelis will be making their debut in the World Lacrosse Championships that open Friday in Denver – remarkable for a squad that didn’t even exist four years ago.

Andrew Goldstein, a member of Israel’s national lacrosse team, says “the landscape has really changed” for gay athletes since he came out in 2005. (Larry Palumbo)

ETA: an email I received Friday morning (7-11) said this: "Sadly, he was cut two days ago and will not be playing in the world championship."