Saturday in Baltimore, lacrosse will stage its showcase event, the NCAA men’s Final Four. But how uncomfortable will it be to feature semifinal opponents Duke and Virginia, programs that have brought negative attention to the emerging sport?
At Duke in 2006, the hysteria following rape charges against members of the lacrosse team, shed a harsh light on lacrosse’s party-hard reputation. Even when the accuser’s story fell through, much damage was done.
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The accusation this month that Virginia men’s player George Huguely killed Virginia woman’s player Yeardley Love in a drunken rage has forced re-examination of lacrosse as a protected playground for the privileged.
So how will Saturday’s 6:30 p.m. game on ESPN2 be just about the game?
“There are things here that are going on that are bigger than lacrosse and more important than lacrosse games,” said Virginia coach Dom Starsia via teleconference on Tuesday. “I don’t think these young men need any more additional pressure on themselves. But to dismiss that these things are in mind, would be naive.”
Although it happened four years ago, there are constant reminders the Duke scandal. Many of the Blue Devils’ current seniors were granted an extra year of eligibility after the 2006 season was cancelled.
When the Virginia news broke, the Devils faced questions about their experience under the microscope.
“I wasn’t here in 2006, but guys don’t want to talk about it,” said Duke coach John Danowski. “They just want to move on with their lives.”
If only it was that easy.
