Saturday Bike Ride and the NCAA Div 1 Men's Lacrosse Championship

I took the Tarmac Comp out for another shakedown ride. It actually did not do to well. I need to get it back to The Peddler for some serious adjustments. Things were going fine as I road my new route through Marlboro and into Freehold. However, on the swing back home while I was stopped for a light I noticed that my chain had jumped off of the small chainwheel. I could not understand why until I started to do some testing. In some of the gears I cannot pedal backwards. In I cannot roll the bike backwards without the chain jamming up. I think the rear derailuer needs some serious adjustments.

I was going to ride to Long Branch to have it looked at but I was spent. I have noticed that riding the Tarmac hit a different set of muscles. I think it is because I can do more from the sitting position. At this point I think I am a little faster on the Langster even in the climbs. I can climb pretty with the Langster. The only hills I have problems with are the really steep ones that I cannot get a running start on.

I might throw the Tarmac in the car today and drive over to The Peddler. I am thinking of letting them keep the bike for a day or so to get the problem solved. I would like to ride but every muscle in my body is aching right now.

The good thing is that I got home just in time to watch Syracuse University play University of Virginia in the semi finals of the Men's Lacrosse Championship. For some reason I thought the game as on later in the afternoon. I checked around on the Internet and I found out that it started at noon and was being broadcast on ESPN2. I started watching the game at 12:15 PM and Syracuse as already down by 4 goals. Of course in Lacrosse a deficit of 4 goals is nothing especially in the first half. I was a little concerned since Virginia is on of the few teams that beat Syracuse during the regular season.

It turned out to be one of the best lacrosse games I have ever watched. Syracuse's turn around started when Midfielder Matt Abbott picked up the ball just outside the Syracuse goal and cleared it by sprinting back into Virginia territory. I was expecting him pass out his left but he picked up on a scoring opportunity made a shot on goal that produced a much needed score for the Syracuse offense. Matt had 3 goals that were instrumental in helping Syracuse stay in the game.

Unfortunately, for a while Virginia answered everyone of Syracuse's goals until the Syracuse scoring leaders kick in and tied the score. Even when they were down it seemed like Syracuse was controlling the game and getting more shots in. By the forth quarter it seemed like Syracuse was wearing down Virginia. I was hoping that Syracuse would be able to win it in regulation but I figured that there chances were good if they could push the game into over time.

The regulation ended in with a tie score and the game went into double overtime. Both teams seem to be getting tired. From it the view I had on the TV it did not even look like the winning shot went in. I was looking to see where the ball was and then I saw everyone's hands go up. Syracuse won with a score 12 to 11 (it is rough to be a goalie in Lacrosse since even the good ones get shelled and it always comes down to making a couple key stops).

ESPN2 broadcast the other semi final game John Hopkins Unversity vs Duke (a rematch of last year's Championship game). I was really pulling for Duke to pull it out and that is what was expected since Duke was rated number one and had the NCAA's leading scorer on the team. I watched the beginning and the end of this game but I fell asleep in the middle (I was wiped out from my morning ride). John Hopkins was able to win by 1 with a score of 10 - 9.

The championship game is scheduled for Monday. Both Syracuse and John Hopkins have 9 championships each. The tie will now be broken.