Notre Dame thrives in Midwest, with Long Island talent

One more post about the NCAA lacrosse final before I get back to more mundane matters.

(ESPN invited me to participate in a conference call today to preview the NBA Finals. You mean, they're not over yet???)

If Notre Dame had won, a big story line would have been the first Division I lax title for a school in the Midwest, which would have been a milestone in the sport's growth.

Then again, the best player in the tournament, Irish goalie Scott Rodgers, as well as the scorers of four of Notre Dame's five goals Monday - Zach Brenneman and Sean Rogers - are from the traditional Eastern hotbed of Long Island.

Here is what Rodgers told me after the game about the Midwest thing:

"It hurts, but looking forward we did a good thing for a Midwest program that no one really gives credit to. I think this will be good for Midwest lacrosse, and it put Notre Dame on the map nationally."