As Michael Jordan and Joe Montana pass through the revolving door of athletic stardom, we are reminded of the ephemeral nature of the sports world. Athletes come and go and this year's championship team may not even make next year's playoffs.

However, while we may miss the record setting prowess and dominating presence of our athletic heroes, team rivalries give sports lasting substance and continuity.

In fact, contests between Harvard and Yale have become defining moments for sports history and tradition.

Another chapter in the rivalry between Harvard and Yale will be written today when the men's lacrosse team faces the Elis at 1:00 on Ohiri Field.

Harvard (4-5 overall, 2-2 Ivy) enters today's contest against Yale (5-6,2-3) ranked 18th in the nation, but having lost four of its last five games. Coach Scott Anderson and team members are looking at the Yale game as an opportunity to build confidence and end the team's three game losing streak.

"Yale offers us the opportunity to turn our season around and put us back in the right frame away," freshman attackman Mike Ferrucci said.

"You can't get away from the fact that we need a win and we need to get some confidence back," Anderson said.

The fact that today's opponent is Yale only raises the already high stakes.

"It's an Ivy League game. We love to play Ivy League teams and add on top the fact that it's Yale and there is extra motivation because every team here loves to play Yale," Sophomore goalie Rob Lyng said.

Any game against Yale brings with it the history of one of college sports' great rivalries and tends to make team rankings and league standings irrelevant. Although the Elis have no national ranking, it does not mean that the Crimson are heavy favorites.

"I think that the difference between us as a ranked team and them [Yale] as an unranked team is insignificant," coach Anderson said. "It would be wrong to assume that we are head and shoulders above them."

The Crimson are concerned about falling into the type of first-quarter deficit that has plagued them through out their season.

"The games that we've lost we've dug ourselves into a hole in the first quarter," Lyng said. "If we can do the scoring that other teams have been doing in the first quarter [against us] that can turn into a win."

Preventing a first-quarter scoring blitz is only a part of the Crimson's overall game plan. The team plans to use Yale's lack of depth to their advantage.

"They [Yale] don't have a lot of depth, but they have some talented players," Anderson said. "For teams that are lacking in depth...possession becomes the whole game. If we take advantage of our somewhat stronger team depth that will be a big game factor."

If the Crimson can stay focused, play to their ability and execute their game plan they still have a chance to save their season and earn a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Given all the history and tradition that surrounds games against Yale, today's contest provides the perfect opportunity for redemption.