Loyola has been living on the glory of victories earned seven months ago -- magazine covers, an audience with the President of the United States, and pages and pages of words written about the itty bitty Jesuit school that toppled the giants in the sport. With spring practice starting all over the country, Charley Toomey and Associates, Ltd. need to put it all behind them and focus on the task at hand: Replacing Eric Lusby, J.P. Dalton, Dylan Grimm and a host of others (including former offensive coordinator Dan Chemotti who left Charles Street for Richmond this fall) to give college lacrosse its first back-to-back champion since Syracuse turned the trick in 2008 and 2009.
The Greyhounds' title defense isn't going to be easy in 2013, but Loyola does have the parts -- and with Toomey's single-minded focus, the desire as well -- to join one of the most exclusive clubs in Division I lacrosse (only four schools -- Syracuse, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, and Cornell -- have won consecutive championships).
Let's break down the video.
0:10: You may remember such shaky videography from such films as "The Blair Witch Project" and "Dad Films Us at Disney World."
0:39: "The one thing I want our guys to do is to play as a group." Loyola last season: 12th in offensive assist rate; fourth in defensive assist rate; first in clearing; 24th in ride rate; six guys with at least 20 points (two more with at least 15); the 10th most efficient offensive performance in the country and fourth most efficient defensive effort in the land. Outside of Lusby and Sawyer realizing heavy shooting usage (which isn't a bad thing considering their cannons), the Greyhounds epitomized that statement from Toomey in 2012. There is opportunity to pursue that again in 2013 given the personnel.
1:23: Over Sawyer's left shoulder -- that equipment car is man's attempt at meshing two useless vehicles: a golf cart and the back end of an El Camino. It's utility for the wears-ugly-slacks sect.
1:42: "When guys come in they develop not only mentally, physically, but spiritually." LOYOLA IS A CULT! DON'T DRINK THE JUICE OR WEAR BLACK NIKES!
2:28: "Our freshman are still learning who the coaches are." I don't know if this would help or anything, but maybe some nametags or something? Are nametags a budget buster?