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Lacrosse the Internet: December 24, 2013

If you want Santa to come tonight, put out milk and cookies. If you want me to come tonight, put out whiskey and chicken wings.

This is obviously your favorite site, but other people actually write important stuff sometimes. Now is that sometimes.

A Full Pint

#BestOfLax: Championship Run for Duke's Danowski
I wouldn't necessarily call Duke's run to the national title last season shocking, but the Blue Devils -- to varying degrees -- were underdogs in every single NCAA Tournament game that they played last season. I haven't gone deep into prior seasons to see just how unique this is, but Duke's adventure toward a victory lap on Memorial Monday remains kind of nuts (these probabilities are based on year-end performance metrics):

log5 PROBABILITIES: DUKE'S RUN TO THE 2013 TITLE
GAME FAVORITE UNDERDOG GAME FAVORITE UNDERDOG
Loyola // (7) Duke Loyola (57.81%) Duke (42.19%) (7) Duke // (2) Notre Dame Notre Dame (53.97%) Duke (46.03%)
Cornell // (7) Duke Cornell (69.36%) Duke (30.64%) (7) Duke // (1) Syracuse Syracuse (59.00%) Duke (41.00%)

Yet it's not just that Duke navigated a tournament in which it was playing as an underdog or pick 'em candidate; rather, it's that Duke came out of Championship Weekend with hardware despite having the longest odds to actually do so (these probabilities are based on year-end performance metrics):

log5 PROBABILITIES: PROBABILITY OF WINNING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
RANK TEAM PROBABILITY
1. Cornell 44.23%
2. (1) Syracuse 25.47%
3. (4) Denver 16.87%
4. (7) Duke 13.43%

That's why Duke's championship run was so impressive.

Flights

#BestOfLax: Fowler's Dominant Finals Showing
For more on Fowler's effort, check this out.

Canandaigua (NY) midfielder Munn sets his sights on Siena
I've set my sights on a Christmas ham.

University of Delaware Men’s Lacrosse Names Alec Jernstedt Volunteer Assistant Coach
Gettin' paid in good feelings.

Duke Enters 2014 with Many Preseason Accolades
The most prestigious preseason accolade? Being the most Durham-y of all Division I schools.

Pietramala a Featured Speaker at 2014 US Lacrosse National Convention
INTENSEADELPHIA