Thanksgiving Blessings
Yesterday at 12:05 PM
Take a moment and reflect. Be thankful for your blessings. I could argue that I'm the luckiest man in lacrosse. Most of the blessings in my life have a direct correlation to the sport.
I'm appreciative of the relationships that the game of lacrosse has provided me. For example, this summer with PLL players and current D1 head and assistant coaches. I continue to be fascinated by tactics and strategy, and have been immersed in the learning business. That never stops.
I'm thankful that my family carved gorgeous Halloween pumpkins in October and I fed the excess seeds to the birds and squirrels in the backyard. I'm thankful for my garden and the nourishment and solace it offers.
This fall I continued my work ESPN College Football with friends and people I care about. We all come from different places but unite each week to produce and cover a CFB game. It's our differences that make us stronger. The lessons I learned as a lacrosse teammate are applied in life.
I'm thankful for the dedication of collegiate SID's like Ernie Larossa, John Stark, Robbie at ND, Stacie Michaud, Art Chase, Allysa at Maryland, Niko, Meredith at Duke, Patrick at UVA, Ryan at Loyola and countless others who help us cover lacrosse and storytell. Their work too often goes without mention.
I'm thankful for Joe Tsai, who graciously and quietly has become the sports greatest benefactor. His generosity is fueling growth at the World and Professional levels.
Last winter I got to work the Iowa at Iowa State wrestling match. For a kid who grew up wrestling in grade school, this was like visiting Mecca. In December listened to the fantastic HBCU bands in Atlanta. Before Christmas, I flew out to Hollywood and acted a small role in a Hollywood movie "Unstoppable", the story of wrestler Anthony Robles, which comes to theatres on December 6 and to Amazon Prime on January 16. I worked the Rose Bowl. I'm thankful for all of these experiences.
I'm thankful for lacrosse rivalries like Army-Navy, UNC-Duke, Hopkins-Maryland and Ohio State-Michigan that can lure and appeal to non-endemic fans. These games are a hook on campuses and in college communities to drive attendance and attention.
We are indebted to the athletic trainers, doctors, sports medicine professionals and physical therapists who work to heal the current day players, who seem to be somewhat besieged by overuse injuries. I'm lucky to have made it through 22 years of action without significant physical residual damage.
In the spring I helped coach girls varsity lacrosse at Garrison Forest School in Reisterstown, Maryland. My daughter is a relative newcomer to the sport and a sophomore goalie. Every Tuesday night during the Off-season we shoot and dodge and pass in a small group for an hour, working on our skills, having fun and connecting. The benefits of small group training are gigantic. It's time well spent. The game, the stick and ball, can help young people navigate through their challenges. To get them off their phones for an hour is a blessing. And I'm thankful for these moments in the sun, wind and rain. Being a part of a team each spring is renewal.
I'm in awe of pioneers like Kyle Harrison, JT Giles-Harris, Lyle and Jeremy Thompson, Nakeie Montgomery, Chazz Woodson, Romar Dennis, Trevor Baptiste and Jules Heningburg who raise awareness and push for diversity.
I'm so lucky to work with friends like Paul, Chris, Anish, Mark Dixon, and Kettering. I'm proud of the next wave of announcers like Evan, Jay, Drew, Sheehan, Dana, Charlotte, Dana, Rachael and Boyle who all raise the bar.
I'm grateful to the hundreds of people who work on our television shows behind the scenes – who don't get the notoriety they deserve. When I started there were three lacrosse games on television a year. Now you can watch thousands each spring and summer. I’m also appreciative of the advocates in Bristol and Charlotte – who have elevated lacrosse content during the last two decades.
I'm fortunate to have run shifts and learned from JV, Ed Placey, Bill Tanton, Howard Mash, Leif Elsmo, Dave Ryan, Joe Beninati and Eamon McAnaney. I've taken a little part of their game with me.
I'm thankful for my mom's health (she watches most games), my sister Kyle's honesty and the patience of my older brother Pace. I miss my brother Wes everyday. Please don't drink and drive.
I'm thankful for quiet time spent at my cabin in the woods to work outside, read and reflect.
We should all be thankful for the shot clock.
I'm blessed and grateful to travel America promoting and covering lacrosse – been to 44 states and 8 countries on this journey. Play the game for as long as you can. Stay in it as a coach. Attend games. And let lacrosse bring you new friends and life experiences.
I'm encouraged by the PLL – Paul and Mike Rabil are disruptive innovators who refuse to sit still, pushing and advancing lacrosse with new age sophistication. And I'm fortunate to watch the players first-hand – doing things on the field we never thought possible. The coaches in the league have been nothing short of amazing to work with. I cherish my interactions with people like Bill Tierney, Brian Holman, Chris Bates, Jim Stagnitta, Tim Soudan and Andy Towers. Holman and Tierney have been leadership figures in my life since the mid 80's.
I'm grateful for Dr. Nick Z, my teammate at LaxAllstars, who works tirelessly on my articles and podcast. Thank you Dr. Z.
This month, I got to meet Virginia Tech women's coach Kristen Skiera in Blacksburg and also spent a morning at a BYU lacrosse practice in Provo. I'm energized by these interactions.
I'm thankful for the referees – who toil in obscurity outside of Matty P, Hollywood and Bronze Wittelsberger.
I'm eager for the 2025 season – it's one that promises to be unlike anything we've witnessed before with a deep cast of title contenders and star power in the likes of CJ Kirst, Joey Spallina, Owen Duffy and Chris Kavanagh, and Coulter Mackesy.
But I'm most thankful for the fans – the viewers, the listeners, the readers and the ones who show up to games and cheer. The fans who email me or send me notes from across the globe. It's the fans that make it all worthwhile. So Happy Thanksgiving to you. And thank you.
