Some exciting news around the Syracuse Orange lacrosse program today as STX and Inside Lacrosse announced a year-long video series centered around four programs, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Syracuse Orange. According to the announcement, there will also be digital content to go with the video series which is entitled “The Season”. Filming is scheduled to start sometime in September and will finish up in May with ten episodes being released throughout the year. You can check out the project at www.theseason2018.com.
This is a fantastic announcement and I am extremely excited about what this content will bring to the fans. In recent years, lacrosse has been the subject of a few documentaries and behind-the-scenes videos. Below are a few of those, if you want to get at ‘em:
“Lucky to Win a Game” – A documentary covering the upstart Marquette lacrosse program. I highly recommend this if you have some time.
“The Lost Trophy” – An overview of the 1990 Syracuse lacrosse team and the vacated National Championship Trophy that NCAA can’t find.
“The Medicine Game” – The journey of Jeremy Thompson and Hiana Thompson from life on the reservation to the college game.
“Spirit Game: Pride of a Nation” – The story of the Iroquois indoor team through the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.
“Fantastic Lies” – An overview of the Duke lacrosse scandal. If you have not seen this it should be first up.
“Keepers of the Game” – A documentary of the Salmon River High School girls lacrosse team.
“Jamesville-Dewitt Lacrosse 2016: The Road to the State Championship” – It’s exactly what it sounds like, but highly entertaining.
Obviously media attention like this could be a boost to recruiting but are certainly some other things to be excited for.
1. John Desko – We really only get to hear the head coach at press conferences and it is extremely rare that we get anything than the calm, cool, and collected coach. However, from time to time we get a peak at the fire that lies below when Desko gets mad on the sidelines. I want to see how Desko acts and speaks to his players during practices and on the sidelines. I want to see some candid emotional moments.
2. Players – While the head coach may be even keeled, I’m excited to see the players’ personalities. Who are the vocal leaders? Who are the quiet guys that lead by example? Lacrosse is one of those sports in which we don’t really get to peel back the curtain that often and I can’t wait to see who these guys are up close.
3. Story Lines – I am hoping that this series gets beyond the usual story lines of “Syracuse has a long tradition” and “they haven’t won a National Championship since 2009”. I want to see the personal story lines, the individual struggles and successes of different players. I want fans to be able to find those guys that they can relate to and root for and I am really hopeful that this series digs deep.
4. Awareness – ‘Cuse fans are well aware of the program’s struggles in recent years. The fanbase is pretty split right now, at least as much as it has been in its entire history. I want to know the mindset of the players in regards to how the fans and media perceive the team. Do the players have an awareness of the broader perception of the program and the team? Do they care? Do these feelings add pressure? I don’t know, but I would sure like to find out.
5. Rivalries – It will sure be fun to get some behind the scenes video from games against schools like Johns Hopkins and Virginia, but I also would love to know how Syracuse guys or Ohio State players feel about their opponents. I want to hear what it’s like to go against an opponent’s top defenseman and the individual battles that ensue.
While this will be a lot of fun for the 2018 season, there are some moments that stick out in my mind from which I would have loved to have seen some behind-the-scene footage. In no particular order, these come to mind first:
1. The personal and sideline reactions after Austin Pifani’s cheap shot hit on Hakeem Lecky back in the 2015 regular season, and the ensuing confrontation with Kevin Rice.
2. The now infamous “egg” incident at Hobart in 2017.
3. Player reactions in the 2010 loss to Army/2014 loss to Bryant in the NCAA Tournament. I was able to be present for both press conferences but it would have been interesting to see the locker room after these games.
4. The post-game talk and the week of practice following the 7-21 loss to Duke in 2014 after which Syracuse went on a six game win streak and beat four ranked opponents including a rematch against Duke in the 2014 ACC Semifinals.
5. Brendan Bomberry’s transition to Syracuse
So let me know in the comment section what you are excited to see and maybe some moments from the recent past you wish this type of thing had been around to capture.
Oh, and for any lax folks coming to the LSU game this weekend, please give me a shout on twitter or below. I’d love to see y’all.