Gary Gait!

[Powellfan]

 

[Cuse All-In]

Agree with Jastrzembski. A coach of Desko's stature should NEVER be put in this position. How can the Admin not manage the communication around this to show proper respect to Desko?? No wonder the team has had problems if this is the way they manage things.

Everyone knows information can get leaked in a matter of seconds. Maybe the AD should be toasted.

 

[JustSayin]

The news of Coach Desko retiring didn't come as a complete surprise, and by all metrics he had a great run that few D1 coaches can match. I wish him well in retirement. Gary will do well, especially if he surrounds himself with competent assistants. I suspect he may have an in with the Canadian recruits. Let's hope that the current incoming recruits honor their original commitments.

 

[kcsu]

They know who Gait is. He's the Michael Jordan of the sport.

He is the GOAT. Everyone knows who he is.

 

[Cuse#1]

wow, hand up I was way wrong!

I am so thrilled and this could not have been a better decision to put him as the coach of the men's Syracuse University lacrosse team! I was thinking about this last week that he should be the guy leading this team I'm so thrilled that it freaking happened!
Imo he will bring back Syracuse to where they belong in the elite level in lacrosse every year!
He has the experience, the reputation, the skill, everything to be a great coach and replacing John desko. I respect desko but this change had to be made

 

[Cuse#1]

The news of Coach Desko retiring didn't come as a complete surprise, and by all metrics he had a great run that few D1 coaches can match. I wish him well in retirement. Gary will do well, especially if he surrounds himself with competent assistants. I suspect he may have an in with the Canadian recruits. Let's hope that the current incoming recruits honor their original commitments.

Oh he retired... well I have no doubt in my mind a Gary gait can recruit at the same level or higher, so we're back!

 

[Ozone!]

Gary Gait, The Next Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse Coach!

 

[PhatOrange]

Recruiting the parents and the coaches are part of the process. His name won’t sign a kid, but it will get him meetings that others won’t get.

and lacrosse recruiting is completely different.

 

[GoSU96]

I can understand where people could equate this to letting Coach P go in football. Nothing wrong with the program. Just not being at the next level. Lets hope the Lax program responds much better than the football program.

Gary Gait is a Syracuse legend, Greg Robinson was a washed up hack

 

[GoSU96]

I get that but why would Gary take the job with that as a requirement? he didn’t needed to leave the women’s program

Because his boss asked him to, he’s an alum, maybe he’s good with it?

 

[GoSU96]

My kid plays but more importantly I’m around a lot of parents whose kids play at big high school programs - men’s and women. And college now. They talk about Gait like he’s a god.

of course they do

and they should

 

[SuFTW]

Agree with Jastrzembski. A coach of Desko's stature should NEVER be put in this position. How can the Admin not manage the communication around this to show proper respect to Desko?? No wonder the team has had problems if this is the way they manage things.

Everyone knows information can get leaked in a matter of seconds. Maybe the AD should be toasted.

The lacrosse team has had problems because a coaching change leaked over a weekend?

 

[GoSU96]

I hope Desko gets to leave with his head high. He was the right person for a long time. Following a coach with 6 NCs, he registered 5. That's a very rare achievement.

Desko should enjoy the retirement and sit up in the AD box. He’s got nothing to be ashamed of. Even in a down year that was full of turmoil took the eventually champ out twice.

Finished the truncated prior season #1. recent acc titles, top five rankings.

 

[TexanMark]

As I said, I hope he succeeds. I just think that many are assuming this is a slam dunk. I hope it is. But I have my concerns. That's all.

I do too (some concerns)...and even stated before as such. However, I think with solid asst coaches he can get up to speed quickly. He is a master innovator and I bet he'll be pretty good recruiting.

 

[Roger N]

wow, hand up I was way wrong!

Interesting to report that as I was reading this thread at about 10:00 pm I went to Wikipedia to see how old Desko is and Wikipedia stated that Desko is the former Lacrosse coach of Syracuse University

 

[ottodaorange]

I'm stunned, absolutely stunned that people here are characterizing Gary Gait as an over the hill, out of step with men's lacrosse, not in touch with recruitment, ready for the retirement home for lacrosse coaches, and a has been. Gary Gait is the embodiment of lacrosse, and I remember back when Jimmy Brown and Oren Lyons played. Gary has done more for the sport in so many ways, from changing how the game is played to designing lacrosse equipment. He's the best lacrosse player I ever saw and did pretty well as a player coach in professional lacrosse as well. He invented "air Gait." I'm not sure anyone living knows more about the sport.

I remember campaign badges that said "I like Ike." Well, I LIKE GARY!

 

[cuseattle]

I'm stunned, absolutely stunned that people here are characterizing Gary Gait as an over the hill, out of step with men's lacrosse, not in touch with recruitment, ready for the retirement home for lacrosse coaches, and a has been. Gary Gait is the embodiment of lacrosse, and I remember back when Jimmy Brown and Oren Lyons played. Gary has done more for the sport in so many ways, from changing how the game is played to designing lacrosse equipment. He's the best lacrosse player I ever saw and did pretty well as a player coach in professional lacrosse as well. He invented "air Gait." I'm not sure anyone living knows more about the sport.

I remember campaign badges that said "I like Ike." Well, I LIKE GARY!

Pretty sure this is my first ever post on the Lax board. Maybe that says something about how an icon and alum can bring new excitement and interest from a more casual fan's perspective. Here's hoping for much success to Gary and SU going forward.

Being 3 months older than G Gait, I was also stunned to learn he was over the hill. (half joking, half sad)

 

[WoodyUK]

If he was pushed and did not retire voluntarily it’s quite sad. Desko may have struggled without his friend and ally Donahue in the last year but they wboth great servants to the program.

I worry that we are swapping an ageing coach with another ageing coach and one that has no experience of the Men’s game in recent times, the game has changed dramatically!

If we are updating our coaching staff and with it completely changing our tradition, it should have been someone younger who has been through the system and understands life on the hill.

A huge thank you to Coach Desko who has left an amazing legacy of All Americans, Championship rings and Coach of the year titles.

 

[4evaOrange]

Hmmmmm. Interesting.

 

[orlandoorange]

I worry that we are swapping an ageing coach with another ageing coach and one that has no experience of the Men’s game in recent times, the game has changed dramatically!

If we are updating our coaching staff and with it completely changing our tradition, it should have been someone younger who has been through the system and understands life on the hill.

If you're an innovator you're an innovator, I don't think that stops in your mid 40's. GG seems to be that.

There's no guarantee with any hire, even one who has had success elsewhere, only time will tell.

 

[FrozenWaves]

IKR...Arguably the best men's lacrosse player ever won't be able to relate to the men's game... Some people will never get it.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Gary is one year older than Lars Tiffany.

He's two years older than Tony Bennett at UVa.

He's not Wilford Brimley here.

 

[Toga]

Brimley - He's dead Jim.

 

[Goin' Deep]

You look at the team's performance...ESPECIALLY this year and the trend over the past 5 or so, It was clear a change is needed. How the university handled Desko's "retirement"...not cool.

 

[TexanMark]

If he was pushed and did not retire voluntarily it’s quite sad. Desko may have struggled without his friend and ally Donahue in the last year but they wboth great servants to the program.

I worry that we are swapping an ageing coach with another ageing coach and one that has no experience of the Men’s game in recent times, the game has changed dramatically!

If we are updating our coaching staff and with it completely changing our tradition, it should have been someone younger who has been through the system and understands life on the hill.

A huge thank you to Coach Desko who has left an amazing legacy of All Americans, Championship rings and Coach of the year titles.

I understand your point and Coach Desko will always be part of the program...however, IMHO the time had come. No one is guaranteed a lifetime position. The team has had many underperforming squads the last 10-15 years. The last F4 ended in a blowout loss IIRC back in 2013. The last natty was 2009. We haven't been SU lacrosse for a long time with maybe the exception of last year (but the season was only 5 games old and the toughest games were yet to be played).