PS: Who is the greatest Syracuse men's lacrosse player of all time? (poll)

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Hoo's That]

Jim Brown.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Jim Brown.

As far as I know, there have only been two offensive players in the history of college lacrosse that were so good they had to change the rules because of them:

Jim Brown - (the cradle rule)
Gary Gait - (crease rule)

It's amazing that both played for Syracuse, and both were power players.

I agree with Hoo. The list starts and ends with Brown. Mikey Powell may have been able to juke and outrun Big Jim, but Jim would have steamrolled him.

 

[midloviking]

I watched Gary Gait live and in person for 3 years. He was pretty freakin' awesome.

 

[MadisonCuse]

Jim Brown played when you didn't have to have skill you just pinned the ball to your chest and ran. Skill wise he is at the bottom of the list below the Gaits and all the Powells.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Jim Brown played when you didn't have to have skill you just pinned the ball to your chest and ran. Skill wise he is at the bottom of the list below the Gaits and all the Powells.

That's an assumption. Just because he didn't have to do something doesn't mean he couldn't.

 

[ThruWayWest]

How come there is not a defensive player on the list? That would be another interesting question.

The 100 year Syracuse team is going to be very challenging to select.

My best guess:

G- Oren Lyons

D- Pat McCabe
D- Ric Beardsley
D- John Glatzel

M- Jim Brown
M- Brad Kotz
M- Roy Colsey

M- Charlie Lockwood
M- Todd Curry
M- Dom Finn

LSM- Joel White

FO- Chris Cercy

A- Mike Powell
A- Gary Gait
A- Paul Gait

A- Tom Marechek
A- Tim Nelson
A- John Zulberti

A- Casey Powell
A- Ryan Powell
A- Mike Leveille

This is impossible! I am going to stop...keep forgetting guys. I don't know how they can possibly keep the list down!

 

[dollarbill44]

I watched Gary Gait live and in person for 3 years. He was pretty freakin' awesome.

Gary Gait would be my vote as well. It's so hard to compare greats across such a wide time gap. I have no doubt that Jim Brown would have been a great lax player in the 80s, but could/would he have been able to develop the skills necessary to have been one of the best of that era if he was still competing in football, basketball, track and lax? At the same time, he was handicapped by archaic equipment and really very little (if any) focused S&C programs.

 

[hplare]

The cradle charge against Jim Brown is ridiculous. I played then and it was definitely against the rules to pin it to your chest, or trap it with your thumb. Just one of those damn rumors that won't die.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Gary Gait, IMO. hands down