Having had a chance now to reflect on another great year out in Colorado, I thought I would share what I learned and what I remembered this year out in Vail:

…I remembered, while watching the Grand Masters play, that the rest of us play in the shadows of the lions of Middlebury Lacrosse, the likes of Kemper, Heff, Will Graham, Wheels, Schife…and that those of us that came after them only reached the lofty heights we did because we stood on their shoulders

…I remembered that Sergeant Kaiser Kocaj is a warrior and that mastery of the English language is completely overrated in a face-off guy…

…I learned that if I had been at Middlebury at the same time as Rod Fox, I would have had a serious alcohol problem

…I learned that “rookie scoop” may just be the best new Panther tradition since “the corn” (born 1993)

…I remembered that in a game of skill, I want Atherton and Kosoff on my team

…I learned that in a game of trickery and deception, I will pick Chad and Riv every night of the week and twice on (in this case) Mondays…

…I learned that my brother can keep a secret like I never could have imagined, that he is a total bastard, and that he is capable of providing the single best surprise I may have ever had…

…I learned that Skidmore Thoroughbreds, Illinois Wesleyan Titans, Hamilton Continentals, Princeton Tigers, Drew Rangers, Whittier Poets, and…..yes…..even Williams Ephs can be Panthers at heart. And we are all the better for it.

…I learned that my Dad exhibits the same outrageously unfair behavior as a Flippy Cup judge that he did when he would ground me for breaking curfew and coming home “over-served”

…I remembered that we aren’t ready to go out on the field until we’ve put our hands on #20’s back

…I remembered how great it is that my girls look forward to seeing Brookie and Ava, Essie, Burd and Adell, and Haven and Rosa Blair, as much as I look forward to seeing Steinle, Bra, and DLow…

…I learned that parents (and in-laws) can be as much a part of the Vail experience as they were our Middlebury experience….and I think they like the trip down memory lane almost as much as we do…

…I remembered that no matter how many games we play, no many how many wins we need for a championship, our magic numbers will always be 5 and 29

…I remembered how great it was to have Gordo out on the field with us…and how much it sucked to not have him out there (let’s cure sciatica!)

…I learned how cool it was to watch Middlebury defensemen of different eras linked thru time (Jerry Ward a senior when Seth Ruoss was a freshman, Seth Ruoss a senior when Nick Owsley was a freshman, Nick Owsley a senior when Jed Raymond was a freshman) play team defense like they had been on the same line for 4 years…

…I remembered that we owe this tremendous experience to Bobo…and that no one, in the history of the College, has done more to draw together Middlebury alums than he has…

…I remembered that sideline water tastes better when being handed out by five year-olds

…I remembered that I love playing lacrosse and that I still hate to lose…but that nothing puts a game in perspective like walking the handshake line with your one year-old in your arms…

…Finally, being back home now for a couple of weeks (and having had the Vail aura wear off a bit), I’ve remembered that my “real life” in Connecticut is awfully cool….but to paraphrase Larry Bird….only one place I’d rather be: out on the deck at Los Amigos, long two or three margaritas, surrounded by Panthers and our families, being led in a rousing rendition of Park School by Myron and bringing the house down with Cheer Boys Cheer...

What a great 4 days to be a Panther.

See everyone next year….
Jon Owsley ‘92