Blue Jay, Blue Hen, Blue Devil, Big Red

About the only thing missing from this NCAA Final Four lacrosse equation -- Blue Jay, Blue Hen, Blue Devil, Big Red -- is Blue Thunder, the baddest of all bad-ass helicopters from that movie of nearly 25 years ago (let's face it: there isn't a one of us who saw that movie who didn't dream that one day WE would be selected to pilot Blue Thunder to either obliterate evil-doers or pick up chicks for midnight joyrides ...).

Meanwhile back at the ranch, maybe we don't have the Blue Demons of DePaul or the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State, but this current scenario plays out as Blue Jay (the traditional and local powerhouse), Blue Hen (the underdog/dark hen which crashed the party), Blue Devil (America's sweethearts for the way that tragedy was turned to triumph) and Big Red (the undefeated team which no one believes in).

One fish, two fish ... red fish, blue fish ...

Lacrosse ... it's the sport which most of us didn't play and the sport which most of us don't fully comprehend (except possibly for the fact that it's North America's oldest sport ... born right here in Maryland ... just another thing that Whitey ripped off from the Iroquois and Tuscarora nations).

Despite that bad break for the Native Americans, we of the paleface persuasion remain intrigued by Memorial Day's blockbuster event (which is, basically, the only time we bother with concerning ourselves about those guys using their funky wickets to sling around the hard rubber ball).

Again ... we don't fully grasp every nuance -- such as why college lacrosse STILL hasn't made a dent in kid appeal on the West Coast (where we once lived).
When they use the letters "LAX" out here, it stands for "la-cross."
When we use the letters "LAX" way out west, it means "Los Angeles International Airport."

Indeed ... we're sad that there won't be an epic showdown tomorrow and/or Monday between Virginia's John Christmas and Syracuse's Brett Bucktooth (as there might've been when they played against each other at some point two seasons ago).

The history of "Christmas vs. Bucktooth" ... it's the stuff of legends.
Probably.
From what they tell us, Christmas and Bucktooth both play pro LAX nowadays.

Makes ya wonder what people at LAX think of pro LAX.

Anyway, we'd better fasten our seatbelts 'cuz ya never know how it'll all shake out.
Tricky bounces ... weird hops ... and those guys with the long poles whacking/slashing the bejeezus outta their opponents padded forearms.

One thing we should remember: Lotsa Big Red fans will be wearing their "CORNELL #21" shirts to acknowledge George Boiardi, the player who died of commotio cordis in that freak accident back in '04 when a shot hit his chest at the precise moment that his heart was between a "lub" and a "dub."

When we think of Duke's bogus battlecry -- "succisa virescit" ("cut it down and it grows back stronger") -- we remember that the "nightmare" began with underaged drinking and a stripper or two.
The "stolen" '06 season of Duke ain't worth talkin' 'bout.

George Boiardi is.