Update The Rankings: D3 Lacrosse Players Are Officially The Toughest Athletes In Sports After Watching This Defenseman Eat A Shot Straight To The Dome
As a former Centennial Conference lacrosse guy myself, I've spent a considerable chunk of my life despising everything about Swarthmore and Gettysburg lacrosse. Two programs I detest with every fiber of my being. But when these two teams combine to put out a clip like this? Well I can't help but smile and be proud of these crazy bastards.
Swarthmore is consistently ranked one of the top 20-25 schools in the country as far as academics go. You have to be a genius to go there. So the thought was always that it was just a bunch of nerds playing lacrosse for Swarthmore.
Clearly that's not the case anymore. Clearly they have some nailguns on the roster. Either nerds are evolving, or they're recruiting sick bastards to go to school there. Because our guy over here soaked that shot, has blood leaking everywhere, and he didn't even consider for one single moment to drop down and stop playing. He just kept going as if nothing happened. As if it were just another day in the office.
Sure, helmet technology is getting better. I'm sure this wasn't quite as devastating as it could be. But look at his damn jersey.
This is D3 lacrosse we're talking about here. That jersey is going to be bloodstained until next spring. 35 is a senior. Jack Nicholson. An Engineering and Computer Science major from Ward Melville on Long Island. And next spring, some poor freshman is going to be handed #35 with Jack's blood still soaked into that uniform.
But that's what D3 grit is all about. All heart, zero scholarships.