‘Greater than anybody individual’: What stays of the No. 22 legacy after Chase Scanlan

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Sitting within the Drumlins Nation Membership, Director of Athletics John Wildhack fielded questions on SU legend Gary Gait the day earlier than his jersey was retired. Wildhack spoke concerning the legacy that Gait put into movement when he helped lead SU to 3 consecutive nationwide championships (1988-90) whereas donning the No. 22. He talked concerning the dynasty that Gait helped begin — between 1988 and 2004, the participant who wore the famed No. 22 jersey earned All-American honors each single season.

Then Wildhack was requested about how Chase Scanlan match into that image, and whether or not his actions had tainted — or ruined — the legacy related to the quantity.

“He didn’t destroy that legacy,” Wildhack mentioned. “No. 22, that’s greater than anybody individual. It’s probably the most well-known quantity within the historical past of the game, however it’s not about one individual. It’s about all of the individuals who’ve worn it.”

On Sunday, Gait turned the primary Syracuse males’s lacrosse participant to have his jersey lifted into the Service Dome rafters. The No. 22 custom that basically started with Gait continued practically each season by 2021, and Gait mentioned it can return subsequent 12 months when top-ranked Class of 2022 recruit Joey Spallina wears it. Since Gait, the No. 22 has been worn by an SU participant anticipated to be probably the greatest within the nation.

Scanlan took the No. 22 jersey forward of the 2020 season after transferring from Loyola. However halfway by final season, Scanlan was arrested and charged with legal mischief that allegedly stemmed from a home violence incident. He was suspended from the crew and later entered the switch portal. Within the fall, he was arrested for a DWI.

Nobody has worn the No. 22 since Scanlan. However eight SU males’s lacrosse alumni, together with Gait and three others who wore the quantity, instructed The Each day Orange they don’t consider Scanlan ruined the legacy of the quantity.

“He ruined the legacy of Chase Scanlan. I don’t assume he’s ruined the quantity,” mentioned Ric Beardsley, a four-time All-American from 1992-95.

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All condemned the home violence and abuse that Scanlan put one other individual by, however additionally they emphasised there’s an excessive amount of historical past from different nice gamers for any single individual to destroy the which means of the quantity. The participant represents themselves once they put on the quantity, Gait mentioned, and “(Scanlan’s) going to should stay with that.”

Former No. 22 JoJo Marasco mentioned Scanlan’s actions mirrored poorly on SU in addition to the quantity, however he thinks nothing might ever unwrite the accomplishments of the previous. Among the finest gamers in collegiate lacrosse wore the jersey, he mentioned. Marasco mentioned he expects the quantity to be again and “sturdy” with Spallina subsequent season.

Ryan Powell, one other former No. 22, mentioned the quantity remains to be sturdy and alive within the lacrosse world. At present a lacrosse coach at Christian Brothers Academy, Powell mentioned he sees high highschool and school gamers across the nation carrying the No. 22.

“There’s a ton of gamers which have rocked that quantity and carried themselves and performed themselves in an awesome method, and it’s made that quantity extraordinarily sturdy,” Powell mentioned. “It’s acquired to be an superior honor to put on that quantity, and I feel each child could be honored to have the ability to slip that over their head.”

Charlie Lockwood, Todd Curry, Tom Marechek and Paul Carcaterra all echoed related sentiments. Some have concepts about methods to tweak the No. 22 custom, however none assume it ought to finish with Scanlan.

Carcaterra, an ESPN lacrosse analyst and SU participant from 1994-97, mentioned he’d prefer to see the quantity given to an upperclassman who has confirmed themselves as a substitute of a freshman, much like the way in which that Maryland handles its No. 1 jersey.

Brad Kotz, an SU participant from 1982-85, mentioned he’s not a fan of setting apart a selected jersey for a recruit. He mentioned it could lead on assaults or midfielders to attempt to show they’re worthy of the honour by making an attempt to attain themselves, an idea that he mentioned is disruptive to a crew’s offense.

However regardless, the legacy is anticipated to hold on with Spallina. Gait mentioned he “couldn’t consider a greater man to do this,” citing Spallina’s confidence and talents as a crew participant.

“The quantity of people that wore 22 actually carried the torch very properly,” mentioned Curry, an SU All-American from 1984-87 and the daddy of present participant Brendan Curry. “As a result of there was a lot success round individuals who wore 22 and it turned an honor, I don’t see why they need to not stick with it that custom of twenty-two.”