Afternoon Baseball

Our tribute issue is now up, and I think it's fantastic. The student memorial Mass for Fr. Ridley was very nice as well, although every time I hear Fr. Nash tell stories about his friend, I like Ridley a little less. That story about how when it was snowing this week and the lacrosse field was the only thing being cleared is not funny. Sorry, it's not. Why don't we share a few stories about lacrosse DUIs? Or Loyola's favorite son Rayland Baxter?

The focus on lacrosse during Ridley's presidency is also a bit odd, considering we're talking about a (barely) regional sport. Loyola wants to be a national school and transcend the region, yet they focus on a sport that will never become national in the way Loyola wants to.

Of course, I'm biased because I'm an athlete in a minor (and thus obscured) sport. But I look at it as helping the most members of the community. And that's what the great advances Loyola made in the 1990s did a la dorms, the FAC, campus eateries, and academic buildings. That's what they are not doing now, with proposals such as this stadium or the retreat center. Both situations represent a shift from adding depth and support to the mission of the college to the current approach of big being better.
Maybe the change in regime, as unfortunate as it is, will alleviate some of that trend.