Lacrosse fans must have noticed the Disneyesque Blue Jay on the Hopkins helmets during the Final Four last weekend. That is from the fine hand of freelance cartoonist and journalist Neil A. Grauer, a Hopkins alumnus and long-time supporter of the team. He's been drawing the NAG Jay since 1966, and for much of that time has been whipping up personalized versions of it for players weekly, during lax season. That's a lot of ink! According to Grauer, Bill Dwan, the associate head coach, declared earlier this season: “If we get into the playoffs, I want to put your Blue Jay on the helmet.”  The new decal appeared for the first time two weeks ago, at the start of the NCAA Tournament. Given the results, it should stick. (Get it? Stick! The decal should stick! Oh, I kill myself!)

"It’s an incredible honor," says Grauer, an old friend.

The photos here are by Spencer Norcross and were posted to the LaxPower forum.

In case you are wondering about the other markings on the Hop helmets, Grauer adds: "The FH and MD commemorate Franz Hartig, Class of 1929, who died in January, and Mike Durgala, a four-year member of the Blue Jay baseball team and assistant coach. He was killed in an automobile accident last August while returning to Baltimore from a baseball camp in Pennsylvania.  Hartig and his wife, Jane, attended practically every home and away game, regardless of the weather, up to the last game of the ’06 season, even when they both had to use walkers. He kept meticulous notes on who got what ground balls, assists, goals, etc.  Mrs. Hartig was escorted to this year’s championship game by Bob and Margo Scott."