That’s why there are questions about why those GP guys I used to compete against are still giving me the cold shoulder.

Its usually the real estate brokers and mortgage brokers who continue to embrace this mentality. I've said this before but GP and Gonzaga guys are known for really never leaving the DC area, other than college, and generally come back to work for mommy and daddy or uncle Billy.

I worked up on WSJ for a number of years, met some Prep guys, and they seemed like wonderful people. I graduated from Landon a number of years ago and I would certainly consider some of the GP alums friends of mine and I'm sure they feel the same way. And from time to time.... yes we tease one another about the football and lacrosse games.

Prep = Deliverance

Anonymous wrote:[quote

If you are 5 years out of college and resent an individual based purely on where one attended High School, what does that say about you as an individual?

I’d say they had long memories, no reason to change their opinions, an existent tight knit circle of friends from GP and plenty of other alternatives based on rediscovering friendships with those that went to Gonzaga and St Johns and even public schools.

There’s a fundamental disconnect in the GP-Landon relationship. I’ve always thought Landon espoused what I think of as the English Private School/Ivy League approach to athletics. The idea is to win and you have to do everything in your power to do it. At the end of the day, you should respect those that have shown themselves to be worthy. And from respect it’s not far to friendship. We have, after all participated in these great struggles that should bind us together. We are, just like you, wonderful fellows underneath it all.

In order for this to work, both camps have to buy in to the last part concept and by and large the GP people do not.

The GP people, looking across the field or gym, aren’t thinking about the privilege of participating and the potential for friendship based on mutual respect and based on shared experience. What they see is someone desperate to beat them. What they see are the hats turned backwards, the strutting and the flexing of newly-earned muscles. What they hear is the “We Don’t Mess Around” chant. What they gather is that there really are fundamental reasons to why everyone at the school going back decades dislikes these "others".

So while there is some grudging respect, especially when an opponent is punching above their weight, no affection is going to follow. The Landon people are surprised and a little disoriented by this. It’s as if both schools are in a play and have been given different scripts. The Landon version has this stuff about glory of shared struggle and the GP version does not.

That’s why there are questions about why those GP guys I used to compete against are still giving me the cold shoulder.

Anonymous wrote:Why doesn't Prep compete in the WCAC? The WCAC recently added the Heights as one of its member schools. I can assure you the invitation was also extended to the LiL Hoyas. The WCAC is trying to expand the league as I know Pallotti was also asked to come back to the league?

The Heights asked to join the WCAC not the other way around. Because Prep would lose at most sports and they can't handle being in a "b" league, it would hurt their little feelings.

Why doesn't Prep compete in the WCAC? The WCAC recently added the Heights as one of its member schools. I can assure you the invitation was also extended to the LiL Hoyas. The WCAC is trying to expand the league as I know Pallotti was also asked to come back to the league?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prep football is solid but I would say they are far from being an elite program in the DC area. At the end of the day, you play IAC football. While the IAC is a solid football conference with Bullis making serious strides and Episcopal with the Canadian imports, and Landon having decent team every 5 years, the IAC is far inferior to the WCAC any given year.

I doubt GP will go the Dematha route, the IMG or St. Johns route or even the Bullis route. The school has much higher academic standards than those in the WCAC and even in its own conference. GP will not bring in senior transfers nor will they bring in kids from Canada.

They may however go the "Marcus Mason" route.

Marcus Mason lived in the neighborhood .

And your point is what?

Marcus Mason was from the Scotland neighborhood in Potomac which has produced a bunch of good athletes. But it isn't next door to Prep.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prep football is solid but I would say they are far from being an elite program in the DC area. At the end of the day, you play IAC football. While the IAC is a solid football conference with Bullis making serious strides and Episcopal with the Canadian imports, and Landon having decent team every 5 years, the IAC is far inferior to the WCAC any given year.

I doubt GP will go the Dematha route, the IMG or St. Johns route or even the Bullis route. The school has much higher academic standards than those in the WCAC and even in its own conference. GP will not bring in senior transfers nor will they bring in kids from Canada.

They may however go the "Marcus Mason" route.

Marcus Mason lived in the neighborhood .

The one thing Prep and Landon agree on is their hatred of Bullis. My Landon son has friends at Prep and grudgingly respects Prep. That is not present with Bullis.

[quoteWhile what you say is correct, the great animosity pre-dates the lacrosse rivalry that began in the late 1990's many years. For
GP the lacrosse rivalry was layered upon an already existent dislike.

The low point of this relationship was occurred when members of the "Landon Army" beat some GP boys the beach so badly at least one had to be hospitalized.

As GP lax improved, the Landon coaching staff began scouting every GP game, home and away. One of these two coaching staffs seemed obsessed. You can decide which.

Without the Landon dragon to slay, GP lax would have stayed at the level it was, a third tier sport played by football players trying to stay in shape but with few stick skills.

This apparent debt has never translated into any positive feelings towards the school, players, coaches or students that anyone has ever seen.