Jon Loyte has only been a Mahoning Valley Thunder player for a few weeks.  He likes his team, he likes the coach, and he really thinks that things have gotten better since he got here.

Loyte was a standout tight end at Boston College.  He played a big role in as a “shorter” guy in the Eagles offense.  Against Georgia Tech, Loyte had 80 yards receiving sighting that game as his biggest individual moment in football.  He put the team ahead saying that the win at Virginia Tech when Matt Ryan went completely nuts in the second half was his greatest moment while playing college ball.

Loyte grew up in Boston and claims to be a huge Red Sox fan. 

Jon enjoys going to eat at Antone’s and Jeremiah Bullfrogs saying that the food here in the area is good and he can really struggle when trying to figure out what to order at either place.

Loyte revealed that growing up in Boston, he was a headbanger.  He liked the mainstream hard rock of the day.  He has since modernized and progressed musically to Kings of Leon and the modern alternative groove.

He also revealed that he only gets FOX in his room and watches the show Family Guy.  He also is catching up on the USA series Burn Notice that he has on DVD.  Since he can’t get ESPN, he watches Sportscenter when it is on anywhere else.

Loyte likes his video games.  He has an X-Box 360 and said he is totally and completely addicted to Halo.  “I usually don’t like shooting games, but Halo is just addicting – I can’t stop playing it.”  He also plays Madden and used to like EA Sports NCAA Football, but they screwed his number up on the game so he is on a mental boycott.  If you play NCAA ’08, Loyte is incorrectly labeled with #96 if you pick Boston College.

As far as being a member of the Thunder, Loyte told me that this team has the pieces to win, it just all needs to be put together.  The constant carousel of two or three new faces per week have been improvements to the team and that things are getting better every day for the Thunder.

Jon smiled when I asked him some of these questions and came off as a really good person.  He didn’t use and profanity or speak negatively about anyone or anything we discussed.  He is genuinely a positive person.