Surrounded by adobelike walls adorned with thatch overhangs and photographs of surfers carving through azure waves, the setting of Jake Bergey's greatest challenge is a pacific one.

The soon to be 26-year-old is an anxious restaurateur, pausing between phone calls and customers to talk about his new business, his lacrosse career and being the son of one of Philadelphia's favorite tough guys.

Just off High Street on West Chester University's campus, Burrito Loco opened in conjunction with the school year. It was the brainchild of Bergey's Philadelphia Wings teammate, Matt Ogelsby, who opened a similar eatery in North Carolina following his graduation from Duke.

After returning home to play for the Wings in 1997, Ogelsby sold his share of the Durham business and partnered with Bergey on a reproduction. It was an eye-opening experience for both.

"To tell you the truth I came into it pretty blind," Bergey said. "I knew it would be a lot of work, but I didn't know how much. Just getting the thing up and running ..."

Bergey shook his head, recalling how a collection of little hitches - overspending and overstaffing among others - grew into a looming headache.

Then there was capturing a niche in the West Chester market.

"The kids who go there aren't as cosmopolitan as the kids at Duke," Ogelsby said. "People who go (to West Chester) are from around here. And there's no Mexican places around here."

After a few months of adjustments and advertising, Burrito Loco is finally prevailing, touting itself as "The Healthy Alternative" with a menu of freshly-made burritos, tacos, salads, quesadillas and a namesake: the Bergey Burrito. (For the curious, it's a blend of beef, chicken, salsa and picante, and can be, if you like it that way, a little spicy.)

As more students pour into the restaurant, it leaves Bergey freer to focus on the reigning passion in his life.

The Wings head to Toronto on Saturday to face the defending champion Rock in the National Lacrosse League semifinals. The top four teams in the eight-team league qualify the playoffs. Buffalo and Rochester will meet in the other semifinal.

The Wings, eliminated by the Rock in last year's playoffs, boast a potent roster. Bergey is second on the squad with 62 points (27 goals and 35 assists). At 6'0" and 215 pounds, he is one of the burlier attacks (offensive players) on the team, but his size belies his effectiveness.

"For a big guy, he really is very quick around the net," Wings coach Tony Resch said. "I don't know how teachable that is. It seems to be a more instinctual thing."

As Ogelsby puts it, Bergey "comes from one of the most unbelievable gene pools."

Bergey is the middle of three sons to Bill and Micky Bergey. All three were collegiate athletes, but unlike their father, their chosen sports used sticks.

Bill Bergey spent 12 seasons as an NFL linebacker. He was drafted out of Arkansas State in the second round by the Cincinnati Bengals and was named AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1969. He arrived in Philadelphia via trade in 1974 and finished his career with the Eagles, recording nearly 1,200 tackles in seven seasons and leading the Eagles to Super Bowl XV in 1980 before retiring. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time team MVP.

Today, Bergey does commentary for radio and television and owns a number of area hotels. But his priority is traveling to each of his children's games. He's now a fan, and admittedly a poor one.

"Back when I played football I could take my frustrations out on an opponent," he said. "My wife will state that I am probably the worst fan to watch an athletic contest with. She will not sit by me."

Yet for all the football in their blood, none of Bergey's sons fell in love with it. Each was a high school All-America in the sport, and the oldest, Jason, took a football scholarship to the University of Delaware. He quit after a year and joined the hockey team.

"He absolutely hated it," Bergey said. "Jake was a great defensive back playing football. When he decided to go with the lacrosse, I said. 'Fine, that's good.' The youngest one (Josh, a sophomore at Salisbury) could have been an outstanding running back in college, but he decided to go into lacrosse. I guess if they played the tuba, that would have been good, too."

Jake was five when his father retired from football, so he carries only sparse memories of those days. And though the presence of football was heavy in the Bergey house, lacrosse was his sport of choice.

"The greatest thing about Jake is he's very modest and he really legitimizes our sport," Ogelsby said. "He has done everything in our sport that his dad did in football."

Bergey is easily one of the most popular players on the Wings, who average 16,000 fans at the First Union Center. In fact, on 26 February against Pittsburgh, the team set a league record in attendance (18,911).

Bergey acknowledges that some of the fame is tied to his name, a connection he has perpetuated by wearing the same jersey number (66) as his father.

"I don't really know any different from my dad growing up famous," he said. "It doesn't really bother me for the most part. I think in the lacrosse community, I've made my own name. (Yet) until lacrosse is a bigger sport, that's the way it's going to be."

Bill Bergey thinks differently.

"No, I think he's earned it all himself," he said. "He put a lot of extra pressure on himself when he decided to take my football number, and I thought that was pretty special. But he's done it all himself. To be honest with you, I'd like to take credit for it, but I can't even play catch with him."

A difficult chore for anyone the way Jake flings his shots. He has made an immediate impact everywhere he has gone, starting in college when he scored five goals as Salisbury upset Hobart 15-9 in the national championship game his freshman year.

Drafted in the fifth round in 1998, Bergey scored four goals and had nine assists as the Wings rolled through the playoffs to their first NLL title.

"Quite honestly, the first year is a big adjustment," Resch said. "But he did seem to adapt very quickly."

A skill Bergey has carried into the restaurant business. In turn, he said the restaurant has instilled in him a little more patience and how priceless hard work can be.

"This has taught me so much, not only in life lessons, but in business as well," Bergey said, glancing up at the surfboard hanging from the ceiling and adding, "and I like the fact that you don't have to wear a coat and tie."