Dave Wang writes:
>i think someone might have posted the teams playing in the Mariucci
>tournament, but does anyone know the opening night match-ups?
 
I do not, but the four teams are BU, Minnesota, Western Michigan, and
Yale.
 
>from what little i've managed to read about tim taylor since the disaster
>in norway, i'm under the impression that his stock has dropped quite a
>bit. and i don't think he would be the right man for the bc job under all
>the 'circumstances' at bc presently unless mr taylor's team had placed in
>the top 4.
 
Two thoughts I have about this:
 
I think Tim Taylor has gotten an unnecessary bad rap for the
performance of Team USA in Lillehammer.  This was the toughest Olympic
hockey tournament by far in the history of the Games, with perhaps 7
or 8 countries sending teams that were capable of winning a medal.  In
addition, the team Taylor put on the ice was not anywhere near the
team he would have liked to have had, mainly because players that were
projected as members of the team ended up doing well in the NHL and
were not allowed to play by their pro teams.  And some of the better
players who were there, like Ted Drury, were nowhere near 100%.  These
are not excuses, however, I think an objective assessment of the team
and its competition would show that enough was going against it that
Taylor does not deserve to be castigated.  I know I was much more
disappointed in the finish of the 1988 team in Calgary which I still
believe was the best Olympic team the US has ever had in terms of
talent.
 
I don't know what the chances are that Taylor would wind up at BC - it
sounds like there may already be 3 candidates ahead of him who are all
very qualified - but I will add that I am becoming increasingly more
of the opinion that Gladchuk is not the monster that many people are
making him out to be.  I find it odd that little of the criticism has
centered on Milbury, who certainly seems to have taken the job without
really knowing what he was in for.  And as for Gladchuk's handling of
the BC athletic programs, while I am not a BC fan, I believe that he
has done a lot of good for the department and there is not nearly the
turmoil that some media members would have you believe.  Hoop coach
O'Brien did sign his contract a few days ago as Gladchuk suggested,
for one thing, and the expansion of Alumni Stadium for football, while
being no easy matter, nonetheless is underway and going strong.  Gladchuk
also took heat for football coach Tom Coughlin leaving for the NFL,
even though Coughlin had said almost right up until the day he left
that he intended to stay at BC and then an offer he could not refuse
and that BC could not match came along.  And while only time will
tell, Gladchuk seems to have filled Coughlin's job with a coach who is
more than able in Dan Henning.  Again, these are only the comments of
someone (me) on the outside looking in.  I don't think people should
linger under the impression that BC sports is a mess.
 
Should he hire any of the candidates mentioned as hockey coach, I think
that would put BC back on the road to where they were for many years -
and I also think I would be happier with any of those four men at the
helm than with Milbury, an unproven in the college ranks.
 
>what was that shot at the bavis brothers all about (by my office-mate, no
>less)?!!?? didn't bob norton of NESN refer to mark and mike as the best
>twin penalty-killing-forward-pair? isn't that worth something?!!
 
Absolutely...I felt their loss would be a big one for BU this past
season, and in fact BU's special teams did struggle - there was no one
to step into the roles they played.  But I got the impression Lance
was just drawing a comparison between the Ferraros and another set of
twins and didn't intend to take a shot at the Bavises; Mike and Mark
just don't seem to have as good a shot at making the NHL (and on the
same team, especially) as a combo like the Ferraros.  Unfortunately
for Mike and Mark, there are tons of other guys out there who can do
what they can do.  But Peter Ferraro was a probable candidate for the
Hobey had he returned, and Chris showed me enough in his rookie season
to make me think that if he regains that form, he could also be an NHL
player someday.
 
On the Ferraros, trying to look at it objectively, while it would be
nice to see them return to college play for at least another season, I
really do think that for their development as hockey players, turning
pro was the best move they could make.  They will get to start in camp
with Atlanta, see more ice time, and play against better competition.
So what if the Rangers have decided they don't like them?  There are
lots of other teams that would probably still like to have them and
would be interested if the Rangers decide to move them.  If the rumors
about their contracts that were posted here are true - $65,000 and
$50,000 - I find it hard to believe that they were motivated solely by
money in their decision.
 
>p.s. congrats to the edmicago oilhawks on winning the cup.
 
Note that former BC D Brian Leetch was named winner of the Conn Smythe
Trophy as playoff MVP - the first American ever to win this award, if
what ESPN said is correct.  That's something to be proud of, as well
as the fact that several other former collegians played a big role in
the Rangers' win - maybe none bigger than former Badger goalie Mike
Richter.  Congratulations to all of them and I am glad to see them put
that silly curse business to rest once and for all.
---                                                                    ---
Mike Machnik                                             [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                     *HMM* 11/13/93
>>>>>> Dean Borrelli (C, Tacoma, AAA) .348, 31-for-89, 3 HR, 15 RBI <<<<<<