Steve Klein said it best in his previous posting about how we are *so*
grateful for any television coverage that ESPN throws the way of college hockey.
 
My husband and I were watching the non-awards show known as the ESPYs last
night (it's best to tape it, then fast-forward through most of it; works for
the Oscars, too).  ESPN showed highlights from great sporting events from
last year.  There were was a highlight from the NCAA D-I baseball
championship game (which was great); there were highlights from D-I women's
basketball; there were--of course--highlights from D-I men's basketball.
 
As I was watching, I thought, surely there will be at least the game-winning
goal of the NCAA D-I hockey championship game?  After all, it was one of the
best games I've ever seen, won--storybook style--with an overtime goal by
Brendan Morrison, it was Red Berenson's 300th victory...and the game was
shown on ESPN2.
 
Sigh.  No highlight.  Not many hockey highlights at all (although I was
surprised to see the highlight of the World Cup).
 
It strikes me as downright idiotic to *not* show highlights of that game.
Not only was the game picture-perfect, but ESPN missed out on a good
opportunity to promote its own product!  The lack of hockey highlights in
general was surprising, given that you can now--thank goodness--see NHL
hockey on a few nights per week if you have The Deuce.
 
Of course, things could be worse.  You could live in Columbus, Ohio, where
the daily paper, The Columbus Dispatch, doesn't consistently show box scores
of Buckeye hockey.  There was no story this weekend in the Dispatch about
how the Buckeyes took two crucial games from the Irish, the first
back-to-back Buckeye wins all season.  Nor was there a mention of Dan
Cousineau getting the CCHA defensive player of the week award (this guy
started as a forward).  It took two consecutive defensive player of the week
awards before the Dispatch did a story on Ray Aho.
 
There is no coverage of Buckeye hockey on the radio.  The most comprehensive
Buckeye coverage can be found at USCHO.  I'm not trying to toot my own horn
here; rather, it's quite a statement about how bad the local coverage is.
 
So, I guess the lesson is that ESPN isn't the only place that ignores
college hockey.
 
By the way, thanks to all the folks who responded about the UIC Flames.
This story is going to take a little time, so be patient.
 
If anyone out there would like to share info. about the UIC Flames (in case
you didn't see my previous posting), I'm writing a follow-up feature on the
demise of the hockey program.  Post here, or email me privately.
 
Paula C. Weston
Girl Reporter
 
p.s.--when I saw the PASS college hockey t.v. schedule at the beginning of
the season, I thought, who's going to want to watch the Broncos and the
Buckeyes on a Thursday night near the end of the season?  Was I
wrong--should be a great game.
 
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