So if Merrimack was up 2-0 on Maine and Maine came back to win would you
say that Merrimack choked?  (Merrimack who was 3-22-2 this year.)  Are
you defining "choke" as getting ahead and then loosing regardless of the
relative strengths of the two teams?

Barry Melrose and I both saw Maine get up on Michigan State because they
caught them with their pants down.  Once MS picked up their game they
dominated.  They were better.  Barry agrees.  They didn't win because
Maine played poorly.  They won because they played great.  Barry agrees
with that too.   I don't get why there is so much energy to blame Maine
coaching and players when they loose and when they play a clearly
superior team.  Michigan played their same game against BC and
dominated.  Did anyone watch that game?  BC was a great team this year.
They played a great game.  But they played a better team and they know
it.  The Maine players and coaches also know that they played a better
team.  No one on the Maine or BC teams is ashamed of their tournament.
They are disappointed but they are not ashamed.  And I'm not ashamed
either.  Choking IS something to be ashamed of and to feel bad about.
Neither Maine nor BC choked.  I feel great about my team and their
season.  I'm proud of them that they played so well.  I'm disappointed
too but I'm a lot more proud than disappointed.

This isn't the Mighty Ducks you know.  There isn't usually a way to beat
a superior team.  Don't take a great tournament and championship away
from Michigan State that they clearly deserve by saying that Maine
and/or BC choked.

Clair '71





-----Original Message-----
From: The Maine Hockey Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Deron Treadwell
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 8:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Maine did not choke!

If UNH had gone up 2-0 on anyone (especially if it was Maine) and UNH
lost the game, we'd say UNH choked another one away, hahaha, how funny
it is - look at Dick Umile scowl, look at Jacob Micflicker cry, etc.

I agree it was a very successful season and I am pleased with how we
did, certainly more than we could have expected at the end of the year.
 But, in my opinion, the goal for THE University of Maine EVERY YEAR
should be to win the national championship.  If we fall short (as we
will most years), then so be it - that is reality and that is how it
is.  Not a lot of programs can set that goal, but we can and should (at
least for now).

If I want to be a fan of a team that is satisfied to make the
tournament every year and not win it, then I'll start cheering for UNH.

As I told someone privately, I am as big of a fan as anyone here even
if I can't make it to a lot of games.  I live and die watching or
listening to these games and it makes me physically hurt to lose these
games, as I am sure it does many of you.  YES, I'm proud of our team
and our Frozen Fours, but I want to win National Championships and when
we go up 2-0 on Michigan State and then allow them to out work us (a
trademark of UMaine success) and ultimately lose the game, after we saw
LAST YEAR how they can come back strong when we went up big, then, YES,
I do consider it a choke.  We all don't have to agree on this, I'm OK
with that.

Yankee fans still love their team after the biggest choke in the world
in 2004 (Hi Nonni!)  I still love my Black Bears.  I also love my Red
Sox and they have certainly had much bigger choke jobs than this.  It
is OK for you to still love a team that chokes sometimes.  Find me one
team that doesn't.

I think some of my feelings about this year stem from the fact that I'm
not as confident about the future of UMaine hockey and a third national
title would have been sweet.  I think even the FF may be hard next year
knowing who is leaving.

-Deron