...
>not think that the turnover is bad, because this year was an atypical
>year for the program and I'd just as soon have it be forgotten.

Ouch!

24-10-5, and you'd "just as soon have it be forgotten"?!  Are you from
Minnesota or something?  ;-)

We just had a terrific season - one that may not be matched for some
years.

Maybe we should look back at pre-season and the expectations we had,
rather than the mid-season expectations?

As to this year's team, I wonder if here wasn't significant burnout.
Last year we had the memory of Coach Walsh and a few terrific senior
leaders.  Both were missing, so what took their place?  As typical fans,
we don't get to see the inner workings of the team;  I don't know how it
worked, but we saw a huge difference in confidence, in game results and
how many just "held themselves", in 2003.

Even without a loss to the pros, next season may have 50% new players.
(Hopefully the returning players will have shed the 50% that was up
tight or not confident).  :-)

A good questions is "Who will be captain next year?" I'm hoping for
Prestin Ryan, but then he would have been my captain this year.

Finally, thanks Jon for your tribute to Marty and the other Kariya's.
What a family;  what great student athletes;  how lucky we were to have
them attend and play for Maine!

cheers, wayne

Wayne T. Smith
[log in to unmask]                          Old Town Landing
The College Hockey lists: Hockey-L and Hockey3 at http://lists.Maine.edu/