Deron Treadwell wrote:
>
> Hi everyone! I'll post some thoughts on this weekend later on, but
> what I wanted to note on this list was something I heard and wanted
> comment on.
>
> Apparently, Coach Walsh told his team *before* the game Friday that
> the NCAA Tournament was their goal and (essentially)the Hockey East
> Tournament didn't mean much.
>
 
Hold on.  Is the latter part of that -- the "(essentially)the Hockey
East
Tournament didn't mean much" part -- something you're contending that
Coach Walsh said or is that an inference that you're adding?  If the
inference is your's, that's a pretty brutal distortion, don't you think?
 
I can see any coach feeling that the NCAAs are the primary goal.  They
*are* more important.  I can also see any coach priming his team more
for
the NCAAs than the league tournament -- if that's even possible, I don't
know -- especially since Maine wasn't going to change its NCAA seeding
one way or another this past weekend.
 
That said, however, can I see Walsh telling the team before the game
that "the Hockey East Tournament doesn't mean much"?  Not at all.
 
 
> My question is for a team with only 16 scholarships, with NO NCAA
> Tournament experience and in a slump, was it the right thing to do to
> downplay the Hockey East Tournament?
>
> I like Walsh, so please understand I'm not bashing him.  I just want
> to solicite some opinions on the matter.  It could be that I heard
> *incorrectly*, which I hope is the case, because a lot of Maine fans
> traveled to Boston and they really wanted this championship.  It would
> be a shame if Maine (players and coaches) didn't.
>
 
Is there anyone who feels that the players didn't work their hardest?
Is there anyone who feels that the players and coaches didn't want
to win.
 
Come on!
 
It sure looked to me like they wanted it.
 
Now, you could look at something like Jason Vitorino not dressing (or
pick
some other example of weekend gain and NCAA loss) and say that since
he's
hobbled, it was best for Walsh to hold him out to get him healthy for
the
NCAAs (if he'll even be healthy for that).
 
I could see Walsh doing that because the NCAAs are more important.  And
I
think that would be the right call.  Perhaps Vitorino is a bad example.
Make up your own that fits.  Such tradeoffs between instant gain vs. the
greater long term good are made all the time.
 
This is hardly the act of betrayal to the fans that has been insinuated.
 
And I must add... oh ye of little faith.
 
Yes, they do need to get the power play untracked, but this has been one
of
the top five teams in the country just about all season long.  Can they
beat
Ohio State and Clarkson to get to Anaheim?  I'd consider them the
favorite
in each game.  And once you get to the Final Four, anything can happen.
 
Hey, people didn't think the 1995 team was that great on paper and they
got
to the championship game.
 
I do hope to hear a lot of Maine-iacs from the press box on Friday....
 
DaveH