James your right this is a discussion list, and no one enjoys good 
discourse as much as I do.  However like others I'm tired of the 
comparisons, and quite frankly am easily annoyed at games when fans get 
all over the players.  This is a college game, which means the guys are 
not paid, and thus should not be held to the same standards.

You want to complain about the power-play, the lack of discipline from 
time-to-time, why someone is in or out of the line-up, that's all fair 
game.

Have to admit your comments about speaking with Maria Dimitrakos are a 
bit scary.  If you came up to me to question my sons ability I would 
have told you to go fly a kite, but in much stronger terms.

Personally I think fans have no business approaching parents with 
critical remarks.  Do you honestly think a parent is going to say "gee 
that's a really good point, yeah my son should try and give 100% all 
the time".

We all saw how much talent Niko had, but it was up to Niko to put in 
the effort, and nothing anyone of us said or did was going to change 
that.  His senior year he was an all-american, and now he is playing 
every night for the San Jose Sharks.  But the reason he has made it has 
everything to do with his desire to achieve, not our bashing him for 
underachieving.

Your welcome to criticize all you want, just don't expect all of us to 
agree with you.  I know most of us would not be satisfied if Maine 
dropped to the middle of the pack in Hockey East, but this team has 
been in the top 5 in the rankings all year long, and they were picked 
to finish 4th in their own conference!  I like what they have 
accomplished to date, and believe we have a lot more hockey in front of 
us.

Bob Fitta '83


On Mar 3, 2004, at 9:39 AM, james acheson wrote:

> RIGHT... I agree...
> let's go back to the old conversation of
>  "Maine Maine... the boys can do no wrong."
> "There is no room for improvement, and anything bad that happens is 
> the fault of the devil or a communist conspiracy."
>  
> "all the boys are perfect and all the coaching decisions are above 
> reproach."
>  
> is there really anything wrong with questioning what's up when there 
> is a let down?  is there really anything wrong with asking whether or 
> not our boys (our favorite gladiators) could have given a little more?
>  
> is there really anything wrong with noting when something bad happens?
>  
> is there really something wrong when someone says ... "I cannot 
> believe that someone beat Todd Jackson to a loose puck when Todd had a 
> huge lead in the foot race... gee there must be something wrong with 
> Todd's will to hustle"...?
>  
> Is there really anything wrong with asking what is up with a team that 
> knows it is this close to the playoffs and they are not playing tier 
> best?  I remember a team that was this close to the playoffs last year 
> that did not seem to hustle and when the playoffs rolled around that 
> team got out hustled and out trapped by an inferior team AT HOME and 
> lost two in a row to that inferior team.
>  
> I go to alot of games... both Maine games and Merrimack home games 
> because I live so close to Merrimack...  when someone beats Tim Reidy 
> ( an MC foreward, and one of their better players) to the puck, I do 
> not say "gee what is up with that"  I know that Reidy is not the 
> greatest, fastest player out there.  When someone beats Todd to a 
> puck, I do ask what is up.
>  
> I would ask the same thing if I saw Ryan or Levielle decide not to 
> finish a check, and simply skated away... those 2 ALWAYS finish a 
> check, even at risk of getting called for a late hit.
>  
> the team that wins in the play offs is the team that hustles.  (anyone 
> remember Joe Hulbig stealing a game single handedly a few years ago, 
> Miane did not hustle in the 3rd period of that game)
>  
> Do any of you remember Niko Dimitrakos and how he could control a game 
> when he wanted to?  and how he could be a non-factor when he just 
> wanted to coast?  I asked his mother what was up with that when he was 
> a Junior.  I asked her whether he wanted to be an all-American... she 
> told me that he did not have what it takes to be an All-American... I 
> looked at her in disbelief, and told her that I thought that if 
> someone could light a fire under his ass, he would have been an all 
> American 2 or 3 seasons.  I had a long discussion with Mike Morrison 
> about how the boys lit that fire under his ass during his senior 
> year.  The rest of the team brought him up to his potential.... I say 
> it was leadership, AND his inate talent.
>  
> Frankly, I do not question this year's leadership, I think that our 
> boys have well over achieved.  But because I see what they CAN do when 
> they put thier minds to it, I know what is possible.  THis is a TEAM 
> of many very good players and one superstar (besides the goalies).  
> But that superstar is only a great passer, he is NOT A FINISHER, and 
> he cannot win games if his teammates cannot crash the net and get to 
> loose pucks, and convert when he threads a needle with one 
> unbelievable pass after another.
>  
> If there is something wrong with asking those questions above, maybe 
> someone ought to change the name from "discussion list" to 
> "unquestioning, rah rah list"... this has been brought up year after 
> year after year. 
>
> Alexis Wollstadt <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> BRAVO!!!!!
>
> And ditto that!
>
> ~Lexy~
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matt Dewkett"
>  To:
>  Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 9:24 PM
> Subject: Re: New friggin subject line
>
>
> > Hey why don't we all just take the time between now
> > and the BC series to crap on the team and the coaching
> > staff. If anyone thinks they can do a better job,
> > throw your name in the hat when Whitehead's contract
> > expires or enroll in classes and tryout for the team.
> > I think we have MORE than established that yes indeed
> > Maine may not have brought the "A" game on Friday
> > night. I promise you that during Walshy's tenure
> > Maine had the occasional off night. IT HAPPENS!!
> > During Maine's 1995 run to the NCAA finals they split
> > the series with UML AT ALF! OND ARENA!! Did anyone say
> > lets fold up the tent and go home? No they learned
> > from it and made a great run into the finals in
> > Providence. I think although we cleverly changed the
> > subject line, the string remains the same...
> > Criticizing individual play and coaching style. Let's
> > move on to something more productive.
> >
> > That's my $.02
> >
> > Matt
> >
> >
> > =====
> > ------------------
> > Matthew R. Dewkett
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> > __________________________________
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