to mine:
>> Maine is being affected very badly it seems by all the hoopla about being
>> National
>> Champions.  Not only did it seemingly impart in our team,a sense of
>>smugness;
>> hubris, perhaps, and inevitably, it sparks their opposition to play at a
>> high level.
 
John and Jean replied:
>
>Have you spent enough time with the team to make such a statement?
>
OK, here goes:
 
I've seen them in person:  @Ohio State, @Merrimack, @Northeastern (1+),
                                          at Orono vs. UNH and, last
weekend, BU
I've seen them on the tube:  UNH, BU (2)
 
and I have tickets for Sunday at the Whitt, the first game at Lowell, and
the last
Orono home game vs. Merrimack.  I was in Anaheim, also - I can show you my
pictures if you want to come over some time from next door in Danvers.
 
I will admit I wasn't in the locker room, if that's what you meant by "time
with
the team".  Otherwise, don't question my "time with the team", because there
are likely few people who follow Maine this season a road itinerary listing
Columbus, OH (except for the broadcast or print media!)   Did I miss
you that Friday night in Columbus...  ??
 
>After watching the BU series and listening to the BC series it appears to
>me that
>the main problem with this team is the lack of a bona fide go to goal
>scorer (just
>like our beloved Bruins).
 
Two words:  Barrett Heisten.  But that's not the whole story (read on).
>
>The few times I have seen Maine this year, in person and on tv, it appears
>they
>don't have a true leader.  An individual who can lift the whole team.
>Opponents
>don't have to concentrate on stopping a particular player like they have
>in years
>past.
 
I'm sick and tired of the talk about a lack of a "leader".  Do you and
others really mean
"star" ???  Bear with me for a moment, and think about this...
 
Sure, we miss S. Kariya, et. al., but one of Maine's strengths last year,
and what they
SHOULD be able to count on this year is an incredibly strong FOUR lines.  A
fourth-line
player scored the winning goal at Anaheim !!  Our "leader" might turn out
to be a
different player every night !!!
 
When you have a real "team", every player may be presented with a chance to be
that leader, if only for once a night, or even once a season.  They are on
the team
because they have the skills to be that "leader", in place of the "star".
If another
player can't, or won't, perform, then you must work twice as hard.
 
If Maine players are skating around looking for that leader to show up, it
probably
won't.  Why ?  Leadership starts with each player doing their part.
 
Coach has the players strong enough so that our opponent's can't cover only
the "power"
line, because then the other lines will fill in later and perform.   We should
be able to wear down our opponents by the depth of our bench.
 
>Maine has a fairly strong team and a successful February will translate into
>a successful March.  Let's give them the support they need!!
>
 
I fully support the Black Bears.  I am entitled to be a bit concerned,
however.
 
Let our boys show us the improvement we all know they are capable of...
 
 
 
Dan Doucette
 
Maine - National Champions 1993 and 1999 -
first in the new Millennium ?
 
Bill Gates should be sentenced to using a Macintosh
for the rest of his natural life.