Good Morning,

I have not had the time to keep up with all the posts on this subject
but want to throw my 2 cents worth in!  I am an advocate of one game a
year in Portland for a number of reasons, but perhaps the most
important one is the one that Deron touched on and is quoted below!
>
> - Deron
>
> P.S. - One of my most fond memories as a kid was watching a Maine vs.
> Notre
> Dame hockey game as a kid at the Cumberland County Civic Center.  It
> was the
> first time I ever saw Maine live.

I remember going to that game as well, though I was not a kid.  However
I did bring a young cousin of mine to the game who lives in Florida.
He has become a hockey fan as a result and now tries to go to the
tourney in Florida each year.  Essentially it is an opportunity to
extend the reach of Maine Hockey, and as a road warrior I can attest
that many of the people at the road games with me all season long are
Southern Maine residents.  I would never advocate playing a rival in
Portland, but the games vs. ECAC have been fun, and well attended.

Also many of us who travel to Portland are as far away as those in
Bangor, keep the game in the afternoon and it gives everyone a chance
to shop, eat and see great hockey.

Like I said my 2 cents!  By no means is the atmosphere the same, but
it's nice once a year!

Bob Fitta '83

>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "nonni daly" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 10:48 PM
> Subject: Re: never hurts to try...
>
>
>> Deron -- I have watched attempts to cultivate support of UM athletic
>> teams
>> in southern Maine for nearly twenty years and it gets really old,
>> really
>> fast.  Yes, we have some strong supporters/alumni and some good donors
> down
>> in that area.  I won't ever dispute that fact.
>>         At the same time, it is pretty obvious that unless UM moves to
>> Portland, the support isn't there.  A couple of well attended hockey
>> games
>> over all these years is not proof of anything.  Does the football team
> fill
>> Fitzy?  The basketball teams fill CCCC?  Don't think so ...
>>         I well remember reading a comment from a "fan" in Portland who
> said,
>> "If they bring in a 'quality' opponent, I'll be there!" -- gee, and
>> the
>> bumpkins in Orono can have the lesser quality?  Why not just be
>> pleased to
>> be able to see a hockey team of the quality of the Black Bears?
> Pretentious
>> attitude, Deron -- the guys deserve better than that.
>>         And, I am not criticizing anything -- I am only stating fact
>> in
>> terms of warm bodies buying tickets and attending the event.  I
>> certainly
>> want supporters and donors in southern Maine to have a chance to see
>> Maine
>> Athletics, in general -- and not just hockey.  There are many alums
>> down
>> there -- where are they when they have a chance to see the only D-I
>> school
>> in the state compete in football, in hoops, in anything else?
>> Woefully
>> lacking too much of the time -- you will notice I did not say ALL of
>> the
>> time.
>>         Why don't the southern Maine media mavens cover UM?  Because
>> it
>> isn't "there"?  No local flavor?  Total lack of knowledge of what
>> these
>> teams are about?  Some of the reportage in the so-called Maine Sunday
>> Telegram is proof of that, way too often.
>>         And, exactly what do you mean when you say "when it is done
>> right
>> (under Whitehead)"?  It never was before?  And what was wrong with it
>> before?  I remember clinics with the team and Walsh and local youth
>> kids,
>> trips to hospitals, Skate With the Bears, supporters from here taking
>> the
>> time to pack a ton of apparel and other items and sell them down
>> there,
>> others from here running the 50/50 down there ... selling programs,
>> giving
>> out information on The Friends of Maine Hockey.  We had to do it
>> because
> no
>> one down there broke a sweat to see that these kinds of things were
>> done.
>>         And, maybe we need some kind of breakout on the money trail
>> to see
>> how much support to athletics comes from the southern part of the
>> state.
> If
>> comparable (to population) financial support comes from there, then
>> something must be working.  Spreading the wealth is one thing,
>> packing a
>> rink with supporters is something else.  I am not convinced that more
>> than
>> one game a year in any sport is worth the time, the effort and taking
>> the
>> kids away from their home ice/field/court advantage, unless there is
>> tangible financial proof that it is worth it.
>>
>> --Maine native who attended Maine, lived "away" (God forbid) and came
>> back
>> here to watch Maine Hockey and support it -- quality opponents or not!
>>
>>
>>> You can't have your cake and eat it too. You have criticized the
>>> attempts to promote the state university's hockey team in the part of
>>> the state with the most people and most wealth/disposable income
>>> (that
>>> can be used to make donations to our beloved program).
>>>
>>> Yet you also cry poverty and in other posts you explain to us (which
>>> we
>>> appreciate, thank you!) how the financial side of things work and how
>>> critical donations are.
>>>
>>> To me, playing a game or two in Portland is a small price to pay if
>>> it
>>> makes the southern part of the state feel involved and if it is done
>>> right (as it has been in my opinion under Whitehead) you get the team
>>> and the guys out in the community and it fosters all kinds of good
>>> will, just like the events in the local Bangor area.
>>>
>>> The problem is not the fans in Southern Maine, but the media who
>>> doesn't give them the coverage.  We are starved down here, honestly,
>>> as
>>> posts here have indicated.
>>>
>>> Portland has packed a 6900 seat arena the last few years to see this
>>> team since they've returned to Portland, (and I'll bet on
>>> two-sellouts
>>> this year), so I find your comment about southern Maine not
>>> supporting
>>> the team laughable, not to mention that if you don't ever come to
>>> Portland, don't ever ask for those people to donate to the program.
>>>
>>> Just my southern Maine retort.
>>>
>>> - Signed: Life-long southern Maine resident who went to college in
>>> Orono because of Maine hockey.
>>>
>>
>>