My condolences to Lynne and her family.

The word "legend" is already being associated with Coach Walsh.  Nothing
could be more true.  To see Shawn Walsh was to see Maine Hockey.  He may now
be gone, but will never be forgotten in our hearts or our minds.

In some ways it does not seem real that he is gone.  I see pictures of him
in the paper and as the season approaches you think of Maine hockey and he
is there -- a fixture behind the bench (or on the boards yelling, or chasing
a ref across the ice).  Shawn Walsh had such a strong public personality
that it is almost impossible to believe anything could touch him.  Even the
NCAA could not bring him down.  But cancer is a strong opponent and I have
to believe that no one could have fought as hard as he did.

Many of us also know that Shawn prepared for almost anything.  It turns out
that Shawn even prepared HIS program for the possibility of his death by
hiring Tim Whitehead.  An article in the Portland Press Herald today notes
that Shawn was very frank with Tim and did mention this very senario.

I was fortunate enough to have Shawn touch my life.  When I was in college I
had several journalistic enterprises I was involved in and some of those
required dealing directly with both Shawn and interim coach Greg Cronin.
Shawn always treated the student reporters with respect and gave them the
same access he did the reporters for the Boston Globe (for instance).  As a
Maine kid who grew up idolizing Maine hockey and Shawn Walsh, he was as big
of a celebrity as I had ever known.  In fact as a cub reporter there is no
person I would have rather interviewed than Shawn Walsh.

It was both a thrill and an honor to know Shawn Walsh.  He provided everyone
excitement and joy as we have watched his product on the ice each winter
since the mid-80s.  Maine Hockey will live on, as Shawn would want, but this
chapter is now closed and soon we will turn the page.

I hope the appropriate people will let us know how those of us from away can
pay our respects with out intruding on his family.

God Bless...
-Deron


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