I think if we all took a clue from Mike M, it might settle some wounded
egos, mine included.  Mike, in touch with the higher ups of HE, strongly
implies that the SO was adopted to make the game more exciting, thereby
gaining and increase in fandom.  If this is the reason, I applaud the SO
and think it worthwhile.  Being out here in college hockey wasteland, no
better excuse could be had!  So that is how I've settled it in my mind, if
it increases interest (Mike, how do we measure this, attendance?  TV
broadcasts, lengths of newspaper articles,... IMHO the ultimate would be a
game writeup in the LA Times of course :-))!!)  ... then I am all for it
even if esthetically it might be a no-n0.
 
BTW, I must defend my ivory tower colleague Dick Crepeau at UCFla... I
think he has a point, the US mentality is win or you lose, whereas in
other cultures it is more like "give your best and you win."  I am not
sure that this, however, is directly related to the SO question.  I know I
personally had a helluva time trying to console my daughter whose HS
tennis team had just "lost" in the state finals (tough tennis in CA!!) to
the best team in southern CA, that in fact she had won:  they finished
22-1, barely losing in the finals 10-8, and they WERE winners! They played
the best tennis of their lives, they did WIN.  Anywhere else, that would
have been it, but I think the U.S. lives under a big guilt trip... which
has taken her two years to get over!! So hat's off to Dick C.... even if
his point, in my mind, is not directly related to the SO query.
 
I believe Mike M. made some good points on the other topic of pressures at
RPI, it has always been that way.
But my question is:  is the pressure any different at other "one sport"
schools like Clarkson and SLU?  Does RPI suffer because of being in a
large urban center rather than in a rural setting, lots of press and
media, etc?  Back in the old days (mine, early 60s) the football team at
RPI lost 43 straight!!  Bball was not much better and that was it.... the
hockey team saved the day going to the NCAAs I think 3 of my 4 years, 3rd
in thenation, etc.... and only 20 game schedule, each game was intense,
but there were breather teams....now there seem not to be any breathers.
Not having seen a game in 30 years, I am not sure of all this, but I sense
there may be more pressure now, why I can't tell, but I would hope the
supporters would lighten up a bit and be happy if you are a top program
that can compete with the big boys in most years!  Heck, I'd be happy just
to see a game, even if they lost!!
 
Just some ramblings' from an old RPI supporter!
 
Tony Buffa
RPI '64
U of Ill '66 and '69  --- big time school, big NCAA trouble those years!!