The area I live in has a highly successful minor league hockey team,
the Hampton Roads Admirals in the East Coast Hockey League. Coach is John
Brophy, who used to coach the Maple Leafs.
        Anywhere, when the Admirals began 3 or 4 years ago, they considered
the men's and women's basketball programs at Old Dominion University in
Norfolk as "competition" for fans.
        Now, with the Admirals drawing anywhere from 6500 to a sellout 9500
fans at Scope in Norfolk, I'm told that the owner of the team, former major
league baseball executive Blake Cullen, has suggested to ODU that it should
capitalize on the hockey enthusiasm in the area by establishing a major
college hockey program at the school.
        I haven't seen the article in the Norfolk newspaper that someone
told me about, but it was all over one of the sports talk shows on Tuesday.
Most comments, from callers and from the host, were negative especially
since there's a faction that wants ODU to start football.
        I was in the car listening to the talk show, and one fellow called
in to complain that the team "would have to fly to Minnesota or North Dakota
every other week" or something like that.
        Anyway, I suspect the comment was made off-the-cuff and nothing will
come of it, but I'll
keep my eye out for any information.
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|                           Lynn Burke                                  |
|          Internet: [log in to unmask]  Compuserve: 71041,314           |
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