I was still in high school in 1976 and was not there, but heard the game
on radio and from several eyewitnesses.  Here is what I heard.  I do
know subscribers to this list who were there, and they will corroborate
this story.

Prior to the opening faceoff of the semifinal game between BU and UMTC,
Herb Brooks instructed his top goon, Russ Anderson, to remove BU's top
player from the game, captain Terry Meagher (now the head coach at
Bowdoin).  Anderson complied, by engaging Meagher in a slashing duel.
The two skated to their respective penalty boxes, which were beside the
Minnesota bench.  The officials had to escort the players, but that did
not stop Brooks from bombarding Meagher with obscenities, while the UMTC
trainer called Meagher a frog and spat towards him.  [Meagher is
Canadian but he is not French.  Frog is equivalent to the N word in
Canada.]  This caused fisticuffs to ensue, and both Meagher and Anderson
were ejected.  Nothing happened to Brooks and I can't recall whether any
penalties were assessed to the trainer.  Not a bad deal from Minnesota's
perspective:  a goon for a key player.  All the while the Minnesota band
played the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

The 1976 Frozen Four title should not be a source of pride for the
Gopher faithful.  There is no honor in that banner.  It demonstrated
team and fan behavior at their worst, ranging from poor sportsmanship to
out and out bigotry.  29 years later it is largely forgotten, in no
small part because it wasn't televised.  Imagine the reation if
something like that happened today.  I am confident however that it
won't.

Gopher fans flame away.


Edward N. Moller
Controller and Assistant Treasurer
Mount Ida College
777 Dedham Street
Newton, MA  02459-3323
Tel  617-928-4515
Fax 617-928-4581
[log in to unmask]



-----Original Message-----
From: - Hockey-L - The College Hockey Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carl Ford
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 2:30 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: PWR flaws


Such as?

In the interest of full disclosure, I was born & raised in MN, went to
BU, and was 6 in 1976.  I just see an interesting story coming up...

Quoting Moller Edward N <[log in to unmask]>:

> I think most college hockey fans from the eastern part of the country
> would say that the Gophers should not have been there, particularly in

> light of the players', coaches', staff's, and band's behavior during
> that tournament.
>

-------------
Carl Ford
[log in to unmask]


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