I recently received a copy of the message about a Villanova and Penn State
game witnessed by Adam Wodon.  From my distance here in Japan, I'd like to
comment.
 
        From 1980-83 I coached the University of Pennsylvania club team
while working at Penn. For those with good memories, you may remember that
Penn was a Division I program from 1967-1978 under coaches Jim Salfi (who
later coached RPI), Bob Crocker (who lost the head coaching job at BU to
Leon Abbott, came to Penn, and then went to the Hartford Whalers), and Bob
Finke (who briefly coached the St. Paul Vulcans).  I had been President of
the Friends of Penn Hockey for several years, and assumed the coaching
duties after returning to Philly from the Boston area.  During the 80's we
regularly played Nova, and occasionally Penn State.  We lost regularly to
the latter because we invariably played them at State College, and never
could ice a full complement of players for a game.  However, the fans were
always noisy, sometimes knew what they were looking at, and were always
loyal to Penn State.  That they cannot go varsity reflects realities that
programs have always had when they are perceived as 'minor' sports, and
very expensive to boot.  I have been associated with several club programs,
in the Midwest as well as at Tufts and Penn, and even before affirmative
action and gender equity, there were problems.
 
        I can remember discussions of sports commitments with the
presidents and deans of several institutions that ice programs with
distinguished histories (I was, and am, a university dean myself), and more
than one  said that, but for the tradition and the likely consequences,
they would dissolve their hockey program.  I doubt if that attitude has
altered on the academic side in the handful of years that I have been over
here in Tokyo.
 
        Villanova has always been a strange place, and especially so in
regard to hockey.  As a coach I never lost a game to Nova, even after they
went varsity, but their program has always had a 'forced' quality about it,
and it never seemed to be a 'natural' sport for the place.  What their
aspirations are for the sport have never been clear, and I'm not sure that
they know even now.  The enthusiasts certainly seem to, but the
administration is a puzzle.
 
        If anyone is interested in some good stories about Penn's hockey
experience, especially in games versus Nova or Penn State (of course there
are also the varsity years to talk about, too), I'll be happy to share
some.  A certain NHL referee, a former Penn player whose one brother has
coached college level, another brother played at Northeastern, would
probably not want to have too many stories told about him, but what's the
internet for?
 
        My players over here rarely weigh more than 150 Lbs., although a
former St. Lawrence JV player who lives here has been very successful in
helping them compensate for the size problem.  Attitudes are different as
well.  We practiced for two years (!!) before the players were willing to
actually play a game.  They'd still rather practice and scrimmage than play
in a real game.  That takes some getting used to.  I could also tell you
what it's like to manage a baseball team where I am the only non-Japanese,
and the only one who speaks English.  Bobby Valentine and Tom Selleck have
nothing to be ashamed of for their forays into the sport here.
 
 
                                                    Tim Winant, Tokyo
 
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