If you think Bush only nets $400,000 a year you have your head in a dark place.  But that's an irrelevant issue as you rightly point out.  We live in an insane world where top athletes make money way out of proportion to their contributions to their sports, or anything else for that matter, and top coaches in all sports, college or professional, likewise are overpaid, just as are CEOs of companies.  Note that if people refused to pay X dollars for tickets, those salaries would necessarily go down.  Likewise, if nobody was willing to offer over $150,000 for the salary of a college hockey coach, my bet is that most of those coaching now would still be coaching for those sums, and those who wouldn't would be replaced by good coaches.  We have allowed market factors and greed to drive salaries off the deep end for coaches and athletes and, in the end, its our fault.  As Pogo once quipped, "We has met the enemy and he is us."

Tom Rowe
I used to have quotes here, too

-----Original Message-----
From: - Hockey-L - The College Hockey Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hampton, Nathan E.
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 2:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: UNH

In 1931 Babe Ruth signed a baseball contract for $80,000 which was greater than President Hoover's $75,000. Last year Alex Rodriguez made $26 million dollars playing baseball and President Bush made $400,000. Should Ruth have been fired or should ARod, Manny (@$22 mil), etc. down the list get fired because they make more than the president? If Bush wanted to make $20 some million as a baseball player he could have by using his time pursing that profession rather than the profession and salary he choose. Umile should not be criticized for a mistake and choice made the the Governor  or other public officials of a tiny little state. Umile competes in a national labor market, the public officials do not (nor could they). There is a reason his salary far outstrips "other high placed" bureaucrats.

Nathan Hampton


On 4/1/08 2:02 PM, "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From what I hear from my co-worker, a UNH alum and avid hockey fan, is that the latest pressure being brought to bear on the Umile question is the recent public release of Mr. Umile's salary as a coach juxtaposed to the latest early exit from tourney.? I think she said that he is making aboput $225K which far outstrips the NH Gov., ATTy. Gen and other high placed public officials.? Perhpas it is an idea whose time has come?


-----Original Message-----
From: Spreeman, Cathryn <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 12:53 pm
Subject: Re: UNH



As a long time UNH fan, I have done some serious soulsearching in the past several years concerning the track record of UNH hockey in the post season.  I sometimes chide my husband over his attitude of complete disgust -- he is one that says Umile definitely must go -- and I try to remember when we just went to a UNH hockey game to enjoy the game.  Back in the days of Snively Arena, we just plain had a great time watching a college hockey game.  For the past ten years or so, we've had the experience of rising expectations.  Good players, good records, post-season appearances, some successes (two Hockey East tournament championship teams) and some excruciating failures (two Frozen Fours lost in the championship game; losses in the semifinals, losses in early rounds). Having grown up a Boston Red Sox fan, I had good training to be a UNH hockey fan.  The Sox broke their curse; what will it take for the Wildcats to break theirs??  A new coach who knows how to win at that level? Once I actually drafted a piece for the UNH student newspaper about being tired of being "Umile-ated" every year.  I never sent it in.  Part of me says, hey, just enjoy the game.  If they go to the tournament, fine.  The other part of me says WIN THE DAMN THING!!!!

Cathy Spreeman
UNH '72

________________________________

From: - Hockey-L - The College Hockey Discussion List on behalf of Deron Treadwell
Sent: Sat 3/29/2008 10:05 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: UNH



I'm curious to know what people (specifically UNH fans) think about the latest first round exit for the University of New Hampshire.

As Charlie's release mentioned earlier, UNH is now 4-8 in first round games and I believe have lost in the first round in 3 of the last 4 years (at least one of those games in Manchester, NH).  All the while, UNH has had dominant regular season teams, winning or near the top of HOCKEY EAST every year it seems.

Almost shockingly, I've seen a few messageboard posts from UNH fans saying that perhaps Dick Umile needs to go.  I think its an interesting question, because there is no doubt UNH has the facilities and they are getting the talent.  Is it time to make a change in order to get over the top or is it something else?

-Deron