>        The radio and coaches area is the ultimate though. Even NU's
>Matthews Arena or the Gahden didn't have a vantage point quite like this!
>While the height is the same, it's actually CLOSER to the ice thanthose
>two. You are literally beyond the boards and directly over the ice here.
>Even at those others you're 20-30 feet back, but not so here. I'm going
>to have to talk our radio into coming up next time, I can only imagine
>broadcasting a game from there. There's no angle like it anywhere.
>        Getting up there's cool too, climbing a submarine-like ladder to
>a chicken-wire enclosed catwalk that runs up and over the stands. Incredible.
>
During my stint as WRPI Hockey Announcer, I must say of all the ECAC rinks,
the RPI/Houston Field House was the nicest to announce in.  Sure, you had
to stand on metal grates the whole game and climb up through the cage and
all, but the view was incredible.  The announcers are right over the RPI
players bench and could see and hear everything develop on ice.  All the
action along the near boards was easily visible (except for maybe one small
blind spot in each corner) and you were right at center ice.  Sure some
rinks had press boxes at center ice, but they were 60' away from the ice.
And how about announcing at Colgate or Harvard where you get stationed at
the end of the rink (and down low at that)?  Not much fun.  Kurt and Jayson
(current announcers) are two lucky guys.
 
Too bad the NCAA outlawed the noisemakers RPI used to give out during the
Freakout.  When they gave out horns, the whole place sounded like a beehive
for 2 1/2 hours straight.  The constant drone must have gotten on the
players after a while.
 
-Ken Johnson
RPI/Rensselaer '87
 
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