Coach Schafer writes:
>You heard it here first.  It's official.  The University of Notre Dame
>announced that their hockey team will join the CCHA in the fall of 1992.
>For all of us involved, it is indeed good news.
 
    Even for those of us only peripherally involved it's "indeed good news."
I join in Mike and Phil's congratulations and pats on the back to a terrific
new beginning for Coach Schafer and his staff, and the entire Notre Dame
Hockey Community of players, fans and alumni.  I regret that new commitments
will prevent me from attending the UNH-UND matches later this season in South
Bend - I would have liked to congratulate Coach Schafer in person.  Hats
off [little leprechaun ones :-) ] to a job well done ....
 
Carol writes:
>Yes, most of the sightlines [in Mariucci] are bad, but I'll bet there are
>very few college arenas that have really great sightlines for lots of people.
 
  Well, I've never had an opportunity to visit Mariucci Arena [aside: I have
an old (1983-84) UNH Media Guide that lists Minnesota's home-ice as Williams
Rink .... How/Why/When did Williams become Mariucci ??  Is this simply a
case like UNH, where the 'Cats skate on Batchelder Rink IN Snively Arena ??],
but here in the East there are at least two exceptionally fine venues for
college hockey spectating.  Dartmouth's Thompson Arena is, IMHO, the finest
collegiate hockey facility I've ever visited, and I've been to every ECAC/HE
rink and many in the CCHA.  It seats 5000+ and EVERY seat has an unobstructed
view of the entire ice surface. For those of you familiar with MSU's Munn Ice
Arena, it's built on the same design (although I'm not sure which came first),
i.e., the ice surface is below grade so that fans enter at the top-most row
of seats and walk DOWN to get closer to the ice.  The roof is a hemispherical
dome-like design so there's no obstructing overhang, and the seats (which
completely encircle the rink) are pitched at just the right angle for raucous
cheering and rooting.  I treasure every game I've ever watched there, and I'm
pulling for Dartmouth and their new coach to turn the corner and start packing
Thompson once again.  Conte Forum, BC's new facility, is also an exceptional
spectator's venue [team bench placement notwithstanding :-) ], but it lacks
the intimacy of some of the smaller rinks, and has some quirks associated with
its dual role as home for the Eagle hockey AND hoop teams.  There's always
tradeoffs as Arena size grows (as Clarkson fans will learn first-hand this
year), but Dartmouth has managed to pull it off in exceptional fashion ....
Actually, Cole Field House here at Maryland would make a GREAT hockey arena
(it's an overgrown version of Thompson Arena), but I doubt the Maryland club
team (competing in the SCHA - the Southern Collegiate Hockey Association -
with Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Navy, etc.) will ever jump up to the Big Time.
 
Jim Love <[log in to unmask]>
Go 'Cats