On Mon, 14 Dec 1998, Lerch,Chris wrote:
 
> On the other hand, one could say, that at 11-0 (10-0 NCAA), RIT
>  continues to find ways to win.
>
>  I just got back from Omaha, and will post a full write-up later, but
>  just let me say that until after the second game, RIT felt they got no
>  respect from the UNO coaches, players, and Omaha media. Before the
>  series started, the papers were full of quotes from coaches and
>  players about what an "embarrassment" a loss would be to RIT. After
>  dropping the first game, Mike Kemp said that even though RIT was a
>  "fine team", the loss was "on paper, the low point in the history of
>  the UNO program." Don't think that wasn't extra motivation for RIT,
>  who calmly went out and won two very exciting games in front of over
>  6,500 the first night and 4,500 the next - small crowds for UNO but
>  huge for the Tigers, who beat Buffalo State Thursday night 11-1 in
>  front of 249 people. That's right, three games in four days.
 
Regardless, it *was* embarrassing.  On paper, this series should have been
a pair of blowout wins for UNO.  However, that's the reason we actually
play the games.  RIT earned a couple of wins against a very bad team
right now.  I don't doubt for a second that the Omaha Lancers (or any of
the upper echelon USHL teams) would have taken the Tigers to school, so to
speak.  Jamie Morris was the only player that really stood out as
something special, IMO.
 
> Kemp was full of praise for RIT after the second loss and was probably
>  quoted out of context earlier, but it still stung.
>
> UNO has some very talented players, including 7-8 transfers from other
>  D-I schools and a host of USHL all-stars. Top to bottom,  they have
>  more talent than RIT. But they're very fragile right now and don't
>  know how to win. They way the Tigers took game two, trailing 3-2 with
>  3:54 to play and then *bangbang* getting two within 15 seconds was
>  just devastating.
 
UNO does have some very talented players.  Unfortunately, they're not a
very talented TEAM.  20 guys all playing for themselves doesn't do anyone
any good.  I could tell by watching that the longer UNO went without
stretching their lead beyond one goal, the better their chances of blowing
the game...
 
> #23 is indeed Matt Garver, who transferred from RPI and, according to
>  him, couldn't be happier. He's bonded to this team very well, and was
>  certainly part of the "circle the wagons" mentality the Tigers had in
>  Omaha. He got a stick to the cage at the end of game one for his
>  "How's that for D-III?" comment in front of the UNO bench, which
>  apparently had been taunting him all night. That's all the players
>  wanted to talk about after the game.
 
Why shouldn't he be happy?  He's the big fish in a small pond, now.  He
probably got the poke for making the comment after being all but invisible
in game one.  Then again, hockey player stories tend to degenerate into
"He said/He said" situations.  Unless you were right there, you don't know
for sure.
 
My congrats to the Tigers, though, they truly deserved both wins.
 
Joel
 
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Joel Mack ([log in to unmask])                         Omaha, NE
Home Page: http://www.tconl.com/~jmack
The UNOfficial UNO Maverick Hockey Home Page:
   http://www.mavhockey.com
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