You all must be shocked after losing to RPI Friday night. As a veteran
of RPI glory days (1984-85), allow me to offer some perspective. No-one
outside the ECAC had much respect for UVM last year. Thanks to a lot
of hard work, the whole college hockey community saw the Cats last year
and now, the whole country is watching and expecting miracles. It must
be very difficult for a player when he or she is so highly rated
that he's expected to win but is chastised when he loses. UVM will have
no problem against the lower, skills challenged (ain't political
correctness great?) teams because they're so good. Nor will they have
any problems against the good teams like Clarkson (ouch! for an RPI fan,
that hurts) since they'll be mentally into the game. (Before the flames
start, I'm not predicting UVM over Clarkson, just stating that the Knights
probably won't catch the Cats on a night when the Cats aren't psyched).
Its the middle teams UVM needs to look out for. As RPI found in 84-85,
the middle teams are close enough in the skills department to upset
anyone whose not at their best. The middle teams are always going to be
gunning for UVM because they're at the top. Its probably good for UVM
to have lost, since its early in the year and a good time for a wake-up call.
Now the players will stop reading the polls and start playing hockey which
they do so well.
Does this mean that UVM is not national championship caliber? No one believes
that for a minute. And make no mistake!! When the NCAA's come around
and the Cats are still in it, this RPI fan will be sitting there, wearing
red but yelling let's go Cats.
Does this win mean that RPI with its 7 freshmen is heading to the phinal
phour. Not this year. But next year........;-)
Mark Lewin
Class of '69
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.