From the Gopher Hockey Homepage (http://www.umn.edu/mica/Hockey)
comes the following article on sophomore standout defensman Mike Crowley:
 
Spotlight on Mike Crowley
by Min-aha Beeck
 
Those who have been involved in the game of hockey for any considerable
amount of time know talent when they see it. And they see it in Mike
Crowley. The sophomore defenseman has received a lot of attention since
his debut last season for the Golden Gophers. His extremely quick and
talented play won him WCHA Freshman of the Year honors, as well as being
named to the All-WCHA rookie team and honorable mention All-WCHA. He was
also awarded the Golden Gophers' Frank Pond Rookie of the Year award.
        Surprisingly, though, Crowley's start in hockey was not so
illustrious. At age seven, Crowley was signed up to play his first year
of league hockey, but the first day of practice didn't go exactly as
scheduled. "I showed up the first day and got scared of all the
equipment," Crowley said, "I ended up crying and didn't play that year."
The next year, however, and every year since has been a different story.
And Crowley has more than enough awards to prove it.
        Before coming to the Gophers, Crowley earned four varsity letters
in hockey at Bloomington Jefferson. He led his team to three consecutive
state titles and was all-conference and all-state as a senior. He won
Minnesota's Mr. Hockey Award in 1994. He was a member of USA Hockey
Select 16 and 17 teams, played in the 1994 Olympic Festival in St. Louis,
Mo., and was a member of Team Minnesota that won the Chicago Showcase in
'94. Crowley was also drafted in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Some of Crowley's greatest honors, however, have not come in the
form of trophies or titles but in comparisons. It is almost impossible to
talk to Crowley's coaches and teammates without hearing the comparisons.
When Gophers Head Coach Doug Woog speculated this preseason that Gopher's
Dan Trebil was the best defensemen in the WCHA, Trebil countered by
saying that Mike Crowley might be one of the best in the country. There
are also the endless comparisons of Crowley's play to Phil Housley, who
was drafted from South St. Paul, in 1982, and went right to the Buffalo
Sabres. "If I could compare Mike with Housley in any way, it would be his
ability to treat his teammates as if they're something special," said
Woog. For Crowley, that means  setting up a teammate up for a goal rather
than scoring himself.
None of the comparisons, honors or awards, however, have gone to
Crowley's head. Crowley would rather just play the game. "It is a nice
honor to be compared to such great players," said Crowley, "but I'm just
here to play my game."
        So then how does Crowley feel about being named to College Sports
magazine's preseason All-America west team? "I try to just keep things
like that in perspective," he said, "it just makes me more excited to
play." But the very modest Crowley was quick to add, "that is just a
preseason team."
        But now, with the preseason out of the way, Crowley is back to
doing what he does best, playing hockey. "I'm excited to be playing
again," he said, "it was a long off season, and I was getting anxious to
play."
        Playing in front of a packed Mariucci Arena is a dream come true
for Crowley. "My parents have had season tickets here for as long as I
can remember," he said, "I grew up watching the Gophers. It was always a
dream to play here, but it was so far-fetched, I never really thought I
would have the opportunity to do it." Deciding to attend Minnesota was
one of the easiest decisions Crowley has had to make. "When I came to
visit and saw the facilities and visited the coaches and players,"
Crowley said, " I knew this was the one."
        Being close to home was also a factor for Crowley. His family
lives only about twenty minutes away. "I really like being able to play
in front of my family and friends," Crowley said, "My parents go to all
the games. They only missed one series last year, and that was in
Alaska." Hockey has affected every part of Crowley's life.
        "A lot of the memories I have and the people I know, I met
through hockey," he said, "Hockey is the greatest part of my life."
 
 
                                        -Lee-nerd
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