>Posted on 17 Mar 1996 at 14:27:38 by Geoff Howell
 
>"Thank you Schafer"
>
>Ronn Tomassoni called Cornell a clutch-and-grab team during the pregame
>show on WADN (Concord, Mass). When asked about that characterization by
>WADN play-by-play man Don Boyle, coach Schafer replied to the effect that
>Cornell plays physical defense, thank you, and that "clutch-and-grab" is
>an overused misnomer.
 
I'm sure Don Cahoon (Princeton) and Tim Taylor (Yale) would agree with
the latter observation. Yet, remember that Lizzie Borden used to say
that murder was an overused misnomer. :-)
 
Actually, I think Ronn Tomassoni is wrong. Cornell plays a physical
style, not a clutch-and-grab style. Hockey is supposed to be a physical
game. Physical hockey is fun to watch. Clutch-and-grab hockey is boring.
This Cornell team is fun to watch.
 
I'm very impressed with Mike Shafer's ability as a coach. Cornell won
the ECAC without the kind of talent that teams like Vermont, Clarkson,
Colgate, and even Harvard possess. Shafer appears to have every player
playing at least at the top of his ability, and many are probably
overachieving. This is the mark of a good coach, one who not only knows
what he is doing, but, more importantly, is respected by his players.
 
Under Shafer Cornell will always be a tough team to beat. This is good
for the league. The ECAC needs more Mike Shafers, Bob Gaudets and Mark
Morrisses.
 
Cornell will be a good representative of the ECAC and eastern hockey in
the national tournament. Good luck to the Big Red! Good luck also to
Vermont, Clarkson, Boston University, U-Mass Lowell, and (although
this is hard to say) Providence College.
 
Luiz F. Valente
Brown University
 
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