Lee replied to Greg Berge's observation:
>> A sharp-eyed friend notes that Tim Thomas in on the US roster
>> at the Worlds in Vienna.  Does this mean he has mailed in the
>> semester, perhaps even that he has signed (I dunno who holds his rights)?
>
>There is no rule I know of that says participation in this event
>suspends your eligibility. There are two Minnesota players on the squad,
>namely Brian Bonin (this year's Hobey Baker winner) and sophomore
>defenseman Mike Crowley.
>
>Bonin is a senior and therefore has no elegibility left, but everything I
>have heard points to Crowley retrurning next year (he was recently
>announced co-captain of next year's squad). As far as I know, both
>players are studying and are managing to keep up with their schoolwork
>while in Austria.
>
>So I wouldn't write Thomas' college obituary just yet.
 
Right.  I read (sorry I forget where -- must have been either the MN Daily
or St. Paul Pioneer Press) that Bonin is getting paid a stipend for playing
with the US team, but Crowley is not, because he can't accept it without
losing his eligibility.  The stipend is the problem that Maine had with the
Olympics.  Their player (was it Snow?) apparently didn't realize that
taking the stipend made him ineligible under NC$$ rules.
 
And, while I'm at it, a "Hobey Jinx" factoid:
from http://www.sportsnet.co.at/Icehockey/stats.htm
> BEST PLAYER AWARD
{snip}
> Game 17         USA                 Bonin Brian
>                 RUS                 Mironov Boris
 
but I also note from other data at that site that he seems to be centering
the fourth line.  If the US's best player in the game was a college guy
playing on the fourth line, I guess it's no wonder they lost 3-1. :-(
 
Pam Sweeney
Congratulations Brian "Hobey" Bonin!!!
Go Gophers!!!
Ski-U-Mah!!!
 
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