First, to Ed Moller:  According to the 2000 census, Worcester is still the
second largest city in Massachusetts, although it may have been surpassed by
Providence or Hartford for New England.  Actually, now that I think about
it, Bridgeport was bigger than Hartford in the 1990 census.  No wonder
insurance town lost the Whalers (and couldn't nab the Patriots).

It was also suggested by some one that the ECAC divide into two divisions -
the Ivy and the Empire.  Does anyone recall that they did this exact same
thing in the late '70's, early '80's?  They had the New England (BU, BC, PC,
UNH), the Empire (UVM, Clarkson, St. Lawrence, Colgate, RPI) and the Ivy
(Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown, Yale, Princeton & Cornell).  I may have put UVM
in the wrong bracket but, as I recall, this was supposed to put the Ivies on
somewhat of an equal footing with the powerhouses and give them a fair shot
of getting to the Garden for the ECAC semis.

Just like then, today we have the tail wagging the dog in the ECAC.  Most
will recall that it was the Ivies stubbornness that led to Hockey East being
formed in the first place.  I say, fine, if they want to be the way they are
then let them play amongst themselves.  After all, that's what they do in
other sports. I have felt for a number of years that the NCAA should just
grant the Ivies independent league status, let them go their own way and
give them a goddam bye into the NCAA's.  Of course, it would be more
reasonable if this largesse came with a 16 team NCAA field.  But at least it
would force the non-Ivies in the ECAC to make a choice as to which way they
want to go.  They could form a Patriot type league of supposedly academic
universities or they could dabble their toes into allegedly more suspect
waters.  I would be willing to bet that at least a couple (St. Lawrence and
Clarkson) might do the latter.

Also an aside to Ralph Baer, re: RPI.  From my vantage point (which is
certainly a Hockey East one), I think the school is still suffering from the
Mike Addessa hangover.  Perhaps Brian Morris could speak to this but I don't
think that a large segment of the RPI administration has ever gotten over
the fact that first, he recruited kids who could win a national
championship, then he won the championship and then he had the whole racial
thing blow up in his face.  I would bet that a large group at RPI said
"never again".  It's too bad, because back in the '60's and '70's the school
was just as fine an academic institution as it is now, and they still played
competitive hockey (I still puke every time I recall RPI's upset of UNH in
the '74 ECAC quarterfinals).

You know, this whole academic thing with the ECAC can go to an extreme.
There are plenty of kids who, grade wise, can play at an Ivy or a Union or
RPI. but, instead opt for Hockey East, CCHA or WCHA.  I certainly can't cite
statistics from all schools but I know I read somewhere that the average SAT
score of incoming freshman at UVM was almost identical to those going to
UNH.  I know that doesn't mean everything but it clearly throws water on the
idea that somehow the all the ECAC's are academically a cut above everyone
else.  I vividly recall that Jack O'Callahan (former All American, Olympian
and Blackhawk) had the grades for Harvard but instead chose BU because he
wanted to play more competitive hockey.  While not of the same hockey
caliber as O'Callahan, UNH's David Busch is an outstanding student and was
accepted at Princeton.  However, he turned it down because he wanted to play
Hockey East.

What the ECAC schools have to realize is that you can do both.  You can have
a superior academic institution and play competitive sports.  Just look at
Stanford, Duke, Michigan or even Divsion III Middlebury.  I don't think
anyone would disparage their academics but they still compete and win.
These ECAC schools could do the same.  JMHO

Greg Ambrose