These thoughts are purely my own and are based on covering and watching
college hockey for 30 years from a Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Yale, Michigan
State and, hopefully, national, vantage point:
Minnesota has always reserved a special place for itself in the college
hockey world.
Back in the '60s and '70s, when Murray Armstrong had those great Denver
teams, WCHA opponents DU and UM didn't play.
Marsh Ryman, the AD at the time, insisted that Denver played too many
Canadians, and that his pure-bred Minnesota team wasn't going to play the
foreigners unless it had to.
Of course, anytime Denver (or any other school, including UMD, for that
matter) ventured into the Minnesota state recruiting wars, Ryman and Gopher
fans screamed bloody murder about the home boys staying home, which meant
Minnesota.
When Edina's Bill Nyrop chose Notre Dame, a Minnesota athletic department
official actually told him that he'd never get a job in the state if he left
for Notre Dame. Of course, Bill's dad, Don, CEO of Northwest Airlines at the
time, wanted to know who the athletic department official thought he owed
his job to!
And when Bobby Krieger chose (horrors!) Denver, was there ever screaming in
Gopherdom.
The Minnesota line seems to be: recruit American; recruit Minnesota; but
after we strip off the top six players every year.
Where was Minnesota before Wisconsin joined the WCHA? Ryman wouldn't give
the growing Wisconsin program (pre- and early Bob Johnson) weekend games
until it joined the league (meaning, he had to play them weekends). He knew
a strong Wisconsin program would tap into Minnesota recruiting.
If this sounds like a diatribe against the Minnesota program, I sincerely
apologize.
I have enjoyed a lot of good hockey at Minnesota and watching the Gophers in
many tournaments.
I like and respect Doug Woog, as well as several of his predecessors.
But what's good for Minnesota hockey isn't always what's good for college
hockey.
Kids shouldn't be told that if they don't attend the U, they'll never work
in the state (Nyrop was not the exception).
And are Minnesota kids getting a full college experience playing only with
their own?
No wonder this inbred attitude has carried on through the years.
Steve Klein
 ----------
> Unfortunately, it's becoming clear that a sincere opinion that
> might be construed as anti-Gopher/WCHA is no longer welcome
> in a public forum.
 
As a fan of UMD, any comment/observation I
make that is at all implied as anti-Gopher, I am ripped to shreads on
this discussion list.  Why isn't hockey-l just renamed "Pro-Gopher hockey
discussion list - no other opinions welcome".  It seems this is indeed
the case and it is too bad it has to be this way.  It really ruins what
would otherwise be an enjoyable discussion group.
 
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