Once again, Munn East became Munn Least for Michigan State as the Spartans
bowed out in the semifinals of the CCHA tournament, losing for the first
time ever to Michigan in the CCHA's. Usually, when MSU loses to UM, it is
the defense that collapses or the offense that doesn't generate enough scoring
chances. Friday, it was the goaltending. Chad Alban had one of his worst
nights in Green and White, losing a skate edge on UM's first goal, going to
the locker room for five minutes or so while Mike Brusseau played admirably
against UM, then coming back and getting shelled. At the end, Chad did his
best at trying to put Brendan Morrison in the hospital, but he couldn't even
get that right on this night.
All in all, there were some highlights for MSU, as they head into the NCAA
tournament. Mike Brusseau looked at times spectacular in the pipes, the
Spartan offense did generate some quality scoring chances, and two Spartans
in particular had some nice goals. Richard Keyes, IMO, thoroughly abused
highly touted Michigan freshman defenseman Bubba Berenzweig (sp?) in beating
Marty Turco to tie the score at 1-1, and Mike Watt's blast from the right
boards on the 5-on-3 power play showed once again why Watt can play almost
any position on the MSU power play (point, wing, or in front of the net). Buty
all three aspects of the Spartans' game aren't clicking together, and that is
something they will have to correct before the twilight meeting with Mass
Lowell on Saturday.
Overall, I was impressed with the job that the NCAA tournament committee did
with the 12-team field. I still see no justification in giving Vermont the
#2 seed in the East, when both Lake Superior and Minnesota are ahead of the
Catamounts in the PWR. Just because they are the second best team in the East
at this time does not IMM justify giving them a first-round bye.
For the third year in a row, it appears, the team with the toughest draw who
is getting a first-round bye is Michigan, but they deserve it. Two years ago,
it was Lake Superior at Munn, last year Wisconsin in Madison. This year, they
get a team who could arguably be a #2 seed in the second round (Minnesota) and
then getting most likely the defending champions, BU, in the semis should they
win. And having to come to Munn again. But, don't worry. I won't be shedding
too many tears for our downstate rivals. Doug Woog was right. Come Sunday,
should his Gophers get past PC, he will find a whole tom of new Gopher fans
in East Lansing (sorry, that's ton, my fat fingers again). Hatred for the
Maize-and-Blue runs deep in East Lansing, and God strike me dead if I ever
cheer to "Hail to the Victors" without, to borrow Dave's expression, middle
finger firmly extended.
And so we come to the end. Demands on my time have become too great recently,
which has forced me to cut back dramatically on the amount of time I can spend
either posting to or reading Hockey-L. (Besides, I've already caught the
beginnings of grumblings from the Lowell and UM corners of H-L about the
Tournament, and I'm not going through all this stuff again.) I don't prefer
to do things partway, and since I can't do it full-time, better it be no-time.
I will still be able to check in occassionally via Tim and Lee's web site,
where I am still not sure whether I will continue to write the CCHA column
for what little is left of this year or next year. I had hoped to do the
Tournament Pool again this year, but I simply do not have the time. Whoever
wishes to take it over, do so with my blessings (and prepare to deal with those
who don't like the format, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO).
So, let me delve into some parting shots:
To the NCAA: Good job. You've done so well selling college hockey to the
major networks that ESPN and ESPN2 are showing women's basketball
all this weekend, exchanging the fastest sport for one of the
slowest. Keep it up and we'll have to watch college hockey on
channels that you can only get if you leave the microwave running
(but only on 80% or above).
College hockey can expand and should, into schools and areas where
we have only dreamed it could go. But there is one major road-
block to hockey expansion. Gender equity. Do the world a favor
and tell the gender equity people to, put it bluntly, go to hell.
Exempt college football from the mix, which will allow schools to
offer more sports for both men and women, instead of cutting men's
sports to fund women's.
To the selection committee: As I said above, the field this year looks good,
and the matchups solid. Keep up the good work.
But, one small suggestion. Either go back to 8
teams or move up to 16. Giving four teams an
extra edge, especially this year when one of them
really doesn't deserve it, doesn't sit well in
my book.
If you can't go to 16, go back to the best-of
three first round and quarterfinal matchups at
the higher seed.
To the CCHA: The conference has done a good job in promoting itself, and big
time congratulations to Keith and everbody else who runs the
CCHA web page. What the conference needs now, I think, is beyond
the control of its higher-ups, and that is to make the conference
competitive top to bottom. That's going to take a commitment
from schools like Ferris State and UIC to college hockey, the
kind of commitment that Lake Superior and now Western Michigan
have shown to the sport, and the commitment that Ohio State
appears ready to show to hockey. (Besides, Ferris really, REALLY
needs a new rink. Ewigleben is a disaster.)
To Michigan State: We haven't had the greatest of runs recently, but MSU is
still one of the premier college hockey programs in the
country, despite not being mentioned in the same breath
with BU, Michigan, Minnesota, etc. especially by those who
don't know enough about the history of the sport. Don't
do something stupid to screw it up. And, for God's sake,
PULL OUT OF THE GLI FOR A FEW YEARS! There is no reason
why MSU must go there every year, especially if we're going
to get screwed into having to play the second game on the
first night every year. If the Wolverines think it doesn't
give them an advantage to play the first game, then fine,
let them play the sceond one some time.
And get rid of the damn Slapshots. Their usefulness is
gone. If we hadn't taught them the word "Sieve" this year,
they wouldn't have a vocabulary worth mentioning. When I
first got here in 1991, the Slapshots were something to
be proud of, standing all of the time, carrying brooms
into the second game of a series, etc. Now they sit on
their asses and wouldn't know the real function of a
broom anyway. Better to spend the money you use printing
their stupid shirts to bring back cheese-filled pretzels
in the concession stands, and give those tickets to fans
who might know the words to the Fight Song.
And move back the start time, especially on Friday, to
7:30!!!!!! You ever wonder why half of the stands are
empty until the end of the first period?
(I would have a few words for the Michigan fans as a group, but this is a
family show and they're pretty much beneath the dignity anyway. Suffice it
to say, that for their sake, I hope Michigan chokes for the 32nd year in a
row. And it'll be "ALL THEIR FAULT.")
And, finally, to the people I've met here and there, the friends and the
enemies I've made on the list and off, I bid you a fond farewell. Many people
in specific have made my stay here enjoyable, probably too many to mention.
But some deserve special recognition. Wayne and Mike for keeping the list
sane and focussed during its growing pains (a small part of which I may have
had a hand in), Bill and now Glen for running the poll, Glen for his updated
scoring lists, and Erik for the RPICH, Robin and Tim for CHODR, Keith at one
time for TCHCR, and any others who produced ratings systems I forgot to
mention. And, finally, to those of you who I've gotten into arguments or
discussions with, know that I will miss those, whether on list or off. Two
names come into mind here. Mike and I, though in different parts of the
country, have had some good talks, both on and off the list, which has taught
me more about college hockey than almosty anything else. And John at UM, who
though is on the opposite side of the most intense rivalry in the country, has
been a good friend lo these 2 1/2 years.
I will still be around, watching college hockey and cheering for my Spartans,
especially at Munn this weekend. But my writing days, at least in this venue,
are over. Some actors leave the stage too late, making one picture or doing
one play too many. Others die early, leaving so much undone. I hope that I
am leaving this stage at the right time, if a bit too early. But better to
leave with a flourish, rather than to simply fade away.
(Real tearjerker, huh? No, I didn't think so, either.)
G. M. Finniss
Michigan State University 22-7-1, 28-12-1
WVU '87, UTenn '92, MSU...wait a minute, I might be seeing a light...nah,
that's just the train...
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.
|
