Ryan Robbins writes:
<<In article <[log in to unmask]>, Brian Gentry
<[log in to unmask]> says:
>
>This is not only good news for UMaine, this is also good for Hockey East.  All
>the Maine infractions had put a black eye on the conference.
 
I disagree with the notion Maine's eligibility problems put a black eye
on Hockey East. The problems no doubt put Maine in a bad light and hockey,
but I don't think people pay much attention to what conference a problem
team belongs to. For example, with all of UNLV's basketball program's
problems, I looked down on UNLV and college basketball. But I could care
less about what conference UNLV belongs to (and I don't know what
conference it belongs to, if any).
>>
 
I have to disagree.  Comparing college basketball to college hockey is akin
to comparing Yugos to BMWs (no offense to anyone who owns a Yugo).  There are
only 4 conferences in college hockey and most people who follow the sport
know what conference the teams (at least the major ones) belong to.  Also,
unlike college basketball, scandals are rare in college hockey.  So when one
happens, people who follow the sport take notice and remember.
 
<<Well, mentioning that it was Maine that has gone to court implies Maine
should be scolded for doing something "sad." I'll point out, though, that
Maine went to court because Hockey East overstepped its authority when
it banned Maine from the playoffs. Maine was protecting its right to
participate in the playoffs. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this.
And the Court's ruling in favor of Maine on the grounds HE did violate
its bylaws shows that Maine was justified in the action it took. HE was
guilty of writing poor bylaws that didn't address the issues involved
in its decision to ban Maine from post-season.
_____________________________________________________________________
Ryan Robbins               "Nothing in fine print is ever good news."
University of Maine                                  -- Andy Rooney
_____________________________________________________________________
>>
 
As in your last post, you are taking items out of context.  Deron Treadwell
accused BU of taking a matter to court and in doing that BU was "sad."  *I*
was only noting that only Maine, not BU, has taken a matter to court.  Now
the issue of whether Hockey East had the right to bar Maine from *their*
playoffs is a whole different issue which I will not be dragged into.  That
action definitely did put a black eye on the conference.
 
Shawn Walsh said that the best team should be decided on the ice.  Whether or
not he was right or wrong, it was.  Definitely this year, there is no reason
at all that I can think of why Maine should not be allowed in the playoffs.
 
BTW, I apologize for wasting bandwith (I've always wanted to say that!).  The
message "9495CONF STAND" should have gone to [log in to unmask], not
hockey-l.
 
Brian Gentry  BU'95
GO TERRIERS!