RE: MICHIGAN'S (WTKA) RADIO ANNOUNCERS.
The play-by-play man is Al Randall.  The color commentator
is Jim Hunt.  I think a few posts to the list have mistaken them
for each other.  It's Al's voice that rises to the incomprehensible
level.  Al replaced Ken Kal at the start of the 1995-96 season,
when Ken Kal replaced Bruce Martyn as the play-by-play man
for the Detroit Red Wings.
 
RE: WEST REGIONAL VENUES
A fantastic history has already been given by Jerry Williams.
My repetitive take:
  1994 -- At Michigan State.  MSU loses.  Michigan loses in a
hostile environment as the MSU fans cheer on Lake Superior.
  1995 -- At Wisconsin.  UW defeats Michigan State, loses to
Michigan.
  1996 -- At Michigan State.  MSU loses.  Michigan defeats
Minnesota in a hostile environment, with the MSU fans cheering
on the Gophers.
  1997 -- At Van Andel in Grand Rapids.  A non-issue.  I wouldn't
mind having the West Regional at Van Andel EVERY season.
It's a nice facility, not too big, not too small, and a decent drive for
me.  However, that would be unfair to the WCHA fans, because
it's not a decent drive for them.
  1998 -- At Michigan.  Michigan defeats Princeton.  Michigan
State loses to Ohio State in a hostile environment as the UM
fans cheer on the Buckeyes.  Michigan defeats North Dakota.
 
What goes around comes around.  Honestly, I have to applaud
MSU because my perception is that there were more MSU
fans at Munn in 1994 and 1996 than there were UM fans at Yost
in 1998.  Likewise, there seemed to be more MSU fans at Yost
in 1998 than there were UM fans at Munn in 1994 and 1996.
Maybe the MSU fans just seemed louder this year because
a lot of the UM fans didn't bother attending the MSU-OSU
game...and what a great game they missed.
 
I was surprised that more of the MSU fans didn't stick around
for the UM-NoDak game.  Without them, NoDak had very
little representation at Yost.  I can understand the MSU fans
leaving after the MSU game *if* UM wasn't playing in game
two...but I thought that win or lose, they'd stick around and
cheer on the Sioux.
 
I do give the two MSU fans sitting near me credit for the best
cheer of the weekend, directed at Yale's Mark Turco: "Hey,
Turco!  You suck for Yale, too!"
 
RE: THE GAMES
Ohio State 4 Yale 0  --  "They totally outplayed us for the first
30 minutes of the game." -- OSU coach John Markell.  I agree,
but Jeff Maund was outstanding in the Buckeye nets and Yale
seemed to be disheartened as they ran out of steam about
midway through.  OSU pounced and it was over.
 
Michigan 2 Princeton 1  --  PU showed a lot more spunk than
Yale did.  Michigan had the better of the play throughout the
game, though.  It's nice to be on the winning-side of a fortunate
bounce for a change.
 
Ohio State 4 Michigan State 3  --  I was cheering for MSU until
Andre Signoretti's shot hit the back of the net in OT.  That was
arguably the loudest eruption I've ever witnessed at Yost.
There was definitely some justice served in seeing MSU's
season ended at Yost.  I just wish it wasn't at the hands of OSU.
(Btw...IMO, the Buckeyes outplayed them.)  It's now been more
than six years since the Spartans' last victory in the NCAA
tourney.
 
Michigan 4 North Dakota 3  --  The three officials should not
only never work another game, at any level, they should be
publicly flogged.  Bad calls against the Wolverines seemed
to be followed with quick whistles in Michigan's favor.  The line
calls were TERRIBLE, because the linesmen were too busy
calling penalties all game.  (The ref put his whistle away in
the third period, but the linesmen didn't.)  The two teams looked
even through 10, NoDak won the second half of the first period,
Michigan had the Sioux on their heals in the second and on
their back in the third.  As a Michigan fan, I'd say that the most
convincing Wolverine "statements" that I've seen were:
  1. The 4-0 whitewashing of BU in the 1996 semi.
  2. The final 40 minutes versus NoDak.
  3. The immediate destruction of Minnesota in the 1997 quarterfinal.
The eruption following Signoretti's goal a few hours earlier was
passed by the eruptions following the Hayes goal and at the
end of the game.  Definitely a new high in Yost hockey history,
passing the Cornell-UM NCAA series in 1991.
 
RE: THE FOUR STILL STANDING
With Boston Univ, Michigan State and North Dakota gone,
can it be said (and agreed on) that the best team (for 40 games)
didn't win?  No smileys, thank you.
 
RE: YOST ICE ARENA
Arthur Berman <[log in to unmask]> writes...
>Yost, at least on TV, looked like a dump.
 
Sweet!  Yost is far from a dump, but if that's all (TV) it takes
to keep people like ol' Art from ever stepping foot inside of
it, paint me happy!
 
RE: MR NEAL
Eeyore <[log in to unmask]> writes...
>Oh, and Mr. Haeussler, I know you conceded the point, but
>I want to say again that I don't think Robb Gordon could have
>had as many big game winning goals as Bobby Hayes has had.
 
Hmmm...I don't recall conceding anything.  I wouldn't trade
Bobby Hayes for Robb Gordon, either.  Hayes is a true team
player, and strong at both ends.  Gordon is a one-dimensional,
self-centered scorer.  However, given UM's lack of production
at wing behind Muckalt and Langfeld, it would have been nice
to have both of them.  You seem to think that Hayes would not
be a Wolverine if Gordon had not turned pro when he did.
That's a tough one to answer, given that I don't remember
who, if anyone, committed late among the 1995-96 freshmen
forwards.  Obviously Greg Crozier and Sean Ritchlin were the
big names...Gordon or no-Gordon.  Craig Assenmacher,
Justin Clark, Bobby Hayes and Dale Rominski were the others.
I think it's safe to say that Assenmacher, UM's 15th forward
that season, wouldn't have been on the team if Gordon had
returned.  As far as losing Hayes due to Gordon's return, I'm
not so sure.  Hayes is the only center, the rest, including Gordon,
are wingers.  Also, I'm fairly sure that Hayes was a recruited
walk-on...hence, the scholarship that opened up when Gordon
left didn't go to Hayes.  So, why would UM not have Bobby
Hayes if Robb Gordon had returned?
 
RE: 1998 HOBEY
Steven M. Bernhardt <[log in to unmask]> writes...
>Without a doubt if Crowley would have had a Crowley like
>season he would have won the Hobey Baker Award...
 
I'm surprised that nobody has jumped on this one yet.  I hope
that the winner, be it Alban, Drury or whomever, doesn't forget
to thank Mr Crowley for leaving early.  Land o' flakes is right.
 
RE: THE VICTORS
Since I know it's everyone's favorite tune, you can listen to
The Victors by pointing your browser at:
 
  http://www.umich.edu/~mgoblue/marching-band.html
 
Regardless of whether Michigan wins zero, one or two games
in Boston, it's been a rewarding season to be a Wolverine fan.
 
GO BLUE!
 
 
John Haeussler ([log in to unmask])
Fire away, I'm gone.
 
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