Paul Thalacker wrote:
>> Attend any Gopher home game and
>> you'll hear the Canadian players being verbally insulted by the
>fans.
>
 
Pam Sweeney  replied:
>Yes, the Canadian players for the other teams are in danger
>of being verbally insulted by the fans.  But no more so than
>the Minnesotan (or other US) players.  And no more so in
>Mariucci than they are in, say, Dane County.  Sure,
>there've been "USA" and "Where's your Green Card?" chants,
 
First Pam says that Canadians are singled out for being Canadian, but then
says no more so than any other player.  Canadian slurs as mentioned ARE
directed at Canadians only, and singles them out.  I agree they are
verbally abused by fans in the general sense in that they can be called
bums, sieves, and thugs just like Americans, but by yelling USA you're
getting into subjects of patriotism and nationality.  It would be the same
as yelling "You Pollock, You Limey, You Frog"  It is offensive to some.
 
 
One other thing to think about when looking at the Gophers.  Look at one of
the best prep players in Minnesota in '92 and what he's done for his career
by going to Minnesota.
 
Jesse Bertogliat
 
High School: Earned an impressive 14 letters as a prep athlete (4-hockey,
4-football, 4-track and 2-baseball) at Cloquet...led team to the state high
school tournament in '92...three-time all-conference selection...garnered
all-state honors his senior year...was a 1992 Minnesota "Mr. Hockey"
semifinalist...member of the U.S. Select 16, 17, and 18 teams...played in
the Maroon and Gold all-star classic...member of the National Honor
Society.
 
1994-95 (JR): tallied five points (two goals, three assists) in 22 games.
(From the Gopher Home Page)
 
 
Here's to the Plante's and Marunucci's of the world who find themselves as
the star on solid teams instead of the Bertogliat's who get lost among the
other great players of the state.  The fifth best player in the state may
end up playing JV because he's 14th on the depth chart for the Gophers.  I
wonder if Sertich says to these kids, "Hey you'll be the star in our
system, but just another Mr. Hockey finalist for the Gophers."
 
Matt Evans
Minnesota '89
UMD '92
UW-Milwaukee '00
 
(UND '02)
(Michigan Tech '05)
(CC '06)
(Denver '09)
(Northern Michigan '10)
(St Cloud State '11)
(UAA '15)
 
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