Tonight in its "Sports Spotlight" segment, WBZ-TV showed again a clip of
an exchange between some of the Bruins who are alumni of Beanpot schools.
Don Sweeney of Harvard was the victim of some good-natured ribbing by Chris
Nilan of Northeastern and Bob Sweeney of BC.  The reporter was soliciting
comments from the many Boston players who played in the Beanpot, and Nilan
came up and started singing his version of the Harvard fight song:
 
(with heavy "upper-class" accent)
"H-A-R, H-A-R, H-A-R with a V
 V-A-R, V-A-R, V-A-R with a D
 Harvard, Harvard...get 'em, BOYS."
 
WBZ sports anchor Bob Lobel was quick to note that both Nilan and Bob Sweeney's
teams were knocked out while Don Sweeney's Crimson will be playing for the
championship. :-)  (Alumni of BC, BU and Harvard will be playing for the US
Olympic Team Sunday against Italy live on CBS-TV, 3 pm EST.)
 
Monday, one of the more humorous moments came at the start of the second
period of the NU-BU game.  The BU Terrier and NU's Mr Husky had a short "fight"
while the Zamboni was cleaning the ice and Mr Husky won, to the delight of
the Northeastern fans.  Then as the officials returned to the ice, the Terrier
bumped into referee John Gravallese, and Gravellese quickly turned, put his
hands on hips to signal a misconduct and pointed at the Terrier.  This got
a big laugh out of the crowd.
 
Among the people spotted at the Beanpot were former Red Sox manager Joe Morgan,
who played baseball and hockey at BC; Yale coach Tim Taylor, a Harvard grad;
and Boston GM & asst. GM Harry Sinden & Mike Milbury.
 
Jack Parker can become the all-time winningest Beanpot coach with a win next
Monday.  He has coached BU to 26 wins in the tourney which ties him with
former BC coach John "Snooks" Kelley, although Parker has a better winning
percentage.  Parker-coached teams have appeared in the Beanpot final for 9
straight years through 1992, winning 4 and losing 4.  BU has appeared in the
finals in 32 of the 40 Beanpots, and Parker has directed them to a finals
appearance in 16 of his 19 Beanpots.  Now you know why they say BU considers
the Beanpot its personal property.  One year in the late 70s, the Beanpot
was notably absent from the pre-tournament luncheon - the Terriers had sent
it out to be engraved and forgotten to pick it up.  (Another story - when
BC won its last Beanpot in 1983, after a long drought, a number of the Eagle
players went out and had a miniature Beanpot tattooed on their thighs.)
 
Still, I look for a great championship game Monday.  BU may have the right
balance of wiley veterans and high-scoring rookies to pull off yet another win,
but Harvard will be one of the best teams they've faced this year.  A great
performance by Allain Roy could net him three awards - the Beanpot, MVP and
the Eberly Trophy for goaltending - but it will be the solid positional play
of the team in front of him that would get Harvard a trip around the Garden
ice with the silver Beanpot.  Yet, I have to go with the Terriers and tradition
now that the Huskies have been pushed aside.  Terriers in a two-goal game.
 
BTW, Roy's 4 goals allowed on 17 shots to BC make it very difficult for him
to win the Eberly Award this year.  Cashman, LaGrand and Cole all appear to
have better chances right now unless Roy has a sparkling performance.  The
award is based on save percentage.  Cole won it going away last year although
his Huskies didn't make the final.
 
 
- mike
 
"Fear is what motivates people.  People don't break the law because they're
 afraid of going to jail.  They go to church because they're afraid of going
 to hell.  They brush their teeth because they're afraid of their teeth
 falling out.  Why, without fear, everyone would be in jail with their teeth
 falling out and going to hell."
 
 - Luther on "Coach" (badly paraphrased)