In response to karl's post about that specific bird that Rensselaer has
adopted to be it's mascot, I would like to say that around campus the
response
has been mixed.  It seems as though more people do not like it than do, but
that is natural with any drastic change like this.  I can say that personally
I prefer the puckman, but i can see where the school wanted this to go.  We,
previously did not have an actual on ice, costumed mascot.  Now we do which
is
a great addition to any sporting event to boost fan participation and
entertainment.  The paper (and i assume soon to be on the uniforms
(The puckman is on the new this year uniforms)) drawing of the hawk is great,
but the costume just looks like a red San Francisco chicken.
        There was a feature in the school paper where a reporter asked
several
peeple their opions oof the Hawk the day it was unveiled and everyone polled
seemed as though they perfered the puckman except the two hockey players
asked
(Bryan Tapper and Mike Tamburro) whose responses were very pro-Redhawk.
Whether this was required of them I do not know and don't want to speculate.
 
Unfortunately the Redhawk didn't help us any on Saturday night.  Hopefully as
the team has more chance to practice and the freshman mature we will begin to
gel.  I see a lot of potential for this team, but they are going to have to
play better as a unit if they want to go anywhere this year, which i believe
is going to be the year before the fall.  With a team made up of 9 seniors,
no juniors, 6 sophomores, and 10 freshmen look for Rensselaer to sneak up on
the front runners of the ECAC in March.  A couple young players to watch for
are Alain St. Hilaire (10) and Daniel Riva (13), who both impressed me in the
season opener.
 
 
Go Red
 
And good luck tonight black bears
 
--
Steve
 
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