On the west dominance idea, I agree that it is more of single team
dominance, LSSU, Maine and Mich come to mind.  Over the last ten years,
ECAC has had two champions, RPI and Harvard  and HE with BU and Maine are
no slouches either.  It is too bad that there is not more
inter-geographical play, it seems to be limited to tourneys and the
statistical uncertainties are large with only a few games played.  I'd
like to think that there are always two teams from each league that
deserve an invite and then the last four berths are scrapped four.  As an
ECAC fan, whose league I think is viewed as relatively weak, I think that
is as bad a rap as the RPI pressure crap we have been seeing on the
net.... with 12 teams it stands to reason there will be more weak teams
than an 8 team league , on average in fact 50% more!!
 
From my following of college hockey from a distance over the years, and
now close up thanx to hockey-l, my comment is that you "youngsters" don't
know dominance!  Perhaps someone from the late 60s can confirm, but in the
early 60s (and 50s except for RPI in 1954, I believe) the western teams
were not only dominant, they were virtually unbeatable.  What you have now
is a relatively level playing field east vs. west even tho' it may be
slightly tilted.  For example, the NCAA used to have four teams invited.
Over the years, the scores would typically be West#1 12 East #2 1 and West
#2 9 East #1 2, so it was really a tourney set to find the best of the
west.  At that time (early 60s) it was Denver.  But almost any western
team could beat the crap out of any eastern team... period. My 64 yearbook
shows RPI playing no western teams during the reg season and losing to
Denver 4-1 in the first round of the NCAA, beating PC 2-1 in the consy.
RPI had an excellent eastern team that year, and my recollection is the
game was not nearly as close as 4-1!!  They were 15-6 reg season, won the
ECAC tournament and finished 3rd in the nation.  In reality they were
probably close to the top in the east, and probably 10th in the nation,
teams like ND, Mich, MTU, would have beaten the heck out of us during the
reg. season.
 
So, I think it is fairly level now, and that is good, but I'dlike to see
more intergeog play.  TheECAC only plays 22 league games, is there any
chance the other leagues might trim down to allow for more interleague
games in the future.
 
BTW, my year book picture shows a total of 14 players!!  I know for a fact
that two almost never played... one goalie all games, so there were
probably less than 3 lines, on average and perhaps two sets of D!!  No
wonder Harkness had to pull some tricks to win.  My recollection of the
few western teams that came to the RPI invitational were that they were
big, talented and had at least 3 good lines and 3 sets of D.  I recall, in
fact, that their second and third lines were probably as good as RPI's first!!
 
Tony Buffa
RPI '64
 
PS  At that time, to quote the yearbook:  "... the Bachelors gained
revenge over Clarkson ..."  and I recall a small Bachelor type guy as the
mascot.  Personally I'd take the puckman or the bee (#1 choice the swarm!)
over the Bachelor which probably would not even be considered today given
that there even women attending the 'tute as I understand it!!  What is
the world coming to?  (Just kidding, no flames please, ;-) as far as I am
concerned, more women in science and engineering is what we need!)