Chris Lerch posted this to hockey3, and since it concerns the newest DivI
program, Niagara, I thought it would be of interest here.
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Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 11:34:16 PST
From: "Lerch,Chris" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Blaise MacDonald Interview
I was switching channels the other night in the hopes of finding some
hockey, any hockey, as an alternative to the 57 channels of college
pituitary, er, basketball that was on, when I spotted a familiar face
on the Empire Network - Blaise MacDonald, former BU assistant and now
head coach of the new varsity program at Niagara. He was being
interviewed before the televised Niagara basketball game, and had some
interesting comments:
1. The new rink is almost finished. Seating capacity will be 2,300,
with plans to expand to 4,000 ("in 3-4 years when we go true Division I").
2. He talked about quickly wanting to establish hockey rivalries with
teams from the area. Canisius was specifically mentioned ("Brian
Cavanaugh has a great program" etc. etc.). This led to the bigger
issue of why college hockey isn't more popular in the Buffalo area,
and how the added interest in Niagara's program will help.
3. Lots of talk about the Western NY/Southern Ontario area as an
untapped resource for talent as well as an untapped market for college
hockey. Blaise says he expects to have a quality team right off the
bat and fill the barn from the get-go.
4. Blaise said multiple times that Niagara is committed to developing a
true D-I program in a short period of time. He said his vision is "in
10 or 11 years to be one of the premier college hockey programs in the
country". He said he learned a lot from Jack Parker (pronounced it
"Paaaaker" and then translated it for the Western New York audience),
and plans on using some of the same systems, etc. that have made BU
successful.
All in all a good interview, and a pleasant surprise before the endless
squeaking of sneakers that followed ;)
Chris Lerch
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Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] *HMM* 11/13/93
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