Just joining back in....  I think even the most ardent Michigan fan would
agree that while the atmosphere at Yost is incredible (if somwhat obcene at
times!), Munn is by far a more comfortable place to watch a game (I think it
is also about 80 years younger!)   I did a search and found the quote I was
talking about in the Feb 27 issue of the Detroit Free Press.. (
http://www.freep.com/sports/thepuck/pred27_20030227.htm )  My impression of
the quote (I'll admit, it is thru Spartan green-shaded glasses, so take it
for what it is worth), is that while there is grudging respect (again, about
what I'll give Berenson and the U-M program!), Red doesn't want anyone who
doesn't feel the Michigan program is superior to MSU's.  Both schools have
had seniors stay all 4 years and do quite well at the Pro level, and have
also had players leave without completing their elegibility.  If there was a
"gentleman's agreement" not to recruit Canadians, it went by the wayside
fairly quickly. From what I remember during my college years (73-77) both
schools were between 50% and 75% Canadian, with the rest coming from
Michigan and Minnesota....

jj


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www.jljackson.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "Hampton, Nathan E." <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 6:29 PM
Subject: Re: Longest Odds to Win Tournament


> One of the greatest aspects about the Michigan hockey program is that
Berenson has a way to keep his players around until his senior year. However
Bob Griebel's statement that "Whether he's right or wrong in suggesting
that's a different profile than the Spartan recruit, I think that's his
motivation." makes me wonder why a coach would expect a freshman recruit to
know what major he wants. Michigan State has programs far superior to
Michigan's (any agricultural major, most engineering, Economics, any
environmental studies or policy major, etc.) just as Michigan has some
better than State (law and medicine, though those are graduate programs).
Yet when Sports Illustrated did its issue on cheating in athletics, it was
the University of Michigan that was the flagship institution. Besides, which
18 to 20 year old isn't going to be more impressed with the weightroom and
arena than with the academics. Maybe that was what Berenson was referring
to --- maybe he thinks Yost is a better arena than Munn and so the choice
should be obvious.
>
> Nathan Hampton
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From:   Bob Griebel [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:   Thu 3/27/2003 2:59 PM
> To:     [log in to unmask]
> Cc:
> Subject:        Re: Longest Odds to Win Tournament
>
> Jeff Jackson wrote:
>
> > Not much doubt about that...  Red Berenson has been quoted in at least
one of the Detroit papers as saying that if a recruit couldn't decide
between attending MSU or Michigan, he didn't want him playing at Michigan.
I think it did give him extra satisfaction that his 500th victory was
against MSU - even though it took him 2 games to get it!
>
> That's a pretty accurate paraphrase, Jeff, but I'm a little surprised he
actually said it said and I don't take it as the equivalent of the
conventional "love us, hate our competition" attitude.  Red was an extremely
serious and capable student even after he went into the NHL.  He didn't
waste any time polishing off an MBA while playing pro
> hockey.  He chose Michigan for the academics despite the pro GM's threat
that he'd never play in the NHL if he made that foolish mistake and he
prefers to recruit players who come for the same reason and want to see
their educations through.  The majors of the seniors on his last national
championship team were awesome.  Whether he's right or
> wrong in suggesting that's a different profile than the Spartan recruit, I
think that's his motivation.  There's no question he and Ron Mason have
great respect for each other and I doubt Red has other than respect for any
good competitor.
>
> I'm just curious about whom he referred to as the recruit (now in the NHL)
who coukln't decide if he wanted to visit State until Red told him that's
the school he should choose.
>
> Bob Griebel
>