Norton Giles Henry writes:
>Surely the fact that Jeff sat out an entire season means that he has no
>more experience than those a year further back on the chronological scale?
>
>He's a rookie, and a damn good one too.
...
>Give a Tory a break and put the whole matter to sleep.
 
Well, no need to be so hard on Leigh - it's a legitimate question, one
I wondered about earlier this season.  And the answer is that yes, HE
considers Tory a rookie this season, despite the three games he played
in last year.
 
In fact, I would think that Tory and UNH's Mark Mowers have emerged as
the leading candidates for HE Rookie of the Year, with Tory getting my
vote if I had one.
 
As for giving Tory a break, I think he certainly deserves a big pat on
the back for remaining positive about the whole matter and proving
himself this year - on and off the ice.  When that whole thing came
down last year, I was concerned that he might never be able to come
out from the shadow of it.  I worried that people might always connect
him with the problems of last season, which is something no kid
deserves.
 
But I feel confident in saying that at least among people who have
followed HE this season, Jeff Tory has received the recognition he
deserves as one of the best players in the league, never mind rookies.
And that is only because he has worked hard to make that happen.
 
I don't believe Leigh was trying to get down on Tory for last season,
he was just asking an honest question.  But anyone who would do such a
thing clearly doesn't know what they're talking about.
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93