greenie <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
In a way I almost kind of wish that no Boston team would have made it to
the final four this year, as the house would have been filled only with
solid hockey fans and not bandwagon jumpers. Now *that* would have been the
best way to judge if Boston is "hockeytown" or not.
 
Hmmm...I'm not sure how to interpret this statement.  This seems to imply
that all college hockey fans rooting for Boston-based teams are
fair-weather bandwagon jumpers.  While I have absolutely no data to back
this up, I would argue that this is totally untrue!  I don't dispute the
stories about some of the local fan's interest being driven by who was
playing.  I'm sure there were plenty of those fans around here, & I would
argue that they exist throughout Hockey Land.  I can only speak for myself
& my group.  I was rooting for the HE teams, & I ordered my tickets a year
ago.  I was certainly hoping that a local team made the frozen four (I
would have gladly rooted for my Lowell team...someday, someday), but in all
honesty, it didn't matter to me who was there.  Above all, I wanted to see
good hockey.  As my buds & I were having our pre-game chats, we were
definitely divided on the teams we were rooting for.  In the end though,
what we all agreed that we wanted 3 good games.  In fact, during the final,
we started a few "Here we go hockey, here we go!" chants.
 
I think it's safe to say that several of the buds who joined me are more
devout college hoop fans.  Hanging around them has increased my interest
for that sport, & I feel I've sparked their increased interest in college
hockey by talking about the games I've attended, encouraging them to join
me at some games (which they have), & organizing a group for this year's
final.  In the end, not one of them was disappointed with the games they
saw.  They agreed that the final was one of the best hockey games (not just
college) that they had ever seen.  We're not among the 7,000 "faithful"
fans that will go to every frozen four, but we're certainly looking forward
to East Regionals each year & the frozen four in Providence in 2000.
 
Lastly, I would contend that Boston IS a hockey town, and has been ever
since Robert Gordon Orr stepped foot on the Garden ice.
 
Dave
UML'86
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