Folks,
 
Let me tell a little story of how the staunchest fan of Union Athletics,
including the Skating Dutchmen, has become dumbfounded and saddened by the
situations of the last year and the responses to them.  Please read this
entire message as there are important points throughout.  I want you all to
make up your own minds about the state of Union athletics, so first I will
start with pure facts, and then I will give you my take as to what has
happened...
 
There are obviously reasons why Stan Moore left this year.  As Ken Schott
(Daily Gazette beat writer for the Dutchmen) included in his Notebook
Wednesday, Stan and the administration had a "difference of opinion" about
various situations going on, and that is all I feel comfortable saying
myself.  What's done is done concerning that, but let's just say that the
more things change, the more they have stayed the same at Union...
 
Two years ago, I was one of the students (along with Josh Mendelson, Rich
Croce, and Jon Gasthalter - The Old WRUC Crew) who spearheaded the "Save
Achilles" campaign because we believed in the sanctity of the place and the
program.  We thought that putting a far-removed rink up would not help the
cause, especially one only co-owned by the college.  We felt the rink was
more in the name of Schenectady than the name of Union College, its
students, and its program (yes, you can serve both simultaneously, but not
at that time).  We were idealist students to say the least.  While we won
the fight, we ended up losing.
 
Two years later, Achilles is falling apart.  We have been told that the
school cannot raise the $3.5 million for renovations which could make the
rink highly operational and heads and shoulders above its current state.
Yet, we have been told that the school can raise $12 million for a new rink,
probably somewhere past Seward (maybe the Huron St. properties or somewhere
in that vicinity).  The problem is that the money can't be raised instantly,
and Roger Hull has refused to start a project until all financing is firmly
secured, and in this case, it will take at least a year just to raise a
sufficient amount.  In the meantime, Achilles continues to crumble, the
people who tried to save it wear egg on their face, and the program
continues to have to deal with substandard conditions.
 
Simultaneously, the financial aid issue has crept up slowly but surely.
Ryan Donovan has made a good point that the program has succeeded at times
in spite of the college's stance, but the environment of east-coast College
Hockey has changed.  The start of the MAAC in Division I (basically more
schools that can offer scholarships for high-level hockey play) and the jump
by all other ECAC schools in the offering of at least preferential packaging
has hurt Union's recruiting efforts.  This year, I know it has taken an
obscene hit, and as Kevin Sneddon told Jayson Moy in an interview with US
College Hockey Online, the program already has to pursue too many players to
get what it has now.  There is a limit to what three hockey coaches (who
probably receive salaries that AT BEST equal their colleagues from other
schools who have to recruit much less) can do.  Yet, the school continues to
take the approach that it does not need to bend, regardless of the little
cost it would take at this point.
 
If nothing else, this refusal has caused a domino effect.  It isn't that the
school won't give the money that matters to most people, but rather, the
obstinate position has made people ask, "Is this school serious about
supporting its Division I hockey program?"  Too many people have taken the
symbol and said that it isn't serious.  This has led to a flood of rumors
that suggest that Union is returning to Division III in hockey in the near
term (and I mean a big flood - every time I come onto campus, and sometimes
randomly in email, I get asked whether or not this is true).  The answer is
that UNION IS NOT GOING TO COME DOWN TO DIVISION III HOCKEY ANYTIME WITHIN
THE NEAR FUTURE unless something major happens over the next years.  It
doesn't seem to matter how much I scream this point, though.  The
administration refuses to officially and straightforwardly address the
situation, with the most recent problem being the snubbing by Roger Hull of
a reporter who wanted to help set the record straight once and for all.
Until they do, rumors, like the ones we read from the Hockey-L mailing list
about Quinnipiac and/or Connecticut replacing Union in the ECAC will
continue to creep along.  I applaud Jeff Fanter for responding to the rumors
in an expeditious fashion, and I would prompt him to remind Union about the
importance of squashing rumors from a P.R. point of view.  If they had acted
sooner, most of this face saving would not be necessary.
 
Anyway, in summary, the facts are as follows: Union will be remaining in the
ECAC and will not be returning to Division III.  However, the team will
still be the only ECAC school without any sort of financial aid special
packaging and will be trying to raise money for an upwards of $10 million
rink to be located past Seward Place on the West side of campus.
 
So, why has this staunch fan become so upset?  First, I have a number of
people I care about on the team and feel that the school owes them for their
efforts at the very least an explanation of what is going on.  I understand
the philosophy that you don't necessarily address rumors because it gives
validity to otherwise false ideas, but when they are this widespread, even
Bill Clinton would know enough to downplay them and explain what is going
on.  Second, I was one of the people who supported Kevin Sneddon heavily for
this head coaching job.  I did so because I felt Kevin is one of the
classiest men in sports that you will meet and a man who has a good rapport
(hell, he recruited them all) with his players.  Yet, myself and others feel
like we have helped to trap this young, talented coach into a situation with
no positive endgame.  Will things get better?  Sure, but that is a relative
idea right now.  Is better 8th place?  10th Place?  11th Place?  12th Place,
but closer to the rest of the pack?  Kevin, John, and Kevin deserve a better
footing than the one they have been given to form a base.
 
How can you expect a team to play with all of these issues spinning around
them?  Concentration is something many D-I athletes have, but even the best
concentrater would be distracted by the side shows that are going on.  Do I
doubt the abilities of the current players?  Like Ryan Donovan alluded, they
all have the talent necessary to catch fire.  Yet, they need some sort of
incentive.  When they see nobody coming in behind them, they, too, start
scratching their heads.  This is what I mean by the domino effect...one
decision leading to a number of problems that seem so remote, yet are within
a foreseeable path.
 
So, what can be done?  First, regardless of what the answers are to all of
the remaining questions (concerning the new rink, a change in the program,
preferential packaging, etc.), the school needs to put together a formal
list of answers.  This will help the validity of the program.  I know a
bunch of recruits probably read these mailing lists, and I want you to know
that you will encounter one of the most fan-personalized programs in the
ECAC by coming to Union.  The support and dedication of the people around
the program (even most members of the administration) is overwhelming.
Sometimes the student support can be fair weathered (especially this year),
but honestly, where isn't that true?  While you may not trust the idea of
the validity of the program coming from me, this is where the school can do
the most help right now to Kevin Sneddon and his crew by providing it with
the stablizing answers they need.  President Hull, Dean Alford, or anyone
else who has a way to convey a message, once and for all give us the answers
you have.  We're all mature adults here, and we can handle the truth.  Heck,
even I am in favor of a new rink now as long as it is a multi-purpose,
concert/speaker/graduation alternative facility.  Just give me a reason to
continue supporting the program as much as I do.
 
One final note.  We can debate financial aid issues all we want, but Roger
Hull will not budge anytime soon.  Yet, a professor who I have a great
amount of respect for reminded me about something the other day.  The Union
College Administration is NOT Union College.  Union College is made up of
students, employees, faculty, AND the administration.  You might think that
by spiting the program by not showing up for games, you are getting your
message across, but what you are in actuality doing is hurting the other
components of the college.  Those guys are out there playing their hearts
out and appreciate your attendance.  The money you give DOES help them and
those around the program.  The kind words you send mean something to them
(just from being on the radio over the last couple years, I cherished every
compliment and suggestion I received, as did my colleagues).  Don't spite
this team.  Support them.  Go to the senior weekend, especially Saturday's
game.  Ask the coaches and those around the team what YOU can do to help
with your spare time and money.  Earmark funds for the athletic program
(don't blame Dick Sakala for these problems...he's trying his damnedest to
help this program and the other programs under him).  Most importantly, let
your voices be heard if you don't approve of something happening.  There is
a way to be an activist while helping to support the college at the same
time.  If you truly care for this team, do what you can to help it in spite
of the short-term problems they are experiencing.  Things may seem grim, and
this fan may be scratching his head, but I have yet to go into Achilles Rink
on a winter Friday or Saturday night when there was a game scheduled and not
seen our team show up.  If I have anything to do with it, we will always see
a team show up on some rink, whether its name is Achilles or otherwise,
wearing our favorite garnet and white.
 
Good luck this weekend, seniors, and thank you for your efforts both on and
off the ice over the past four years.  It has meant so much to all of us.
 
Frank Rossi
Former WRUC Sports Director (1996-1998)
Union College '98
(617)441-4051
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