I was fortunate enough to go to all four games at BC and it is a shame that
more people didn't fill the seats.  This was great hockey.  I am sorry to
say that I think I will never see this event here in Mass. again.  A lot has
been said about why the poor attendance.  Wed. we had a huge storm that kept
many away, but they were allowed to use their tickets for the final.
 Thursday had about 5 thousand show up.  Not bad, but not as good as it
would have been in another country.  I think the real problem is that people
in Mass. don't get excited about sports that don't have a local interest.
 That sounds like a generalization (it is) but the TV numbers back it up.
 We are always the lowest rated for the big events like the Super Bowl, in a
major market.  I think the only thing that should have been done (and maybe
it was), would have been to contact the local youth leagues and schools and
get them discounted group rates.  It would have been good for the
organizers, and great for local hockey.
 
As for the Americans, I am dissapointed they didn't do better, but 5th isn't
bad.  I have read Arthur Bermans commentary with interest because he is
lucky enough to live somewhere where the games are actually on TV (and
besides, he is a BU fan, he must know what he is talking about :).  I agree
with a lot of what he says about the US team, but he did mention that the
Canadians want to win more than the US.  I would say that is true for THIS
event (if that's what you meant then sorry I misunderstood), but for most
events it wouldn't be true (like the Olympics, or the soon to be World Cup).
 
Why does the US seem less interested in this event?  I think after attending
the games yesterday it is obcious to me.  Of the 5000 people there, most of
them were Canadians.  The two guys next to me had driven down from Ottawa.
 I think the players must want it more when they know how important it is to
their countrymen that they will drive for hours in lousy weather to see them
play.  I suspect that had the tables been reversed and the US was playing
for the gold in Ottawa, not nearly as many people would make the drive to
see it.
 
For the Canadians on the list, what was the first story on the news last
night?  Here in Boston, channel 4 didn't even mention it in the sports
report.  All week long I tried to get scores on ESPN and it was a futile
effort.  If you take two kids, one in Canada and one here, which one will
grow up with the desire to win this event?  It is pretty obvious when you
realize that the one here stands a good chance of not even knowing of it's
existence.
 
Sorry for the long post with nothing about college hockey, so with that in
mind, go BU, I am looking forward to seeing a conference game again after so
long!
 
Dave
 
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