With the 1991-92 season drawing to a close this past Saturday night, I'd
like to take this opportunity to send out my third annual thank you list.
Everyone on the list appears here in one form or another, so please take
a minute or two to read and think about the people who made this season
and the list enjoyable.  I believe in showing appreciation to people who
deserve it, and in that spirit, I give you the following.
 
THANK YOU
 
...to everyone who subscribed to the list, from those who were here from
the start to recent subscribers, for making HOCKEY-L the most successful
mailing list devoted to a collegiate sport (my humble and biased opinion).
 
...to those who took the time to send out regular features that they
compiled and worked on for the benefit of all of us.  I used to mention
people by name, but there are just too many now.  Whether it was providing
updates on particular teams, conferences, and forms of the game from DivI
to DivIII to Olympic hockey to women's hockey to high school, or polls,
stats or game details - the sum total of all these various things combines
to make HOCKEY-L the best place to gain information on almost any aspect
of the game, better than any single newspaper or magazine.
 
...to the coaches, SIDs, players, managers, ADs, press, etc. on the list
who provide their unique insights on happenings around the game.  And to
those in this category who just read and perhaps pass on postings to
coaches, etc. who aren't directly on the list.  This gives HOCKEY-L a
unique perspective that many commercial publications don't have.
 
...to everyone who participated in the discussions that make HOCKEY-L an
interesting forum to debate topics and talk about issues.  The ability to
read varied opinions from people on all sides of issues is another unique
aspect of the list that does not exist in your local paper or national
publication.  Every opinion is valued because I believe you cannot hold
an informed opinion without understanding the other side.  We won't solve
all problems, but we can understand the different viewpoints and realize
that some problems may not have a definite answer, and that's just as
important.
 
...to all players, coaches, etc. involved in the game who make college
hockey such an exciting and interesting game to follow.  Many of us are
admittedly biased towards one team or another, but we also appreciate the
efforts and talents of the opposition as well.  These players are just
students like we are or used to be, and we need to keep that in mind too.
And on top of that, they're human beings.
 
...to the officials, timekeepers, scorers, goal judges, etc. who often
give of their time for little or no compensation simply because they love
the game and love being involved.  These people don't get much mention (and
in the case of on-ice officials, little positive mention), but their
devotion to the game is unquestionable and the game wouldn't exist without
them.
 
...to the fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. who support their team(s) and
make the games fun to be at.  College hockey at any level does not get the
type of national coverage that basketball and football and pro sports get,
so it is extremely important to support your local team or to support in
any way the teams you once followed, whether it be attending games when you
can or just following their progress in papers or on HOCKEY-L.  I have a
lot of respect for the people who support their teams through thick and thin.
 
...to the SIDs, athletic departments, etc. of Michigan State, Providence
College, and RPI for making this year's national DivI tournament as smooth
as possible and doing extra work on top of their already heavy workloads to
make sure we enjoyed the games.  I tip my cap to you.  The same goes to
those who ran the conference tourneys, in-season tourneys, and DivIII, club
and women's tourneys.
 
...to everyone who provided information that I was able to use in one way
or another on the Merrimack radio broadcasts I was involved in this season.
Also to the various players, coaches, writers, league personnel, etc. who
gave their time during my in-between periods interviews so listeners didn't
have to hear me ramble for 12 minutes.
 
...to HOCKEY-L folks for reading my updates, opinions, etc. during the
year and providing feedback to me either on the list or via email.  Thanks
also to everyone who endured my occasional rantings on controversial
subjects that I felt strongly about and especially thanks for understanding
the mistakes I made in factual errors or in going overboard in saying some
things that probably should not have been said.  No one's perfect, and I'm
a perfect example.  I am appreciative of the understanding of many of the
people on this list when those things occur.
 
...to Merrimack SID Jim Seavey, Head Coach Ron Anderson and The Staff for
placing their trust in me to help out to the best of my abilities in the
press boxes, keeping various stats, pre- and post-game, and so on.  Most
of you don't know what a great joy it is to be involved with such a fine
program with respected people as Merrimack is, and I feel I got back at
least as much as I was able to give.  It made my 7th year of being involved
in the game, third at Merrimack, a very enjoyable one and I'm looking
forward to 1992-93 and continuing to build a DivI contender.
 
...to WCCM's Dan Roche, Merrimack play-by-play man, for turning to me when
there was a need for a new color man back in December and allowing me to
fulfill what was once a dream of announcing hockey.  I had fun and sure
learned a lot - and it isn't easy.  And keep your ears open for Dan on WCGY
and WRKO as well, he's one of the up-and-coming sports announcers in the
Boston area and calls as good a game as I have ever heard.  Good luck to
him and his fiancee Pam Moran as they near their wedding in the fall.
 
...and finally...
 
THANK YOU to Wayne Smith, who never ceases to amaze me with the absolutely
superb job he has done in administrating HOCKEY-L.  Wayne is the number one
reason HOCKEY-L still exists and has become as successful as it is.  He
sometimes has to play the "bad guy" in making tough decisions that are for
the good of the list, which isn't easy.  I've had the chance to meet with
Wayne several times in Orono when Merrimack has traveled up there and he's
a great guy, as directly supportive of amateur hockey in all forms as anyone
I know, and it's fun to talk hockey and whatever with him.  Some list admins
could just let the thing go, but Wayne takes the time to do what he can to
make the list even better and his recent note regarding offseason plans is
a clear indication.  We all owe a lot to Wayne and I hope you'll take the
time to send him a note to say thanks.
 
I apologize for anyone I may have left out, but rest assured your efforts
are just as important and appreciated.
 
Just six months until the start of the 1992-93 season...see you in
Kalamazoo, Michigan, for Merrimack-Western Michigan on October 22-23!
 
 
- mike