Sorry this is SO late, it's been very busy both at work and at home since I
got back from Milwaukee! ;-) The return trip was uneventful (thank goodness!)
with sunny skies and dry pavement all the way. What a relief.
 
I want to add my thanks to Steve Manning and David Parter for a great Hockey-L
get-together!! This is my third Phinal Phour on Hockey-L and it is always
great to put a face with the e-mail address!! ;-) Erik Biever and I will be
planning the get-together for the 1994 Hockey-L get-together and if anyone has
any suggestions or comments please feel free to e-mail them to me. If you
would like to help, let one of us know that too.
 
There were actually TWO dinners, the first was held at the Brown Bottle Pub,
in-between the Thursday semi-finals. Most of us had all met prior to the
dinner at the arena where I passed out quite a few buttons to interested
Hockey-L'ers. In fact I was so busy, my friend Kathy accepted the dollar,
while I searched my purse for the requested color! ;-) I didn't catch too many
names of the group, but that came later at the dinner!!!
 
A partial list of those present at the first dinner: Steve Manning, David
Parter, Jim Love, James Bradshaw, Keith Instone, Mike Machnik, Heather Neely,
Charlie Shub, Adam Bryant, Bill Fenwick, Mark Grassl, Matt Evans, Jon
Gluekstein, Rich Selin, and Wendy (from Madison). There were also 5-6 guests
of Hockey-L folks. If I have omitted your name, I apologise, but I didn't
think to take notes and I was still a little flustered from the ride to
Milwaukee! =:-O
 
It was a great idea to introduce ourselves and say how long we'd been on
Hockey-L. It was a l-o-n-g table and not everyone at one end could
hear/participate in a conversation at the other end. At least we all knew who
was there! Next time I will take some notes! ;-)
 
It's a good thing that the Phinal Phour was at the beginning of April, as this
past week there has been a problem with the water supply in Milwaukee and many
people have been getting very sick from the water. I can't even begin to
imagine what a disaster that could have been for the NC$$ and Milwaukee if it
had happened a week earlier!!!!!
 
The food at the Brown Bottle was great and there were some very humorous
moments (Charlie Shub's introduction for example....;-) Much hockey was
discussed and the interaction was great! The time in-between games was much
too short as usual, and back to the Bradley Center we all trudged through the
2-4" of snow that was on the ground. I guess I was a bit surprised that there
was no attempt to clear some of the sidewalks. The other convenience that was
noticably absent was some sort of a free shuttle bus that we have had in St
Paul. (Just a few suggestions for you folks in Milwaukee for future tournament
reference!)
 
The off day on Friday was spent touring the city for most Hockey-L'ers while I
headed off to Chicago to see a dear friend of mine. Many folks hit the tours
at the Brewerys in town or did some shopping. I'm sorry to say that I saw very
little of Milwaukee due to my plans in Chicago. Maybe next time....
 
A bunch of us had decided to meet before the Championship game and go out to
dinner and get some more great hockey talk in. We all met at the Holiday Inn
City Centre where several of us were staying and then decided on a restaurant,
which turned out to be Eduardo's (for Pizza). The pizza was very good but the
hockey talk was great. I also got a great photo of the group and one of Heather
 opening the Ceramic Dalmation I got for her and Mike! ;-)  :-)  ;-)
 
The Championship game was all it was hoped for. I was a bit perturbed at all
the folks gathered in the hallways watching the Michigan BB semi-final game on
the TV. Really incredible! Here was this fabulous hockey game going on and
they were glued to the TV screen watching BB!!! Oh well....
 
After the game was over and we were walking back to the Holiday Inn, I spotted
Mike and Heather about half a block ahead of us and I yelled their names but
got no response so I tried one last time and yelled "HOCKEY EAST!!!!" and Mike
turned around with his arms raised high in victory!! ;-) :-) ;-) There was
much laughter on the street.
 
A small bunch of us gathered in the bar at the Holiday Inn: Erik and Paula
Biever, Pam Sweeney, Bill Fenwick, Mike Machnik and Heather Neely, James
Bradshaw, my friend Kathy and her friend Don, and later we were joined by Tony
Biscardi (BU'92).  We had a great time speculating on lots of hockey topics.
It was great!
 
Now I'm *REALLY* looking forward to next year in St.Paul!!!!
Hope to see another bunch of devoted Hockey-L'ers there!!!
-Carol