I think this score is indicative of the sad state of affairs at UConn.
  Before Bruce Marshall came on the scene,  UConn's successful seasons were
few and far between.   But even an upbeat guy like Marshall must be at the
point of despair at the program's current slide which actually started a
few years ago with the advent of heavy recruiting at the D-3 level.
  Without an adequate building for hockey,  UConn simply cannot stay
competitive.
 
        The problem's root cause lies squarely at the feet of UConn AD Lew Perkins
who will let nothing stand in the way of UConn going D-1A in football.
  The result has been a healthy skepticism in northeast hockey circles that
UConn will ever construct a new building for hockey.   That project has
been postponed once already (UConn is back at their old outdoor facility
this year as Norwich did not have a college level ice surface),  and many
folks around here think that given Perkins track record it will never be
built.   Indeed,  the plan has been on the drawing boards so long that most
architectural firms have changed their CAD systems three times in its
lifespan.   In addition,  the hockey program will never get any scholarship
money as long as Perkins thinks there is a glimmer of hope for the football
upgrade given the Title IX constraints.   Although UConn Football,  a
cadillac D-1AA program with an embarrassing record of mediocrity and an
unblemished record of losing every big game,  seemingly lost its Big East
bid when the legislature declined to consider a new stadium this year,   my
guess is that Perkins will wait only for completion of the Connecticut
elections next Fall to try again.
 
        I think it is time that someone at UConn stood up and issued a press
release that states that the new ice arena in Storrs will definitely be
built next year,  no if's,  and's,  or but's ....   To say that UConn
Athletics has a credibility problem in northeast hockey circles would be
putting it mildly.
 
        -- Dick Tuthill
 
 
 
 
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