S. Cristopher writes:  (note that I deleted quite a bit for sake of
saving space but interested parties should read the entire original)
 
 
>But what I thought DID look very bad was the implication that Comley
>might be suspected of having taken advantage of his position on the
>committee and knowledge of/ability to influence the seeding process
>to trick Sauer into using what he believed to be his less-than-best
>team (i.e. one without Derksen in goal) when he played NMU in the
>WCHA semifinal. (Actually, I find it hard to believe that Sauer "let
>up" believing that he was already in the NC$$ tournament--winning the
>playoffs (league) certainly has to be a powerful incentive.) As I
>understand it Derksen honestly believed the team had a better chance
>to win the semifinal if his alternate played.  The fact that Wisconsin
>beat CC the next night isn't much of an argument, IMHO, for the idea
>that had Sauer insisted Derksen play in the semi the Badgers would
>have beaten the Wildcats.
 
     Yes, I can see how this implication would look bad.  However, I don't
     think that Jeff Sauer or the Wisconsin reporters drew this implication from
     the situation.
     I can't speak for these people but I haven't seen or heard any negative
     comments about Comley with respect to the seeding committee.
 
     I interpreted the comments about the seedings and Wisconsin to be digs at
     the possibility of placing Providence ahead of Wisc.  The fact was that
     the NCAA poll had Wisc ranked 7th(correct me I'm wrong) and Prov. much
 further
     down in the week preceding the WCHA finals.  So Sauer was wondering how
 Wisc
     could tumble so far down the rankings.  This is what I think Sauer reacted
 to.
     I think Sauer was actually thankful that Comley game him an honest
 appraisal
     of the possible NCAA seedings before the third place game.
 
     Remember this is merely how I interpreted the comments in the newspaper
     which David P. (now happily in Albany?) reported.  Other interpretations
     may vary.
 
--mark "I'll be watching on the tv drinking Garten Brau" grassl