I wish I could say that I have some info for people about Bales, but there has
been no mention of his leaving to the best of my kowledge.  I do not read the
Columbus Dispatch every day, so I could have missed the blurb there, but there
has been nothing in the OSU Lantern.  Since I didn't watch the Stanley Cup last
night, I didn't even know Bales had suited up...the Lantern made no mention of
it.  Sigh.  I wonder how long it's been since a former Buckeye even dressed for
a game.
 
Will Bales make it in the pros?  I really don't know.  He has good skills, and
certainly never got any help from his defense. His save total from this year
alone is just under 1/2 of the CAREER record for Cornell goalies.  (Although
had Dadswell stayed, he might have re-written the book in that department for
CU).  I do believe that Bales is a very good collegiate goaltender who, from
time to time, had a tendency to pull a "Chris Harvey" (former Brown goalie who
faced a lot of rubber but was very good) and just quit when his defense was
letting too many wingers hang out around the crease unmolested. (Hence his
usually poor performances in Ann Arbor in all likelihood)
 
Bales has a quick glove and decent feet, but does not handle his stick well.
Poor puck handling often required him to make extra (although spectacular)
saves that he never should have had to make in the first place.  He has the
tools, but the question will be how coachable he is and how much he can learn
in the next couple of years.  Given the way this program goes, I doubt he could
have learned anything more under Welsh here at OSU.
 
--
Dave [log in to unmask]
Cornell '91 OSU Med '95
Let's Go Red!
"Who is she?"--Florida State All-American quarterback, Casey Weldon, when told
             he was going to meet Ringo Starr