>In most cases, it's obviously bad for a (opposing) player to acknowledge the
>crowd. An exception might be a player (like baseball's Jose Canseco) who
>does so sarcastically. Otherwise, a skater is playing into the crowd's hands.
>
>Does anybody (especially any coaches or AD's) have any thoughts on this?
 
I'm nobody's college coach, but I've always had some admiration for the
player that has an understanding of his surroundings.  This doesn't mean
letting a crowd get to you or pretending not to hear the crowd.  But
some of the best players seem to have a command of themselves and the
situation that lets them interact with a crowd, usually to the pleasure
of both!
 
This is not so different an attribute than that of a player that can see
beyond his own skills, to those of his teammates and opposition, or the
player that can coach his team or the fans to higher levels.
 
Wayne (I sure hope my English teachers don't see this) Smith