Quoted without permission.
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Boston Globe, June 3rd, 1994
 
"Eagles left to pick up the pieces" by Joe Concannon, Globe Staff
 
  Jerry Buckley may be college hockey's most resilient player.  After
taking the ice for three coaches in his prep school days, he now looks
ahead to his fourth coach at Boston College as he enters his senior
season.  Len Ceglarski retired at the end of his freshman season,
Steve Cedorchuk succeeded him and yesterday Mike Milbury's brief
tenure expired with his resignation.
  Who's No. 4?
  "I was really excited about having Mike," said Buckley.  "I watched
him play.  He coached the style I like to play.  I looked forward to
playing for him, but at the same time you can't get too attached to
it.  It's a business, and he has to do what's best for himself and his
family.  It's definitely a business.  We get a scholarship, and for
four years, it's $100,000."
  Milbury's decision illustrates just how much of a business it is.
The hockey program that once was a proud athletic tradition is in
disarray.
  The list of possible successors includes UMass-Lowell coach Bruce
Crowder, former Providence coach Mike McShane, St. Lawrence coach Joe
Marsh and former BC players Jerry York at Bowling Green, Rob Riley at
Army, and Billy Switaj.  "It's an amazing development," said Jay
Mahoney, who was treasurer of the fund-raising Pikes Peak Club for 25
years.  "It's like a soap opera over there."
  The question that begs an answer is athletic director Chet
Gladchuk's hiring and firing ability.  Just consider hockey.  He was
asked in hte late fall of 1991, some six months after Ceglarski said
he would call it quits, about the process to name a successor.  "The
search process is national," answered Gladchuk at the time.  "I've
talked to some of the top hockey minds in the country."
  Eventually, Gladchuk hired longtime assistant Cedorchuk, who had
been left dangling in the wind for two years.  The AD fired him with
an apparent commitment from Milbury that he was in place, and the two
were at the NCAA Final Four in St. Paul this year.  Milbury cited
"philosophical reasons" for resigning yesterday.
  The current Eagles, while reeling from the announcement, vowed to
carry on.
  Said senior forward Rob Laferriere, "My initial reaction was that I
was shocked.  We thought we had settled into a good situation.  But
now we have to look ahead.  Things are going to get better for BC
hockey.  We would have liked Mike to be a part of it."
  BC goalie Greg Taylor, who just finished his freshman year, said,
"What happens now is that we players have to stick together, even
though it did comes as a big surprise.
  "I have to respect Mike's decision.  I like him a lot and I know he
would have helped the program.  But we'll be OK."
  The effects on recruiting are difficult to guage.  Cedorchuk's
incoming class already was in place -- supposedly a bone of contention
between Milbury and Gladchuk.
  "I'm really disappointed," said Paul Lewis, father of BC recruit
Timmy Lewis of Avon Old Farms High School.  "It's June and we don't
know who is going to be coach of the hockey team and practice starts
Oct. 4."
  Asked if his son would consider transferring, Lewis said,
"Absolutely not.  Timmy is committed to BC; that's the school he
always wanted to play for.  That's where he will play.  It's
unfortunate, though.  BC seems to be having trouble getting its act
together."
  Gladchuk is a man on the spot.  He called the decision to hire
Milbury a good one because he believed the former Bruins defensemen,
coach and assistant general manager was "the best college hockey coach
in the country" -- even though he had never coached a college game and
hadn't been involved with a colleg eprogram since his playing days at
Colgate.  It wasn't a marriage made in heaven, and now Gladchuk is on
hot ice at Kelley Rink.
  "It came as a great surprise and shock that Mike resigned," said
Gladchuk, sweating in his natty suit and tie in the Father Shea
Lounge.  "We welcomed onne of the best coaches in the country.  We
talked about the goals of the program.  Nothing's changed because of
our commitment.
  "I first heard about it late yesterday afternoon.  I still thought
it could be resolved.  I spent quite a bit of time talking to Mike's
legal counsel to see what we could do to resolve it.  I talked to his
legal counsel late last night and to Mike again this morning.  I still
feel Mike Milbury is the right man for the Boston College job.  I
would like for him to be here today."
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B.J. Schecter and Globe staffers Bob Monahan and Joe Burris
contributed to this report.
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adam
BU '89