Dave Smith writes:
>
> Also, I believe that the fat guy from UNH has a more representative attitude
 of
> Hockey East people than most would like to admit.  As the time of the Hockey
> East-ECAC split becomes more and more distant, Boston becomes more and more of
> a Hockey East town.  The ECAC is seen as the "undercard" of the Hockeyfest
> activities both in terms of interest and talent.  The ECAC needs its own cable
> contract with some regional service like Empire SportsChannel (or whatever
 it's
> called) and it needs to find a place to have its tournament where it will be
> the "main event" rather than the other games that NESN is required to
> broadcast.
 
Dave is absolutely right here.  This is definitely a Hockey East area.
I also believe that he's right about the attitudes of a good many HE
fans/media....the ECAC is considered a lesser league.  If/when HE
finally wins an NCAA title, some may be unbearable.
 
The ECAC portion of the "Garden party" gets very little attention here.  The
coverage, particularly TV, is spotty at best.  As a result, losing Boston
recruits isn't much of an issue....the ECAC doesn't get them anyway.  Even
Harvard has had little luck in the last few years...getting most of its'
players from the prep schools (what a surprise!!).  [There is one
nice exception: I see that RPI has signed the leading scorer for
Catholic Memorial - the #1 team in the state].
 
None of this is a surprise....there are 7 HE schools w/in approx. 60 miles of
Boston and only 2 ECAC schools.  In fact, the most fanatical ECAC hockey
schools/fans (Cornell, Clarkson, RPI, SLU and UVM) are in the
western portion of the league...as far away from Boston as possible.>
 
Bottom line: I'm going to miss going to the Garden, but unless there is
a miraculous reconciliation between the leagues a move to Albany is both
inevitable and proper.  Put the same four NY teams in the Knick and it
might not sell out, but it would come very close.  RPI alone would have
provided 4-5K fans (almost as many as the four teams combined drew to the
semis).  Add the crazies from Clarkson, SLU and Cornell and it would be
one hell of a party.
>
> --
> Dave [log in to unmask]
> Cornell '91 OSU Med '95
> Let's Go Red!
>
Jon Greene
RPI '82   Cornell '84
Data General, Westboro, MA
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