It is indeed a sad day when the oldest Invitational in the country
announces their tournament teams, and the teams make the tournament
out to be a joke. Here goes:
 
RPI Invitational
 
1st night, December 28
 
UMass-Lowell vs. Army   5:00    PM
RPI vs. UMass-Amherst   8:00    PM
 
2nd night, December 29
 
Consolation game        5:00    PM
Championship game       8:00    PM
 
You have to be kidding me with these teams. I wonder who will win this
tournament.
 
It was said that all the other teams in consideration had either previous
commitments to other tournaments or league or non-league games.
 
The last team to accept was Army, after RPI scoured the country because
UMass-Lowell threatened to pull out if they were forced to play a
non-Division I school.
 
I am still in shock over how a team as highly regarded as RPI is for the
upcoming season has trouble getting people to come to their tournament.
First of all RPI would do wonders for a lot of teams in the old strentgh
of schedule factor (see Brown and the Dexter from 1992).  The tournament
is pretty well organized and run as well. It just amazes me.
 
This is very reminescent of the early 80's when the RPI Invitational was
a lowly regarded tournament due to the dreariness of the RPI teams.  They
even had to move the tournament to Thanksgiving to get teams to come to it.
BUT, this RPI has a little more talent and excitement than those of the late
70's and early 80's.
 
At least this will all be better in 1994 when Maine comes to the RPI
Invitational (assuming Maine is any good in 1994 :-) ).
 
Should have the final RPI schedule by the end of this week, and will post it
when it gets into my possession :)
 
*******************************************************************************
*  Jayson Moy                   *  One of the Voices of Rensselaer Engineer   *
*  [log in to unmask]                 *  Hockey on 91.5FM  WRPI, Troy               *
*                               *  And Rensselaer Baseball now too!!!         *
*******************************************************************************