Too much happened this weekend to remember it all, but here's some of
it including some info that hasn't been posted, and some lighthearted
stuff.
 
* First, the runner-up to Chris Marinucci for the Hobey was Clarkson's
Craig Conroy, according to Maine's Shawn Walsh.  I haven't seen that
mentioned anywhere else, though.  It was not included in the Hobey packet
that was given out at the St Paul Hotel Friday afternoon.  Congratulations
to Marinucci; I don't know much about him, but I do know about how he
emerged from the shadow of Plante this season to have a great year for
a team that wasn't very good, and that's something I always like to see.
 
* I asked Walsh what is preventing the championship game from being moved
to a day/time that doesn't conflict with basketball.  He said that
starting in 1991, the NC$$ signed a seven year deal with ESPN which
requires the NC$$ to hold the DivI hockey title game directly opposite
the hoop semifinals.  The reasoning is that ESPN figures there will be
some non-hoop college sports fans out there, and they hope to pull them
over to ESPN with the hockey game.  So like it or not, this is the way
it will be through 1997, even though it seems that the hockey people
agree with those who have posted that the game should be a showcase of
its own.
 
I suspect that hockey got roped into the deal after the disaster of
1990 when ESPN showed the Colgate-Wisconsin final on a one week tape
delay and it was only on selected independent stations around the
country.  ESPN was clearly negotiating from a position of advantage at
that time.  I think hockey might be able to write its own ticket when
1997 rolls around, with the way the final four has boomed in
popularity.
 
* Also on tv, we don't know if there will be a Prime national deal for
1994-95 like we had this season.  It's up in the air.  That was from
Merrimack AD & HE acting commish Bob DeGregorio, who we caught up with
in the lobby of the St Paul Hotel right after the Hobey announcement.
He was wearing his running suit.  As well, he made my week by
describing how Merrimack's new acting president has been very friendly
towards the needs of the hockey program (as well as many other things
around the school), and that a proposal for either a new rink or
massive renovation of the existing one is probably going to receive
serious consideration.  I am sure anyone who saw me the rest of the
day can tell who how happy I was. :-)
 
OK, a couple things for now...trying not to duplicate anything posted
by other folks thus far (though I echo their sentiments).  David Parter
mentioned quotes, so I will toss a couple in.  David, remind me if I
forgot any, I probably did.
 
* I continued my outstanding year of prognosticating by saying after the
first period Saturday night, "BU has them right where they want them."
And I meant it, too.  Oh, well.  Then after the second I offered
several people BU and 5 goals.  Good thing no one accepted.
 
* BTW, I can't think of much to say about LSSU-BU other than, how might the
game have been different if Bob Lachance's ringer off the pipe in the
opening minutes had gone in?  That, and Blaine Lacher was not a
factor, something which surprised me - I thought he would have been.
But because of the way his teammates played, he never became as much
of a factor as I expected he would be.  Congrats to LSSU for one of
the most dominating performances I have seen in the NC$$s.
 
* This one's for Erik.  All weekend Erik kept saying how wherever he
went, he ran into Mike Eruzione, and he wondered if there were a few
of them wandering around.  Well, when we left the BU people late
Saturday night on our way back to our hotel, guess who zipped by.  It
was tough to keep from laughing after hearing Erik bring this up over
and over.
 
* 1994 blew away 1993 and 1992 in terms of final four fun.  The games
might have been the worst part of it this year - LSSU-Harvard was
relatively boring until the third, and LSSU-BU was over in the second.
But the Radisson in St Paul was the place to be, so much so that
Heather and I have already planned to get a room in Providence next
year rather than drive back home after Thursday's games.  More on the
happenings later, gotta do some work.  Until then, one name: Jon Barkan.
 
Oh yeah, it was kind of funny how many of the people who were introduced
to Wendy Istvanick from Wisconsin, drew blanks until they were told,
"She's the one who posted the reasons why hockey is better than sex."
And then their eyes lit up and they said, "Oh yeah!  Now I remember!" :-)
Hey, if you don't post much, make those posts memorable, I guess. :-)
 
One more thing, a huge thanks to Carol for the great job she did as
cruise director.  I hope she knows how much we all appreciated it.
 
The Twin Cities really is a beautiful area.  We wouldn't mind going
back sometime.  Anyway, more later.
---                                                                 ---
Mike Machnik                                          [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                  *HMM* 11/13/93