Erik Biever writes:
>
> The purpose of the awards is to honor these players for their contributions
> to University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey.  I am proud that they are
> my fellow Minnesotans.  If anyone wants to explain to me why I should feel
> otherwise, they may address me off the list.
>
 
Well, on the one hand I've gotten numerous responses that have thought my
parody was quite funny indeed.  On the other hand there is Erik's response
as well as private ones from other Gopher fans that have included suggestions
that I "keep this kind of crap off the network."
 
I won't try to defend whether it is funny or not.  It either hits you right
or it doesn't.
 
However, the negative comments seem to feel that my parody was slamming
Gopher hockey and Minnesota hockey.  This is absolutely not true.  The *only*
thing my parody slammed was the attitude of *some* Minnesota journalists and
*some* Minnesota fans that the Minnesota team's in-state policy make the
Gophers Donna-Reed-wholesome-milk-and-cookies while all other programs are
prostituting themselves by taking out-of-state players or, God forbid,
Canadians.
 
I have the highest respect for the way the Gophers did not pack it in after
their bad start and finished as high as they did.  IMO the HOCKEY-L poll
participant(s) that left Minnesota off their top fifteen either made a clerical
mistake and left them out accidentally or were just plain stupid.  I've already
pointed out that they were 5th on my vote, ahead of my own Mass-Lowell team.
So clearly I have respect for the team itself.
 
As for Minnesota High School and youth hockey, I don't know of any
knowledgeable observers who don't consider Minnesota to be among the best
in the country.  Personally, I consider Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Michigan
to be head and shoulders above everyone else.  In fact, Massachusetts programs
of 15-to-20 years ago were noticeably inferior to those in Minnesota, as was
proven by us getting our butts whipped everytime we played them.  As a result,
adjustments were made and the Mass programs were upgraded until we started
winning the contests.  IMO although each side may argue it is somewhat stronger
now than the other, it should be agreeable to simply state that there is
essentially parity between the two states.  And that Mass wouldn't be where it
is now if Minnesota wasn't in the forefront years ago, kicking our butts, and
letting us see that we couldn't sit back and be happy with what we were
developing.  So clearly I have respect for the Minnesota state development
program.
 
Suffice it to say, Minnesota residents have *major* reasons to be proud of
their Minnesota-born players and Gopher team.  Because of the in-state
tradition those two categories are essentially synonymous.
 
On the other hand, Massachusetts folks (as well as those from other states)
can also be proud of the players their programs are developing.  I'm in the
middle of a stetch where I'll be in one rink or another for thirteen
consecutive days.   Not to mention all the time during that stretch that I've
been (and will be) on the phone talking to parents of Little Jocelyn Lemieux's
who are all convinced that they are parents of Little Mario Lemieux's.  I got
off the phone last night at five minutes before midnight.  (It's
not always this busy but right now it's recruiting/tryout time for the Metro
Boston Hockey League and I'm helping out with teams other than my son's.)  So
suffice it to say that I invest a *lot* of energy in local hockey development
and I am *very* proud of the players that are developed in the Greater Boston
area.
 
I'm also proud of the accomplishments this past year of the UMass-Lowell team
as well as the other college teams that I follow.  That Lowell did not have an
overwhelming number of Massachusetts-born players is irrelevant to me.  I can
root for Mass players and I can root for Lowell.  In my case there is a
disjoint element to my pride; there is little commonality between the
Mass-Lowell players that I root for and the Mass-developed players that I root
for.  For Minnesota fans there is no disjoint element; they are one in the
same.  Which is fine either way.  Neither situation is better; they both work.
 
Different strokes for different folks.
 
IMO what works for Minnesota *cannot* work for almost every other
program in the country.  Minnesota should stick with what works for them, but
when excessive journalists from that state become condescending or downright
insulting when making comparisons to other programs that have to work
differently, they can only expect to be taken down a peg.  It was only the
negative attitudes towards other programs that was the subject of my parody.
 
I have no quibble with the state where "The women are strong, the men are good
looking, and the children are all above average."
 
Or as Rodney King would say, "Can't we just get along?"  which, of course,
preceeded his more recent, "Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury!"
 
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