I have a few comments to make regarding the LSSU vs UVM game.  First,
congratulations to the Catamounts!  As a Laker fan since before our
first NCAA championship in 1888 (and I am staring directly at the
poster which hangs on my office wall), I know what a great feeling it
is as both an alum and a fan to have a team at the final four with a
chance to be champions.
 
RE: Doug Peterson's question about lower seed teams beating bye teams in
the regionals.  I think LSSU beat Michigan in 1994 in the west region
(Munn) to advance??  I could very well be wrong.  Can someone please
confirm or deny?
 
RE: Cheryl Morris' reference to LSSU's "Offensive futility".  I was out
the door so fast after the game ended that I did not catch any final
stats, and I probably have had a chance to see them since but just
ignored them.  At any rate, I recall that LSSU radio broadcaster Bill
Crawford stated that the Lakers outshot the Catamounts in every period,
with a final differential of something like fourteen in the Lakers
favor, and the Lakers having more than thirty SOG.  This doesn't seem
like offensive futility to me, rather it seems like a very typical Laker
game, but in this case they ran into a white-hot goaltender.
 
RE: Doug Garn's post regarding Bill Crawford, radio broadcasts, Frank
Cole, etc.  I don't think there should be any doubt in anyone's mind who
heard Saturday night's radio broadcast that neither Bill, nor Scott
Monaghan, nor the rest of the Laker staff care for Frank Cole in any way,
shape or form.  In fact, I distinctly recall the broadcast team of Bill
Crawford and Scott Monaghan state that the Laker officials would be
requesting of the NCAA that Frank Cole no longer be allowed to officiate
any game in which the Lakers are involved.  Are they justified?  Like
Doug, I did night see the game on TV, and so I cannot say for sure.  I do
know, and will say that the game seemed to be going along quite well, in
terms of it being a penalty-free contest, and then in the second period
all of a sudden the referees discovered their whistles, and the parade
began.  I do recall Bill Crawford stating the PP opportunities as UVM
with six and LSSU with three.  In addition, I recall that the Lakers
were whistled three times for interference while in the offensive zone.
I doubt that many teams get whistled for interference in the OFFENSIVE
zone three times throughout a season.
 
Finally, I'd like to just through my hat into the ring, and say that the
current format in which the two highest seeds get a bye is unfair.  And I
would have said that regardless of the result of the LSSU/UVM contest.
The NCAA should, IMO, regardless of ratios, regardless of stats, either
expand to sixteen, cut back to eight, or allow an extra days rest for the
team that plays on the first day.
 
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