MikeM wrote, in part..
>At 2:31 PM -0500 2/25/97, Deron Treadwell wrote:
>> At 02:21 PM 2/25/97 -0500, Cathy Hart wrote:
>>
>> >IMHO, they picked the right guy for HE Commissioner!!
>>
>> I was curious why you think this?
>
>A few reasons I can think of:
>
>1) He has no ties with any of the HE schools.
>2) He is a hockey man.
>3) He has experience running a league (several of them).
>4) He is well-known and liked around the game.
 
I don't put any stock in any of the concerns that Deron has (not shown
here), but I have some concerns of my own.  My understanding is that
Mike's reasons #2-4 are right on.  But I've heard that Bertagna is a
relatively laid-back personality, and I'm of the opinion that the HEA
Coaches and ADs need a strong personality in order for the association
to do the right thing over time.
 
Coach Walsh had nothing but glowing things to say about Bertagna on
tonight's WZON Coaches Show.  Shawn also stated or strongly implied
Mike's reason #1, but I think it was only his class and apparent wish to
work well with Bertagna and the HEA coaches that caused him to say this.
 
(Anyone with contradictory information, please correct my sometimes
fuzzy memory, but ...)
 
That Bertagna "has no ties with HE schools" is a bit of a stretch.
Bertagna has been best of friends with Jack Parker for many years.  Six
or so years ago, Parker was head of the hockey coaches association.
That association always did its work with volunteer members, but during
Parker's "reign", the association created the position of Executive
Director and hired ...  Bertagna.  This is a paid position that Bertagna
still holds.  (story continues below)
 
>I guess anything is possible re: America East, but unless it looks like a
>real possibility and I know more, I can't really comment on whether that
>would be a good move or not.
 
HEA had some interest in America East ...  perhaps a lot of interest,
but someone in the know would be better to tell us how interested.  The
America East Commissioner was a former commissioner of HEA, yet he is
retiring (has retired?).  HEA wanted someone with experience in hockey
for the new commissioner and when America East named someone that had no
hockey background, the office/commissioner sharing possibility dried up.
 
The lead HEA person in this search was/is the BU AD.  Enter Jack Parker?
Say "Hello!" to Bertagna and welcome to the new HEA office in
Marblehead.  If Parker's influence over HEA was been waning, I suspect
we have just seen the first sign of a comeback.
 
So much for stories.  How about conflict of interest?  Yes, Bertagna is
liked and has held many important hockey jobs, including ECAC
commissioner, but he oversees the HEA coaches as commissioner and yet
the coaches hire him as their coaches association Executive Director.
 
On a couple of different subjects ....
 
- Coach Walsh explained the stick banging and talk with Referee Cole on
  the Coaches Show ... perhaps someone could write about it here on
  ME-HOCKEY?
 
- What a complete and wonderful performance last week with UNH and BU!
  Jeff Libby has been a favorite of mine since seeing him play in High
  School.  Perhaps he didn't have all of the goals of Cullen and
  Mansoff, but his incredible, confident, consistent, dominating defense
  made him my 1st star.  OK, my 2nd star goes to Alfie.  I just hope the
  NCAA doesn't investigate the impersonator we watched last Fall.  My
  3rd star goes to everyone else ...  it was a complete team effort from
  every player, to Coach Walsh, to all the student and community fans
  that showed up and FoMH and the post-game celebration.  I can hardly
  wait for the next FoMH newsletter, Dave ...  and bring on the end of
  season banquet (April 12th?), it should be a great event!
 
  It was a week of contrast at the Alfond.  Just a couple of weeks ago
  we were discussing the empty seats and quiet fans.  The mood was often
  glum, as we reeled from the violations and repercussions.  It was so
  wonderful to experience the excitement and watch the fans leave after
  each game, each with a big silly grin on their face.
 
Fill the Steins for Dear Ol' Maine!
 
(We're back!)
 
cheers,
wayne smith -- old town landing