I don't enjoy hearing the news of Black Bear injuries, but I use this
service to find out everything I can about the Bears good and bad.  My
father sends me clippings from the BDN on a weekly basis.  Usually
through that I can read the box scores and various editorial
commentaries from Gary Thorne and the like.  In sports injuries are an
everyday occurence.  There is no need to try to keep them from the
public.  If one of the players was to sit out a game in street clothes
and no one was informed of why rumors could begin there.  Is he
suspended, etc?  Just one opinion.
 
Tim Linscott, Grand Rapids, MI
 
>-----Original Message-----
>From:  Wayne Smith [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent:  Thursday, November 06, 1997 10:45 AM
>To:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject:       Re: Injuries question
>
>John wrote..
>>I think all pertinent info regarding the Black Bears should be posted
>>here; not just the "good stuff".  Many of us living away from Orono have
>>no other way of receiving this info.  After reading the box scores some
>>of us may wonder why a certain player didnt score or play and it may be
>>due to injury.  Without that info coming from this discussion list we
>>would have no way of knowing.
>
>And that not knowing may be OK sometimes.
>
>Since my pothole may have been taken as a potshot,
>I'd like to add a little to my previous post.
>
>When a coach or player tells a reporter something (without saying "Off
>the record" in the same sentence), that coach or player understands, or
>should under stand, that the comment will be PUBLISHED and be made
>PUBLICLY available.
>
>The days when some Boston-area coach might say nice things about Maine
>when interviewed by a Maine reporter and then grind Maine into hamburger
>when talking to a Boston-area reporter, without being caught in his
>hypocrisy, are over!
>
>Yes, ME-Hockey articles will be read by opposing fans and maybe coaches
>and (stretch) maybe players.  But why censor ME-Hockey when similar
>information is available via the major media?
>
>I've heard one argument: it gives the opposing team an advantage.
>
>My reply: you're barking up the wrong tree.  If a player doesn't want
>his injury known, he shouldn't talk to reporters about it.  If a coach
>doesn't want an injury known, he shouldn't talk to reporters about it.
>
>On the other hand, if we start discussing how one goalie gets beat high
>to the glove side and the other low and wide, or how one defender always
>throws the puck out to the point whether there's a forward there or not,
>or how such and such sets this pick in the left circle and then rolls to
>the slot get a pass from the corner ...  are we discussing our favorite
>team or giving aid to the "enemy"?
>
>My 2-part answer is (1) we're discussing our favorite team and (2) we
>don't have enemies, except in our minds.  Well, maybe Coach Walsh has
>some enemies :(
>
>In case you don't buy my opponents-vs-enemies argument, then maybe
>you should consider that discussion you see on ME-Hockey is
>essentially unmoderated.  Unlike an article by a Boston Globe columnist
>or a Bangor Daily News commentator, everything you read here is not
>the gospel truth.
>
>Bring on BU!  Drop the puck!
>
>P.S.  It was interesting to watch the US Women's National team practice
>      this morning at Alfond Arena, Orono.  Good skills it seemed, with
>      a few very talented players.  Compared to a Shawn Walsh practice,
>      however, it was pretty slow-paced and not very intensive.
>
>Yours in college hockey,
>wayne
>
>Wayne T. Smith                         Systems Group -- CAPS
>[log in to unmask]                    University of Maine System
>Co-owner of the College Hockey lists - Hockey-L/Info-Hockey-L/Hockey3