I have a lot of respect for Professor Valente, and think he has been a
great friend to Brown hockey; but we have disagreed over this issue in the
past, and I once again feel the need to speak up, and defend the integrity
of Brown fans everywhere.
 
I firmly believe that if Princeton is guilty of clutch and grab hockey,
they are no more so than ECAC teams in general; and certainly no more so
than Brown, which has long employed this style as our principle means of
defense.  I should note that I have seen Brown (tragically) only a couple
of times this season, so my comments are largely reflective of watching
about 75% of Brown games from 1992-96 (while I attended Brown).  In that
period I saw a defense centered around the "team" defense philosophy, which
endeavored to get away with whatever it could.  It was never a surprise
(though it was always a frustration) that Brown was often at the top of the
ECAC in penalty minutes.  Most of those minutes (in my observation) were
indeed for obstruction penalties.  I don't view this as cheating, or
unethical, it is simply a matter of playing the best, most aggressive game
the team could play, and bearing the consequences (penalties) of that
choice (of course remember, I *am* in law school :-).  The worst that can
be said of it, is that it is very boring to watch.
 
I found Princeton particularly galling not because of their style, but
because they seemed to find ways to beat Brown when it really counted.  I
suspect this fact is really at the heart of Brown fans' new found hatred of
Princeton.  My freshman year -- before all this had started -- there was no
discernible animosity toward Princeton (that was saved for those heathens
at Yale).  The fact is they beat us, and it hurts.  Professor Valente will
doubtlessly point out that Brown did in fact eliminate Princeton from the
play-down round last year, but that game, IMHO, was simply a contest to see
who would be lead to the quartefinal slaughter.  No, the series that will
burn in the mind of all Brown fans in attendance was the best-of-three
quarterfinal of the year before last.  Princeton just seemed to want it
more, and it was only through luck and the determination of the Brown team
that the series was even sent to a third game.  We were the second seed,
and got beaten by number 7.  It hurt, and this clutch and grab nonsense was
a convenient outlet for our frustration.
 
I agree that Professor Valente has a right to his differing opinion; but
also think that his views on this subject are now well known to all who
read the list, and that repeated invective launched against Princeton both
before and after each contest is counterproductive.
 
As for Coach Gaudet, I agree with those who say he is one helluva guy (I
felt that way when I spoke to him, and he was always very loyal to, and
appreciative of, Brown fans) and apparently a very good motivator.  His
skill as a coach is, IMHO, more questionable.  He seems to spend too much
time arguing and baiting the officials, and I don't see how this can help
the Brown cause (especially in light of the common Brown complaint that the
officials are too harsh on Brown teams).  This action would seem to
encourage similar behavior among the players, and that is a definite no-no.
Further, Professor Valente has assured me (when I talked to him at the
Harvard/Brown game) that Brown has a very talented squad -- too talented,
he argued, to be losing the games it is losing.  As he is a much closer
observer of Brown hockey than I am, and I generally find his opinions to be
well informed, I will assume, arguendo, that he is correct.  Yet this must
beg the question of how he would explain the horrendous season Brown has
had.  If Brown is too talented to be losing that games it is losing, who
else do you look to but the coach?
 
At any rate, these are just some thoughts from a disappointed Brown fan,
and you may take them as you like them. . .
 
Carl
 
 
 
Carl Sussman                                              Harvard Law School
 
[log in to unmask]                             Class of '99
 
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