It seems to me that in the five years since my retirement as a college  
hockey father there has been a tremendous upheaval in college hockey- primarily  
the decline of the ECAC. It seems like RPI, Union, Yale etc can expect no gimmes 
 when they play an Atlantic or CHA team. It is amazing how well Qunnipiac has 
 done with so little (no tradition, no real academic cache. little buzz, and  
unremarkable facilities). I think it is time for the non-Ivies to question 
the  wisdom of staying in a league that reflects the philosophy of the Ivies who 
have  a big leg up recruiting against the non-Ivies (anyone who wonders about 
the  integrity of the admissions for athletes in the Ivies should read "The 
Chosen"  (not the Potok novel of the same name) and you will find out that 
football and  hockey recruits are given a huge preference to the consternation of 
the  faculties and purists at Yale, Harvard and Princeton. I would assume the 
aid  packages are also very favorable. Just something to ponder.
 
It is disappointing that the growth of college hockey has stagnated and  that 
more programs are not being added. Growth at the youth level has been  
tremendous and we have twice as many high schools playing hockey in NJ than we  did 
just ten years ago. 
 
Happy new year to all. To all who wrote me while my son was in Iraq- thank  
you. He is back and safe and sound thank G-d.