Sean Pickett replies:
 
>Greg Ambrose wrote:
>
>> God, you're right.  I do care.  I care that there is more parity in
>> college hockey and that teams like BU and Minnesota are not there.
>> I see BU all the time and, if they deserved to be there, they would
>> be.  But they were awful this year.  As far as Minnesota, I could
>> never stand their all-Minnesota thing, and now that they're
>> suffering because of it, I do care.   I am glad they are not in it
>> and won't be for a while.  You are right - I DO CARE.
>
>More parity in college hockey?  Michigan in for the 9th straight
>time and 22nd time overall; Clarkson in for the 5th straight time,
>9th in the nineties, and 18th overall; Michigan State in for the
>6th straight time, 8th in the nineties, and 19th overall; North
>Dakota back for the 3rd straight time and 15th overall; BC back for
>the second straight time and 19th overall.  Even New Hampshire in for
>the 3rd straight time, 6th in the nineties and 10th overall.  Yes...
>I see the parity in college hockey.
 
BU and Minnesota are not in, N. Michigan and Ohio State are.  Maybe parity
is the wrong word but there has definitely been a spreading of the wealth
of talent over the past few years.  Part of the reason, I believe, is the
reduction in scholarships to 18.  It makes it very difficult for money
schools - Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc. to stockpile players like
they did in the past.  Back when the rule was changed, a lot of UNH people
complained about it but I always thought it would benefit the Wildcats.
UNH is not a rich school, they don't have top ten football and basketball
teams to subsidize other sports.  The hockey team basically has to do it on
its own.  By reducing scholarships, it brings these schools down to our
level and allows us to compete.  I truly believe that, without the change,
UNH would not be in the position that they are today.
>
>As for the Terriers, they were not an awful team: awful teams do not
>beat very good teams and BU beat several very good teams.  The
>Terriers also prevented the Wildcats from have a perfect home record
>this year, tying them, 2-2, at Whittemore Center.  BU also tied UNH,
>2-2, and lost a well played game, 3-1, at Walter Brown Arena.
 
I also saw them lose to Northeastern twice, and look pretty miserable doing
it.  And their performance against PC was nothing to write home about
either.  Except  for Larocque (late) and Heron (early) they got nothing out
of their junior and senior classes.  Terrier fans better hope that DiPietro
is the real deal in goal because, if he's not, it will probably be another
long season next year.
>
>> And, BTW, you obviously don't know me or read my posts because I am
>> very comfortable with the fact that other teams may be better than
>> UNH.  It has been the case, most of the time, for oh these many
>> years.  Now that we have a measure of respectability, I just like to
>> make sure that people realize it.  That's all.
>
>I have read Greg's posts and he is not comfortable with Boston
>University having better teams and players than New Hampshire most
>seasons.
 
As I wrote to Sean in a private post, I have the utmost respect for Jack
Parker. The job he did in preparing his team to play and defeat Michigan in
the NCAA semis a couple of years ago was nothing short of remarkable.
Parker has been unfairly maligned by some of the BU faithful this year, but
I think it is because his assistants are not bringing the quality that they
did in the past.  Basically, they are getting outrecruited.  But if Jack
gets the talent back, and he still has the fire in his belly (and I think
he does), they will be up there once again.  I will say, it *is* nice to
beat BU since UNH's history against them is not too great.  So cut me some
slack if I gloat just a bit.  And, Sean, I don't think you have been
lurking too much.
>
 
Greg Ambrose
GO UNH BLUE!!!
JASON KROG IS HOBEY!!!
 
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