First, I don't presume to speak for any of the particulars involved
here, be they UMA, UML, or HE.
 
I understand the concerns voiced by Leigh, but I think it's also
important to consider the question from the viewpoint of both UMass
Lowell and Hockey East.
 
At UMass (Amherst), the issue seems only to be one of the name.  But
at UMass Lowell, it runs deeper, as I am sure some of the Lowell
people can attest.  Even before the Minutemen's program was
re-established, rumors were strong that somehow, the program at Lowell
(which was suffering tremendously just prior to the arrival of Bruce
Crowder) was going to be dismantled and "moved" to Amherst with the
new rink and all of the money that the newest addition to HE would
have to pour into its program.
 
I know from talking to Lowell people back then that they were quite
bothered by this along with the fact that the state university system
seemed as if it was throwing money at Minuteman hockey to the near
exclusion of the other "UMass" schools like Lowell - especially Lowell
which has a long and proud history of hockey including a decade-plus
history in DivI.
 
Of course, both UMA and UML are proud of being a part of the state
university system.  But to UML, given everything else that was going
on, it was a slap in the face for UMA to be considered *the* state
DivI hockey school just by virtue of being called "UMass".
 
On the administrative side of things at HE, it is easy to see the
dilemma that they face.  Whether they chose to refer to the Minutemen
as UMass or UMass Amherst, they were going to arouse someone's anger.
There's no two ways around it and there is no middle ground that I can
see.
 
As such, I believe one of the main reasons they chose UMass Amherst
was in deference to the older and more established program at Lowell.
I think this is quite understandable.  One of the big differences
between this situation and the one in Minnesota, for instance, is that
Minnesota was established and playing hockey long before Duluth came
on the scene (joining the WCHA in 1965).
 
Should the size of the school play a part?  I don't think so...it is
still a different situation from other sports like basketball, where
if you say "UMass" it is immediately obvious who you mean.  In hockey
circles, many people still get confused by the "UMass" reference
because of the two schools.  That's enough of a reason right there to
use a reference that makes it clear who you mean.  And I suspect that
was another reason for HE choosing UMass Amherst.
 
Maybe the easiest thing would have been for Lowell to stay ULowell. :-)
 
FYI, I use Mass Amherst and Mass Lowell in the schedules in the
archives and in the HE reports I have sent out because of two reasons.
One is clarity.  There are actually people who don't care about
basketball :-) and "UMass" isn't clear enough for them.  The other
reason is that this is how HE refers to the schools and I am just
trying to follow what they use.
 
Similarly, I may change "RPI" to "Rensselaer".  Please, no flames. :-)
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93