At 11:06 AM 1/20/97 EST, Dave Hendrickson wrote:
 
>What Cronin said was that unless the goaltending improved, they were no
>better than a .500 team.  If if got a lot better, they could do quite well.
>There's a major difference between that and a blanket .500 pronouncement.
 
I recall hearing a blanket statement though!  :-)
 
I don't know where, Dave, your articles or elsewhere.  I know that Cronin
said that he hoped Walsh could get the team winning but doubted they would
be much over .500.
 
Perhaps it was a local media outlet.  Cronin was getting questions about how
he thought Walsh would do, and what could Walsh do, etc.  It was the
pinnicle of the comparisons.  "Now that you are leaving, what is Walsh going
to do to improve on what you did."
 
>The goaltending has in fact been significantly better, almost like night and
>day.  Perhaps this is because Walsh has managed them better than Cronin, or
>perhaps there are other factors involved.
 
An interesting part of this goaltending situation is how Walsh is addressing
the goaltending problems.  To a large degree, I think you can credit Walsh
with the goaltending improvement.
 
Since returning Walsh is having special goaltending sessions during
practice, where he works only with the goalies for 30 minutes a day.
 
Anyone who saw Saturday's game knows that Alfie Michaud is really looking
good and comfortable.
 
>But if Maine's goalies had played like this all year, Cronin would have
>left with a better than .500 record.
 
Perhaps.  Maybe someone can fill us in on what Cronin did to address
goaltending problems?
---
Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask])