Mark Grassl <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>
>Brian Morris quotes form a Newsday article:
>
>stuff deleted
>
>>"That's what really impressed us--the video," Peter said.  "They take stats in
>>practice!  No other school offered us this.  Basically, this is a hockey
>                                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>factory.
> ^^^^^^^
>
>        Quite an unfortunate choice of words don't you think.
 
As a faculty member at Maine and a supporter of the Maine hockey team,
I almost choked when I read those words.  I think Mark's comment may
be a tremendous understatement.  I have no idea - I'm not privy to any
inside information - how Shawn Walsh will react to this, nor how -
in today's atmosphere of budget cuts with people looking very closely
at the athletic departments - the University administration will take
this.  I, however, a bit shocked and concerned.
 
On the positive side, I've heard (second-hand) that both the Ferraro's
as well as the "other" first-year student Paul Kariya did quite well
in their first semester classes.  Evidently they're doing something
other than playing hockey and watching video tapes.
 
Additionally, what I hear from other faculty members who have more of
a chance to have athletes in their classes - not too many athletes
take calculus or upper-level/grad math courses - is that Shawn is a
stickler for the students getting good grades, and *unlike* some other
coaches, he *does not* put any pressure on the faculty members to give
his players a break.
 
Finally, I would point to Scott Pellerin's finishing his degree last
May - after winning the Hobey Baker and playing some games with Utica,
and the fact that many players like Jim Montgomery, Scott King, Mike
McHugh, and other possible pros have stayed at Maine for 4 years.
 
I hope my facts are accurate - I wanted to reply since I thought that
comment was as scary as Mark did!  [BTW, I'm *not* a particularly
strong supporter of Division I athletics - I would just as soon they
dumped all scholarships and went to Div III rules - but I think the
program here is pretty clean, fair, and academically honest.  Of
course, I could be wrong.]
 
Best wishes, Charlie