Sid writes: >Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Monahan had this little tidbit in today's >paper... ... > "Also, remember, I have a building here that holds 8,400 and I >want to see those seats filled." > Marcum indicated that he may lean toward a person with head coaching >experience. That would mean Jackson, who was interviewed last week, or Leach. > Marcum wants a coach who can give him quick results. That's why I think if all four want the job (Jackson, Leach, Mallen, Durocher), then it is probably down to Leach and Jackson. Leach has the local ties with Springfield. And with Jackson, it seems that Marcum could not get the national champ, so he wants the next best (runner-up and former champ). UMass didn't build a rink like that and commit what they have to their program to make a half-hearted effort at choosing a coach. They have four solid candidates, with Jackson and Leach seeming to have the edge. > Some UMass alumni are talking with Marcum often. Said one, "I >just hope Bob picks a coach who will care about the graduation rate >of his players. That's important. A lot of us also would like to see a >coach who would have some Massachusetts kids on the team. I wouldn't like >to see UMass represented by just three Americans as LSSU was this past >season." " 3? From the 92-93 CCHA guide (thanks Keith), LSSU had 15 Americans including Rolston, Bachusz, Hulett, and Valicevic (all Michigan). 13 were Canadians. I don't think the concern about whether Jackson would recruit Mass kids is a problem...for one thing, even if you consider 13 Canadians a lot, LSSU is closer to Canada than any other DivI hockey school, so it's not unusual for them to have so many Canadians. Also, I suspect local kids are chomping at the bit to go to UMass, and I've already said a lot about how I think the right coach will be able to walk into a prospective recruit's living room and present as an attractive an opportunity as schools like BC, BU, etc. BTW, Jackson is a 78 MSU grad. His career coaching is 96-22-13 over three years for a win % of .790, second best in that span to Shawn Walsh's .864 (105-14-6). I now think he will get the job, but everyone will probably remind me I said the same about Walsh, so let's just wait a week and see what happens. :-) Also, don't underestimate the fact that Leach (and the others) are more familiar with Mass and area recruiting than Jackson probably is...even if Jackson is hired, I look for him to pick up some assistants who know the area well, but this might be something that would even lead UMass to hire Leach. --- Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors alternate address days: [log in to unmask] *HMN* 11/13/93 (Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.)