The thirty-second annual Cornell Hockey Team banquet was held on Saturday, May 1, and despite the Big Red's rather gloomy season, the event was a lot of fun. In between the eating and the speeches, a number of awards were given out, starting with the Senior Recognition awards. Each of the four seniors -- Ryan Hughes, Jason Vogel, Russ Hammond, and Etienne Belzile -- was given a team jersey. (A somewhat cynical note here: these awards used to be called "Hat Tricks", in part because jerseys were also given out to those on the team who had scored hat tricks during the season. But, since no one has gotten one for the Big Red the last two years, the name was changed.) Cornell hockey color commentator (and former player) Pete Tufford was the master of ceremonies for the event, and he had one of the better lines of the night early on. Noting that the seventh game of the Toronto-Detroit playoff series was going on at the same time as the banquet, he said, "We have an update on the score of the hockey game -- the score is 1-1, and Kent Manderville has scored both goals." (Manderville, who as Greg Berge mentioned was called up by the Maple Leafs for the playoffs, was considered by most observers to have been an underachiever during his two seasons with the Big Red) Cornell athletic director Laing Kennedy later took the podium and reflected on Cornell's great hockey tradition, stating a couple times that "this season is not indicative of Cornell hockey." He encouraged the returning players to keep working hard (they have been lifting weights on their own three or four times a week in an attempt to bulk up) and thanked the seniors for their contribution to Cornell hockey over the last four years. I think for the most part, he was very encouraging, in effect issuing a challenge to the returning players to improve on their performances of this season, but I also felt he was sending a bit of a warning to head coach Brian McCutcheon and his staff -- if the team doesn't make a substantial move in the ECAC standings next year, there may be some trouble. Kennedy had another of the night's good lines, though. Cornell trainer Ray Barile was selected as the trainer for Team USA at the just-completed World Championships, and in remarking that Barile was in attendance on Saturday, Kennedy said, "... and thanks to Team Sweden, Ray was able to make our banquet tonight." Junior Varsity leading scorer Marc Wyttenbach gave a summary of the JV team's up-and-down season, which included changing coaches in the middle of the season and having ten players leave the team for one reason or another. Coach McCutcheon then summarized the varsity season, which -- let's face it -- was not easy for him to do. He did make the point that, especially later in the season when injuries forced Cornell to ice a team with a dozen freshmen on it, it was "like sending boys out to play against men." (Hope- fully, the off-season weight training will make some difference there) He also mentioned that, despite the awful record, there was "not much" finger- pointing or back-stabbing on the team. Like Kennedy, he thanked the depart- ing group of seniors. It was then time for each of those seniors to give a speech, and they all related some amusing stories about their Cornell careers. Most of the stories had to do with Etienne Belzile, with Jason Vogel's tale being the best. Jason talked about the trip to their first college hockey game, at Princeton three years ago. He and Ryan Hughes were sitting on the bus, "nervous as hell", and Jason noticed Etienne sitting behind them, "and he was studying something about a BEAK on a BIRD? Then he says to me, 'Did you know birds have *chins*??'" Finally, Jason recalled, "I couldn't take it any more. I said to him, 'Ets! Are you playing a hockey game, or are you studying biology?!' He looked at me and said, 'Yeah!'" I should mention that when it was Etienne's turn to speak, he allowed as how this was the first time he had ever given a speech completely in English in front of a large group. I thought he did pretty well. And then finally, after all this, it was time for the Cornell hockey awards: The Bill Doran Memorial Award for sportsmanship: winger/defenseman Jason Vogel. The Wendell Earle Memorial Award for excellence in both hockey and academics: defenseman Etienne Belzile. The award was presented by Wendell's ten-year-old grandson Evan, who is extremely poised and mature for his age. He even slipped in a line about "studying all those bird chins paid off" during his presentation. The Joe DeLibero - Stan Tsapis Memorial Award for skilled efficiency, dedication, and hard-nosed competitiveness: center/wing Shaun Hannah. The Sam Woodside Hockey Award for most improvement during a rookie season: center Brad Chartrand, who finished the season as the team's leading goal-scorer. Pete Tufford accepted the award on Brad's behalf, since Brad was home sick with mono. The Cornell Hockey Boosters Award for the player "whose contribution to the team is not apparent in box scores" -- enthusiasm, dedication, desire, etc.: defenseman Christian Felli. The Mark Weiss Memorial Award, given by the Class of 1981 in memory of Mark Weiss, a hockey player who died during his sophomore season, to the player who shows the most determination and passion for the sport of hockey over his career. The award went to winger Russ Hammond. And finally, the Nicky Bawlf award, for the team's most valuable player went to center and team captain Ryan Hughes. This may raise a few eye- brows in light of his disappointing season, but since the award is done by player voting rather than by the coaching staff, I guess it's a little tough to argue with. Also given out was the John D. Velie award, which goes to an outstanding player on the junior varsity team. This year's winner was Marc Wyttenbach. One more award, which is not a Cornell award: the Gun Hill Player of the Year. Players accumulate points for this award every time they are named one of the three stars of a game, with first star getting three points, second two and third one. Ryan Hughes also won this award, which carries a $500 donation to a non-profit organization designated by the winner. Ryan chose the Special Children's Center of Ithaca, which works with pre-kinder- garten-age disabled children, and which was the same organization Parris Duffus gave the donation to when he won the Gun Hill award last year. With the awards ceremony over, I guess we can officially close the book on the Cornell 1992-93 season, and start wondering about '93-'94 for the next four months until the hockey office decides to release some information about the recruits (geez...) -- Bill Fenwick Cornell '86 and probably '94 LET'S GO RED!! "I've had a wonderful evening -- but this wasn't it." -- Groucho Marx