Laura Wrote... >Alright, alright, so I haven't been reading the hockey news lately, but I >did this morning. Granted I'm an outsider to collegiate hockey, but I was >amazed that Brad, who said 'who cares where the players are from', got >*thrashed* . Get real. It's survival of the fittest out there. He was >completely valid in all his points. >Give kids the best to play with and in circumstances that will prepare them >for the NHL (learning to play successfully with people from different >backgrounds/countries). some stuff deleted... >[log in to unmask] >My opinions are all mine and don't reflect those who employ me. Bummer. While I don't agree that college hockey should exist solely as preparation for the NHL, I was also surprised at the response to Brad's note. Perhaps he expressed his opinion a little bluntly, but his note was nowhere near as much of a "flame" as the response. Brad's note was related to a legitimate discussion topic and was not intended to deride any particular individual; I'm afraid the same can't be said of the reply. Sorry, just my opinion. Returning to the actual subject, I also think that playing with people from different backgrounds is good for a young athlete's education regardless of whether or not he/she intends to pursue a pro career. If I were on a team, that's the type of team I'd like to play for. I think it's healthy, aside from any consideration of how competitive the team can be. Each coach is free to use their own style, of course. As far as success is concerned; Minnesota's ability to field good teams can't be contested. Most schools would love to have the number of wins and tournament successes UMinn has had! -Glenn