It seems strange to be watching the HE tournament from home and not my
accustomed seat next to Bob Norton and Dave Shea up by the NESN booth.
I hope that the Maine underclassmen are watching this weekend, and realize
what its like to be on the outside looking in for a change and don't let
it happen next year.  For the record, WCSH-TV here in Portland reported
that Shawn Walsh had sent the players home for the remainder of spring
break, and had gone on a recruiting trip himself- No dreams of an NC$$
tourney bid are dancing in his head...
 
Two great games, watched by a surprisingly small number of people.For
a game in which two Boston teams played (NU/BU) I expected more of a
crowd.  Especially since they weren't going up against a Celtics or B's
game on the tube, and the BC basketball team had already won their NC$$
game that afternoon.  Strangely, UNH fans seemed to be the most abundant
and most vociferous of any of the fans at the Garden.  Why is it that the
teams that travel the longest distance (UNH and UMO) seem to have the
greatest fan support come Tourney-Time?  Think the box-office
felt the effects of not having 5000+ Maine-iacs drive from Bangor and
Portland this year to watch the games?
 
In response to an earlier question: Who can beat BU?
Anyone with a goaltender.  More to the point, anyone with a goaltender
who gets on a roll.  Just ask Scott Pellerin, Jean-Yves Roy and Jim
Montgomery about their experience with a certain Michigan State goalie
in Providence three years ago against a juggernaut Maine team that was
31-3 going into that game.  And ask anyone from the 1985 BC Eagles'
roster about some kid from Providence named Terreri.  Come NC$$ time,
one hot goaltender and/or an off-night shooting the puck, and you're out.
Goaltenders that can beat BU: Shields, Lacher, Roloson, Tracy...
 
About the ongoing situation at UMaine:  I still have not heard any mention
of a letter from the NCAA to Carville other than on the hockey-l.  Tupper's
report was printed (I believe in its entirety) in the Portland Press Herald
on Wednesday, and there was no mention of an NCAA letter there.  However,
if it is true that the NCAA did send Carville a letter stating that the
requirement was 6 credits, someone at the NCAA had better take a better
look at their employees and make sure that THEY have their facts straight
before condemning member schools. To once again clear up a post I made
long ago about UMaine dropping their requirements from 9 to 6 for post-
grads: That is what Carville and/or his staff told Gretchen Leahey (not
 
sure of the spelling), a field hockey player, last fall.  It was because
of this *inaccurate* information that she only took 6 credits.  The
University did not lower its requirements.  In the original PPH story
they did not point out that this information was false, and so I posted
it here believing it was accurate.  A post-grad at UM informed me that it
was wrong, and I double-checked with the paper, and later posted a correction.
 
Woody Carville was anything but an "anonymous" guy in the office.
As Wayne posted earlier, Carville was a Maine graduate, and had worked
for the school for 33 years, prior to retiring in 1991.  He stayed
on as the compliance officer after retiring.  To paint a picture
of Carville's job: He was given 20 hours per week in which to perform
his duties as compliance officer.  He was given a grand total of *2*
staffers to assist him in his task.  He was given *literally* a
broom closet from which to work (if you look carefully you can still
see the word "Custodian" on his "office" door).  He was given an out
of date computer to use, one which was not capable of using the
software the NCAA provided the compliance officer.  Anything and
everything he signed was simply rubber-stamped by other departments,
"Woody doesn't make mistakes" and Woody is "the guru of compliance"
were phrases used at UM...I guess people found out the hard way that
Woody does in fact make mistakes, and that no one is perfect.
To say that Woody tried to cover up by delaying in telling Ploszek
about it is absurd.  Had he wanted to cover it up, he could have
very easily not told Ploszek about it at all.  It was not his
responsibility to inform the coaches and athletes that they were
competing when they were ineligible.  Ploszek told him not to worry
about it, and since Woody saw Ploszek as his superior, he took him
at his word.  The reason Woody gives for not reporting the incident
to Ploszek immediately is that his office was conducting NCAA
regulated testing (which did have a deadline), and he knew he
had enough time to tell Ploszek and the athletes prior to the
weekend, when next the athletes in question would compete.
It is a shame that Maine chose to make a scapegoat out of a man
who had dedicated 35+ years of his life in service to the school,
and who probably never did a devious thing in his life.
 
To end on a positive note, a thanks to Mike for his recommendations
for diners in North Andover; my uncle and I thoroughly enjoyed
our stay  :->
 
John Forsyth
 
"George Mitchell is leaving the senate because he figures if Michael
Jordan can switch to baseball, so can he."  (Portland Press Herald)
 
"Commissioner Mitchell"  ...has a nice ring to it...