I've been telling people this privately for a couple of weeks, but
despite the half-truths and jumps-to-conclusions of some, I've been
quiet of the list since I haven't talked with Shawn Walsh about his
recent trip to OSU.
 
In last Saturday's Bangor Daily News was the following article.  A few
quotes are worth a 1,000 commentaries ...
 
cheers,
 
Wayne Smith
The College Hockey Discussion List administrator
Systems Group - CAPS              BITNET/CREN:  wts@maine
University of Maine System        internet:     [log in to unmask]
 
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Walsh happy at UMaine
---------------------
 
By Larry Mahoney
Of the NEWS Staff
 
University of Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh said Friday morning that he
is happy at Maine and is not seeking other jobs.
 
However, Ohio State University officials contacted him about coaching
that hockey team and he was interviewed on April 14, Walsh explained.
As of Friday morning Walsh said he had had no further contact with
anybody at OSU.
 
Walsh was responding to reports this week that he was among five
candidates interviewed for the Ohio State position and that he might be
one of the top two contenders.
 
"All I'm doing is being consistent with what I tell my players.  If
somebody expresses interest in you, you at least owe them the courtesy
of listening to them.  And I'm doing that myself," said Walsh, who is on
a recruiting trip to Chicago.  "The meeting I had with (OSU Athletic
Director) Andy Geiger and other officials was strictly exploratory."
 
He said in addition to them getting a handle on him and how he rebuilt
the Maine program, "I was exploring the commitment they are prepared to
make to rebuild their program."
 
The Ohio State job could be "an exciting opportunity for someone, " said
Walsh, who has directed Maine into the national Division I final in two
of the last three years.  Maine won the 1993 national title and was
runnerup three weeks ago.
 
"They're building a 17,000-seat arena that will open in 1998 and the
other Big Ten schools with hockey programs have very successful ones."
He was referring to Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
 
The OSU job reportedly pays $80,000 per year and Walsh earns $74,650 per
year from Maine.
 
He said he has not been contacted about the hockey job at the University
of Notre Dame and he hasn't applied.  He added that he hasn't talked
with St.  Louis Blues general manager-coach Mike Keenan about coaching
the Blues, either.