>Posted on 17 Mar 1996 at 14:27:38 by Geoff Howell >"Thank you Schafer" > >Ronn Tomassoni called Cornell a clutch-and-grab team during the pregame >show on WADN (Concord, Mass). When asked about that characterization by >WADN play-by-play man Don Boyle, coach Schafer replied to the effect that >Cornell plays physical defense, thank you, and that "clutch-and-grab" is >an overused misnomer. I'm sure Don Cahoon (Princeton) and Tim Taylor (Yale) would agree with the latter observation. Yet, remember that Lizzie Borden used to say that murder was an overused misnomer. :-) Actually, I think Ronn Tomassoni is wrong. Cornell plays a physical style, not a clutch-and-grab style. Hockey is supposed to be a physical game. Physical hockey is fun to watch. Clutch-and-grab hockey is boring. This Cornell team is fun to watch. I'm very impressed with Mike Shafer's ability as a coach. Cornell won the ECAC without the kind of talent that teams like Vermont, Clarkson, Colgate, and even Harvard possess. Shafer appears to have every player playing at least at the top of his ability, and many are probably overachieving. This is the mark of a good coach, one who not only knows what he is doing, but, more importantly, is respected by his players. Under Shafer Cornell will always be a tough team to beat. This is good for the league. The ECAC needs more Mike Shafers, Bob Gaudets and Mark Morrisses. Cornell will be a good representative of the ECAC and eastern hockey in the national tournament. Good luck to the Big Red! Good luck also to Vermont, Clarkson, Boston University, U-Mass Lowell, and (although this is hard to say) Providence College. Luiz F. Valente Brown University HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.