Re:  Sean Pickett's comments:  I talked to former UNH coach Charlie Holt a
couple of weeks ago and he told me that he had been "polled" and was going to
use the forum to put a plug in for the players he coached - Gordie Clark,
Jamie Hislop, Ralph Cox, etc.  I wonder how many other coaches did the same.
 In addition, since Charlie did not coach (at least at the college level) in
the 90's, he did not feel as qualified to opine about  younger players  but
 would probably still make an entry.
 
Secondly, although I'm flattered than Sean thinks that the Whittemore Center
is the best venue for college hockey in the East, and questions why the now
defunct Walker Arena is included, I think the purpose of the poll was to give
an historical perspective about college hockey.  I think what a poll like
this shows is the short memories that most people who are polled have.  There
is no question that Walker Arena was one tough place to play (although the
two times I saw UNH play there they won).  And Gutterson Field House was (and
is tough).  But what about Lively Snively Arena at UNH?  UNH may have had a
couple of down years in the late 80's but before and after Snively was one
tough place for any team to visit.  The fact that it has been gone for two
years may have contributed to its omission.
 
The other bone I have to pick, and I know I will get mail on this one, is
with Paul Kariya's selection as the player of the 80's and 90's in the East.
 I am NOT knocking him as a player, he is the best I've seen in 30 years of
watching college hockey.  But, ladies and gentlemen, he only played 1 1/2
seasons of college hockey, the first surrounded with a team so talented  that
it lost only one game all year.  I guess you can say he had bigger and better
worlds to conquer (which he certainly is doing) but wouldn't it be better to
recognize a guy who proved over an entire CAREER that he was the dominant
player of his era?  I know that those who disagree will say that Kariya would
have dominated for four years if he had stayed at Maine, but the fact remains
that he didn't stay.  More than one player has thoroughly dominated for one
year but it is another thing to have the same player dominate for his whole
career.  I think a player of the decade (actually two decades) award should
be left for those  who has made their mark over a three or four year period,
not just one.  Considering the fact that he was the top vote getter, I am
sure I am in the minority on this but, so what!!  Isn't this what the list is
for?
 
Greg Ambrose, UNH, '72
Go Blue!!
 
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