-- [ From: Kepler * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] -- Since another long-time and valuable poster has evidentally split, I thought I might put in a plea to the rest of the list to stay put. I have no idea what this latest pissing contest has been about, since everything from "Face shields" to "Facts" went into my auto-kill file the instant it became apparent they were more of "those kinds of threads." There have been a few back-channel posts to suggest that these managed an all-time low, but after a gazillion years of hockey-l, well... I really doubt that. But it sure could be a local minimum for taste and intelligence . There are a few idiots on this list. Duh. Many of the posts contributed to the two aforementioned threads were dutifully submitted by charter members of the hockey-l "couldn't find his/her ass with two hands and a map" club. We know this. But don't leave if it sickens you -- that merely reduces the percentage of intelligent posters left on the list. Delete them without a look and without a thought -- jam your middle finger right down on that key. It's your friend. You may miss a nugget of wisdom here and there, but let's face it -- a small number of men and women with low self-esteem will always flame each other in public. Their words are meaningless. They do not matter. But you do. Just stay, post when something is worth posting; we'll read it, we'll engage and we'll have a discussion list, rather than a kindergarten. -- Greg Good luck Joe, in Must Win, part 1 of 2. -- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Greg Berge * Portland, Oregon * [log in to unmask] * www.spiritone.com/~kepler * HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.