Sports writer - Grant writer

Category: UMass Amherst Minutemen

Frozen Fenway 2 Raises A Few Questions

2010's Frozen Fenway with BU and BC.

In 2010, BU and BC took center stage in the first Frozen Fenway. (Photo by Kat)

On Friday afternoon, Fenway Park and Hockey East announced the second edition of Frozen Fenway, to be held on January 7, 2012. The outdoor game will feature a men’s hockey doubleheader, with UMass Amherst facing off against University of Vermont and the University of New Hampshire versus the University of Maine.

The game is being sponsored by Hockey East – who owns the event, and thus can decide its participants – and is being heavily bankrolled by Fenway Sports Group. The hope is that the event will bring out crowds of fans from the schools and their alumni bases in Boston.

Hockey East and it’s commissioner Joe Bertagna were eager to schedule up another outdoor game given the popularity of the 2010 edition, which features Boston University and Boston College. But the league wanted to give other non-Boston based schools a chance. Bertanga made that clear in his Friday press conferernce remarks. As reported by BostoInnovation’s Ryan Durling:

“(Bertanga) also acknowledged how generous a gesture it was for FSM to pick up the cost of the event. ‘It’s a bit of a risk to take up the cost, so we really appreciated that. The support from the mayor helped to push it along, too – the game between BU and BC is kind of old news, but bringing four teams from outside of Boston emphasizes our New England roots,’ the commissioner said.”

I have three quick issues with this statement by Hockey East’s commissioner, and the Frozen Fenway 2 in general:

Last I checked, the last two teams to win national championships from the conference were BU and BC. I don’t think any game between two of the best programs in the last decade of college hockey is ever “old news.” Especially when both teams sold out a freezing cold Fenway nearly two years ago, and when they play each other inthe Beanpot, they sell out the Garden, and when they play in their respective home venues, they sell out their venues no matter how awful either’s season is.

You’re taking a giant risk having this game feature teams from outside of Boston. Sure, their fan bases within Boston are relatively strong. However, you’re playing with fire – or more accurately, ice – here. Weather in January is unpredictable, and could impact the travel of those Maine, UNH, UMass and Vermont diehards who will get to those sellout numbers. At least with BU and BC, they have enough fans that can walk or take public transportation to Fenway to fill it.

Then there is the issue of Fenway Sports Group funding Frozen Fenway 2, and not including BC. Fenway Sports Group and the Eagles are joined at the hip. They’re going to have a college hockey event at Fenway Park and not include their prime collegiate partner?

Finally, by having Frozen Fenway 2 consist of two men’s Hockey East games, you run into marginal problems of inequity. Frozen Fenway’s first edition featured a women’s game pitting Northeastern versus UNH. This edition has no women’s component mentioned. The women’s game might not sell tickets, but it’ll never sell if you don’t give it the opportunity to. Plus, you legitimately have more legitimate women’s hockey stars now within Hockey East, players with a bit more name recognition than the league had pre-2010 Olympics. It’s worth a shot, and will save you some angered complaints from Title IX advocates. (Who knows – a women’s hockey game may be in the works and we just don’t know it.)

More Last Name Fun and Lerg Love from the Icebreaker

If you thought yesterday’s featured Icebreaker tournament player last name was fun (Ben Blood from North Dakota), may I interest you in the entire Michigan State roster?

They have a freshmen defenseman named Tim Buttery. Yep, as in the dairy product. They also have a senior forward named Tim Crowder (rhymes with chowder), a freshmen forward with the last name Warda (like how Bostonians say “water”), and their senior assistant captain’s last name is Gentile (which hockey is not.)

You may think I am a horrible person with no heart by pointing these names out. I argue otherwise. As someone whose last name is affectionately known as “The German Monstrosity,” who still sometimes has to spell it to herself after almost 27 years, I can be critical of others’ last names because we’re all buddies in the “Bad Last Name Club.” At least these guys’ names are spellable. At least they don’t have random silent vowels thrown in their last name just to make things difficult. When I got engaged last week, one of the first things people asked me (after “When are you getting married?”) was, “Are you changing your name?” I didn’t skip a beat when answering: “What, are you kidding me? You think when given the option I’d keep The German Monstrosity?” You’ve got to be serious. It’s more gone than Brett Bennett. I might not be getting married until after this economic depression is finished, but heck, let’s start the last name change now. My French-Canadian-ness gets confused often for Italian-ness, and now I’ll have an easily spellable Italian last name to go with it, instead of a way too long German word that literally translates to “rabbit killer.”

But I digress. Continue reading

The Arizona Cardinals Hate Me, But I Love the Icebreaker

Excuse my hiatus from the blog the past two weeks.  Not only have I been pursuing other projects in my spare time, I also have been overcome with work.  This is not unexpected, as any reader of my blog for the past few years knows, because when the Red Sox make the playoffs, the whole “make sure students don’t riot” responsibility gets added to my job (and several others in my office and at the university.)

I have two blog entries upcoming – one on jerseys (no, I’m not turning into UniWatch), and the other on biking. Both should be finished shortly.  But here are a few short notes to tide you over.

The Arizona Cardinals hate me – In late September of 1999, Arizona Aeneas Williams slipped by San Francisco 49er center Jeremy Newberry to level a devastating hit to an already concussed Steve Young to knock him unconscious (although Young would never admit to that, the tape proves otherwise) and end Young’s career.  I watched it live on Monday Night Football, and I doubt I’ll ever forget that hit.

Fast forward to October 5, 2008.  Arizona Cardinal Adrian Wilson slips by a distracted Buffalo Bills offensive line to level a late hit on Bills quarterback Trent Edwards, by some reports knocking him briefly unconscious and taking him out of the game with a concussion.  Thank goodness Edwards is young and the Bills have a bye this Sunday.

Dear Arizona Cardinals: What have I ever done to you? Continue reading

Do Grown Hockey Players Readily Admit They Listen to Kenny Chesney? Yes. Yes They Do.

I have been to the alternate universe. I have examined their dances, their music, and their immensely uncreative hockey cheers. I have been jeered at by students, adults, and senior citizens just on the way to the bathroom. I have found the only Hershey’s Ice Creamstand I have ever seen in Massachusetts, but used intense willpower not to buy an arena priced sundae. Despite all this, I have returned in pretty much one piece (unless you count the nail I broke on the drive home.

I have been to UMass Amherst to watch a hockey game.

Continue reading

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