From today's Binghamton Press and Sun - -
BINGHAMTON -- Grady Whittenburg is no longer paid to talk about the Cornell University hockey team, but that isn't stopping him this week.
"You could see the groundwork being laid with the group of freshmen they brought in (before last season)," said Whittenburg, who left Cornell last summer after 13 seasons behind the microphone to become the radio voice of the American Hockey League's Binghamton Senators. "The makings were there last season."
The Big Red head Thursday to Buffalo on Thursday to face the University of New Hampshire in college hockey's Frozen Four. If Cornell wins, it'll face either Michigan or Minnesota for the NCAA championship Saturday. The school's last national title came in 1970.
Whittenburg's final season with the Big Red ended last spring in a one-goal East Regional loss to New Hampshire. During his tenure at Cornell, the school never advanced to a Frozen Four, and with the Senators preparing to open the AHL playoffs Thursday night against Worcester, he hasn't been able to follow college hockey as much as he'd like.
But Whittenburg still roots for the Big Red, and no surprise, is picking them to win a national championship behind stingy sophomore goalie David LeNeveu and senior captain Steven Baby.
"This group of kids is where Cornell will maximize its chances to win it all," Whittenburg said. "This is the year because LeNeveu might leave for the NHL after this year. His credentials are there to take them all the way, and they're such a good defensive team.
"I haven't had a lot of time yet to miss being there, but I'm definitely rooting for them."
Yeah, but the pea-brain reporter called us "Little Red" in the headline. ::screwy::
We have always been the Big Red as far as I can remember.