Providence Journal Article

[Mike]

Not sure how many people saw this one, from the Providence Journal... We had a couple of copies that made it to the band, but one of the writers blasted the fans pretty badly in an article on Sunday morning:  

NCAA Hockey: Let's badger NCAA for lovable Wisconsin
03/30/2003

BY JIM DONALDSON
Journal Sports Writer


PROVIDENCE -- Bring back the Badgers.

The NCAA ought to find room in its voluminous list of rules and regulations to issue an edict that, if there's going to be a postseason hockey tournament in Providence, Wisconsin has to be in it.

No offense to Cornell, which convincingly disposed of Minnesota State-Mankato, 5-2, or to Boston College, which battled past Ohio State, 1-0, in a game that Woody Hayes would have loved, but it was better when the Badgers were here.

There were, for instance, those unforgettable, final minutes of the 1982 NCAA Championship game.

As the clock ticked away on North Dakota's 5-2 victory over Wisconsin, the fans of the Fighting Sioux began to chant: "We're number one! We're number one!"

In response to North Dakota, the Wisconsin band played the school's famous fight song, "On Wisconsin!" and, when they finished, the Badger fans began a chant of their own.

"We're more fun!" they yelled. "We're more fun!"

Were they ever.

Among the extensive repertoire of songs played by the Wisconsin band was "Roll Out The Barrel."

It was a melody Badger fans took to heart.

Not only did they dance the polka to it in the streets of Providence, but they also did their best to make sure that every barrel of beer within staggering range of the Civic Center was emptied.

In the process, they had a barrel of fun, and so did everybody else in town.

The Badgers and their loyal fans made their first visit to Providence in 1978 and, although they didn't win -- they were beaten by Boston University, 5-2, in the semifinals -- they won the hearts of Rhode Islanders.

The Badger band gave an impromptu concert outside the Civic Center, which quickly turned into a combination pep rally and party.

That was what was great about having Wisconsin in the tournament: the Badger fans turned everything into a party.

Badger fans painted their faces red and white, then went out and painted the town red.

Elroy Hirsch, an All-American end for Wisconsin who went on to star in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, was director of athletics at his alma mater when the Badgers came to Providence in 1978, and again in '82.

He gained a lasting place in Providence history when he walked into the Players Corner Pub, plunked $500 on the bar, and told the bartender to draw beers for everyone.

On, Wisconsin!

To say the atmosphere was nowhere near as wild, nor as festive, yesterday afternoon at the aging edifice formerly known as the Civic Center is putting it mildly.

To begin with, the building was never more than half-full.

Granted, this is only a regional, and not the Frozen Four. But Minnesota State-Mankato didn't bring its band. Or many fans, either. There were pep bands on hand from Cornell, BC and Ohio State, but they compared to the Badger band the way 16th-seeded Mercyhurst compares with top-seeded Cornell.

Perhaps it will be better today, when the Eagles take on the Big Red for a spot in the Frozen Four.

But it won't be like when Wisconsin was here, and Mayor Buddy Cianci -- surely, you remember him? -- felt badly because the Badgers didn't win, so he sent them a trophy on behalf of the appreciative citizens of Providence, an award that still sits in a trophy case in Madison.

[ugarte]

Nothing against Wisco, but this guy can cram it.   The Cornell band was great.

[CUlater]

Agreed.  I think he meant to write a story about a great time in the past when Providence hosted the NCAAs, but made the mistake of trying to show how great the past was by denigrating the present in comparison.

There was also another story in the same paper, in part focusing on Cornell's Canadian connections, that made it sound like the border was a five-minute walk from campus. ::rolleyes::



Post Edited (03-31-03 12:58)

[Sperris]

They probably would have had more people if they had done more for the fans.

Nothing outside, no festival, no events. No signs about the game (save one about parking).

The tickets were more expensive than Worcester (was Providence the most expensive regional?).

They did nothing other than allow the teams to play in the center. It made Albany seem caring.

[kaelistus]

What an incredibly awful article... I could write a scathing article about Providence too. I hope they keep Wisconsin, and send the Regional somewhere else.

And don't trash on Albany - Its not their fault they aren't Placid. And I thought they did a great job making us feel welcome. Then, the asked for feedback about the event in USCHO afterwards. What else can you ask for?


And on another note:

Badger fans painted their faces red and white,
-------------------
I saw at least one person with his face painted. And there were four of us who dyed our hair, beards (if applicable), and eyebrows red.

[CUlater]

And someone with a glittering red wig.. and don't forget the women who painted "CU" on their bodies.

[Sperris]

Don't get me wrong, I though Albany did a good job. The lights on the buildings at night "ECAC Albany" were pretty cool. There were concerts/games.

I guess my point was that Albany didn't need to do anything but they did and it helped create a pretty good hockey atmosphere. Providence didn't do squat, and then that article comes out.

Seemed like they didn't want to do it again.

[ugarte]

The lack of a sellout is a bit embarrassing, but it is mostly due to BC's poor show of support.  They couldn't fill the building for either game - but it was most noticeable during the QF game.  Cornell brought a large crowd to Providence, but if the game were in Syracuse at an arena of similar size, it would have been SRO.  We had more people at the Pepsi than BC had in Providence.

If PC had a few more early season wins, maybe Mr. Donaldson would have had a better time.

[Jeff Hopkins \'82]

I haven't run into a newspaper yet who gets their facts correct on entertainment stories, because nobody's going to sue over it.  So the writers pretty much have free reign to make mistakes and pretty much say what they want.

Let's face it.  This is a fluff story and for fluff, the facts don't matter.  

JH

[gtsully]

Please put no stock in anything that Jim Donaldson says or writes.  He's pretty much universally ridiculed in among New England sports media-types.