St. L 2 - Colgate 5

[Jim Hyla]

Who's asking? ::uhoh::

[Jim Hyla]

Who's asking? ::uhoh::

[The Director]

More importantly, who was at fault for the fans V. SLU coaches fight?  As far as I'm concerned, the SLU coaches are at fault.  They overreacted to taunting, lost their composure, and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.  I don't know how many of you saw the fight, but I was 10 feet from it, and it was ridiculous.  The coaches were clearly at fault for their unprofessional conduct towards the fans.

[jtwcornell91]

Was this before or after they got soda dumped on them by the Starr Sophisticates?

[The Director]

This was after, but there was no excuse to get violent.  The water (or soda, as you say) was a stupid and unacceptable act, but there was no reason for the coaches to take swings at our students.  There was no physical provocation, and I would have hoped that ANY coaching staff should have acted in a more professional manner.  Lynah would have been much more inhospitable than Starr.  Water should be the least of their worries.  They should be used to heckling by now.

[Tom Tseng \'87]

You mean, Capital Lynah (tm)?  :-D  (red shirt, with white stylized lettering)

Tee-shirts sound like a great idea.  Only wish I were going...

[jtwcornell91]

Sorry, the account I read at http://lists.maine.edu/cgi/wa?A2=ind0303&L=hockey-l&D=0&F=P&P=6482&F=  said
[Q]
At the conclusion of the game, fans behind the SLU bench drenched
coaches and players with drinks, etc.
[/Q]
I assumed the drinks included soda, but it could have been water.  Not that it justifies taking a swing at anyone, but I it's hard to see how pouring liquid on someone doesn't count as "physical provocation".

I'll let someone else handle the issue of whether loutish "fans" crossing the line is more commonly associated with Starr or Lynah.

[The Director]

To be fair, it was one drink, and yes, a soda I just found out.  Sprite.

I hate to get into a "who started it" discussion, because there were provocations from both sides (fans and SLU coaches).  However, while the drink crossed the line, the coaches lept a mile past it with their violent outbursts.  When it takes 2 refs and 5 security officers to hold you back, and you still almost make it over the glass, you're out of control.

[David Harding 72]

Just curious after all the previous discussion or trademarked names on t-shirts. ::yark::

[Ben \'03]

I do not condone the acts of the St. Lawrence coaches but. . .
[Q]::rolleyes:: What would you expect to happen to you if you dumped a soda/water on a complete stranger on the street?::rolleyes:: [/Q]
Is it more than likely you would have to answer to a very angry, angry person? Answer - Probably So. . .what right is given to a hockey fan (if we can call those from Colgate fans) to dump a soda on a coach after his team has just lost??? Answer - NONE! Your argument is way out of line. Your "fans" should try acting with some dignity and maybe after your team wins a game you could try NOT to disgrace yourselves, your team, and your school.:-|

[Mike Steinfeld]

With all respect to be given where respect is due, there was a problem with Colgate fans last year too, throwing drinks and food and the like on our players at the game. If I can remember correctly, the Colgate band was behind our bench this year, so things were more in line, but from what I recall (and I could easily be wrong) that was the result of complaints various people made.
What I'm basically trying to say, is that Colgate fans (probably just one or two idiots) have thrown crap on visiting bench players during games in the past, I don't see that it's a stretch to imagine that they did it again, even if the water/soda was the only thing people noticed.

There's a limit to what the coach has to take from the crowd as well. If it was only heckling, then possibly there's no reason to do much, though I can easily imagine people saying something stupid that would really piss a lot of others off. Like I said though, I sincerely doubt it was just the heckling. Anyway, I'm done now, just my $.02

[rhovorka]

Mike Steinfeld wrote:

With all respect to be given where respect is due, there was a problem with Colgate fans last year too, throwing drinks and food and the like on our players at the game. If I can remember correctly, the Colgate band was behind our bench this year, so things were more in line, but from what I recall (and I could easily be wrong) that was the result of complaints various people made.

Just last year?  There's a problem with the Colgate student section every year...the most memorable for me being the year one of them was shining a laser pointer in Cornell goaltender Jason Elliott's eyes.  Following every game I've been to at Starr there were always several dozen empty "traveler" style booze bottles left on the floor of the Colgate student section.  With respect to the many good Colgate fans that I know, there is a higher percentage of students that only show up at games to get plowed and act like thugs at Colgate than at any other ECAC arena, including Lynah.  Many of them don't even care about the hockey game, IMO.

The actions of the SLU coach were unfortunate.  But in a way, I'm glad that someone finally tried to stand up to the punks at Starr.  No way the students are innocent.

[Jeff]

Rich Hovorka '96 wrote:

With respect to the many good Colgate fans that I know, there is a higher percentage of students that only show up at games to get plowed and act like thugs at Colgate than at any other ECAC arena, including Lynah.  Many of them don't even care about the hockey game, IMO.

Unforunately, I would probably have to agree with you on this.  I don't know if it's a result of Colgate being in the middle of nowhere or if its just because of the social atmosphere on campus, but of course it's a problem because it reflects poorly on the school.  But I do think the majority do care.  Last year and at the start of this season, fan attendance has been down a bit, probably because of us missing the playoffs 2 years ago and then losing in the first round last year.  But, ever since our home win against you guys, the fans have been and have been vocal.  I just hope their support carries over into the next year, and that those who do care  try to keep the few bad apples from spoiling it for everyone.

[The Director]

I agree, Jeff.  And I resent the generalizations being made here.  There are a few bad Colgate students - just as there are a few Cornell students who are di*ks.  You know that.

The majority are okay kids.  I was 10 feet (max) from the fight, and although a mistake was made by a student, the escalation and eventual violence was perpetrated completely by the coaches.  At any time, they could have stopped it, but due to many factors (their jobs on the line, losing badly, rowdy [but non-violent] students), they took it too far.  The causes lay in many areas, including the students, but the blame falls squarely on the coaches.

Coach Marsh seems to be a good guy, and he has my respect as much as Vaughn does.  I can't say I can see Coach Chris Wells in the same light, at least not after this weekend.

[Ben \'03]

[Q]Author: The Director

I agree, Jeff. And I resent the generalizations being made here. There are a few bad Colgate students - just as there are a few Cornell students who are di*ks. You know that.

The majority are okay kids. I was 10 feet (max) from the fight, and although a mistake was made by a student, the escalation and eventual violence was perpetrated completely by the coaches. At any time, they could have stopped it, but due to many factors (their jobs on the line, losing badly, rowdy [but non-violent] students), they took it too far. The causes lay in many areas, including the students, but the blame falls squarely on the coaches.

Coach Marsh seems to be a good guy, and he has my respect as much as Vaughn does. I can't say I can see Coach Chris Wells in the same light, at least not after this weekend.[/Q]

Explain to me again how "the blame falls squarely on the coaches?" They did not go "LOOKING" for a confrontation with your students. . .did they? The St. Lawrence coaches did not dump soda on themselves. . .did they? The fact remains that your "fans" have a reputation for being rowdy, drunk, and out of line. Don't try and pretend this is  the first time there has been a problem. So why are you making a big deal of this? B/c this is the first time someone stood up to the drunks that you call fans and although they may have crossed line, they WERE NOT out of line for standing up for themselves. So get the f=*k off your high horse and move on! ::twitch::