Providence College gains a distinct advantage by losing

NCAA Men's Hockey March 24-25

East Regional

Dunkin’ Donuts Center, Providence, R.I.

#1 Harvard vs. #4 Providence

#3 Air Force vs. #2 Western Michigan

CollegeHockeyNews:

The big issue is Providence in Providence. Now, obviously the bracket just worked out that way, so you can say that's the case, but it is an elephant in the room. People weren't happy about it two years ago (when Providence was also a Number Four seed in Providence, and won the Regional against Miami and Denver).

Providence and Notre Dame could've flipped with The Friars going to Manchester, NH. Then, to help attendance in Providence, you could've placed Boston University there, or Union, and put Western Michigan in Cincinnati. Yes, Providence will be a bigger draw in its home town than BU or Union, but BU or Union will get enough people to make it OK while Providence shouldn't get the benefit, they don't deserve.

Of the 16 teams to make the tournament this year, only Providence did not participate last weekend. The Friars finished fifth in Hockey East and were blown out in their First Round Series by Notre Dame, 5-0 and 5-2. They were home watching the Hockey East playoffs after the first round in 2015, having been eliminated by the lowly University of New Hampshire Wildcats.

Here is a novel idea. Don't invite Providence. Since February 10th, they have played eight games. Four games were against Notre Dame, with the Irish winning three and the fourth ending in a 3-3(OT) tie. The other four contests were against the UMass-Amherst. Providence beat up on the hapless Minutemen, 6-2, 2-1, 3-0 and 5-1. The only win for UMass-Amherst since December 2nd was a 2-1 win over Alabama-Huntsville on December 30. This matchup featured two of the four worst hockey teams in the country.

The UMass-Amherst Minutemen ranked 58th out of 60 NCAA Division I programs. They ended the season with 17 consecutive losses, finishing with five wins, 29 losses and two ties. In Hockey East, they were 2-19-1. Their overall winning percentage was .166.

Boston University finished second in Hockey East. They lost last weekend at the TD Garden in Boston, 3-2 to their archrival Boston College. The Eagles lost to UMass-Lowell in the Hockey East final, 4-3. They finished third in the Hockey East standings, playing well late in the season, but were not chosen by the selection committee over fifth place Providence.

The BU Terriers were not rewarded for their valiant efforts. They were sent to the Western Regional in Fargo, ND to face the Fighting Sioux in front of 17,000 raucous fans.

I think they are giving out free cupcakes to those fans in Providence.


Paul Murphy

Follow me on Twitter at @_prmurphy

Mike Zimmer becomes the first head coach to behave like normal

Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was back at practice on Tuesday, after two operations last week on a detached retina in his right eye. While the coach said doctors "haven't told me I can't do anything," he added he'll be smart about his eye going forward. I understand the seriousness of the issue. Zimmer will be able to travel on the team flight to Florida this weekend, and Zimmer said there is no gas bubble on his eye to push his retina back into place.

This is a completely different approach than the original one for the Vikings' head coach. Zimmer had his first eye surgery in early November. The issue came about after he had trouble with his vision, and scratched his eye during an Oct. 31 game at the Chicago Bears. That’s when he was diagnosed with a torn retina. The Associated Press report said he was at risk for blindness if he didn’t get treatment right away. Zimmer wanted to put off the operation until after the Dallas Cowboys' game last Thursday, but doctors won the battle and emergency surgery was performed.

On January 10, 1983, Dick Vermeil, describing himself as ''emotionally burned out'' after seven years of self-imposed workdays of 18 and 20 hours, resigned today as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. "I'm my own worst enemy," said Vermeil, who made a practice of sleeping on a cot in his office at least three nights a week during the season. "I'm far too intense, far too emotional."

Nick Saban responded to a question about the 2016 presidential election by saying that he "didn't even know yesterday was Election Day." Alabama coach Nick Saban says he forgot about Election Day, not about voting. He says Tuesdays are the busiest day of the week for the coaches.

Former Providence College head basketball coach Pete Gillen always preached teamwork and togetherness. "This isn't open-heart surgery. We want to win, but we also want to have fun and enjoy playing together. The hard work is always there. The stress, the anxiety and the sacrifice ... that's all part of it. But if the journey is all pain and misery, then, to me, you're missing a big ingredient to life."

Gillen may not have always practiced what he preached. When the elementary school called Providence Athletics one day to inform the coach that his young son was injured on the playground, Gillen did not know his son's social security number, date of birth or teacher's name. Fortunately, somebody at the college was able to look up the vital information. Gillen's wife was out of town.

Oakland Raiders' head coach John Madden retired as a Super Bowl winning head coach at 42. He was the youngest coach ever to reach 100 career regular season victories, a record he compiled in only ten full seasons of coaching. The Raiders did not make the playoffs in his final season. When informed by his wife Virginia that their oldest son needed a car for college, Madden replied" I didn't know he had his license." The kid had been driving for two years.

Barry Switzer coached the Dallas Cowboys for four seasons, winning one Super Bowl in his tenure. His motto was " Tail-lights at Two O'Clock." His interest had waned significantly following his 16 years at the University of Oklahoma. Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones tolerated Switzer's behavior because the team was successful.

In August 1997, Switzer was arrested after a loaded .38-caliber revolver was found in his luggage at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Switzer said there were children at his Dallas home and he put the gun in his bag to hide it from them. He said he accidentally forgot to remove the gun from the bag before heading to the airport.

I wonder if Nick Saban knows that Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November or that February has only 28 days. No chance of teaching him about Leap Year. We won't touch it.

Paul Murphy

Follow me on Twitter at @_prmurphy