The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 12, 1986 - Page 9 Blue Lines Ii Soo soo serious fans.. . .. .border on ridiculous By SCOTT G. MILLER News Flash: Paranoia pervades peninsula LAKE SUPERIOR hockey fans are known to be devoted, but this past weekend's display during the Lakers' sweep of Michigan was beyond normal bounds. Taking my seat in the press box Saturday night, Lake Superior spor- ts information director John Farina was waiting for the Daily repor- ters. Farina wanted to talk with a fellow Daily hockey writer about a November 26, 1985 column he wrote. Needless to say, the SID wasn't there to praise the piece. The night became worse when I sat behind the Lake Superior bench during the second period. I wanted to get a different insight on the game and how it is coached for a story on Laker coach and New York native Frank Anzalone. When I arrived behind the bench, a lady with a heavy Brooklyn accent noticed my Daily press pass and asked, "Are you the one that wrote that nice article?" "No," I replied. But she interrogated me as to why I was taking notes on what the coach was saying. I explained I was going to write a story. Evidently Mrs. Anzalone (I had a feeling it was her) didn't believe me because she asked Jim Schneider, the Michigan assistant SID, to have me removed from my vantage point behind the bench, a clear violation of my constitutional rights. The saga continued yesterday when I called coach Anzalone to ask him a few more questions for my story. Anzalone was out so I spoke with assistant coach Robert Mancini, who immediately asked me if I was from that Michigan student newspaper. After I told him I didn't write that article, he was more receptive. All the commotion was caused by a column about rituals associated with Laker hockey. Ringing bells, Seamore the Seaduck, and players waving sticks are undeniably Laker trademarks'. Additional commotion was caused by a comment in the story about goalie Joe Shawhan's sanity. Shawhan's mystery "illness" before the Friday night contest against Michigan in Sault Ste. Marie was questionable. As was the leading goal tender in the CCHA's decision to leave Lake Superior last season to play junior hockey in Alaska. Shawhan deserves plaudits for his performance this year but that doesn't mean my colleague was lying. Personally, I like the Lakers' tough brand of defensive hockey. I think coach Anzalone is doing an excellent job building a program for a school that is not being flooded by phone calls from prospective recruits. A good program deserves fan support. I think it was great that Lake Superior had an alumni reunion in Ann Arbor, which helped to get fans to the weekend series at Yost. I think it would be even greater if those fans displayed some class. Saturday night the Laker fans mercilessly harangued the referee after their team was leading 7-1. The referee called a good game, and the taunting was unnecessary. Even more unnecessary, were remarks of "Aw, isn't that too bad," by the Laker faithful when Wolverine right wing Brad McCaughey took a puck in the shin. The Ann Arbor native was in obvious pain. Laker fans go to great pain to support their team. I realize Lake Superior's only Division I sport is hockey and that Sault Ste. Marie is far from a paragon of excitement. I know Laker supporters don't ap- preciate being made fun of by big bad Daily writers. But if hockey is the basis of your existence (yes, you Laker hockey fan), then get a life. There are more important things than hockey, believe me. If you disagree, replies are more than welcome and can be mailed to Scott G. Miller, c/o the Michigan Daily, Student Publications Building, 420 Maynard Stret, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. In Michigan hockey developments: " The Rolaids Relief Award goes to Mike Rossi for making 11 saves and shutting out the Lakers after replacing Tim Makris Saturday night. " Arnie's Army, the Arnold Morrison fan club, was out in full force this past weekend. They weren't disappointed as Morrison (1-0-1) was whistled for three penalties Saturday. Arnie Morrison fever, catch it! " By his own admission, Bill Brauer hurt his chances for the Hobey Baker award given to college's finest player. The prolific scoring defenseman (1-1-2) was held off the score sheet by the Lakers. " Todd Carlile is still just one two-minute penalty shy of tying the all- time Michigan penalty leader Greg Fox at 127 penalties. Fans everywhere are waiting for Carlile to be crowned the new Wolverine penalty king. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEN'S GLEE CLUB is offering SINGiIG TELEGRAMS for VALENTINE'S DA Y Turnaround: O'Connor helps hockey rebound By ADAM OCHLIS Rarely has a telephone call made as1 great an impact on an athletic program than the one Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson received at this time last year. On the other end of the line was Myles O'Connor, a highly touted defenseman who had dominated his high school league in a way that would have made Wayne Gretzky proud. It was time for the young Canadian to choose a place to play his college hockey, and he told Berenson that he wanted to become a Wolverine. FOR THOSE associated with the Michigan program, this was a day that will long be remem- bered. In the two years preceding- the arrival of Berenson, the' Wolverines compiled a less than daz- zling 27-48-2 record. Snatching a player like O'Connor was a step in the right direction. "He was the first to come in that made us feel that we were doing the right thing," said Berenson. "It gave our program some credibility when everyone found out Myles O'Connor was coming." O'CONNOR,who figures he was contacted by three-fourths of thk \ Division I hockey schools, viewed the decision as no big deal. "In the end," he said, "I just narrowed it down to Michigan and Harvard. I think Coach Berenson was the main reason I decided to come here." So the Calgary, Alberta native came to Ann Arbor with the word "franchise" written on the front of his jersey and "savior" on the back. High school at Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Sask. was too easy for O'Con- nor, and his accomplishments on and off the ice were numerous. NOTRE DAME'S athelete-of-the- year as a senior, he played football and rugby as well as hockey. He was valedictorian of his senior class and was awarded the President's Cup for excelling in athletics, academics and leadership. All this and hockey too. As Notre Dame's captain his last two seasons O'Connor scored 27 goals and 60 points his senior year. At one time ranked 17th by the NHL scouting bureau, the 5-11, 167 pounder was drafted by New Jersey in the third round. The jump to major college hockey has been a tough one for the flashy blue liner, however. Despite O'Con- nor living up to all the expectations early in the season, as the year rolled on, reality set in. The players were stronger and faster than in high school, and the freshman phenom began to struggle. "THERE HAVE been times of highs and lows," O'Connor said. "At times I've played good games but then at other times I haven't played that well. I realize that I can play a lot better. "When I went into the slump, I kind. of got down on myself. What do they say, 'you have to sink to the bottom before you start, rising back up,' so, hopefully I'm on the way back. up." Berenson, however, is not worried about his prize recruit. "I THINK we all get our expec- tations too high for in-coming fresh- men," he said "I think Myles is the kind of player where you're going to see his best hockey in his ensuing years. He'll learn because he's a smart kid." And while opposing coaches around. the CCHA rave about the kid some call "Smiley," Lake Superior's coach Frank Anzalone thinks the 18-year- old will blossom with time. "Myles O'Connor is a fine hockey player," said Anzalone. "I think the one thing he'd like not to see is not to, have all this pressure on him that he his troubles, but the academic com- petitiveness of Michigan has caused him to worry about things other than hockey. "MYLES IS a top student and I'm sure the challenges are even greater for him to try to do well, not just show. up," said Berenson who encourages his players to take a full course load. "I wanted to come to a school with the credentials of a Michigan. It has been difficult. that's for sure," O'Connor said. No one doubts, however, that O'Connor is a special talent. The fast- skating, good stickhandling defender knows that he has a lot of work ahead, but it is likely that the name Myles O'Connor will be another in the list of NHL stars that attended Michigan. Nobody is rushing him, though. "I don't think Myles is looking to change ships in the middle of the stream," said Berenson. "He knows that he has a long way to go before he's ready to make any decision at all." And while the phone calls from big name recruits are no longer few and far between, Berenson realizes what'. the name Myles O'Connor means to a - program on the rise. "He was the most notable recruit at. the time that had made the decision to come to Michigan and it kind of made us feel like he was going to be a cor nerstone of our building project." "S. '3 MR 4,, (O'Connor ... talented freshman look captivating We're your total beauty and hairstyling salon. Spring Break specialists AVANTI HAIR FASHIONS 2040 Green Rd. near U.S. 23 665-5433 Daily Photo by PETE ROSS Although freshman defenseman Myles O'Connor came to Michigan as a highly touted recruit, the Calgary, Alberta native has found the transition to major college hockey difficult at times. has to be a great player. Myles just. deserves time." BUT FOR someone who would rather talk about team accomplish- ments rather than individual honors, O'Connor notes that the pressure has been there ever since pro and college scouts began watching him three years ago. "The pressure is there to perform wherever you go, so it's something you learn to cope with," he said. O'Connor will not make excuses for 4- RIEL RESTAURANT & DELI Flexible Breakfast Hours ALL YOU CAN EAT DINNER BUFFET .4.95 10% Student-Discount in store and restaurant Health Food Vegetarian Food I GROCERY AND HEALTH FOODSTORE Fish Sandwich with French Fries OpenMon Sat 8am 12 a.m. $1.59 Sundays 8am.-10 pm. 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