Berenson
The former NHL coach talks of life
in the big leagues, Todd Copeland
and the upcoming CCHA playoffs
Red Berenson is in his sixth year
as coach of the Michigan hockey
team and has been involved with the
$sport all his life. He was an All-
American for the Wolverines as a
player and was a graduate in 1962.
Berenson became the first player to
step out of college and right into the
National Hockey League where he
played professional hockey for 17
seasons with Montreal, the
Rangers, St. Louis, and Detroit.
After his playing career ended,
he was the head coach of the St.
*Louis Blues for three years and
later came back to Ann Arbor to
coach the Michigan hockey squad.
On Friday, Berenson spoke to
Daily Hockey Writer Peter Zellen.
Daily: You were a player here at
Michigan and then you come back as
coach, what was that feeling like?
Berenson: The feeling was that I
remember how special my four years
*ot Michigan were as a player and I
felt that coach Al Renfrew really
helped me and helped change my life
and improve my life. I wanted to
come back and do the same type of
things for the young kids at
Michigan - not so much to help
their hockey careers, although I
think I can help their hockey careers
but just to help them as people
and help them get a great education.
D: In being a coach, like you
were first in St.Louis, what is that
like going from player to that
position? Were there feelings that
you wanted to get back on the ice?
B: Yeah, I think it takes a while
before a player realizes and looks at
himself as a non-player. There's a
transition between being a player and
a coach and actually having to teach
*and direct other players on how to
handle different situations and how
to improve .their game and so forth.
It's a real transition and in a lot of
cases, successful players aren't
always successful coaches. They're
often so talented and so gifted that
they don't have to think and they
have a hard time translating their
ability to other players.
But in my case it's worked out
pretty well. I never really wanted to
be a coach, or aspired to be a coach,
but I kind of like the situation that
I've ended up in and it's more than
just helping kids too, it's helping
Michigan. I would have had
absolutely no interest in coming to
another university. I felt there was a
little bit of a debt here that I could
repay by coming back and helping
the hockey program..
D:In 1980-81, you were Coach
of the Year with the Blues and then
the next year you were fired more
than three-quarters through the
season. What happened there?
B: The situation was that in
1980-81, the team was coming off a
.500 year and of the 21 teams we
were rated about tenth or eleventh in
the league. The following year we
had a spectacular season (45-18-17.)
We ended up with 107 points and we
were second overall in the league so
we had a great year. It was a better
year than everyone thought we
would have and those are the coaches
who usually win Coach of the Year.
The following. year the team
pretty much reverted back to what
their capabilities were and we did
have some injuries to some key
players like Wayne Babyach and
Mike Liut. Everyone put together
their best year that one year and
couldn't duplicate it. As a result, the
expectations of our owners in
particular were that if this hockey
team is not going to be a top, top
team, they were looking to make
some moves and one of them was to
sell the club. There was pressure on
our general manager that if the team
doesn't do any better, then they
would sell it.
So our general manager reacted
the way the a lot of GMs would. He
fired the coach. He took over and he
tried to get the team going in the
last few weeks but the bottom line
was that Ralston-Purina ended up
selling the team after the season and
the general manager ended up leaving
but, of course, I was already fired at
that point.
D: About this year's Michigan
squad, it's been said that this is the
best team so far in your six years
here. How do you feel about that?
B: I felt last year was the first
"best" team I've had. That was the
first team , of all Red Berenson
recruited players. That had been the
best team since I've been at
Michigan, and that was a good team.
This year, even though we lost
players like All-American Myles
O'Connor and All-CCHA Todd
Brost, this team is a better team.
We're more seasoned, our freshmen
have had a real impact on our team.
Our team chemistry, speed, talent,
and everything is just a little better
than it was last year, so I agree with
that. How good we could be remains
to be seen. I mean, we've had a
pretty good season, not a great
season, but if we generate the
momentum in the playoffs we could
make the whole season. But this is
the best team I've had.
We have a lot of young players
playing key roles on this team and I
would say that we're going to have a
better team maybe next year and the
year after. than we have right now.
Our program is building momentum
each year.
D: One aspect of the team this
year is that there are nine seniors.
They don't all play all the time but
their presence is certainly felt. Do
you think they've played a major
role in the team's success this year?
B: I think they have. The senior
pride that goes with most senior
classes is evident in players like
Alex Roberts, Mike Moes and
Warren Sharples. Those players have
really tried to play up to their
potential and I think that's
something you get every year from
your seniors. But because we have a
larger senior class I think this is a
kind of a last hurrah for our seniors
and they'll make that even more
pronounced in the playoffs.
D: Throughout the season the
team has had some ups and downs in
their play and then when they started
to peak towards the end of the
season, the situation with Todd
Copeland arose. How has that
overall affected the team? .
B: I think the team is sensitive to
anything that happens to any player
and I can't say that it affected us on
the ice. It was something that when
it happens to your brother or your
best friend then you're concerned
about it, and I think everybody is
concerned. It may even bring the
team closer together and make them
realize how visible they really are
and how vulnerable they really are.
It's not something that's going to
destroy our team. On the other hand
we all feel bad that it happened.
D: You've received a lot of heat
recently, particularly in the Daily's
Opinion Page about your offer of
hockey tickets to the women
involved in the incident. You were
labelled as "sexist" in a letter from a
sorority member. How do you see
that and what was your thinking
when you made the offer?
B: I don't know what they mean
by sexist but I called the house
mother at the sorority just to
apologize to her and I said that if it
would make the girls feel any better
we'd be happy to invite them down
to a hockey game. We certainly
don't want to start a big riff between
the hockey team, or any player on
the team, and the sorority because
there was no hostility meant towards
the sorority. It was an isolated
incident between boys, it wasn't
amongst girls. I felt very bad about
it and I offered that we'd be happy to
make them our guest at a hockey
game. It certainly wasn't intended as
a bribe, it was more of an apology.
D: You'll pardon me for not
knowing the exact quote but in the
paper you described Todd Copeland's
behavior as a "problem." Could you
elaborate on that?
B: His behavior was
unacceptable. It was inappropriate as
a student and inappropriate as a
member of the hockey team and we
have a long list of conditions and
punishments that we've already set
down.
D: What led to your decision to
suspend Todd for only four games?
Some people felt that he should have
been suspended for the rest of the
season. (Editor's note: Since the
interview, President Duderstadt
ordered Berenson to sit Copeland
out indefinitely)
B: We have a list of conditions
and punishments that were not
publicized. The board meetings (to
offer apologies to the sorority) were
the things that were visible because
they are that - visible.
D: About the upcoming playoffs,
do you see the team playing the type
of hockey you need to going into the
playoffs?
B: I think we're close to it. I
wasn't satisfied with the last two
weekends (before the Miami series.)
We had some good parts against
Alaska-Anchorage and we had some
good periods against Michigan State
but overall I don't think we've
peaked.
'(Todd Copeland's)
behavior was un-
acceptable. It was
inappropriate as a
student and inappro-
priate as a member of
the hockey team and
we have a long list of
conditions and
punishments that
we've already set
down.'
D: What's the feeling of the
players going into the playoffs?
B: I think there is a guarded
optimism that you need on the team.
They're looking forward to it. This
is everyone's first opportunity.
Well, I shouldn't say first but in
some cases it's a lot of players' last
opportunity to get to Joe Louis (for
the finals.) That's been a goal of our
team for the last three years and we
never came any closer than we did
last year. This season it will be a
real challenge for us to win and get
to Joe Louis and see how far we can
go. That's the feeling, we're not just
satisfied to get home ice. We have to
win this first round.
D: As a coach you never want to
see your team lose but do you have,
in the back of your mind, a goal,
where you would want to get in the
playoffs?
B: We want to get out of Joe
Louis (and receive an NCAA bid). It
will be tough to get but we think
we're capable of it. We'd like to be
in the top 12 and get a shot at one of
the other teams that we've been rated
below all season.
D: If the team gets past the first
round of the CCHA playoffs, which
has been a monkey on their backs in
the past, do you think that Michigan
will have a good shot at the NCAA
tournament.?
B: That's what I mean. We have
to get to Joe Louis, that's step one.
Our big challenge is to get out as
one of the teams in the top 12. We'd
have to take our chances there. We'd
probably be a team that has to play
on the road our first series, and our
second series if we won the first.
But that's where we want to be.
The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday- February 26, 1990 - Page 3
Richard Eisen
Play Ball! Millionaires
should reconcile gripes
As those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer slowly approach, major
league baseball rolls further and further away from reality.
Once again, baseball fans must watch executives in power ties decide
the fate of the season. Once again, instead of watching Bo Jackson home
runs fly into the stratosphere, fans witness players and owners bicker over
the millions that they already have.
Enough is enough, already. Donald Fehr, the cherubic chief of the
players union, and management negotiator Chuck "I look like Old Money"
O'Connor insist that while a lockout remains in effect, the spring training
schedule can still be played.
Who's kidding whom here? Do they think the fans are stupid?
Obviously, for we all know that spring training will not occur. And who
knows about the regular season? That could be in jeopardy as well, for
there seems to be no end to all this bickering.
On Wednesday, Orel Hershiser, who will make over 3 million this year
in salary alone, said that he thinks that even if spring training opened this
week, he and his teammates would not be ready for the regular season.
Upsetting. Only eight days of training goes by the boards and
Hershiser, obviously a fine physical specimen, thinks that he can't get
ready for the regular season. Poor baby. He'll just have to sit around and
make more commercials while men in three piece suits argue about more
millions.
Even more upsetting: Does anyone out there even understand what
they're arguing about?
Maybe we can make sense of it.
The owners want no changes in salary arbitration, rosters to remain the
same at 24 men, an option to reopen the four-year collective bargaining
agreement after two years, a study committee on revenue sharing, industry
economic conditions and a partridge in a pear tree.
The players want salary arbitration eligibility restored to players
between two and three years of service, rosters restored to 25 men, a
minimum salary raise from $68,000 to $100,000, a 33 percent rise in
revenue tied to the new television contracts, a five year restriction on free
agent eligibility and draft pick compensation eliminated. Plus, three french
hens.
Maybe, then again, we can't make sense of all this.
This really ticks me off. I'm sure Hershiser will not get much sleep if
the owners don't agree to that draft pick compensation clause. What a
bunch of garbage. The players and owners are already rich fat cats to begin
with and now they're arguing over more money.
Play ball, already.
Now, to some, believe it or not, nice mail:
Dear Mr. Eisen:
I really enjoyed your article regarding State fans taking over Yost Ice
Arena (State Fans Take Away Icers' Home Advantage, 2/19/90). Let me
explain. I have been watching (Michigan) hockey since 1945 and I was the
Official Timer for all home games for 25 years, retiring in 1983.
I own the Mail Shoppe on South Division and this business keeps me
from being able to time now for (Michigan coach) Red Berenson. So, you
can see, I'm a hockey fan from many years ago and I have been saying for
years how mad I get when those obnoxious State fans are all over our
arena, yelling louder than we because there are at least as many or more
fans than U of M fans.
Well, I have talked to several hockey people and I suggested we get at
least 50 people and buy the place out early in September or whenever the
tickets go on sale. This would amount to about 150-160 tickets each...We
could distribute them to U of M fans only, maybe at the Mail Shoppe or
other places that support Michigan hockey.
What do you think of this idea? My dream someday and hopefully next
year would be to shut out the State fans - including my two children who
graduated from MSU and who bring a large group to these games. I think
with some help, it can be accomplished.
Regards,
Doug Barnett
Dear Mr. Barnett:
We must never allow Michigan State fans (including your offspring) to
infest Yost Ice Arena again. And with your fabulous plan in action, I
agree, it can be accomplished. But you must admit that it is pathetic that
such actions have to be taken in the first place. Why aren't the students on
this campus interested in saving its hockey team from the ultimate
embarrassment every time Michigan State plays in Ann Arbor? Shouldn't
the first steps to remedy this problem be taken by the students? They're the
ones that allow State fans to boo Michigan players on their home ice.
Why do they deserve free tickets from the Dekers - the true hockey fans
-- for that? Unfortunately, Mr. Barnett, this could be the only remedy.
And let's hope that it will work because the night in which only Michigan
fans will watch an MSU contest at Yost will truly be a memorable one.
We, at the Daily, will do all we can to help. Thanks for the letter.
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS
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