The State of BGSU Hockey

In my last Stuff post, I discussed the BGSU Hockey Team. I said at that time that there was a rumor about doing away with the hockey team. Well, that rumor REALLY took off this week and apparently it isn't just a rumor. BGSU, like other institutions and businesses, is having a rough go of it during these times. So, it seems that BG is going to cut some academic and athletic programs and apparently BG Hockey and the Ice Arena is high on the list. They just bought out the football coach's contract for god knows how much money because they weren't happy with his performance. They are building a brand new basketball arena, thanks to private donations. They had set money aside for much, much needed renovations on the Ice Arena. From what I understand they had even collected donations from some of the better heeled alumni for the arena. But now, they have decided not to fix the arena. They just hired a new president for the university--who by the way, makes almost as much money as President Obama does! A Dr. Cartwright--or as some people are calling her, Dr. Cartwrong. She came to us from Kent State University where she also wiped out the hockey program--and the band! BG Hockey is one of the most, if not THE most, popular sports on campus. Yeah, they have fallen on hard times due to a coach who doesn't deal well with his players. But the hockey team alumni is like a Who's Who in the field of hockey. Two Hobey Baker winners (like the Heisman of hockey), many NHL players, coaches or GM's, olympic champions, and home ice to Scott Hamilton and this year's USA Figure Skating champion, Alissa Czisny.

Oh and before I forget--the hockey team won the NCAA championship in 1984. The only BGSU sport to ever do that and the only BGSU sport who will ever do that!

The arena also serves the community of Bowling Green. (Ohio not Kentucky!). The Ice Arena has the only Curling ice for miles and miles around. The High School Hockey team practices and plays there and have won numerous state titles. The Youth Hockey teams practice and play there. Our godson grew up on that ice playing youth then HS hockey. My son skated for a whole season on that ice as the BGSU mascot, Freddie Falcon. I spent many, many, many hours in that arena watching our godson, our son, and the college hockey team. Many of the boys on the team became like family to me.

So now, it seems, that the hockey team and quite possibly the Ice Arena could become just a memory and programs like the one above could become collector's items. How very sad for so many reasons. And how sad for the University who is going to lose LOTS of pledges and donations from LOTS of disgruntled and disappointed alumni, students, and friends of BG Hockey.

If any of you are on Facebook, you might look at one of the groups called Save BGSU Hockey. It started this week and already there are 5,960 friends on there. And trust me, not all of these are BG fans or students. Many of those signed up come from other universities. This isn't just a local thing. This has gone national.

Anyway, so much for my rant. This whole thing just makes me sick--and very, very sad.