While I respect Ron Mason as one of the finest coaches in college hockey history, I sincerely hope he has little impact on the decision. In the nearly 10 years since Coach Mason retired, many things about the game have changed - the kids have changed too! Michigan State needs someone young, someone who has been a successful assistant somewhere, someone like a Jeff Blashill who could come in and tell his team that while he understands there is an MSU tradition, new traditions have to be made. Someone who can get more out of his players than they thought they had, someone who can tell his players there are no expectations other than to work hard and let the rest take care of itself. Guys coming out of Miami seem to do well - what about the one behind the bench for them last night? Assuming he was a senior in 1994 - when he was the team captain - he's all of 40. MSU needs someone like that, who doesn't have to have any ties to the university - they need someone who can come in and who can convey to his players that they have what it takes to return the program to where it has been and could be again.
OK, rant over ...
