This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
JB, with a lot of the 7 person junior class graduating in 2018 (including both goalies), 2018-19 might be a rebuilding year. Wouldn't it also make sense for Captain Dick to take the bullet for Mike that year too?
Almost forgot. That was mighty accommodating of you, Richie.
It's a quiet Monday morning as dawn breaks over the sleepy Mount Hood Golf Course, while two middle-aged men shuffle together off the first tee to seek out their wayward tee shots, both of which have been badly hooked past the treeline under a remote cluster of pines, as if intentionally. Their amiable chatter wanders over familiar ground, but eventually veers from sentimentality to concerns of the men over what the future may have in store for each of them. The older, squeakier of the men pulls the cart over to the treeline, and ushers his guest into the privacy of the woods to continue the discussion ...
DU: Buttons, what can I tellya. Gettin' close to 50 yeahs now since I hung up the skates. Seems like yestaday.
JB: Same here, Coach. Miss it every day. You know, we're lucky guys, still in the game though after all this time.
DU: Yeah, you got dat right. Hey - Mahty told me you got a big anniversary thing comin' up soon ...
JB: Sure do. Hitting the big 35 year anniversary in college sports administration ...
DU: ... and 20 as Hockey East commish too, if my numbahs are on the mahk ...
JB: ... yeah, that too. Leave it to Marty to be thinking in terms of 35 years, though ...
DU: ... tell me about it, Joey. He's pushin' 40 on dat front soon. Nevah lets any of us fuggedaboudit.
JB: Y'know, Richie .... there's an art to pencil-pushing. It's harder than it looks sometimes.
DU: Same with what I do, Buttons. But dey won't have good ol' Dick to kick around anymoh soon ...
JB: ... hey, congrats on the upcoming retirement, Coach. I'm getting out of this racket in 3 years myself.
DU: Gotta love dose tree yeah exit strategies. Gives you time ta take inventory on things.
JB: You got any plans, Coach?
DU: Not really, Joey. Other than playin' a little more golf ... coachin' is all I know. Tough ta move on.
JB: Me too. Hey, is Marty planning to do anything to celebrate your run at the U?
DU: I dunno ... probably depends on how things go dis season. Almost didn't come back ...
JB: ... and leave money on table? No way. You're kidding ...
DU: no, really, I almost didn't. Serious as a haht attack, Joey. But I came ta my senses.
JB: Glad to hear that. The old place wouldn't be the same without you. Legacy is important.
As if a switch was flipped, the older man wistfully gazes upwards to the sky, and with a single tear running down his weathered face and onto a brand new turtleneck, his now-cracking voice betrayed a previously concealed but deep mix of emotions, as the younger man quickly reached for a handkerchief for his seemingly distressed second ...
JB: Hey, is everything OK, Coach? Was it something I said?
DU: (wiping away the tear, refusing the hanky) Nah, not you Joey. Just thinkin' about my own legacy a little more than usual. Y'know, we did some really great things in my time up theah. I think a lotta people kinda fohgot. All they remembah is what we didn't do, y'know? I just got one yeah left ta remind 'em ...
JB: ... I'm sure you will, Coach. Hey, we got rid of that a-hole Jackson and his program, eh?
DU: (sniffling) Yeah, won't be sorry to see the backside of that bast!d. Hey, remembah what we did for you?
JB:
DU: ... y'know, right befoah you became commish, and we set it up wit you and da librarian for yoah papahs? Heah, look at this (showing his younger colleague his I-phone) ...
https://www.library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/joe-bertagna-papers-1976-1996
JB: Oh, yeah - that's right.
DU: Just an accommodation for a pal. Friends do dat for each othah, y'know? Hey, dat library guy, he passed last yeah I think? Willed his dough to Tommy, then Mahty spunked it on a football stadium scoahboahd. The locals went nutso. Funny how folks react to dat stuff.
JB: No kidding ...
DU: ... so I was thinkin' ... y'know, I gotta get my wins total to the next round numbah ...
JB: ... so I've been reading ...
DU: ... and I noticed with Jeff leavin' da league, we gotta move around some of ah league games, right?
JB: ... (light goes off in his head) ... say no more, Richie (shakes his hand). I'll take care of this. Count on it.
DU: (relieved and grateful) ... I knew I could count on ya, Buttons. Just make 'em home games too, right.
JB: Of course. Just make sure I get invited up for the big occasion.
DU: You betcha, Joey. (turning back to the golf) Hey, you go hit first, I think yoah away on this one.
JB: Gotcha. Will do. Cupcakes on you when we get back to the clubhouse, right?
DU: You betcha, Commish.
Happy Easter btw!Chuck, was glad I could give you some fodder for your post!!! Speaking of cupcake scheduling, from the schedules thread looks like we are playing the Black Bears 4 times; twice at UMaine, once in Portland (?) and I assume the home 'white out the 'Whitt' game? I've heard the UNH schedule is done; of course, it'll be released who knows when
Alaska, MN, MI, CO, OH cupcakes taste just as good as north east cupcakes, but are more expensive. Some also have limited travel budgets limiting their ability to reciprocate with a Whitt trip the following year.
He's been flooded by AARP mailers for years.