Colorado College, Always The Bridesmaid

As DU gets ready to get ready to carve up Colorado College like a pumpkin this weekend, we at LetsGoDU have many things to be thankful for (such as the 4-1-0 start by the hockey team). So in the spirit of the Hockeyween season lets take a glance down Interstate 25 at our little sister, Colorado College.

Sure its easy to go to the games and chant "Fifty-Seven," "CC Sucks," "Where's your Banners?," "Who's your Daddy?" & my personal favorite, "Denver Rejects." But do we ever stop to think where these bile filled chants actually come from?

Lets face it, we've been kicking CC's ass for over 50 years now (152-105-10), but during this holiday season lets take time to think about the hundreds of DU hockey players and coaches that have made it all possible. Sure there are many CC hockey alums who have choked away games, blown leads in the playoffs, whiffed on open nets and let in mind boggling easy goals, but we're trying to accentuate the positive.

So as you enjoy your holiday candy this weekend, give a little thanks for all our wonderful current and former players that have made all this possible.

Game Day Articles on DU-CC Halloween Tilt

(above) Colorado College goaltender Richard Bachman will be dressed as Chaz Michael Michaels from "Blades of Glory" on Halloween Night

"It's going to be intense," CC goalie Richard Bachman said. "This is why we play college hockey ... rivalry game on Halloween night. It's going to be a fun atmosphere."

- Denver Post

Costumes are welcome, and the sellout crowd will be in for a treat. CC is the defending Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season champion, and DU is the WCHA's reigning playoff champ.

- Denver Post

"It's just one level higher, one degree more, of the intensity, of the emotion, of the energy, of the noise," DU coach George Gwozdecky said.

-Rocky Mountain News

Mike Chambers at the Denver Post has written an excellent article

Pat Rooney of the Rocky Mountain News talks about the intensity of the series

Puck Swami's Know Your Foe breaks down Colorado College from A to Z

LetsGoDU looks at "CC: Always A Bridesmaid"

Denver based writer Theresa Spisak covers the WCHA for USCHO.com

College Hockey News writes about the "Icing Incident" last week

DenverPioneers.com has all the pregame stats, notes & info on both teams

Photos From Around Pioneer Nation

(above) "The Battle that Divides the Rockies" kicks off tonight in Magness Arena. Get there early 7:35 PM faceoff.

(above) An obviously hungover CC Tiger has a practical joke played on him at the NCAA Mascot Convention last summer in Phoenix

(above) Movie star Stormy Daniels shares a common sentiment

(above) Boone relaxing at home

(above) What'cha wearin' to the game?

(above) Kyle Ostrow was LetsGoDU Player of the Week and is featured on the Front Page of USCHO.com today.

(above) We love this "Old School" Boone T-shirt

dg: Is that the same 1957 Chrysler you had in Denver? (above)

Boone: Yep, I love that car. Still has the old school colors. I bought it right after Colorado College won their second National Championship. A few years later I promised myself I wouldn't buy a new one until CC won again. I've been through a few engines and transmissions, but it still runs great. Everytime CC fires their coach or they leave for greener pastures, I buy a new set of tires.

If you have a cool picture showing DU school spirit in an unusual location, we'll post your photo.

Hmmmmm......

Anonymous said...

CC players are having their team lunch at the DU HRTM building at 12 PM today if anyone wants to intimidate & heckle them

Friday, October 31, 2008 12:43:00 AM CDT

dggoddard said...

So what you're saying is that the Colorado College hockey team is eating lunch at the HRTM building at 12 PM on Friday.

And you're asking would an impromptu Student Pep Rally out front of the HRTM building at 12 PM on Friday be a good idea?

That would be a very "old school" form of school spirit, requiring a pretty sophisticated student section to pull off that sort of stunt on short notice. Would probably require Facebook messages, emails, text messaging, posters in the dorm cafeterias, cell phone calls and a hockey blog to publicize it. It would take some real student leadership and initiative. A few funny signs might be a nice touch.

Sure it might be really funny to chant "Fifty-Seven," "CC Sucks," "Where's your Banners?," "Who's your Daddy?" & my personal favorite, "Denver Rejects," while the Colorado College hockey team is eating lunch at the HRTM building at 12 PM on Friday.

I'm just not sure the DU Student Section is up to this level of mischief yet. I mean, sure things have really improved in Boonetown this season and this might work at Maine, Duke, Harvard or perhaps Boston University. But DU......

Friday, October 31, 2008 1:00:00 AM CDT

LetsGoDU Obtains CC Training Camp Footage

(above) Colorado College Hockey Training Camp Video

LetsGoDU's crack research staff was able to obtain video footage of the Colorado College ice hockey team preparing for the 2008-09 season, The Tigers are certainly employing some unusual training methods. Obviously the reality of not winning a National Championship since 1957 is starting to set in.

Based on the video, we're a little surprised that Colorado College is having trouble scoring goals this season, because we found the video to be very offensive.

Puck Swami's Know Your Foe Blog breaks down the Colorado College Tigers this week. As usual Swami has done a through job of of reseaching our opponents.

Raise your hand if you knew that Colorado College tried to change their mascot from a tiger to a fish in 1994.

Boone Video Mysteriously Reappears On YouTube

Nothing Screams Halloween Like Boone-o-Lantern

(above) A DU fan made this genuine Boone-o-Lantern for Halloween

Are you going to salute Boone in a creative way on Halloween?

If you have a cool picture of Boone in an unusual location, we'll post your photo. The "Bring Boone Movement" can no longer be contained.

Denver Post Looks At Testwuide Brothers

(above) DU senior J.P. Testwuide, the Pioneers' first captain from Colorado, will face his younger brother Mike this weekend

Photo Credit: Helen H. Richardson

From: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers

Vail native J.P. Testwuide is the first Colorado-born player to captain the University of Denver hockey team. The senior defenseman also is one-half of the most interesting twist in the Pioneers' 60-year rivalry with Colorado College. Testwuide's younger brother, Mike, is a junior forward and assistant captain for the No. 1-ranked Tigers (4-0-2). No. 4 Denver (4-1) begins its annual four-game Gold Pan series against CC this weekend, with games Friday at Magness Arena and Sunday at the Colorado Springs World Arena. On Wednesday, J.P. (John Paul) Testwuide (pronounced Test-weed) spoke with college hockey writer Mike Chambers about little brother and life. [read rest of article]

LetsGoDU Obtains "Old School" Boone Photos

(above) 1990 DU Cheerleading squad poses with Boone head. Note instuctors wearing Boone T-shirts

(above) Boone, always popular with the ladies, poses with cheerleaders in front of Schwayder Art building

(above) Paper mache Boone in October 1989 on ATO and Gamma Phi Beta's Homecoming float

(above) Boone was always B.M.O.C. "Big Mascot On Campus"

Thanks goes out to "Boone Fan Forever" for sending us these awesome photos of Boone in the late '80s & early '90s. She's a fan of LetsGoDU and Denver Boone.

If you have a cool picture of Boone in an unusual location, we'll post your photo. The "Bring Boone Movement" can no longer be contained.

'57 Chevy Ready To Deliver Gold Pan To DU

(above) Chevy is ready to face the Tigers on Friday Night

From: Rocky Mountain News
by Pat Rooney

Marc Cheverie is the first to admit he wasn't quite ready for the spotlight.

When the long-limbed goalie prospect, the heir apparent to four-year standout Peter Mannino, arrived at the University of Denver, his confidence was in tatters after a rough final season in the British Columbia Hockey League.

His playing time was destined to be minimal, and Cheverie quickly found his reflexes were not yet honed enough to keep pace with the speed of the college game.

Fast forward one year. [read rest of article]

DU's Old Hockey Sweaters Symbolize Tradition

(above) DU has been treating CC with contempt for 58 years

For Hockey Fans Blogs Are Filling The Void

From: Sporting News
by Craig Custance

For hockey fans, blogs are emerging as the places they swarm to for hockey coverage - especially in the face of declining coverage from U.S. newspapers. And clearly, some NHL teams are struggling with the transformation.

In the coverage of the NHL, bloggers have been filling the gaps, and 2008 has been the year of the NHL blogger. Greg Wyshynski got a full-time gig at Yahoo as the editor of the hockey blog Puck Daddy, where he can focus all his time and talents on stories like his recent post "Swedish hockey game delayed by sex-toy shower" [The opposing Swedish team is the same one that DU Alum Kevin Doell plays for] Naturally, his page views have sky-rocketed - even for cleverly-written posts that don't involve sex toys.

"Hockey is kind of the Johnny-come-lately of the blogging world," said Allen, the national hockey writer for USA Today. "For a decade now, in the entertainment world, bloggers have been very powerful in terms of the impact they can have on movies. We now see politicians hand-delivering scoops to bloggers who blog from their pajamas in their house - giving them information mainstream media can't get. If it's happening in entertainment and in politics, I don't know why any of us would have thought it wouldn't enter the hockey world too."

While the relationship between alternative media and traditional journalists is thawing, the relationship between the bloggers and NHL teams is complex. At best.

In Nashville, Predators senior vice president of communications, Gerry Helper, said the team had to remove a blogger because he wasn't doing the type of reporting he described in his request.

But that hasn't stopped the Predators from reaching out to alternative media in search of more hockey coverage. Beyond the Tennessean and their beat writer John Glennon, one of the country's best, there just isn't that much local coverage of the Predators.

"If I don't feel our organization is getting the word out or getting the attention we need, I have to figure out other ways to get attention for us," Helper said.

He said that issuing credentials to bloggers needs to be done on a case-by-case basis. Teams have worried about accountability, but as bloggers consolidate under corporate umbrellas, like Mirtle, that argument dissipates.

For now, the Nashvilles of the world are willing to make that judgment. Traditional hockey markets are not, nor do they need to.

"It's an apples and oranges situation," Wyshynski said. "What it comes to is the amount of decreasing ink these teams are getting in the States. That's the issue and that's the issue that needs to be addressed between the teams and their blogosphere." [read entire article]

Gazette Reports CC Ready For Pioneer Onslaught

(left) One of roughly 200 banners hanging in World Arena

From: Colorado Springs Gazette
by Kate Crandall

Colorado College isn't looking past this weekend's series with rival No. 4 Denver, but two ties at Clarkson last weekend reminded the Tigers of their ultimate destination.

To excel in the NCAA Tournament, No. 1 CC - which posted an 18-3 record on World Arena's Olympic-sized ice sheet last season - must learn to win on the road in strange buildings and on NHL-sized ice surfaces, which are narrower by 15 feet.

That hasn't been the Tigers' strong suit in the past couple of seasons, captain Jake Gannon said, noting the two losses at the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five last season.

At Magness Arena, where CC will play the front end of a home-and-home series with Denver on Friday, the Tigers have fared well, racking up a 13-6-1 record in its 10 years of existence.

"Coming down to the postseason, road games are always important," Gannon said.

"Hopefully we get into the Final Five - and that's going to be away - and regionals and Frozen Four and all that. That's when you've got to play your best hockey."

Just like in the NCAA Tournament, CC faced foreign officiating and an intense atmosphere at East Coast Athletic Conference member Clarkson, which required "the longest travel day I've had here," center Andreas Vlassopoulos said, putting the trip to Potsdam, N.Y., ahead of WCHA journeys to Michigan Tech (Houghton) and Alaska-Anchorage.

"It was a good team-bonding thing," Vlassopoulos said. "It was really tough, so guys had to really rely on each other. When you play on the road, especially a place like that, you can't even really hear each other. They scored a goal and it was ridiculous."

Even amid the deafening combination of crowd, fog horn, bell and band, the Tigers were communicating encouragement and strategy to one another, Vlassopoulos said.

"Everybody was just trying to get everybody else confident, even when we were getting killed with a ton of shots and we were kind of all over the place," he said.

Despite CC's scoring woes - the Tigers average just 2.5 goals and 10 of 15 forwards are searching for their first goal - Vlassopoulos said the team came out of the weekend tougher and more motivated to face the Pioneers, who rank first nationally in team offense (4.80 goals).

"That's underachieving for a lot of us, but with how tough it was to play there, getting two ties gives us that much more confidence," he said "I wouldn't doubt, if we have big-time comebacks this year or we're down late, I wouldn't put it past us that we come back."

Tickets In Colorado Springs
CC student tickets sold out on the first day, leaving less than 600 tickets available for Sunday's 5 p.m. series finale against Denver. Tickets may be purchased through cctigers.com, 576-2626 and at World Arena box office.

Boone Goes On 10K Run In Chicago

(above) DU Alum Kevin Friduss in Chicago

University of Denver Alum Kevin Friduss took Boone for out a 10k run at one of Chicago's biggest running events (the Trick or Treat Trot). He has two more races in 2008 and pledges to take Boone with him again.

If you have a cool picture of Boone in an unusual location, we'll post your photo. The "Bring Boone Movement" can no longer be contained.

DU Recruits Fare Well In NHL Mock Draft

At this time last year many NHL "Mock Drafts" had Joe Colborne going near the end of the first round with the 27th pick or lower. Nobody had DU recruit Matt Donovan on their radar and he ended up being selected by the New York Islanders in the 4th round.

This year, DU's recruits are no longer a secret. NHLDraftSite.com has Drew Shore going in the 1st Round (11th overall) to Florida Panthers. William Wrenn is projected to be drafted in 2nd Round (56th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings. Defenseman Paul Phillips is projected to be taken 3rd Round (63rd overall) to Blue Jackets.

Thing can change wildly before next summer's draft, but needless to say DU's never had anything close to having three recruits being drafted in the first three rounds.

DU Athletics Hall Of Fame Ceremony Recap

(above) The 2008 Inductees into the DU Athletics Hall of Fame

From: DU Clarion

by Arianna Ranahosseini

On Thursday, over 20 student-athletes joined with alumni and the DU community to induct four individuals and the 1957-58 hockey team into the University of Denver Athletic Hall of Fame to kick off Homecoming weekend.

As the Denver Spirit Squad welcomed DU alumni, the Pioneer Pep Band played the fight song and DU's student-athletes and coaches, old and new, gathered to honor Denver's athletic program.

The event was held at the Westin Tabor Center downtown.

"It's a great honor to be a part of the Hall of Fame ceremony," senior swimmer and Student Athlete Advisory Council member Blake Worsley said. "It's exciting to see all these people getting inducted. They serve as role models to me. All of the athletes obviously dream of being in the Hall of Fame, so it's nice to be a part of this beforehand." [read rest of article]

Teabag The Tigers

Colorado College: Always A Bridesmaid

(above) Tiger hunting has always been a favorite activity of DU alums

There so many infamous moments in Colorado College history that the staff of LetsGoDU was up half the night sifting through all the data. After many laughs we came up with perhaps the definitive list of ineptitude.

Top 10 Bridesmaid Moments In CC History

• Michigan won the 1996 National Championship as they defeated Colorado College 3-2 in OT. Brendan Morrison knocked in the rebound of Bill Muckalt's shot 3 1/2-minutes into overtime driving a stake into the hearts of the roughly 35 Colorado College fans in the arena.

• In 2005 Colorado College just needed to get by DU in the 2005 Frozen Four semi-final to reclaim some long lost self respect. Denver scored an NCAA tournament record six power play goals to emphatically defeat Colorado College 6-2. The game really wasn't that close. “I thought we were dumb on a lot of penalties,” CC coach Scott Owens mumbled afterwards.

In 1994, Colorado College won the regular-season WCHA title, but did not receive a berth to the NCAA tournament. A shocking upset in the first round of the WCHA playoffs ensured that CC would be screwed over by "The Man;" this time in a "smoke filled room"(photo left).

• Don Lucia arrived in Colorado Springs in 1993 and immediately turned around a flailing hockey program. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and when the University of Minnesota came calling in 1999, Lucia was off to Minneapolis faster than you can say "blue chip recruits." And how did the Colorado College fans treat Lucia the next time he rolled into town? They booed the all-time winningest coach in CC history.

• Peter Senja won the Hobey Baker Award in 2003 as a Junior and CC fans were gearing up to host the NCAA Regionals in 2004. But the kid from Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia had different ideas. He embarked on a failed minor league hockey career and was last spotted in Switzerland. The horrible nightmare for CC only got worse. DU shocked heavily favored North Dakota, while 6,000 Colorado Springs natives pouted, DU cruised to a stunning National Championship.

• You know your hockey program is in trouble when one of the finest hockey coaches this nation has ever produced can't guide your team to a winning record. Luckily "Badger" Bob Johnson moved on to Wisconsin in 1966 after three losing seasons in the Springs. If he remained at CC, Pittsburgh wouldn't have an NHL franchise, 1980 Olympic hero Mark Johnson might have played for CC and we'd be taking about "Tiger" Bob Johnson.

When the Princeton Review completed its rankings of 361 colleges and universities in 2006, Colorado College was named the one of the heaviest pot smoking schools in the country. As usual they finished third behind Warren Wilson College and Bard College.

• After getting punked by Michigan in the 1996 National Championship game, the Tigers vowed take revenge in 1997. After upsetting New Hampshire and Clarkson, CC was whipped by North Dakota 6-2 in the Frozen Four Semi-Finals.
  

• Scottie Owens sent his hockey players out for a little rest and relaxation at the local golf course and they end up splashed in 20 newspapers around the country in a racist incident. But even as they drew the ire of the NAACP, media critics think that the Cleveland Indians face-painters are more offensive. CC just can't win for losing.

• If you noticed a pattern of Michigan treating Colorado College as its boy-toy, you have to go all the way back to 1955 to see when it all began. The Wolverines slapped CC 5-3 in the National Championship game played at the Broadmoor.
  

Go DU

Goal Czar Does It Again: Rookie Of The Week #2

(above) Luke "The Goal Czar" Salazar is Named WCHA Rookie of the Week again

University of Denver forward Luke Salazar (Thornton, Colo.), who scored points in both games of last weekend’s non-conference series split against Ohio State, has been named Red Baron® WCHA Rookie of the Week for Oct. 28-Nov. 3. Salazar earns the honor for the second time this season and Denver claims the award for the third consecutive week. [read rest of article]

Boonetown Back In Business

(above) Boone Baseball Jersey only $19.99. Order with "Expedited Shipping" to arrive before CC series. Lets "Bring Back Boone" on Halloween Night at Magness Arena

Boonetown Site

Coonskin Hat Site

Boone Draws "Comments" In Clarion & Elsewhere

(above) The Bring Back Boone Movement is sweeping the nation

Add the Clarion [DU's student newspaper] article on Boone's removal to the growing chorus of protests from readers. Alumni & students, who commented on the article, for the most part agreed that Boone would be a unifying force on campus.

• Clarion readers protest Boone decision

For those of you keeping score at home, the citizens of Denver lined up solidly behind Boone on the Channel 9 message board. Over 100 comments were posted in a 48 hour period.

• Channel 9 viewers back Boone

College hockey fans from around the nation backed the Boone logo

• USCHO.com message board comments

LetsGoDU readers agree that Boone decision was an outrage

• LetsGoDU readers backed Boone

Finally we had sources within DU saying that DU may have received as many as "400 protest letters, emails or phone calls."

Denver Post Looks At New Icing Rule

College hockey's new icing rule is a work in progress. In five games at Magness Arena, the rule has been broken, bent or misunderstood.

The rule is simple: A team that ices the puck to stop play cannot make a line change. It's the same standard the NHL adopted in 2005, which prevents exhausted players in the defensive end from seeking relief by blasting the puck the length of the ice to stop play.

It is designed to give the pressuring team an advantage by continuing to play against tired players, but in seemingly every University of Denver home game, the officiating crews have allowed partial changes by not preventing players from going to the bench or jumping onto the ice before the whistle is blown for icing. (read rest of article)

Championship Banners vs. Participation Ribbons

CC, Once Again, Top 10 Marijuana School

(left) Look for another "participation banner" in World Arena next season as Colorado College is recognized for its marijuana usage on campus

Our friends down the road in Colorado Springs still have one Top 10 Ranking that they can't choke away. Once again the Princeton Review has recognized Colorado College as the #7 pot smoking school in the country.

Describing the students as "tree hugging, pot smoking, vegetarians," Princeton Review comes down hard on the liberal arts institution. With a high price tag and esoteric approach to academics, the college has become a mecca for entitled rich kids with artistic pretentions.

Unfortunately, like its underachieving hockey program, even the pot smoking students at CC can't finish a season with a #1 ranking.

Meanwhile over in Boulder, the University of Colorado ranked third in the nation for marijuana use, 13th as a party school and 14th for drinking hard liquor. The annual ranking puts Boulder at 16th for being "a great college town."

How widely used is Marijuana

1. Bard College
2. Warren Wilson College
3. University of Colorado-Boulder
4. University of Vermont
5. New College Of Florida
6. University of California-Santa Barbara
7. Colorado College
8. Hampshire College
9. Eugene Lang College
10. Sarah Lawrence College

DU Hockey Alumni News & Notes

(above) DU Alum Geoff Paukovich's first AHL goal [click on video to view]

Skinner Plays First NHL Game
Brett Skinner was called up by the NY Islanders on an emergency basis as they have several injuries to their defensemen. Skinner has 8 points in his last 5 games for Bridgeport. He played in his first NHL game last night in the Rangers/Islanders tilt.

Mannino Shutout
Peter Mannino recorded his first professional shutout with Bridgeport in only his 3rd appearance. Peter could be the #1 goalie in Bridgeport as #1 starter Yann Danis was recalled by the Islanders as Rick DiPietro got hurt in the Isle's last game. Danis could dress as the back-up in tonight's Islander game if DiPietro can't play. Peter's goals against average leads the AHL at 0.65, that is right 0.65, as he has given up 2 goals in 3 games.

Butler Goal
Chris Butler scored his first professional goal last week in Portland's game against Bridgeport, a game in which Mannino did not play.

Paukovich Goal
Geoff Paukovich scored his first AHL goal the other night in a 4-2 Springfield loss (see video above).

Fisher Awaiting Start
Glen Fisher has been serving as the backup to Devan Dubnyk. Fisher hasn't started any of Springfield's seven games, but he did get two periods of action in an Oct. 17 loss at Providence.

Denver University GEICO Cavemen - Part II

Jackbooted Thugs Eject DU Students From Game

The human rights organization LetsGoDU Watch has received reports of DU students being ejected from Magness Arena over the weekend for "standing up and cheering for DU."

The Magness Arena security forces are known for having the toughest "anti-cheering standards" in the WCHA and annually lead the league in evictions for cheering. In the past they've harassed our alumni for using plastic megaphones that were purchased in the Gift Store in the Arena.

It is possible that the incident was escalated by the students "giving the business" to nearby fans who weren't standing up for DU. That's exactly what we would have done, so congrats to the students evicted.

LetsGoDU Watch demands an apology to the students, a full investigation of the incident, sensitivity training for all Magness staff, a two hour "Diversity Workshop" and reassignment of the security personnel in question, to the Magness Gold Club Buffet Line.

Its becoming obvious, with the success of the team this season, the student section needs to be expanded and we've heard several reports of the ticket office running out of student tickets this season. The Magness Staff has done a great job of finding students alternate tickets, but its not as much fun as standing in Boonetown.

LetsGoDU Watch was founded in 2005 to protect the civil rights of disenfranchised DU fans that are ostracized for supporting our teams. LetsGoDU Watch provides clothing (Boone T-shirts), food (gift certificates to Spanky's) and seeks to bring overzealous Magness employees accused of war crimes to justice.

This Week's Polls

CC is #1 & DU is #5 in Inside College Hockey's Power Rankings

CC #1 & DU #4 in USCHO.com Poll

CC#1 & DU #4 in USA Today Poll

LetsGoDU Top 10 SuperPoll®

1). Denver - Taking care of business against CC this weekend is high on the agenda
2). Boston University - Treated Michigan like a ragdoll
3). Boston College - 4 more National Championships and they'll be tied with DU
4). Minnesota - When even your TV announcers are arrested, you know the team likes to party
5). New Hampshire - The "Colorado College" of the East had a shocking weekend
6). Michigan - Has to spend hockey profits propping up underachieving football program
7). Miami - Back on track with a sweep against Notre Dame
8). Minnesota State - Little fish wants to swim with the Big Boys
9). Wisconsin - 0-5-1 for the worst start since 1932. Who selected their schedule? Attila the Hun or the guy who thought that Patrick Wiercioch (4 goals, 2 assists in 6 games) wasn't ready for NCAA hockey?
Last). Colorado College - Two ties against Clarkson doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

The LetsGoDU Super Poll® is a scientific analysis factoring strength of schedule, player statistics and coaching tendencies. Then Denver is automatically placed in the one hole, CC is placed last and the rest of the teams more or less settle where they might likely finish.

Alum Vows To Come From Mass. To Support Boone

(above) DU Alum Doug Hirsh has vowed to travel over 2,000 miles to support Boone

From: Denver Post
by Bill Husted

It looks like Boone the Pioneer mascot is dead and buried. After a flurry of student interest to bring back Boone, University of Denver Chancellor Robert Coombe last week announced, "The University simply cannot adopt an official mascot that has a divisive rather than unifying influence on our community." The university has said the mascot does not reflect the diversity of today's campus.

Boone was born as Denver Boone in 1968, according to my old pal Doug Hirsh, who in fact was the original Denver Boone.

Hirsh and I were friends in high school and remain in touch. He's now running a hotel in Massachusetts, but he's ready to come back to Denver — to gather the troops as Denver Boone!

A call went out in 1968 for students to enter a competition to be Denver Boone, to appear at basketball and hockey games and various booster events. Hirsh was a junior in the Beta House and gave it a try.

"I got dressed up in buckskin and raccoon cap, got a fake beard from a costume store and I already had a bullwhip," he explains. "And I won. I was Denver Boone."

He's not sure when Denver Boone became Boone the Pioneer — and he's not sure what all the fuss is about. Boone was dropped in 1998 to be replaced by Ruckus, a red-tailed hawk.

"It was a lot of fun," Hirsh says. "I just don't see why he's offensive to anybody. He's just a pioneer, a mountain man, a little bit of the heritage of the first settlers who came to Colorado."

Hirsh doesn't wear his Boone outfit anymore, except for sleeping in the Davy Crockett cap. But he's ready to grow a beard and come back for homecoming, or a parade, even a demonstration. "Just tell me where to be," he says. "And where to pick up the plane ticket. If called, I will serve."

LetsGoDU Photo Of The Week

(above) Bring Back Boone T-shirts @ Magness

"Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie paraphased by LetsGoDU

"You know, if one person, just one person wears a Boone shirt they may think he's really sick and they won't take notice of him or her. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both crazy and they'll ignore them. And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walk into Magness Arena wearin' Boone shirts and cheering for DU. They may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day walking into Magness Arena with Boone shirts and cheering for DU. And friends they may think it's a movement."

"And that's what it is, the Bring Back Boone Movement, and all you got to do to join is wear a Boone shirt the next time DU plays at Magness."

- Arlo Guthrie

LetsGoDU Quoted On Political Website

(above) Is DU's Chancellor also a Sith Lord? "Hidden beneath a façade of wan smiles and smooth political speeches was a Sith Lord."

You have to love it when a Chancellor and his spokesman are slapped around in the media because the school's ice hockey blog is stirring up trouble. First it was Channel 9, then FaceTheState.com & now the Denver Post has written article about the "First Denver Boone."

"[DU alum Damien] Goddard said Coombe made a serious judgment error when he sent out the letter explaining how Boone was axed. "The chancellor made a snap decision which angered alumni and stirred up a hornet's nest. The letter was poorly conceived." Face The State's calls to the Faculty of Color Association went unreturned."

DU Spokesman Calls Boone "Offensive" In Blog

(above) FaceTheState.com was named the "Best Political Web site" in Denver by Westword

"Those early settlers of the American West represent a part of the past and traditions that DU should not quickly dismiss."

- Dr. E. Christian Kopff

DU spokeman Jim Berscheidt called DU's former mascot "offensive" in an article that appeared yesterday in FaceTheState.com. "[Boone] doesn't reflect the DU of today and to be honest it's a little bit offensive," Berscheidt said.

Who knew that University of Denver athletic teams were running around with an "offensive" mascot on their uniforms for more than three decades, leading up to his retirement in 1999? You'd think that someone would have pointed it out in maybe the first 5 or 10 years of Boone's career at DU.

Berscheidt went on to say that part of the reason Boone was replaced by "Ruckus the red-tailed Hawk" in 1999 was because there were many complaints that the mascot was inappropriate and also simply that Boone "was not a modern character."

When Berscheidt says DU had "many complaints," is that another broad exaggeration similar to Chancellor Coombe's wildly inaccurate statement, "Boone does not reflect the broad diversity of the DU community and is not an image that many of today's women, persons of color, international students and faculty, and others can easily relate to as defining the pioneering spirit."

Since when do mascots have to be modern? A quick scan of the hundreds of college mascots reveals that almost all of them aren't "modern." DU's Jelly Donut is one of the few "modern" logos and look how well that turned out.

FaceTheState.com contacted LetsGoDU when researching the story and we were only too happy to provide them with background material, "off the record quotes," inflammatory statements and persons of interest. We also threw some props out to Peter Mannino and patted ourselves on the back for stirring up shit at DU. Is that wrong?

Dr. E. Christian Kopff, associate director of the Honors program at the University of Colorado at Boulder said the pioneering spirit is exactly what the old mascot represented. To Kopff, Boone symbolizes the explorers and pioneers who helped shape the enterprising spirit of America at a time when the country was still trying to find its place in the world.

"[Boone] the Pioneer represented people who were not afraid to leave their normal, urban lives and go exploring," Kopff said. "These early settlers developed the idea that Americans are not afraid to explore."

But Kopff says the those early settlers of the American West represent a part of the past and traditions that DU should not quickly dismiss, contending that western pioneers paved the way into the wild frontier, and still have a significant impact on how Americans view themselves today.

"Even though the frontier in the traditional sense is gone, that pioneering spirit is part of what makes us Americans," said Kopff. "Feeling that we can get up and do something new is an important part of [who we are]."

FaceTheState.com was named by Westword, the "Best Political Web site/Blog" in Denver in 2008. See the entire article to read additional independent voices that DU must have been smoking crack when they stabbed Boone in the back last week.

Ohio State Upsets DU 4-3

(above) It wasn't all bad news for DU fans on Saturday night. Clarkson tied Colorado College the second time in two nights

"They [Ohio State] outplayed us. They beat us to pucks and caused turnovers that we couldn't handle. I think this makes us hungrier, because we know we have to improve and get better. Come Monday, I think our guys are going to be focused, ready to move on, and make a statement next weekend."

- DU Captain J.P. Testwuide

Ohio State fought back from a 3-1 deficit to upset DU 4-3 tonight at Magness Arena. Ohio State's Peter Boyd broke a 3-3 tie with 2:13 remaining in the third period to give Ohio State the victory.

Box Score

Denver Post game recap by Mike Chambers

DU Athletic's Site game recap

USCHO.com's game recap by Theresa Spisak

Colorado College ties Clarkson again

Ostrow Leads DU Over Ohio State 3-1

Kyle Ostrow - 2 goals, 1 assist

DU 3 - Ohio State 1...FINAL....CC 1 - Clarkson 1....

"We were doing the little things right to keep ourselves in the game, but DU's transition game was fantastic and quite honestly that’s what caught us in the second period."

- Ohio State Coach John Markell

Kyle Ostrow scored twice and added an assist to lead DU to a 3-1 triumph over the Ohio State Buckeyes. Anthony Maiani notched a goal and one assist for DU, while sophomore netminder Marc Cheverie turned aside 41-of-42 shots to pick up his fourth victory of the season.

Colorado College tied Clarkson 1-1. CC has not given up a power play goal in 33 shorthanded situations this season.

DU-Ohio State Box Score

USCHO.com Game Recap by Candace Horgan

DU Athletics' Game Recap

Gazette Covers CC's Tie with Clarkson

Chamber's Blog on Colborne's "No Goal"

Chamber's Blog on 5 Forward Power Play Unit

Chamber's Blog on Brookwell's Return

Bacher's Blog covers Rakhshani & Carle's New Blogs

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First Star: Kyle Ostrow (Denver)
Second Star: Marc Cheverie (Denver)
Third Star: Anthony Maiani (Denver)