Nice Article in the Herald about Brooks and UND

[dagies]

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforkshe...rts/6512244.htm

[kr]

Dean Blais was on with Mike Mc. this morning talking solely in regards to Coach Herb Brooks.

(One thing I noticed was that a couple times Herb was referred to in the present tense -- it really is hard to grasp that this larger than life character has indeed passed away.)

Interview started with a playing of the song "The Good Ole Hockey Game" and 3 audio clips of HB.

DB: The game has changed over the 20+ years removed from the 1980 Olympics. In 1980 DeanB was coaching in Minot -- when the final score was announced there was a pause of roughly 5 minutes while the crowd went wild -- standing "O" and the like. After the Olympics HerbB came to Minot and talked to the hockey community and then gave a substantial check to the Minot hockey recreation club.

DB: HerbB was a peer (ages 66 and 52 respectively). HerbB gave his friendship -- he had a great concern over the welfare of hockey ... DB took a whole lot from HerbB. He hated to lose -- if "we" lost it is "my/HerbB" fault, if "we" win credit goes to "you/players".

More talk about HerbB's Miracle on Ice: DB: The miracle of hockey -- get everyone on the same page (which HerbB accomplished). Russia was playing for a job, USA was playing for the/a moment.

In 1980 there were roughly 30,000 kids playing hockey ..... 2 to 3 years later there were 300,000 ...... (currently around 3 million).

He enjoyed hockey and was willing to go any where at any time to help develop -- expose -- the game. (Talk about a trip to Topeka with Gino to pump up the area with the addition of the Topeka USHL team -- anything he could do to promote this game.)

Final comment by Mike M: This is a huge loss to the WCHA family.

[dagies]

2 more good articles

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/s...rts/6519845.htm

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/6519801.htm

On a related note, it is kind of interesting to see many people's comments on Brooks style of coaching. He's lauded as being very good at motivating his players. Looks like he handled his players in a very blunt manner. Interesting that Blais was influenced so much by Brooks, but many of the same people would be critical of Blais approach.

However, I believe many of Blais players would also say he is an excellent motivator and a great coach.

[ScottM]

The Strib has posted a guest book for Coach Brooks. Even if you don't want to sign, it's a very moving experience reading about his influence on so many lives.

GuestBook

[Rick]

On a related note, it is kind of interesting to see many people's comments on Brooks style of coaching. He's lauded as being very good at motivating his players. Looks like he handled his players in a very blunt manner. Interesting that Blais was influenced so much by Brooks, but many of the same people would be critical of Blais approach.

However, I believe many of Blais players would also say he is an excellent motivator and a great coach.

I agree with Dagies....

Time after time we read posts from the ha**y twins (and others) who continually rip Blais. Yet, when you get right down to it, anyone who remotely knows, observes, or compares the two, can easily see how much alike they are. If you rip Blais, you are also ripping Brooks.

The Brooks family paid a great compliment to Blais when they asked him to be a Honorary Pallbearer at Herbie's funeral. It shows how much Herbie thought of Dean.

When judging Blaisers coaching, you need not look any further than Herbie, Andy Murray and JP Parise. Who would these guys want coaching their son's at the college level? Who did they think would best prepare their kids for the future. I think I would put more credence into what these guys thought than some jealous internet poster.