I would like to take an opportunity to respond to the Angry White Boys’ column “Bye bye Beanpot?” (Feb. 14, p.15). First off, I do understand the point that the Beanpot ties up two of our non-conference games that could be useful in the Pair-Wise rankings. That is almost a valid point — “almost” being the key word, because even with the two Beanpot games being “wasted,” we are still ranked No. 5 in the country and No. 4 in the Pair-Wise rankings, which would give us a No. 1 seed in the Worchester Regional if the NCAA Tournament started this weekend. Not bad for a team that wastes two non-conference games every year.

Even more importantly, though, is the energy that the Beanpot generates in and around the city of Boston. From the time that students arrive back from Winter Break there is a different kind of energy that surrounds Boston University hockey. Personally, some of my best memories at BU are from the Beanpot, from riding the T back my freshman year in a sea of scarlet and white, to beating BC just two nights ago and parading to the Dugout, feeling satisfied that BU hockey had avenged themselves after our loss to BC in the finals during my sophomore year. Playing it on a weekday makes it that much more special because it makes it more than just another non-conference game. It’s a break from the routine. Last year, I had a Monday-night class that should have interfered with my Beanpot festivities. When I emailed my professor to let her know that I was sick and would not be attending class, she called me on it, saying simply, “Rayray, do you really think I’m stupid?” It’s different, and that’s what makes it something to look forward to. I personally don’t think that anything about the Beanpot should be changed.

Finally, and possibly most importantly, I would like to point out the sheer ridiculousness of referring to Brian Leetch as a mediocre hockey player because of his unfortunate, though short-lived, affiliation with Newton University (BC). Yes, Brian Leetch spent a year playing for Boston College. His stat line as a BC freshman looked something like this: nine goals, 38 assists, 47 points with 10 PIMs in 37 games. Not bad, ya know, for a freshman defenseman. Leetch then joined the Rangers, where he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year in 1989, the James Norris Trophy for Best Defenseman in 1992 and 1997 and the Conn Smythe Trophy for Playoff MVP in 1994, when he helped lead the New York Rangers to their first Stanley Cup in 54 years. His is the next number that will eventually grace the rafters of Madison Square Garden, making him only the fifth player to have his number retired in the storied history of that franchise. So how do you describe a three-zone defenseman with 1,020 points (more than Bobby Orr) and a first ballot Hall of Famer? “Mediocre” is exactly the word that comes to mind for me, too. Come on now, I understand the point, but next time you try to be funny by calling a player “mediocre,” pick a player who is not headed for the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto any time soon.

Ray DiSanza CAS/SED ’06