Quotes From The Cold War Press Conference
6/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
June 18, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Excerpts from the June 18, 2001, press conference regarding the Michigan State vs. Michigan Hockey Game in Spartan Stadium.
MSU President Peter M. McPherson
Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson
"It's not really a first. In 1959 when I played with the Canadian National Team we toured Europe and 90 percent of our games were outdoor games. Some of the rinks were natural ice but some of them were artificial ice. We played on sunny days and we played in blizzards."
"It is a pretty interesting concept. I think it will fly and these are the two schools that can make it happen. And the people that follow not only college hockey, but hockey in general, will be interested in coming to this game. I applaud Michigan State for coming up with the concept and the idea, and we are looking forward to being a part of it."
About home-ice advantage...
Michigan State hockey coach Ron Mason
"This is a celebration of hockey in the state of Michigan. We have had support the Red Wings and youth hockey and every other aspect of hockey in the state. We hope we can display college hockey at its highest level and give everybody an opportunity to come and see us play. I think we have the best game in the world. Why not set a world record in numbers if we can do so. It's been fun planning it. Mark Hollis has done a great job in putting things together. It will be an event where tailgating will be a big part of it just like it is in football. Overall, everyone will have a good time."
"The actual timing of the game had to be cooperative with our football program. With a six o'clock start we are going to have to have the lights. With Ryan Miller here talking about the lights, that's what goaltenders think about - can I see? It's going to be really different for our goaltenders especially because it's so open and trying to get their sense of where they are on the ice. This is going to be completely different for our players too. We will get one practice on it, both Michigan and ourselves. We will wait and see if it's a home-ice advantage. I've never done this before so I don't know if it will be or not."
CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos
Michigan Center Andy Hilbert
Michigan center Mike Cammalleri
Michigan State Forward Adam Hall
Michigan State Goaltender Ryan Miller
Michigan Athletics Director Bill Martin
"When this idea was first brought to us, I thought it was what you thought it was, it was ridiculous. And yet when we thought about it and when I talked to Coach Mason and got some details about the legitimacy of this idea, it seemed like it would be possible."
"That shouldn't be a factor. It felt like you were skating uphill or downhill depending on who was winning the game. There is no question that playing in this environment could really expand upon the so-called home-ice advantage. I think that obviously will be more of a road game than the average road game. This will be a good experience for the players. I played in the first game at Cobo Hall for Michigan. That was a big thing at the time and it never amounted to much in terms of its longevity for pro hockey. Even in those days for a college team to play in a pro rink, it was a big thing."
"Our two schools have a great rivalry. This game will be a league game. When I spoke to Red (Berenson) first about it, he had the same feeling about it as I did. About six or seven years ago, David McAuliffe, our assistant coach, said to me, "We have to play Michigan in Spartan Stadium" and I said, "You are crazy." Now it's a reality because I think we can put down a surface and a playing field that would be very similar to what we have at Munn Arena."
"We are very excited to have a CCHA game set on a world stage where it will be a very big focal point in October. Hopefully carrying the banter for our sport in the year where there are the Olympic games in February. We are anxious to kick off this event where we think it will be so exciting for not only the sport of college hockey nationally but the sport of hockey throughout the state of Michigan. We are going to do everything we can to rally the attention of the sport of hockey in the state of Michigan where there is over 60,000 registered hockey players. We hope we can make it grow even more. We do have some players here it will be a very memorable experience for the players. I played in a game in the Great Lakes Tournament in 1984 with Mike Donnelly where it was the largest hockey game viewed in front of a North American crowd, 21,000-plus fans. To this day it's still a great memory for me. I think in addition to all the excitement that will surround it for the fans and the sport nationally and throughout the state of Michigan, it will be a great day for hockey for the players who are fortunate enough to play in the game."
"It's just unbelievable. Everyone's talked about it and you really wouldn't think that it would be possible to put something on like this. For something like this to happen for college hockey, and hockey in general, it would be unbelievable to be apart of this."
"It's an unbelievable opportunity and experience that we are going to all be apart of. It's something that when you first heard about you could barely fathom, now that it's become a reality it's become excitement. From a player's standpoint the rivalry between the two schools is as strong as ever right now. I guess we are just looking forward to a great game. That's one thing I can say from a player's standpoint that it will be a great game hence the Cold War."
"I think that it's great not only for Michigan, but the sport of ice hockey. I have been to football games here when it's a packed house and I can't imagine being in the middle of this field and staring up at all those crazy fans. I am really excited about that."
"I am looking forward to the event of it all. There is going to be a lot of energy around it with people tailgating, people making a day out of a hockey game - you don't hear that too often. People load up their trucks and their cars to go hang out with their friends. It's going to be a new experience for a lot of our fans. I am looking forward to it as long as they get the lighting figured out."
"From the University standpoint we really commend Michigan State for their creativity in putting this game on. We want to help them have the largest crowd ever. We want to sell as many tickets as we can."
