Dedicated fans follow team to Boston

BOSTON - Thousands of college hockey fans donning school jerseys from around the nation, crowded Boston's FleetCenter yesterday to join the cult-like following of the NCAA hockey final four.

Coming from as far as Alaska, North Dakota and Wisconsin, scores of fans returned to the championship this year knowing their hometown teams would not have a chance to grab the title.

Michigan State University fan Merrill Shelden bought tickets for the event a year ago without knowing whether his favorite team would compete, as he has done for more than 10 years.

"Sure you want your team there," Shelden said, adding that he was disappointed by MSU's loss this past Saturday, which eliminated the Spartans from the run for the championship. "But we don't just buy tickets because State is going to be in it. We go because we want to go."

Die-hard Michigan fans said they come to the tournament each year, wherever it is hosted, to be part of the friendly and intimate atmosphere not found at other NCAA sporting events.

"This is amateur sports the way it should be - without all the production," said Azalia, Mich. resident Larry Cymbola, who has attended the tournaments since Red Berenson was named coach of the hockey team.

Cymbola said in each host city, he and his wife "run into the same people over and over."

Cincinatti resident and self-described hockey junky Brian Johnson, who is attending his third final four tournament, said the sport has maintained a wholesome nature despite its growing popularity.

"There are people who come just because they love hockey," Johnson said.

Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson said large cities are now excited to host the hockey final four because of the event's heightened recognition.

The popularity has grown in just the past three years with host sites in Cincinatti, Milwaukee and Boston. The FleetCenter, which seats 17,565 people, sold out in December.

"I remember we used to get 2,500" at the NCAA final four, Berenson said.

After yesterday's first semifinal game, the NCAA had already sold 400 sets of tickets for next year's hockey championship in Anaheim, Calif.

University of Alaska at Anchorage Athletic Director Tim Dillon, whose school is hosting the 1999 final four, said the response has been "tremendous."

Dillon attributed the early interest in the event to fans' enthusiasm and respect for the game.

"There's nothing better than good college hockey," Dillon said.

Cymbola said he was comforted yesterday by the surge of "The Victors!" and the rowdiness of what some call hockey's most "obnoxious fans." Michigan fans "are uppity, but they are forever for their team," Cymbola said.

LSA senior Jon Weiss left Ann Arbor with his friends at 6 a.m. on Wednesday to make it to the game, without knowing if they would be able to buy tickets.

"We decided that as long as we could not miss this for the world ... we figured we'd make it a road trip," Weiss said.

Weiss said he does not mind skipping classes to cheer on the Wolverines.

University alumnus Burt Sage, who graduated in 1951 and now is a CPA in Concord, Mass., said that although it is tax season, he could not miss the game.

"There's an instant recognition," Sage said. "It's not hard to spot someone from Michigan."

University alumnus Daniel Van Epps said he began waiting outside the FleetCenter at 6 a.m. yesterday to buy one of the 80 leftover tickets.

"We need another national championship," Van Epps said, wearing a Michigan helmet while carrying a hockey stick and Michigan banner. "We'll try to make it as much like Yost (Ice Area) as we can."

Even University President Lee Bollinger and Athletic Director Tom Goss made the trek to Beantown. "Any time there's a team working towards a national championship, I want to do everything I can to be there," said Bollinger, who attended the Michigan-UCLA second-round NCAA basketball game nearly three weeks ago.

Goss said that although the University had only about 400 seats to allocate to members of the University community, he expected a spirited crowd.

"I'm hoping we can bring Yost Field House to the FleetCenter," Goss said.

-Daily Sports Writer Rick Freeman contributed to this report.

04-03-98