Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation

The running joke amongst Hobey Baker Committee members during the months, weeks, and hours leading up to the big event is that “it runs itself”.   Welcome to Hobey Baker Blogging from the Frozen Four v.2010, where this year we’ll be focusing on the people who toil behind the scenes to make it work.  
 

The most visible face of this year’s Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee (that’s a mouthful, so let’s just shorten that to “Committee”, shall we?) is Gary Haugen.  You’ll see Gary up close and personal on ESPNU tomorrow evening when he announces the winner.  Last year, Gary’s role on the Committee was heading the Banquet subcommittee (the “Banquet chair”).  The banquet honors the winner in early May in downtown St. Paul and is attended by a who’s-who in the college hockey world (if you want to rub elbows with coaches, AD’s, past award winners, not to mention this year’s winner, reserve your ticket today.  

 

Preparing for the annual Banquet is no small task, as this year’s Banquet chair, Catie Tobin, will tell you.  Tickets need to be sold and printed, meal selections chosen, guest speakers vetted and invited, seating charts created…all on a shoestring budget.  Added bonus - the Banquet chair traditionally serves as an understudy to the Committee chair, so look for Catie announcing the 2011 winner from the ice at the Xcel Energy Center, site of next year’s Frozen Four.  

 

I know what you’re thinking: “If the Banquet chair serves as next year’s Committee chairperson, who selects the Banquet chair?”  Easy – the Committee Secretary typically becomes the Banquet chair.  This year Wally Olson is the Committee Secretary, so he’ll be the 2011 Banquet chair…just look for a man wearing this Hawaiian shirt at the 2012 Frozen Four in Tampa announcing the Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner.  (If you’re reading this, Wally, I’m just joking.  But if you need a food taste tester next year, call me.)

 

And there you have it ---> the Committee Secretary eventually becomes the Banquet chair who eventually becomes the Committee chairperson who is immortalized for eternity (or until Al Gore invents a replacement for the Internet).  It’s a veritable conveyor belt of awesomeness.  If you're wondering how the Committee determines who gets placed on the conveyor belt (i.e. become the season’s Committee Secretary), well, there's a story behind that, too.  Initially, it was thought that Committee members should prove their worthiness by performing certain feats, such as pulling this, or going head-to-head with other Committee members in a fierce tournament of this.  However, common sense prevailed and the Hobey Baker Foundation (to which the Committee reports and serves) thought best to reserve that important function for itself.

 

How to describe the typical Committee member?  Obviously, we all like hockey.  And by "like", I really mean "have a torrid love affair with".  That said, there are all sorts of characters on the Committee... 

 

Last year’s Committee Chairman, Lance Madsen <http://www.bhz.com/partner_l-madson.html> , is actually a former player and was a stud between the pipes for Notre Dame <http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/nd/sports/m-hockey/auto_pdf/goalie-records.pdf>  during the Reagan administration.  In 2008, Jim Martin, who designs and coordinates the printing of the various Hobey Baker posters, pucks, and Banquet programs, announced the winner as Committee chairman in Denver.  If you’re purchasing a Hobey Baker t-shirt at the Frozen Four this year, chances are good that you’ll shake hands with the 2007 Committee Chairman, Bruce Kubes, the aforementioned Wally Olson, or if you’re really lucky, Michigan Tech hockey legend Steve Wendorf <http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=16012>  (who serves as the Merchandise subcommittee chair) 

 

In fact, many members remain actively involved with the Committee even after serving as a Chairman.  Dal Holmberg, the 1996 Chairman, currently serves as the chair of the Awards, Rules, Rings, and Trophy subcommittee.  The 1998 Chairman, Dave Jones, served as the Hobey Baker Foundation Secretary until just recently.  The 2002 Chairman, Les Larson <http://www.startribune.com/sports/87183327.html> , is overseeing the phenomenal nationwide growth of the Hobey Baker High School Character Award program.   Jon Doehr, the 2004 Committee Chairman (pictured here on the far left <http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/04/01/sports/01frozen_CA0/01frozen_CA0-popup.jpg   > ), is also a former player (Colby College <http://www.ecac.org/awards/valor> ) and currently chairs the Website subcommittee while simultaneously serving as the Hobey Baker Foundation Vice President.  The 2001 Chairman, Jack Carlson <http://www.tn-law.com/Bio/JackCarlson.asp> , currently serves as the Foundation Treasurer.  2003 Committee Chairman, Jim Nichols <http://www.manchestercompanies.com/our_professionals/nichols_james.htm> , is the President of the Hobey Baker Foundation and puts in an extraordinary amount of time and energy behind the scenes into promoting the Hobey Baker brand.  

 

As one can imagine, most Committee members are not ex-Chairmen.  However, all maintain extremely strong ties to the hockey community on all levels.  Just this morning, I split a cab with fellow Committee member John Russo and his father (also named John Russo).  If that name sounds familiar, it’s because the family is synonymous with hockey <http://www.hselitehockey.com/news_article/show/13756?referrer_id=44827-news> . 

 

Hobey’s Publicity subcommittee recently took on an international flavor when a Committee member, Scott Pollack, relocated to Mexico City with his family.  Despite the long distance, Scott continues to contribute to the Committee from afar, again thanks to Al Gore’s invention <http://punditkitchen.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/political-pictures-gore-basking2.jpg> .  Incidentally, the Publicity subcommittee is headed by none other than Wally Shaver <http://www.letsplayhockey.com/staff.htm> (pictured here on the right <http://image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com/pics21/640/VC/VCCZQSXYDMJPIBF.20091229224310.jpg> ), whose family name is considered a synonym for broadcasting  in some circles (Wally’s father is the incomparable Al Shaver <http://www.pavekmuseum.org/Shaver.htm> , while Wally’s son, Jason, is a former ECHL broadcaster and currently serves as the Chicago Wolves play-by-play announcer.)

 

A sampling of some of the more commonly asked questions during the Frozen Four: 

Q: “So can you tell us who won?”

A: The winner’s identity is a closely guarded secret to which only a select few (less than a handful) are privy.  In fact, the large majority of the Committee does not even know until the actual announcement is made.  Those who do know, however, could tell you…but then they’d have to kill you <http://www.bluebird-electric.net/films_movies_actors/actors_films_images/top_gun_goose_and_maverick.jpg> .  Then lawyers would have to get involved <http://www.seinfeldonline.com/jackie.jpg> , and that just gets messy. 

 

Q: “Do the Hobey Hat Trick candidates know in advance who won?”

A: Unless they have blackmail-worthy photos of certain Pricewaterhouse Coopers <http://www.pwc.com>  executives or the current Committee chairperson, no.  

 

Q: “If you can’t tell us who won, will you at least tell us who you voted for?”

A: Contrary to popular belief, Committee members do not vote.  Instead, a two-phased voting system is implemented:

 

Phase I: NCAA coaches from every D-I school chooses three (3) players from his conference AND three (3) players nationwide.  Yes, coaches are allowed to fill conference players in the nationwide slots as well.  College hockey fans also get into the act by voting for their favorite player online.  Votes are then tabulated and viola!  A Top Ten list of Hobey Baker candidates is born.

 

Phase II: Approximately 10 days before Frozen Four weekend kicks-off, 25 individuals on the Selection Committee* hold a teleconference to review each of the 10 finalists.  A candidate’s character, on-ice statistics, and off-ice activities (charitable causes, grades, etc.) are discussed at length.  Questions may be asked and opinions offered during this exchange.  Soon afterwards, each Selection Committee member faxes his or her Top Five (5) choices (ranked in order) to Pricewaterhouse Coopers for final tabulation.  Again, as in Phase I, the fans get to Vote for Hobey.**

 

* The Selection Committee is carefully constructed cross-section of coaches, NHL scouts, electronic & print media members, and supervising officials.  Great care is taken to mitigate the possibility of geographic or conference bias.  Members of the Selection Committee typically serve a three (3) year term before being replaced.  

 

** The fan vote matters more than most think, and in the case of a close vote, could actually break a tie!  That other college award <http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/1027/pages_a_heisman_300.jpg> ?  Yeah, Hobey trusts their fans literally 10 times as much (the fan vote for the Heisman is worth 1/10th of that of Hobey based on the % counted towards the final vote tally).   

 

Q: “How heavy is the trophy?”

A:  It’s almost twice as heavy (42lbs) as the Heisman (a measly 25lbs).  But that shouldn't come as any surprise since Hobey is twice as awesome.

 

Questions and comments can be sent to Joseph.Kurr@Hobeybaker.com <mailto:toJoseph.Kurr@Hobeybaker.com>