The journey that will leave footprints forever

A teacher once told me that the purpose of his class was "about the journey, and not the grade." I politely told him that he was full of it. I only cared about the grade.

Until today, I've never really cared about the journey - just the end result. I'll reluctantly admit that I'm a bit Machiavellian in that sense, but to quote underwhelming Clemson football coach Tommy Bowden, who cares if you can't "finish the job"?

On Saturday night in Denver, I witnessed the culmination of both an incredible journey and a surreal final result, and it changed my mind. I realized that you can't truly appreciate victory without some form of struggle.

The trials that the men's hockey team experienced are well-documented. I'm not going to talk about the past two seasons. For me to nostalgically reminisce over the loss to Wisconsin two years ago wouldn't be fair to those whose hearts were broken in Milwaukee in '06. At the time, I was probably attending my senior prom back in South Carolina, unconditionally the last state in America that cares about college hockey. The championship loss last year to Michigan State was tough, but I'd be lying if I said that I took it harder than some of you.

What I want to address is this season. An incredible road that began in October made this win so much sweeter. Just ask Mike Brennan. Or Nathan Gerbe. Or anyone who watched the Ice Breaker tournament that began the season.

Before that tournament, BC held its standard lofty annual expectations despite losing a potential All-American in goaltender Corey Schneider over the summer. Freshman John Muse, promised the starting gig between the pipes by Coach Jerry York, was a heralded recruit with great anticipation. In front of Muse, the Eagles returned more than enough talent to finish the job and win a national championship.

But in one weekend, almost everything was shattered. The Eagles went just 1-1, losing to Michigan in the first round and struggling to put away RPI in the consolation game. But their losses on the ice were not nearly as fatal as the losses off of it. Defensemen Brett Motherwell and Brian O'Hanley were suspended and later dismissed from the team. Forward Brock Bradford then broke his arm.

As an outsider looking in, I thought that was it. Forget another Hockey East championship, let alone a trip to the Frozen Four. Motherwell was a projected All-American. The kid shot the puck harder than he partied. O'Hanley was a top-four defenseman. Some said that Bradford was the team's best player.

I was wrong when I thought the season was over, practically before it started. But it took me awhile to figure that out. Maybe it was stubbornness, or maybe it was the fact that the team opened the season with a paltry 3-4-5 record. I really don't know.

What I now know is that somehow Jerry York pulled a fast one on us again. Whenever the doubters come out of their closets, York's teams pull it together and start winning. Following a dismal close to the Hockey East season, York turned on the light switch, and BC put its talent on display.

On paper alone, this team was impressive. Good luck finding a writer in the country who will argue that Gerbe isn't the nation's most exciting player. Every time he touches the puck, fans lean closer in their seats, expecting to witness something spectacular. In the postseason, he didn't disappoint. The 5'5" kid from Michigan threw up eight points in the Frozen Four, including five goals. There's a reason why York compares him to Brian Gionta. He's that good.

And the Eagles had depth. Take ten seconds and run down the lineup. At the very least, five years from now Gerbe and Nick Petrecki will be in the NHL. Several others have great opportunities to make the show. Six players tallied 35 or more points this season. For comparison, not one Notre Dame skater in Saturday's game had more than 32. Even more impressive, four Eagles were named to the All-Tournament team.

But the value of this team far transcended talent. As Jerry York said about a week ago, this might have been his best team, but it wasn't his most talented. What made these Eagles fly higher than the rest was their heart.

It started with Brennan, a kid who was so happy after the game that he would not let go of the championship trophy. He carried it from the ice to the locker room to the press conference to the team bus.

On Sunday morning, his grip on the trophy still hadn't loosened as he walked around the airport. As I write this column, he's probably sleeping with it under his pillow.

If you want further proof of heart, then look at the character guys like Matt Greene and Pat Gannon. Even the two guys who haven't suited up all season, backup goaltenders Alex Kremer and Andrew Margolin, are consistently praised for their work ethic and enthusiasm. As Gerbe recently commented, "Anyone on our team will say that this is the probably the most fun team they've ever played for - from the coaching staff to the backup goalie to the sixth defenseman."

That's why this team is so good. They're a total team. Everyone has their buddy's back; much like the Red Sox did in '04. Each player set aside distractions to focus on the team's one objective, winning a national championship. That may sound mundane, but it really isn't. So many teams get sidetracked throughout a season.

To capture a national championship with words on a paper is an impossible task. I'm not going to pretend to be Shakespeare, or even Peter Gammons, in this column. But I do want to leave you with a quote that will stick in my mind more than any goal scored or save made will: "We stress the fact that when you win a national championship, you're season never ends because you refer back to your teams."

Coach York said that in the press conference yesterday. His words could not be wiser or truer. This will be the "season that never ends" in the hearts and minds of so many people who watched a team persevere through great adversity to capture a national championship. And that, in my eyes, is what winning is all about. When you look back in five years, did the journey make it worthwhile? I already know my answer. It's a resounding yes.