Since we were children, we have been asked what we want to be when we grow up. Our parents hope that we will grow up to be doctors and lawyers. And Willie Nelson warns, "Mommas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys."
That said, this struggle with the next step of our lives takes on a different meaning for a few of us who are very lucky. We get to chase a dream: we want to grow up to be hockey players. That way, we never have to grow up.
Mike Milbury graduated from Colgate in 1974 with a degree in social relations. On Oct. 7, he was recognized as one of the greatest men to play hockey at the professional level when he was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. This honor makes Milbury the first Colgate graduate to be recognized in such a way.
When asked what this kind of recognition means to a player, Milbury says, “No player who has been lucky enough to play at the highest level is overly concerned with awards. Although it's nice to be recognized, the thrill is in the winning and competing. I will say that, after you retire, it is especially nice to be remembered.”
Remembering is something that Boston Bruins fans have no problem doing when it comes to Milbury. In his 12-year NHL career, Milbury played in a total of 840 regular season and playoff games, and compiled 53 goals, 213 assists, and - my personal favorite - 1,771 penalty minutes.
When thinking about how few players have made the jump from Colgate straight into the pros, I had to ask if he knew during his senior campaign that he might soon be making the jump to professional hockey. Milbury confided that, up until the end of his senior year, he was “clueless.”
But the Bruins allowed him to play a few games with them after Colgate’s season was over since their lineup was full of injuries and they were out of playoff contention. This proved to be just the break that Milbury needed, and it led to a career that spanned more than a decade.
(And for those who feel that partying is not a useful pasttime of college students, consider this: Milbury signed his first NHL contract on a bar napkin over an ice-cold Moosehead. I say, cheers to that!)
In addition to his successful hockey career, Milbury has proven that a university degree should be more than an afterthought while playing a little stick-and-puck. Currently, Milbury holds the title of senior vice president of sports properties, which he says, “essentially means that I manage Charles Wang’s sports teams: the New York Islanders of the NHL, the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League, and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League. Marketing, advertising, ticket sales, website management, merchandising, game presentation, and public relations all fall under my domain.”
Milbury credits his liberal arts education for allowing him to excel in all sorts of situations and essentially prepare him for a career after hockey.
“There is no question that my liberal arts education was tremendously important," he says. "I was somewhat of a radical player representative in the NHLPA (National Hockey League Players' Association), and stating my case clearly and effectively was important. Being able to express myself as a coach and broadcaster was very critical, and so was the ability to handle the day-to-day grilling by the press as a player. Having the background to write reasonably in dealing with the league and other GMs was a blessing. I have no regrets about having chosen a liberal arts education.”
The idea that the stars of Colgate hockey today can become the superstars of the NHL tomorrow is an intriguing idea. Will Jesse Winchester score 20 goals his rookie season for the Toronto Maple Leafs? Will Mark Dekanich lead the league in save percentage, just barely edging out Roberto Luongo? Will I get beat up by Georges Laraque? I sure hope so.
Once again, we are reminded that our education holds a great deal of value, even for those of us who hope to play hockey and never grow up.
