'THIRD RATE' COLLEGE
A well-informed member of the press who had studied at DU's graduate school said, "By Ivy league standards, Denver is a third-rate institution, especially weak in the humanities and liberal arts, and with practically no endowments." He did comment, however, that its underpaid Faculty resents favoritism toward athletes: "The athletes don't slide through this place. The Faculty is not anxious to do any favors or make any exceptions for campus heroes."
Denver's athletic director is Elton E. "Tad" Wieman, a highly respected former coach at Princeton (1932 to 1943) and a member of the Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1921 after election to Phi Beta Kappa and recognition on the All-America football team. He is regarded locally as an arch-conservative who abides by the letter of NCAA law--"an Ivy Leaguer at heart."
Noticeably conscientious and confident about his athletic policies, Wieman is candid and direct about DU's attitudes toward recruiting. "I defy anyone to find any instance in which we have played a Canadian in violation of NCAA or WCHA rulings," he said, noting that each year he sends the Denver hockey roster to the Central Registry in Montreal (which lists Canadian players) to check up on their amateur standings. He also sends the roster to all of DU's opponents so that they may question or investigate the eligibility of any players if they wish. "We want to make sure our players are not professionals," Wieman said.
OVER THE COUNTER
Unlike most of the Eastern colleges, but consistent with the policies of the majority of Western schools, Denver pursues an active over-the-counter recruiting program and awards players athletic Grant-in-Aid scholarships not necessarily based on need. Wieman explained that Coach Armstrong has a total of 26 hockey scholarships for freshmen and upperclassmen which cover tuition, fees, room and board (each worth about $1500 per year). Also, Armstrong gets $500 each year from a "Student Promotion Fund" to cover traveling expenses for an annual recruiting trip into Western Canada at the end of the season.
And Armstrong goes right up into the controversial Junior Amateur hockey leagues to recruit players. A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, the 45-year old Armstrong believes that "There is no question about it, the Canadian is a better hockey player than the American. He is on skates from the age of three, and because Canada has outdoor ice for a longer period of time than any other country except Russia, he naturally plays more hockey.
"Canadian schools don't have teams as we do; interscholastic athletics are not stressed. Instead, there are town teams and local hockey programs sponsored by civic-minded groups. Kids from the ages of eight to 13 play in the city park leagues; players up to age 16 play midget hockey; those up to age 18 play juvenile hockey; and those up to age 20 play Junior A. After that, players enter Senior Amateur, intermediate, or professional leagues, or go to college."
JUNIOR A TEAMS
Junior A teams are not just over-grown park league teams. Armstrong said that a single game can draw around 5,000 fans in Regina, 7,000 in Edmunton, and up to 8,000 in Winnipeg. Many players pass up juvenile hockey and begin playing Junior A at the age of 16, as did Denver's Captain Bill Masterton and most of his teammates.
One of the biggest question-marks about Junior A players is whether they get paid. Masterton admitted that many Junior A players do receive stipends, but maintained that he and the Denver players received money only for traveling expenses and room and board. Players coming into town from rural areas to play, as he did, get free room and board, Masterton said.