You've heard the rumors.

Last year, the Harvard men's hockey team made the NCAA Final Four. This year, the Crimson will be lucky to make the ECAC Tournament.

You've seen the facts.

Last year, the Crimson had the most efficient power play in the ECAC. Harvard had the league's top goalie and second-leading scorer. This year, all five of the power players are gone. So are the goalie and the second-leading scorer.

You've witnessed the predicament.

This year, the starting goalie was injured in an exhibition game and has seen no action. The team is starting a host of freshmen and sophomores.

You've made the judgment.

The Crimson is a sad replica of what it once was. The Harvard whirlwind, which blew to three NCAA tournament appearances in the last three years, has run out of air.

You've made the decision.

You're going to spend your Friday and Saturday nights playing pinochle and writing long, introspective letters to your grandmother instead of making the trek to Bright Center. You're going to retire your Crimson pom-poms. You're going to save your cheers for next football season.

You've made a mistake.

The Crimson may not be as good as last year. Or the year before. Or the year before that. But good boys don't play hockey. They play pinochle with their grandmothers.

This year, the Crimson has been winning by being bad. No more fancy-pants skating. No more pretty two-on-one breakaways in which every pass is perfect. No more behind the net, slip it past the goalie while his head is turned, raise your stick and smile for the cameras.

This year, the Crimson is playing hockey the hard way. Guys are hanging out around the net, taking shots as cheap as J.C. Penney suits. Guys are pinning others guys to the boards and reading them their rights. Guys are going into the corners like there's gold buried there.

The Crimson may not be as good as it was last year, but it's badder. And badder may be better.