An English concentrator on his way into advertising. A sociology concentrator aiming for a career in communications.

OK, so they're not exactly TV-38's Fred Cusick and Derrick Sanderson, but they are Harvard Hockey's own broadcasting duo.

For the past two years, seniors lan Stern and Dave Mainen have been the voices behind Crimson hockey, bringing every win, and loss, to the Harvard faithful.

"There's nothing like the dead silence in the gym after a win on the road," Stern says. "But driving home after a loss is almost worse than the loss itself."

"There's nothing like calling an overtime win," Mainen adds. "And calling goals--what a rush."

Yet radio does have its drawback. Stern and Mainen are forced to make sacrifices many Harvard fans would be unwilling and unable to make, such as not being able to root for the team.

"The things we miss most when we do radio is that you can't be a fan," Mainen says.

"You can't cheer, you can't root, and you can't curse--being from New York, that's a big part of my rooting style." Stern adds. "That's why we make so much noise when we do score a goal."

With a 43-10-6 mark since they've been on the air, they've certainly had many opportunities to do that during their careers. But two years of radio have given the broadcasters a different take on hockey games.

"It's interesting that we don't consider [this year's] Beanpot as bit a deal the players do," Mainen says. "The game that stands out most in my mind was the loss to Northern Michigan in the NCAA's last year. Tracy made three saves in a row before someone popped one over his head. I still remember the image of him dejected, shoulder slumped, while the other guy had his arms in the air."

But how did they rinkside in the first place? How have a New Yorker who can't skate and a native Minnesotan who never played hockey before attending Harvard become before attending Harvard become the eyes for one of Harvard's most prestigious sports?

Stern began working at WHRB in 1990 as a sophomore after a brief stint as a sorts editor for the Crimson.

"My roommate [Joe Moss] and I listened to the games," Stern says.

"They were good, but we thought, 'We can do better than this."

"We comped and got on. There were no upperclassmen, so we got all the air time with no practice tapes."