James Metzger - Everything I ever needed to know about business I learned on the sports field

Quinnipiac Broke The Ice
Jun 02, 2013Posted by james

College hoopla each spring embraces basketball. For several weeks, NCAA March Madness consumes the sports world as 64 schools battle for the national championship.

Simultaneously, another college sport goes through the same paces but with fewer teams (16), less media coverage and less fanfare. In the hockey world, though, the final tournament of the year – known as the NCAA Frozen Four – always displays top talent, some of which finds its way into the National Hockey League days after the championship game.

Over the years, teams from Massachusetts, Minnesota, South Dakota and Michigan have dominated the game and the tournament. But this year, the finals pitted two teams from Connecticut – Yale University versus Quinnipiac University.

Early in the season, the Quinnipiac Bobcats were a long shot to play in the championship game. The team was disjointed and players were selfish on the ice. The won-lost record reflected the players’ lack of commitment to play a team system.

Suddenly, many of the players decided to summon what they called Muzzy Power – a special ability derived from donning mustaches!

As players started sprouting upper lip bristles in November, the team started to win games. The streak continued into December and then January. Muzzy Power was credited for fortunate goals, lucky wins and timely breaks. The change of face also happened to occur when the players began to embrace Coach Rand Pecknold’s up-tempo game and to support each other on the ice.

Even goalie Eric Hartzell, an undisciplined player, became a dedicated teammate. Earlier in his college career, he would arrive late for team meetings. He also let in bad goals and he allowed every goal – good and bad – to bother him. But all this changed, too.

Unlike his teammates, his power did not come from a moustache. Instead, before the season, he read a book (“How Full Is Your Bucket?”) that explained how to increase positive moments while reducing negative situations. One passage, “The Biology of Belief,” unleashed the power of consciousness, matter and miracles, and it taught Hartzell to respond positively whenever he failed to stop the puck.

Whether it was Muzzy Power, “The Biology of Belief,” or the collective decision to listen to their coach, the Bobcats continued to win until they found themselves in the finals of the Frozen Four. Unfortunately, Quinnipiac lost to Yale in that final game. Now, as they think about the new season, players must decide if they should focus on the magic of mustaches, read the bucket book, or play a team game.