I could not in good conscience leave you, constant reader, without at least giving you some idea of the vast number of editorial topics I wanted to write about but didn’t. So here it is, the last hurrah – Custer’s last stand, my final rant: A partial list of things I wanted to write editorials about but didn’t:

People who slam their doors in dormitories and why they should be clubbed. And I don’t mean they should go clubbing at the Ultra Lounge, either. I mean like baby seal clubbing.

A general query as to why the Fogler library is kept at approximately 900 billion degrees Fahrenheit all winter and well into the spring.

York Commons and why they are open at three o’clock in the afternoon when there is no food available for consumption. This particular piece was actually written in the fall of 2006 but never published, for reasons which I have not committed to memory. Get off my back.

The reactions of some people to the Virginia Tech shooting, wherein they said they wanted to protest the candlelight vigil. In particular, why those people are gunkies.

The construction of Wells Commons right outside my window, how loud it is and why the construction guy with the bumper sticker reading “Real Men Love Jesus” makes me a little uncomfortable. This piece would likely have included, for no particular reason at all, my former history professor’s explanation of Christ’s dual nature as both fully divine and fully human, which utilized Kool-Aid as a metaphor, in possibly the best theological discussion I’ve ever had.

Overweight people, like myself, and why they shouldn’t wear form-fitting clothes. If anyone feels this subject needs further elaboration, it’s because they’re overweight. If you are still confused on this subject, I advise you to read the preceding two sentences a second or third time, as necessary.

On the subject of clothing, I was tempted on occasion to write about people who go to the commons/class/sporting events/social functions/graduations/weddings/funerals wearing pajama pants and a poofy coat in place of actual clothing. More specifically, how individuals who do that would have been unflatteringly compared to literary figures like the white trash family from “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Coffee, and why it is the best thing in the world. A follow-up piece explaining why blueberry muffins are an extremely close second might also have been included. This piece might have also defended my longstanding opinion that properly prepared blueberry muffins are better than sex.

Why I am generally a bad person for laughing at the misfortune of others. In particular, why I feel exceptionally bad about laughing at someone who fell off of a bike on the mall recently.

Why Eric Clapton is better than Jimi Hendrix.

An in-depth explanation of my dislike for the French language, culture and films. I just don’t think I’m pretentious enough to like anything French.

A short piece on why a brick would be a better president than either George W. Bush or John Kerry. Theoretically, this piece would have been published during the 2004 campaign. A possible piece on why a small puddle of yellowish brown liquid would make a better president than Hillary Clinton might also have been conjured up.

And so on and so forth.

Brian Sylvester, who is a Bronze God among mere mortals, will miss writing his own bylines.

Outing Club President David Ridill accepted the award on behalf of the Outing Club’s 57-year trail maintenance and volunteering service at the annual Maine Appalachian Trail Club meeting held at UMaine.

“This award shows our hard work and dedication to Appalachian Trail is both recognized and appreciated among trail overseers and hikers,” said Outing Club member Seth Bickford.

“It’s great to see the Outing Club carrying out its tradition of what’s been laid out before us,” Ridill said.

Past members of the Outing Club present during the acceptance included Bob Dunlap, who was the first member of the Maine Outing Club and was president in the 1940s. Ridill said there was an array of current and past members in attendance.

“I think all the Maine Outing Club officers and members that attended that ceremony have a better understanding of how much history exists in our club and how important our service on the AT is,” said Outing Club member Robbie Goodwin.

The outing club has proudly maintained a 10-mile section of the Appalachian Trail near Moxie Bald Mountain for more than 50 years.

The Outing Club volunteer projects on the trail include clearing blown down trees, cutting back brush and maintaining and installing water bars along the trail.

“I really enjoy this work because it is an excellent opportunity to give back to the hiking community; it’s also a great chance to get outside, get some exercise and meet new people,” said Bickford.

The club typically travels twice a year – in the fall and the spring – to maintain its portion of the trail. The spring, in general, is a time to clear debris and maintain and install water bogs along the trail, while the fall is spent maintaining the section after the busy summer season.

“We are one of only two, maybe three, university organizations in Maine that currently maintains a section of the trail,” Bickford said.

“We do feel that we can keep up with any professional crew that goes in there, which is pretty cool,” Ridill said, adding, “We do quite a bit of work.”

The trips are some of the largest the club has each year, gathering around 20 to 30 volunteers on the Appalachian Trail each time.

“It’s good to see that students in the Outing Club still care and have respect for the Appalachian Trail and it shows in their volunteering and commitment,” Ridill said.

The Outing Club is completely student run. Trips are organized every weekend and range from hiking to canoeing to winter camping. Membership for the Outing Club is $15 per year. Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays in Memorial Union at 7:30 p.m.

“I feel as though our club has a great balance between service to the outdoor community and promoting enjoyment in the outdoors,” Goodwin said.

At 1:22 a.m. on April 27, an officer was dispatched to Orchard Trails on a report of theft. A female tenant had been cleaning her apartment and had heard voices coming from her bedroom. When she checked, she found her window open and her laptop missing. The police are still looking for suspects, and if anyone has any information about the theft, they are asked to please contact the Orono Police Department.

Probation Violation Arrest

At 1:45 a.m. on April 27, officers were dispatched to Orchard Trails Building 6 for a noise complaint. When the officers arrived, they could hear a party and smelled burnt marijuana. As they approached the apartment, the door opened and quickly slammed shut, pushing out an even stronger smell of marijuana. A female came to the door when the officers knocked. As she opened the door, the officers could see empty beer cans and bottles on the floor and could again smell the marijuana. The female was identified as Mallory Zwerdling, 20. While talking with Zwerdling, the officers ran a warrant check on her. They found that she was on probation and had to submit to being searched without reason as part of her bail conditions. The officers searched her apartment and found the marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Zwerdling was arrested on violation of probation set by her bail conditions. She was also summonsed for illegal possession of liquor by a minor.

Nice Try

At 6:09 p.m. on April 20, an officer was dispatched to Thriftway for investigation of an attempted purchase of liquor by a minor. When the alcohol was denied to the young male, he left his ID and left the establishment. When located, Thomas Keefe, 19, said that he was told by a friend that Thriftway never checked ID for purchases and that is why he attempted to purchase the alcohol. Keefe was summonsed for attempting to purchase liquor as a minor.

Thriftway Again

At 9:36 p.m. on April 21, an officer observing Thriftway watched a small car pull into the parking lot. The driver was a young-looking female. The passenger got out and went into the store. When the passenger approached the counter, the officer could clearly see that the person was purchasing alcohol. When the car pulled out of the parking lot, the officer pulled it over on suspicion of illegal transportation of alcohol. The driver was identified as Kelli Hutchinson, 20, and was asked if she knew why she had been pulled over. Hutchinson was summonsed for illegal transportation of liquor by a minor.

Thriftway the Third

At 11:05 p.m. on April 21, an officer watching Thriftway observed a young male driver pull into the parking lot. The passenger got out and purchased a case of beer. He came back outside and put the beer into the trunk of the car. The officer pulled the car over on Park Street on suspicion of illegal transportation of alcohol. The driver was identified as Michael Brown, 20. While the officer was searching for more liquor, he found marijuana, brass knuckles and drug paraphernalia in the center section armrest. Brown was summonsed for illegal transportation of liquor by a minor. He was also summonsed for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Keep it Down

Nolan Boike, 22, was issued a disorderly conduct warning on April 21 at 11:14 p.m., for a noise complaint at Orchard Trails Building 6. An officer had been dispatched due to a noise complaint about a loud party.

Disorderly Conduct

Pierre Mathieu, 20, and Tyler Giberson, 19, were issued disorderly conduct warnings on April 21 at 11:26 p.m., for a noise complaint at Orchard Trails Building 11.

Noise Complaint that Didn’t Take Place at Orchard Trails

Fernando Marin, 26, and Daren Stone, 21, were issued disorderly conduct warnings on April 23 at 10:07 p.m., for a noise complaint at Washburn Place. The officer responded to information that there was loud music in a parking lot. When the officer arrived, he found Marin and Stone next to a vehicle with the radio playing loudly.

That’s More Like It

Celeste Clark, 19, Megan Barret, 20 and Erin Kelly, 19, were issued disorderly conduct warnings on April 27 at 11:30 p.m., for a noise complaint at Orchard Trails Building 1. The officers responded to a complaint of loud music and could hear the music and loud voices immediately upon entrance to the building.

The Maine Campus strives to produce an accurate newspaper. To report an error, e-mail Matthew Conyers at eic@mainecampus.com.

According to town planner Evan Richert, the proposal is an attempt to find a middle ground between the needs of residents and the preservation of the existing housing.

“I think the biggest factor in the decision will be whether the town council believes a good balance has been reached between providing for needed rental housing in Orono and protecting the character of existing neighborhoods,” Richert said.

The draft of the proposal calls for establishing a rental registration program so the town can get accurate information on the number of rental units and number of persons per rental, as well as for establishing a landlord section of the Town Committee to improve communications and to help address problem properties.

Explicit provisions are outlined for non-traditional families. The registration program will not ask for names or information about tenants.

In the proposal, landlords would be given strict requirements on new properties to comply with Maine’s Life Safety Code. The code requires sprinkler systems for units with more than three unrelated tenants.

Under the proposal, existing properties would need adequate trash receptacles and enough parking spaces for residents.

According to town manager Cathy Conlow, the provision is “an acknowledgement that in the past 10 years, we’ve gone from a society where college kids necessarily didn’t have cars to one where every household has two to three cars.”

“Our goal is to create an environment that is safe and healthy for students, townspeople and everyone around,” Conlow said.

Orono landlord Scott Thomas said the timing was evidence that the council plans to discuss the proposal while many students are away.

“I can almost guarantee you that there will be a new ordinance when [students] get back in the fall,” Thomas said.

“I don’t know that’s the intent at all,” Conlow said. She said the council would be “sensitive to the student issue,” and that public debate over the proposed ordinance may wait until the fall.

Conlow also made it clear that the most important thing was coming to a reasonable agreement with students and landlords.

“I want to make it clear we are looking to make it comfortable with everyone and to cooperate with students and landlords to come to an agreement,” Conlow said. “We need to start working with landlords and students and everyone in the community to develop ordinances and to work together to make this a good place for students to live.”

Pattie Barry and Tony Reaves contributed to this report.

The first play, “The Frog Prince,” began with an ostentatious prince seeking flowers for his beloved. In a predictable change of events, the prince, played by Joshua Davis, turns into a frog, sending his life into despair.

While the prince eventually regained his original form, the play, deviating from the children’s tale, concluded with an underlying mood of ambivalence. Emily Duncan, the student director of the play, was intrigued for this reason, stating, “In a world where so many children’s plays are mindless fluff, it was exciting to find one so brilliantly written and one which forces the audience to draw its own conclusions.”

“A Modest Proposal,” a controversial satire originally written by Jonathon Swift, was uniquely adapted onto the stage by student director Joe Mitchell. With the use of strobe lights, Mitchell stunningly recreated the act of baby decapitation found in the original. Powerful red lights were cast on the characters’ faces as they brought the harsh words of Swift into an intense reality.

The third play, “The Hawk’s Well,” directed by UMaine graduate student Angela Khorll, reinterpreted William Butler Yeats’ play into a contemporary piano-bar-casino-lounge setting. What was formerly a blazing pile of twigs on a mountainside interestingly became a burning cigar at a gambling table. Through various interpretive twists, Khorll was able to maintain the original essence of Yeats while adding a quite relatable element of modernity.

“Oedi,” the fourth play of the evening, hilariously lampooned the original story of “Oedipus” by Sophocles. Oedipus, played by Nathan Rumney, discovered his ghastly past of murdering his father and marrying his mother. After contemplating gouging out his eyes and castrating himself, Oedipus finally decided to blame the gods for his incest to live happily ever after with his wife-mother.

The final play, “Krapp’s Last Tape,” centered around the lonely retirement of a dreary old man played by Allen Adams. He thumbed over the audio recordings of his youth and was flooded with emotions, ultimately filled with a sense of futility. As Tom Sagona, student director, commented on the universality of the play, “It is a journey of discovery that everyone can relate to in their own way.”

The Upperdog Showcase was insightful and entertaining, a glimpse into what students are producing and what they want to communicate.

Drake set the mood early, dimming the lights in the North Pod of Memorial Union and adding the sweet sound of the once-loved synthesizer. The voices of Billy Joel and Phil Collins wafted through the air as they sang about not starting fires and feeling it in the air, tunes we’ve all heard and sung aloud when alone in the car.

During Drake’s introduction, it was pointed out that he was a five-time winner of “Best Lecturer Award” by the National Association for Campus Activities. The introduction went so far as to call Drake “a walking encyclopedia of Rock and Roll.” He certainly lived up to that title as far as 80s music is concerned.

Barry Drake showcased his knowledge of 80s music for the next hour and a half. It should be noted that Drake is a gregarious gentleman who could place at least third in any decent Woody Allen impersonation contest. His affinity and appreciation for 80s hits was clear, seeing as he is, perhaps, the only person in the continental United States that has bobbed along and lip-synched to artists such as Grand Master Flash, Madonna and Metallica in a single sitting.

The show began with Drake playing a short parody about a “ready-made” 80s rock persona kit, complete with long blond wig and tight, acid-washed jeans. Drake then began his lecture, citing the beginning of 80s music with the election of Ronald Regan and the death of John Lennon.

Evoking only a minimal amount of sarcasm, Drake led us on an honest and impassioned journey through the decade that “may go down as the most flamboyant era in music.” For those of us who may have been too young to fully remember the nuances of the 80s, Drake pointed out how the advent of MTV and later VH1 provided a whole new means of experiencing music – shifting the context of musical performances from our ears to our eyes. It was the first era where image “mattered” in rock and roll.

He broke down 10 years of music into a simple explanation of the various genres coexisting in the 80s. He spoke about topics from new wave to heavy metal and hair bands, pop to rap and hip-hop, showing clips of music videos and interviews with the more commercially successful artists.

Blake wound down his lecture by explaining how music appeared to lose its way at the end of the decade. Music listeners became dissatisfied with groups such as The New Kids on the Block, M.C. Hammer, Vanilla Ice and eventually the international scandal caused by the now infamous duo Milli Vanilli that resulted in the only Grammy Award ever revoked. Due to the overall discontent in the music industry, alternative rock was brought mainstream, as shown by the success of bands such as Nirvana – but that’s a whole different lecture.

“The music of the 80s wasn’t that bad and it’s the roots of today’s music. Now, we’re all cut loose,” he explained, pointing out how many musical choices we have today.

“I want to give [students] a basis to fall back on,” Drake said of his motives for the lectures. “If you like something, find their influences. Keep chasing it until you’re done!”

In an effort to be more like the DJs of Drake’s youth, he wants to educate people in what music is today and where it came from. If you don’t like what mainstream music is now, “screw it,” Drake said, “Find something you love and dive into it for the next five years.”

As the room filled with artificial light and the words of Billy Ocean singing about his Caribbean Queen, students made their way toward the doors of the Union with the unmistakable dance of torso wiggling, arm flailing and minimal foot movement. Although the 80s may be “the most flamboyant era in music,” it seems to have no trouble producing smiles and laughter.

The Maine Channel has been around for awhile, but has really started to pick up steam thanks to its new funding and the direction of outgoing executive Andrew Eldridge and student staff. Delivering classic student-produced shows like John Enkosky and Travis Bourassa’s “Mouthguard,” likely the only debate-slash-boxing program on television, is just one strength of the channel. However, it has exceeded expectations with its foray into hosting the first of what will hopefully be many Maine Channel Film Festivals. This year’s films ran the gamut of topics and genres. It also introduced the University of Maine to “Dragonshirts,” which should pick up where “Mouthguard” left off as an outlet for comedy at UMaine.

River City Cinema

It sometimes seems the only way to see quality foreign or independent films is a Netflix subscription and a wide-screen laptop. River City Cinema is a film society of sorts, with a rotating venue always within driving distance of the University. It has been the one outlet besides Camden for UMaine students to have access to films that fall outside the mainstream. Bringing films like “Jesus Camp” and “Pan’s Labyrinth” to the area gives moviegoers a chance to enjoy controversy and innovation with their popcorn. This summer, the group will host an annual outdoor film festival in Pickering Square.

Magdalen Hsu-Li at Java Jive

Campus Activities Board brews a rich evening of music every Tuesday night at Java Jive and, alongside The Project, has featured a whole range of great guest performers. The most memorable, however, was Magdalen Hsu-Li, an inspirational singer-songwriter who appeared as part of Pride Week. Armed with her guitar, a piano and percussionist, Hsu-Li offered her thoughts about racial diversity, sexuality and politics while singing about changing the world. She was a truly animated performer, at times venting her passion by clanging on her piano with both hands and feet, providing an unforgettable ending.

Kickin’ Flicks

Old Town’s Spotlight Cinemas occasionally has weekly cheap ticket days, true, but no theater could compare with Kickin’ Flicks. The Campus Activities Board showcased a record-breaking amount of awesome movies worth taking the walk to DPC 100. Barely a week went by without a great film being shown for free on campus. The flicks included the fantastic Supremes-inspired musical “Dreamgirls,” Will Smith’s “The Pursuit of Happyness,” the triumphant return to the James Bond series with “Casino Royale,” Martin Scorsese’s untouchable “The Departed,” the imaginative “Stranger Than Fiction” and the exciting, twisty Christopher Nolan film, “The Prestige.” CAB was faultless in making sure there was something for everyone, even including the kiddie-oriented “Happy Feet” and incorporating a new student vote for the final film, which ended up being the superb “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

Concert Day Cafe

Many students had the University of Maine’s spring entertainment written off as a no-show after Bumstock went out with a whimper last year. Fortunately, the outdoor Concert Cafe and an evening show with enjoyable headliners Rusted Root, accompanied by ample opening act Strangefolk, saved the day. Rusted Root was an engaging, crowd-pleasing group and the day in general left a better taste in the mouth than the travesty-filled Bumstocks in recent years past. All-in-all, Student Entertainment did a noteworthy job this year, bringing three different, semi-well-known groups: Guster, Dashboard Confessional and Rusted Root. Musical entertainment at UMaine was in a rebuilding year after the loss of Bumstock and it had a promising start.

International Dance Festival

Organized by the International Student Association, the International Dance Festival at the MCA – “an evening of dance from around the world.” Completely student organized, the production was a success due to the dedication and hard work from the performers and festival committee. It was a stunning mixture of musical culture. The festival included “The White Lotus” Vietnamese traditional dance, “African Connection,” belly dancing, hip-hop, a Latino mix, sizzling chemistry in “The Wild Rose” tango and finished on a spectacular Bollywood-style Indian wedding dance. It was a fantastic celebration of the culture and diversity present on campus.

Diavolo

L.A.-based dance company Diavolo brought amazing acrobatics to the Maine Center for the Arts in January and it was, by far, the most ambitious and spectacular performance to grace the stage this semester. The team’s amazing use of space and unusual props – a collection of doors in one piece, a pinball-reminiscent board in another – was combined effectively with their technical precision and athletics, all set to a cool mix of music. The show culminated in a stunning finale in which a boat-like contraption served as a platform for breathtaking leaps and dives by the performers. While other dance productions this spring have impressed, Diavolo shines brightest as the most dramatic and creative dance routine to visit the university.

1800s Sea Monster

The university has a built-in support system for high-quality acoustic acts, thanks to Java Jive’s “The Project,” every Tuesday in Memorial Union. But you’d be forgiven for wanting to rock out from time to time. Bangor-based band 1800s Sea Monster may be a bunch of high school kids, but they are still one of the best acts to see for UMaine students. They have records at Bull Moose Music in Bangor, with a sound that is reminiscent of bands like Wolf Parade and The Arcade Fire. The quality of their live act – a roaring, deafening explosion of sound, stage design, lights and balloons is as fun as rock can get. Their show at the Keith Anderson Community Building over spring break was one of the most memorable events of the semester. If you haven’t seen them yet, you still have a chance, as the band returns to the Keith Anderson Building on Friday, May 5 at 7 p.m., alongside four other indie-rock acts. Admission is $5.

Music of Iosif Andriasov

Anatole Wieck, Victor Romansevich and Arshak Andriasov

7:30 p.m.

Monday, April 30

Minsky Recital Hall

Broadway Nights

7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 2

Minsky Recital Hall

Maine Steiners and Renaissance Spring Show

7 p.m.

Friday, May 4

MCA

Indie Rock Show

With 1800s Sea Monster, The Rattlesnakes, The 500s, Wood Burning Cat and Rotundo Sealeg

7 p.m.

Saturday, May 5

Keith Anderson Community Building

$5

DANCE

Dance Showcase

7:30 p.m.

Friday & Saturday, May 4 & 5

Hauck Auditorium

EVENTS

Farmers’ Market

8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saturday, May 5

Steam Plant Parking Lot

MAINE DAY

Maine Day

8 a.m.

Wednesday, May 2

Maine Day Picnic

11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesday, May 2

Steam Plant Lot

Maine Day Paintball Tournament

12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, May 2

University Dock and Picnic Area

ART

Juried Student Art Exhibition

Exhibition opens 8 a.m. weekdays

Through Friday, May 4

Lord Hall

“The Innocent”

Photographer Rebecca McCall

8 a.m.

Through Monday, May 28

MCA and Hudson Museum

“Borrowed Art”

Ongoing Exhibition

Colvin Hall

This is the final issue of The Maine Campus for the spring 2007 semester. Thank you for a great year!

You see, this is my swan song. Some people – I’m looking at you, Bananas fans – will be thrilled to know that I’m graduating and won’t be sports czar here at The Maine Campus next year. Hopefully, there’s at least one dear reader out there who will miss seeing this byline, though I’m not holding my breath.

As a sports reporter at UMaine, I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows imaginable. First and foremost, I’m a Black Bears fan, and I hope that showed in these pages. I tried to convey the emotion of it from the fans’ perspective. If you think that I’m not impartial or fair and balanced because of it, just Google “I still root” plus “Bob Ryan” and hopefully you’ll catch my drift.

All this would have been impossible without a lot of people that deserve formal thanks in print. At the Campus, I want to thank every person who ever wrote a story for me in these pages – without a great staff, this section would not have been what it is.

I would be remiss not to take a few inches to thank Matthew Conyers personally. As an editor he gave me the chance to apply my vision to the sports page. More importantly, he has been a first rate reporter, confidant, sounding board, foil and friend.

There are a lot of people in the UMaine athletic department who deserve thanks as well. I must thank volleyball coach Lynn Atherley, the first coach I interviewed at UMaine. Her candid responses and respect when I was a nervous cub reporter gave me the confidence to be the writer I’ve become since.

To coaches Ted Woodward and Jack Cosgrove I am especially grateful. Their players were always honest, open and gentlemenly; that is as much a reflection on the student athletes as it is on those coaches and the programs they run.

But enough of the sentimental stuff. I mentioned earlier that I’ve had some great highs and awful lows as a reporter and fan here at UMaine. I’ve been a jinx of sorts, because the games I’ve traveled to outside of Orono haven’t always resulted in wins. In fact, the Black Bears are 10-16-1 in those games, including 3-6 in playoff games. Still, there have been some big wins. The following is a list of my top three best – and worst -moments of the last three years.

The Best: No. 1 – UMaine 2, Massachusetts 1, 2004 Hockey East championship: What can you say besides Jimmy Howard played like Jesus in a goalie mask. This triple-overtime affair from my freshman year started my career with unbelievable expectations and has never been topped. In fact, it might never be topped by any sporting event in my life since my friends and I got on the Fleetcenter jumbotron going bonkers after Ben Murphy’s game-winner. Words don’t do this game justice.

No. 2 – UMaine 9, Mississippi State 7: I have to put a football game here, and this is the biggest win in program history, nevermind the last four years. I was at a trading card convention in Boston the night this game was played and I distinctly remember checking the score on my cell phone. At the end of the first half, I was thinking being down 7-0 wasn’t so bad. Next thing I knew it was the fourth quarter and the Black Bears had pulled ahead, and finished the miracle victory. The rest of that season was pretty disappointing by comparison, but nevertheless, this monumental win endures.

No. 3 – UMaine 3, Massachusetts 1, 2007 NCAA East Regional Championship: It was hard to choose between this game and the 2006 regional final against Michigan State. It was also hard to pick another hockey game, but frankly, no other sport ever really delivered in a big game. This game was a stick-it, in-your-face emotional affair after the Minutemen broomed the Black Bears two weeks prior. If they’d lost, this game might’ve been No. 1 on the worst losses list because I couldn’t stomach UMass stealing UMaine’s Frozen Four berth.

Honorable mention: Men’s hockey sweeps over Denver and North Dakota, Frozen Four win over Boston College; Football’s overtime win over Rhode Island in 2005 and win over Towson in 2006; men’s basketball’s win over Vermont in 2007.

The worst: No. 1 – UMass 10, UMaine 9, Nov. 2006: UMaine missed an extra point that would’ve tied the game not once, but twice because of a penalty. What’s worse is that it killed a legit shot at the Atlantic 10 title and a playoff spot. The look on Ron Whitcomb’s face in the press conference had my stomach in knots for three days. This is the ultimate, “you have to be kidding me” stomach-punch loss of my career.

No. 2 – Minnesota 1, UMaine 0, 2005 NCAA West Regional Semifinal: Howard made about 500 saves in his last two college games and still lost. I know the Gophers were a vastly superior team, but it never hit me because the Black Bears had Jimmy and who could score on him? Darn near no one, but you can’t win a playoff game 0-0.

No. 3 – UMBC 70, UMaine 61, 2007 America East tournament: A tough loss for the men’s hoops team squeaks in at the third spot. The Retrievers scored the last 10 points of the game in the final minutes as the Black Bears pried defeat from the jaws of victory. It ended the Kevin Reed era in disappointing fashion and closed out a season full of promise at least one game earlier than it should have. Just a bitter pill to swallow in the big picture of the 2006-07 basketball season.

Dishonorable mention: Hockey: Denver 1, UMaine 0, 2004 National Championship; Boston College 2, UMaine 1, 2005 Hockey East semifinal; any loss to UMass. Football: UMass 35, UMaine 34, 2004; UNH 19, UMaine 13, 2006.