Coach's title dreams fulfilled

Comley stakes his claim in MSU history with long-awaited national championship

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Tweet MSU head coach Rick Comley walks around the concourse on occasion at an empty Munn Ice Arena, desiring to be a part of the rich history that former coaches Amo Bessone and Ron Mason built.

His attention focuses on the concourse walls. Comley stares back at the faces of hockey legends from long ago and even some of those he coached. He then approaches the photos of two national championship teams — a symbol of the program's successful past.

Since he was hired by Athletics Director and former hockey coach Ron Mason in 2002, Comley has desired to get his own national championship picture on the brick walls lining Munn Ice Arena.

On Monday at his year-end press conference, he sat before a platoon of media members armed with microphones, tape recorders and television cameras, holding the most precious cargo — the NCAA Championship trophy.

His place in MSU history has been confirmed. Soon, a third national championship picture will be added to the walls he has come to know so well.

His walk around the rink will never be the same.

It's been an eventful two days for Comley. Since Saturday night, he has received nonstop e-mails from former players, teammates, current coaches and even recruits. Friends from all over the country called to tell him they watched and that they were pulling for his Spartans.

Comley, 60, said former Spartan and current Alaska assistant coach Damon Whitten had the entire Alaska staff dressed in MSU shirts and hats as they watched the game.

At MSU, Comley received well-wishes from his counterparts, including volleyball head coach Cathy George, women's basketball head coach Joanne P. McCallie and football head coach Mark Dantonio.

Even Michigan hockey head coach Red Berenson called to wish Comley and the team good luck before they left for St. Louis.

Comley hasn't always received this respect.

Throughout his five years at MSU, he has been the subject of criticism from fans, whether it be on Internet message boards or elsewhere.

Still, Mason stuck with Comley, the person he hired to replace him.

"I'm thrilled for (Mason)," Comley said. "I think this is as much a win for him as it is for me in a lot of ways. He hired me. He's had all kinds of pressure to make a change again, to get rid of me. I'm sure he has. I don't think he's ever thought of it, but I think he's had constant contact.

"This is like the icing on the cake here for his career."

And now, Comley has vindication.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say there was some personal stuff," Comley said. "Even though I believe this is a program win more than an individual win, the last five years have not been easy. I try not to make a big deal of that, but I do have pride like everybody else."

This wasn't Comley's first national title. He won it in 1991 with Northern Michigan, a program he built from scratch. And although he invested most of his career developing that program, his championship at MSU is just as special.

He hopes to hang a fourth photograph on the Munn Ice Arena walls.

"The feeling for me is certainly every bit as good," Comley said. "I was younger then. Younger and with many, many great days ahead.

"Here, you're older, and you do wonder if it's going to happen again for you, and if it does, you want it to happen quickly again. My greatest hope is that this is not the last one."

Zack Colman can be reached at colmanz1@msu.edu.

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