Shattered Dreams! Broken Promises! Kan(not) Do it Attitude!

When the San Jose Sharks lost the second round series of NHL Playoffs last year to Edmonton (4-2) after leading 2-0, we consoled ourselves. Edmonton Oilers took some cheap shots, played dirty and our Lady Byng award nominee Patrick Marleau and his crew were a little too small, a little immature and not ready for big time yet.

We waited for Doug Wilson to show his can do attitude punctuated by a really sharp and effective coach in Ron Wilson. While Ron was tightening the loose strings, Doug provided the likes of Mike Grier (a great penalty killer and an effective short-handed goal scorer) during the summer. Season started and Sharks seemed to be doing reasonably well and hopes were rising high. After all, this was the youngest, fastest and biggest team in the NHL. With a prolific goal-scorer (Jonathan Cheechoo) and a great play-maker (Joe Thornton) playing on a team that could proudly roll 4-lines back to back having superb goal-tending who was there to stop Sharks from going all the way. To strengthen the defense Doug brought Craig Rivet, and as the final piece of the puzzle came the center Bill Guerin just before the trade-deadline expired. Awesome! I kept recording the matches and as much as my wife would hate it watched the games late at night while still trying to finish off the homework and reading. I kept saying to myself, "We are going to have a party in the downtown and I will finally, after almost a decade of following like crazy, be able to say SJ Sharks has won a Stanley Cup."

Sharks did not enter the playoffs with the bang that I had hoped for, yet it was a reasonable 5th spot (in a total of 8) in the Western Conference. Darn! We meet those (Nashville) Predators (4th seed) again. But hey, we had whipped them last year and it should not be that difficult this time around either. Although Preds did get Foresberg, Sharks almost steam rolled them. The Shrek look-alike coach of Nashville should gracefully quit and go somewhere else (hint: Ogres live in a swamp!).

Unfortunately for the Sharks fans, the history was to repeat itself. The good win and momentum built over Preds series was squandered away in no time. A good start by winning against Detroit Red Wings (a formidable opponent) in their building allowed Sharks to get a head-start. Yet, Sharks' inability to close out during critical moments, lack of concentration, lack of stepping up to the plate allowed Detroit Red Wings to take the critical 4th game in San Jose and get leveled (2-2) in a series that had no place for lapses. [Whoever threw that dead shark on the ice that night, you should find the nearest and deepest spot somewhere in the Pacific Ocean and jump into the cold water!]

There wasn't a whole lot after that 4th game - either in the Sharks' legs, spirits, or in the series. Sharks went on to lose 4-2 in San Jose within days of that 4th game and called it a year that could have been...

When the year started, we had great hopes, lots of dreams. Alas! All of it turned out to be more of a hype than real guts! Sharks have a long way to go, the question is what would it need to turn the Kan(not) do mentality around?

I believe the answer is simple - "hunger for touching/holding the Lord Stanley's Cup!"

Will it be 2008? Let's at least hope for that...

PS: Good Luck to Ottawa! I hope they can bring the glory back to the town that started this all and in the meantime - have roasted Ducks for lunch!

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What am I going to do about the SCU Career Management Center?

SCU's Career Management Center issue has come up time and again on the public yahoogroups. It is apparent that we need to resolve this issue ASAP. Before I enlist a few initiatives I will undertake to improve Career Management Center services if elected, allow me to emphasize that there is a distinction between career management and job placement.

Currently, GBP focuses on offering Career Management and not necessarily job-placement. Given the part-time nature of the programs and with most of the student population gainfully employed, GBP has chosen and tailored its offering to provide career management. Having said that, I understand that Career Fairs have not been as effective as students would like for them to be and I promise to work towards improving them and making them more relevant by getting more Bay Area employers. I would work with GBP to look at ways of doing effective marketing to the employers. And I would also like to invite active participation from the student community.

Some of the other initiatives I would like to undertake as the INC Chairperson on this issue:

1) Align Career Management Center and Student objectives and expectations

2) Work with Career Management Center to change the types of events that get hosted. Have more of consultants and/or speaking engagements to address topics related to managing careers, stress management, and panel events on careers in venture capital, consulting, etc.

3) Improve Career Management Center outreach to various employers and add sectors like biotechnology/pharmaceuticals, banking, consulting, venture capital, and private equity

4) Improve the communication between students and Career Management Center for constant feedback

5) Streamline existing job notifications which are sent mostly via emails

While we can do all of this to enhance the Career Management Center offerings, it is important for folks to make use of what is being offered. Make use of Career Management Center, take career management counseling and please don't just go once, go as many times as you need to ensure you are getting what you need. If you are not satisfied, let someone know. If you are not comfortable talking directly to the administration, find the INC President (don't forget to vote for me), or a Network President, or a GSAC representative and get it to their attention. It will create the necessary feedback loop to further improve and enhance.

Should you have further questions or comments, please feel free to email.

-Neeraj (Candidate for INC Chairperson)

PS: Voting starts next week, please take out a few minutes and vote.