We played well, perhaps our best game of the tournament, though I'm sure we've all realized by now that it came just a little late. We were relaxed and confident -- the game had become fun, again. I heard some great things about the way you all handled the lead -- your pass totals were way up. It just didn't work out for us this year. In spite of our collective disappointment, I am always, and will remain proud of my association with all of you. You're the best, no matter the score or the outcome. Congratulations to New Canaan Country School -- good players, good coaches. They were the best team.

There are some sailors who don't work hard on their boats and gear, and I think it's because they are looking for excuses to lose. They may blow a series when a piece of gear breaks, or their sails or keel may not be just right. They can always blame their loss on their equipment. It may be that those guys really WANT to lose. But somebody like Lowell North or myself will be comfortable with himself only if he works hard on his equipment. A guy content with third because he can say that the top two crews won only because they worked harder is comfortable with himself. His self-image is that of a person who could be the best in the world 'if only'. Once you get to the point when you honestly feel that you have done everything within your power to win and have given yourself no excuse to lose, you're really going to be hard to beat. -- Dennis Connor