This week there was a startling discovery in 2014 College Hockey Update Pool Winner Erin Toohey’s hasty move out of the country.  A handwritten letter was found among her belongings marked “College Hockey Update.”  We provide the text of this letter:

Dear College Hockey Update:  I have decided to leave the country and forgo the pageantry of the awards ceremony for the prestigious 2014 College Hockey Update Pool Prize.  My reason for doing so is simple:  There is so, so much attention garnered by the winner of this Pool and prize, and I am eschewing this limelight intentionally.  I am on to a brilliant future on my own merits, and I do not want people talking, saying things such as, “Oh, she was really given that opportunity because of her fame from winning the College Hockey Update Pool.”  I mean look at what happened to Nick Cruz, last year’s winner.  His every move was monitored by the paparazzi, there was the never ending “Nick Watch” on all the social media, especially Twitter, and then there were all the TV appearances — The Tonight Show, The Late Show, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Conan, The View, and so on.  And look where Nick is today.  He has an awesome job with a Chinese hi-tech company, he is fluent in Chinese, and his future is so bright he has to wear shades.  Now I know that this all happened because of Nick’s talent and skills, having trained to be a cage fighter and all, but there are always going to be some people in the background, whispering that this only happened for him because of the notoriety from winning the College Hockey Update pool.  Besides, I don’t want all the pressure Nick endured from the paparazzi and the media — I’m a fairly private and low-key young woman, and I don’t want my life interrupted like that.  It’s amazing Nick handled it all so well; I just want to go on living my life.  After all, I’m born free, as free as the wind blows, as free as the grass grows, born free to follow my heart.  I will return probably in about a year to collect my prize; so safeguard it for me until then.

Please feel free to photograph it and post the pictures, as I know that all concerned will want to feast their envious eyes on my prize.  I will enter the pool again next year, and I can only say to all — watch out, Erin’s coming back.  Sincerely, Erin Toohey

In a telephone interview today after reading the text of the letter, Don Slaughter, Erin’s Godfather, said, “Oh yes, she’s a very, very special and capable young woman.”

So, with Erin’s permission, we present these photos of Erin’s coveted College Hockey Update Pool Prize, modeled by the 2008 winner, Mike Shymanski.  Remember, the only way you can get one of your own is to enter next year’s pool (and win, of course).

That’s all for now.  Stay tuned, and go Terriers!

— Tom