They'd be in Florida for meetings, sitting around in shorts and chatting, when Ron Mason would rise.
The room instantly quieted.
Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill was a young assistant at Ferris State at the time. Mason was the head coach of the Michigan State hockey team.
"Coach Mason had unbelievable control of the room," Blashill told the Free Press today.
Mason died Sunday night, aged 76. He was the winningest coach in college hockey history when he retired from coaching in 2002, with 924 victories over 36 seasons at Lake Superior State, Bowling Green and MSU.