>>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

[LtPowers]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Yes. RMU is in the same Must Win situation as everyone else still alive in the AHC playoffs.
It's a shame (and it will not likely ever change) that 1-bid conferences (in any sport) award their conference tournament champ with that bid instead of the regular season champ. RMU proved themselves to be the best over the course of an entire season, but if they suffer a single upset (series or elimination game) between now and March 21 and it was all for naught. Then the AHC will be represented at the NCAA's by a team that's not quite as good (although playing well at the moment).

Why would we want our representative in the national tournament to be a team that can't win a tournament?


Powers &8^]

[Chris Lerch]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Once upon a time, for 3-4 glorious years around the turn of the last century, both the regular season and playoff champions in the Division I leagues got automatic bids to the NCAA tournament. The field consisted of 12 teams and there were four conferences, so as few as four and as many as eight autobids could be claimed. But the addition of the MAAC/Atlantic Hockey and the CHA, despite increasing the size of the field to 16, caused the end of that system, because there was no way in hell those leagues were getting the chance to have two teams each in the tournament.

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Really? Anyone who plays at this level should not be "drained" a full five days after completing a series, regardless how many games and overtimes they played. The minor pros do 3-in-3's many times during the season then go every other night for two weeks each series in the post season. A 3-in-3 followed by 5 days off shouldn't be tough for guys their age and fitness levels.

I always feel the same way but it seems like people simply cannot grasp it. 5 days off is a really, really long time to recuperate from simply being tired/sore. By tomorrow I highly doubt any regular player on Niagara will feel any side effects from this past weekend. These guys are all high level athletes who have been playing hockey on frequently as possible their entire lives. They have access to good facilities and training staff. They are not going into Friday night's tilt feeling anything but amped up and ready to go.

[komey1]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Once upon a time, for 3-4 glorious years around the turn of the last century

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away .....

[blazer777]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away .....

Star Wars or Spaceballs?

[komey1]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Star Wars or Spaceballs?

It's the NC$$, therefore Spaceballs.

[unscarred76]

Yes. RMU is in the same Must Win situation as everyone else still alive in the AHC playoffs.
It's a shame (and it will not likely ever change) that 1-bid conferences (in any sport) award their conference tournament champ with that bid instead of the regular season champ. RMU proved themselves to be the best over the course of an entire season, but if they suffer a single upset (series or elimination game) between now and March 21 and it was all for naught. Then the AHC will be represented at the NCAA's by a team that's not quite as good (although playing well at the moment).

That would make it more boring. We all would have known that RMU was getting the only bid weeks ago and the end of the season was meaningless. Kind of anticlimatic... This way all the teams still have a chance, especially those with injury issues , etc. You wint the regular season, you still get a trophy but if you want to go to the ncaa's you should be able to win the tournament too, it proves what team can bring it when it matters most. Playoffs are the most intense time and it builds to an exciting finale rather than have a team clinch weeks ahead of time.

[lmg6841]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

That would make it more boring. We all would have known that RMU was getting the only bid weeks ago and the end of the season was meaningless. Kind of anticlimatic... This way all the teams still have a chance, especially those with injury issues , etc. You wint the regular season, you still get a trophy but if you want to go to the ncaa's you should be able to win the tournament too, it proves what team can bring it when it matters most. Playoffs are the most intense time and it builds to an exciting finale rather than have a team clinch weeks ahead of time.

Thus the debate: American soccer vs European Football. Should a title be earned by a knockout turnout or the earning of points over a long season?

[Rochester]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Does anyone know how sales are going for the RIT vs Air Force series?

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Isn't that the story of all American Sports though? Whoever is hot going into the playoffs is rewarded. The only reward for a good season (outside of at-large bids in other conferences) is seeding into the playoffs.

Not exactly. This system would be like ending the regular season in the NFL and having New England have to win a "tournament" between them, Buffalo, Miami, and the Jets in order to win a bid to the playoffs. The Patriots are clearly the best team in the AFC East (and have been for most of the last 15 years). They prove that by winning the most games over the course of the regular season. That, and that alone earns them a playoff bid. They don't have to go into a single elimination tournament against, and therefore rejuvenating hope for, three teams that essentially suck in comparison to earn the right to battle for the chance to win the Super Bowl.
I completely understand the excitement (and $) that the conference tournaments generate. I also get that they're not going anywhere. It's just a shame that with rare exception, the regular season is essentially meaningless (aside from seeding) in the AHC and in all the so-called "mid-majors" in basketball. Your team can have a fantastic season and really prove themselves to be the best beyond a doubt (RMU), then get upset in a single game or two (which can happen at any time, btw) by a team that proved themselves to be not of championship caliber and the season is over.
As much as I think it's great that the RIT women are in the NCAA's and NU fans would be excited for the Eagles to get a chance to do the same, it's really just not right that teams that bad can move on over clearly superior teams that either had one bad game or two, or ran into a hot goaltender, or whatever. It's not a matter of Mercyhurst or Syracuse being "not able to" win a tournament as it is about that they didn't win this one. Does anyone think that aside from a miraculous performance by Binnington the Lady Tigers have any chance of upending Minnesota next weekend? At least Mercyhurst or SU proved over the course of the long season that they are more likely to put up a fight against the Lady Gophers.
In most conferences, none of this matters because the best teams are going to win at-large berths anyhow. But in "mid-majors", that's not the case.
Back in the day, the Big-10, PAC-10, and Ivy Leagues used the regular season to award their auto-bids in basketball. And way back when, there were no at-large bids to the NCAA's. That's just the way it went. If you were the best, you moved on, period. Obviously, both the B1G and the PAC-10 have submitted to the moneymaking benefits of having a tournament and will never go back. And we all know it's not about anything but the money, period. It has nothing to do with fan interest or giving everyone a chance. It's all about revenue. So for a few extra bucks, there is the chance that a 5 win, 59th ranked team in the regular season could make it to the tournament of 16. Really? Yeah, that's fair to all the teams that won games this year.

[blazer777]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Not exactly. This system would be like ending the regular season in the NFL and having New England have to win a "tournament" between them, Buffalo, Miami, and the Jets in order to win a bid to the playoffs. The Patriots are clearly the best team in the AFC East (and have been for most of the last 15 years). They prove that by winning the most games over the course of the regular season. That, and that alone earns them a playoff bid. They don't have to go into a single elimination tournament against, and therefore rejuvenating hope for, three teams that essentially suck in comparison to earn the right to battle for the chance to win the Super Bowl.

Ah, but the NFL play-off's are essentially a single-elimination tournament with a couple of teams that should not be there. Granted, if only the top four teams were to play in those play-offs, you would have a pure contest where only the best were rewarded for their play during the season but since two wild-card teams were added to the mix, the NFL has turned it into a tournament for the best and for a couple of also-rans. Baseball has adopted the same setup and may expand and the NBA, everybody gets a trophy!

Why, well it's because of the money generated by the extra games.

Bottom line is that if you don't play in the tournament the way you were playing all season, you won't be going to the regionals.

[LtPowers]

Not exactly. This system would be like ending the regular season in the NFL and having New England have to win a "tournament" between them, Buffalo, Miami, and the Jets in order to win a bid to the playoffs. The Patriots are clearly the best team in the AFC East (and have been for most of the last 15 years). They prove that by winning the most games over the course of the regular season. That, and that alone earns them a playoff bid. They don't have to go into a single elimination tournament against, and therefore rejuvenating hope for, three teams that essentially suck in comparison to earn the right to battle for the chance to win the Super Bowl.
I completely understand the excitement (and $) that the conference tournaments generate. I also get that they're not going anywhere. It's just a shame that with rare exception, the regular season is essentially meaningless (aside from seeding) in the AHC and in all the so-called "mid-majors" in basketball. Your team can have a fantastic season and really prove themselves to be the best beyond a doubt (RMU), then get upset in a single game or two (which can happen at any time, btw) by a team that proved themselves to be not of championship caliber and the season is over.
As much as I think it's great that the RIT women are in the NCAA's and NU fans would be excited for the Eagles to get a chance to do the same, it's really just not right that teams that bad can move on over clearly superior teams that either had one bad game or two, or ran into a hot goaltender, or whatever. It's not a matter of Mercyhurst or Syracuse being "not able to" win a tournament as it is about that they didn't win this one. Does anyone think that aside from a miraculous performance by Binnington the Lady Tigers have any chance of upending Minnesota next weekend? At least Mercyhurst or SU proved over the course of the long season that they are more likely to put up a fight against the Lady Gophers.
In most conferences, none of this matters because the best teams are going to win at-large berths anyhow. But in "mid-majors", that's not the case.
Back in the day, the Big-10, PAC-10, and Ivy Leagues used the regular season to award their auto-bids in basketball. And way back when, there were no at-large bids to the NCAA's. That's just the way it went. If you were the best, you moved on, period. Obviously, both the B1G and the PAC-10 have submitted to the moneymaking benefits of having a tournament and will never go back. And we all know it's not about anything but the money, period. It has nothing to do with fan interest or giving everyone a chance. It's all about revenue. So for a few extra bucks, there is the chance that a 5 win, 59th ranked team in the regular season could make it to the tournament of 16. Really? Yeah, that's fair to all the teams that won games this year.

Look, if a team doesn't want to risk an NCAA bid to a one-and-done conference playoff, then all they have to do is play well enough to secure an at-large bid. Your New England example is ridiculous because we all know they'd make the playoffs regardless of what happened in the AFC East tournament.

Since you brought up the women's squad, do you really think we should hold their injury-riddled regular season against them if they're clearly the best team of the six /right now/? I don't think any team in the CHA has a better chance of succeeding in the tournament than RIT does, and RIT proved that by running the gantlet of the CHA Tournament.

You are also far too quick to dismiss the "fan interest" and "giving everyone a chance" factors. It's unlikely the league made much off of that Sacred Heart-Army series, for instance. Would an eight-team tournament really bring in that much less money than the 11-team tournament?


Powers &8^]

[Downstate_RIT_Fan]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

You are also far too quick to dismiss the "fan interest" and "giving everyone a chance" factors. It's unlikely the league made much off of that Sacred Heart-Army series, for instance. Would an eight-team tournament really bring in that much less money than the 11-team tournament?


Powers &8^]

I believe money is the biggest reason every team gets to play in the league championship tournament. Sure the league didn't make much off of the Sacred Heart - Army Series, but if it was held at West Point, both nights would of been close to sell outs (2000 +) as Tate Rink hasn't hosted a playoff series in a number of years and despite their record Army has a pretty strong fan base at West Point.

RIT could host Brick City at GPC if they wanted to, but that probably will not happen as long as RIT can sell out the BCA.

Anytime any televised sport, professional or otherwise goes into overtime, hockey, basketball, football, baseball (extra innings), etc., you likely have more commercials. More commercials equals more advertising revenue.

If you took money out of the equation, sure, I would like to see maybe only the top four teams in each league compete for a league championship. That could, however, inhibit the development of some of the younger players, if so much was riding on every single game and coaches opted to play there best team every game.

As long as there are folks like us who buy season tickets, or buy the online game packages, and want to go to every game whether it be opening night in October or senior night in March when a win means something in the seeding, all teams will and should compete in the tournament.

BTW, nice to see that a Mercyhurst thread started. Hopefully that will start a trend and will become a regular occurence, the more AH threads the better.

[dpm105]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Bentley has announced their intention to build an on-campus arena. http://www.uscho.com/2015/03/10/bent...-campus-arena/ While obviously a great news item from Bentley, this is fantastic news for our whole league!

[Downstate_RIT_Fan]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Roaring into the postseason <<<<<

Bentley has announced their intention to build an on-campus arena. http://www.uscho.com/2015/03/10/bent...-campus-arena/ While obviously a great news item from Bentley, this is fantastic news for our whole league!

Great news coming from our friends at Bentley, now we wait and see if a few of the other programs in the league will consider upgrading their facilities as well.