Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

[badgerhawk]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

The WCHA has been around for nearly 60 years, longer than all but a handful of the full sport conferences. If that isn't indicative of being stable, I don't know what is.

It's been around a while but stable ? " But in 1958 the conference broke up, due to a disagreement over recruiting practices. In the end, the four 'M' schools withdrew from the league. As a consequence, there was no league play during the 1958-59 season."



Michigan left, Michigan State left, Northern Michigan came and went, Michigan Tech went and came back, Notre Dame came and went.

In today's behaviorally sanitized world, none of the B1G programs are ever going to be as hated as UND is, another water bottle game just isn't going to happen.

And it won't happen again with UND either.

[sweatpants]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

I suspect that the majority of fans from the leftover teams don't see this as a god thing.

I fully recognize that realignment needed to happen, but the problem is that teams are going to be left behind and fold. Losing teams is never good and it's even worse when that could result in 6 conferences with autobids to a 12 team NCAA tournament.

I'm still trying to figure out who these 36 western teams are, unless the PA and western NY Atlantic Hockey teams are considered "western".

I agree with this post 100%.

[smokeythebear]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

I endorse this post 100%.

The message is authentic. I concur.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

I suspect that the majority of fans from the leftover teams don't see this as a god thing.

I fully recognize that realignment needed to happen, but the problem is that teams are going to be left behind and fold. Losing teams is never good and it's even worse when that could result in 6 conferences with autobids to a 12 team NCAA tournament.

I'm still trying to figure out who these 36 western teams are, unless the PA and western NY Atlantic Hockey teams are considered "western".

I think it's a bit outlandish to assume that teams are going to fold because of the recent landscape changes with the conference shakeup. I looked at Bowling Green's attendance last season. BG hosted 16 games at home, 8 against big schools (Michigan, Notre Dame, Miami, Ohio State) and 8 against small (Al-Huntsville, Ferris St, Lake St, and Northern). Ticket sales for the 8 big games came to 18,628..for the small 8: 17,271. 1,357 tickets isn't going to make or break a program. BG actually sold more tickets for Lake St. than Michigan.

I sincerely believe that teams like Anchorage and Tech who will actually have a shot at making the NCAA tournament now are actually in a better position. What did their fans have to look forward to before? Getting their teeth kicked in every year? Tech fans went nuts when they finished in 6th place in the league a few years back, can you imagine if they actually made the NCAA tournament? Look what making the NCAA's and a run to the frozen four did to RIT. It was a huge bonus for their program and they got a new rink out of it.

If anything in the end it's a lot more enticing right now for teams to start a program than it was before the conference shakeup. At least now there are conference opportunities for start up programs.

[Almington]

I think it's a bit outlandish to assume that teams are going to fold because of the recent landscape changes with the conference shakeup. I looked at Bowling Green's attendance last season. BG hosted 16 games at home, 8 against big schools (Michigan, Notre Dame, Miami, Ohio State) and 8 against small (Al-Huntsville, Ferris St, Lake St, and Northern). Ticket sales for the 8 big games came to 18,628..for the small 8: 17,271. 1,357 tickets isn't going to make or break a program. BG actually sold more tickets for Lake St. than Michigan.

I sincerely believe that teams like Anchorage and Tech who will actually have a shot at making the NCAA tournament now are actually in a better position. What did their fans have to look forward to before? Getting their teeth kicked in every year? Tech fans went nuts when they finished in 6th place in the league a few years back, can you imagine if they actually made the NCAA tournament? Look what making the NCAA's and a run to the frozen four did to RIT. It was a huge bonus for their program and they got a new rink out of it.

If anything in the end it's a lot more enticing right now for teams to start a program than it was before the conference shakeup. At least now there are conference opportunities for start up programs.

But it depends on how the realignment falls out, if teams are left without a conference then they are definitely in peril. Also, if the remaining ccha and wcha team form one 12 team conference that would still limit expansion except for big ten schools or major schools that the super conference would admit. Many ways that this could go, time will tell how things fall out but odds are not good that this will end well for all the current schools.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

I think it's a bit outlandish to assume that teams are going to fold because of the recent landscape changes with the conference shakeup. I looked at Bowling Green's attendance last season. BG hosted 16 games at home, 8 against big schools (Michigan, Notre Dame, Miami, Ohio State) and 8 against small (Al-Huntsville, Ferris St, Lake St, and Northern). Ticket sales for the 8 big games came to 18,628..for the small 8: 17,271. 1,357 tickets isn't going to make or break a program. BG actually sold more tickets for Lake St. than Michigan.

I sincerely believe that teams like Anchorage and Tech who will actually have a shot at making the NCAA tournament now are actually in a better position. What did their fans have to look forward to before? Getting their teeth kicked in every year? Tech fans went nuts when they finished in 6th place in the league a few years back, can you imagine if they actually made the NCAA tournament? Look what making the NCAA's and a run to the frozen four did to RIT. It was a huge bonus for their program and they got a new rink out of it.

If anything in the end it's a lot more enticing right now for teams to start a program than it was before the conference shakeup. At least now there are conference opportunities for start up programs.

Wow. A reasoned and well thought out response to the sky is falling hysterical masses.

Well done. You make great points.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

But it depends on how the realignment falls out, if teams are left without a conference then they are definitely in peril. Also, if the remaining ccha and wcha team form one 12 team conference that would still limit expansion except for big ten schools or major schools that the super conference would admit. Many ways that this could go, time will tell how things fall out but odds are not good that this will end well for all the current schools.

To be frank, that's their problem at this point. They're able to support their other athletic teams. If hockey's a priority, they'll make it work. If not, then they shouldn't have a hockey team to begin with.

[stuckinwi]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

Wow. A reasoned and well thought out response to the sky is falling hysterical masses.

Well done. You make great points.

If we'd not have just spent major coin on a good coach finally I would agree... but I would have like to have seen Mel have a chance in the WCHA. Personally I'm going to miss getting chanted at in yellow at the Kohl center after a 1.5 hour drive, you guys are closer to me than Tech....

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

Wow. A reasoned and well thought out response to the sky is falling hysterical masses.

Well done. You make great points.

I don't know if it's hysterical to say you don't like the changes, and why you don't like the changes. we have no idea how this will shake out in the end but I personally have less interest at this time in a b10 hockey conference than I would in watching hockey east really.

but the biggest point to me and one reason I love college hockey is that it is NOT NCAA football/roundball. it hadn't (until now) catered so hard to $>integrity. Now the sport creeps toward football and roundball where all that matters is money. if it's more important to have a b10 network game than a full stadium something has gone very wrong.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

If we'd not have just spent major coin on a good coach finally I would agree... but I would have like to have seen Mel have a chance in the WCHA. Personally I'm going to miss getting chanted at in yellow at the Kohl center after a 1.5 hour drive, you guys are closer to me than Tech....

What makes you think we won't still schedule you guys?

[stuckinwi]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

What makes you think we won't still schedule you guys?

I don't think it will be on the same regular basis as before, do you?

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

I don't know if it's hysterical to say you don't like the changes, and why you don't like the changes. we have no idea how this will shake out in the end but I personally have less interest at this time in a b10 hockey conference than I would in watching hockey east really.

but the biggest point to me and one reason I love college hockey is that it is NOT NCAA football/roundball. it hadn't (until now) catered so hard to $>integrity. Now the sport creeps toward football and roundball where all that matters is money. if it's more important to have a b10 network game than a full stadium something has gone very wrong.

People who continue to claim that this is the end of college hockey are going a little overboard, don't you think?

The changes have been made. Complaining about it daily isn't gonna change a thing.

We're on the cusp of a good little run with the young talent that's coming in but I'm supposed to lose sleep over whether Ferris State can continue without the subsidy that being in the CCHA provided them?

Seriously, if I was Tech fan, I would WANT to go to a conference where I actually had a chance to get to the NCAAs.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

I don't think it will be on the same regular basis as before, do you?

No, but with the unbalanced schedule, you weren't always here anyway. Maybe you can "host" us again at the Resch.

I gotta think that we'll host Tech at some point.

[stuckinwi]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

No, but with the unbalanced schedule, you weren't always here anyway. Maybe you can "host" us again at the Resch.

I gotta think that we'll host Tech at some point.

Oh I know. I hate the years when I don't get a "free" Tech series out of it by coming down to Madison. And one a personal level Resch games are great... The "Ugh. Badgerland" refers to the Fox Valley. And the fact that getting a home series in Houghton against UND, MN, WI, etc. is now an incredible long shot is just sad. Seeing the big boys in the MacInnes was a TREAT growing up. Its too bad the last 20 years we have done absolutely nothing to deserve it.

Playing for the middle in the WCHA was a shot at the NCAAs, just ask CC last year I've watched too many bad years of hockey and waited so long for a season that doesn't suck against all the big schools that an autobid against the leftovers seems so shallow. We just dropped MAJOR coin on a coach that I really do believe can pull Tech back from the abyss (**** I gotta believe something), I wanted to see that happen against the teams I've seen the last 20 years beat the **** out of us. That would be so much sweeter.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Vol. XVIII - Belief in a Better Tomorrow

Oh I know. I hate the years when I don't get a "free" Tech series out of it by coming down to Madison. And one a personal level Resch games are great... The "Ugh. Badgerland" refers to the Fox Valley. And the fact that getting a home series in Houghton against UND, MN, WI, etc. is now an incredible long shot is just sad. Seeing the big boys in the MacInnes was a TREAT growing up. Its too bad the last 20 years we have done absolutely nothing to deserve it.

Playing for the middle in the WCHA was a shot at the NCAAs, just ask CC last year I've watched too many bad years of hockey and waited so long for a season that doesn't suck against all the big schools that an autobid against the leftovers seems so shallow. We just dropped MAJOR coin on a coach that I really do believe can pull Tech back from the abyss (**** I gotta believe something), I wanted to see that happen against the teams I've seen the last 20 years beat the **** out of us. That would be so much sweeter.

I'm not a big fan of the Fox Valley either. Seems like a 40 mile strip mall.

To the other points, I just gotta think it would get old to get beat up on by the UNDs of the world. I get the prestige factor of being in the WCHA as it stood before all of this, but at some point you need to be competitive or what's the point of Prestige?