MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

[geezer]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

holy cow -- really?

I don't think it's a matter of kissing up to MI and State; it's that from a WCHA perspective, the Big 10 just isn't that big a deal. When Minn and WI left, it was oh well, we're losing two middling teams- don't let the door hit you. Then to the Nacho League we lost basically the top half of the Conference, who took their ball and ran home crying over the "shrinking revenue projections"... it looks completely different from the CCHA view, when the big conference losses were to the Big 10.

[geezer]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

I've never been able to read news on the TV6 website; the text gets scrambled for some reason (odd font?). But I'd like to read the text under this headline, if someone could post it: "Michigan Tech Hockey plans to stay in Western Collegiate Hockey Association"

[davyd83]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

I also like Mel's hinting towards seeing B1G teams in Houghton.

It's one thing to hint about it or hope to do it. It's another thing to get Red to cross that bridge of his own accord!

[Flashy Man]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

I've never been able to read news on the TV6 website; the text gets scrambled for some reason (odd font?). But I'd like to read the text under this headline, if someone could post it: "Michigan Tech Hockey plans to stay in Western Collegiate Hockey Association"

HOUGHTON -- The reports last week of a new college hockey conference turned out to be true.

Wednesday afternoon (7/13) defending NCAA champion Minnesota-Duluth, along with Colorado College, Denver, Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association will join current Central Collegiate Hockey Association member Miami of Ohio to form the new National Collegiate hockey conference beginning play in the 2013-2014 season.

The league still needs to hire a commissioner, and the NCHC says they'd like to add more teams. Notre Dame has talked with NCHC conference officials as well as Hockey East. The Irish have yet to announce future plans for that school's hockey program, although remaining in the CCHA seems unlikely.

Western Michigan has also been rumored to be leaving the CCHA for the new NCHC, but they, too, have been mum on future plans.

Five teams remain in the WCHA including Michigan Tech, who says they remain committed to their current conference. "We were surprised by the changes, by five schools leaving the WCHA," said Tech Athletics Director Suzanne Sanregret. "This really is an opportunity for Michigan Tech to strengthen our position. We're excited about the opportunities to schedule some non-conference games against some good in-state rivals. I think that moving forward, we all (remaining WCHA athletic directors) are going to view this as an opportunity to impact our programs, specifically Michigan Tech. We have a real opportunity to be successful."

All five school remaining in the WCHA will send their athletic directors to a meeting Friday (7/15) in Minnesota to discuss the conferences future.

Sanregret says they plan to add a sixth school right away.

WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod has said the conference wants to add one to three new teams for the 2013-2014 season. An NCAA hockey conference needs at least six teams to have an automatic bid.

Northern Michigan will discuss its hockey future tomorrow (7/14) morning at a meeting with its Board of Trustees.

Here you go!

[geezer]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

Ignoring little Debbie Downer's authority on all things sporting for a minute ("Red didn't come to NMU, therefore he would never allow a game to be played in the UP"), I see that as the best possible outcome: staying in the WCHA, adding NMU and the Alaska schools, and playing non-con against MI, State, CCHA teams, UMinn, and Wisco now and then. A longtime complaint from certain local malcontents has been the move back to the WCHA taking MI schools off the schedule.

[davyd83]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

Ignoring little Debbie Downer's authority on all things sporting for a minute ("Red didn't come to NMU, therefore he would never allow a game to be played in the UP"), I see that as the best possible outcome: staying in the WCHA, adding NMU and the Alaska schools, and playing non-con against MI, State, CCHA teams, UMinn, and Wisco now and then. A longtime complaint from certain local malcontents has been the move back to the WCHA taking MI schools off the schedule.

Funny, never said anything about Red coming to NMU. He was here last year. He'll be here this year. He may well give Mel a series. But be honest, how often do you see any of those teams coming to Houghton or Marquette when they can stay home and make a lot of money. NMU has a contract with Wisconsin. NMU goes to Madison twice. Wisconsin comes to Green Bay to play NMU once. NMU played Denver, at Denver, last year with no return trip from the Pioneers scheduled. The same goes for next year's trip to North Dakota. The reality is that just because Mel was an assistant at UM, don't expect to see a Big 10 team come and play in Houghton very often. You are more likely to get Ferris than you are State. And you're more likely to get Lake Superior than you are Michigan. That's not being a downer. It's just reality. It's no different for Tech, Northern, LSSU, Mankato or Bemidji.

[geezer]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

Funny, never said anything about Red coming to NMU. He was here last year. He'll be here this year. He may well give Mel a series. But be honest, how often do you see any of those teams coming to Houghton or Marquette when they can stay home and make a lot of money. NMU has a contract with Wisconsin. NMU goes to Madison twice. Wisconsin comes to Green Bay to play NMU once. NMU played Denver, at Denver, last year with no return trip from the Pioneers scheduled. The same goes for next year's trip to North Dakota. The reality is that just because Mel was an assistant at UM, don't expect to see a Big 10 team come and play in Houghton very often. You are more likely to get Ferris than you are State. And you're more likely to get Lake Superior than you are Michigan. That's not being a downer. It's just reality. It's no different for Tech, Northern, LSSU, Mankato or Bemidji.

Sorry, I thought you were saying we wouldn't be able to get games on the schedule against a Red-coached team. It may be the eventual reality, but I still think it's worth trying for.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

So, I finally went and checked out the "whywestern" web site. And to sum it up in one word - cheesy. Seriously? They are using the Phi Beta Kappa chapter as a reason you should want their hockey team in your league? If Tech ever did something like that, I think I would gag. That site is just short of begging to get a new conference home for their team and it certainly isn't going to sit well with other CCHA programs. Might as well just jump ship now and go indy until you find your next conference.

Also, since the five departing NaCHo schools are concerned about revenue dropping in the WCHA to the point where they HAD to leave, I think this would be a good time for Bruce to propose that there will be a freeze in revenue distribution for the next two seasons to protect the league's future. Due to the uncertain future of the league, the WCHA should bankroll all their profits from the next two seasons and keep them in reserve to make sure the league is financially solvent after the departure of the other 7 teams…

Then starting with the 2013-14 season those funds can be split among the remaining schools to help make sure they are financially strong and the WCHA is on solid ground. This should immediately be voted on and approved by all WCHA member schools. Of course only those who will be in the league in 2013-14 will be able to vote on this issue as it will not impact the other schools who will have departed by then.

Ryan J

[huskyfan]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

lets

[huskyfan]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

get

[huskyfan]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH OFFSEASON THREAD II: The Winning has started

this DONE!!