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**Snively65** · 05-10-2016, 11:17 AM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by joecct View Post

Plymouth got blown out by Salem State in this year's MASCAC finals. No NCAA bid for them.

But, at least they got to the MASCAC finals, whereas UNH did not even get to the Garden.

**RENCEB** · 05-10-2016, 12:42 PM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by Snively65 View Post

But, at least they got to the MASCAC finals, whereas UNH did not even get to the Garden.

....AND they have a nearly new rink on campus.

**ExileOnDaytonStreet** · 05-10-2016, 03:50 PM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by RENCEB View Post

....AND they have a nearly new rink on campus.

We all know that doesn't matter. As long as it seats at least 500 and is within a grueling 40 minute drive of Boston...

**BU2K** · 05-12-2016, 12:26 PM

Originally posted by ExileOnDaytonStreet View Post

We all know that doesn't matter. As long as it seats at least 500 and is within a grueling 40 minute drive of Boston...

Some Fridays, a 40 minute drive barely gets you from BU to Northeastern.

**Patman** · 05-12-2016, 02:14 PM

Originally posted by BU2K View Post

Some Fridays, a 40 minute drive barely gets you from BU to Northeastern.

You ain't seen nothing... There was once a cow... And then there wasn't. I'm telling you that slow down from 50 to 45 was a time nightmare

**blazer777** · 05-12-2016, 07:21 PM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by BU2K View Post

Some Fridays, a 40 minute drive barely gets you from BU to Northeastern.

And all other days, BU to Northeastern is only a 39 minute drive!

**LordofBrewtown** · 05-12-2016, 08:10 PM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by HHound View Post

Nine is a good hockey number (see: Howe, Gordie). It worked very well for Hockey East. 3 games against each opponent and 10 OOCs.

If you are willing to go with an odd number of teams, 7 is actually a good number: 4 games against each opponent = 24 conference games, and leaves 10 OOC's.

Most people seem to have a problem with the odd number though (don't like someone being idle each week). I actually it would be better for college hockey as a whole if the current 60 teams were in 7 or 8 conferences instead of 6. And multiple odd # of team conferences reduces any "perceived" problem with the idle/off weeks in those conferences (by having more opportunity to schedule the non-conf game).

**Snively65** · 05-12-2016, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by LordofBrewtown View Post

If you are willing to go with an odd number of teams, 7 is actually a good number: 4 games against each opponent = 24 conference games, and leaves 10 OOC's.

Most people seem to have a problem with the odd number though (don't like someone being idle each week). I actually it would be better for college hockey as a whole if the current 60 teams were in 7 or 8 conferences instead of 6. And multiple odd # of team conferences reduces any "perceived" problem with the idle/off weeks in those conferences (by having more opportunity to schedule the non-conf game).

So, 7 or 8 autoseeds in the NCAAs?

**Chuck Murray** · 05-13-2016, 06:46 AM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by Snively65 View Post

So, 7 or 8 autoseeds in the NCAAs?

You say that like it's a bad thing? I'm all for teams punching their tickets by way of conference success on the ice, rather than relying on committees and formulas to determine the field.

The more through the former, and the less through the latter, that's A-OK with me.

**tape** · 05-13-2016, 09:32 AM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by Snively65 View Post

So, 7 or 8 autoseeds in the NCAAs?

D-I basketball has 32 conferences, so the ratio of autobids to at-large bids would be similiar (~50%). I kind of like the idea.

It would certainly be better than the general trend of conferences getting bigger and bigger (SEC and B1G non-hockey with 14, for example, or like that period when the Big East was up to 16 schools). For those that like seeing your conference rivals more often you'd get that, and you'd get the chance to see more OOC teams than 28-game schedules like the I believe the NCHC/WCHA have (bleh).

**Snively65** · 05-13-2016, 03:01 PM

Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post

You say that like it's a bad thing? I'm all for teams punching their tickets by way of conference success on the ice, rather than relying on committees and formulas to determine the field.

The more through the former, and the less through the latter, that's A-OK with me.

Huh? How did you read that into my post, Chuck? You are one of those who chastises the use of emoticons, no?

**LordofBrewtown** · 05-13-2016, 05:08 PM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by Snively65 View Post

So, 7 or 8 autoseeds in the NCAAs?

Yes. 7-8 auto-bids.

Personally, I'd be in favor of eliminating the conference tournaments (and adding 2-4 games to the regular season schedule). That way the more deserving teams make the tournament. I'm convinced that if men's basketball awarded auto-bids to regular season champs instead of the tourny champ, we would have already seen a 16 seed beat a one in that sport. However, I realize there is some tradition/excitement and in some cases revenue to be made via the conference tournament, so I'm not expecting that to go away.

**Chuck Murray** · 05-13-2016, 06:11 PM

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Originally posted by Snively65 View Post

Huh? How did you read that into my post, Chuck? You are one of those who chastises the use of emoticons, no?

First of all, I would be the last person in the world to chastise anyone for using emoticons.

"So, 7 or 8 autoseeds in the NCAAs?" would seem to me you're questioning the amount of autobids, no?

I just used your open question to add my thoughts on the topic. Nothing personal, Snively65.

If I meant to snipe at you, I'd have made a quip about a questionable/strained Bentley reference.

**Snively65** · 05-13-2016, 07:00 PM

Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post

First of all, I would be the last person in the world to chastise anyone for using emoticons.

"So, 7 or 8 autoseeds in the NCAAs?" would seem to me you're questioning the amount of autobids, no?

I just used your open question to add my thoughts on the topic. Nothing personal, Snively65.

If I meant to snipe at you, I'd have made a quip about a questionable/strained Bentley reference.

Thanks, Chuck. Must have been someone else on our UNH threads who is anti-emoticons. I will not mention your alma mater, but the AHC still has an unbalanced schedule from year to year, but before UConn left for HEA, the AHC imbalance was between six eastern and six western pod teams, with teams playing against one another three times within pod and twice across pods, so 27 conference games. Several have suggested that approach for HEA, but I actually think that smaller conferences as suggested by many makes more sense.

**Rhett Hot** · 05-14-2016, 10:53 AM

Originally posted by tape View Post

D-I basketball has 32 conferences, so the ratio of autobids to at-large bids would be similiar (~50%). I kind of like the idea.

I tend to disagree here.

The 32 conference autobids (~50%) is great on paper, but the weaker conferences stand no chance against the top 12 seeds.

Take America East or the Patriot League. The conference champion would most likely face a 1 or 2 seed in the tourney and lose, as they have and will continue to do.

Hockey is a different animal than bouncy ball because hockey has parity (outside of the AHC) in the tourney that bball hasn't had in a very long while.

Why dilute the already small field for lesser deserving teams...