Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

The Tournament Committee's legal consul, the lowly esteemed firm of Howard, Howard & Fine, has just forwarded us a copy of a recent communication from the Canadian Foreign Ministry. It reads, in part:

"Whereas, Ice Hockey is legally designated as the Official Sport of the Dominion of Canada, and

Whereas, the Canadian people (regardless of political affiliation, gender, sexual preference or ethnicity) profess universal love and respect for the sport of ice hockey, and

Whereas, we (representing the aforementioned Canadian populace) have it on sound authority, that your 'event' known as "The Bottom Feeder's Bracket" and/or "The Futile Four" makes a mockery of our beloved national sport:

Let it be known that; the people of Canada shall consider any attempt, by any individual or group, to produce such an event within the sovereign borders of our nation, as an act of terrorism."

So Siberia is alright, eh?

BTW, I thought the legal counsel was Howard, Fine & Howard.

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

Dear Committee,

For your consideration, I present another potential regional, and dare I say, national host site. This nomination comes from over 30 years of extensive touring of ice facilities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (as well as having seen various facilities in New York and Massachusetts).

Given the lofty criteria you have generously laid out, I hereby nominate the North Dakota Winter Show Building in Valley City, ND. It annually hosts, well, the "Winter Show" which features PRCA rodeo and various farm and agriculture related events.

Although it no longer serves as the indoor rink for the city, it has served as the city indoor ice facility before completion of a new dedicated two-sheet center.

I will address the nomination criteria point by point.

1. Ice. Altho we would prefer the quality of ice surface to be inferior, we may consider locations with decent ice, if other criteria are met.

This facility has hosted hockey both with natural (it is ND, open the doors) and artificial ice. The ice making capabilities have been moved so natural ice would be the option.

Please note that this ice would be on top of a dirt rodeo arena providing no support that a concrete-backed artificial surface would normally give.

2. Must be indoor, or at least under roof. Several have suggested outdoor locations, but we feel that 'outdoor hockey' events have become too 'chic', and are therefore inappropriate for an event of this calibre.

Check.

3. No site that is home to any existing NCAA D1 or D3 team is eligible, nor are the practice rinks of any current NCAA team.

Check.

4. While no 'carved in stone' standards exist, the committee has usually shown preference to sites that are inconvenient for travel, and are located in areas with little or nothing else to attract visitors.

Valley City, ND.
Nearest commercial airport? Fargo (60 miles).
And with a rink in the facility there would be no ability to host crop shows or a PRCA rodeo in the arena.
Although, ice rodeo could be entertaining.

5. Special consideration is normally afforded to venues that: are in poor repair, have limited (or no) seating, have inadequate locker room and team facilities, are either uncomfortably warm or cold...especially if the building has unpleasant smells.

Although the building is in a decent state of repair, the floors are primarily dirt. The building's history includes a roof collapse due to snow load. This is an especially astounding feat considering the building's "quanset hut" type design.

Unfortunately, the rodeo/ice arena can seat 5000. However, it is all aluminum bench seating and flooring so with natural ice (doors open) that could be a positive to the nomination.

Locker rooms do not exist. In the past modified trailer houses serving as locker rooms have been pulled into the area where livestock are kept during rodeos or livestock exhibits. Being trailer houses they have little to no insulation and inadequate heat. (Remember, we're doing natural ice and this trailer house will be in the cold.)

Smells? You did see the part about "locker rooms have been pulled in to the area where livestock are kept" right? Those smells also easily reach the ice cold aluminum grandstands.

The boards in this facility were originally 4'x8' sheets of plywood (uncut, so the full 48" height) with chicken-wire for "glass". Replication of those boards would be the goal should host status be achieved.

It should be noted that the rodeo arena and grandstands are such that the rink was about 168' by 78'. This makes the DECC in Duluth seem like a glacier by comparison.

6. Pictures of the venue or a link where pix can be found would be appreciated.

http://www.northdakotawintershow.com/

Additional information for committee consideration:

1. There is only one lavatory facility (per sex) in the arena. In the mens facility urinals are of the "cattle trough" type: "Line 'em up and bleed 'em out, boys!" (Ladies, you'll either have to wonder or dare ask.) It should be noted that these are the lavatory facilities the teams use as the trailer house locker rooms do not have running water or sewer systems attached to them. That means no showers either. Maybe this could be added to the "arena smells" criteria as well.

2. Given the potential March (or dream April) tournament dates, natural ice would need to be created in February. However, the late March or early April play dates may cause rain, yes, rain, onto the indoor surface during play. In March and April they open doors at night and shut them in the day to trap cold air *in*. During the day the cold interior roof steel (versus the warm exterior) causes intense condensation and "rain".

This will make bad, late season natural indoor ice (supported by rodeo dirt and bovine feces) far more unstable and unpredictable.

I thank the nominating committee for its valuable time.

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

The Tournament Committee's legal consul, the lowly esteemed firm of Howard, Howard & Fine, has just forwarded us a copy of a recent communication from the Canadian Foreign Ministry. It reads, in part:

"Whereas, Ice Hockey is legally designated as the Official Sport of the Dominion of Canada, and

Whereas, the Canadian people (regardless of political affiliation, gender, sexual preference or ethnicity) profess universal love and respect for the sport of ice hockey, and

Whereas, we (representing the aforementioned Canadian populace) have it on sound authority, that your 'event' known as "The Bottom Feeder's Bracket" and/or "The Futile Four" makes a mockery of our beloved national sport:

Let it be known that; the people of Canada shall consider any attempt, by any individual or group, to produce such an event within the sovereign borders of our nation, as an act of terrorism."

Allow me to put you in contact with the firm being used by one of the nominees: Howe, Dewey, Cheatham, and Wynn.

They have an east coast affilated office: Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.

[kdiff77]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

A high percentage of the bids are from venues in New England, and as it appears likely that eight or more qualifying teams will come from Atlantic Hockey, it may be difficult to arrange seeding to keep attendance down.

The venues are in New England, but the home teams are from Atlantic Hockey (or Brown). Problem solved.

Frear Park in Troy NY and Adelard Arena in Woonsocket RI appear to have the present edge on the eastern sites, but it's too early to tell.

I'm sure the citizens of Woonsocket will be proud to host such a prestigious event!
Oh, by the way... they all speak French. So that could make the location even less appealing.

[joecct]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

I nominate - Ironbound Ice Rink in Newark, NJ. It was not too good when I was in HS 40(!) years ago. I would imagine with Newark being what it is, it has gotten worse.

It has a nearby airport, train service, and all sorts of amenities that only a large city can bring.

Edit -- it may have been improved - but it IS in Newark...
*****http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3382/3619232191_6e91e46a37.jpg******

[joecct]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

And one more -- Fritz Dietl rink in Westwood, NJ. It is small - way under regulation. Parking is non existent.

If you look at the picture, you are correct, sir. the lobby doors are part of the boards. Square corners make dump and chase an interesting experience.

*****http://www.dougbrownspowerskating.com/images/plpsailingdbps118_000.jpg******

Westwood, NJ is located in the scenic Pascack Valley of Bergen County, NJ. There are nearby shops including donuts, subs, and pizza nearby. Westwood is served by NJ Transit with daily service to Secaucus, NJ and Hoboken.

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

the lobby doors are part of the boards

Does the Sno-Cone machine double as the Zamboni?

[LtPowers]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

If you look at the picture, you are correct, sir. the lobby doors are part of the boards.

Leaving the ice surface to make a check is one thing. Leaving the entire rink after being checked is another thing entirely!

Gives new meaning to the na-na-na-na-hey-hey-hey-good-bye song!


Powers &8^]

[Wondering]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

Status report:
There must be some hideous site in a remote western state...South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming all come to mind.

How about the Casper Ice Arena in Casper, Wyoming? It's in the middle of nowhere, and the ice isn't always level. But what really sets it apart from other candidates is the mirrored disco ball above center ice. Imagine the possibilities . . .

[crazytechfan]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

The site selection process for the 2010 BFB/F4 will begin this weekend, when the tournament committee meets via telephone conference call. The committee will entertain all bids submitted to this board in a timely fashion, but reserves the right change their minds, and accept bids as late as they arrive.

Four suitably hideous sites will be chosen to host this year's regionals (March 26-28), and one particularly hideous venue will be blessed with the opportunity to host the "Futile Four" chumpionship weekend (April 2-4).

The only specific requirements to host are:

1. Ice. Altho we would prefer the quality of ice surface to be inferior, we may consider locations with decent ice, if other criteria are met.
2. Must be indoor, or at least under roof. Several have suggested outdoor locations, but we feel that 'outdoor hockey' events have become too 'chic', and are therefore inappropriate for an event of this calibre.
3. No site that is home to any existing NCAA D1 or D3 team is eligible, nor are the practice rinks of any current NCAA team.
4. While no 'carved in stone' standards exist, the committee has usually shown preference to sites that are inconvenient for travel, and are located in areas with little or nothing else to attract visitors.
5. Special consideration is normally afforded to venues that: are in poor repair, have limited (or no) seating, have inadequate locker room and team facilities, are either uncomfortably warm or cold...especially if the building has unpleasant smells.
6. Pictures of the venue or a link where pix can be found would be appreciated.

The site selection committee would like to let all bidders know that we are men of low moral character, and as such are perfectly willing to consider any form of bribery, kickback, bonus, premium or payola, provided that it come in the form of: cash or sexual favors.

Please do NOT use this thread to make a case why this team or that should or should not be included in the tournament field. There will be plenty of time to argue about that later.

Having actually watched hockey in the Gipp I can second that it would be a definite candidate for a regional. For starters, the rink isn't any specific size, a lot smaller than NHL size ice. There are no seats for any spectators to sit, just benches to stand on to see over the boards. Also the glass goes about 2 feet up above the boards, injury to fans is a high possibility. Second both benches are tiny and there is only one door to the penalty box. Locker rooms are not near the ice and the ice plant is exposed on the ends. Like F2B&G said the possible problem is people actually showing up for the games. The Gipp is in a hockey crazy town with nothing to do, plus it's also about 2 blocks from another posters house.

I see two possible ways to circumvent the attendance concerns. Either play the games at horribly inconvenient times, or play them so that they coincide with some far more entertaining game at the nearby Calumet Colosseum, a facility far too historic and prestigious to host such events.

I do legitimately believe that the George Gipp Arena (formerly the Bicentennial Arena) would be a superb choice for the BFB.
If nobody else minds, I'd like to propose that I be named the Chair of the George Gipp Arena Welcoming Committee.

1. Ice. Although we would prefer the quality of ice surface to be inferior, we may consider locations with decent ice, if other criteria are met.
Thanks to the figure skating that occurs there, the frequent amount of spitting on the ice, and the terrible job that is done on the ice in general, I feel that the ice quality at the GGA definitely meets the standards of the BFB. Once, back in my prime, I noticed a brown blob frozen into the ice (chew spit, presumably).

2. Must be indoor, or at least under roof. Several have suggested outdoor locations, but we feel that 'outdoor hockey' events have become too 'chic', and are therefore inappropriate for an event of this calibre.
The GGA is indeed indoors.

3. No site that is home to any existing NCAA D1 or D3 team is eligible, nor are the practice rinks of any current NCAA team.
The GGA is only the home to mite hockey & figure skating, at the current point in time.

4. While no 'carved in stone' standards exist, the committee has usually shown preference to sites that are inconvenient for travel, and are located in areas with little or nothing else to attract visitors.
It's the UP. Enough said. Otherwise, however, while there is an airport a mere 20 miles away, it only has flights available to and from Minneapolis. No trains. And with the blizzards that frequently occur in the Copper Country (yes, even in April), the likelihood of even getting in on those flights (or even by car) greatly diminishes.

5. Special consideration is normally afforded to venues that: are in poor repair, have limited (or no) seating, have inadequate locker room and team facilities, are either uncomfortably warm or cold...especially if the building has unpleasant smells.
As Painted_Bandit already mentioned, the GGA only has benches to stand on. The players' benches are small even for a Mite team. Both teams' benches are on the same side of the rink, along with the penalty box. It's often colder in the rink that it is outdoors. The place has an interesting smell to it, most definitely.

6. Pictures of the venue or a link where pix can be found would be appreciated.

As you can see, one of the main attractions of this rink is the zamboni...
*****http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2346/156/27/1248960030/n1248960030_30303345_7004.jpg******

Here's the GORGEOUS exterior...
*****http://www.cchockeyhistory.org/CLKimages/BiCent_s.jpg******

I'll do my best to get some better pictures of the interior soon.

Thanks for your consideration!

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

I'm looking forward to some additional interior views of that rink.

[Dutchfan]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

Having moved from the area, it would be greatly appreciated if anyone in the Capital District could go and get interior/exterior pictures of Freer.

[Federal League]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

I'll do my best to get some better pictures of the interior soon.

I'm looking forward to some additional interior views of that rink.

Having moved from the area, it would be greatly appreciated if anyone in the Capital District could go and get interior/exterior pictures of Freer.

As the Chair of the Flowood Ice Park Welcoming Committee, I can assure you that there will be no pictures posted of the interior of our rink. Firstly, no one who posts here lives anywhere close to it. Secondly, the people who do live in Flowood don't care about hockey, much less this tournament. Thirdly, the people who do live in Flowood may or may not know how to use such advanced technology as the camera. And fourthly, even if we could obtain pictures of the interior, we wouldn't want to. We feel that teams could possibly use them to help prepare for when they play there. We'd rather they be completely surprised by our multitude of interior deficiencies.

[hockeyplayer1015]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

Found a picture of the interior of the St. Lawrence Center Mall Arena. It may not look as dumpy as some of the others at first glance, however I can assure you it is no fun to play there. As chairman of the Welcoming Committee, our formal application bid is as follows:

http://www.prismbuilders.com/images/...nceRink500.jpg

http://www.slcarena.com/

As you can see from their site, after waiting for the pictures to cycle to the actual arena, the chipped paint over the cinder blocks looks really appealing to the eye, and the benches are on the opposite side of both doors to access the rink, meaning coaches risk slipping and breaking a bone or 3 on their way to the bench. Also, the bathrooms serving the locker rooms are shared by 2 locker rooms a piece (4 locker rooms total), so the players would have to mix and mingle while relieving themselves.

On their website, the first picture you see, ISN'T EVEN FROM THEIR OWN RINK! Also, the scummy TNA! wrestling series is going to visit this place in February, which they are touting as an unforgettable night of action. I would be shocked if this event got even a fine print mention in any local newspaper, and if so, it wouldn't be until the month after the tournament, coming out as "breaking news."

The closest convenient airport is Ottawa or Montreal, both at 1.5 hours away (90miles or so.) For US Airports, you have to branch out to Syracuse or Burlington, both over 2 hours away. Massena, NY is also known for snowstorms in April, including one happening Mother's Day weekend.

As long as you keep Clarkson from this regional, it isn't close to anybody either.

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Bottom Feeders Bracket/Futile Four 2010

Found a picture of the interior of the St. Lawrence Center Mall Arena. It may not look as dumpy as some of the others at first glance, however I can assure you it is no fun to play there. As chairman of the Welcoming Committee, our formal application bid is as follows:

http://www.prismbuilders.com/images/...nceRink500.jpg

http://www.slcarena.com/

As you can see from their site, after waiting for the pictures to cycle to the actual arena, the chipped paint over the cinder blocks looks really appealing to the eye, and the benches are on the opposite side of both doors to access the rink, meaning coaches risk slipping and breaking a bone or 3 on their way to the bench. Also, the bathrooms serving the locker rooms are shared by 2 locker rooms a piece (4 locker rooms total), so the players would have to mix and mingle while relieving themselves.

On their website, the first picture you see, ISN'T EVEN FROM THEIR OWN RINK! Also, the scummy TNA! wrestling series is going to visit this place in February, which they are touting as an unforgettable night of action. I would be shocked if this event got even a fine print mention in any local newspaper, and if so, it wouldn't be until the month after the tournament, coming out as "breaking news."

The closest convenient airport is Ottawa or Montreal, both at 1.5 hours away (90miles or so.) For US Airports, you have to branch out to Syracuse or Burlington, both over 2 hours away. Massena, NY is also known for snowstorms in April, including one happening Mother's Day weekend.

As long as you keep Clarkson from this regional, it isn't close to anybody either.

I dunno, looks too classy from a distance. On the plus side, Canada may still take offence () to such a scummy event taking place so close to their borders. And they probably won't like the Bottom Feeders' Regional either.