Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

[Tater]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

As a BU fan, I would rather have only 20 conference games and have a balanced schedule. However, I realize that some teams had challenges filling an OOC slate with 22 conference games so I understand.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why a HEA playoff with only the top 8 teams wasn't even an option. It worked well in the past.

 

[Tater]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

His meaning of an unbalanced schedule is 2 home, one away against the same team. Your meaning is three games against some teams, two games against other teams.

Bertagna is precisely talking about schools playing some teams 3X and other 2X. To make up the loss of conference games by ND leaving.

 

[BU Fan 84]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Bertagna is precisely talking about schools playing some teams 3X and other 2X. To make up the loss of conference games by ND leaving.

Yes, I know, and it is something that I am against. I was just clarifying for ericredaxe since the term "unbalanced schedule" is used different ways.

 

[HHound]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Are you a fan of a beanpot school? I can see fans of those schools not wanting only five free dates each year. I still think it is the lesser of two evils though. The conference games are the meat and potato of the schedule and you lose a lot with only two games over one weekend against each school. I'm not sure how long you have been a fan but things really were perfect before UVM joined(no offense to them). In those days teams could play each other three times and there were plenty of non-conference games. On top of that the conference tourney worked good with only one team missing out and it being able to be played over two weekends.

Nine is a good hockey number (see: Howe, Gordie). It worked very well for Hockey East. 3 games against each opponent and 10 OOCs. My question is: Which schools get the boot? Do you grandfather the original 7 (BC, bu, UNO, UML, UNH, NU and PC and then pick 2 from the remaining 4, (UConn, UMass, UVM, & Merrimack.?) . If I were the Commish, I'd ditch Merrimack, as they are a Div.2 school for everything except hockey. I'd also boot UMass because they do stupid things, care more about bouncy ball than they care about hockey, and have had more than enough time to develop a hockey program where the term "mediocre" would represent an improvement.
The 9th place team would miss the playoffs. That would allow the league to end the season a week later/start the season a week later after the veterans had time to learn the rookies' names.

 

[Drew S.]

Nine is a good hockey number (see: Howe, Gordie). It worked very well for Hockey East. 3 games against each opponent and 10 OOCs. My question is: Which schools get the boot? Do you grandfather the original 7 (BC, bu, UNO, UML, UNH, NU and PC and then pick 2 from the remaining 4, (UConn, UMass, UVM, & Merrimack.?) . If I were the Commish, I'd ditch Merrimack, as they are a Div.2 school for everything except hockey. I'd also boot UMass because they do stupid things, care more about bouncy ball than they care about hockey, and have had more than enough time to develop a hockey program where the term "mediocre" would represent an improvement.
The 9th place team would miss the playoffs. That would allow the league to end the season a week later/start the season a week later after the veterans had time to learn the rookies' names.

I'd prefer to get rid of Umass and UConn, part of that is because I live fairly close to Merrimack and it's easy for me to see games there. I just don't see either UConn or Umass as great fits for the league. They are much bigger than the other schools in the league and their athletic priorities obviously lie elsewhere. I'd be fine with any two of the four if I t meant getting back to nine though. I would be very surprised if it ever happens. I think best case scenario is UConn leaves and there are 27 league games and two teams miss conference tourney.

 

[HHound]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

I'd prefer to get rid of Umass and UConn, part of that is because I live fairly close to Merrimack and it's easy for me to see games there. I just don't see either UConn or Umass as great fits for the league. They are much bigger than the other schools in the league and their athletic priorities obviously lie elsewhere. I'd be fine with any two of the four if I t meant getting back to nine though. I would be very surprised if it ever happens. I think best case scenario is UConn leaves and there are 27 league games and two teams miss conference tourney.

I, too, will believe it after I see it. It's kind of un-American to contract/shrink anything (except one's waistline). We're all about growth - **** the ramifications!

 

[Patman]

I would like to see this format too. All this change / trouble for the league just to have Notre Dame for 4 seasons. I'm sure no one at the league office will admit it was a mistake.

If we're going to leave one at home we should leave 3 and not make things such a mess.

 

[Patman]

I'd prefer to get rid of Umass and UConn, part of that is because I live fairly close to Merrimack and it's easy for me to see games there. I just don't see either UConn or Umass as great fits for the league. They are much bigger than the other schools in the league and their athletic priorities obviously lie elsewhere. I'd be fine with any two of the four if I t meant getting back to nine though. I would be very surprised if it ever happens. I think best case scenario is UConn leaves and there are 27 league games and two teams miss conference tourney.

I don't want to be at 27 again. I still like the general idea of 10 and a two division setup... 22 games (3x4+2x5)

 

[J.D.]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

UConn is already in better hands with Cav than Maine is with Red Gendron. And while UMass didn't make a slamdunk hire, it certainly seems like they got a lot better guy than the last time around. UMass also has a better facility than most.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

UConn is already in better hands with Cav than Maine is with Red Gendron. And while UMass didn't make a slamdunk hire, it certainly seems like they got a lot better guy than the last time around. UMass also has a better facility than most.

If you're suggesting UMaine should leave, and UMass and UConn (a/k/a UMass Mach II) should stay, you're nuts.

Original HE program with a great hockey legacy, vs. two programs who are minnows in their own departments, hoops-first schools, and neither of which has ever accomplished jack on the ice. Let them join the Big Ten if they're such great prospects. I'm sure the jamokes at Notre Dame can put in a good word for both of them.

 

[UML Puck Hawk]

If you're suggesting UMaine should leave, and UMass and UConn (a/k/a UMass Mach II) should stay, you're nuts.

Original HE program with a great hockey legacy, vs. two programs who are minnows in their own departments, hoops-first schools, and neither of which has ever accomplished jack on the ice. Let them join the Big Ten if they're such great prospects. I'm sure the jamokes at Notre Dame can put in a good word for both of them.

But Chuck if we kick out Maine, UHNs ooc series won't be mocked nearly as often.

If we kick out zoomass maybe Lowell can move to just playing them once for the alumni cup. Seems like some positives there.

Keep UConn around because it ****es off the BC faithful, and once York retires that rivalry will pick up at BC wondering if Cav would be the better hire

 

[Sean Pickett]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

?? When did we have an unbalanced schedule? Since the 90's I don't ever remember one... unless I'm mis-remembering...

Hockey East had an unbalanced 24 game schedule with 8 teams for the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons. Each team played 3 teams 4 times and 4 teams 3 times. The two pods were BU, Maine, MC, NU and BC, UML, UNH, PC.

Sean

 

[J.D.]

If you're suggesting UMaine should leave, and UMass and UConn (a/k/a UMass Mach II) should stay, you're nuts.

Original HE program with a great hockey legacy, vs. two programs who are minnows in their own departments, hoops-first schools, and neither of which has ever accomplished jack on the ice. Let them join the Big Ten if they're such great prospects. I'm sure the jamokes at Notre Dame can put in a good word for both of them.

Dear lord chuck. I didn't say anyone should leave.

 

[BC/HE]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Lets set some rules for admission to the league. No school should be more than 100 miles from Boston and any 2 schools must be within 150 miles of each other. That means UVM and Maine can form a new North Country league presumably with their Canadian friends. A tenth team would be needed and Holy Cross fits in perfectly. Sorry Quinnipiac you are too far from Boston and also from UNH so you disqualify on both counts. Less travel with a more compact footprint.

 

[Snively65]

A tenth team would be needed and Holy Cross fits in perfectly. Sorry Quinnipiac you are too far from Boston and also from UNH so you disqualify on both counts. Less travel with a more compact footprint.

Or, Bentley, IF they build a new rink on campus, and they win a few AHC tourneys?

 

[joecct]

Lets set some rules for admission to the league. No school should be more than 100 miles from Boston and any 2 schools must be within 150 miles of each other. That means UVM and Maine can form a new North Country league presumably with their Canadian friends. A tenth team would be needed and Holy Cross fits in perfectly. Sorry Quinnipiac you are too far from Boston and also from UNH so you disqualify on both counts. Less travel with a more compact footprint.

Gee whillikers!! Spend a year at a Western school. Us Easterners are spoiled by the travel.

Or better yet, go back to the ECAC when I was in college. Your poor Eagles had to travel to (shudders) Potsdam! Why that was 7 hours on a bus!!! (BU flew).

 

[Runsub5]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

UConn is already in better hands with Cav than Maine is with Red Gendron. And while UMass didn't make a slamdunk hire, it certainly seems like they got a lot better guy than the last time around. UMass also has a better facility than most.

I agree with you. I predict UConn will make the NCAA Regionals before Maine makes a return visit. Perhaps, even UMass with their recent hire and commitment to the program.

 

[Sean Pickett]

Re: Bertagna Comments on HE Scheduling and Expansion

Gee whillikers!! Spend a year at a Western school. Us Easterners are spoiled by the travel.

Or better yet, go back to the ECAC when I was in college. Your poor Eagles had to travel to (shudders) Potsdam! Why that was 7 hours on a bus!!! (BU flew).

Yes, having to travel a few hours to an away game is such a hardship! Speaking of travel to Potsdam in the pre-HE days: In compiling a composite DI schedule for the 1975-76 season I was very surprised at the number of Tuesday and Wednesday games were teams were traveling so far, for example PC at Colgate on a Wednesday, BU at Penn on a Tuesday, Penn at UNH on a Thursday, UVm at BU on a Thursday, Penn at PC on a Tuesday, etc. I know some of the games during school breaks, but many were while classes were in session. Forgetting about the student athletes (after all, in other sports they have to deal with midweek games on a regular basis), but the poor traveling team fans!!!

Sean

 

[Snively65]

I agree with you. I predict UConn will make the NCAA Regionals before Maine makes a return visit. Perhaps, even UMass with their recent hire and commitment to the program.

And, before UNH makes a return visit. :-(

 

[davyd83]

Lets set some rules for admission to the league. No school should be more than 100 miles from Boston and any 2 schools must be within 150 miles of each other. That means UVM and Maine can form a new North Country league presumably with their Canadian friends. A tenth team would be needed and Holy Cross fits in perfectly. Sorry Quinnipiac you are too far from Boston and also from UNH so you disqualify on both counts. Less travel with a more compact footprint.

Hockey East must reduce its footprint. Those grueling 52 minute bus trip can wear a team down.