Eddie Schorr
Member
We B1G people just need to keep in mind that we haven't won shit yet. As impressive as yesterday was, it can still all fall apart today and tomorrow. Or we can get 3 in the FF and still go home empty handed like 2018.
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Big Ten in the NCAA Tournament
- Thread starter Hockeybuckeye
- Start date
We B1G people just need to keep in mind that we haven't won shit yet. As impressive as yesterday was, it can still all fall apart today and tomorrow. Or we can get 3 in the FF and still go home empty handed like 2018.
Hockeybuckeye
Well-known member
Yep! The fat lady hasn't sung yet and I hope those first games hasn't lulled The Big Ten teams into a false sense of security.
FredsDeadFriend
New member
I think we are all well aware of that. There is such a thing as being confident without being over confident. ALL FOUR B1G teams pummeling their 1st round opponents is going to bring about some confidence among B1G fans. If all 4 teams were #1 seeds destroying low seeded teams like Mn and Mich did, that would be one thing, but both OSU and PSU did what they did vs teams seeded close to the same as them, and the 4 teams were from 3 different conferences, so it's not like one single conference's teams got in and were overrated. More likely it seems as if both OSU and PSU went into the tourney underrated in large part from having to play each other and both Minnesota and Michigan so many times. That's 12-14 games, that's close to HALF of their entire schedules.
The table seems set about as well as it could be to finally bring about a B1G Champ. Minnesota is left all alone on their side of the bracket, but are, but most observers opinions, the most equipped to win it all, while the other side of the bracket has 3 B1G teams remaining out of the 4 teams, so Q's going to have to beat 2 B1G teams back to back to get to the final game, where they may have to beat a 3rd?
Now like I said, I think we are all well aware of the possibility of a non-B1G team winning it all this year despite the B1G's seemingly large advantage, it's happened before in 2018 like you mentioned, but those 3 B1G Frozen Four teams didn't dominate in the opening round like this year's teams did. Doesn't guarantee anything, but it can and does add to the confidence level of B1G fans. That can't be helped.
FredsDeadFriend
New member
Well, it won't matter, at least this round, for half of those teams seeing as they play each other.
As for the other 2? I think that scare that Minnesota got in the first 30 minutes of their game combined with their recent struggles against SCSU will keep them from any false sense of security. As for OSU? They are going up against the #2 ranked team in the nation, I seriously doubt they will take them for granted.
Eddie Schorr
Member
As someone who's followed Ohio State hockey going back to the Pooley Brothers, I am fully conditioned that every bit of success and happiness the program gives me is merely a set up for a soul crushing kick to the nuts.
FredsDeadFriend
New member
LOL, I feel you man. It's been a long 20 years as a men's Gopher hockey fan, even longer as a Gopher Men's BB and Football fan. Even as a Gopher Women's hockey fan there is suffering. It was SO upsetting to get beat by Wisconsin, and then to add injury to insult, them damn Badgers upset your Buckeyes who I was cheering for. Anyone but the damned Badgers. They finally were having a down year and still end up winning a Title? It helps that their men's hockey team has sucked so bad recently. And I haven't even mentioned Minnesota Pro sports, ugh. I've basically given up on them. Seeing the Wild at the top of their Division gives me that same feeling, that I'm being set up for a let down. I at least never let myself believe in the Vikings this year, I knew all season long that they weren't going to win in the post season. So I'm learning, slowly, but I am. lol.
FredsDeadFriend
New member
HALF. Half the Frozen Four is guaranteed to be B1G teams.
StateofHockey78
New member
now I just have to find better seats...These secondary market prices are insane.
FredsDeadFriend
New member
Would have been fun to have 3 B1G's in the Frozen Four, of course, at least for fans of B1G teams, but for the good of the sport, I think having 3 of the Top 4 seeds in the Frozen Four so far, and a guaranteed 2 Eastern Teams, the top ECAC team and the Top HE team going against the Top B1G team and either #3 overall seed Michigan or a darn good PSU team is the best thing.
I think the powers that be would prefer Michigan with all of it's NHL draftees to be the 4th team to get in, but the NHL people are probably cheering for PSU, and they being still a somewhat new program, would add some Cinderella story aspect to the weekend and so wouldn't be the worst thing if they pulled off the upset.
I think the powers that be would prefer Michigan with all of it's NHL draftees to be the 4th team to get in, but the NHL people are probably cheering for PSU, and they being still a somewhat new program, would add some Cinderella story aspect to the weekend and so wouldn't be the worst thing if they pulled off the upset.
Jack Hanson
Member
The powers that be? Oh boy. Time for a new tin foil cap my friend.
FredsDeadFriend
New member
It's just a phrase dude. Didn't mean anything serious or nefarious by it. lol.
And tin foil cap? It's the people being poked fun of for supposedly wearing tin foil caps who have been right over and over and over again the last few years. All of life is full of conspiracies to some degree, unless you live in an Amish community or something? And even then, who knows? We're all human and it's natural for humans to conspire. Hockey coaches conspire with their players to figure out ways to confuse their opponents or to neutralize an opponents strengths.
As for college hockey, I doubt there is some billionaire in charge as it's not a big money making thing, so the powers that be would be more likely a number of people running the NCAA and ESPN to some degree. The NCAA is a pretty big and influential and powerful entity. It's a not for profit business, so it does want to make money but not to make any one person rich, but to increase everyone's salaries at the top of those that are involved and to have more money to work with going forward. It's why they are annually tweaking the playoff format, the locations, the seedings, etc., to try to make as much money as possible without violating too many of their stated priorities/principles. It has a lot of regular people involved that are just lovers of the sport and want to put on the best tournament they can. But someone's always at the top making the final decision about the bigger issues. And the TV networks that have sports events have people in charge of them, probably a billionaire. ESPN is owned by Disney, or mostly owned by Disney, who I already mentioned. They are a for profit business and have a lot of influence regarding how the NCAA does things.
Jack Hanson
Member
A better response than my snarky response deserved Fred. I think we’re on the same page, there isn’t enough money in NCAA hockey for powers-that-be to care about the outcome of the tournament. And that’s a good thing.
Eddie Schorr
Member
I don't think espn gives a damn about college hockey. Yes, they televise it because they need the programming content, but they don't really promote it in anything close to the way they promote college baseball and softball. And coincidentally, their wholly owned subsidiary known as the Special Education Conference doesn't play hockey but is a powerhouse in baseball and softball while espn's arch-nemesis the B1G is one of the major hockey conferences.
BUPhD
Active member
ESPN runs the NCAA hockey tourney because they're contracturally obligated to as part of their deal to get football games rights. I believe this was revealed some years ago that it was literally one of the terms of the football contract with ESPN that they show the tourneys for other sports...that included the women's basketball tournament. Which got little promotion from ESPN until recent years when things blew up in the media and the NCAA was shamed into paying attention to the fact they had a women's basketball tourney.
FredsDeadFriend
New member
Well, I honestly didn't consider that angle. You seem to make a valid point.
A side note, the SEC does have college hockey, just not NCAA sanctioned. I'd love it if they upgraded so we could kick their arses in another sport. lol
FredsDeadFriend
New member
I've disliked ESPN for awhile now. I gave up on the channel for the most part, about the same time I gave up on the NFL. I still turn to espn when they are the ones showing Gopher games, but I'm not real happy about it. I hope someday another channel comes around that can compete with ESPN and that college hockey also grows in popularity as well. Would love if the West Coast had a Div 1 conference(they used to have chk out there) and the SEC as well.
On this note I just read something about how women's basketball coaches are pushing for a separate contract from ESPN NCAA championships. Like how the men's tournament is CBS.
Speed Kills
Registered User
FredsDeadFriend
New member
The B1G now with ALL THREE of the Hobey Baker Final 3 Finalists!!!
Doubt either of the Gophers will win it, but proud of the two making it into the Final 3.
Tell you Michigan fans this, you all can have the Hobey, Gophers'll take the Natty. ;-)
Doubt either of the Gophers will win it, but proud of the two making it into the Final 3.
Tell you Michigan fans this, you all can have the Hobey, Gophers'll take the Natty. ;-)
FredsDeadFriend
New member
Michigan letting the B1G down. lol
Couldn't of happened to a better bunch. B1G team I cheer against the most. I absolutely want to win, but damn, if we are going to lose, better to a team like Q who has never won a title than a team like Michigan.
But damn, if the B1G goes away without a title again, that will suck. I like Q, I'm friends with a Q fan and he's one of the nicest sports fans I've ever met. So I really hate cheering against this team, but have to make an exception for my Gophers. This is their year. Vikings lost 4 Super Bowls. Bills lost 4 in a row. Q can join a elite club. But Minnesota needs this title, this year. Our entire first line is probably bolting to the NHL in 3 days, win or lose, and we're losing several more seniors as well. Not saying we'll suck next year, but this year it just seems all the stars have aligned.
But again, if we gotta lose, better to Q than anyone else. Hope it's a good clean game with few penalties and no injuries and may the best team win.
Couldn't of happened to a better bunch. B1G team I cheer against the most. I absolutely want to win, but damn, if we are going to lose, better to a team like Q who has never won a title than a team like Michigan.
But damn, if the B1G goes away without a title again, that will suck. I like Q, I'm friends with a Q fan and he's one of the nicest sports fans I've ever met. So I really hate cheering against this team, but have to make an exception for my Gophers. This is their year. Vikings lost 4 Super Bowls. Bills lost 4 in a row. Q can join a elite club. But Minnesota needs this title, this year. Our entire first line is probably bolting to the NHL in 3 days, win or lose, and we're losing several more seniors as well. Not saying we'll suck next year, but this year it just seems all the stars have aligned.
But again, if we gotta lose, better to Q than anyone else. Hope it's a good clean game with few penalties and no injuries and may the best team win.