CCHA teams will join WCHA

[MikeAnderson]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Unfortunately, it sounds like (If I read some of the other threads correctly) those in charge at the school are doing next to nothing to get any of that done while the team and its fans are dangling in the wind desperately fighting just to keep the interim president from chopping the program completely.

UAH hired a new president last week, Dr. Robert Altenkirch, formerly of NJIT. The hope now is that he will reassess the entire situation rather than just bowing to whatever Portera has set in motion. The fact that the two of them have a previous relationship from their time together at Mississippi State makes me wonder, though...

You've got it Moose. The 22 hours is a bit long, but 17 hours from check in at Austin-Straubel Green Bay to touchdown in Fairbanks is about average. And that's not including the bus ride from Marquette to Green Bay. And that isn't simply to save "a couple hundred bucks" per person. It's because fitting a traveling party of 28 plus hockey equipment on a 34 seat plane is next to impossible.

Weight issues on small planes from MSP to Bemidji are why UAH usually bussed that trip...all 16 hours of it.

 

[HoosierBBall_GopherHockey]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

UAH hired a new president last week, Dr. Robert Altenkirch, formerly of NJIT. The hope now is that he will reassess the entire situation rather than just bowing to whatever Portera has set in motion. The fact that the two of them have a previous relationship from their time together at Mississippi State makes me wonder, though...


Weight issues on small planes from MSP to Bemidji are why UAH usually bussed that trip...all 16 hours of it.

It was ONLY 16 hours from Huntsville to Bemidji? I would have guessed 20.

 

[Lakerblue]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Having lived in Anchorage for a few years, I can tell you I never had any serious problems getting back to Sault Ste. Marie. Travel to and from Alaska is always way overstated by the Lower 48 citizens. For many people, their one flight to Alaska was for vacation, usually a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and compared to flying from Detroit to Orlando, it seems like a lengthy trip. But in the grand scheme of things, a protracted flight to Alaska is much more enjoyable than a bus trip from Waterloo, Iowa, to Indianapolis in the dead of winter -- as an example of a typical USHL road trip. When I lived in Alaska, I noticed how midwesterners (of which I am one) regard travel to farther distant cities as profoundly more severe than reality. People in Alaska usually chuckle at the moans and groans of -- lets be honest -- very whiney midwesterners about travel time.

Its not that bad.

For the players, they have spent most of the high school years, and many college years, doing homework and school work on a bus. These kids, and the coaches (especially the coaches on recruiting rounds) are very much used to the lengthy travel. And they are used to getting their work done while traveling. This has been their life and lifestyle probably since they were 10 years old.

And lets not forget that most teams will make one trip to AK. But even in the newer configured WCHA, teams will likely make two trips to AK. So what? What is the difference for NMU (for example) bussing to Mankato for 12 hours, or travelling to Fairbanks for 12 hours? There is no difference, except in your own minds. Alaska is a thriving hockey state, where they love the game. I think its absurd that some backwater no-place town in Pennsylvania, where youth hockey is played sporatically and only then a few hours away, can garner respect and excitement and for whom the college hockey world is supposed to be thrilled for its admission (Penn State) -- and yet two schools dedicated to college hockey (UAA and UAF), in a state that loves hockey, always has to defend its seat at the table because of this absurd fear of travel times.

But the bottom line is this: You wanna play big-time D-I sports -- get off the busses.

Regarding travel costs and schedules -- folks, these schedules are made two years in advance. The seats are bought in group rates, long before any other person ever considers booking a seat on any particular flight. You can't just hop on Travelocity and get a "group rate for a college hockey team" and think that is the end-all beat-all final word on prices and schedules. It would not suprise me if UAA and UAF have contracts with Alaska Air for scheduling and discounted prices. Speculating on travel costs and time and schedules is a fool's errand.

As an aside, i still have a t-shirt from my AK days -- "Alaska Sucks. Now Go Tell All Your Grandparents." Another favorite was, "If Its Tourist Season, Can We Shoot Them?"

 

[CHFAN222]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

So if the 4 Atlantic Hockey schools split off with BG and RIT mulls a possible bid to ECAC to make up for loss of RPI what would happen next to Atlantic Hockey?

Please tell me they are in talks with schools such as URI and Navy about the benefits of joining the conference in case this stuff happens. URI could so something similar to what UCONN does now and perhaps gradually add scholarships over time. At the very least has UAH been in touch with them?

 

[ACSabercat]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

But in the grand scheme of things, a protracted flight to Alaska is much more enjoyable than a bus trip from Waterloo, Iowa, to Indianapolis in the dead of winter

For the players, they have spent most of the high school years, and many college years, doing homework and school work on a bus. These kids, and the coaches (especially the coaches on recruiting rounds) are very much used to the lengthy travel. And they are used to getting their work done while traveling. This has been their life and lifestyle probably since they were 10 years old.

And lets not forget that most teams will make one trip to AK. But even in the newer configured WCHA, teams will likely make two trips to AK. So what? What is the difference for NMU (for example) bussing to Mankato for 12 hours, or travelling to Fairbanks for 12 hours? There is no difference, except in your own minds.

Excellent post. Well stated. A plane ride is a luxury compared to a cold bus ride between USHL cities in the dead of winter. Regardless these guys are used to it - they may not totally like it in all cases - but it's not a shock either. Playing in the WCHA, NCHC, and BT will involve significant travel at some point. That's what you sign up for.

Adding to this - a point about school work - remember we have a little thing called the internet and mobile devices. Being away from class is not like it was even 10 years ago. Some guys even like the road time to get caught up on things.

 

[aparch]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

It seems the disconnect is that the well traveled Alaskan folks are discussing a one person, two person, or maybe even four person trip. DavyD and Moose are reminding everyone that it's TWENTY FIVE people that they're trying to get on one or two flights from (insert midwestern village here) to Anchorage. Not including finding room on a plane for 25 people plus gear to Fairbanks.

Sure it's fine and dandy to use Expedia to book travel for one or two people, but for a group it becomes a challenge. As pointed out by the UAH contingent, there are weight maximums that 25 players, coaches, and all their gear and equipment can exceed.


So yes, it's a pain in the * to get a GROUP of people to Alaska. So quit bi***ing about the lower 48 teams bi***ing about travel unless UAA and UA_ want to pony up for a couple of private jets.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

So if the 4 Atlantic Hockey schools split off with BG and RIT mulls a possible bid to ECAC to make up for loss of RPI what would happen next to Atlantic Hockey?

Please tell me they are in talks with schools such as URI and Navy about the benefits of joining the conference in case this stuff happens. URI could so something similar to what UCONN does now and perhaps gradually add scholarships over time. At the very least has UAH been in touch with them?

Why the hell would RIT get into the ECAC?

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

So if the 4 Atlantic Hockey schools split off with BG and RIT mulls a possible bid to ECAC to make up for loss of RPI what would happen next to Atlantic Hockey??...

Just a note to posters - Please refrain from discussing hockey in the "How the Space-Time Continium Warps on Your Way to Alaska" thread.
Also please do not cloud the discussion with facts such as: "A non-stop flight from Chicago to Anchorage takes 6 hours and 15 min...
So you should be able to reach most other parts of AK within five hours even though you will need a connection from Anchorage."
Thank-you,
The Management

 

[5hole]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

No one pays attention to The Management. Now back to travel discussion ...

I have talked with a number of Niagara players in the past - enough to know that the trip from NU to Bemidji was frequently referred to as the trip from he11. And that consisted of a 40 minute bus ride from NU to BUF airport, a flight to MSP ... although I do not believe there are any non-stops on a full size plane, so it was probably a one-stop and layover to change planes ... then the four-hour bus ride to Bemidji. They hated it. Of course, when they got there, it was usually something like -40 degrees cf (Huntsville was much more enjoyable).

I am sure the Alaska trips are much, much easier than that.

 

[scsutommyboy]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

No one pays attention to The Management. Now back to travel discussion ...

I have talked with a number of Niagara players in the past - enough to know that the trip from NU to Bemidji was frequently referred to as the trip from he11. And that consisted of a 40 minute bus ride from NU to BUF airport, a flight to MSP ... although I do not believe there are any non-stops on a full size plane, so it was probably a one-stop and layover to change planes ... then the four-hour bus ride to Bemidji. They hated it. Of course, when they got there, it was usually something like -40 degrees cf (Huntsville was much more enjoyable).

I am sure the Alaska trips are much, much easier than that.

If you are going to UAA it should be much better than that. Fairbanks might be another story.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Why the hell would RIT get into the ECAC?

Whom would you pick instead if RPI goes to HEA? They probably make the most sense, and furthermore they keep getting mixed up with RPI anyway.

 

[Priceless]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

This is my preferred way of getting from Bemidji to Anchorage...

Departing Bemidji, MN (BJI)
Wed Oct 19, 2011 7:15 am
Arriving 1 day later
Anchorage, AK (ANC)
Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:00 am
3 Stops Total Time 24h 45m

Delta Air Lines: Flight 2526 / Canadair Regional Jet (Jet)
operated by Delta Connection/Mesaba Aviation
From: Bemidji, MN (BJI)
Wed Oct 19, 2011 7:15 am
To: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:19 am
Travel Time: 1h 4m
Economy/Coach Class
Layover Time: 3h 9m

Delta Air Lines: Flight 1559 / Boeing 757-300 (Jet)
From: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:28 am
To: Honolulu, HI (HNL)
Wed Oct 19, 2011 5:35 pm
Travel Time: 11h 7m
1 Stop
Economy/Coach Class
Layover Time: 3h 25m

Delta Air Lines: Flight 7472 / Boeing 737 (Jet)
operated by Alaska Airlines
From: Honolulu, HI (HNL)
Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:00 pm
To: Anchorage, AK (ANC)
Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:00 am
Travel Time: 6h 0m
Economy/Coach Class

Too bad the layover in Honolulu is only 3 1/2 hours.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

For the players, they have spent most of the high school years, and many college years, doing homework and school work on a bus. These kids, and the coaches (especially the coaches on recruiting rounds) are very much used to the lengthy travel. And they are used to getting their work done while traveling. This has been their life and lifestyle probably since they were 10 years old.

Sure, but if you're on a 12-hour bus ride, the bus picks you up at your rink and drops you off at the opponent's rink, so you have about 11.5 hours of time when you can actually get work done (or sleep). In a 3-leg, 12-hour plane trip, you have a bus ride to the airport on each end, takeoffs, landings, layovers, etc - resulting in *maybe* 5-6 total hours of useful time when you can actually sleep or work - not to mention that you have much more room to spread out on most buses.

If it were 12 hours either way, I'd take the bus every time.

 

[ACSabercat]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

The whole travel thing is a moot point:

1) The schools agreed to it! It they felt there was some burning issue about having two AK schools in a conference why did they extend an invite to UA? If Bemidji (my team ), Mankato, or Tech had some major objection to that they should have spoke up.

2) Unless something changes in the conference misalignments - at this point nothing would surprise me - it's the "way it's gonna be" so no point in arguing over it.

3) Regarding Alaska - remember it's only one or two road trips out of the whole season. With some creative scheduling some teams might be able to hit up both on the same trip. It would not work for everyone every year but something like that might be able to be worked out on a somewhat of a rotating basis.

4) Don't fly commercial - charter a plane!

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

ACS: Don't pretend thatschools would spend a week in Alaska. Forgetting the NCAA issues regarding trips of that length, what about the costs of getting that many rooms for over a week?

 

[davyd83]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

It seems the disconnect is that the well traveled Alaskan folks are discussing a one person, two person, or maybe even four person trip. DavyD and Moose are reminding everyone that it's TWENTY FIVE people that they're trying to get on one or two flights from (insert midwestern village here) to Anchorage. Not including finding room on a plane for 25 people plus gear to Fairbanks.

Sure it's fine and dandy to use Expedia to book travel for one or two people, but for a group it becomes a challenge. As pointed out by the UAH contingent, there are weight maximums that 25 players, coaches, and all their gear and equipment can exceed.


So yes, it's a pain in the * to get a GROUP of people to Alaska. So quit bi***ing about the lower 48 teams bi***ing about travel unless UAA and UA_ want to pony up for a couple of private jets.

Apparently the UAA guy is using Montgomery Scott as travel coordinator. Going to UAF, Fairbanks books and pays for the trips, sometimes they are paid for with award miles which also puts other kinks in the system. Alaska Airlines is also not always the one who provides the flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks. In the 09-10 season, a different airline was booked. Baggage had to be claimed in Anchorage and re-checked.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

ACS: Don't pretend thatschools would spend a week in Alaska. Forgetting the NCAA issues regarding trips of that length, what about the costs of getting that many rooms for over a week?

Don't pretend they wouldn't. In fact, it's ridiculous to assert that they wouldn't. The NCAA grants Alaska teams the necessary waiver to stay in the lower 48 for a week. They'll do the same for any team travelling to Alaska.

UAA and UAF stay over in the lower 48 for a week EVERY SEASON.

So **** off back to whatever B!G thread you came from. Your input here is invalid.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Apparently the UAA guy is using Montgomery Scott as travel coordinator. Going to UAF, Fairbanks books and pays for the trips, sometimes they are paid for with award miles which also puts other kinks in the system. Alaska Airlines is also not always the one who provides the flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks. In the 09-10 season, a different airline was booked. Baggage had to be claimed in Anchorage and re-checked.

OMFG .. the sky is falling!!1!! Hockey players might have to fly in an airplane!!1!!1!

 

[davyd83]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

Don't pretend they wouldn't. In fact, it's ridiculous to assert that they wouldn't. The NCAA grants Alaska teams the necessary waiver to stay in the lower 48 for a week. They'll do the same for any team travelling to Alaska.

UAA and UAF stay over in the lower 48 for a week EVERY SEASON.

So **** off back to whatever B!G thread you came from. Your input here is invalid.

And usually when they do it, it's in conjunction with a Thanksgiving, Christmas or Spring Break, not always. but often. If you are to play Friday/Saturday in both Fairbanks and Anchorage on a trip, that would require 7-8 days of missed class. If you play them separately, you have a max of six missed class days. Those missed class days come into play if you are one of the Minnesota schools and would have 2nd day bus trips to LSSU, Ferris or possibly Bowling Green

 

[davyd83]

Re: CCHA teams will join WCHA

OMFG .. the sky is falling!!1!! Hockey players might have to fly in an airplane!!1!!1!

Actually, when going to Fairbanks, we bus to Ross River in the Yukon and take dogsleds from there.