North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

[mnstate0fhockey]

I also forgot he provides feedback to Consumer Reports on sofas, hoping to break into the recliner/layzboy department by b the off the year.

Hahaha

 

[HarleyMC]

Re: North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

I have a 2011 Championship ring made worthless by having my name put on it (Twice actually, the last name is on the outside about the frozen four location WCHA logo and overall record, first and last is on the inside with first national championship written below it). If you want to see it I'll meet up with you for a beer next NSCC. I spent the majority of my final 2 1/2 years in Duluth at the DECC and Amsoil (the couches in the DECC players lounge were way better to sleep on). I never need tickets to away games and my Amsoil key still works. Today I wore a white UMD hockey polo that was given to all participants of the UMD alum golf event on the last weekend in July. There are a lot of facts I know.

Classic comedy gold. I'm sure he'll be marking his calendar for that very important date to meet you for a beer next year so you can show him your Mr. Winkie. Keys still work? Of course they do. In real life, you're the maintenance engineer soiling couches with your $exy hockey fantasies.

 

[Stauber1]

Re: North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

I will back up Dtown to this extent. When the conference stuff happened, Troy Jutting was telling the Blue Line Club for MSU that the Gophers were asking for 2-for-1s. I don't think that surprises anyone. His comment at the time was that it's all fine and dandy if they want to do that, but they were going to have to pay a small ransom to make that happen (ie. MN was going to have to make up for the fact that we would, in essence, be losing a home series during that time) . I don't think that without A)the NSCC or B)2-for-1s the Gophers would be playing the MN schools. I'm not saying it's fact that it's the only way, but the hints that those in the know have given is that's the case.

Agreed. My only point was that no one at the MN schools would have been surprised by the offer, and I doubt anyone at the Univ. of MN was surprised by rejection of the offer. It's why most the fans were worried.

I'll disagree with you slightly about the financial aspect. There is a HUGE financial incentive for the Gophers to schedule the MN schools. You have to start with the fact that the Gophers were only going to schedule 2:1 with the MN schools. So now you have 2 different ways the Gophers end up with more money. They get 2 extra games at home and they have 1 weekend that they pay very little in expenses. That's a huge financial incentive.

Then we'll have to agree to disagree. MN isn't gaining any home games by striking that deal with the MN schools. They are going to play 20 regardless. I had said previously that they only needed to schedule 3 away non-con series a year but that was an error, it's actually only 2 (20 Big10 games leaves 14 non-con games; 10 of those have to be at home to reach 20 home games; that leaves 4 away non-con games). The Gophers aren't left wanting for options, even cheap ones. UNO, UND, Tech and Northern are all easy bus trips. Notre Dame, Western and LSSU are doable. That's 7 teams that are within driving distance, and considering that Lucia has talked about how he enjoys bringing the team out east from time to time, that is 7 teams outside of the MN schools for 1 maybe 2 road trips. The financial incentive just isn't there.

Now, let's look at the MN schools. You're "left shaking your head" that they all told the Gophers that it wasn't going to happen? Seriously, what incentive is there for the other schools to schedule a 2:1? Unless the Gophers are willing to pay big dollars for other schools to come in that arrangement, there isn't one. They may not have strong-armed the Gophers into anything, but they sure didn't give them much of a choice either. In a sense it's a 2:1, but everyone is splitting the revenue for the NSCC so it's not in the truest sense of the term.

I think either you misunderstood, or I did a poor job articulating. I'm not surprised that the other schools turned down such an offer. I'm left shaking my head about the idea that this somehow strong-armed the Gophers. All the teams made compromises for the North Star cup. UMD, for example, accepted a deal where they play a 2-for-1 3 out of every 4 years. The Gophers gave up 2 of their 20 home games for the tournament, which a superficial examination of the numbers shows to be a financial hit. And, as a Gopher fan, I'll say I think Lucia deserves some credit for that. He didn't set the 20-game home mandate, but I'm fairly sure he played a lead role in selling the North Star cup to the ones who did as a legitimate option to count toward that mandate.

My main point was that the Gophers don't need to play any of the other MN schools. There is no real financial incentive to do so. The recruiting angle is a separate debate, but I would suggest there isn't much recruiting advantage to the Gophers by playing the MN schools either. It's more about tradition and culture, and I'm pleased that in this one instance those values won out over the pure money-grab that has infested college sports in this country.

 

[D2D]

Re: North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

My main point was that the Gophers don't need to play any of the other MN schools. There is no real financial incentive to do so. The recruiting angle is a separate debate, but I would suggest there isn't much recruiting advantage to the Gophers by playing the MN schools either. It's more about tradition and culture, and I'm pleased that in this one instance those values won out over the pure money-grab that has infested college sports in this country.

Great insight, Stauber1. From all I've gathered, I couldn't agree more. tDon took a lot of criticism a few years ago when the team was mediocre, but anyone even half objective would have to admit that the guy is a class act...not to mention a very good head coach.

 

[Koho]

Re: North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

tDon .... ...not to mention a very good head coach.

What? They've already lost 2 games this year, and a lot of the wins were not dominate wins. Whose fault is that? (You need to read GPL after a close win or tie to get a little better perspective on things.)

 

[hockeykrazy]

Re: North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

What? They've already lost 2 games this year, and a lot of the wins were not dominate wins. Whose fault is that? (You need to read GPL after a close win or tie to get a little better perspective on things.)

The higher the expectations the more irrational the fans become. Just look at the Vikes in '98 and '09.

 

[Bale]

Re: North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

I think either you misunderstood, or I did a poor job articulating. I'm not surprised that the other schools turned down such an offer. I'm left shaking my head about the idea that this somehow strong-armed the Gophers. All the teams made compromises for the North Star cup. UMD, for example, accepted a deal where they play a 2-for-1 3 out of every 4 years. The Gophers gave up 2 of their 20 home games for the tournament, which a superficial examination of the numbers shows to be a financial hit. And, as a Gopher fan, I'll say I think Lucia deserves some credit for that. He didn't set the 20-game home mandate, but I'm fairly sure he played a lead role in selling the North Star cup to the ones who did as a legitimate option to count toward that mandate.
.

You realize you're talking over yourself, right? You can't on one hand claim that the Gophers are getting 2-for-1 and on the other claim that they are giving away a home game.

Honestly, I think we're both saying the same thing to a degree. This whole thing is good for everyone. I would argue that there is a pretty good financial incentive for MN to do it and I will continue to maintain that. Demanding 2-for-1s is a pretty hard thing to do in today's world. Most schools would rather have a home gate than get a minimal paycheck to go on the road time and again. No, the Gophers don't NEED to do the NSCC, but it works out for them, it works out for the MN schools and it works out for the fans. It's just an all around good idea in my estimation.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

You realize you're talking over yourself, right? You can't on one hand claim that the Gophers are getting 2-for-1 and on the other claim that they are giving away a home game.

Honestly, I think we're both saying the same thing to a degree. This whole thing is good for everyone. I would argue that there is a pretty good financial incentive for MN to do it and I will continue to maintain that. Demanding 2-for-1s is a pretty hard thing to do in today's world. Most schools would rather have a home gate than get a minimal paycheck to go on the road time and again. No, the Gophers don't NEED to do the NSCC, but it works out for them, it works out for the MN schools and it works out for the fans. It's just an all around good idea in my estimation.

The Gophers are giving up two games (of the 20 that they previously had mandated for home games) that they previously would have collected 100% of the gate for and are now splitting the gate for those games. In return, the Gophers are getting a desirable scheduling arrangement with the other MN programs outside the tournament.

Every program made sacrifices to make this work, even the Gophers. Every program is getting something from this arrangement, even the Gophers.

 

[Bale]

Re: North Star College Cup - MN, UMD, MSU, SCSU

The Gophers are giving up two games (of the 20 that they previously had mandated for home games) that they previously would have collected 100% of the gate for and are now splitting the gate for those games. In return, the Gophers are getting a desirable scheduling arrangement with the other MN programs outside the tournament.

Every program made sacrifices to make this work, even the Gophers. Every program is getting something from this arrangement, even the Gophers.

You're right. It's semantics, thus me including the smiley face. Everyone is getting a good deal out of it.