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.
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.
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.
The reality is that the NSCC works out for everyone. The Gophers get 2 series built in at home, get a cheap travel series, and get a de facto home series in terms of travel with the NSCC. They get revenue from 3 series every year and only have to give up 1 weekend to do it. The MN schools get a cheap travel series every year (either to MN or the NSCC) or they get the Gophers coming to town. I for one am happy the schools came to an agreement. I don't know the exact details, but I really don't think what Dtown is saying is all that far fetched. He's obviously not going to go any further than he already has.
I'm with you on this....I don't know why anyone is complaining either. It doesn't really matter how we got here. Of course the Gophers were going to ask for the world. Of course the other schools would say no to that. That's how negotiations work. It doesn't make anyone bad. Everyone has to look out for their own school first and make sure they aren't being taken advantage of. This seems like a pretty **** good compromise for everyone.
, was it made with maroon leather?