Old Rook NU'66
Registered User
Re: Norwich Cadets Hockey 2011-2012: In Search of a Title
Every time I see USM play Norwich--which at this point has been for about 8 or 9 years-- and I always come away saying the same thing, e.g. "they are only a player......" And yup... Torris is one tough kid.
That said... and on an entirely different subject--I have been wondering after watching NESCAC--now from afar-- what the consensus of fans more savvy than me is about the following:
Like most folks, I was sad to see the break up of the interlock between NESCAC and the ECAC-E.
I guess the question I have is how much it has hurt (or helped) the respective conferences. 
I really have no opinion--other than I miss those games over here in Maine with Bowdoin and Colby and a sentimental Middlebury game that had conference points at stake.
As this point, Norwich has, by maintaing its winning pace, remained a well establish "DIII brand" throughout the national hockey community--which has not only helped NU but the ECAC-E brand among fans in other parts of the nation. What's more by now matching NU--game for game-- Castleton continues to create national attention to its program.
On the other hand over at the NESAC the Middlebury brand has faded quickly and is now being replaced with an always strong Bowdoin plus Amherst, and Williams. But Bowdoin always seem to be the bridesmaid and never the bride. And I sure as hell hated the loss of those two NU game trips over here to Maine to visit the Polar Bears and Mules.
All of these NESCAC teams represent wonderful schools for sure but do DIII hockey fans have any opinion this late in the season about whose reputation suffered the most by the NESCAC/ECAC-E divorce. Maybe no one suffered.
By the way, looking at the DIII Krach ranking all three NESCAC are rated behind NU and CS but still very high but their strength of schedule is not nearly as high as either ECAC-E school. One might conclude that continuing the interlock would have meant any of these five teams performance so far might be very different since they would have had to all play each other for conference points within their respective conferences. In that respect the split would seem to be a good idea--but what are there other implications on the larger DIII stage as it relates to the NCAA playoffs. Maybe long term it will have no impact.
What I am driving at is does anyone think that the NESCAC has any regrets or second thoughts for allowing the relationship to split.
Every time I see USM play Norwich--which at this point has been for about 8 or 9 years-- and I always come away saying the same thing, e.g. "they are only a player......" And yup... Torris is one tough kid.
That said... and on an entirely different subject--I have been wondering after watching NESCAC--now from afar-- what the consensus of fans more savvy than me is about the following:
Like most folks, I was sad to see the break up of the interlock between NESCAC and the ECAC-E.
I guess the question I have is how much it has hurt (or helped) the respective conferences. I really have no opinion--other than I miss those games over here in Maine with Bowdoin and Colby and a sentimental Middlebury game that had conference points at stake.As this point, Norwich has, by maintaing its winning pace, remained a well establish "DIII brand" throughout the national hockey community--which has not only helped NU but the ECAC-E brand among fans in other parts of the nation. What's more by now matching NU--game for game-- Castleton continues to create national attention to its program.
On the other hand over at the NESAC the Middlebury brand has faded quickly and is now being replaced with an always strong Bowdoin plus Amherst, and Williams. But Bowdoin always seem to be the bridesmaid and never the bride. And I sure as hell hated the loss of those two NU game trips over here to Maine to visit the Polar Bears and Mules.
All of these NESCAC teams represent wonderful schools for sure but do DIII hockey fans have any opinion this late in the season about whose reputation suffered the most by the NESCAC/ECAC-E divorce. Maybe no one suffered.
By the way, looking at the DIII Krach ranking all three NESCAC are rated behind NU and CS but still very high but their strength of schedule is not nearly as high as either ECAC-E school. One might conclude that continuing the interlock would have meant any of these five teams performance so far might be very different since they would have had to all play each other for conference points within their respective conferences. In that respect the split would seem to be a good idea--but what are there other implications on the larger DIII stage as it relates to the NCAA playoffs. Maybe long term it will have no impact.
What I am driving at is does anyone think that the NESCAC has any regrets or second thoughts for allowing the relationship to split.
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