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The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

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Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

4four4 said:
I have always liked this thread. To be honest in my opinion FS23 doesn't give enough points for runner up. It's dang hard to make it to the championship game let a alone win it.
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Runner-ups have earned anywhere from about 14-28 points. Considering that's more points than about 1/3 of the programs have in their entire histories, I think the formula does a good enough job for rewarding runner-up finishes.
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Shirtless Guy said:
Thats fine and dandy now, but I think he means how did they ever get there...alot of it was based on getting canadians to play for them in the early years and the success of Bob May's two seasons probably set them up to continue to grow (1958 2nd, 1959 1st). The Rube Bjorkman years were pretty lean in the 70s but Gino really brought them back and having a benefactor like Ralph Engelstad really helped.
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This is fairly accurate. North Dakota has always enjoyed a good mix of Canadians and local talent from North Dakota and Minnesota. Bjorkman (or he who shall not be named) really set the program back. North Dakota had won national titles in 1959 and 1963, and finished runner-up in 1958 and 1968, along with a couple other frozen fours. From 1969-1978, North Dakota really struggled. Gino was able to get the ship going and the Sioux dominated much of the 1980s. North Dakota was at a similar crossroads in the early 1990s, as Gino's squads were underperforming. Fortunately, the Sioux hired Dean Blais to right the ship, and it has been relatively smooth sailing since. North Dakota has only missed the NCAA Tournament once since 1996-1997, and Ralph Engelstad really helped cement the program's status with his $100m+ donation to build the Ralph.

As others have also mentioned, North Dakota has a unique culture, and the fan support is second to none. Mix all that up and that's what makes North Dakota special, get high-end recruits, and compete seemingly every year for a national championship.
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
Runner-ups have earned anywhere from about 14-28 points. Considering that's more points than about 1/3 of the programs have in their entire histories, I think the formula does a good enough job for rewarding runner-up finishes.
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Though discussed before should really change points applied whether you win or lose at home or away and neutral. Granted some info makes it tough to call what is home vs away vs neutral
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

giwan said:
Though discussed before should really change points applied whether you win or lose at home or away and neutral. Granted some info makes it tough to call what is home vs away vs neutral
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I think that is the biggest obstacle...getting accurate information on the location of the game (and whether it was home/away/neutral) for every game in the history of the sport. My policy for what to potentially include in the formula has always been that the measurable has to be complete and accurate.
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

camilo said:
Adding a comment for the purpose of increasing the count. But I also have a question that might help get us to the post count goal. This is such a great thread and I appreciate the effort and skill in making these rankings.

How can North Dakota be such a great hockey school for so many years, being in Grand Forks? I mean, nothing against Grand Forks, but it's pretty isolated with a bitter winter climate. And North Dakota is not a very populous state. Where does the money and mystique come from. Take this as a complement, not disparaging the University, city or state. Just wondering how the heck they have the money for staff, recruiting, etc. and how they got the long term attractiveness to good recruits and coaches.
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It's an interesting question, but I think your geographic hypothesis is off track a bit.

The unfriendly climate explanation might work if you're trying to figure out why, for instance, the U of Minnesota's football team has struggled. What five star recruit wants to leave Miami, Houston or Los Angeles to come play college football in Minneapolis/St. Paul? Unless one of your bucket list items is to be #7 in a gang rape, the answer is probably "none."

But if you're trying to build a college hockey program and develop it into a national power, and the top end kids are coming from small towns in northern Minnesota or Canada, Grand Forks is God's country. It's the right size, and it feels like home.

Another thing. Don't let yourself get drawn in by these people who will tell you there is nothing else to do in Grand Forks, while fans of other programs have "so many other options." Let me tell you what they are really saying when they tell you that. It's code for, "we're bandwagon fans." Your favorite college hockey team sucks this year? "Hey guys, our women's professional basketball team is good this year. Let's go pretend to be fans of theirs for awhile, until the hockey team starts winning championships again."

They're fans of whatever "option" happens to be good or popular at that moment. They're the worst.
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Siouxfaninseattle said:
Well get to it! Only 27 to go - well I guess 26 now.

FS23 I will be willing to help out again.
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Awesome. Thanks. Any other volunteers? It would make it a whole lot easier for me, not to mention more accurate and more enjoyable for people reading this thread, if we had volunteers from each conference willing to do the season summaries (i.e. 2-3 sentences about the season and maybe a sentence about the program's outlook for next season).

SFIS, you willing to cover the NCHC? drshoen has volunteered to cover the ECAC. Anyone willing to take Atlantic Hockey/Big Ten/Hockey East/WCHA?
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
Awesome. Thanks. Any other volunteers? It would make it a whole lot easier for me, not to mention more accurate and more enjoyable for people reading this thread, if we had volunteers from each conference willing to do the season summaries (i.e. 2-3 sentences about the season and maybe a sentence about the program's outlook for next season).

SFIS, you willing to cover the NCHC? drshoen has volunteered to cover the ECAC. Anyone willing to take Atlantic Hockey/Big Ten/Hockey East/WCHA?
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I'm happy to cover the WCHA. Sadly, my job will largely be done early.

GFM
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
Awesome. Thanks. Any other volunteers? It would make it a whole lot easier for me, not to mention more accurate and more enjoyable for people reading this thread, if we had volunteers from each conference willing to do the season summaries (i.e. 2-3 sentences about the season and maybe a sentence about the program's outlook for next season).

SFIS, you willing to cover the NCHC? drshoen has volunteered to cover the ECAC. Anyone willing to take Atlantic Hockey/Big Ten/Hockey East/WCHA?
Click to expand...

I would consider doing the WCHA if no one else volunteers
 
Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
Awesome. Thanks. Any other volunteers? It would make it a whole lot easier for me, not to mention more accurate and more enjoyable for people reading this thread, if we had volunteers from each conference willing to do the season summaries (i.e. 2-3 sentences about the season and maybe a sentence about the program's outlook for next season).

SFIS, you willing to cover the NCHC? drshoen has volunteered to cover the ECAC. Anyone willing to take Atlantic Hockey/Big Ten/Hockey East/WCHA?
Click to expand...

I'd be happy to take Hockey East (and I guess Notre Dame...) :P
 
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