The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

For a Ferriis, LSSU, Bowling Green, with no exemption, why not dump the Alaska and invite Robert Morris and Mercyhurst?

They tried. LSSU felt that they were above a "CHA" level conference and wanted in the WCHA. Ferris and BGSU were testing the waters. Bobby Mo and Mercyhurst said thanks, but we don't want to be in a "CHA" type league with a questionable future.

 

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Updated fake standings:

Against nWCHA opponents only:

1. LSSU - 14 points
2. MSU - 12 points
3. UAF - 10 points
4. MTU - 9 points
5. FSU - 8 points
6. BGSU - 7 points
7. BSU - 6 points
8. NMU - 5 points
9. UAH - 3 points
10. UAA - 2 points

I think your points are wrong. I have LSSU and MSU-M at 14 points, UAF at 10 points, MTU at 9, FSU at 8, BGSU at 7, BSU at 6, NMU at 5, UAH at 3, UAA at 2.

Adjusted for Win Percentage (to eliminate the pesky different conference games numbers):
1 Minnesota State 6-0-2 (0.875)
2 Ferris State 4-2-0 (0.667)
3 Michigan Tech 4-2-1 (0.643)
4 Bowling Green 3-2-1 (0.583)
5 Alaska 4-4-2 (0.500)
6 Lake Superior 7-7-0 (0.500)
7 Alabama-Huntsville 1-2-1 (0.375)
8 Northern Michigan 2-4-1 (0.357)
9 Bemidji State 2-6-2 (0.300)
10 Alaska-Anchorage 0-4-2 (0.167)

*edit* Even more pretending, if the "2013-14 WCHA" season ended today:
MSU-M hosts NMU, FSU hosts UAH, MTU hosts LSSU, and BGSU hosts UA_.

 

[davyd83]

They tried. LSSU felt that they were above a "CHA" level conference and wanted in the WCHA. Ferris and BGSU were testing the waters. Bobby Mo and Mercyhurst said thanks, but we don't want to be in a "CHA" type league with a questionable future.

A future isn't as questionable if you have Bemidji, Mankato, tech and Northern, with LSSU, Ferris, BG and UAH to join you, At that point it was LSSU, BG, Ferris, RobMo, Mercyhurst and still a scramble just to get to six.

 

[NMUFAN]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Here would be my playoff proposal to minimize playoff travel costs. Split into two divisions, with an Alaska school in each one and Bemidji, Mankato, Tech and NMU on one side, LSSU, Ferris, Bowling Green and Huntsville on the other. Top four in each division make the playoffs, #4 at #1 and #3 at #2. The two series winners on each side advance to the tourney. You avoid Mankato/Bemidji and Ferris/Bowling Green matchups and pretty much guarantee all bus trip matchups outside of the Alaskas and maybe a potential LSSU/ Huntsville meeting. For regular season purposes, you play your division 4 times each and two each vs four teams on the other side, with one team being a four game set on a rotating basis.

And like some of the others, I'm all for having teams eliminated in the regular season. Heck, why not take the Top 4 and just go right to the League Tourney? Please don't say...that's not fair. If all teams are playing under the same conditions, it's fair. The playoffs are too bloated as it is with nearly all conferences set to be "participation ribbon" conferences. If you're gonna do that, whey even have a tourney? Save all that money and just send each kid a little trophy.

I like the 8 team playoff format too. A final four league playoff weekend in a designated city makes more financial sense than a third day. I also think a consolation game makes sense because it insures two games for the four participants. That would draw more fans from the out lying schools. I know of a few people that are hesitant to drive 7 or 8 hours if it means the Cats might only play one game. Guarantee two games and they'll be happy to make a weekend of it.

I've gone to watch the Wildcats at the Joe, Civic Center, and even the Bradley Center every year since 1990 when they've made it that far. I'm considering going to the nWCHA final four even if the Cats don't make it just because the participants will be "like minded schools" and no arrogant big time school's fan base will be there.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Drop that exemption for Alaska and See just how many schools are willing to come.

See how many are willing to come? Willing? How many are conference affiliated? That's how many "WILL" come. It's a conference. You don't get to choose who you don't go to.

The travel subsidy in the new WCHA doesn't mean a free trip for the other schools. They'll pay a minimum of the cost of their most expensive trip in the lower 48. If I can bus 7 hours to St Cliud for a nonConference match vs spending 15 hrs running around airports to get there is a no brainier. My total travel time for the Fairbanks trip was 18 hrs going out and 16 coming back. So without the exemption, what is the benefit of going to Alaska? At minimum the cost is equal to your longest lower 48 trip and the travel, twice as long. The bottom line is that without that exemption becomes the only benefit to going to Alaska.

You want to discriminate based on geography? Last time I checked Alaska and Hawaii were full fledged members of the United States of America. The NCAA mission is "fair" competition. When conference members are allowed to make anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 more than UAF and UAA because of conference affiliation and UAA and UAF are likewise disallowed from in any way matching that revenue then you have a situation of inequity. A half decent civil liberties lawyer could easily convince the 9th Circuit of the hegemony and inequity of the situation. I'm sure the NCAA doesn't like lawsuits. Honestly though, it wouldn't come down to that because UAF and UAA are filled with gutless lower-48 minded pukes who aren't really Alaskans. They'll never sue. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't or wouldn't have a case if they chose to make one. They would.

For a Ferriis, LSSU, Bowling Green, with no exemption, why not dump the Alaska and invite Robert Morris and Mercyhurst?

Do that then. Dump them. Give that a shot. Go for it. Make that happen. Good luck. Maybe that would be the initiative needed for UAA and UAF to go to court and finally get some equity.

 

[davyd83]

I like the 8 team playoff format too. A final four league playoff weekend in a designated city makes more financial sense than a third day. I also think a consolation game makes sense because it insures two games for the four participants. That would draw more fans from the out lying schools. I know of a few people that are hesitant to drive 7 or 8 hours if it means the Cats might only play one game. Guarantee two games and they'll be happy to make a weekend of it.

I've gone to watch the Wildcats at the Joe, Civic Center, and even the Bradley Center every year since 1990 when they've made it that far. I'm considering going to the nWCHA final four even if the Cats don't make it just because the participants will be "like minded schools" and no arrogant big time school's fan base will be there.

I don't know how it all ends up. But the shuffle is far from over. It will be very interesting to see what it all looks like five years from now.

 

[BG_Falcons]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

To add some more numbers to this thread, I put this in the BG thread but it probably belongs here too,

Team breakdown for nWCHA Overall Records (vs current top 20)

UAF 12-10-4 (3-5-0)
UAA 3-16-7 (1-11-2)
UAH 1-16-1 (0-7-1)
BSU 5-16-5 (2-8-3)
BGSU 10-13-5 (3-7-2)
FSU 13-11-4 (2-4-1)
LSSU 13-16-1 (3-4-1)
MTU 8-13-4 (3-6-2)
MSU-Mankato 16-9-3 (5-9-0)
NMU 11-12-4 (6-6-2)

 

[UncleRay]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

The third place game in a conference tourney can be problematic if one or more team won't make the NC$$ tourney.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

The third place game in a conference tourney can be problematic if one or more team won't make the NC$$ tourney.

The third place game was eliminated by the NCAA for a very good reason - two angry teams who lost out on playing for the national title is often a recipe for goonery and injuries.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but at the conference tourney level it seems to be less of a problem.

 

[BG_Falcons]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

back to back posts, this time about scheduling at least as far as BGSU is concerned about the future in scheduling Non-conference games...

http://bgsufalcons.com/news/2013/2/5/HOCKEY_0205130714.aspx

scheduling info starts around the 10:00 min mark, Coach goes into how they are trying to keep the NC games as close as possible due to the Conf. games being further away for us know. He basically says he has Ohio State locked up for however long they want, with Ohio State offering to play 4 game series against BG every year with 2 home and 2 away, but they think they might just stick to 1-1 and that Ohio State thinks it's important to play BG, he's also been talking with WMU and Miami to keep the MAC rivalries alive he is also a former Miami Assistant and to do 1x1 against both, also talks with Michigan and Michigan State but those talks aren't as advanced but with Mich looking like 2 away and 1 home if they can. Someone asked about ND and how they are having a tournament and their assistant coach said they could have something for 2018 lol.

And for you guys out west that may not have heard a Coach Bergeron presser before it is always a good listen very informative and passionate. There is also info about the atmosphere of playing in BG and how Michigan players where complimenting Coach Berg about how it is to play in BG that starts a few minutes before the scheduling questions.

 

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

See how many are willing to come? Willing? How many are conference affiliated? That's how many "WILL" come. It's a conference. You don't get to choose who you don't go to.


You want to discriminate based on geography? Last time I checked Alaska and Hawaii were full fledged members of the United States of America. The NCAA mission is "fair" competition. When conference members are allowed to make anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 more than UAF and UAA because of conference affiliation and UAA and UAF are likewise disallowed from in any way matching that revenue then you have a situation of inequity. A half decent civil liberties lawyer could easily convince the 9th Circuit of the hegemony and inequity of the situation. I'm sure the NCAA doesn't like lawsuits. Honestly though, it wouldn't come down to that because UAF and UAA are filled with gutless lower-48 minded pukes who aren't really Alaskans. They'll never sue. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't or wouldn't have a case if they chose to make one. They would.

Do that then. Dump them. Give that a shot. Go for it. Make that happen. Good luck. Maybe that would be the initiative needed for UAA and UAF to go to court and finally get some equity.

Discriminate based on geography??? That's a good one! It's done all the time. If the WCHA had voted to not accept Huntsville, could they have sued and won for not being accepted because they are too far away? Gee, I wonder why they didn't do that the last time? Do you think the Great Northwest Conference would have to accept Michigan Tech if it applied? I mean, you don't want to discriminate based on Geography, right...and really it's not geography, its finance. Who wants to spend $30K on a trip to Fairbanks when they can play a series closer to home that costs $8K? By your geographic logic, the GLIAC would have to accept a school in Tennessee if they wanted to apply and met all the other criteria besides the desire for a team in the geographic footprint.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

back to back posts, this time about scheduling at least as far as BGSU is concerned about the future in scheduling Non-conference games...

http://bgsufalcons.com/news/2013/2/5/HOCKEY_0205130714.aspx

scheduling info starts around the 10:00 min mark, Coach goes into how they are trying to keep the NC games as close as possible due to the Conf. games being further away for us know. He basically says he has Ohio State locked up for however long they want, with Ohio State offering to play 4 game series against BG every year with 2 home and 2 away, but they think they might just stick to 1-1 and that Ohio State thinks it's important to play BG, he's also been talking with WMU and Miami to keep the MAC rivalries alive he is also a former Miami Assistant and to do 1x1 against both, also talks with Michigan and Michigan State but those talks aren't as advanced but with Mich looking like 2 away and 1 home if they can. Someone asked about ND and how they are having a tournament and their assistant coach said they could have something for 2018 lol.

And for you guys out west that may not have heard a Coach Bergeron presser before it is always a good listen very informative and passionate. There is also info about the atmosphere of playing in BG and how Michigan players where complimenting Coach Berg about how it is to play in BG that starts a few minutes before the scheduling questions.

BSU is keeping their non-conference scheduling close to home as well. Right now, BSU has:

The Gophers in Bemidji next year (per the contract for the "All Minnesota" tournament)
North Dakota home and home (contract sounds like it includes multiple years). Nice to have them just two hours down the road.
St. Cloud State (contract sounds like it includes multiple years). I am assuming this series will be on the road, although home and home could be done.

That would fill the schedule unless there is a trip to Alaska. The last I heard, BSU was scheduled to play both Alaskas over a holiday break, but that was before Alabama-Huntsville was voted in. I wonder if UMD will show up on the schedule at some point? That would be another nice one that could be done home and home with 2.5 hours seperating Bemidji and Duluth.

 

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

BSU is keeping their non-conference scheduling close to home as well. Right now, BSU has:

The Gophers in Bemidji next year (per the contract for the "All Minnesota" tournament)
North Dakota home and home (contract sounds like it includes multiple years). Nice to have them just two hours down the road.
St. Cloud State (contract sounds like it includes multiple years). I am assuming this series will be on the road, although home and home could be done.

That would fill the schedule unless there is a trip to Alaska. The last I heard, BSU was scheduled to play both Alaskas over a holiday break, but that was before Alabama-Huntsville was voted in. I wonder if UMD will show up on the schedule at some point? That would be another nice one that could be done home and home with 2.5 hours seperating Bemidji and Duluth.

Northern Michigan's non-conference schedule has series at North Dakota and Wisconsin and a home series against Nebraska-Omaha. The also had a non-conference series scheduled in Marquette against Alabama-Huntsville. That may turn into a conference series, which would force NMU to attempt to find another non-conference home opponent. It could stay as a non-conference series, with NMU making the trip to Alabama in Conference. NMU will also host the USNDTP-18s and a Canadian University in exhibition play.

 

[Biddco]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

. I wonder if UMD will show up on the schedule at some point? That would be another nice one that could be done home and home with 2.5 hours seperating Bemidji and Duluth.

Good question. They played regularly when BSU needed games before they joined the WCHA. UMD seems to full for a couple more seasons and then who knows. I wonder if they'll make room for two games against Tech every year or if BSU will be in that agreement. Or of course BSU might be played in addition to MTU. Could save some travel for UMD.

 

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Good question. They played regularly when BSU needed games before they joined the WCHA. UMD seems to full for a couple more seasons and then who knows. I wonder if they'll make room for two games against Tech every year or if BSU will be in that agreement. Or of course BSU might be played in addition to MTU. Could save some travel for UMD.

I think it's great that the Gophers are going to have the Minnesota Tourney and continue to play teams in the home barns. You sure won't see that from Michigan or Michigan State!

 

[Thecalkid]

I think it's great that the Gophers are going to have the Minnesota Tourney and continue to play teams in the home barns. You sure won't see that from Michigan or Michigan State!

Michigan and Sparty are coming to tech

 

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Michigan and Sparty are coming to tech

But are they even swaps of series, or are they 2 or 3 for 1 agreements? And when are they coming? I know there was talk of an attempt to do a MSU and UM come up to Tech and NMU, playing once at each rink, then Tech and NMU doing the same downstate. But that doesn't seem to be on NMU's agenda at this point, at least in the next couple years, although NMU does have a GLI appearance coming in a couple years.

 

[aparch]

Michigan and Sparty are coming to tech

For the first time since AT&T was broken apart for being a monopoly.

Before you go being all boastful about that, is it a two-for-one trip? Three-for-one? How many times will the Huskies have to make trips to Yost just to be graced by the presence of such B1G teams?


Since travel (or lack their of) for non-conference games seems to be the trend, I guess that means the NMU/tOSU rivalry will be over.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

For the first time since AT&T was broken apart for being a monopoly.

Before you go being all boastful about that, is it a two-for-one trip? Three-for-one? How many times will the Huskies have to make trips to Yost just to be graced by the presence of such B1G teams?


Since travel (or lack their of) for non-conference games seems to be the trend, I guess that means the NMU/tOSU rivalry will be over.

As far as I know, both are 1 for 1s

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

But are they even swaps of series, or are they 2 or 3 for 1 agreements?

Gophers aren't a swap deal. Its a 2 for 1, and now there's a report that the MN tournament might be at Mariucci and not the X. That means that in four years my team will play at Mariucci 10 times and the Gophers will travel to my barn for 2 games.