UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

[davyd83]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Maybe. they are suppose to have answer this fall, so even if that is true I don't think they are going D1.

They are raising endowments to fund a D-I hockey program at Moorhead. They announced it in a press conference last month.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

I have hope until such time as Mack Portera kills the program or there's no obvious place to play. I've always said that it made no sense to play long-term as an independent. I think a lot of people inside of college hockey understand that, and maybe some of them want to act on it, but it's just not coming out that way. It cannot have helped the conference chances that Portera started to go budget-only with this decision without thinking of the long-term benefits of the program to the University community as a whole.

I do see some glimmers of hope with the CCHA, given that Forrest Karr and Bruce McLeod are boosters. They aren't the FARs that vote, though, and they all have their own best interests to look out for.

GFM

 

[manurespreader]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

I am making a trip to see my son in BHM this fall,( he goes to UAB) and we'd like to take in a game while I'm down there. Is there a particular weekend you would recommend?
Thanks,
MS

 

[davyd83]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

I am making a trip to see my son in BHM this fall,( he goes to UAB) and we'd like to take in a game while I'm down there. Is there a particular weekend you would recommend?
Thanks,
MS

You'll be amazed at the number of Tech alums you can find in BHam!

 

[Back check]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

What is the timeline for the UAH administration to decide whether or not they are going to continue D-1 hockey?

 

[tnlong]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

It's highly unlikely that Portera will "decide" in the affirmative. By not "deciding", a conference affiliation is highly unlikely. The lack of a conference affiliation is a good excuse to "can" the program. That's why there are people trying to make the community understand that Portera's inaction on soliciting a conference affiliation is equivalent to his killing the program. http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/08/a_plea_to_the_uah_president_ke.html

When I worked at UAH, I worked a little with the Chamber of Commerce on a few initiatives. I was surprised at the time to learn that the Chamber seldom had any direct interaction with the University. That stemmed from the fact that UAH is part of the University of Alabama System and really has no direct interest in the Huntsville community. While finances were used as excuses, the reasons that David Williams and Lou Padulo (Frank Franz's predecessor) were pushed out were much deeper than just finances. They both had plans to make UAH more than the System wanted it to be. Frank Franz catered to the System's goal of "normalizing" (math term for averaging) programs within the University, ensuring that one never rose to level that would either make the others "look bad" or compete with the rest of the System. Additionally, the concept of making investments and expecting returns from those investments was completely foreign. Moves like taking Homecoming ceremonies from hockey and giving them to Basketball were done as part of this "normalizing" process. Mike, note that Jim Harris's real interest in the hockey program only arose after Tampa came to him with the 2012 Tournament and Dave Williams provided support to improve the program. Sadly, the VBC partnership opportunities that were once UAH's for the asking had long been transferred to the Havoc.

It's been my opinion that UAH's only hope for a future is to craft its own future/conference by getting an organization like the Predators to help them develop a conference affiliation that includes the AHA-Four, Bowling Green, and others that don't want the AK and far-west travel. That option disappears within the next few weeks as Bowling Green's invitation to join the WCHA expires and they are forced to join. http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/08/26_wmu,_bowling_green_assess.php Bowling Green, a founding member of the CCHA, could keep it alive if UAH and the AHA-Four would commit to join them. However, that's unlikely to happen if UAH only plays a passive role.

 

[Back check]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

It's highly unlikely that Portera will "decide" in the affirmative. By not "deciding", a conference affiliation is highly unlikely. The lack of a conference affiliation is a good excuse to "can" the program. That's why there are people trying to make the community understand that Portera's inaction on soliciting a conference affiliation is equivalent to his killing the program. http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/08/a_plea_to_the_uah_president_ke.html

When I worked at UAH, I worked a little with the Chamber of Commerce on a few initiatives. I was surprised at the time to learn that the Chamber seldom had any direct interaction with the University. That stemmed from the fact that UAH is part of the University of Alabama System and really has no direct interest in the Huntsville community. While finances were used as excuses, the reasons that David Williams and Lou Padulo (Frank Franz's predecessor) were pushed out were much deeper than just finances. They both had plans to make UAH more than the System wanted it to be. Frank Franz catered to the System's goal of "normalizing" (math term for averaging) programs within the University, ensuring that one never rose to level that would either make the others "look bad" or compete with the rest of the System. Additionally, the concept of making investments and expecting returns from those investments was completely foreign. Moves like taking Homecoming ceremonies from hockey and giving them to Basketball were done as part of this "normalizing" process. Mike, note that Jim Harris's real interest in the hockey program only arose after Tampa came to him with the 2012 Tournament and Dave Williams provided support to improve the program. Sadly, the VBC partnership opportunities that were once UAH's for the asking had long been transferred to the Havoc.

It's been my opinion that UAH's only hope for a future is to craft its own future/conference by getting an organization like the Predators to help them develop a conference affiliation that includes the AHA-Four, Bowling Green, and others that don't want the AK and far-west travel. That option disappears within the next few weeks as Bowling Green's invitation to join the WCHA expires and they are forced to join. http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/08/26_wmu,_bowling_green_assess.php Bowling Green, a founding member of the CCHA, could keep it alive if UAH and the AHA-Four would commit to join them. However, that's unlikely to happen if UAH only plays a passive role.

Would it not be Brophy's job, and not Portera's, to be looking for a conference home?

 

[fangers]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Would it not be Brophy's job, and not Portera's, to be looking for a conference home?

Brophy told a player that if it were up to him he'd be on the phone and/or on the plane to secure them a conference but that he was told not to. This is all on Portera (unless Brophy just deflecting the blame).

 

[Back check]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Brophy told a player that if it were up to him he'd be on the phone and/or on the plane to secure them a conference but that he was told not to. This is all on Portera (unless Brophy just deflecting the blame).

That does not sound good.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Brophy told a player that if it were up to him he'd be on the phone and/or on the plane to secure them a conference but that he was told not to. This is all on Portera (unless Brophy just deflecting the blame).

Wow......

 

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Sadly, the VBC partnership opportunities that were once UAH's for the asking had long been transferred to the Havoc.

Or the Channel Cats, or the Tornado, or whatever minor-league team occupies the VBC. I keep wishing we'd have the VBC all to ourselves again, but every time a team leaves/folds, another seemingly arrives 10 minutes later.

It's been my opinion that UAH's only hope for a future is to craft its own future/conference by getting an organization like the Predators to help them develop a conference affiliation that includes the AHA-Four, Bowling Green, and others that don't want the AK and far-west travel. That option disappears within the next few weeks as Bowling Green's invitation to join the WCHA expires and they are forced to join. http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/08/26_wmu,_bowling_green_assess.php Bowling Green, a founding member of the CCHA, could keep it alive if UAH and the AHA-Four would commit to join them. However, that's unlikely to happen if UAH only plays a passive role.

The Predators have been nice with these series at Bridgestone, but I just can't see them taking their time and resources to put a conference together for us. Their business is pro hockey in Nashville, not aligning college hockey for our sake.

Even if UAH did tried to take an active role, we'd have to somehow convince Bowling Green that creating a six-team conference with four AH schools and UAH is better than going to the WCHA in terms of stability and marketing power. I don't see that happening, either.

I'm trying my best to keep some type of positivity when it comes to find a conference home, but I don't know what our best bet is anymore...

 

[Back check]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Or the Channel Cats, or the Tornado, or whatever minor-league team occupies the VBC. I keep wishing we'd have the VBC all to ourselves again, but every time a team leaves/folds, another seemingly arrives 10 minutes later.



The Predators have been nice with these series at Bridgestone, but I just can't see them taking their time and resources to put a conference together for us. Their business is pro hockey in Nashville, not aligning college hockey for our sake.

Even if UAH did tried to take an active role, we'd have to somehow convince Bowling Green that creating a six-team conference with four AH schools and UAH is better than going to the WCHA in terms of stability and marketing power. I don't see that happening, either.

I'm trying my best to keep some type of positivity when it comes to find a conference home, but I don't know what our best bet is anymore...

No conference will want a program that's own administration is uncertain about

 

[davyd83]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Or the Channel Cats, or the Tornado, or whatever minor-league team occupies the VBC. I keep wishing we'd have the VBC all to ourselves again, but every time a team leaves/folds, another seemingly arrives 10 minutes later.

The last hope of gaining some VBC exclusivity probably left when Art Clarkson's arena project out at the I-65/565 interchange didn't materialize. That would have been a win-win, with the Vipers and the hockey team out there, and the Chargers having the prime spots at the VBC.

 

[tnlong]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

... The Predators have been nice with these series at Bridgestone, but I just can't see them taking their time and resources to put a conference together for us. Their business is pro hockey in Nashville, not aligning college hockey for our sake.

Even if UAH did tried to take an active role, we'd have to somehow convince Bowling Green that creating a six-team conference with four AH schools and UAH is better than going to the WCHA in terms of stability and marketing power. I don't see that happening, either.

I'm trying my best to keep some type of positivity when it comes to find a conference home, but I don't know what our best bet is anymore...

No, they wouldn't "put a conference together for us"; but they might be willing to help facilitate the conversation and provide some commitment for more games there, maybe even a tournamnet.

By not already making the move to the WCHA, Bowling Green has shown that it would like another option. The WCHA is going to be expensive, more expensive than it's reasonable to expect UAH to afford, even if asked. Although Ferris's immediate jump to the WHCA made this keeping the CCHA alive option much less likely, it's still one of the few options left for keeping the UAH program alive.

 

[davyd83]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

No, they wouldn't "put a conference together for us"; but they might be willing to help facilitate the conversation and provide some commitment for more games there, maybe even a tournamnet.

By not already making the move to the WCHA, Bowling Green has shown that it would like another option. The WCHA is going to be expensive, more expensive than it's reasonable to expect to UAH afford, even if asked. Although Ferris's immediate jump to the WHCA made this keeping the CCHA alive option much less likely, it's still one of the few options left for keeping the UAH program alive.

I'm not necessarily certain that Bowling Green WANTS another option, but I think that they are keeping themselves open should a surprise option arise. I think that Western Michigan is still waiting on Notre Dame (even if they say they aren't) and BG is waiting on Western.

 

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

I'm not necessarily certain that Bowling Green WANTS another option, but I think that they are keeping themselves open should a surprise option arise. I think that Western Michigan is still waiting on Notre Dame (even if they say they aren't) and BG is waiting on Western.

I would think that surprise option Bowling is hoping for would be the NCHC...it would be a surprise. I wish Notre Dame would make a decision soon.

 

[MikeAnderson]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

Would it not be Brophy's job, and not Portera's, to be looking for a conference home?

No, not generally. I understand that we're talking about a single sport, but conference affiliation is about more than just a convenient interlocking schedule among a few teams. It's about aligning yourself with similar, like-minded institutions, and university presidents generally take great interest in that.

It's a conversation that's likely to come up for the UAH athletics department again in a couple of years after tUNA goes D1 and effectively blows up the Gulf South Conference.

 

[tnlong]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

http://www.uscho.com/2011/09/01/assistant-coach-warde-leaves-alabama-huntsville-for-same-army-job/

 

[Back check]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

No, not generally. I understand that we're talking about a single sport, but conference affiliation is about more than just a convenient interlocking schedule among a few teams. It's about aligning yourself with similar, like-minded institutions, and university presidents generally take great interest in that.

This is not a "generally" situation. UAH can hardly be choosy about aligning themselves with like-minded institutions in their search for a conference home. The UAH president is taking great interest in folding the program.

 

[MikeAnderson]

Re: UAH Hockey 2011-12: Will Someone Break the Conference Logjam? Thanks.

This is not a "generally" situation. UAH can hardly be choosy about aligning themselves with like-minded institutions in their search for a conference home. The UAH president is taking great interest in folding the program.

I understand that, but if the institution had any true interest in joining the conference, then it would be the president at the forefront, since it will most likely be the presidents of other institutions that would be making an admission decision.