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Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
That's the part right there that concerns me.
That's the part right there that concerns me.
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UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
- Thread starter UAHStatman
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gfmorris
New member
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
You need seven of nine. Let's play a little guessing game:
Given yes: Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska, Bowling Green.
Likely yes: Ferris State, Lake State, Northern, Michigan Tech
Unknowns: Bemidji, Mankato
Why do I think that the Michigan schools will go for us? Travel. I think that we all agree that travel to Alaska is hard. As others have noted, there's no easy way to get to Detroit or Minneapolis for your flights into Anchorage. The UP schools would travel to MSP; Ferris would go to DTW. Neither of those is a quick bus trip for anyone involved. By the time you bus to your departure airport and fly to Alaska, you're looking at the same amount of travel time as you are to Huntsville if you're busing, which UAH does. It's also cheaper, although you have to factor in whatever travel subsidies will come from the A-schools. Our argument is simple: UAH as the 10th team keeps you from regularly going to Alaska twice a season. Alaska + Huntsville >>> Alaska + Alaska.
If you fly, it gets easier for Ferris, as there are direct flights on Delta. We used to have service to Memphis 2-3 times a day, but it looks as if the Delta-Northwest merger has wiped that out in favor of the Atlanta shuttle, which is a fun little ride that has you in the air for all of 32 minutes or so.
I say that the Minnesota schools are unknowns, but the Mavericks' coach sounded like he wanted to have us in the league, and the subtext I got from Dr. Goeb's interview at Bemidji was that he visited the school and reported to the ADs, and the way he said it meant that he was favorable to it. None of my Green spies have unearthed anything that they can share with me off-the-record. [Consider this an invitation, y'all.]
If the Minnesota schools are on board, we can afford to let Tech and maybe Northern slide. The worry is that we'd lose all three. It sounds from all interviews that the coaches are on-board with playing us, but we all know that it takes the ADs and presidents.
Lastly, we're a better school by the Carnegie research system than all nine schools, and that means something to university presidents.
GFM <-- still worried that the UP schools will all say no and kill our chances.
You need seven of nine. Let's play a little guessing game:
Given yes: Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska, Bowling Green.
Likely yes: Ferris State, Lake State, Northern, Michigan Tech
Unknowns: Bemidji, Mankato
Why do I think that the Michigan schools will go for us? Travel. I think that we all agree that travel to Alaska is hard. As others have noted, there's no easy way to get to Detroit or Minneapolis for your flights into Anchorage. The UP schools would travel to MSP; Ferris would go to DTW. Neither of those is a quick bus trip for anyone involved. By the time you bus to your departure airport and fly to Alaska, you're looking at the same amount of travel time as you are to Huntsville if you're busing, which UAH does. It's also cheaper, although you have to factor in whatever travel subsidies will come from the A-schools. Our argument is simple: UAH as the 10th team keeps you from regularly going to Alaska twice a season. Alaska + Huntsville >>> Alaska + Alaska.
If you fly, it gets easier for Ferris, as there are direct flights on Delta. We used to have service to Memphis 2-3 times a day, but it looks as if the Delta-Northwest merger has wiped that out in favor of the Atlanta shuttle, which is a fun little ride that has you in the air for all of 32 minutes or so.
I say that the Minnesota schools are unknowns, but the Mavericks' coach sounded like he wanted to have us in the league, and the subtext I got from Dr. Goeb's interview at Bemidji was that he visited the school and reported to the ADs, and the way he said it meant that he was favorable to it. None of my Green spies have unearthed anything that they can share with me off-the-record. [Consider this an invitation, y'all.]
If the Minnesota schools are on board, we can afford to let Tech and maybe Northern slide. The worry is that we'd lose all three. It sounds from all interviews that the coaches are on-board with playing us, but we all know that it takes the ADs and presidents.
Lastly, we're a better school by the Carnegie research system than all nine schools, and that means something to university presidents.
GFM <-- still worried that the UP schools will all say no and kill our chances.
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
It's in the AD's hands, as you say, but, I doubt very seriously that Mike Hastings at Mankato is any sort of problem here. He just came from a program (UNO) where the administration and coaching staff have publicly said how important it is, philosophically, to us, that we schedule you guys. It's no accident that we are playing you for the third year in a row, or that we agreed to play you guys in Nashville last season (maybe the loneliest I have ever been a hockey game, unless it was at Kansas City Scouts NHL games during their two seasons there, '74 -'75, '75 - '76). I doubt very seriously that he's any issue at Mankato, given the sentiment that he just left behind.
As far as Bemidji, you guys once were conference brethren, so maybe that counts for something there.
It still makes me scratch my head when I think about the fact that the CHA tournament was actually held at the Tri City Arena in Kearney, NE, not just once, but twice, an event I attended just for the hell of it in '03 and saw Wayne State win it over BSU. I just happened to be in town on business that day and needed something to do that night. THAT'S the power of the USHL around here, that they can swing an event like that to a place like Kearney, NE, with a population of all of about 32,000 or so.
We have genuine empathy about your plight for you guys around these parts and wish you success, just not at our expense.
It's in the AD's hands, as you say, but, I doubt very seriously that Mike Hastings at Mankato is any sort of problem here. He just came from a program (UNO) where the administration and coaching staff have publicly said how important it is, philosophically, to us, that we schedule you guys. It's no accident that we are playing you for the third year in a row, or that we agreed to play you guys in Nashville last season (maybe the loneliest I have ever been a hockey game, unless it was at Kansas City Scouts NHL games during their two seasons there, '74 -'75, '75 - '76). I doubt very seriously that he's any issue at Mankato, given the sentiment that he just left behind.
As far as Bemidji, you guys once were conference brethren, so maybe that counts for something there.
It still makes me scratch my head when I think about the fact that the CHA tournament was actually held at the Tri City Arena in Kearney, NE, not just once, but twice, an event I attended just for the hell of it in '03 and saw Wayne State win it over BSU. I just happened to be in town on business that day and needed something to do that night. THAT'S the power of the USHL around here, that they can swing an event like that to a place like Kearney, NE, with a population of all of about 32,000 or so.
We have genuine empathy about your plight for you guys around these parts and wish you success, just not at our expense.
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
NMU doesn't fly out of MSP for Alaska. This year they will fly out from Marquette and return to Green Bay, then make the three hour bus ride home. Alaska + Huntsville is only better for Tech and NMU if they don't have to bus 20 hours each way and if the net cost is less than the Alaska trips. Also, adding Huntsville would guarantee everyone at least two extra long trips each year, as opposed the years where there would only be one Alaska trip.
Last edited:
gfmorris
New member
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
I still think that the questions are these:
1. Will a travel subsidy be required?
2. How large will it be? I think that a differential between the cost of a bus trip to the cost of a plane trip is reasonable.
3. Will we pay it?
I think the answers are yes, we'd have to see, and yes.
GFM
I still think that the questions are these:
1. Will a travel subsidy be required?
2. How large will it be? I think that a differential between the cost of a bus trip to the cost of a plane trip is reasonable.
3. Will we pay it?
I think the answers are yes, we'd have to see, and yes.
GFM
FlagDUDE08
Banned
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
Who rejected in the CCHA when UAH tried to get in there? Perhaps that would give us a clue. I doubt any of them have changed their minds...
Who rejected in the CCHA when UAH tried to get in there? Perhaps that would give us a clue. I doubt any of them have changed their minds...
gfmorris
New member
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
We don't know. I'm guessing the UP schools, probably Ferris, maybe a couple of others. Our sense is that the big schools and BG [they've been public] were for us. But the CCHA was a different dynamic as a bus league with an outlying school that largely paid for your travel. That isn't the situation in the nWCHA, not with two schools in Alaska and BG and Ferris having longish trips to Bemidji and Mankato.
GFM
We don't know. I'm guessing the UP schools, probably Ferris, maybe a couple of others. Our sense is that the big schools and BG [they've been public] were for us. But the CCHA was a different dynamic as a bus league with an outlying school that largely paid for your travel. That isn't the situation in the nWCHA, not with two schools in Alaska and BG and Ferris having longish trips to Bemidji and Mankato.
GFM
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
Write up on the UAH plight in today's Omaha World Herald:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20121121/MAVS/711219858/1707#huntsville-s-biggest-concern-is-off-ice
Write up on the UAH plight in today's Omaha World Herald:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20121121/MAVS/711219858/1707#huntsville-s-biggest-concern-is-off-ice
PerkyforPrez
Registered User
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
On the Laker Hockey radio show coach Roque mentioned that LSSU is pulling for UAH and he also mentioned if they are in the conference the Chargers come to the Soo next year if not then Lake State will go to Huntsville.
The same was in print in the Monday Sault Evening News. Good Luck Chargers.
On the Laker Hockey radio show coach Roque mentioned that LSSU is pulling for UAH and he also mentioned if they are in the conference the Chargers come to the Soo next year if not then Lake State will go to Huntsville.
The same was in print in the Monday Sault Evening News. Good Luck Chargers.
JohnsonsJerseys
Michigan Tech Fan
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
Curious thoughts. I would have assumed Bemidji to be in the "Given Yes" category with BGSU in the "Unknown" category with all the rumors that BGSU is so iffy on the nWCHA. For what its worth, there wasn't even a whisper about BGSU when the AH commish talked about expansion. Unless that's just another form of "You don't talk out loud about wanting to date your best friend's girl" if BGSU was at all in the AH mix, I figured they would have been mentioned in some way.
Also I can't see Mankato being a no vote. They are no short bus ride themselves from most of the other schools (except Bemidji). In general the CCHA - oWCHA merger was all about getting more teams to provide stability. UAH needs a home and adds a team to the nWCHA. If the merger wasn't about just grabbing more teams and lumping them in one big pile, then why isn't the WCHA just NMU, MTU, Bemidji, Mankato, UAA and waiting for another team to form in the Midwest someday (Moorhead, etc)?
Ryan J
Curious thoughts. I would have assumed Bemidji to be in the "Given Yes" category with BGSU in the "Unknown" category with all the rumors that BGSU is so iffy on the nWCHA. For what its worth, there wasn't even a whisper about BGSU when the AH commish talked about expansion. Unless that's just another form of "You don't talk out loud about wanting to date your best friend's girl" if BGSU was at all in the AH mix, I figured they would have been mentioned in some way.
Also I can't see Mankato being a no vote. They are no short bus ride themselves from most of the other schools (except Bemidji). In general the CCHA - oWCHA merger was all about getting more teams to provide stability. UAH needs a home and adds a team to the nWCHA. If the merger wasn't about just grabbing more teams and lumping them in one big pile, then why isn't the WCHA just NMU, MTU, Bemidji, Mankato, UAA and waiting for another team to form in the Midwest someday (Moorhead, etc)?
Ryan J
UAHStatman
Registered User
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
Outside of these forums, I haven't seen anything that suggests that Bowling Green wants out of the new WCHA. I just can't see them making that move. Meanwhile, UAH would be closer to Bowling Green than half of the other teams in the league, so BG is a very likely yes.
I think the Minnesota schools are unknowns because while they might be willing to help an old D-II/CHA rival, they'd have the most travel added if UAH is accepted.
I don't think they're holding their breath on a new Midwest program since Moorhead's plans fell through.
Outside of these forums, I haven't seen anything that suggests that Bowling Green wants out of the new WCHA. I just can't see them making that move. Meanwhile, UAH would be closer to Bowling Green than half of the other teams in the league, so BG is a very likely yes.
I think the Minnesota schools are unknowns because while they might be willing to help an old D-II/CHA rival, they'd have the most travel added if UAH is accepted.
I don't think they're holding their breath on a new Midwest program since Moorhead's plans fell through.
gfmorris
New member
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
I don't have an URL, but I read the BGSU AD say sometime this fall that BG was for our 2009 CCHA bid and for our 2012 WCHA bid. I'm pretty sure that the only school in this conversation that's closer to Bowling Green than UAH is Ferris State. If we played at BG on a Friday night, I'd just get up Friday morning and leave before 0700 to get there in time to check into a hotel room, change clothes, and get something to eat before the game. Detroit was only what, Douglas, 12 hours for us?
GFM <-- it's all well and good until you get blown off the road.
I don't have an URL, but I read the BGSU AD say sometime this fall that BG was for our 2009 CCHA bid and for our 2012 WCHA bid. I'm pretty sure that the only school in this conversation that's closer to Bowling Green than UAH is Ferris State. If we played at BG on a Friday night, I'd just get up Friday morning and leave before 0700 to get there in time to check into a hotel room, change clothes, and get something to eat before the game. Detroit was only what, Douglas, 12 hours for us?
GFM <-- it's all well and good until you get blown off the road.
UAHStatman
Registered User
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
Geof with the recap of last night's game: http://uahhockey.com/blog/2012/11/23/uno-3-uah-2/
During one of the breaks of the audio/video broadcast, Dave Ahlers (the UNO play-by-play announcer) said something to the effect that UAH plays hard, but they are a couple of players short of finishing the deal on a consistent basis.
Maybe I'm crazy, but it made me think that if we get into the WCHA, with its new setup, along with the resources we're putting in place, UAH could be contending for conference titles within five years. That'd be fabulous.
Geof with the recap of last night's game: http://uahhockey.com/blog/2012/11/23/uno-3-uah-2/
During one of the breaks of the audio/video broadcast, Dave Ahlers (the UNO play-by-play announcer) said something to the effect that UAH plays hard, but they are a couple of players short of finishing the deal on a consistent basis.
Maybe I'm crazy, but it made me think that if we get into the WCHA, with its new setup, along with the resources we're putting in place, UAH could be contending for conference titles within five years. That'd be fabulous.
MikeAnderson
Heavyweight Champion of My House
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
That axiom of "nobody sneaks up on anybody in the second round" holds true in hockey's regular season as well, given you play the same team on back-to-back nights. It's becoming rather routine that UAH is competitive on Friday and not-so-much on Saturday. Opponents are adjusting, and effectively.
That axiom of "nobody sneaks up on anybody in the second round" holds true in hockey's regular season as well, given you play the same team on back-to-back nights. It's becoming rather routine that UAH is competitive on Friday and not-so-much on Saturday. Opponents are adjusting, and effectively.
UAHStatman
Registered User
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
I think it's been working in our favor, too: UAH has been more competitive on Saturday when they haven't been so much on Friday. Unfortunately, right now we can't be as effective in our adjustments as our opponents.
I think it's been working in our favor, too: UAH has been more competitive on Saturday when they haven't been so much on Friday. Unfortunately, right now we can't be as effective in our adjustments as our opponents.
ChargerPowerPlay
New member
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
The first several weekends of the season UAH performed improved on Saturday. The last two series, the opposite has been true.
For instance, the first series against MN State FR (1-4) and SA (2-2). The Chargers improved both on goals scored Saturday (+1) and on goals allowed (+2) (this is positive since it is an improvement even though two fewer goals were scored) giving a Saturday improvement value of +3. Now, looking at the whole season...
MN State 1-4 vs 2-2 = +3
SCSU 3-8 vs 0-4 = +1
Ben/AIC 1-9 vs 3-4 = +7 (This is a bit of an incorrect comparison because of the different opponent each night)
STLU 0-4 vs 1-3 = +2
NE 0-3 vs 1-3 = +1
LSSU 2-1 vs 0-4 = -5
UNO 2-3 vs 0-8 = -7
What does this mean? I have no idea.
cpp
The first several weekends of the season UAH performed improved on Saturday. The last two series, the opposite has been true.
For instance, the first series against MN State FR (1-4) and SA (2-2). The Chargers improved both on goals scored Saturday (+1) and on goals allowed (+2) (this is positive since it is an improvement even though two fewer goals were scored) giving a Saturday improvement value of +3. Now, looking at the whole season...
MN State 1-4 vs 2-2 = +3
SCSU 3-8 vs 0-4 = +1
Ben/AIC 1-9 vs 3-4 = +7 (This is a bit of an incorrect comparison because of the different opponent each night)
STLU 0-4 vs 1-3 = +2
NE 0-3 vs 1-3 = +1
LSSU 2-1 vs 0-4 = -5
UNO 2-3 vs 0-8 = -7
What does this mean? I have no idea.
cpp
gfmorris
New member
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
I think that the last two weekends are hard to judge given that the boys were on their fifth and sixth straight weekends on the road. Sat/Sun at Northeastern, fly back Monday, on a bus to the Soo on Wednesday night, back home Sunday afternoon, gone against Wednesday night? These guys haven't had a full week of classes since October, and that weekend after Northeastern had them going to two days of classes. Those long bus rides [SLU, LSSU, UNO] are a killer; to do three in four weeks? They flat looked tired the last two weekends.
GFM
I think that the last two weekends are hard to judge given that the boys were on their fifth and sixth straight weekends on the road. Sat/Sun at Northeastern, fly back Monday, on a bus to the Soo on Wednesday night, back home Sunday afternoon, gone against Wednesday night? These guys haven't had a full week of classes since October, and that weekend after Northeastern had them going to two days of classes. Those long bus rides [SLU, LSSU, UNO] are a killer; to do three in four weeks? They flat looked tired the last two weekends.
GFM
UAHStatman
Registered User
Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
Winger Steve McKenna has committed to UAH. That'd be the first reported commitment of the Kleinendorst era, I believe.
http://twitter.com/MikeMcMahonCHN/status/273598350127935488
Player bio (New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs):
http://www.easternjunior.com/roster_players/1588334
Welcome to Huntsville!
Winger Steve McKenna has committed to UAH. That'd be the first reported commitment of the Kleinendorst era, I believe.
http://twitter.com/MikeMcMahonCHN/status/273598350127935488
Player bio (New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs):
http://www.easternjunior.com/roster_players/1588334
Welcome to Huntsville!