UConn to apply to Hockey East

[Jim]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

People are making this out to be UConn's call. It's not. It's up to Hockey East. Has there been anything at all from Bertagna?

It's really both,no? According to reports in the newspaper, Hockey East "officials" visited UCONN a few weeks ago. I would assume that included Bertagna, though it didn't specifically identify anyone. And in the past, he has been quoted as mentioning UCONN as someone that Hockey East would be interested in adding. Further, and I concede that this is heresay, the rumor is that Hockey East initiated the conversations with UCONN, not the other way around.

 

[Jim]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Folks, at the end of the day (and I hate to say it), ESPN type considerations are going to decide. (You may recall that ESPN has been the driving force behind the recent football realignment and restructuring?) Name recognition, TV exposure.

Brassbonanza, gotta disagree with you. Lack of scholarships has had everything to do with lack of recruiting success of local talent. Let's see: go to Boston on a ride or play in a lower league without one? Pretty easy choice.

Bingo! No scholarships has made recruiting very tough for local and for that matter any talent. Now that doesn't mean that just adding scholarships will mean that UCONN gets every local kid. But they'll get a few more. Seems like every UCONN team has to deal with that falacy...Every good connecticut player doesn't want to go to UCONN. But some will.

 

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

RPI has the right sized building (which HC does not) and a much longer and storied tradition.

Holy Cross could use the DCU Center downtown, just 10 minutes from campus, though scheduling would have to be worked out.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Holy Cross could use the DCU Center downtown, just 10 minutes from campus, though scheduling would have to be worked out.

Not to mention you'd need to get some City of Worcester support. If they aren't supporting the team now, who's to say they'll support the team in HE?

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Holy Cross could use the DCU Center downtown, just 10 minutes from campus, though scheduling would have to be worked out.

Not the right size (too big). Same problem that UConn has at the XL Center. RPI's building is just the right size.

 

[kingdobbs]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

You're not counting CCSU?

CCSU gets credit when they get me a job.

It's really both,no? According to reports in the newspaper, Hockey East "officials" visited UCONN a few weeks ago. I would assume that included Bertagna, though it didn't specifically identify anyone. And in the past, he has been quoted as mentioning UCONN as someone that Hockey East would be interested in adding. Further, and I concede that this is heresay, the rumor is that Hockey East initiated the conversations with UCONN, not the other way around.

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter who asked who first. Hockey East still has to run their vote, and UConn still needs to demonstrate its commitment. So far every indication is that interest is mutual, and that's what people might as well assume unless they hear otherwise.

Well, it would come down to RPI and HC. RPI has the right sized building (which HC does not) and a much longer and storied tradition. In addition it spreads the HE footprint westward a bit. Gotta think RPI would have the inside track if it does not work out with UConn.

Albany's a useful, if not amazing, market for future negotiations. And we know RPI would be good to go at a HEA level pretty much immediately.

 

[Patman]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Of course, as we discuss RPI, this was my problem with ND. You are essentially casting who you are going to be until members leave. You no longer have flexibility unless you want to go to 14 or so... and I don't even really want to think about it. UConn is still a potential good idea... I still see Notre Dame as the bad idea... but in either case you are closing the door to many other options... you better be sure they're going to work. That makes UConn's need to communicate commitment that much more essential for Hockey East. You can't take every "potential" school. If another high profile eastern school starts hockey there really isn't an opening.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Better than being called South Henrietta Institute of Technology.

Never heard that one before either.
Of course, technically, RIT is in the northern part of West Henrietta. So although the joke is older than I am and still mildly amusing, it is inaccurate.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Never heard that one before either.
Of course, technically, RIT is in the northern part of West Henrietta. So although the joke is older than I am and still mildly amusing, it is inaccurate.

For some reason, I thought Crittenden was the border... but that's probably two different towns.

 

[kingdobbs]

Of course, as we discuss RPI, this was my problem with ND. You are essentially casting who you are going to be until members leave. You no longer have flexibility unless you want to go to 14 or so... and I don't even really want to think about it. UConn is still a potential good idea... I still see Notre Dame as the bad idea... but in either case you are closing the door to many other options... you better be sure they're going to work. That makes UConn's need to communicate commitment that much more essential for Hockey East. You can't take every "potential" school. If another high profile eastern school starts hockey there really isn't an opening.

Well, there is, but it's not something that the "lower-tier" schools would like, and that would be the same kind of cross-cleaving realignment that the NCHC represented to Western hockey. While it is highly unlikely, a "best of Hockey East" split to accommodate a high profile startup ought not be dismissed out of hand. That being said, I can count in less than one hand the number of schools that could remotely be possible triggers, and only one (Syracuse) that is plausible.

 

[BostonFriar]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

RPI, Clarkson and St. Lawrence were 3 of the initial target schools for HE before Maine etc. were invited.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

RPI, Clarkson and St. Lawrence were 3 of the initial target schools for HE before Maine etc. were invited.

Ironic, isn't it?

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

RPI, Clarkson and St. Lawrence were 3 of the initial target schools for HE before Maine etc. were invited.

They wanted to play with the Ivies for obvious reasons. Which is why I think RPI might not actually go through with it even if they were invited by HE.

 

[fr joe]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Never heard that one before either.
Of course, technically, RIT is in the northern part of West Henrietta. So although the joke is older than I am and still mildly amusing, it is inaccurate.

Guess you could say there's not a WHIT of truth to that story...

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

The Big East is weak as far as a Division 1 football conference. What does their football have to do with upside? How many of the current D-1 hockey teams even have a major Division 1 football program? So what is it. Their arena? Their huge fan base? Or is it their rich tradition and tremendous name recognition when you watch all of the NHL telecasts. Maybe its the state of Connecticut and their huge budget deficit that everyone is banking on. UConn hockey and their 400 fans is probably at the top of their priority list. No brainer!

Hey, you're the one who brought up football... And RPI football is even more irrelevant than is RPI hockey, on a national level. (Maybe I missed your point?)

My point was that I believe UConn has the national recognition and the resources to take their hockey program to the next level far sooner than RPI.

You could ask 1,000 people on the street in, say, Chicago, where and what an RPI is, and I'm guessing you'd get correct responses from about 3% of them, at best. On the other hand, everyone knows UConn. Bet the Huskies would start recruiting real talent immediately.

I don't see RPI being a player again anytime soon. That ship has sailed, and it might not come home to port for a very long time, if ever.

 

[johnk]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Hey, you're the one who brought up football... And RPI football is even more irrelevant than is RPI hockey, on a national level. (Maybe I missed your point?)

My point was that I believe UConn has the national recognition and the resources to take their hockey program to the next level far sooner than RPI.

You could ask 1,000 people on the street in, say, Chicago, where and what an RPI is, and I'm guessing you'd get correct responses from about 3% of them, at best. On the other hand, everyone knows UConn. Bet the Huskies would start recruiting real talent immediately.

I don't see RPI being a player again anytime soon. That ship has sailed, and it might not come home to port for a very long time, if ever.

Actually I'm not the one who brought up football. I was responding to RSTuthill. I'm assuming that same group of people in Chicago would also know UConn over North Dakota or St. Cloud State who are both moving their programs into a new major D-1 hockey league. Where are these magical resources you are talking about? The state is broke and cutting programs at all levels. They dont have an arena to play in. All you are hanging your hat on is name recognition. If you noticed, nobody in the world of college hockey cares. I suppose Union has a big name recognition. You think theie ship has sailed? We are talking about college hockey here, not football or basketball.

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

The state is broke and cutting programs at all levels.

Actually the state of CT is projected to run a surplus this year.

Ask last year's ACC champion Clemson how weak the BE is. And next year (2013) with both Houston and Boise St. it will be stronger than last year.

Btw, although I do have an RPI degree, 95% of sportsfans in the USA recognize RPI as the Ratings Percentage Index.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Btw, although I do have an RPI degree, 95% of sportsfans in the USA recognize RPI as the Ratings Percentage Index.

Yea, and 95% of people think Uconn is a territory in northern Canada.

 

[RSTuthill]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

Yea, and 95% of people think Uconn is a territory in northern Canada.

Ah, but there is exactly the rub. They do not. They know UConn is a big state university in CT that has national level sports programs. That is pretty much exactly the point.

And they think the Yukon is part of Alaska (from which you can see Russia)

 

[MattS]

Re: UConn to apply to Hockey East

The thing that would most concern me if I was HE, would be the actual level of commitment from Uconn. It's all fine to say they are going to really commit resources to hockey but given their hockey history I would be skeptical. They have not shown any real commitment so far and given the level of the AHA it would take a ton to become very competitive in the HE. Also with a semi-fringe sport like hockey at a BB school like Uconn it makes me wary where the money will go when it's really needed. National champions BB or loosing hockey program? If they really do commit resources to hockey then the upside of a Uconn joining HE is large, I fear that there is just as much risk with them never really committing the resources and being a perennial bottom dweller as they have been in the AHA.

While RPI might not have the "big name recognition" as Uconn they do have a solid program that could compete right away in the HE and be an asset to the conference. Now and in the future without the potential downside(s).