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Squeezed fans, silent stadiums: the myth of Premier League atmosphere
), and people like Greg and dozens of friends of mine who used to be season ticket holders don't even so much as get a call when they drop their tickets. And as I've said on here several times before ... I have been surrounded by young athletes living within a 10 mile radius of Durham for the last 15 or so years, and when I mention "UNH Hockey" to most of them, they seem surprised that this actually exists two towns over. To them, "hockey" means either the Bruins, or the so-called "Kings of NH (Goon League) Hockey" playing over in ManchVegas.
While I still possess a modicum of credibility I'm going to go ahead and suggest that, sticking with the music theme, the title for the season thread should be "The Final Countdown"
And, it's gone...
Total agreement on the first, going back to at least Freddy Meyer. I have heard that some NH players have little interest in UNH. Also like the second idea. Perhaps academics, study time is a concern? Travelling to these rinks would remove 3 - 4 hours time from players' days.
Excellent point, Cloud. No one - and I mean no one - is doing a better job of courting the younger demographic right now than MLS. You look at it, and it's a league that's barely 20 years old, built off the back of the '94 World Cup in the US, in the aftermath of a string of failed leagues and failed strategies to short-cut the development of the world's game. It got off to a slow start, but they had a plan, working with grassroots support as opposed to "Let's buy Pele and Beckenbauer, pack 'em into Giants Stadium, and they'll bring everyone else along." It took incredible patience and vision, but finally - despite the doubters and the naysayers - it's a legitimate 5th North American major league, and they got there because they worked hard, worked long, targeted to grassroots 20 years ago .... and now those kids are young adults, who identify with the sport, and are not only supporting a booming domestic league (MLS) but also have the various networks fighting with each other for rights to things like the Premier League, Bundesliga, etc. that no one a generation ago would have ever imagined possible. Eureka.
In the meantime, the UNH "marketing" department has squandered a waiting list that could choke a horse from the turn of the century, is leaking long-time supporters like the post-iceberg Titanic (did that just for you, EJ
I'm not sure if I'm more P.O.'ed at the folks in charge of marketing UNH Hockey - starting with our very own BS35+5 - or with Joey Buttons at Hockey East HQ, who has been handed one of the greatest possible competitive league concepts ever invented - y'know, a league where you can pretty much drive to ALL of your school's games, home and away, where games are affordable, with storied programs with a ton of history everywhere, all these subtle little regional squabbles waiting to be exploited, in what is generally described as a hotbed area for the sport - and they STILL play second banana to irrelevant local hoops programs when it comes to press/overall exposure.
Did I mention how much it hurts to watch this great part of the season from the sidelines yet again?
This season I am on the fence about being a STH. Gotta cut back on the hockey expenditures if I wanna retire sooner than later! 
I figure I can get in for a reduced price and still sit where I always have BUT then I think that by spending the extra money at least it might benefit the program overall so most likely, I'll fork over the $$ once again...
That could work.
I thought the magic number next season was 14?
Oh - yeah, almost forgot - 21 wins gets us into the national tourney. Gotcha.
Seems realistic and so attainable for a 10th place team losing its two top players, which didn't start recruiting in earnest until a few weeks ago. Piece of cake ...
Oh, and one more thing, talk about history repeating itself? Just look at the Bruins...need I say more?
Which, of course, lends credence to the theory that changing the coach doesn't always help. The coach can't play, right? Just some "devil's advocate" food for thought...
UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: "I'm worryin' outta mind" (Bam-ba-Lam)How's about " Closing Time" or..."Don't Think Twice it's Alright" or "Na Na Na..Hey Hey Hey...goodbye" Actually I do like the "Final Countdown" very Rockeyesque!