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Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

Go Full Tilt or Not At All

Go Full Tilt or Not At All

Fishman'81 said:
If I'm looking to start up a D-3 program, the last conference I'd want to join would be the ECAC-W meat-grinder.
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Really!? If you aspire to mediocrity, then perhaps the ECAC/W is not your cup 'O tea. In reality, geography will dictate which league a new program joins.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

I will say this: If the rumors that NYU is considering adding NCAA Hockey is true, they'll need a rink. There is no way the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers could ever be the home rink of a DIII program. Ever. :)
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

PrezdeJohnson09 said:
There is no way it could be worse than hobart's rink before the renovation.
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Never been there, pre- or post-renovation... but this was bad. Bus had to drop us off roadside, then it was a walk the length of the parking garage, then up the stairs, it took 2 of the "larger" locker rooms to fit all of us, and we couldn't leave anything (equipment and all) in the locker room during the game, because a men's league game on the second rink needed to use them, and the men's league had priority ;)
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

Well judging by Cards description of the rink. Hobart's rink pre-renovation was better(but only slightly) compared to that. At least you could leave your equipment in the locker room...
 
Re: Go Full Tilt or Not At All

Re: Go Full Tilt or Not At All

elbojpb said:
Really!? If you aspire to mediocrity, then perhaps the ECAC/W is not your cup 'O tea. In reality, geography will dictate which league a new program joins.
Click to expand...

Clearly,many D-3 programs/conferences are just fine with mediocrity...Otherwise,every eastern league would be delighted to snap up the strong programs looking for a home in the ECAC-West.

Geography,travel costs,etc. are surely important factors,but it's pretty apparent that nobody is looking to add a Neumann,a Manhattanville,an Elmira,or even a Utica or a Hobart,if that means it'll mess up the pecking order they have right now.(And I'm thinking it would.)
 
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Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

Scott Biggar said:
What other league has added four teams in the last 12 years, where one has captured a national title, another is a perrenial participant in the NCAA's, and a third leads all of division 3 in attendance? Having such success from three out of four new teams is a pretty decent success rate.

Sounds to me that the ECAC West is exactly the league that I would want to start a team in if the school administration is willing to make the commitment to the sport. The league has a proven track record of going out of their way to support new programs and giving them every opportunity to succeed.

But then again, I'm biased:-)

Also, for the record, I have heard from multiple sources the schools that are in the very early stages of perhaps adding division 3 college hockey, either thru stepping up from club or starting a team from scratch. Per both their and my feelings, it is too early to publish such information. But I have been in direct contact with at least one of the schools and as their plans develop, USCHO will bring you their story.
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Nice post;hope you're right.Yet...

When UC started their program 10 years back,Neumann was the conference whipping-boy(they were awful),and M'ville was already inexplicably recruiting well from Ontario,and good,as was Elmira...And Hobart was not chopped liver,either.Adding UC was a no-brainer.Utica had a leg-up starting a new program,due largely to the arena they play in.(Or at least that's my best guess.)

Since then,Utica has had one or two good years.Could be a third one this season,but that remains to be seen...Still no league championships,though,and not a single NCAA bid.This conference is brutal!

I hope the ECAC-W gets a couple more teams-just so the conference stays alive-but I stick by my point that it's going to be a very tough place to hit the ground running.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

CARDS_rule_the_Burgh said:
Never been there, pre- or post-renovation... but this was bad. Bus had to drop us off roadside, then it was a walk the length of the parking garage, then up the stairs, it took 2 of the "larger" locker rooms to fit all of us, and we couldn't leave anything (equipment and all) in the locker room during the game, because a men's league game on the second rink needed to use them, and the men's league had priority ;)
Click to expand...

Pre-renovation...You went to the same bathroom as the players.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

Fishman'81 said:
Nice post;hope you're right.Yet...

When UC started their program 10 years back,Neumann was the conference whipping-boy(they were awful),and M'ville was already inexplicably recruiting well from Ontario,and good,as was Elmira...And Hobart was not chopped liver,either.Adding UC was a no-brainer.Utica had a leg-up starting a new program,due largely to the arena they play in.(Or at least that's my best guess.)

Since then,Utica has had one or two good years.Could be a third one this season,but that remains to be seen...Still no league championships,though,and not a single NCAA bid.This conference is brutal!

I hope the ECAC-W gets a couple more teams-just so the conference stays alive-but I stick by my point that it's going to be a very tough place to hit the ground running.
Click to expand...

2005 was their year...That team was scary good. Sokol and Ames were outstanding.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

collegehcky2 said:
And the locker rooms for the college teams were small, very small. A couple of times they'd have players change into their gear in turns while the rest sat out in the lobby.
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And while heated, the "heat" didn't last long if it sub-zero - but alas, it did create "memories". :)
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

collegehcky2 said:
And the locker rooms for the college teams were small, very small. A couple of times they'd have players change into their gear in turns while the rest sat out in the lobby.
Click to expand...

Then there's Scranton which played in a mall. There were no locker rooms from what I heard. The players changed in the hallways.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

Not many folks may remember this, but Manhattanville also played on a rink in a mall for their first few years. This was before the Rangers vacated Playland as their practice facility and the Valiants moved in. It was pretty much of a dump, but it was enough to get the program going down the right path.
 
Scott Biggar said:
Not many folks may remember this, but Manhattanville also played on a rink in a mall for their first few years. This was before the Rangers vacated Playland as their practice facility and the Valiants moved in. It was pretty much of a dump, but it was enough to get the program going down the right path.
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I believe Potsdam played a game or two at the Massena Mall rink as well. (Mind you they"re already an established program with a home rink) Most players have played on rinky dink rinks growing up. Give them boards, some ice, and two nets and they will play. Heck it was just a few years ago teams were changing behind plastic tarps during the Final Four...you have to start somewhere.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

Scott Biggar said:
Not many folks may remember this, but Manhattanville also played on a rink in a mall for their first few years. This was before the Rangers vacated Playland as their practice facility and the Valiants moved in. It was pretty much of a dump, but it was enough to get the program going down the right path.
Click to expand...

Spartan Arena is in Diamond Run Mall, Is it not?
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

The only games I ever saw in a shopping mall were years back,when a few D-1 teams played in a peculiar,one-day event in the same arena that the Hartford Whalers used to call home.Maine,Cornell,New Hampshire and some other team was there,and pretty much nobody showed up to watch.

I've been to a good many D-3 venues,too...

Hobart is still the worst.The cold there isn't a factor nearly as much as the lack of a decent sight-line anywhere in that horrible rink.All the SUNYAC rinks I've seen allow you to see the game,anyway,even if the atmosphere at many of them is less than electric.I'll take that any day.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

Fishman'81 said:
Hobart is still the worst.The cold there isn't a factor nearly as much as the lack of a decent sight-line anywhere in that horrible rink.All the SUNYAC rinks I've seen allow you to see the game,anyway,even if the atmosphere at many of them is less than electric.I'll take that any day.
Click to expand...

I can agree with that statement.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

jconnor said:
I can agree with that statement.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's that bad. So you have to stand. If you're in the top row towards the middle its not really bad at all.

I like how close you are to the action at the Cooler.
 
Re: Utica to the SUNYAC? - Biggar's Column

PrezdeJohnson09 said:
I don't think it's that bad. So you have to stand. If you're in the top row towards the middle its not really bad at all.

I like how close you are to the action at the Cooler.
Click to expand...

You certainly can get close;that's for sure.It's one of those rinks where you can smell the players as they skate past.:D

Thing is,even standing on the topmost bleacher,I really can't see enough of the ice to satisfy me.The best vantage point I've found is actually standing right behind the glass near the corner at the end of the rink.

I still have to rate the place as a dump,though.I will probably go again someday,and I'm sure I'll ask myself "Why do I bother?",just as I have every time in the past.My advice to anyone traveling to Geneva is to get there way early and stake out the best "seat" possible,or risk seeing little of the game.
 
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