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WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

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Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Every point in Dan's article is pretty spot on. I used to know many of the players across the conference and now I don't.

I just don't see me caring about a rivalry say with Tech, Ferris or Bowling Green because I don't know any fans of any of the teams.

Talking SCSU with my father in law, or any Gopher hockey fan makes the games mean that much more.

We shall see how it all shakes out in the year or years to come.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

I mean, UAH was in the CHA, a league full ... well, full of teams looking to make it in Division I that couldn't make it into a more prestigious league. The league was geographically disparate: Air Force, Bemidji, Huntsville, Niagara, Wayne State, Findlay, Robert Morris, and Niagara were all a part at one point or another. (Army was supposed to be, then bolted for the MAAC.) The only real rivalry to start with was UAH-BSU.

But trust me, after 2-3 years, there was a lot of hate out there. You'll get to the point where we're all getting kids from the same leagues that have histories with each other — we're a good bit of the way there now. Through 1.5 seasons in the league, UAH has played Bemidji 74 times, Mankato 47, the Alaska schools 21 each (thanks to the early '90s independent days), BG 14 times, Ferris 11 (four of those in 10-11), Lake and Northern eight times, and Tech just four times. Most UAH fans understand the rivalry with the Beavs, but you have to go back to the D-II days for fans to get the Mankato and Alaska rivalries.

While this isn't the case for everyone else, given that the rest of the league was either in the WCHA or CCHA, those rivalries haven't had a chance to form. Mavs fans probably don't have any hate for Ferris despite their race to the wire last season; will that last after Motte graduates this spring, since the Mavs have depth across classes? Will there be a rivalry between the Mavs and the Falcons? Will playing in the same league deepen the rivalries in the UP?

All I know is that I still hate Bemidji and don't like BG because Ryan Satkowiak and Dajon Mingo talked crap about UAH last season.

GFM
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Some guy blogs his wife won't go to a hockey game and all of a sudden a bunch of folks on this thread are all in a dither.
Really doesn't take a rocket scientist (no pun on Huntsville) to figure out it's all about the money.
Over the next several years things will shake out and any realignments (plural) will be based on a financial basis.
Some talk about the Alaska schools being too expensive. The Alaska schools have always been willing to pay their way.
If some school is in Podunctsville or they're either unable or unwilling to pay their way that's their choice.
The Alaska schools will always be playing Division 1 hockey in a Division 1 conference.
Take it to the bank.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Some guy blogs his wife won't go to a hockey game and all of a sudden a bunch of folks on this thread are all in a dither.
Really doesn't take a rocket scientist (no pun on Huntsville) to figure out it's all about the money.
Over the next several years things will shake out and any realignments (plural) will be based on a financial basis.
Some talk about the Alaska schools being too expensive. The Alaska schools have always been willing to pay their way.
If some school is in Podunctsville or they're either unable or unwilling to pay their way that's their choice.
The Alaska schools will always be playing Division 1 hockey in a Division 1 conference.
Take it to the bank.

Alaska has D1 hockey?
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

he's nailed the rivalry part, even if realignment doesn't shake out quite the way he's listed.
don't care how long we play UAH or Mankato, it'll never mean as much as putting a good whomp on Miami. never.

There is something to the closeness of the old conferences, it creates way more overlap of fan bases and allows for more interaction which creates the rivalries we grew to love. Without that, it will take a lot of time. As a brewers fan, it didn't take me long to hate the cardinals after switching to the national league.

By the way, Dan Myers isn't just some blogger either, he's a pretty well respected hockey writer in Minnesota.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Doesn't that configuration "lock" the Western conferences up, thus not allowing "expansion" of new teams? I know greed was the NCHC's motive, but they used the guise of "like minded" and "conference expansion" to make it sound better than it was.



We all know the real reason the NCHC was formed, the two lead schools were sick of small Final Five checks because of "charity" schools like UAA and MTU. And Notre Dame and Miami bailed on the CCHA because there wasn't any "se<!--really, s e x y is a "bad word" according to uscho?-->xy (in name recognition)" schools remaining.

Western and Jan Brady were just tag along puppies who followed the unicorns, rainbows, and monopoly money promised by the NCHC.
 
Doesn't that configuration "lock" the Western conferences up, thus not allowing "expansion" of new teams? I know greed was the NCHC's motive, but they used the guise of "like minded" and "conference expansion" to make it sound better than it was.



We all know the real reason the NCHC was formed, the two lead schools were sick of small Final Five checks because of "charity" schools like UAA and MTU. And Notre Dame and Miami bailed on the CCHA because there wasn't any "se<!--really, s e x y is a "bad word" according to uscho?-->xy (in name recognition)" schools remaining.

Western and Jan Brady were just tag along puppies who followed the unicorns, rainbows, and monopoly money promised by the NCHC.
It'll be interesting to see Colorado College in 5 years. I wouldn't say it's a positive move for them.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

It'll be interesting to see Colorado College in 5 years. I wouldn't say it's a positive move for them.
CC is the Nacho's UAA/Tech of the 90's in the WCHA. They may challenge for second-to-last 3 times a decade.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Doesn't that configuration "lock" the Western conferences up, thus not allowing "expansion" of new teams? I know greed was the NCHC's motive, but they used the guise of "like minded" and "conference expansion" to make it sound better than it was.



We all know the real reason the NCHC was formed, the two lead schools were sick of small Final Five checks because of "charity" schools like UAA and MTU. And Notre Dame and Miami bailed on the CCHA because there wasn't any "se<!--really, s e x y is a "bad word" according to uscho?-->xy (in name recognition)" schools remaining.

Western and Jan Brady were just tag along puppies who followed the unicorns, rainbows, and monopoly money promised by the NCHC.

Plus they wanted to say to recruits; "Look at our schedule, it is one of the toughest in the country. That's something you won't get in other leagues in college hockey. Coaches want to play the toughest competition possible and the NCHC was a sure way to do that. It's paying dividends this year (so far anyway).
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Plus they wanted to say to recruits; "Look at our schedule, it is one of the toughest in the country. That's something you won't get in other leagues in college hockey. Coaches want to play the toughest competition possible and the NCHC was a sure way to do that. It's paying dividends this year (so far anyway).
May be but in reality that league is no different than any of the other ones out there. Good teams bad teams, good coaches, bad coaches, etc.

I know the changes are coming, but I don't like it much. I really could care less about dan myers problems, and I don't think things will ever be what they were no matter what. Plus I don't like it because we are developing rivalries with teams that I like and respect. I'd like to see that continue. I especially dislike BGSU.

I found in the past working with those nacho teams to be difficult given how arrogant they were. Any teams who go over there better be ready to be treated like dirt.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Do you arrive in college hockey when someone "hates" or "dislikes" you?

Is that what makes college hockey worthwhile?
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

I especially dislike BGSU.

I found in the past working with those nacho teams to be difficult given how arrogant they were. Any teams who go over there better be ready to be treated like dirt.

we're honored! wish we felt as much emotion about your team.
xxx, the Falcons
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Anyone post here who experienced the great rift that formed when Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, and Notre Dame left to join the CCHA? Was there anywhere near the vocal outcry of losing those schools? What about the ECAC/Hockey East split that took place? Were fans in the ECAC just as hurt?

I think the B1G and NCHC were such a dramatic shift that it over shadows the WCHA/CCHA alignment and the ECAC/HE split. So many moving pieces changed at once that hockey fans weren't able to take it all in. Considering B1G fans miss seeing the other schools, fans in both the NCHC and WCHA have their gripes. It's just a lot to take in.


If things ride stay how they are now, this will be normal to the current fans of these schools, and us that remember the old ways can wax poetic about it like older fans reminisce about the "Old Old WCHA" or 17 team ECAC.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Anyone post here who experienced the great rift that formed when Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, and Notre Dame left to join the CCHA? Was there anywhere near the vocal outcry of losing those schools? What about the ECAC/Hockey East split that took place? Were fans in the ECAC just as hurt?

I think the B1G and NCHC were such a dramatic shift that it over shadows the WCHA/CCHA alignment and the ECAC/HE split. So many moving pieces changed at once that hockey fans weren't able to take it all in. Considering B1G fans miss seeing the other schools, fans in both the NCHC and WCHA have their gripes. It's just a lot to take in.


If things ride stay how they are now, this will be normal to the current fans of these schools, and us that remember the old ways can wax poetic about it like older fans reminisce about the "Old Old WCHA" or 17 team ECAC.
I agree, time fixes everything, the problem is all of us that currently care, miss the way it was only a few years ago but the parts have always moved, its just difficult to take the drastic changes we experienced. After there are a few more playoff series and teams have a full recruiting cycle of players things will get better...unless another shift happens. The part that really sucks for schools like Mankato, Michigan Tech, Duluth is losing that closeness of opponents and overlap of fanbases. I'm still disappointed that the 10 teams left in the WCHA couldn't work things out and find a way to brush off the loss of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

I mean, UAH was in the CHA, a league full ... well, full of teams looking to make it in Division I that couldn't make it into a more prestigious league. The league was geographically disparate: Air Force, Bemidji, Huntsville, Niagara, Wayne State, Findlay, Robert Morris, and Niagara were all a part at one point or another. (Army was supposed to be, then bolted for the MAAC.) The only real rivalry to start with was UAH-BSU.

But trust me, after 2-3 years, there was a lot of hate out there. You'll get to the point where we're all getting kids from the same leagues that have histories with each other — we're a good bit of the way there now. Through 1.5 seasons in the league, UAH has played Bemidji 74 times, Mankato 47, the Alaska schools 21 each (thanks to the early '90s independent days), BG 14 times, Ferris 11 (four of those in 10-11), Lake and Northern eight times, and Tech just four times. Most UAH fans understand the rivalry with the Beavs, but you have to go back to the D-II days for fans to get the Mankato and Alaska rivalries.

While this isn't the case for everyone else, given that the rest of the league was either in the WCHA or CCHA, those rivalries haven't had a chance to form. Mavs fans probably don't have any hate for Ferris despite their race to the wire last season; will that last after Motte graduates this spring, since the Mavs have depth across classes? Will there be a rivalry between the Mavs and the Falcons? Will playing in the same league deepen the rivalries in the UP?

All I know is that I still hate Bemidji and don't like BG because Ryan Satkowiak and Dajon Mingo talked crap about UAH last season.

GFM

There is no need to deepen the rivalry with the useless teaching college in Marquette. They suck.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Anyone post here who experienced the great rift that formed when Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, and Notre Dame left to join the CCHA? Was there anywhere near the vocal outcry of losing those schools? What about the ECAC/Hockey East split that took place? Were fans in the ECAC just as hurt?

Would be hard to call any anecdotes from those days an apples-to-apples comparison. No USCHO, no Twitter, and even less national acknowledgement of NCAA hockey as a sport.
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

I mean, UAH was in the CHA, a league full ... well, full of teams looking to make it in Division I that couldn't make it into a more prestigious league. The league was geographically disparate: Air Force, Bemidji, Huntsville, Niagara, Wayne State, Findlay, Robert Morris, and Niagara were all a part at one point or another. (Army was supposed to be, then bolted for the MAAC.) The only real rivalry to start with was UAH-BSU.

But trust me, after 2-3 years, there was a lot of hate out there. You'll get to the point where we're all getting kids from the same leagues that have histories with each other — we're a good bit of the way there now. Through 1.5 seasons in the league, UAH has played Bemidji 74 times, Mankato 47, the Alaska schools 21 each (thanks to the early '90s independent days), BG 14 times, Ferris 11 (four of those in 10-11), Lake and Northern eight times, and Tech just four times. Most UAH fans understand the rivalry with the Beavs, but you have to go back to the D-II days for fans to get the Mankato and Alaska rivalries.

While this isn't the case for everyone else, given that the rest of the league was either in the WCHA or CCHA, those rivalries haven't had a chance to form. Mavs fans probably don't have any hate for Ferris despite their race to the wire last season; will that last after Motte graduates this spring, since the Mavs have depth across classes? Will there be a rivalry between the Mavs and the Falcons? Will playing in the same league deepen the rivalries in the UP?

All I know is that I still hate Bemidji and don't like BG because Ryan Satkowiak and Dajon Mingo talked crap about UAH last season.

GFM
Ryan Satkowiak is an idiot who thinks he knows way more than he really does. I despise his writing style and his propensity for inserting little quips that he thinks are funny but are simply stupid. Don't judge us based him since there aren't too many of us here that like him.
Dajon is Dajon. Seriously, he's a good kid but his mouth has gotten him into trouble with the coach in the past. He really shouldn't be saying anything about other teams given our recent past....
 
Re: WCHA 2014-15: Semi-colons make things seem important

Mention this in the NCHC thread and they'll jump right down your throat. Trust me, I've done it. :D Realignment makes sense no matter how you slice it. Travel isn't cheap and the more you can regionalize a league, the better off the programs are.

FWIW, the B1G fans hate the current alignment. Especially the ones from the old CCHA. It really wouldn't be that bad except that they (except for OSU), along with Notre Dame seem to believe that 2 for 1 deals are fair when setting up schedules, as if they're doing us a favor. Bergeron won't have anything to do with them. Not to mention, playing them would play havoc on our SOS this year.:D
 
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