WCHA Thread IV

[brookyone]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

WCHA semifinal 1) North Dakota vs. Wisconsin

Should be a whale of a semi to open the Final Face Off. Tough one to call...in any attempt to predict, with much at stake. I think the edge in goal has to go to UW, and Rigsby perfectly capable of winning a game. Just the same...I'm going with the Whioux and an edge in offense. Seems they may be turning it up at the right time. I can see these two trading a few goals each...but a couple of particular individuals will surely not be ready to accept an end to their college careers, and respond accordingly.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

It isn't much of a downside but there is a downside to the UMD elimination.

UMD would bring fans, plenty of fans. And they would most likely bring their band. It's the post season, a wild and raucous atmosphere in the building is what is now called for. Even if some of the wild and raucous is opposing fans.

OSU is a deserving and interesting participant but except for the parents of their Minnesota raised players there probably won't be many Ohio fans at the games. And I doubt any band will be doing script Ohio in Minneapolis next week. Will either North Dakota or Wisconsin muster up a band? Wisconsin seems doubtful. Given the grumbling on the Wisconsin thread about the lack of a band even at their HOME games a trip to Minneapolis for 20 band members might be a pretty slim possibility.

 

[brookyone]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

It isn't much of a downside but there is a downside to the UMD elimination.

UMD would bring fans, plenty of fans. And they would most likely bring their band. It's the post season, a wild and raucous atmosphere in the building is what is now called for. Even if some of the wild and raucous is opposing fans.

I'll try my best to get over the UMD elimination.

 

[ARM]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

UMD would bring fans, plenty of fans.

UMD doesn't travel nearly as well as they did 10 years ago when they were a dominant team. They had a lot more fans at the FF in 2001 than they did in 2010.

OSU is a deserving and interesting participant but except for the parents of their Minnesota raised players there probably won't be many Ohio fans at the games.

Other than their European players, I would expect that the rest will have family there no matter where they are from. OSU hasn't been to the the semis the last couple of years, so I'd think that they would be willing to travel a bit.

Will either North Dakota or Wisconsin muster up a band? Wisconsin seems doubtful. Given the grumbling on the Wisconsin thread about the lack of a band even at their HOME games a trip to Minneapolis for 20 band members might be a pretty slim possibility.

UW usually has a band for NCAAs, and I remember one driving up on gameday for the WCHA Championship two years ago at Ridder. Did UND have one at the WCHA semi in Duluth last year? I don't remember. It probably depends on where their other teams are playing.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

UMD doesn't travel nearly as well as they did 10 years ago when they were a dominant team. They had a lot more fans at the FF in 2001 than they did in 2010.

OK, you're probably right about the fans. I guess mostly I was thinking about having another band there.

Having said that for even regular season games over the past several years UMD has always had a significant group of fans at Ridder.

Other than their European players, I would expect that the rest will have family there no matter where they are from. OSU hasn't been to the the semis the last couple of years, so I'd think that they would be willing to travel a bit.

OK, I have to agree but the parents are a given, they are going to be there. I was thinking about osu alum and buckeye hockey and that sort of committed but not by blood related fan. Given that OSU was an underdog to reach this stage and given the price of flying on short notice I don't expect that we will see many of those folks this weekend.

UW usually has a band for NCAAs, and I remember one driving up on gameday for the WCHA Championship two years ago at Ridder. Did UND have one at the WCHA semi in Duluth last year? I don't remember. It probably depends on where their other teams are playing.

I don't remember either about UND. Their band has always put on a good show at the Ralph but I don't specifically recall them making any road appearances.

The whole point of my post was that this weekend I expect that I and perhaps others will miss the appearance of a spirited UMD band.

 

[D2D]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

The whole point of my post was that this weekend I expect that I and perhaps others will miss the appearance of a spirited UMD band.

Have to admit that UMD's band was very good and added to the atmosphere. Still, I wouldn't mind too much this year if the other teams didn't bring hardly any fans, and the place was filled to the rafters with Gopher fans, all cheering for the home team!

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

OK, you're probably right about the fans. I guess mostly I was thinking about having another band there.
...

The whole point of my post was that this weekend I expect that I and perhaps others will miss the appearance of a spirited UMD band.

Have to admit that UMD's band was very good and added to the atmosphere.

I always got a chuckle that UMD's first song at every game is "We're an American Band" and thinking that, until recently, we couldn't say something similar about their team.

 

[dhmn]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

As a UMD fan, it's always hard to pull for the OTHER maroon & gold team.. or the other WCHA teams.. but that time has come again, to cheer on the WCHA to keep the NCAA title in the league. Would love to see either North Dakota or Wisconsin knock off the Gophers.. not so much to end the streak, just to move in up the Pairwise and get out of the bubble and into a guaranteed spot in the quarterfinal. Maybe them playing each other in the WCHA semifinal is enough though?

 

[ARM]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

As a UMD fan, it's always hard to pull for the OTHER maroon & gold team.. or the other WCHA teams.. but that time has come again, to cheer on the WCHA to keep the NCAA title in the league. Would love to see either North Dakota or Wisconsin knock off the Gophers.. not so much to end the streak, just to move in up the Pairwise and get out of the bubble and into a guaranteed spot in the quarterfinal. Maybe them playing each other in the WCHA semifinal is enough though?

One of those teams gets in if no auto-bid winners from the East come from outside the top 8. At this point, it looks like even if there are two WCHA teams in the field, they will just pair them up in the NCAA quarterfinal; I doubt that there can be more than one WCHA team in the Frozen Four.

 

[dhmn]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

One of those teams gets in if no auto-bid winners from the East come from outside the top 8. At this point, it looks like even if there are two WCHA teams in the field, they will just pair them up in the NCAA quarterfinal; I doubt that there can be more than one WCHA team in the Frozen Four.

Obvious excuse of travel expenses again?

 

[ARM]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

Obvious excuse of travel expenses again?

Exacerbated by the fact that Minnesota will be the #1 seed and a second WCHA team currently sits in No. 8, so they'll use the bracket integrity story as well.

 

[mnpokecheck]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

Obvious excuse of travel expenses again?

Excuse or not, there is no money in Women's Hockey. $30 for an all games adult pass ($15 for SRO) for Women's Frozen Four - pretty inexpensive. Fly 3 teams in for finals and maybe one other for quarters. Hotels, meals and expenses for teams, staff, officials, banquets, buses, awards, trophies.......They won't break even.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

Excuse or not, there is no money in Women's Hockey. $30 for an all games adult pass ($15 for SRO) for Women's Frozen Four - pretty inexpensive. Fly 3 teams in for finals and maybe one other for quarters. Hotels, meals and expenses for teams, staff, officials, banquets, buses, awards, trophies.......They won't break even.

You are absolutely right about this as far as it goes.

On the other hand the NCAA is a monolith, a monster, an overpowering capitalistic success story. They make money by the boatload. For example, just take a look at the profit on men's basketball.

So, what am I saying? I am saying that even if they have to throw a few bucks down the rat hole of this 35 team niche sport, if they want to claim that the NCAA is committed to gender equity, which for sure they do, then they should have to go top of the line for this tournament too, especially if that is the way that they treat all the other sports. Overall the business of the NCAA is a huge success, I see no excuse for not spending the money to make even this tiny little corner of their empire a top of the line, Grade A showcase and success.

Failure to do so is NOT in the long term interest of the NCAA. They SHOULD spend this relatively small amount of money on women's hockey.

 

[Eeyore]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

So, what am I saying? I am saying that even if they have to throw a few bucks down the rat hole of this 35 team niche sport, if they want to claim it as an NCAA sport for Title IX purposes, which for sure they do, then they should have to go top of the line for this tournament too, especially if that is the way that they treat all the other sports. Overall the business of the NCAA is a huge success, I see no excuse for not spending the money to make even this tiny little corner of their empire a top of the line, Grade A showcase and success.

The NCAA doesn't need to claim anything for Title IX purposes. It's not an educational institution. The fact that its membership consists of educational institutions that are covered by Title IX does not mean that it is.

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

The NCAA doesn't need to claim anything for Title IX purposes. It's not an educational institution. The fact that its membership consists of educational institutions that are covered by Title IX does not mean that it is.

You are correct on the technicality. I defer.

Would you have any similar comments on the main theme of the argument?

 

[Eeyore]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

Would you have any similar comments on the main theme of the argument?

Not really. It isn't even so much that I disagree with you as that, if you get me started on the idiocy, the unfairness and the corruption of the NCAA, this probably doesn't even make my top 20 list of issues. Expecting them to do the right thing is a waste of time.

 

[ARM]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

Expecting them to do the right thing is a waste of time.

We're on an internet forum. Wasting time is what we do.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

We're on an internet forum. Wasting time is what we do.

Thanks, ARM. I needed a chuckle to start my morning.

 

[northhockey]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

http://undhockey.areavoices.com/?p=93652

- "Since Jan. 1, UND has five of the top 11 scorers in the nation. Jocelyne Lamoureux ranks first, Monique is fifth, Meghan Dufault is seventh, Michelle Karvinen is ninth and Josefine Jakobsen is 11th."

- I joked with Jocelyne after Saturday’s game about not taking one last trip to the penalty box. She has taken a lot of penalties in her career, but she’s only taken 2 minor penalties in the last 10 games, which is quite impressive

 

[ARM]

Re: WCHA Thread IV

- "Since Jan. 1, UND has five of the top 11 scorers in the nation. ...

Since the start of 2013, UND is 14-3-1, and Wisconsin is 13-3-0. Very close, but the Badgers have the slightly higher winning percentage. On Friday, we'll get to see what comes out on the top -- the irresistible force or the immovable object.