Big Ten hockey 2013-14

[solbes]

If UND, DU, Miami, and Notre Dame follow suit to form their own super conference, this whole B10 thing will be REALLY bad for college hockey. Ring, ring goes the death bell for the CCHA. You would see a huge ripple effect from this where you may stand to gain 2 B10 non-traditional hockey programs and stand to lose 4-8 smaller traditional hockey programs (N Mich, MTU, Lake Superior State, etc). Net loss of hockey programs and migration toward bigger institutions is NOT what I want to see.

My whole thing is that the B10 did this with little or no input from the affected 2 conferences. Yeah it's their right to form their own conference, but they basically sprung this on the 2 conferences without even having some discussions on how non-con scheduling might be affected. It's a case of 2 hockey programs seeing dollars in their eyes and not giving a rip about the rest of college hockey.

[cbrooks]

If UND, DU, Miami, and Notre Dame follow suit to form their own super conference, this whole B10 thing will be REALLY bad for college hockey. Ring, ring goes the death bell for the CCHA. You would see a huge ripple effect from this where you may stand to gain 2 B10 non-traditional hockey programs and stand to lose 4-8 smaller traditional hockey programs (N Mich, MTU, Lake Superior State, etc). Net loss of hockey programs and migration toward bigger institutions is NOT what I want to see.

My whole thing is that the B10 did this with little or no input from the affected 2 conferences. Yeah it's their right to form their own conference, but they basically sprung this on the 2 conferences without even having some discussions on how non-con scheduling might be affected. It's a case of 2 hockey programs seeing dollars in their eyes and not giving a rip about the rest of college hockey.

Well said. If they would have only listen to the other schools input. Would that have made a difference...who knows.

Of all the articles, commentary's and blogs I read this is the first that I read of someone asking "why wasn't there any input from the other schools"

[Bear55]

I heard it through the grapevine, and it was only that they wouldn't play the Sioux if UND retains the nickname and they end up in different conferences. I won't tell you who told me, but his initials are Virg Foss.

Could be I misheard or misunderstood tho. If so, my apologies.

Actually I have heard that before too, I think the U put out some press release stating they school would not play teams with hostile or abusive nicknames. It was kind of a big deal at the time but I think the hockey programs just ignored it because they had scheduled conference games to worry about.

One thing is for sure, if the don't don't play UND because of this there are going to be some very pi$$ed off fans on both sides.

[Bear55]

I hope this doesn't get ugly like that. From my understanding Minnesota never wanted this, they kind of got force into it. They shouldn't be punish for this IMO. If it turns into teams snubbing each other in the schedule it will only make things worse. It will be interesting if things go that way.

Just going off memory but I am pretty sure Maturi and Lucia spoke out against this and WI was really pushing it. Not sure about the CCHA schools.

I think I will let all the other rumors of another super conference rest for now unless things start to happen. If it does happen you can easily see the NCAA losing hockey programs, how many who knows.

[cbrooks]

The super-conferences is just speculation but I'm sure there's alot of talking going on somewhere.

I remember pretty well how Minnesota wanted no part of the big ten and the Atheletic Director of Wisconsin Barry Alvarez was pushing it hard. Barry could care less about hockey he was a football coach. Typical Big Ten blowhard. Man I'm getting all bent out of shape about this. The people who pushed for this knows nothing about college hockey. They could have talk to anyone on this thread and they would have learn something. Sad day for College hockey as a whole. Lack of leadership from the WCHA to. Did they even try to stop this? Maybe they couldn't do anything.

[scsavre]

It isnt 2 programs, it is the wisconson Ad pushing this. The U had said they were not interested and did not want the change.

Super conference??? isnt that what the WCHA is?

The 2 biggest problems I see are,

dealing with the Big 10. They are going to come in and push people around. they are going to do eveything they want to make as much money as they can. the big 10 cares nothing about hockey, just the $$$ that comes with it. I dont even want to think about the schedule that the Gophs are going to have to play. they are basically going to pimp us out. Play our 20 league games...fine...then they are going to send us out to Boston...send us out to Maine. they are going to invest in their network, and they are going to get every big game they can. Not to mention that we will continue to play the WCHA schools. I talk to a couple of NCAA folks last night and they said that there is alreeady a verbal agreement that the Gophs will continue to play the WCHA schools. We have 14 non conference games we can play, 16 if you go to Alaska. It might not be every year, but yes we will always play either NoDak or Duluth.

So my second problem, I guess the WCHA is really scrambling, so far the Big 10 is trying to leave out AA and Mich tech and maybe a couple more schools from the schedule. Please note that Mich Tech absolultely needs to play the Gophers or Wisconsin in a year, financially. Or they need to find more big games. The biggest victim is going to be Michigan Schools. What the heck are Lake S, WM, NM and BG going to do? they rely on Mich and Mich State just the same.

I guess one last thing I see hurting the Minnesota schools is recruiting, ok hear me out. I dont see it hurting Nodak..but maybe everyone else. the gophs are going to host Michigan, and Ohio state at Marriucci, that is going to open the doors for those schools to try and recruit the local kids, they can scout them while hear, and the the kids will also become more familar with those schools.

In the end, this will only benefit the Gophers financialy, maybe. It will make Ohio state a huge hockey success and give exposure to other schools.

I will be out of inside info for a couple of weeks. I have been visiting with NCAA/WCHA officials at the Xcel as they prepare for the frozen 4.

[cbrooks]

Scott can you disclose your sources please

Just giving [email protected]'m not doubting you

[scsavre]

The big 10 could care less about the wcha. This makes me mad.

[scsavre]

The big 10 could care less about the wcha. This makes me mad.

[scsavre]

I don't even know who they are.....well maybe I know who one or 2 is. Its funny who you run into over there. Obviously these are all rumors. Is just that these rumors are coming from people involved. I should be plum full of info if I go to the frozen 4. I have a media pass and a facility pass. I can go anywhere. Maybe even throw some sand in the sioux lockerroom........

[cbrooks]

Hopefully the Sioux make it to the Frozen Four. How did you get a media pass? Wonder how hard a guy can pass as a media person. I bet Steve knows how to do it

[scsavre]

I have one for the building. Not for the game. I wander around a lot while in there for bartending. I have to get there way early and there is all sorts of people to visit with. You get to know a lot of these guys. I am actually down by the lockerooms and all that stuff. The people are really friendly. I usually have my work clothes on from the afternoon so most of them think I am involved and not a bartender. Its prety funny. Concerts are the best. I usually watch the bands warm up and what not. I usually run into hockey folks I know from playing as well. I have a really good friend who trains a lot of these guys too. So that helps.

Maybe I'm not big time, this sounding like stalking now

[cbrooks]

I would be doing the same thing especially at the Frozen Four. Got to take full advantage of the situation.

Scott I have one question. Could Minnesota refuse to join the Big Ten?

[scsavre]

No. They can not. They could try. Think of the big 10 as a union. Does your union let its guys perform non union work.....and not pay into the union...sorry for bringing the union back.

Nah, sounds like too much backlash if they did. Maybe if we didn't have maturi we would know foresure. I have never heard anyone give an example of why they can't say no. They tried to say know. The big 10 flexed.......and the U said where do we sign. If all these guys care about is money I still can't figure out why we don't have alcohol at games.

[OnAFly]

Here's a way to make everyone happy.

UM doesn't join the Big Ten. UM sells beer at games instead. U pockets money and flips the bird at the big ten.

Ok, so maybe that wouldn't make everyone happy

[Bear55]

OnAFly I think that would make everyone in MN happy, who cares about everyone else.

There isn't much the WCHA and the UofM could do to stop this, just kind of hope the Big 10 would leave us alone but they see a cash grab and went for it.

Recruiting is an interesting subject, I see Denver, Sioux, MN, WI with no worries. However could see some other big 10 teams pulling a few MN kids away from some of the other MN schools every now and then. It will be a battle for sure.

[solbes]

I think the 2 programs pushing for the B10 were Wisconsin, and of course Penn State. I agree that MN had to go along for the ride, but certainly wasn't pushing for the change. The B10 will have to either get some other non B10 programs to join up in FB, BB, and hockey or go out and get those B10 programs now to add hockey (more likely). 6 teams is not going to cut it for more than a year or two. I'm sure there are already plans to expand.

My interest in the B10 is pretty low now, I'm more wondering how all of the scenarios for the remaining conference plays out. I agree on the recruiting landscape, it will be different in future years. I also agree that the remaining WCHA/CCHA teams need the B10 games a lot more than the other way around. Revenue losses could be pretty high for the smaller programs. There just isn't a steady enough flow to absorb the losses.

A) Super conference with the remaining WCHA/CCHA powers: Boo even if this includes outside fringe schools like Duluth, St Cloud, Collorado College, etc. Would be absolute small program killer. Although I wouldn't blame schools like Denver, Miami, and UND for their motivation.

Merging of WCHA and CCHA with sub divisions. Maybe makes a little more sense and should protect the smaller programs. But it's ALOT of negotiations that must be made to get agreement from everyone. Also I don't see the WCHA needing this near as much as the CCHA.

C) Redistribution of teams within WCHA and CCHA. Team swap where we get Fairbanks and they get Tech would make sense. More extreme cases might have team moves intended to better balance the competition. Air Force for example could be added to the WCHA with one more team moved to CCHA. Duluth or Cloud to CCHA, etc. But travel costs are always a factor so I don't see this progressing very far. It would also be pretty difficult to get league approval unless it was just a Fairbanks for Tech swap which makes monetary sense.

D) Do nothing approach. I just can't see the CCHA surviving with all members intact beyond 3 or 4 years.

E) Any other wacky ideas out there?

[cbrooks]

Haha. I like your thinking OnaFly.

There's one college I know thats manage to pizz off the Big ten. Notre Dame. Any college that tells big ten where to stick it I'm a fan of.

[scsavre]

All good stuff solbes.

Yah notre dame has shat on the big 10 so many times. I wonder if the big 10 is so mad about them that they would create some hockey conference and offer notre dame hockey a spot in return notre dame football would join the big 10...................

[cbrooks]

]All good stuff solbes.

Yah notre dame has shat on the big 10 so many times. I wonder if the big 10 is so mad about them that they would create some hockey conference and offer notre dame hockey a spot in return notre dame football would join the big 10...................

Interesting...That would be something to watch for. This big ten garbarge is more of a downer than when UND lose its nickname.

[OnAFly]

As far as the difficulty of getting recruits goes. If the supporters of the B10 are saying it will help spread interest in hockey, I would like them to take a look at the NHL. They expanded into places that have no interest in hockey and a whole lot of interest in other sports. What they accomplished was a watering down of the talent pool and the alienation of some big hockey markets.

Like has been said before (but bears repeating) someone saw a quick buck and neglected to look at the whole picture (or the consequences).

[scsavre]

I wonder what the long term plan is here. Sounds like a lot of speculation. What if these big 10 schools don't start programs. Or what if min, mich and wisc turn the supposed future joiners into a bunch of mich techs or AA"s. You know. How good can it be for them to start programs and just get their tails kicked. Is the big 10 going to have minimum areana capacity rules. Are they going to expect iowa and nebraska and ill to really build rinks if they don't have them.

Sounds like to me we are just being used by the big 10 and if it fails, we are the ones who look dumb.

Ohio stats the king of all sports programs and penn state look like the only ones who benefit.

People mention miami as a power or big name for a supper conf. Pffff ohio state will take those kids after a few good years

[cbrooks]

A) Super conference with the remaining WCHA/CCHA powers: Boo even if this includes outside fringe schools like Duluth, St Cloud, Collorado College, etc. Would be absolute small program killer. Although I wouldn't blame schools like Denver, Miami, and UND for their motivation.

Merging of WCHA and CCHA with sub divisions. Maybe makes a little more sense and should protect the smaller programs. But it's ALOT of negotiations that must be made to get agreement from everyone. Also I don't see the WCHA needing this near as much as the CCHA.

C) Redistribution of teams within WCHA and CCHA. Team swap where we get Fairbanks and they get Tech would make sense. More extreme cases might have team moves intended to better balance the competition. Air Force for example could be added to the WCHA with one more team moved to CCHA. Duluth or Cloud to CCHA, etc. But travel costs are always a factor so I don't see this progressing very far. It would also be pretty difficult to get league approval unless it was just a Fairbanks for Tech swap which makes monetary sense.

D) Do nothing approach. I just can't see the CCHA surviving with all members intact beyond 3 or 4 years.

A and D are not acceptable.I like example B. It looks out for the smaller colleges.

[solbes]

I like B or some form of C I guess.

Did anyone hear that Tom Anastos, current CCHA commish, just took the head coaching job at Michigan State, soon to be in the B10 conferece? How weird is that?

[cbrooks]

Did anyone hear that Tom Anastos, current CCHA commish, just took the head coaching job at Michigan State, soon to be in the B10 conferece? How weird is that?

I did see that. He must be looking for job security.