the minnesota cup

[scsavre]

Any thoughts on this?

The 5 min schools will play every year at the xcel in january. The goph will play every year the others will rotate in. It will be a great opportunity for the other school to make som major money. My worry is that this might mean the gophs won't be playing them in any other non conference games.

If I were a betting man I would say the big 10 is going to be playing the hockey east schools. That's what rivalarys they are going to build up.

[Bran32]

I like the idea but i am with you about them not playing the other 4 during the regular season and I am not to fond of that!! They will probably play the team that is left out of the tourney though!!! There needs to be a BSU vs UMD and SCSU vs Mankato and vise versa every year though IMO

[solbes]

I like it. But I agree that the Gophers should schedule a road trip to the team left out of the tourney. It would mostly benefit that team, but would also benefit the Gopher fans that still like to travel. Gives them an opportunity to hit up each schools arena every 4 years, which isn't very often. Attendance will take a hit all 4 towns, but at least some of this revenue can be protected.

And the title they gave it, Minnesota Cup, has to go. Come up with something creative. Or better yet make a new trophy that is cool and call it that.

Scott, I know you see the B10 and HE as being the closest rivals. Time will tell which of the 3 or 4 newly aligned conferences will be the dominant ones. I still see the NCHC (again stupid name) as the closer geography and more natural matchups. I would guess the B10 schedules a near equal mix of non cons against both conferences.

[archerystud]

And the title they gave it, Minnesota Cup, has to go. Come up with something creative. Or better yet make a new trophy that is cool and call it that.

How about the MN Lutefisk Boiling Pot....

Or the MN Lefse Roll Up....

Or the MN Hotdish Casserole

[Bear55]

You know with 5 teams there isn't a reason why we can't play all 4 teams a year. Forget the 2 game series, play two different teams a weekend, one home and one on the road. The travel might not be ideal but it wouldn't be that bad. Or maybe one weekend you travel for two games and the next you play two games at home. There are probably some scheduling conflicts I am overlooking but I think it would be fun.

[Shorelunch]

I think scheduling-wise it's kind of a cop-out for UMinn. Dollar-wise, though, it probably makes the most sense. UMinn needs to travel to the left out school each year.

If I was a Gopher fan, I'd rather see a vast majority of NC games with the regional teams - no question. Duluth/UND/DU/CC > than Vermont/Merrimack at tJohn or on the road. Will MN travel for an early season NC trip like most schools do?

[scsavre]

Solbes I'm with you, id rather play wcha and nchc non conference games. I just have a feeling the big 10 is going to push playing against the east schools. I think they figure a larger tv audience. Also we are already stuck with notre dame the next few years.

The name isn't set, I'm wondering if they could do this on hockey day mn weekend.

I als heard some rumblings that lucia is possibly going to become the the big 10 hockey commish. Seems like an awesome an honorable to leave the gophs. We will see, but the rumor came with a little traction.

[solbes]

ArcheryStud: I gotta say, I'm liking the MN Hotdish (or Hockey Hotdish, or some combination of). Has kind of a Beanpot type feel to it which is cool. Could even mock up a trophy with bronzed tator-tots immersed in a casserole inside rectangular pyrex.

Hockey day MN would be awesome for these games, but I'm not sure how they would schedule with the Wild playing at the X that night? Maybe setup the Bank with an outdoor rink, which would give the games an authentic Mn kind of feel. Too expensive to do every year though and the novelty would quickly wear off. Pains me to say it, but Mariucci would be another venue for this.

[Shorelunch]

ArcheryStud: I gotta say, I'm liking the MN Hotdish. Has kind of a Beanpot type feel to it which is cool. Could even mock up a trophy with bronzed tator-tots immersed in a casserole inside rectangular pyrex.

Hockey day MN would be awesome for these games, but I'm not sure how they would schedule with the Wild playing at the X that night? Maybe setup the Bank with an outdoor rink, which would give the games an authentic Mn kind of feel. Too expensive to do every year though and the novelty would quickly wear off. Pains me to say it, but Mariucci would be another venue for this.

I don't think you could get away having at tJohn. Gives the wrong perception for the MN Hotdish Tourney - love the name. Target Center would be a better "neutral" venue if the X didn't work.

[archerystud]

I like this:

The Tatertot HotDish

The winner gets a bronzed Correlle baking dish.