smokey the cat

Even if they had played those games at home the number would not change. Maybe even go down.

Funny thing is most of these guys have never played outdoors in their lives. I lived next to Elks Park for almost 50 years. Over the last 15 I had a hard time figuring out why there was even an ice rink there. There never was anyone there.

Not as bad as the Gophers though. There it is like a good chunk of one side of the arena is empty.

If WMU and Miami draw that few if UND is not in MInneapolis it is will be one quiet arena.

How do they have the Gophers at 12,000? Did they average that outdoor game and the tourny games in? Their arena is never full. As I have said numerous times before if it was full that piss yellow M would not show up.

How well do Miami and WMU draw for a typical home game?

Been hearing a lot of Portuguese?

At the Corn Palace Festival in Mitchell, South Dakota February 22nd. Get your tickets now. They are going fast.

Oh yeah. I just figured somehow in the end they would get home ice. Do great in the league tourney and then go on to the nationals. They always seem to find a way in the end. From watching the college game for so many years I know to expect the unexpected, Holy Cross, Yale, etc...

I consider a day's drive as being 12 hours, minimum.

Thumbs up! You always have been a good comeback artist! :lol: I thought the humans said they were taking me to get tutored. Should have took me in for a hearing aid.

Why would anyone think they couldn't make it? This is college hockey where nothing can be taken for granted. Yale.

Days drive? Heck they are within a 4 hour drive. It will be sad if it doesn't become something great.

Hey 82 and Snake, Do you guys think the same as I do that this tourney does really have the potential to be a great tourney? The concept is great just like the GLI.

I can agree with you guys on this. When it gets more popular then sell game tickets. I still think changing days would help though.

You do make more sense. But then again how many non-Gopher fans are paying $45 dollars for one game to start with?

So it costs them $2,000. It might also help them to sell and extra 1,000 tickets at $40 getting them $40,000 in revenue. So $40,000-$2,000=$38,000.

Not really since all the people are already there and if they sold more tickets it would offset the costs. They empty the place for the state tourney for 4 days. It also would let all the workers have a break to eat. It is not like they get paid that much to start with and probably would like the extra couple hours on their checks.

It use to be across the street in a little building on a corner. When they rebuilt 66th st they tore the building down. It was owned by a guy as a sideline and the only employees was one guy and the owners kid. This was back in 89,90, and 91. The guy that worked there was good buddies with Damien Rhodes and he introduced me to him. I was a big fan of his. Here is a funny story that happened there. The week after Hak schooled Ben Hankinson at center ice the Gophers next game that Hankinson had to sit out was on Saturday afternoon. 20-25 minutes before game time Hankinson comes into the store dressed like a slob. As you all know I say what I think and don't care who I po. I told Hankinson that they would not win the league that year. He asked me why. I told him because here you are dressed like a slob 20 minutes before game time and you are not at the arena. That shows an extreme lack of discipline by Woog. Needless to say they did not win that year. They lost in Houghton and there went the title.

Thanks. I was just thinking that UMD, Mankato, Bemidji, St. Cloud, and even UM fans really do not want to pay so much for one game. If I could go to a 1:00 game and then go out for dinner I would come back for a 7:00 game. In all fairness the idea of this tourney really is a good one. If they play with the ticket policy, game times, and dates it will become a great event. If I was a fan of any of the teams I would enjoy it. It never would have worked before being in the same conference. Now that they are in 3 different ones it is good. It was way to much geared towards the Gopher fans this year. If they continue on that road it never is going to take off. They really need to have the Gophers playing in the afternoon on the first day also. Rotate them around. Next year have UMD, Mankato, or Bemidji play at night. Make all the schools fans feel like they are a part of it. This year they probably felt that they were just bodies to fill the brackets and had no real skin in the game. They are right. They were treated like economy class. They would like to sit in the front of the plane also.

At least have the first day individual tickets because who know who will play who on the second.

I wonder if the days or dates would make a difference? Like a Saturday/Sunday or at a holiday time. Keeping it on a Friday/Saturday and expecting out of town fans is tough. As for the part of selling individual game tickets do it at least for the first day. That way the first day afternoon game people can leave and go shopping or home. It might actually improve sales.

Dang they are still open. I thought they closed because their little store on 66th st. was gone.

Great suggestion. One caveat though. Weekend rates are not much cheaper by the mall to justify the hassle as others pointed out. If you have one person not drinking to drive you can stay anywhere.