WCHA Playoff Series

[siouxyeahyeah]

The point is actually quite relevant. It is my understanding that from now on (until it is once again voted upon by the 10 schools' representatives) the Final Five will be played with #2/#3 in the afternoon and #1/#4 playing the evening game. This is regardless of where MN falls in the seeding. One would hope that those in the twin cities area would find a way to make it to the afternoon game if their team is in it and the attendance shouldn't be too affected. To my knowledge the "MN rule" was overturned due to the unfair advantage the schools thought MN was given to always have the night game...

[AZSIOUX]

The point is actually quite relevant. It is my understanding that from now on (until it is once again voted upon by the 10 schools' representatives) the Final Five will be played with #2/#3 in the afternoon and #1/#4 playing the evening game. This is regardless of where MN falls in the seeding. One would hope that those in the twin cities area would find a way to make it to the afternoon game if their team is in it and the attendance shouldn't be too affected. To my knowledge the "MN rule" was overturned due to the unfair advantage the schools thought MN was given to always have the night game...

why wouldnt the 1 seed get the afternoon game as that gives them the extra 3-5 hours of rest for the title game? doesnt make sense

[HaksHomey]

CC folds to UND. Sioux win final 5

[MafiaMan]

Attendance from last year's Fri afternoon game:

Fri., March 16 (North Dakota vs. St. Cloud State) 17,511

http://wcha.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/031707aaf.html

I would assume that if UMTC played Fri afternoon the crowd would as big if not bigger.

The point is moot however, because UMTC does not play Fri afternoon F5 games, at least for now.

So the attendance at last year's Friday afternoon game was thanks in large part to the number of Gopher fans watching the Sioux and Huskies?

[siouxyeahyeah]

About why the #1 seed plays the night game...I guess they think that the #1 seed should get the premier game of the evening? Not really sure. Maybe that coupled with the winner of the play-in game getting those few extra hours from Thurs to Fri?

[MafiaMan]

To my knowledge the "MN rule" was overturned due to the unfair advantage the schools thought MN was given to always have the night game...

To my knowledge, this is not the case.

[siouxyeahyeah]

Just ask any of UND's coaches or any FAR from a WCHA school. Not everything that happens at WCHA or NCAA meetings always becomes public knowledge. It's a new thing...word probably hasn't spread much yet. All I know is, I'm a fan of the decision. I always hated that it seemed the WCHA was more about $$ than being fair. They still have a long way to go, but this is a step in the right direction.

[stickboy1956]

why wouldnt the 1 seed get the afternoon game as that gives them the extra 3-5 hours of rest for the title game? doesnt make sense

Unfair to play-in winner - very short turnaround from Thur nite. In ideal world of course.

However because of the Minn rule, it has happened before - see 2005. We won the play-in game but had to turn around and play Denver Fri afternoon (the Paukovich game), because UMTC was seeded 3 behind CC and DU.

[AZSIOUX]

Unfair to play-in winner - very short turnaround from Thur nite. In ideal world of course.

However because of the Minn rule, it has happened before - see 2005. We won the play-in game but had to turn around and play Denver Fri afternoon (the Paukovich game), because UMTC was seeded 3 behind CC and DU.

good point but there is no reason to cater to a 4 or 5 seed. thats their problem then, get a higher seed and avoid the play in game is how i see it

[stickboy1956]

So the attendance at last year's Friday afternoon game was thanks in large part to the number of Gopher fans watching the Sioux and Huskies?

You assumed a Fri afternoon game with the Gophers would draw only 16k - it would stand to reason the Gophers would outdraw UND/SCSU.

[stickboy1956]

The point is actually quite relevant. It is my understanding that from now on (until it is once again voted upon by the 10 schools' representatives) the Final Five will be played with #2/#3 in the afternoon and #1/#4 playing the evening game. This is regardless of where MN falls in the seeding. One would hope that those in the twin cities area would find a way to make it to the afternoon game if their team is in it and the attendance shouldn't be too affected. To my knowledge the "MN rule" was overturned due to the unfair advantage the schools thought MN was given to always have the night game...

Do you have a source/link? This revlelation would be big news and I believe more people would have heard about it.

[jojordan23]

About why the #1 seed plays the night game...I guess they think that the #1 seed should get the premier game of the evening? Not really sure. Maybe that coupled with the winner of the play-in game getting those few extra hours from Thurs to Fri?

Ok, did you all NOT read what I said before? #1, no matter who it is plays the winner of the Thursday night game, whomever it is. It really has nothing to do with the #1 seed, it has to do with giving the team that just PLAYED a game in less than 24 hours a few more hours break before they play again. That is why, the so-called "Minnesota rule" sucked. Someone already mentioned 2005, the Sioux played on Thursday night, and because the Goofs were NOT the #1 seed, the Sioux had to play again Friday afternoon, against Denver, the # 1 seed. Is it all making sense now?

[siouxyeahyeah]

No link, sorry. As far as I know it wasn't published anywhere but I haven't looked. You have no reason to believe me but I have talked to someone involved in decision-making with the WCHA and it was verified. However, feel free to ask around or dig around. Something might be out there about it...whether documented from WCHA meetings or by simply asking a coach. I won't give a name and you have every right to believe I'm making this up but I assure you this is legit.

Also, jojordan...the turn-around for the playin game winner was in fact one of my suggestions as to why the games are played in the order they are...

[Goon]

No link, sorry. As far as I know it wasn't published anywhere but I haven't looked. You have no reason to believe me but I have talked to someone involved in decision-making with the WCHA and it was verified. However, feel free to ask around or dig around. Something might be out there about it...whether documented from WCHA meetings or by simply asking a coach. I won't give a name and you have every right to believe I'm making this up but I assure you this is legit.

Also, jojordan...the turn-around for the playin game winner was in fact one of my suggestions as to why the games are played in the order they are...

It would seem like a fair statement. I had heard the league was going/leaning towards this decision. I heard this as well at the final five last season. The last two seasons the Goofs were the Cup winners it was a mute point. Hopefully the DU UND game was the last time this happens.

[jojordan23]

No link, sorry. As far as I know it wasn't published anywhere but I haven't looked. You have no reason to believe me but I have talked to someone involved in decision-making with the WCHA and it was verified. However, feel free to ask around or dig around. Something might be out there about it...whether documented from WCHA meetings or by simply asking a coach. I won't give a name and you have every right to believe I'm making this up but I assure you this is legit.

Also, jojordan...the turn-around for the playin game winner was in fact one of my suggestions as to why the games are played in the order they are...

And you would be completely correct in that statement about turn-around time. I just saw the post above where you were talking about giving the #1 seed the prime-time slot. I truly believe that to be fair, you have to give the play-in winner a few more hours to recover. And that was why I had such a problem with letting the Gophs play the Friday night game, no matter what they were seeded as.

Siouxyeahyeah, I completely apologize, I didn't read your entire post before I fired off my mouth. Sorry about that.

[siouxyeahyeah]

I understand. I was thinking out loud initially. Your point is correct.

[MafiaMan]

You assumed a Fri afternoon game with the Gophers would draw only 16k - it would stand to reason the Gophers would outdraw UND/SCSU.

I live in the Twin Cities, stickboy1956, and I know plenty of Gopher fans who would mumble and grumble about having to leave work for an afternoon game when their team is the, ahem, 'home team.' There are conversations in our Final Five section all the time regarding the "Gopher Rule" and as soon as other fans mention how unfair it is, every Minnesota fan in our area explains that because St Paul hosts the tournament, "local fans" shouldn't have to take time off of work to go see Minnesota play. Of course, when I classify myself as a local fan because I live in Bloomington, I'm quickly dismissed because I'm not a Minnesota fan, but that's another story...

Go look at the attendance during Easter weekend a few years ago for the Western Regional. The Gopher/Maine game drew 9,583 and the Gopher/Cornell game drew 9,054. Hell, if you think Gopher fans are so supportive of their team, I go check out the attendance from some recent third-place tournament games. Again, I personally know a half-dozen Gopher fans right off the top of my head who had tickets for those games and skipped them because "it doesn't matter." The Gopher train is a fickle one...plenty of people have gotten off of it this season...

I'm tellin' ya, if you think a Friday afternoon Gopher/CC match-up would gather more than 16,000 fans, I'd take that bet.

[MafiaMan]

good point but there is no reason to cater to a 4 or 5 seed. thats their problem then, get a higher seed and avoid the play in game is how i see it

Good point, but there is also no reason to cater to one team year after year to supposedly "boost attendance."

[Boy Named Sioux]

Good point, but there is also no reason to cater to one team year after year to supposedly "boost attendance."

Actually, I can think of ONE reason. More fans at the game=more revenue for WCHA= more money to buy bananas used in training monkeys to be WCHA referees.

[Gopherguy33]

I live in the Twin Cities, stickboy1956, and I know plenty of Gopher fans who would mumble and grumble about having to leave work for an afternoon game when their team is the, ahem, 'home team.' There are conversations in our Final Five section all the time regarding the "Gopher Rule" and as soon as other fans mention how unfair it is, every Minnesota fan in our area explains that because St Paul hosts the tournament, "local fans" shouldn't have to take time off of work to go see Minnesota play. Of course, when I classify myself as a local fan because I live in Bloomington, I'm quickly dismissed because I'm not a Minnesota fan, but that's another story...

Go look at the attendance during Easter weekend a few years ago for the Western Regional. The Gopher/Maine game drew 9,583 and the Gopher/Cornell game drew 9,054. Hell, if you think Gopher fans are so supportive of their team, I go check out the attendance from some recent third-place tournament games. Again, I personally know a half-dozen Gopher fans right off the top of my head who had tickets for those games and skipped them because "it doesn't matter." The Gopher train is a fickle one...plenty of people have gotten off of it this season...

I'm tellin' ya, if you think a Friday afternoon Gopher/CC match-up would gather more than 16,000 fans, I'd take that bet.

I know plenty of us who are at all Final Five games. I know plenty of Sioux fans who wont be there if the Sioux don't play.....Who the F cares. I will be there and that's all I worry about. The regional you wrote about was at Mariucci, unless you want problems with the fire marshall your statement has nothing to do with the gopher fans attendance, I was there and it was a full house. Just for your information when the coaches have voted on the "gopher rule", Every year the Five has been at the X, Minnesota has ALWAYS voted against it, always. Most years, if not all, UM was the only school to say no. You can ask Hak.

[MafiaMan]

#1) I know plenty of Sioux fans who wont be there if the Sioux don't play.....Who the F cares.

#2) The regional you wrote about was at Mariucci, unless you want problems with the fire marshall your statement has nothing to do with the gopher fans attendance, I was there and it was a full house.

#3) Just for your information when the coaches have voted on the "gopher rule", Every year the Five has been at the X, Minnesota has ALWAYS voted against it, always. Most years, if not all, UM was the only school to say no. You can ask Hak.

Point #1). Plenty of Gopher fans wouldn't drive 4.5 hours to see a tournament that their team wasn't it. Your point makes no sense.

Point #2). I was at that regional at Mariucci and capacity at the John is just over 10,000. Those games weren't even close to a full-house. By the way, nice of Gopher fans to stay a bit late for some free hockey and the OSU/Cornell game. I think about 800 people saw that one.

Point #3). Minnesota has never voted against the "Gopher rule." They have abstained from voting at all.

[Gopherguy33]

Good point, but there is also no reason to cater to one team year after year to supposedly "boost attendance."

What would most of you have to complain about then? Nobody says that UND can buy X amount of tickets and the rest go to UM. I will agree with the idea that more UND fans would be at a Ralph Final Five than gopher fans. I wouldnt have a problem with going up there once in a while. I am not sure what you can do up there for three days besides drink, I am sure you could list a few things. Again, all WCHA schools have a say where the Final Five is played. I think this contract extends through the 2012 season.

[MafiaMan]

What would most of you have to complain about then? Nobody says that UND can buy X amount of tickets and the rest go to UM. I will agree with the idea that more UND fans would be at a Ralph Final Five than gopher fans. I wouldnt have a problem with going up there once in a while. I am not sure what you can do up there for three days besides drink, I am sure you could list a few things. Again, all WCHA schools have a say where the Final Five is played. I think this contract extends through the 2012 season.

Shouldn't you be running along to your appointment with your hairdresser, Gopherguy33?

[Gopherguy33]

Point #1). Plenty of Gopher fans wouldn't drive 4.5 hours to see a tournament that their team wasn't it. Your point makes no sense.

Point #2). I was at that regional at Mariucci and capacity at the John is just over 10,000. Those games weren't even close to a full-house. By the way, nice of Gopher fans to stay a bit late for some free hockey and the OSU/Cornell game. I think about 800 people saw that one.

Point #3). Minnesota has never voted against the "Gopher rule." They have abstained from voting at all.

I was talking about local people as you were when saying they would complain about leaving work early. So it is relevant.

It's the same result if one of us or both are correct? Regardless of symantics, nobody can say we champion the rule. The benifit to the team can be argued.

I dont have the attendance figures in front of me and am not obsessing over the attendance of a Cornell/OSU game, I stayed. Bottom line is Minnesota travels as well as, if not better than, most schools. All schools have fair weather fans and die hards. Its a tired discussion that is very simple to understand. Unless, your looking for something to make yourself feel better. All schools have all type fans. Be more creative, its interesting.

[MafiaMan]

Be more creative, its interesting.

I'll keep that comment in mind when I'm walking to the X next weekend and a Gopher fan calls me a Nazi.