UND's New Hockey Conference

[tnt]

I agree that the NCHC made a knee-jerk reaction due to panic. If you truly want to be National, allow for some expansion nationally. Now that you accepted a mediocre school to the mix, the league is not quite as attractive. I liken this to the WCHA accepting Alaska Anchorage years back. The consequences of such action really gave the WCHA problems in travel and everything else, and after it was done, how do you undo it and get rid of them! The same can be said of St. Cloud. At what point do you have buyer's remorse and are stuck with "damaged goods"?

[MissSioux85]

Western Michigan has officially accepted the invitation to join the NCHC

WMU to Join National Collegiate Hockey Conference

St. Cloud is expected to accept the invitation today at a 1:00 pm press conference. I'm interested to hear comments from SCSU's administration.

[UND83]

Western Michigan has officially accepted the invitation to join the NCHC

WMU to Join National Collegiate Hockey Conference

St. Cloud is expected to accept the invitation today at a 1:00 pm press conference. I'm interested to hear comments from SCSU's administration.

Since they boycotted our nickname . . . . Anyone free at 1pm

[dakota fairways]

Since WMU had previously stated they wanted to stay with Notre Dame, would this be a strong indication that Notre Dame is either going Independent or B1G? Not that WMU was getting a warm welcome to Hockey East.

[ticklethetwine]

Western Michigan has officially accepted the invitation to join the NCHC

WMU to Join National Collegiate Hockey Conference

St. Cloud is expected to accept the invitation today at a 1:00 pm press conference. I'm interested to hear comments from SCSU's administration.

I am so PO'd that St. Cloud will be joining the NCHC. They bring absolutely NOTHING to the league and those who think its a good idea are St. Cloud fans.

[ScottM]

St. Cloud is expected to accept the invitation today at a 1:00 pm press conference. I'm interested to hear comments from SCSU's administration.

Perhaps somebody from the media will ask where they will get funding to refurbish the NCC, as well as support a D1 hockey team in the future, since they seem so apathetic about sports on the campus. I think Gino deserves a kick in the stones if he had anything to do with this.

[MissSioux85]

St. Cloud radio station plans to stream the press conference live at 1:00 CST - HERE

[UND83]

St. Cloud radio station plans to stream the press conference live at 1:00 CST - HERE

Or watch it Here

[Pump It Up]

Perhaps somebody from the media will ask where they will get funding to refurbish the NCC, as well as support a D1 hockey team in the future, since they seem so apathetic about sports on the campus. I think Gino deserves a kick in the stones if he had anything to do with this.

I agree. If Gino was in anyway a part of this, you should go find an old man who played for the Sioux, brought back 3 NCAA championships to Grand Forks as head coach and also served as UND's athletic director so you can kick him in the balls. Classy.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Perhaps somebody from the media will ask where they will get funding to refurbish the NCC, as well as support a D1 hockey team in the future, since they seem so apathetic about sports on the campus. I think Gino deserves a kick in the stones if he had anything to do with this.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Who cares where they will get the funding? They have supported their D-1 team for the last countless years. Why would that stop now? Times are tough and money is tight. We are not playing them in any other sport so what they do about sports on campus is their problem, not yours, mine, or ours.

Gino should be commended big time if he had anything to do with this. Why so many people piss and moan about St. Cloud coming on board is beyond me. You all'd prefer Bowling Green in place of St. Cloud? Really? That makes zero sense in my mind for so many reasons. Gino always has been and always will be a champ.

When Notre Dame comes a knocking, and it may well, there is nothing wrong with a 9-team conference. Gives everyone a bye, and the last place team stays home for the conference playoffs.

[Sioux-cia]

I'm not thrilled with the addition of St. Cloud. Blaming Gino for doing the job he was hired to do, if indeed he had a hand in it, is wrong.

[ScottM]

I agree. If Gino was in anyway a part of this, you should go find an old man who played for the Sioux, brought back 3 NCAA championships to Grand Forks as head coach and also served as UND's athletic director so you can kick him in the balls. Classy.

Which doesn't outweigh the fact he may have handed UND an albatross at a very critical point in its overall development.

[MafiaMan]

Gino should be commended big time if he had anything to do with this. Why so many people piss and moan about St. Cloud coming on board is beyond me. You all'd prefer Bowling Green in place of St. Cloud? Really? That makes zero sense in my mind for so many reasons. Gino always has been and always will be a champ.

I agree 100% on St Cloud over the choices left. UND, CC, and Denver are touting the NCHC as the 'premier' college hockey conference. If Western Michigan doesn't make this past season's NCAA tournament, there is NO WAY that school gets a bid to the "super" conference.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Which doesn't outweigh the fact he may have handed UND an albatross at a very critical point in its overall development.

How, pray tell, is St. Cloud an albatross? In any way? Please explain. Too many people want to grind an axe against St. Cloud's hockey program when what

they really have is a beef with St. Cloud's administration. A 6-team league in any sport is a joke, except perhaps only for sports in their nascent stage, like the Original Six when all there were was six teams playing professional hockey.

Who would you prefer in place of St. Cloud? And how would that choice be any less of a potential albatross than St. Cloud? The best league in college hockey is soon gone. St. Cloud, like it or not, was a reasoned presence in that league. Why would they be any less in the so-called National?

[ScottM]

How, pray tell, is St. Cloud an albatross? In any way? Please explain. Too many people want to grind an axe against St. Cloud's hockey program when what

they really have is a beef with St. Cloud's administration. A 6-team league in any sport is a joke, except perhaps only for sports in their nascent stage, like the Original Six when all there were was six teams playing professional hockey.

Who would you prefer in place of St. Cloud? And how would that choice be any less of a potential albatross than St. Cloud? The best league in college hockey is soon gone. St. Cloud, like it or not, was a reasoned presence in that league. Why would they be any less in the so-called National?

Without an administration's support for facilities, funding, etc. conference affiliations are meaningless. SCCC's adminstration has demonstrated little support for its athletics programs in general, e.g, football. Its continuing renovations for the NCC seem tied to the whims of a nearly ineffective Minnesota legislature and underfunded State University system. It does not seem to have any real alumni support to develop a winning program. Not that every school needs a Ralph Engelstad or Phil Knight, but most SCCC alums I know are remarkably detached from the school and the school does little to cultivate their support. And you answered your own question, I would rather see the NCHC stay a "nascent" six teams for a few years until the dust settles with other conferences and sports. Throwing SCCC into the league seems like a panic response to the fact the Golden Domers are either playing a waiting game or told them "no thanks" early on. Frankly, I'd rather see Bemidji than SCCC. At least they demonstrated that they actually give a shiat about their hockey program.

[buckysieve]

How, pray tell, is St. Cloud an albatross? In any way? Please explain. Too many people want to grind an axe against St. Cloud's hockey program when what

they really have is a beef with St. Cloud's administration. A 6-team league in any sport is a joke, except perhaps only for sports in their nascent stage, like the Original Six when all there were was six teams playing professional hockey.

Who would you prefer in place of St. Cloud? And how would that choice be any less of a potential albatross than St. Cloud? The best league in college hockey is soon gone. St. Cloud, like it or not, was a reasoned presence in that league. Why would they be any less in the so-called National?

I agree 100%. SCSU fits the NCHC like a glove. They're a solid program with a good fan base and an upgraded arena. Im very surprised at Sioux fans reactions to this.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I agree 100%. SCSU fits the NCHC like a glove. They're a solid program with a good fan base and an upgraded arena. Im very surprised at Sioux fans reactions to this.

I'm not surprised that a troll like you is loving that the NCHC is already showing signs of desperation by adding SCSU. This was a bad move that will come back to haunt the National (if you can honestly call it that).

[tnt]

Perhaps somebody from the media will ask where they will get funding to refurbish the NCC, as well as support a D1 hockey team in the future, since they seem so apathetic about sports on the campus. I think Gino deserves a kick in the stones if he had anything to do with this.

Maybe someone from the media should also ask them why they would be in a league where the "Fighting Sioux" nickname is still not totally resolved. Who knows, by some miracle they could be in a conference with a hostile and abusive nickname, and how do you continue to protest when you followed them into another league.

[tnt]

How, pray tell, is St. Cloud an albatross? In any way? Please explain. Too many people want to grind an axe against St. Cloud's hockey program when what

they really have is a beef with St. Cloud's administration. A 6-team league in any sport is a joke, except perhaps only for sports in their nascent stage, like the Original Six when all there were was six teams playing professional hockey.

Who would you prefer in place of St. Cloud? And how would that choice be any less of a potential albatross than St. Cloud? The best league in college hockey is soon gone. St. Cloud, like it or not, was a reasoned presence in that league. Why would they be any less in the so-called National?

I would prefer 7 teams with Western Michigan so we have potential to play all our old rivals every year. If St. Cloud is so great, you need to ask yourself why were they not included the first time around?

[NorthDakotaHockey]

I would prefer 7 teams with Western Michigan so we have potential to play all our old rivals every year. If St. Cloud is so great, you need to ask yourself why were they not included the first time around?

The last installment of bag money had not yet been confirmed to Faison's offshore account?

[ozzie679]

I agree 100%. SCSU fits the NCHC like a glove. They're a solid program with a good fan base and an upgraded arena. Im very surprised at Sioux fans reactions to this.

You're not going to see many rational comments because they hate SCSU for many reasons. But there are some hospitable UND fans (just not that many)

Anyway, this will be a good league on the ice, but the league office is out of their minds if they think the NCHC can compete with Big Ten branding.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

You're not going to see many rational comments because they hate SCSU for many reasons. But there are some hospitable UND fans (just not that many)

Anyway, this will be a good league on the ice, but the league office is out of their minds if they think the NCHC can compete with Big Ten branding.

The Pig Ten has sucked in all major sports for years. Football, basketball, and hockey supremacy has long been in the past and it ain't returning to the national stage anytime real soon. Hockey included.

I would rather have the product on the ice more than the brand in the bank. Heck, the Pig Ten cain't even count their numbers very well. It is a national conference for sure. Back in the day it had some respect. Hogs get fat. Pigs get slaughtered. The Big Ten Hockey Conference was a mistake, as are all of the moves that have followed as a result.

[jpiehl]

You're not going to see many rational comments because they hate SCSU for many reasons. But there are some hospitable UND fans (just not that many)

Anyway, this will be a good league on the ice, but the league office is out of their minds if they think the NCHC can compete with Big Ten branding.

Yes, you are correct, the addition of SCSU to the league does make it more difficult to compete with Big Ten branding.

[NDHockey]

The Pig Ten has sucked in all major sports for years. Football, basketball, and hockey supremacy has long been in the past and it ain't returning to the national stage anytime real soon. Hockey included.

I would rather have the product on the ice more than the brand in the bank. Heck, the Pig Ten cain't even count their numbers very well. It is a national conference for sure. Back in the day it had some respect. Hogs get fat. Pigs get slaughtered. The Big Ten Hockey Conference was a mistake, as are all of the moves that have followed as a result.

No offense but your post reeks of blind homerism and makes you look bad. The hockey teams in the Big Ten have won more NCAA titles in the last 10 seasons than the NCHC (2 MN, 1 WI, 1 Mich St vs. 2 DU, 1 UMD). Pretty hard to deny that Wisconsin and Ohio State haven't been among the best 10 to 15 teams in college football in recent years and the Big Ten routinely gets a lot of teams in the NCAAs for basketball. Your comment isn't based in reality.

I think the point being made about brand is we aren't going to compete with their brand recognition and TV audience with moves like this. SCSU isn't going to capture much of an audience and that doesn't help us.

[dmksioux]

So it sounds as if BGSU has been given an extension to make it's decision on the WCHA invite. What are their options at this point? Hope like He!! to get into the NCHC, accept WCHA invite, drop hockey, or something else???