TC_transplant Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 A bit sensitive don't ya think? You can honestly say a trip to Grand Forks is like going to Boston or Denver or St. Louis or Detroit or St. Paul? It's an event. When there's no hockey, people want to do something besides playing blackjack in the hotel bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Spackler Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 A bit sensitive don't ya think? You can honestly say a trip to Grand Forks is like going to Boston or Denver or St. Louis or Detroit or St. Paul? It's an event. When there's no hockey, people want to do something besides playing blackjack in the hotel bar. Grank Forks can host the World Juniors but not the Frozen Four??? This is my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagard Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Grank Forks can host the World Juniors but not the Frozen Four??? This is my point. If Grand Forks promised enough money, they would get the Frozen Four. However, Grand Forks can not make the same financial commitments that the bigger venues are able to. Grand Forks is getting the 2006 Regional and will continue to host regionals. I would not be surprised to see a somewhat consistant rotation for the Western regional alternating between Englested, Mariucci with either Omaha and Colorado getting into the mix every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 From NCAA website: Western Michigan University was selected to host the 2005 Midwest regional at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 25-26 and Mariucci Arena on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, March 26-27, 2005 will be the West region host. REA host West Regional in 2006, and Midwest region bid was awarded to Michigan Technological University and the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, March 25-26, 2006. The 2007 West regional bid was awarded to the University of Denver and the Pepsi Center March 24-25, in Denver, while Western Michigan's Van Andel Arena was selected as the site for the Midwest region, March 23-24. Missed by a year Guess I was just hoping that this year's juniors, and younger players that may leave early, would get a chance at a home regional. CC was one year late also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Grand Forks hosting the Frozen Four? That's like Boise hosting the Super Bowl. People want to have fun when they go to these events...nightlife, shopping, nice weather, etc. A direct flight would be nice too. Don't delude yourself into thinking that the NCAA worries about what fans have to do outside the hockey games. As long as a venue guarantees enough bucks, they'll get the FF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackheart Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Grand Forks hosting the Frozen Four? That's like Boise hosting the Super Bowl. People want to have fun when they go to these events...nightlife, shopping, nice weather, etc. A direct flight would be nice too. You obviously didn't make the trip to Albany a few years ago for the FF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Inch has to be almost thinking that Minnesota will get the comparison on UND, because Minn would get Bemidji St. while UND would have Ohio St. Inch is wrong UND hold the season edge in head to head 3 out of 4 games I can see UND getting BSU before Minnesoda does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 I'd love to hear the whining coming out of Stearns Couonty if Jan was sent to the Michigan regional and had to play U-MI in the first found. Hee-hee. I'd say 0-7 . Long live the streak!! Haven't you been to the Edge?The Edge isn't that great except Thursday nights (LAIDies night) A direct flight would be nice too. Hate to tell you this, but you won't get many direct flights anywhere. It's called the hub and spoke system. All airlines (except Southwest and JetBlue) use it. And the chances of clearance delivery clearingyou direct anyways are slim to none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFSIOUX#1 Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 A bit sensitive don't ya think? You can honestly say a trip to Grand Forks is like going to Boston or Denver or St. Louis or Detroit or St. Paul? It's an event. When there's no hockey, people want to do something besides playing blackjack in the hotel bar. Last time I checked GF had the nicest hockey arena in the country. Contrary to your shallow beliefs, GF has alot of attraction - folks like can watch the game from the sports bar in the Mall of America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagard Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Last time I checked GF had the nicest hockey arena in the country. Contrary to your shallow beliefs, GF has alot of attraction - folks like can watch the game from the sports bar in the Mall of America. Like sprig said, the NCAA doesn't care that much what people do outside of the rink during the Final Four. I'm sure GF in April would be nice. They care about MONEY! REA can not sell anywhere near the same amount of tickets as can be sold in a NHL venue and that would limit revenue which is a horrible thing to the NCAA. The best hockey tourney in the best rink would be great, but it just isn't going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UMDDogz Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 Looking back at the NCAA's it's so strange how often a WCHA team gets sent East, but you rarely see an East team come West/Midwest. Because for every 6 East teams that make the field, there are 10 West teams. Somebody has to go East to fill the rest of their bracket. The West teams are good enough to fill their own regional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 Like sprig said, the NCAA doesn't care that much what people do outside of the rink during the Final Four. I'm sure GF in April would be nice. They care about MONEY! REA can not sell anywhere near the same amount of tickets as can be sold in a NHL venue and that would limit revenue which is a horrible thing to the NCAA. The best hockey tourney in the best rink would be great, but it just isn't going to happen. Let's just put the overflow in the Lil' Ralph in Thief River and they can watch on the big screens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 Like sprig said, the NCAA doesn't care that much what people do outside of the rink during the Final Four. I'm sure GF in April would be nice. They care about MONEY! REA can not sell anywhere near the same amount of tickets as can be sold in a NHL venue and that would limit revenue which is a horrible thing to the NCAA. The best hockey tourney in the best rink would be great, but it just isn't going to happen. That is why I mentioned the RUMOR that was circulating for a while about Ralph BUYING the FF. Basically he would've covered lost revenue on seating was how it went. UMDDogz: I thought about that west to east ratio after I wrote that. Whoever mentioned Omaha: I'm sure the NCAA doesn't do it this way, but shouldn't Omaha have to bid on the Midwest regional? I kind of thought that these bids rotated between teams in a conference. Especially since they worry so much about placing teams close to their fans. Of course, now their are six conferences and four regionals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erick Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 USCHO has their early predictions on the NCAA's. They have the Sioux in CO playing Bemidji in the first round, with the other two schools being Denver and Wisco. I like the way that bracket sets up for us. You may think I'm crazy being we were just swept by Wisco, but I feel that revenge would be a big factor in that game and we would pull it out. I for one don't think the big ice out there is that much of a problem. I do find it odd that with 6 teams from the WCHA making the field that they would throw 3 of them into one regional though. Bracketology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 USCHO has their early predictions on the NCAA's. They have the Sioux in CO playing Bemidji in the first round, with the other two schools being Denver and Wisco. I like the way that bracket sets up for us. You may think I'm crazy being we were just swept by Wisco, but I feel that revenge would be a big factor in that game and we would pull it out. I for one don't think the big ice out there is that much of a problem. I do find it odd that with 6 teams from the WCHA making the field that they would throw 3 of them into one regional though. Bracketology I'm not going to put much stock into predicting this stuff right now. But I would say that if that was our bracket, we'd have to feel good about our draw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Next year's west regional will be at the ralph, or maybe someone said that already. I said it somewhere but it was pointed out that the ralph regional is 2 years away, next year it's at hoochi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPoS Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 USCHO has their early predictions on the NCAA's. They have the Sioux in CO playing Bemidji in the first round, with the other two schools being Denver and Wisco. I like the way that bracket sets up for us. You may think I'm crazy being we were just swept by Wisco, but I feel that revenge would be a big factor in that game and we would pull it out. I for one don't think the big ice out there is that much of a problem. I do find it odd that with 6 teams from the WCHA making the field that they would throw 3 of them into one regional though. Bracketology I don't, the NC$$ wants HE teams in the mix and if the WCHA teams all won their brackets hwo would that fare for their money making? IF that many WCHA teams make the brackets, be sure that they will put them in such a way that thre is only ONE WCHA team making it to the FF! WPoS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 I don't see Denver and Wisco playing each other first round. The NC$$ doesn't like conferece opponents doing that. However, with how bad the East (minus a few teams) is this year...might have to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 I don't see Denver and Wisco playing each other first round. The NC$$ doesn't like conferece opponents doing that. However, with how bad the East (minus a few teams) is this year...might have to happen. I agree with MNS and WPoS really. The NCAA doesn't want the WCHA to own the WCHA. I also believe that, aside from the ECAC, HE is the least powerful conference out there. Only Maine and BC really pose a chance of making the FF. Of course, the CCHA has to be weak this year because the strongest teams out there are Miami and Michigan. I guess this year the WCHA makes everyone else look like sissies. Yes, I'll even say that UAA could probably beat 90 percent of all CCHA and HE teams right now and all or most of ECAC teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slap Shot Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 I don't, the NC$$ wants HE teams in the mix and if the WCHA teams all won their brackets hwo would that fare for their money making? IF that many WCHA teams make the brackets, be sure that they will put them in such a way that thre is only ONE WCHA team making it to the FF! WPoS Two HE teams played each other in the FF semis just two years ago at the X. If as many WCHA teams make the NCAAs as expected, there is no way all of them will be put into regionals in such a manner that two couldn't find their way to Boston. You most likely won't see a WCHA team in every regional but expect them it at least three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagard Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Two HE teams played each other in the FF semis just two years ago at the X. If as many WCHA teams make the NCAAs as expected, there is no way all of them will be put into regionals in such a manner that two couldn't find their way to Boston. You most likely won't see a WCHA team in every regional but expect them it at least three. A couple thoughts: 1. HE put two teams in the Frozen Four in '02 due to the restructuring of the tourney due to 9/11 considerations. To reach the Frozen Four UNH beat Cornell, and Maine beat Harvard, then BU. The Western draw was loaded with good teams in SCSU, Mich, Mich State, CC and of course the Gophers. I believe the Western teams were five of the top six PWR teams. 2. The NCAA could put UND, UM, UMD, and Mich in the western regionals. At that point I would consider it likely that the WCHA would place only one team in the Frozen Four. I hope it doesn't happen, but I've seen too many goofy draw to not think it is a possibility. 3. SCSU, UW, DU, CC are not Frozen Four material. If they get sent East they will get smoked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slap Shot Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slap Shot Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 btw, even though it's quite early and anything can happen, USCHO predicts UND, UM and UMD will be in three different regionals - if that were to happen I like the odds of at least 2 winning their regional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 I also believe that, aside from the ECAC, HE is the least powerful conference out there. Maine, BC, UMass, and UNH all have a shot. HE isn't the least powerful conference, the CHA is, followed closely by Atlantic Hockey. Then the ECAC. I will even put HE ahead of the CCHA. I agree with MNS and WPoS really. The NCAA doesn't want the WCHA to own the WCHA. I think you mean The NC$$oesn't want the WCHA to own the NCAA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Maine, BC, UMass, and UNH all have a shot. HE isn't the least powerful conference, the CHA is, followed closely by Atlantic Hockey. Then the ECAC. I will even put HE ahead of the CCHA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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