What the hell is the deal with ASU hockey

[SIOUXFAN97]

6 hours ago, southpaw said:

Ah yes, that bus-league based around Michigan.  Let's take a look a the distances of the closest 10 schools to Miami that have a chance of being in the new league:

Notre Dame - Going to the B10, why would they leave to play a bunch of lower schools?

Bowling Green - Good fit for the 3 MAC schools to be together. 3 hour drive.

Western Michigan - Same as BGSU. 4 1/4 hours.

Bobby Mo - AHA now, has a good thing going with a few tournament appearances in a lower league. 5 hours.

Mercyhurst - AHA now. Similar to Robert Morris, going from bigger fish to a small one. 5 1/2 hours.

Ferris State - Used to be conference mates with Miami, Western, BGSU and Notre Dame. 6 hours.

Canisius College - Not a lot of success even in AHA. Would be a bottom feeder and bring PWR down. 7 hours.

Niagara - Not a lot of recent success.  In fact, they've been pretty horrible in AHA. 7 1/4 hours.

RIT - Some trips to the National Tournament as part of AHA, some success once there. 8 hours.

LSSU - Bottom feeder for a long time. That might change with other crappy teams.  8 3/4 hours.

Unless Miami wants to drive everywhere, they trade flying into places like Denver, Minneapolis, Colorado Springs and Omaha for trying to fly into tiny towns with even smaller airports.  With the B10 conference forming, a lot of those "bus schools" that the CCHA did went out the window.  No OSU, MSU and UM means the three biggest schools aren't around anymore.

I can't tell if this new conference is better or worse than the current WCHA from a competition standpoint.  You've got a lot of crappy AHA teams, some not so great WCHA teams and then a few good schools.  Similar to the WCHA, this conference would struggle out of conference, pulling their PWR down, meaning it's a one-bid league.  Would Miami want that?

might be their only avenue to the ncaa's...so maybe.

[SIOUXFAN97]

und used to bus to michigan tech...8.5 hours and i'm assuming when northern michigan was still in the old wcha we bused there too...10 hours

any bus ride really no matter how long is infinitely less expensive than any charter flight (especially to alaska twice a year)

 

northern michigan

western michigan

michigan tech

ferris state

lake superior state

miami

bowling green

add in an eigth team or stick at seven

 

if the two alaska schools do drop hockey i would wonder what happens to bsu, msu, and huntsville?

[southpaw]

57 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

might be their only avenue to the ncaa's...so maybe.

Agreed. That one year since they made the tournament has been forever . 

[Smoggy]

5 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

und used to bus to michigan tech...8.5 hours and i'm assuming when northern michigan was still in the old wcha we bused there too...10 hours

 

We bussed to Tech to bond.  Might've been some airport size issues as well.

[SIOUXFAN97]

40 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

We bussed to Tech to save money.  Might've been some airport size issues as well.

 

[southpaw]

11 hours ago, Smoggy said:

We bussed to Tech to bond.  Might've been some airport size issues as well.

Agreed with SF97's take.  It was to save money, because flying into Houghton isn't easy, or cheap.  Just like travel to a majority of the schools in this "new league." Technically, it would be a bus league, but who wants to ride 9 hours each way on a bus every other weekend?

[SIOUXFAN97]

8 minutes ago, southpaw said:

Agreed with SF97's take.  It was to save money, because flying into Houghton isn't easy, or cheap.  Just like travel to a majority of the schools in this "new league." Technically, it would be a bus league, but who wants to ride 9 hours each way on a bus every other weekend?

i guess guys that aren't good enough to play for the university of north dakota

[zonadub]

On July 6, 2016 at 4:54 AM, #MACtion said:

No chance.

That is good to hear.

[bale31]

As a wcha fan, I can legitimately say that i can't see a way that Miami and WMU join with the other schools. this is a new era in college hockey where larger schools are separating themselves from smaller schools (or richer schools from "poorer" schools). For Miami and WMU to leave the nchc probably isn't realistic.

Once the B10 started, it changed the game. The larger schools that helped keep smaller schools afloat are gone now. The combo of MN and UND (and und is a special case because it's a lower profile school that is hockey crazy and supports their program like a power 5 school) made the wcha work along with the small schools. Having mi and msu in the ccha along with Notre Dame and a bunch of smaller local schools worked. The bus conference concept works in the east because schools are so close and they can do 1 day trips. it wouldn't work in mi/oh becase you still have 2 day trips that require hotel stays and many other logistical issues. today its all about maximizing revenues.

truth be told, I'd love for kato to be the nchc, but it's highly unlikely to happen soon. College hockey has taken a step back for us. we don't have any rivals anymore. I don't know anyone from a single other school in our conference other than bemidji (and I only know one there). I know people from 5 of the 8 schools the nchc. I can actually talk about hockey with them. now none of them care about my team and I don't care about theirs. the problem is, it doesn't look to happen any time soon.

I don't want ASU to join the wcha because its just another long road trip with people I don't know with a school that only wants to use us as a stepping stone.

Edited July 7, 2016 by bale31

[SiouxFanatic]

I may be in the minority but I'd be all for Mankato joining the NCHC. The conference made a joke of their own principles the day they invited St. Cloud. I enjoyed the Mankato games and wouldn't mind having another opponent in the conference that is a manageable road trip.

-----------------------------

Miami and WMU aren't going to be leaving any time soon. Are people forgetting the huge buyout price to leave? It's a pretty good hindrance. Are the respective schools willing to pay that price to only have to sink even more money to start up a new conference? A lot of risk for something that has no guarantee of success. At least with the formation of NCHC, there was equal commitment. Don't think Miami or WMU would get that with all the proposed members of the new conference they'd form.

I haven't seen too many Miami fans complain about the NCHC. Western Michigan is a different story.

[SIOUXFAN97]

bemidji state>mankato state

[SiouxFanatic]

12 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

bemidji state>mankato state

Agree to disagree. While I get the whole "big brother" aspect of UND/Bemidji. I've always found Bemidji's style of play boring as hell. Do what you have to, to win but no thanks on having to play for conference points.

[SIOUXFAN97]

43 minutes ago, SiouxFanatic said:

Agree to disagree. While I get the whole "big brother" aspect of UND/Bemidji. I've always found Bemidji's style of play boring as hell. Do what you have to, to win but no thanks on having to play for conference points.

bemidji is closer (home and home are nice because even one game at home on a weekend is nice)

bemidji the town is nicer

bemidji has a better arena

bemidji has been to the frozen four this century

bemidji's coach isn't an asshole

bemidji>mankato

[siouxforeverbaby]

19 hours ago, Smoggy said:

We bussed to Tech to bond.  Might've been some airport size issues as well.

Well, since to fly from GF to Houghton....you would need to fly in Marquette and bus to Houghton...I would say yes.

Otherwise, the option is to drive to MSP and fly United to the Houghton County Airport and drive to Houghton.

Keep in mind, when we were in the WCHA...we didn't charter...we flew commercial.

[dakotadan]

3 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

bemidji state>mankato state

*Minnesota State > St Clown 

[Cratter]

2 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

bemidji is closer (home and home are nice because even one game at home on a weekend is nice)

It appears UND didn't want to travel to Bemidji this next season; both games at UND. 

(or scheduling conflict?)

[SiouxVolley]

On 7/6/2016 at 5:55 PM, SIOUXFAN97 said:

und used to bus to michigan tech...8.5 hours and i'm assuming when northern michigan was still in the old wcha we bused there too...10 hours

any bus ride really no matter how long is infinitely less expensive than any charter flight (especially to alaska twice a year)

 

northern michigan

western michigan

michigan tech

ferris state

lake superior state

miami

bowling green

add in an eigth team or stick at seven

 

if the two alaska schools do drop hockey i would wonder what happens to bsu, msu, and huntsville?

Miami and W Mich want to partner with DI schools in their region.  Only Bowling Green is available.  If Buffalo, Syracuse, Pitt, and maybe Ohio or Akron or Oakland or Illinois St start hockey, Miami and W Mich probably would want out just for the traveling fans and a tournament in Detroit or Cleveland or Buffalo. But getting those schools to start hockey at the same time is almost impossible.

Miami and W Mich don't add much to the NCHC coffers, which mostly come from the playoffs and Mpls tournament.  Right now, the NCHC is best fit.  BGSU probably would take them and the AHA western teams to start a league right now, but Miami and WMU know that that league is not powerful enough in finances or attendance drawing or in performance to make a switch.

 

[SIOUXFAN97]

1 hour ago, dakotadan said:

*Minnesota State > St Clown 

agreed

[SIOUXFAN97]

1 hour ago, Cratter said:

It appears UND didn't want to travel to Bemidji this next season; both games at UND. 

(or scheduling conflict?)

flexing our muscle a little...that game pays berry's raise that he deserves...

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

1 hour ago, dakotadan said:

*Minnesota State > St Clown 

Not when it comes to their hockey team, I'd take St Cloud vs Mankatos teams since the NCHC started. They've had much more firepower IMO

[dakotadan]

  I'd take Mayville State over SCSU. 

[bale31]

4 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

 

bemidji's coach isn't an asshole

what did mike hastings do?

[SIOUXFAN97]

48 minutes ago, bale31 said:

what did mike hastings do?

i meant jutting...not a big fan of him

[bale31]

22 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

i meant jutting...not a big fan of him

I figured, of course he hasn't been our coach for going on almost 4 years

[SIOUXFAN97]

16 minutes ago, bale31 said:

39 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

i meant jutting...not a big fan of him

I figured, of course he hasn't been our coach for going on almost 4 years

i still hold a grudge against jan brady state bc of old pres roy saigo too...