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Pioneer Press Comments About WCHA Final Five


MafiaMan

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Today's Pioneer Press Article on Final Five

I thought this quote was notable...

Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota have clinched spots in the NCAA tournament, which will announce its field on Sunday, while St. Cloud and UMD must win three games to make the 16-team field.

"Clinched?" The only term to officially have clinched a spot is Minnesota, by virtue of winning the WCHA regular season title.

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"Clinched?" The only term to officially have clinched a spot is Minnesota, by virtue of winning the WCHA regular season title.

The Beavers are the only team that has clinched. The WCHA's playoff champion can clinch a spot on Saturday night.

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Today's Pioneer Press Article on Final Five

I thought this quote was notable...

"Clinched?" The only term to officially have clinched a spot is Minnesota, by virtue of winning the WCHA regular season title.

Winning the regular season title does not give that team an automatic bid to the NCAA's. Only the playoff champion get's an automatic bid.

After CC won the title in '94 and didn't get a bid, they changed the rule for automatic bids to include the regular season champion. But that rule only lasted two or three seasons before they changed it back.

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Describing PWR possibilities is probably not suitable for a newspaper audience. Frankly, the Pioneer Press statement is closer to true than USCHO's "expert" claims three weeks ago that there was no way UND could make the tournament at-large because doing too well in the regular season would match them up against a non-TUC for the play-in (which many of us debunked by pointing out over a half dozen comparison that UND could easily flip, which promptly happened the next weekend).

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Describing PWR possibilities is probably not suitable for a newspaper audience. Frankly, the Pioneer Press statement is closer to true than USCHO's "expert" claims three weeks ago that there was no way UND could make the tournament at-large because doing too well in the regular season would match them up against a non-TUC for the play-in (which many of us debunked by pointing out over a half dozen comparison that UND could easily flip, which promptly happened the next weekend).

Maybe I'll run into the Gopher fan who last year proudly announced to me after the 3rd place game "enjoy this win...you aren't goin' anywhere." The Goldy homers will be all over the X starting tomorrow afternoon.

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When did I miss that memo?
I believe it was in 2001 when the MAAC got an autobid, so there weren't really enough to give everyone 2 anymore (plus I think there was some pressure from the NCAA to make it like every other sport -- one autobid to do with as each conference pleases).

The current rule is that each conference gets a single autobid to do with as they please. I believe every hockey conference gives it to the conference tourney champ.

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I didn't think it was changed back 2-3 years after implementation. The 1994 Colorado College team that did not make the NCAA tournament after the incredible regular season they put together that year is still one of the biggest sports rip-off jobs in NCAA history.

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I don't recall much on my history here, but were the Sioux jobbed pretty hard the year that they were hosting the Frozen Four, back in around '84, back before they called it the Frozen Four? Wisconsin won the title as I recall. I also recall some wailing about the Sioux not getting selected for the tournament.

Did they have good cause to wail, or were they truly on the outside of da bubble.

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How can anyone NOT think UND will be in the NCAA's. They are pretty much assured an at-large bid if they lose both games this weekend. About they only way UND does not get in is if all underdog teams win their respective conference championships

They will be in but what they do with it is another issue

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Keep up with the times, MafiaMan! What's with the little blue avatar, anyway?:lol:

:)

I got sick of Canada's swift jersey as my avatar. Were you hoping for a return of gigantic juggie avatars like the good old days? Oh, what the he**. This will be on for all of 10 minutes, but enjoy!

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How can anyone NOT think UND will be in the NCAA's. They are pretty much assured an at-large bid if they lose both games this weekend. About they only way UND does not get in is if all underdog teams win their respective conference championships

They will be in but what they do with it is another issue

Gee...and upsets never happen, do they? Are you watching the basketball tournament? NMU and Michigan State could easily win their next game and it's not impossible that other teams do some damage.

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I don't recall much on my history here, but were the Sioux jobbed pretty hard the year that they were hosting the Frozen Four, back in around '84, back before they called it the Frozen Four? Wisconsin won the title as I recall. I also recall some wailing about the Sioux not getting selected for the tournament.

Did they have good cause to wail, or were they truly on the outside of da bubble.

The year was 1983, and it was the epitome of the evils of smoke-filled rooms.

UND finished 2nd in the WCHA, but 3rd place Wisconsin and 4th place UMD were picked instead. From the CCHA, regular season champ Bowling Green was left out entirely in favor of Michigan State. Turns out that UMD's AD was chair of the committee and Michigan State's AD was too.

Thank goodness for Simple Math.

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The year was 1983, and it was the epitome of the evils of smoke-filled rooms.

UND finished 2nd in the WCHA, but 3rd place Wisconsin and 4th place UMD were picked instead. From the CCHA, regular season champ Bowling Green was left out entirely in favor of Michigan State. Turns out that UMD's AD was chair of the committee and Michigan State's AD was too.

Thank goodness for Simple Math.

Yes, PWR may not be the best, but the selection committee totally screwed up that year. Although Wisco being picked was not bad, since they beat the Sioux in the post season 2 game total goal series (tie the first night, Wisco in OT the second night), the UMD selection over the Sioux was totally ridiculous.

With the Sioux out, Wisco had no competition to get the championship easily. Gophs did their typical choke, common in those years, by losing to Harvard in the semis, and Providence in the third place game. The old Ralph was devoid of Gopher jerseys for the third place game, as all fans apparently went home.

Interesting, that second Sioux/Wisco game in the WCHA playoffs had Wisco score an OT goal, the goal scorer's stick was measured, and found illegal, and Wisco scored again short handed on the ensuing Sioux PP. I'd immediately left the lounge in Oakes (where I'd driven from SD to watch the game) after the first goal, and didn't know until days later that the game had gone on with the Sioux PP.

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Cool. Thanks for the history lessons there Farce and Sprig. The story of how Wisco scored shorthanded is really something. Playoff hockey. The wide swings of emotion. The finality of a loss. I suspect that the Sioux must have figured that they would be back on the ice soon after that loss, and must have felt incredibly jobbed by the Committee. The Duluth and Michigan State ADs!? At least the Gophers choked, and the Badgers earned it. I do know that many people recall that horde of Badger funs to be largely good and fun people at the Winter Sports Building back in the spring of '83, although maybe the addition was likely on by then and the building renamed the REA?

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Cool. Thanks for the history lessons there Farce and Sprig. The story of how Wisco scored shorthanded is really something. Playoff hockey. The wide swings of emotion. The finality of a loss. I suspect that the Sioux must have figured that they would be back on the ice soon after that loss, and must have felt incredibly jobbed by the Committee. The Duluth and Michigan State ADs!? At least the Gophers choked, and the Badgers earned it. I do know that many people recall that horde of Badger funs to be largely good and fun people at the Winter Sports Building back in the spring of '83, although maybe the addition was likely on by then and the building renamed the REA?

It may have still been the Winter Sports Building, I don't remember when the name was changed. I've made the same naming mistake in the past.

Was a fun, although disappointing, FF without the Sioux in it. Partied at Frenchy's where red kind of took over for the weekend. Really looked forward to one more Wisco/Sioux matchup in the championship. Never had a doubt the two would have been there had the Sioux not been passed over.

Those early Gino years were when the first conspiracy theories were developed. I remember the Sioux getting sent east in the early 80's to face the #1 team in the country, RPI, and the east's only hope. Seemed like the committee wanted to oust the Sioux from the tourney by any means possible. Of course, the Sioux promptly kicked RPI's collective arses from the tourney, bringing about loud wailing from the east, concerning the clutch and grab tactics of Gino's Sioux. Which brought about the smoke-filled room in '83, when the committed found the ultimate way to get rid of the Sioux, which was, leave them out of the tourney.

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