Good morning -
 
On Mon, 22 Mar 1999, Cheryl A. Morris wrote:
>> I stand by my prediction that the West Regional is going to die in the
>> ratings.
>
> And you know what, I think the East Regionals are going to take a bath
> attendance-wise as well.  No Boston teams in the tourney--bad karma for
> Worcester.  Thank God Albany didn't end up with this draw.
 
  Don't be so quick to equate Worcester's potential to attract a big crowd
(10K+) with Albany's ....  Last year Albany had *two* Boston teams (BU
and BC), the WCHA's most fan-followed road warriors (Wisconsin), one of
HE's best fan-followed teams (UNH), and ECAC uber team Clarkson and
*still* had oceans of empty seats.  Greg and I pretty much had an entire
section to ourselves for UNH's tilt with BU, which is why I guess we ended
up on TV jumping around in delerious excitement - it was easy to pick us
out from amongst the vast emptiness all around us.  If Albany couldn't
draw large numbers with this field (albeit sans RPI) I don't think they
ever will.  I've yet to be convinced that Albany will support college
hockey when the local team is out of the mix ....
 
  Having said that, I'm willing to bet Worcester wil out-draw Albany this
year, even with what some consider a less-attractive field.  UNH and Maine
will bring thousands between them, and I'll wager that Clarkson and Michigan
fans will turn out in large numbers too.  Ann Arbor --> Worcester is roughly
equivalent to Ann Arbor --> Madison, with the added allure of nearby Boston
to boot.  If Maine and UNH both end up playing Sat. night, I think you'll
see close to a full house, esp. if the last-minute ticket buyers realize
that there'll be lots of tix available from the Friday night losers and
don't get discourged by reports of "near sell-out," etc. ....
 
> You basically have two teams with any fan base to accompany their teams
> - Maine and UNH.
 
  But IMHO those are the two Eastern teams you'd MOST want in your draw to
maximize attendance, and neither is likely to disappoint this year.  Add
in Michigan - who hasn't come east to play in I can't remember when, and
thus makes it an attractive weekend for their fans - and I think you'll
see large numbers on both nights ....
 
> UNH fans most likely will only be there for the final (with the exception
> of Jim Love, who never has anything to do this time of year :-)
 
  I have PLENTY to do this time of year - attending the Eastern Regional
and then the Frozen Four !! :-)  I'm quite certain there'll be a large
contingent of UNH fans BOTH nights, as our fans have been steadily buying
tix for several weeks now once the Maine sweep all but locked up a berth
in Worcester.  We have long memories too, and know that both Denver and
Michigan have humbled us in the post-season not that long ago; rooting for
one to lose in Friday's war of attrition, then to (hopefully) knock off
the other ourselves would be just grand, and an opportunity many of the
Whittemore regulars are anticipating with respectful anticipation.  I in-
tend to make the UNH presence known on Friday too, and I suspect I won't
be the only one loudly and boisterously doing the same :-) :-)
 
> I don't think this years Regionals are going to present much of a
> marketing opportunity for the NC$$.
 
  Well, a brief clip of Greg and I celebrating in Albany are part of the
current NC$$ ads for the upcoming Tournament; if UNH advances again I in-
tend to give 'em even a *better* show to spice up next year's marketing
blitz !!
 
> And, in answer to Lance Riegert - no, RPI didn't deserve to be in the
> NC$$'s.  Their penchant for patsy schedules reared up and bit them in the
> *ss.  The only SOS they had, excluding their traditional ECAC opponents
> (read Clarkson) was UNH, and we all remember how that game turned out.
> They also were handled by Niagara, a perhaps bubble team.  Finally three
> losses to SLU, 2 to Clarkson, in my book spells NO BID.
 
  Does this mean the Wildcats are off RPI's schedule for next year ?? :-)
 
  Hope to see many of you in Worcester !!!
 
  Cheers from Maryland (for now - soon to be Worcester-bound) .... Jim
 
  GO BLUE !!!!
 
  BEAT THE PIONINES !!!  THRASH THE WOLVERNEERS !!!
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.