> Is there a definite verdict on whether Niagara is eligible for the
> tournament or not? I didn't think they would be, but they keep getting
> counted in the PWR on USCHO (I thought the PWR was only used for
> tournament-eligible teams?). Or is this a decision that the committee will
> make on a whim?
 
There's no verdict to make, except when the committee sits in the room and
decides tomorrow.  Niagara is eligible -- there's no discussion there.
They've always been eligible.  The only issue is whether the committee
decides that their standing in the comparisons (i.e. PWR) is valid or not,
based on their schedule.
 
I wouldn't say the committee will make the decision on a "whim" -- though it
certainly will be subjective.   No matter what they do, the committee will
take grief for it, as they always do - and almost certainly, the grief will
be un-justified.
 
For more on the topic, I suggest these three URLs.
 
http://www.uscollegehockey.com/rankings/19992000/explanation.html
http://www.uscollegehockey.com/rankings/19992000/selectionfaq.html
http://www.uscollegehockey.com/news/2000/03/16_between.html
 
My apologies for pumping our own stuff -- but these kinds of breakdowns of
the process are not available anywhere else.
 
 
> So... what is the likelihood of the Competition Committee awarding an
> at-large bid to Niagara if it comes at the expense of a team like Michigan
> State? Would having the West Regionals in Minneapolis make the decision
any
> easier (as compared to having them in say, Detroit or Ann Arbor)?
 
This is an interesting question ... Will they be more likely to take Niagara
if it only means bumping out team 13 in the PWR -- or will they still take
them even if it means bumping team 11?
 
You'd like to think the decision should be based solely on whether Niagara's
strength of schedule is valid, and once that's determined, they should be
either in or out based on their PWR.  But, a bigger judgment call may come
into play.
 
AW
 
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