Phil Leavitt wrote, in part:
> I found it interesting during the NC$$ Hockey selection show that a
> selection official from Denver tried to explain why Maine was sent to

Ron Grahame is an assistant AD for Denver University, but he is this
year's Chair of the NCAA Selection Committee.

> Albany was because (my paraphrase here), All the Manchester seats were
> sold out and we wanted Maine fans to have the opportunity to see their
> team play?

I read it quite a bit differently (no story there!) ;-)

Because the selected team seedings (selected by mostly published rules
and seeded by published "rules") made the pairings totally ho-hum, he
needed something to say.  He definitely was NOT saying Maine was sent to
Albany because of their traveling fan support, IMHO.  *BC*, believe it
or not, led Maine (by the smallest of margins), and so was placed
closest to home first ... by the book.

Now had that smallest of margin been the other way around, he and the
committee would have been in a bit of a tough spot.  Had Maine then been
placed in Manchester, many Maine fans would have been turned away at the
Verison Wireless Arena ticket booth, while Albany's Pepsi Arena would
have parents and girl friends watching (along with 12000+ empty seats).

> I read into that statement that the NC$$ screwed up in Manchester and
> allowed NH fans to buy all of the tickets and they need to sell more
> tickets in Albany so let's send Maine out there as their fans are very
> loyal and spend more money to get there than BC's fans will.

The NCAA didn't get to be known as the NC$$ by selling too many tickets.

> That said, I also believe that Albany is a great draw for us.  No need
> to play in front of hostile NH fans :)
>
> Go Bears

Go Bears!

cheers, wayne