On Sun, 5 Mar 1995 [log in to unmask] wrote:
>John Edwards <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>> BLECH!! One of the things the ECAC has going for it is that it actually
>> eliminates teams. To my mind, it's bush-league to let everybody in the
>> playoffs. I'm happy the CCHA is going to start eliminating teams next
>> year.
>> [snip]
>> Letting everybody into the playoffs renders the regular season almost
>> totally meaningless. For proof of this, look at what happened to CC last
>> year.  I think the playoffs should be a reward for teams, not a right.
>
> =====================================================================
> Amen!!  Finally, I've found someone who agrees with me!
 
  Well, me too ....  But then I've always thought that the *best* races
occurred in the old 17-team ECAC (pre-HEA) when only the top 8 teams made
the post-season, and the bottom 9 (over half the conference :-) sat home
and watched on TV.  It may be fun to watch teams jockeying for position on
the final weekend (such as just happened), but nothing gets the adrenaline
pumping like knowing it was either put-up or shut-up :-)  And then, only
4 teams were invited to the NCAA Tournament - an instant Phinal Phour by
executive decree !!!  Of course, this totally ignored the CCHA for the
most part, and I'm glad to see that the Tournament field has been expanded
to 12 teams.  Still, there's nothing stopping (except $$ :-) the four
current DivI conferences from holding their post-season tournaments for
only the top 8 teams, from which the Tourney 12 could then be whittled
down.  With so few DivI teams as it is, I think the sport can ill-afford
the embarrassment of sending a seriously sub-0.500 team to the NC$$ Tourney
such as happened this past weekend in pituitary ball ....
 
  Just my $0.02 ....
 
  Cheers from Maryland - Jim
  Go Blue - Beat PC at BC !!