A few times in recent months, I've seen the suggestion that LSSU should
be in the West with the other Upper Peninsula (UP) schools - the others
being Northern Michigan (NMU) and Mich Tech.  I agree that it's desirable,
but it is very unlikely that LSSU would ever switch.  The primary reason
would be travel.  I'm not simply speaking about going to Denver and Alaska,
but just getting across the UP.  As a former Sault Ste. Marie resident I
can tell you that people who live there are much more closely tied to
"downstate" than they are to the western UP.  Interstate 75 is a four lane
highway which is usually a fairly easy trip.  Travelling west to Marquette
requires taking much smaller state highways which run along Lake Superior
and are not always dependable.  Even if E. Lansing (MSU) is much farther
than Marquette MOST people in the Soo think of it as an easier trip.
 
This said, I am very happy that the three UP schools have taken to
scheduling each other regularly.  I've also occassionally wondered about
the viability of some kind of tournament involving the three.  But I
guess that's another issue all together.
 
BTW, LSSU went Div 1 around '77 or '78.  NMU and Tech didn't leave the
CCHA until '84.  Just a quick correction on something someone said
earlier. - James Old