In the interest of continuing a healthy debate:
In Division I college hockey, we are limitted to:
1. The WCHA or whatever.
2. The CCHA or whatever.
3. The ECAC or whatever.
4. HE or whatever.
The point being that unlike Division I-A college football (108 teams) and
about a dozen conferences, and Division I college men's basketball (305
teams and 33 conferences), there are only 4 leagues and 40 or so teams.
The growth needs to come from within, and within means the 4 Division I
conferences.
I don't think we have to worry about a wild influx of new teams. Gender
equity (there, I said it; PLEASE, let's not debate it again!) will see to
that.
I think too many of us like our 3 or 4 games a year against Wisconsin or
Michigan or Boston U. or RPI and don't want that watered down.
If that's the case, then we are provincial, regional, small -- whatever you
want to call it.
And that denies opportunity. Opportunity for hockey players, coaches,
referees and more of us: fans.
I strongly believe in the growth of college hockey, and I strongly believe
that the leagues (like the CCHA) and men (like Ron Mason and Bill Beagan)
need to be the leaders.
As long as the ACHA programs continue to play each other, the fans at those
schools (little places like Penn State, Illinois, etc.) will never know how
good college hockey can be at the WCHA/CCHA/HE/ECAC level.
It will be our little privileged secret.
I remember the first college hockey game I ever saw: Wisconsin (a
three-year-old program) vs. Michigan State (god bless Amo Bessone, but he
wasn't crazy about expanding the WCHA back then, either). It sure beat
Wisconsin vs. Lake Forest or Ohio University or St. Mary's of Minnesota.
What if the Badgers hadn't hired Bob Johnson and had kept playing Lake
Forest?
Why shouldn't every school, even little 'ol places like Penn State and
Illinois (just using them as examples) want to play in the WCHA?
Or how about this thought, WCHA fans: How about a Big Ten league (no more
Wisconsin visits to North Dakota or Denver or Colorado College)?
Wisconsin found a place in the WCHA back in 1969.
Don't you think we could find a place for little 'ol Mankato State (or
whoever) in the WCHA, too?
Why do they have to think of themselves as just a "MAC school?"
Again, I'm just trying to further the debate, not insult anyone's point of
view!
Steve Klein
 ------------
J. Michael Jackson wrote:
I just don't think that it's best for everyone to have their
sights set on joining the WCHA or whatever.
 
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