John Haeussler writes:
 
>I have to disagree.  Remember, the east may have had poor attendance last
>year, but the west was an absolute disaster.  I'm not convinced that
>Michigan and Wisconsin are enough for good (over 50% capacity) attendance.
>Also, I can't speak for MN-Duluth but my feelings are that they will not
>bring many people to the regionals.  Most will probably take their chances
>and hold out for Milwaukee.  Lasy year, Minnesota brough no one, I mean
>NO ONE to Detroit.  It was so bad that my wife insisted that everyone
>around her cheer for the Gophers (versus LSSU) because "I feel so sad for
>the players.  NO ONE came here to cheer for them!"  I tried to remain
>neutral (I count LSSU and Minnesota among my top five favorite teams)
>because she was smacking anyone that she knew who was rooting for LSSU.
 
Yup, that's what happened.  Detroit is a minimum twelve-hour drive from
here. (Look at a map - Detroit is closer to Boston than it is to the Twin
Cities).  With the seedings not announced until the previous Sunday night,
Gopher fans had only a few days notice for the single-game playoff against
LSSU in Detroit.  We already had tickets and travel plans for the Phinal
Phour in Albany, and my wife was quite ill, so the trip to Detroit didn't
seem practical for us.  Perhaps when fans become accustomed to the idea of
regional tournaments and travelling cross-country on short notice, like the
basketball fans do, regional attendance will pick up.  I would prefer to
see the playoffs return to campus sites.
 
Thanks to John Haeussler's wife for supporting the Gophers last year in
Detroit.  The Gophers needed all the friends they could get!
 
-- Erik
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Erik Biever                                                     Ski-U-Mah!
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