It seems like my fellow Mavs fan beat me to the scoop, but to confirm it,
the Mavs have been given an offer to make a formal presentation to the CCHA,
at the Conference's spring meetings. Where, if accepted, they could begin
conference play in 2 seasons, as opposed to the WCHA where they'd begin in 3.
 
I really don't know what to think. I know some people here in Omaha think it
would be better attendance and no show wise given the big name teams in the
CCHA and the name recognition from football (Mich, MSU, Notre Dame, OSU),
and there may be some truth to that for the social hockey fans. But I think
top to bottom the WCHA teams would draw better overall from Omaha's Lancer
and true hockey fan base, since I could see more of them going to a Mankato
St or Minnesota-Duluth over a Ferris State or Northern Michigan (no offense,
but the name recognition just ain't there).
 
The WCHA is in a tough spot. Like someone said earlier, if it were just UNO,
they could probably waive the requirements and let us in. But it isn't just
UNO. What I considered funny when I first read it, but now maybe think it's
true, was when the reason was petty jealousy, since we draw more fans than
all but Minnesota, recruit the same USHL players, etc. I doubt that's the
real reason, but we don't really know. And that's probably the heart of the
issue, we don't know.
 
Here in Omaha, we just want to hear something from the WCHA. I think their
silence is killing them more than it would if they came out and said
something, ANYTHING, even if it was bad news. They're being kind of
indifferent to us, acting like we're not even around almost, and that's the
100% wrong thing to do to Omaha. Most of us Omahans hate being virtually
obscure to the rest of the US (point, one person I talked to on the east
coast while on vacation in July(it gets in the 100's sometimes here) asked
us if we had snow on the ground and what it was like living in the
country(Omaha now has a greater population than Miami)), and we really like
the people who notice us. Then here comes the CCHA, like a knight in shining
armor, offering us almost everything we want
 
I guess I hope that UNO goes to the WCHA just becase I think I would rather
see WCHA teams, but I would put money on it that UNO goes to the CCHA, just
because they are actually showing interest while the WCHA isn't. Either way,
though, I'll be happy as long as UNO keeps getting some good eastern teams
to play and/or keeps its "traditional"(for lack of a better term) home and
home series with Wisconsin.
 
Ben F.
U!N!O! U!N!O!
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.