Here is my opinion on the seedings for the NCAA tourney.  The
committee did a fine job working within the guidelines set.  This is
where the major problem arises though.  First I agree with avoiding
conference match ups.  I strongly disagree with the AUTOMATIC BYE
rule.  This is ludicrous and is the main reason that everyone is all
up in arms over Minnesota and Michigan in the same bracket.  Throw BU
back down and give the 4th bye to Minnesota in the east.  Which
brings me to my second disagreement.  Why do we have to have 2 east
schools and 2 west schools receiving byes?  We don't have 6 east
schools and 6 west schools making up the tourney field.  Let's reward
the BEST 4 teams with byes regardless where they are from.  You can
still put enough east teams in the east and west teams in the west to
fill both rinks with fans.  Here is how the seeds should have been
under MY guidelines:
 
East                    West
 
1. Clarkson             1. Michigan
2. Minnesota                  2. N. Dakota
3. UNH                        3. Vermont
4. BU                   4. Cornell
5. Colorado             5. Denver
6. Miami                              6. Michigan St.
 
     The top 4 seeds are set according to the pwr and conference
match ups are completely avoided at the regionals. Even if you keep
the guideline of 2 east teams with byes and 2 west teams with byes,
give UNH the other east bye and let Minnesota be seeded 3rd in the
east.  UNH, BU, and Clarkson are used for fan base in the east and
Michigan and Michigan St. are used for fan base in the west.  Both
Vermont and Minnesota probably will bring fans to their respected
regionals as well.  Both regionals are balanced and fair.  Hopefully
next year the AUTOMATIC BYE will be REVOKED!
 
Bill Harrison (Clarkson '86)
 
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