On Thu, 18 Apr 1996, Pam Sweeney wrote:
 
> Mike M wrote:
> >It does look to me as if the WCHA learned from the interlocking schedule
> >with HE that more conference games is better.  I don't necessarily disagree
> >with this.  It is always nice to have the big in-season matchups like
> >Maine-Michigan and BU-Minnesota.  But there aren't that many of these
> >matchups.  The lesser teams suffer because they rarely get to play the big
> >names in NC action; it's a case of the haves playing the haves.
>
> Yes.  I suspect Minnesota and Wisconsin would love to see the WCHA
> conference schedule reduced*, as they would have no trouble finding
> top-notch NC opponents.  But I'm not sure how many schools will be lining
> up to get some of the other teams on their schedules.  Like a couple years
> back when St. Cloud played NO non-conference games.  How would a St.
> Cloud-Northeastern game go over out there?  (No offense meant to St. Cloud,
> with the freshman class they've got this year, I think they'll be a very
> exciting team in the next couple years, but when people say they want to
> see more interconference play by WCHA teams, they're thinking about seeing
> Minnesota, Wisconsin, or CC come to town. )
>
> *Here:  I'll bolster that with a quote from today's St Paul Pioneer Press
> article about the WCHA/CCHA scheduling talks at the meetings:
>
> "Woog plans to offer a proposal to cut back on the number of conference
> games, which he thinks would help a school such as Northern Michigan and
> all of college hockey."
>
> Woog mentions that this would allow NMU to schedule games against Michigan
> teams to increase visibility, and allow the big schools to schedule some
> big-time opponents and get possible TV coverage...
>
Zac Halter writes:
        Pam and Mike bring up an excellent point regarding the "have-nots" not
being able to schedule quality non-conference games.  In an earlier post, I
came out in favor of more interleague play that would count in league
standings and not just in power rankings.  Given the independent nature
of the four hockey leagues we currently have, I don't believe we will see
the kind of interleague cooperation it will take to make true
interleague play a reality.  To me, true interleague play would
mean "have-not" teams like St. Cloud visiting Maine and Michigan
visiting Union.  (Not too likely is it?...but boy would I like to see it!)
        If gaining more non-conference games sentences the "have-nots"
to play non-conference games only against others in similar situations,
then I would favor the WCHA cutting back on non-conference games in favor
of evening out the conference game schedule.
 
zrh
the unofficial NMU anti-fan :-(
 
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