On Sun, 4 Feb 1996, Cheryl A. Morris wrote:
 
 
> First, Niagara belongs in the ECAC, period.  Western New York should be staked
> out as ECAC territory.
 
It seems to me this is an assertion not supported by anything substantive
that I can see.  I'm not sure, if I was living back in Massachusetts,
that I'd *want* HE teams in the Niagara area, but there is no reason to
exclude Hockey East in favour of the ECAC.
 
> In the ECAC there would be a competitive problem between
> the Ivies and non-Ivies.  The former would feature probably 3 consistently
> champions caliber teams, while the non-Ivies would have 4 or 5 top level teams.
> A guarantee of three bids would go a long way toward solving the problem, but
> the other leagues would justifiably scream bloody murder.
 
And with good reason.  Any rankings you'd care to consult will, year in
and year out, have more elite teams in Hockey East coming from a base of
fewer teams.
 
As I've said before, as long as I've been following college hockey (26
years) the Ivies have imposed their priorities on the rest of the ECAC.
I have no problems with the Ivies setting their own rules so long as they
don't have to be followed by others.  If the ECAC wants to expand let the
Ivies deal with it or leave.  However, don't muck about with guaranteed
bids for a league that consistantly does poorly against out of conference
opposition.
 
Arthur Berman [log in to unmask]
GO BU!!! NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!! (and they beat another Hockey East team in
the finals)
 
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