The NCAA has boxed itself in to some degree with the new rules, but mostly
they're a victim of bad luck for this year.

In an ideal world, the tournament model would have the #1 and #2 seeds all
staying in their own region, and drawing the big crowds.

This year the #1 and #2 seeds will likely have 5 Eastern and 3 Western teams
(Cornell and the big 4 HEA schools). So one of the Eastern teams goes west
automatically. The only alternative would be to drop someone to a #3 seed
and have them play one of the other HEA schools in the opener.

The second problem comes from automatically dumping #1 team CC in
Minneapolis, because they're closer. With Minnesota hosting, the Minneapolis
regional has its top half filled. This leaves Ferris in Ann Arbor, but they
can't stay there as a #2 seed because they would play #3 Michigan. So Ferris
has to come East, putting two HEA teams in Ann Arbor.

In other words, the problem is where the host teams Michigan and Minnesota
fall in the brackets.

What would change things? Minnesota climbing to a #1 (which might only need
a BU loss to BC) or Michigan falling to a #4. If this happens, there's space
for Ferris to stay in the West.

-----Original Message-----
From: - Hockey-L - The College Hockey Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wayne T. Smith
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 12:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Iona Dropping Hockey

Greg Ambrose wrote, in part:
> There has been a lot of talk on this board and over on USCHO about
potential
> seedings but, if I were a betting man, I would wager that teams with big
> followings - Maine, UNH, BC, Cornell - will stay East regardless.  The
NC$$
> cannot permit anything else or they will take a financial bath.

I think that Ian McCaw and his Committee have made some good decisions
and some potentially very bad decisions.  Leading the very bad is what I
believe a very real chance that 2 of the 4 teams you mention could go
west.  Jayson Moy's USCHO article on "Bracketology" of 10 March
standings shows why UNH would go west if the tournament were bracketed
today!

IMHO, using "bands" as they have will result in a "fair" tournament with
a real chance of a financial problem.  The NCAA is fortunate that it
appears 3 of the 4 host schools will be selected for the tournament,
ensuring decent revenue.

Finally, the NCAA must realize that few Eastern folks will buy tickets
(BU fans excepted), before the brackets are announced on 23 March (ESPN
at 5:30 ET).  Providence must really realize this, as I can't even
figure out how to buy tix for there online!  I will comment that $50 for
3 regional games seems like a fair price ($44 groups is a super price!) :-)

cheers, wayne
--
Wayne T. Smith -- [log in to unmask] -- Old Town Landing, ME