>I think Clay is essentially correct.  While HS hockey in MN is not perhaps
>as big as basketball in Indiana, in part because there is also HS
basketball
>in MN, there is an identification with the community, whether the school is
>public or private and even the privates aren't like prep schools because
>there is no boarding
 
That is where I think people are wrong I believe that Basketball is bigger
in Minnesota than some want to believe because we still have the NBA and we
are finally getting the NHL back. I feel that person that made the  comment
about UofM basketball getting bigger is probably not far from the truth.
Also the NCAA final four appearence of the Gophers in 1997 made basketball
even more popular, but the scandel also did a lot of damage probably too.
Maybe its Woog's  failure the past few years have an effect on this.
The two tier hockey championship did water down the hockey tourney but it
also opened up exposure to the teams in the outstate area.
 
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