I think some people misinterrpreted my note. I was not suggesting that
hockey drew larger crowds than basketball or football at either Wisc.
or Minn. In fact, I would be quite surprised if they did. After all,
almost every football stadium and most basketball arenas hold more
people than the college ice arenas.
 
My point was this:
 
Come time for the NC$$ hockey tournament (which coincides with the
basketball tournament), you'll find that at Wisc and Minn, the hockey
team is the talk of the town. Everyone wants to back a winner and
with the tradition of both schools hockey programs, the campus would
be a buzz with hockey talk.
 
However, move over the Michigan and Michigan State. The big talk on
those campus' (I presume) would be focused on the basketball teams
and how they were doing in the basketball tournament. The hockey
teams would get mentioned, but suffer in the shadows of the 'Fab
Five' and the like.
 
I'm not saying this is possible or even realistic, but if the hockey
tournament was before or after the basketball tournament. Things
might be different. The hockey programs would be in the limelight,
especially in and around the campus.
 
The big question is: if Minn or Wisc were in the final 16 of basketball,
how would that affect the news and support of the two hockey teams
(assuming they were in the hockey tournament)? Would the fans support
the hockey team over the basketball team? Or would the basketball teams
fall in the shadow of the hockey teams?
 
Paul