At 02:08 PM 12/4/97 -0600, Kevin L Ames wrote:
>Excerpt from Duluth News 12/04/97:
>On May 1, 1996, Nebraska - Omaha announced they'd start a team from
>scratch this season. Just 15 days later, season ticket sales were halted
>at 6,389. Later that month, the city council voted to install ice at the
>Civic Auditorium.
>
 
When I read earlier this year about Nebraska-Omaha fielding a
division 1 hockey program, I recall thinking that this was a boondoggle
in the making. They don't play hockey in Nebraska, they play football
and grow wheat.
 
In Troy, where we have a long tradition of division 1 college hockey,
we have a large (by eastern standards) facility that holds 5200+.
While we always fill it for games against Clarkson and scattered other
times, we're lucky to get 4000 for most games.
 
These wheat farmers in Nebraska (no, I've never been to Omaha)
 seem to be packing 8000+ in for every game.
Considering they aren't in a league yet and have no "traditional" rivals,
that is simply amazing. And whoever did their scheduling did a wonderful
job of pulling in some of the big time hockey schools to give credence
to UNO's hockey program.
 
In 2 short months, UNO has established Omaha as a hotbed of college hockey
and is well on its way to becoming one of the premier college hockey programs
in the country.
Who's have thunk it????
 
Welcome to division 1 UNO.  Your entrance to division 1 college hockey has
not only made your school look good, it's good for all college hockey programs
in the country.
Mark Lewin
RPI - class of 1969
(this signature is year2000 compliant)
 
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