I'm sorry, my response got sent before I finished my thoughts. I  
apologize for any confusion.

> Technically, yes, beating North Dakota in Grand Forks is a win.  
> However, you can also "weight" that win based on when it occured,  
> injuries to key players, etc.

> I'm not sure what the correct answer is, but maybe the "bonus"  
> provides some incentive for teams to be willing to travel to  
> another school's rink and play games there. Unfortunately, many of  
> these non-conference games are played early in the season and how a  
> team plays in October / early November is often vastly different  
> than how they are playing in March.
> Your conference schedule and opponents are set and there isn't  
> anything a school can do about that (short of switching  
> conferences, see college hoops). However, if the bonus encourages  
> teams to play some of their non-conference games on the road, then  
> maybe it isn't such a bad thing.  The system will never be perfect  
> and there will always be some teams left out.

>
>

Rita-Ann Monde
Trinity College 1991
Cornell University 2000



>
>> David Parter wrote:
>>> As a Wisconsin fan, I'd like to point of that it isn't the Wisconsin
>>> fans who are complaining, and saying that "we" deserve to be in the
>>> tournament. The fact is, if the Badgers had won even a few more  
>>> games --
>>> especially some critical games -- they would be in a stronger  
>>> position
>>> in the pairwise. Wisconsin had a rough season, no doubt.
>>>
>>> The point being made isn't about one particular team -- but is there
>>> something in the current selection process that is flawed (yes,  
>>> I'm sure
>>> we can all find something -- maybe not the same thing -- flawed  
>>> in the
>>> current process) in a way that is creating a tournament field  
>>> that isn't
>>> "the best"?
>>>
>>> I can't say - I've seen less college hockey this year (and most  
>>> years)
>>> than some of you. I haven't seen enough of the other teams. But I do
>>> think it isn't just Wisconsin -- a couple (perhaps even  
>>> "several") WCHA
>>> teams that are not in the tournament this year would probably be  
>>> favored
>>> to beat several of the teams that are in the tournament. I don't  
>>> know
>>> enough about the other leagues to evaluate if others can say the  
>>> same.
>>
>> Michael Neal:
>> This is all true.  I'm only using Wisconsin as an example because  
>> I had already examined their schedule pretty thoroughly in order  
>> to answer a completely different question that I had.  What I am  
>> saying is that the selection system is broken, because it does not  
>> give sufficient credit for playing a difficult schedule.  One of  
>> the absurdities is the whole RPI bonus for road non-conference  
>> victories.  Why is it more valuable for Maine to win in Grand  
>> Forks than it is for Wisconsin to win in Grand Forks?  Aren't they  
>> the same accomplishment?
>