My mail system has been down for about 24 hours, so I apologize if some of
the following has already been said.
 
As I understand it, UAF pays for 25 roundtrip flights for the visiting team.
 Including players, coaches and staff I remember seeing 30 Michigan people,
so I'm assuming the UAF series cost Michigan 5 plane tickets, 3 nights
lodging for 30 people and 4+ days worth of meals for 30 people.
 
RE: Walt Olson's comments on AK hospitality
 
  Agreed.  I didn't see any appealing land when I was in AK last month
(maybe October is not the time to visit), but the people were definitely
hospitable.  From what I could tell, the visiting teams are treated real
well and the Carlson Center (in Fairbanks) is a first class arena.  I do
worry about attendance, because I figured they would easily sell out for a
big series like Michigan but there were over 1000 empty seats each night.
 And those people missed a pair of tight games.  (And the extra revenue
would certainly help offset the travel budget.)
 
RE: UAF joining the WCHA
 
  I like Charlie Shub's scheduling idea.  IMHO, if common sense and logic
were to prevail, UAF would join the WCHA rather than the CCHA and a
reasonable schedule could be worked out that wasn't to burdensome on the
non-AK teams.  (No matter what happens, UAA and UAF are in for a ton of
travel.)
 
  I'm also glad that David Parter mentioned the combined CCHA-WCHA
conference.  A "superconference" with three divisions is a bold step, but I
think it could work.  IMHO, the schools that would be hardest hit would be
the western WCHA schools such as Colorado College, Univ of Denver and Univ
of North Dakota.  Obviously, they would be grouped with UAA and UAF, so
travel would be extensive.
 
 
  John H
  U Mich