I read this morning that Rick Comley says that any displeasure with the NC$$
seedings should be blamed on the coaches for insisting that the computer be used
to select the teams for the tournament.  This sounds like a deflection of the
blame:  the coaches would never have called for the computer use had the
committee been doing a good job in the past.  Too much politics, parochialism
and plain bias by the committee members.  I can't blame the committee this year.
 They used the computer rankings exclusively.  Somehow, though, I get the
feeling that the committee was cheesed that the coaches forced the computer down
their throats.  So, in response, the committee tried to throw it back at the
coaches by not using any discretion.  The committee is saying 'you asked for it,
you got it'.
 
This all boils down to the committee's failures in the past.  They should take
the responsibility for this year's selections by admitting that THE COMMITTEE
brought the computer upon themselves.  The coaches were just (over) reacting to
repeated injustices.
 
If college hockey could ever overcome the East-West and conference bickering,
the game would have a chance to gain more national attention.  Otherwise, it
will continue to have a bad reputation among the non-hockey fans.  I see the
same problem in the NHL.  College hockey received no national sports show
attention.  Pro hockey gets last mention, sometimes on a roll without
highlights.  Pre-season baseball games get more highlights than stretch-drive
hockey games.
 
I think that the NC$$ selection committee should be comprised of non-affiliated
persons.  Not affiliated with teams, schools or conferences.  Maybe then the
committee could look at the big picture in college hockey, not how many teams my
conference is getting in the tournament.  Maybe the committee should be more
than 4 people so politics would have less of an effect.  Maybe include pro
scouts, veteran refs and linesmen, ex-coaches, AHAUS personnel or whatever.
 
What does everybody else think?
 
Bob Mayville
Madison, WI