It is a sad day because hockey now gets a lesser amount of exposure in an age
when exposure is (nearly) everything. With the amount of exposure college
hockey gets, the loss of ANY program is lost exposure to ALL the programs. How
would the loss of a woman's hockey program impact all those programs where the
number of participating schools is even smaller?
 
# As has been mentioned on the list before, there are a number of schools
# that would love to have the chance that UIC did. Let's give it to them.
 
If it were that simple, I'd give UIC's budget to Mankato or anyone else with
the desire to startup but the powers that be kept the cash and gave it to the
"The Basketball Savior" and his program.
 
Nonetheless, in UIC's case, the unfortunate reality is that the school is
pulling the ol' "bait and switch". Do NOT believe one word of the trash
administration puts into the press. If the program was dumped for financial
reasons, then why was all the money earmarked for basketball when Collins was
in negotiations? Why bother to bring in hockey coaches for interviews BEFORE
the developments at U of I? Why tell parents at the conference awards banquet
that all is well? Why bother building a new practice rink if you are worried
about the overall debt of the program? Why did members of the Board of Trustees
admit to nudging UIC into hiring Collins for the basketball job? Why bother
allowing the alumni magazine to profile the programs future? In short, this was
a hasty last minute decision, pure and simple.
 
As a student, I worked for 2+ years in an upper administrative office on
campus. NOTHING in that office happened by coincidence. The picture financial
dispair of hockey at UIC is a charade for the typical political bull$**T that
goes on at that school. This time hockey paid the ultimate price for the sake
of another sport.
 
BTW, how many Division I programs currently operate in the black? If you use
the last place finish as an argument, why doesn't every last place finishing
team pick up their toys and go home?
 
# The real pisser for me is that I'm looking to move back home to Chicago,
# and I was looking foward to seeing college hockey (even if it was bad) up
# close and personal. OH well, the best laid plans of mice and men...
 
Michael, I used to go to dozens of White Sox games in 1989 when the team REALLY
blew chunks. Why? Not because I wanted to see Greg Walker play first base but
because I wanted to see the excellent players on the other side. In this case I
got to see some current NHLs as they were growing up, the most recent player
being Brian Holzinger (Sabres) and Blaine Lacher (Bruins?). Okay so our team
sucked, but I did get to see solid, future NHLers play - and as an amateur
player myself, I observed the finer points of the game by watching these guys
for dirt cheap.
 
# Every podunk university in the country is trying to run a Div 1
# basketball program just to make money.......Ever wonder why the Northern
# Illinois Huskies sacrafice themselves upon the alter of Miami football.
# Money$$$$
 
Uhhh.....stupidity? Seriously, yes - money makes the world go round. However,
UIC didn't play excellent teams for cash - they were already in the conference.
But every podunk school is not trying to provide a hockey program.
Theoretically, wouldn't it make more sense to plow cash into an area with
limited competition? Anyway, this lamb was slaughtered and fed to the
basketball dogs for other reasons. The school never wanted a "money-maker"
until the "Basketball Savior" arrived. Now basketball will have more than
enough money to pay the players and keep them under the NC$$ salary cap.
 
Time to get off the soapbox.
 
With contempt for UIC,
++ Paul - UIC `92
 
--
Paul A. Troy           [log in to unmask]            847/435-6547
 
** As of 1/20/96, the area code has changed from 708 to 847.      O-
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
- Beckett and Calavicci in `96 - Putting right what once went wrong.
- Collins killed UIC Hockey!    UIC Hockey: 1980-1996. RIP. :<
- Coming in second only means that you will be the first loser.
- Today's weather:  hard top on (until March 29!).  :(  MCA: #50778
 
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