As for the rumor regarding a possible relocation of the ECAC to
Albany, it is certainly closer to the geographical center of the
ECAC than is Boston. But I don't think the move would be under
consideration if it were not also at the current "power center" of the
conference. While St. Lawrence, Clarkson, Cornell, and RPI return
year after year to the Championship Tournament, attendance for the
ECAC games goes through the floor because the "local team" factor is
lost. (And locality is vital to Boston interest - to paraphrase the
SNL Scottish Skit: "If it's not from New England, it's Crap!")
 
The power center can and will move, of course - just this year, a
Harvard, Yale, Brown, x ECAC Final Four (sue me) was quite imaginable.
So I would like to see the ECAC Championship rotate between a New York
and a New England site. After a few years we'd find out if there was a
big difference in attendence. We'd also find out whether any NY
fans gave their team a decisive home ice advantage, something which,
for whatever reason, hasn't happened for Harvard in the last few
years at the Garden.
 
As for "tradition," sure, I treasure my memories of Grenier's goal
in overtime in the '86 final (JOY!), and Boston Garden plays a part in
that. But (attention: hockey-l politically incorrect statement about
to be made), college sports are first and foremost for THE STUDENTS.
We old fogies are like Bush administration claims of doing
right by the commonwealth: decorative and amusing, but ultimately
irrelevant.
 
For the students:
 
1. Cutting down travel time and cost is very important.
2. There is little "tradition" when one has a 4 year time horizon.
 
I oppose the NCAA Regionals for the same reason (and yes, I went to
Providence this year and enjoyed it very much.) The primary purpose,
both of HockeyFest and the Regionals, is to increase the profile of
the sport. But when I watch what the High Profile college "sports"
have become, I am thankful for hockey's obscurity! Besides large
endorsement contracts for coaches and wholesale academic and
recruiting scandals, what exactly would be gained by making college
hockey a "major" sport?
 
Greg
Beacon Hill, Boston (100 yards from Boston Garden)
Let's Go Red!
Congratulations Parris Duffus!
Just another Cornell All-American goalie...
and one who actually IS American!