As a reader only of Hockey-D and not a regular on Hockey-L,
I feel a bit intimidated about jumping into the fray here.
BUT as a graduate of both an Ivy League school (Princeton)
with a fairly undistinguished hockey program and a non-Ivy
League school (Wisconsin) with a very distinguished program,
I thought I might make a few short comments.
 
The atmosphere both academically and athletically at those
institutions (I can only speak for the times I was there...
PU '72-'76 and UW '76-'84) was very different.  I agree
COMPLETELY with the comment that a student can get just as
good an education at a state school (even one that is not
the research institution that Wisconsin is) as s/he can at
an Ivy League school.  It depends almost completely on the
motivation and aspirations of the student.  That said, I
will, however, assert that due to the larger percentage of
students with such motivations and aspirations at Ivy League
(and here you may insert all sorts of other institutions that
I don't mean to slight ranging from Ivies to UChicago to
MIT to Williams to Reed to Oberlin to Grinnell to...you get
the idea) schools than at most state schools makes it a bit
easier - there's more support to study, etc.
 
On the other side the athletics are VERY different - I would
use the example of the 80,000 attendance at UW football games
(before they stopped serving beer - or so I hear) compared to
the 1000(just a guess) at a Princeton football game.  Just look
at the bands if you want a good comparison.
 
However, it is true that Ivies, etc. can compete in certain
athletic arenas.  We were all impressed by Harvard's championship
in hockey, Cornell's perennially strong showing.  And here I will
brag about Princeton's basketball team (not to mention its
incredible coach Petey C.) - you've all seen them almost upset
Georgetown (no comment) in the NCAA tourney, they've beaten high
ranked North Carolina and others over the years.  I'd bet on them
against Wisconsin almost any time.
 
I guess all this means is that schools are different.  Their
attitudes and intentions are different.  Their student bodies and
their athletic teams are different.  Big deal.  I for one am
thankful that both exist - I had a great time in both situations.
I think there are both students and athletes that would prosper in
each - and some who would do fine in both.
 
Can we leave everyone alone and go on....  (We'd better; otherwise
I'm going to start talking about the University of Maine - I'm not sure
what would happen then!!!)
 
Thanks for listening,
Charlie Slavin
Princeton '76
University of Wisconsin '80,'84
Department of Mathematics - University of Maine
(We all need to thank Bob Johnson for what he did for college and
amateur hockey across the country.)