On Mon, 8 Apr 1996, Klein, Steve wrote:
 
>
> I think the crux of the debate (as I am posing it) is:
>  -- Do we want to consolidate the top 20-25% schools in college hockey and
> maybe (but not necessaily) double or triple the attention the game receives?
>  -- Or do we want to broaden the base of the sport, as unlikely as that may
> be given the current climate in athletics?
> I've always favored the latter, but now I'm starting to think that I may
> have been a foolish idealist. Of course, had I not held and shared that
> philosophy with the real movers and shakers in the sport (people like the
> late Ralph Romano at UMD, Bob Johnson at UW, Lefty Smith at ND and Ron Mason
> everywhere he has been), there would be no hockey at Wisconsin, no revival
> at Notre Dame, no growth at schools like Lake Superior State, Maine and, who
> knows, perhaps Ohio State (big enough to get The Swoosh from Nike).
>
> Just my thoughts on a sport I truly love. I hope you'll share yours.
> Steve Klein
>  ----------
>
One of my hopes for the future of college hockey is more meaningful
inter-league play.
 
What's my definition of "meaningful"?  Of course, all games are
meaningful and important, but what I'd like to see is inter-league play
that affects a team's league standings.  I don't like the notion of a
"Non-conference game."  Often times these games are looked upon as not
meaningful.  I would love to do away with all four independent
conferences and see four interdependent conferences.
 
I'd like to see the amount of a teams league games cut in half and
schedule games with teams from other conferences in the other half.
 
BUT I'd like to see every game count towards the  teams league standing.
This would elimate the "perception" of a meaningless "Non-conference game."
 
Make every game count in the league standings not just in a teams power
ranking.
 
Travel costs are an issue, I'm sure, as are other issues I'm sure I
haven't thought about in this hastily constructed message.
 
I hope this has been useful food for thought.
 
ZRH
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.