Well!!  Didn't I open up a can of worms?   How could I ever have predicted
that would happen.

I am the RPI fan that started this mess.  And in the midst of the argument
of the Minnesota fans and the not-Minnesota fans (who seem to be those from
every other WCHA school),  you seemed to miss the point.  This comment was
not directed against Minnesota fans  nor Sioux fans.  They may or may not be
arrogant.  I don't know and I wasn't talking about them.  I was talking
about the announcers who are paid by a radio network  to broadcast UND games
whose audience are mostly UND fans. They follow the team all year, they are
paid to know a lot about the team and its members and need to do so in order
to do their jobs well.  It would be virtually impossible for them not to be
UND fans if they are to do their job well.  That being said, my point was
that they went out of the way to be insulting to the referees, the Minnesota
fans, the Minnesota team members and the Minnesota hockey program. In my
mind, by doing all that, they diminished the good name of the University of
North Dakota.  Yes, I could have turned the broadcast off. The next night I
did just that.  I tuned into WCHC, the Holy Cross student station and
listened to the broadcast by two Holy Cross students.
They were in awe of the Sioux, the arena, the intensity of the crowd and
were very proud that their team had the opportunity to play in the
tournament.  They criticized their team when it was warranted and praised
their opponents when it was deserved.  In other words, the amateurs were
truly professional.  Maybe it was because they are young and inexperienced
and haven't been taught yet that the best way to build your team up is to
tear down your opponents.

Perhaps fans of the teams like Minnesota and North Dakota should listen to
the announcers of teams like this.  After years of making the NCAA
tournament, some fans think its their birthright to make the NCAA's rather
than appreciate the fine hockey programs and excellent student athletes they
have.  And yes, I know that this is not limited to just UND and Minnesota.
It happens all too often elsewhere.

So much for the soapbox.

Someone else mentioned the referees being absolutely awful at one of the
regionals.  I heard a lot about that the east regionals also.  While I'm
sure there are good and bad referees in each league, one of the biggest
problems (and this isn't a new problem) is that each league has its own
style and bias for training referees.  ECAC refs have very little tolerance
for hitting from behind, high stick and elbowing.  WCHA refs tolerate a much
more physical style of play.  I haven't seen enough of Hockey East or CCHA
refs to get a feel for their style.  When you get into the NCAA's and you
draw a ref from a different league, you have no idea what to do. An ECAC
team will usually have a much less physical style of play than a WCHA team.
It's what they are used to since they've had to adjust their style
throughout the year to stay out of the penalty box. Now they have to play a
team that spent the year  using a different style and have to adjust to a
ref who has a completely different style from either team.  Like it or not,
it usually has some bearing on the outcome of the game. It's just too bad
that the NCAA can't get the leagues together and determine what style will
be used around the country and enforce the rules no matter where they go.
But we're not likely to get any agreement on that.  We can't even agree on
radio announcers.

On 3/26/06, Eric J. Burton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> I realized that I don't expect you to go on to a UND broad cast and expect
> a
> neutral broadcast, it not going to happen.
> Nor do any of us that are Sioux fans confess that our people to be
> neutral,
> they are paid by the University to broadcast
> Figthing Sioux hockey as they see it. Not from a perspective of another
> school. I also don't think it is realistic to think
> they should.
>
> Eric J. Burton
> (701)-610-9466
> http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/
> The Tree of Liberty Must be Refreshed From Time to Time with the Blood of
> Patriots and Tyrants.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: - Hockey-L - The College Hockey Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of J. Michael Neal
> Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2006 4:10 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: some thoughts on the West Regional radio broadcasts
>
>
> Eric J. Burton wrote:
>
> >It is not just North Dakota though.  During the conference tournaments I
> >listened to North Dakota , but also UMD radio too and they both left
> >something to be desired to me in terms of professionalism.  I actually
> >thought the UMD broadcast was worse than the two games I listened to on
> >North Dakota radio.
> >
> >-Deron
> >
> >Every team has the same issues, its just the attitude of the league
> teams,
> >maybe people shouldn't listen to other teams broadcast if they are
> >going to be offended so easy.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> You do realize that two of the people to complain here are RPI and Maine
> fans, right?  Your broadcasting stood out to them as unprofessional, and
> they're neutral.
>
> --
> J. Michael Neal
> http://idonotlikeyoueither.blogspot.com/
>