> Why is it a sad day? A terrible hockey program died. Much like a New Orleans funeral, have
> a party and mourn the loss of a program that tried but failed. 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 they have been "a terrible hockey program" to this point, that isn't to
say that someone couldn't have turned it around.  I'm not familiar with the
UIC specifics, but it seems that UMass-Lowell was probably in worse shape five
or six years ago than UIC is now.  With the right guy, perhaps things could
have been fixed.
 
Also, these other schools "that would love the chance" have never been held
back by UIC.  To say that some other program is mutually exclusive with UIC
doesn't make sense.  No program had to disappear for UMass-Amherst to go
Division 1.  Perhaps the CCHA will be more willing to grab one replacement
team, but if UIC had stayed then these "other teams" could have gone to Div 1
as independants until some conference accepted them.  I just don't see this
as an either-or situation.
 
DaveH
 
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