John Whelan replies:
 
>Greg Ambrose writes:
>
>> My thought on Anaheim were formulated before I even left for the trip.
>
>You see, it's that kind of attitude that bugged me this weekend.
>People in the Lynah Chat who were nowhere near California (although
>not as far as I was) were ranting about what a disaster this was.  I
>think Tony's getting a bit carried away by saying the Frozen Four (TM)
>should be held on the West Coast every five years, but is it really
>such a hardship for people who live in hotbeds of college hockey that
>this one time the NCAA decided to try something different?  Perhaps
>you'd prefer if the tournament had been in Anchorage?
 
The problem is that the NCAA will not recognize this as a "one time" thing.
If you note, they immediately referred to the tournament as the 6th most
attended all time.  They are already greasing the skids to send it to
Atlanta, New Orleans or some place like that. IMHO the finals should be
played in a big arena  before a sold out house. To have a half-house for a
national semifinal is an embarassment.  To not sell out the final was even
worse.
>
>> If
>> those in California need a fix, let's bring back the Great Western
>> Freeze-Out or some such.
>
>Of course, the Freeze-Out ended after the Anaheim bid had already been
>awarded.
 
And why did the Freeze Out end?  Could it be because no one went to the
games?  I thought so.  So what better way to learn a lesson twice but bring
back another  tournament to LA.  And not just any tournament but the
national semis and finals.  That's how to reward disinterest!
>
>>  If
>> the newspaper coverage of the tournament is indicative of local fan
>> interest, the games made little impact in LA.
>
>Given how little coverage the LA Times gave college hockey when I was
>there, I was pleasantly surprised at the handful of articles that
>cropped up on the web.  (Even during NHL playoff time, there are
>typically more post-mortems on the Lakers than articles about hockey.
>The LA Times sports section is more feature-oriented than
>game-coverage-oriented.)
 
All you're doing is confirming my pre-concieved notions - that California
is not a hockey state.  What a surprise.
>
>Fellow Gaucho Nathan Eric Hampton contributes:
>
>> 5) And yes, when I wasn't at the games, I was at Disneyland. With a nine and
>> four year old in our group, we closed the place two nights in a row. I'm not
>> use to being up that late and being sober.
>
>Gotta love a place that serves non-alcoholic Mint Juleps (the Blue
>Bayou restaurant, inside Pirates of the Carribean).
>
>Tony Buffa suggests:
>
>>  Pehaps a nice compromise spot would be Salt Lake City?
>
>Salt Lake could work pretty well, since there are four club teams
>within an hour's drive (two of whom, Weber State and Utah State*, are
>regularly atop the West region of ACHA Division II), a new hockey
>facility built for the IHL's Utah Grizzlies, and I've actually spoken
>to natives who knew a thing or two about NCAA Division I hockey.  Not
>to mention it's only a six hour drive from Denver.
 
John, you're the guy whose always complaining that you can't get one sports
bar in the city to turn one TV to a hockey game.  And the natives are going
to go to the NCAA finals?  You guys have GOT to get real!
 
Greg Ambrose
WATER POLO IN VERMONT? YES!!
 
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