Ed Ferguson writes:
 
>Personally I was even more turned off by the (purported) quote from
>one AD to the effect that it would be a disgrace to have Maine
>representing Hockey East in the NCAA tournament.
 
I wish I, Ed, or someone else could verify that quote! What a bonehead
quote for *any* AD to make. If it's a "disgrace" to allow a 6-win
team into the NCAA Tournament (assuming the NCAA considers said
team eligible for postseason play, which it does of Maine), then why
do the big conferences (my facts on ECAC procedures are rusty, but
 I know the others pretty well) allow EVERY TEAM into the tournament?
 
In fact, playoff restructure could be THE big long-term effect of the whole
HE v. Maine case. My big prediction: look for the conferences
(well, at least one) to drop their bottom two or four teams from the playoffs.
 
GS