A few thoughts on the Kent State issue:
 
1) Kent State hockey is in an unusual position as per Ferris and some other
schools where the hockey team is the only Div. 1 program (a la Lake Superior,
North Dakota, etc).  In other sports, Kent is a member of the Mid-American
conference, a lower (or shall I put that lowest) level conference of NCAA Div.
I.  Conference Div. 1 eligibility for football is always on the bubble,
basketball teams are not especially competitive against quality opposition, and
other sports have problems.  The MAC is a good 1A or II conference posing in
Div. 1 garb.  The problem is that the 'big boys' don't like the MAC having NC$$
votes, and every increase in requirements for Div.1 standing (eg. football
seating capacity, attendance, number of sports) increases the cost to the
program.  Bowling Green, Miami, and Western Michigan are in the MAC and in the
same situation, but with established programs and support base.
 
2) No slam on Cleveland, but Northeast Ohio has never been a hotbed of hockey.
However, they have developed a respectable prep program and the news that the
Whalers may be skating west is exciting (to us Buckeyes).  There is hockey in
the future, but perhaps not the interest to sustain an amature program at this
time.  The Cleveland metro area is a definite pro sports area.
 
3) As was mentioned earlier, it may be easier to apply pressure and show
support when your sport is the only game in town.  Ferris had that leverage;
Kent does not so I assume that the program will be gone after the next trustees
meeting.  Does anyone have the names and addresses of the trustees?
 
Bob Hall
BG 'Class of Long Ago