-----Original Message-----
From: greenie <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, February 14, 2000 12:13 PM
Subject: Re: Unbalanced Schedules
 
 
>At 10:59 AM 2/14/00 -0600, Marty Kline wrote:
>>The problem with the split weekend series concept is the trip to
>>Anchorage.  It
>>is not reasonable to expect a team to play in, for example, North Dakota
on
>>Friday, then fly to Anchorage for a Sunday game, then fly back home for
Monday
>>classes.  If memory serves me correctly, most schools can't (don't?) even
fly
>>directly to Anchorage, but typically have a stopover in Seattle.
>
>
>...but it's entirely feasible to play the Sioux on Thursday.
>
>Not to mention, there's nothing wrong with weekends where you play only one
>game -- Hockey East teams do it all the time.
>
>Furthermore, flights to Anchorage are not the pain they seem to be, even
>out of Fargo. I've flown into Anchorage a number of times from different
>cities in the country and never had more than a 2 hour layover in Seattle,
>Salt Lake or Minneapolis.
>
>Of course, this argument would be made much easier if the two Alaska teams
>were in the same conference. Talk about stupidity.
>
>As for missing classes... quite a few players wind up missing Friday
>classes when there's a Friday night game at home. They can make up the
>work. Or, the teams schedule fewer games so the student-athletes don't miss
>as many classes.
 
Perhaps.  But you have now suggested getting to Grand Forks for a Thursday
game, which means missing at least Thursday classes, and then playing in
Anchorage on Sunday, which means missing at least Monday.  That's a
significant difference to just missing Friday classes.  Additionally, this
travel schedule will provide a serious competitive disadvantage to the teams
that have to make the trip.
 
As to playing only one game on the weekend, how are you planning to
accommodate the extra weeks needed to get the schedule played?  For the most
part, WCHA teams don't have the luxury of being able to play weeknight games
that the closeness of teams in HE do.
 
J. Michael Neal
 
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