As fate would have it, a couple of years ago the roundball team made the "sleep 16" of the NC$$. Radio, TV and newspaper coverage was massive. The ^ for bb'ers, hockey got little coverage^ hockey team lost to a bunch of Canadians(i think they had red jersys that year) in front of a packed house at the Civic Center for second place. Unless you have lived in MN i don't think you can understand the depth of passion hockey has there. The NC$$ finals draw well there evne without the Gophers playing. If the Gophers & Badgers faced off for the championship you couldn't steal a ticket, even if it was the same day as the Viking/Packer Stuper Bowl, Twins/ Brewer World Series & Dick Webbers comeback bid. Would the hockey team be treated better by the media if nothing else happened that day - yes. Would more non-Mn, non-Canadians care - probably not.