Terry Kasdan writes... >But take a trip to the "Madhouse on Main >Street" in Tuscon, or the Ice Pavillion at Penn St., or the "Big Pond" >here in Champaign, and you would not be able to tell whether you were >watching an ACHA game or an NCAA Division I game! No offense to Terry, but I've been to dozens of ACHA (club) Division I games and I haven't come close to mistaking one for an NCAA Division I game. And, I have seen the likes of Arizona, Penn State and Illinois. I even have a "Fighting Illini Hockey" golf towel, which is interesting because I don't golf. :-) Most of the top ACHA players could play NCAA Division I hockey, that I will grant. Jarrett Whidden, who was huge in the ACHA at Ohio University, isn't out of place in the CCHA with Ohio State, where he now plays. But the overall quality of the ACHA, even among the best teams, doesn't yet compare to lower level NCAA D-I teams. I think the tell tale sign for me is that I've seen plenty of ACHA teams that, given a few weeks notice, I could play on. I've never seen an NCAA team that comes close to fitting that description. Please don't take any of the above as a knock on the ACHA. If you have an ACHA team in your area, by all means check them out. It IS college hockey. But lets stay grounded in reality when comparing the ACHA to the NCAA. John H ([log in to unmask]) HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.