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I'm going to try to stay active in this debate as long as we keep it high minded and thoughtful, as ZRH has here. And I think he's provided the first idea for the Comishes to think about: interleague play that impacts on the standings and, therefore, games that are more meaningful and might attract BIG MEDIA attention (and bucks). Now, I can hear some of you saying all games are meaningful in the power ratings, but who really knows how meaningful when they're being played? Michigan State has had non-league, first-round Great Lakes Invitational games in December that have actually been the difference between making and not making the NCAA tournament! But who really knew it at the time? Fans need to know what a game means when it's being played. Why not put the power ratings on the table and let the fans -- and teams -- know what every game means. As to travel costs, if college hockey came up with MEANINGFUL matchups that attracted some attention from the TV folks (Bill Beagan, the CCHA comish, is the master of TV), and there was TV money and big arena money (the negative: fewer games on the home pond for the ticketed class), such games could pay for themselves and some of the "dogs" on the schedule. Just more food for thought here. Steve Klein ---------- One of my hopes for the future of college hockey is more meaningful inter-league play. What's my definition of "meaningful"? Of course, all games are meaningful and important, but what I'd like to see is inter-league play that affects a team's league standings. I don't like the notion of a "Non-conference game." Often times these games are looked upon as not meaningful. I would love to do away with all four independent conferences and see four interdependent conferences. I'd like to see the amount of a teams league games cut in half and schedule games with teams from other conferences in the other half. BUT I'd like to see every game count towards the teams league standing. This would elimate the "perception" of a meaningless "Non-conference game." Make every game count in the league standings not just in a teams power ranking. Travel costs are an issue, I'm sure, as are other issues I'm sure I haven't thought about in this hastily constructed message. ZRH HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List. HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.