Now to take the opposite side. What would an NCAA bid mean to the MAAC? Answer - Instant credability. When you talk about college hockey. the MAAC is an afterthought to most people. IF they get an NCAA bid, they suddenly become equal to the CCHA, ECAC, HEA, and WCHA. This will aid immeasurably in recruiting, for they now are "legit" in the eyes of recruits. It means that the other schools will need to work harder to secure the "blue chip" athlete who now have other D1 alternatives and those 3rd liners would now be 2nd or 1st liners at a MAAC school. Yes this does mean dilution of talent, but since youth hockey is growing in the USA (in non traditional areas, I admit), recruiters will have to venture a little further afield. So to Jack MacDonald, Dick Tuthill and all the other MAAC boosters, I wish you luck in your pursuit of a bid. I hope you don't get it, for reasons already mentioned in previous posts, but if you do, you'll be welcomed at Worcester or Madison. And should a miracle occur, and you win it all, you'll be right up there with the "Back Door Badgers" of 1980. And I'll be jumping off the nearest bridge wearing my Clarkson green & gold. Joe ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.