Big Ten hockey 2013-14

[scsavre]

If the wcha teams refused to play big 10 teams its gonna hurt the wcha not the big 10.

When did the gophs go on record saying they wouldn't play the sioux. I remember a year or so ago there was some comment about that for volleyball or sme randon sport. Whatever it was it meant nothing because they were in diferfent divisions anyway.

I've never heard anything out of hockey

[Steve Foss]

"]When did the gophs go on record saying they wouldn't play the sioux.

I heard it through the grapevine, and it was only that they wouldn't play the Sioux if UND retains the nickname and they end up in different conferences. I won't tell you who told me, but his initials are Virg Foss.

Could be I misheard or misunderstood tho. If so, my apologies.

[scsavre]

Darn sioux fans. Spreading rumors. Probally tried telling people the gophs won't be in the ncaa tourny this year too.

The gophs and sioux will play. I guess we can wait 3 years to see. I doubt the teams even get much influence over who they play. I have no clue on that, just can't imagine they do.

[scsavre]

Lots of rummors of the wcha breaking up too. That is sad. Heard rumors of nodak and nd and miami and denver etc etc.....I hate rumors.

[cbrooks]

I won't tell you who told me, but his initials are Virg Foss.

Scott your no longer the big shot here .

I've been reading one rumor that the University of British Colombia will be joining the WCHA. I will believe that when I see it.

[Jarrod32]

This is not the end of the WCHA. I just watched a Final Five that featured two of the top teams in the nation and some excellent hockey. It did not have Gophers or Badgers. Yeah, the WCHA will miss the revenue from those two large arenas, but will be just fine.

[Jarrod32]

I agree 100%. If I was the WCHA I wouldnt schedule any of them Big 6 Teams ever again. Let them sit and play out their own little 6 team tourney!

I kind of agree with this, and was just thinking about it earlier today. A six-team league, with a 20-game league schedule? They need quite a few non-conference games. If the CCHA and WCHA get together and shut out the Big 10 teams, they will have problems (the Big 10 teams, that is). The WCHA teams - at least, the Minnesota teams and UND - should try to use that little leverage and get games against the Gophers in Duluth, Bemidji, St. Cloud, Grand Forks, etc.

[scsavre]

Just remember that the away team gets roughly 30% of the ticket revs. So incasee like bemidji and duluth and other places, they can make more money at the gophs or badgers.

I'm still bigtime, just talked to some folks that said they are currently neogotiating the 10 game contract which will include all combonations of the wcha except maybe aa and tech.

[cbrooks]

]badgers.

I'm still bigtime, just talked to some folks that said they are currently neogotiating the 10 game contract which will include all combonations of the wcha except maybe aa and tech.

Your full of it...really?

I've heard of a one scenario with the CCHA and WCHA trading certain teams for travel. CCHA gives WCHA Alaska and in exchange WCHA will give the CCHA Mich Tech. It would benefit both leagues that way. These smaller colleges are gonna take a beaten.

[brmuskie]

Oh yeah?

I just heard a rumor that if the Sioux keep their nickname and their logo they will have an autobid for the NCAA tourney every year.

[cbrooks]

I kind of agree with this, and was just thinking about it earlier today. A six-team league, with a 20-game league schedule? They need quite a few non-conference games. If the CCHA and WCHA get together and shut out the Big 10 teams, they will have problems (the Big 10 teams, that is). The WCHA teams - at least, the Minnesota teams and UND - should try to use that little leverage and get games against the Gophers in Duluth, Bemidji, St. Cloud, Grand Forks, etc.

I hope this doesn't get ugly like that. From my understanding Minnesota never wanted this, they kind of got force into it. They shouldn't be punish for this IMO. If it turns into teams snubbing each other in the schedule it will only make things worse. It will be interesting if things go that way.

[brmuskie]

I truly believe nothing will happen like that. Everyone wants whats best for college hockey right? The only realistic thing I see happening is that the gophers refuse to play the Sioux because of the logo and name. I think there are enough cidiots down there that could make that happen.

[scsavre]

this was all wisconson and did not have the gophers support. The gophs could c,are less about playing the wcha teams. I want to play them, but its not going to adversely affect the u if we don't play them. Personally I think the gophs are gonna be surprised at how much the big 10 bosses them around.

The big 10 is going to promote to all heck as well.

Imagina all the new fans that will go to cheer against the intersport rivals now. I could care less. But it will be hyped up.

[cbrooks]

What does the Big Ten bring to Gopher hockey that they didn't have before. They have plenty of TV coverage with FoxNorth. I think the Gophers might see this as a step back or like you said Scott they will have a pain in the a$$ Big Ten bossing them around. Have to see how this transition works.

[cbrooks]

Here's Dean Blais's take on the "so-called superleague Big Ten Conference"

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110321/MAVS/703219805

[solbes]

If UND, DU, Miami, and Notre Dame follow suit to form their own super conference, this whole B10 thing will be REALLY bad for college hockey. Ring, ring goes the death bell for the CCHA. You would see a huge ripple effect from this where you may stand to gain 2 B10 non-traditional hockey programs and stand to lose 4-8 smaller traditional hockey programs (N Mich, MTU, Lake Superior State, etc). Net loss of hockey programs and migration toward bigger institutions is NOT what I want to see.

My whole thing is that the B10 did this with little or no input from the affected 2 conferences. Yeah it's their right to form their own conference, but they basically sprung this on the 2 conferences without even having some discussions on how non-con scheduling might be affected. It's a case of 2 hockey programs seeing dollars in their eyes and not giving a rip about the rest of college hockey.

[cbrooks]

If UND, DU, Miami, and Notre Dame follow suit to form their own super conference, this whole B10 thing will be REALLY bad for college hockey. Ring, ring goes the death bell for the CCHA. You would see a huge ripple effect from this where you may stand to gain 2 B10 non-traditional hockey programs and stand to lose 4-8 smaller traditional hockey programs (N Mich, MTU, Lake Superior State, etc). Net loss of hockey programs and migration toward bigger institutions is NOT what I want to see.

My whole thing is that the B10 did this with little or no input from the affected 2 conferences. Yeah it's their right to form their own conference, but they basically sprung this on the 2 conferences without even having some discussions on how non-con scheduling might be affected. It's a case of 2 hockey programs seeing dollars in their eyes and not giving a rip about the rest of college hockey.

Well said. If they would have only listen to the other schools input. Would that have made a difference...who knows.

Of all the articles, commentary's and blogs I read this is the first that I read of someone asking "why wasn't there any input from the other schools"

[Bear55]

I heard it through the grapevine, and it was only that they wouldn't play the Sioux if UND retains the nickname and they end up in different conferences. I won't tell you who told me, but his initials are Virg Foss.

Could be I misheard or misunderstood tho. If so, my apologies.

Actually I have heard that before too, I think the U put out some press release stating they school would not play teams with hostile or abusive nicknames. It was kind of a big deal at the time but I think the hockey programs just ignored it because they had scheduled conference games to worry about.

One thing is for sure, if the don't don't play UND because of this there are going to be some very pi$$ed off fans on both sides.

[Bear55]

I hope this doesn't get ugly like that. From my understanding Minnesota never wanted this, they kind of got force into it. They shouldn't be punish for this IMO. If it turns into teams snubbing each other in the schedule it will only make things worse. It will be interesting if things go that way.

Just going off memory but I am pretty sure Maturi and Lucia spoke out against this and WI was really pushing it. Not sure about the CCHA schools.

I think I will let all the other rumors of another super conference rest for now unless things start to happen. If it does happen you can easily see the NCAA losing hockey programs, how many who knows.

[cbrooks]

The super-conferences is just speculation but I'm sure there's alot of talking going on somewhere.

I remember pretty well how Minnesota wanted no part of the big ten and the Atheletic Director of Wisconsin Barry Alvarez was pushing it hard. Barry could care less about hockey he was a football coach. Typical Big Ten blowhard. Man I'm getting all bent out of shape about this. The people who pushed for this knows nothing about college hockey. They could have talk to anyone on this thread and they would have learn something. Sad day for College hockey as a whole. Lack of leadership from the WCHA to. Did they even try to stop this? Maybe they couldn't do anything.

[scsavre]

It isnt 2 programs, it is the wisconson Ad pushing this. The U had said they were not interested and did not want the change.

Super conference??? isnt that what the WCHA is?

The 2 biggest problems I see are,

dealing with the Big 10. They are going to come in and push people around. they are going to do eveything they want to make as much money as they can. the big 10 cares nothing about hockey, just the $$$ that comes with it. I dont even want to think about the schedule that the Gophs are going to have to play. they are basically going to pimp us out. Play our 20 league games...fine...then they are going to send us out to Boston...send us out to Maine. they are going to invest in their network, and they are going to get every big game they can. Not to mention that we will continue to play the WCHA schools. I talk to a couple of NCAA folks last night and they said that there is alreeady a verbal agreement that the Gophs will continue to play the WCHA schools. We have 14 non conference games we can play, 16 if you go to Alaska. It might not be every year, but yes we will always play either NoDak or Duluth.

So my second problem, I guess the WCHA is really scrambling, so far the Big 10 is trying to leave out AA and Mich tech and maybe a couple more schools from the schedule. Please note that Mich Tech absolultely needs to play the Gophers or Wisconsin in a year, financially. Or they need to find more big games. The biggest victim is going to be Michigan Schools. What the heck are Lake S, WM, NM and BG going to do? they rely on Mich and Mich State just the same.

I guess one last thing I see hurting the Minnesota schools is recruiting, ok hear me out. I dont see it hurting Nodak..but maybe everyone else. the gophs are going to host Michigan, and Ohio state at Marriucci, that is going to open the doors for those schools to try and recruit the local kids, they can scout them while hear, and the the kids will also become more familar with those schools.

In the end, this will only benefit the Gophers financialy, maybe. It will make Ohio state a huge hockey success and give exposure to other schools.

I will be out of inside info for a couple of weeks. I have been visiting with NCAA/WCHA officials at the Xcel as they prepare for the frozen 4.

[cbrooks]

Scott can you disclose your sources please

Just giving [email protected]'m not doubting you

[scsavre]

The big 10 could care less about the wcha. This makes me mad.

[scsavre]

The big 10 could care less about the wcha. This makes me mad.

[scsavre]

I don't even know who they are.....well maybe I know who one or 2 is. Its funny who you run into over there. Obviously these are all rumors. Is just that these rumors are coming from people involved. I should be plum full of info if I go to the frozen 4. I have a media pass and a facility pass. I can go anywhere. Maybe even throw some sand in the sioux lockerroom........

[cbrooks]

Hopefully the Sioux make it to the Frozen Four. How did you get a media pass? Wonder how hard a guy can pass as a media person. I bet Steve knows how to do it

[scsavre]

I have one for the building. Not for the game. I wander around a lot while in there for bartending. I have to get there way early and there is all sorts of people to visit with. You get to know a lot of these guys. I am actually down by the lockerooms and all that stuff. The people are really friendly. I usually have my work clothes on from the afternoon so most of them think I am involved and not a bartender. Its prety funny. Concerts are the best. I usually watch the bands warm up and what not. I usually run into hockey folks I know from playing as well. I have a really good friend who trains a lot of these guys too. So that helps.

Maybe I'm not big time, this sounding like stalking now

[cbrooks]

I would be doing the same thing especially at the Frozen Four. Got to take full advantage of the situation.

Scott I have one question. Could Minnesota refuse to join the Big Ten?

[scsavre]

No. They can not. They could try. Think of the big 10 as a union. Does your union let its guys perform non union work.....and not pay into the union...sorry for bringing the union back.

Nah, sounds like too much backlash if they did. Maybe if we didn't have maturi we would know foresure. I have never heard anyone give an example of why they can't say no. They tried to say know. The big 10 flexed.......and the U said where do we sign. If all these guys care about is money I still can't figure out why we don't have alcohol at games.

[OnAFly]

Here's a way to make everyone happy.

UM doesn't join the Big Ten. UM sells beer at games instead. U pockets money and flips the bird at the big ten.

Ok, so maybe that wouldn't make everyone happy