Recent content by ruralgopher

My hatred is born of the worst fan interactions I've ever experienced.

I don't think that people who are longing to hang on to tradition are small minded fools. I think people who think that this will 'ruin' college hockey are being a bit small minded. As to Phoenix and the NHL, 2 points. 1, that is one 'non-traditional' location that has struggled, others are...

$$. The conference needs more live programming to make the big ten network 2 viable. Big ten network 2 = more subscriber fees.

Good thing the NHL didn't have this foxhole mentality.

It isn't the U's job to worry about the wcha or any of its teams. It is the U's job to look out for the U. The BTN has paid huge dividends and if the addition of hockey makes the conference better, the U has to think about what is best for themselves. Every sport could be a 'regional' if you...

Great questions. I don't think that the U will go out of their way to do anything with UND unless the mascot thing is solved, and with the state of ND involved now, I don't know if that will be soon. UMD, and SCSU are locks, I hope we also play MSU. Less hockey on TV? Doubt it, unless you...

I think this will be much better for college hockey than most expect.

If you want lucia fired, this has to be viewed as a good first step. Firings come shortly after extensions with joel.

That's pretty dramatic. Hockey is the only sport for many of these schools that produces any revenue at all, they aren't going to cut the programs. Would the WCHA and CCHA need to restructure? Maybe, but that would be an issue for the WCHA and CCHA members to work out. MTU should be in the...

I can respect that point. I think that the real opportunity for expansion would be the PAC 12.

Twice as many Natl championships have been won by non-BT schools than BT schools. There are some other strong programs out there. College hockey might pick up a program or two here and there under the current model, but for it to truly grow it needs the backing of a conference that carries...

So a state with the population limitations like MN can produce enough talent to support 5 WCHA programs, but the entire west coast couldn't support 8, 10, or 12 teams? They could always go the UND route and import their players!

The PAC 8 hockey conference is made up of all PAC 12 schools. Club sports I'm pretty sure, but by seeing the SUCCESS of PSU's transition into the BT hockey conference, the needle of interest moves, I bet.

I don't disagree with the premise that conference rivals take on a greater importance. What I'm saying is the sport of hockey is growing nationwide, and if more colleges are going to start programs they are going to have to see the $. The Big Ten Network would show $$. Once the Big Ten hockey...

Among college hockey fans, yes the WCHA is a flagship conference. The sport of hockey is growing in spite of college hockey not really growing. College hockey remains largely a regional sport, hockey is not. Here is a list of states with high school hockey (excluding the obvious ones):MO KY...