69 replies to this topic

[Joshawaggie]

the admiral, on March 19, 2012 - 13:41, said:

I don't think people outside of college care about college hockey. It's kind of not good.

I watch more college hockey than NHL. I may be biased but it's just fine to me watching the best conference in the nation, the wcha.

[Cujo]

Quite frankly, the only reason I tune into the college hockey tournament (which is still pretty rare) is to hear Gary Thorne do PBP.

[the admiral]

Well, maybe that wasn't a very timely post, seeing as we're in the midst of the worst NHL season since 2004, but college hockey is still way too clutchy-grabby for me. But why wouldn't it be? The best prospects are in major-junior and/or the US development team, or in Europe. I mean, if there are sixty teams in the top developmental league, and you're not on any of them, you're not really on the fast track. It's like college baseball, if college hockey sticks made a comical noise on slapshots.

[illwauk]

Call it me, but I find that college hockey offers a much better fan experience than the AHL if for no other reason than the relative lack of annoying promotional announcements during every stoppage of play.

[RyanMcD29]

IS THIS THE YEAR CORNELL PLAYS CINDERELLA AND FINALLY REVERSES THE CURSE OF KEN DRYDEN?!?!

/Big Red either lose in OT or by score of 7-2

[pmoehrin]

illwauk, on March 19, 2012 - 18:17, said:

Call it me, but I find that college hockey offers a much better fan experience than the AHL if for no other reason than the relative lack of annoying promotional announcements during every stoppage of play.

I always had a blast going to the games I went to.

Its definitely a niche following, but the major colleges (Minnesota, Boston College/University, Michigan, Maine) all have very solid fanbases.  Its also do in part to the fact that the best colleges in the country are pretty compacted and the conferences as well are also very compacted so you have great regional rivalries.  And some of the schools that are dominant like Vermont and Denver are not really good at any other sport.  So at some of these schools hockey is the sport to follow.

I know with Hockey East you would see a top 25 team visit almost every night.  I would imagine its much the same with the WCHA.

It is a ton of fun if you happen to be going to one of these schools.

[Funky Bunky]

Geoff, on March 19, 2012 - 16:30, said:

Funky Bunky, on March 18, 2012 - 13:59, said:

U of Alabama, Huntsville is hosting the frozen four at Tampa? Or are they just hosting a Region? You weren't very clear.

It's pretty cool that it's in Tampa, though. Maybe one of these days, the frozen four can find it's way to either the Honda Center or Staples Center. That would be pretty cool. All we have here is division 2 college hockey (I believe it's D-2). USC, UCLA and a bunch of area colleges have teams, but they're club teams...

"All we have here is division 2 college hockey (I believe it's D-2)." "but they're club teams" You know they're club but you think they're NCAA D2? I think why you might be confused is that the ACHA has 3 divisions.

Yeah, I don't really follow college hockey, if you haven't noticed.

.... I meant D-2 ACHA.

[Geoff]

the admiral, on March 19, 2012 - 17:19, said:

Well, maybe that wasn't a very timely post, seeing as we're in the midst of the worst NHL season since 2004, but college hockey is still way too clutchy-grabby for me. But why wouldn't it be? The best prospects are in major-junior and/or the US development team, or in Europe. I mean, if there are sixty teams in the top developmental league, and you're not on any of them, you're not really on the fast track. It's like college baseball, if college hockey sticks made a comical noise on slapshots.

The USNTDP is U17 and U18 so it's kids that wouldn't be in college yet anyway. That part of your point is invalid. College hockey has it's fair share of drafted prospects come through the ranks. Not to sound rude, but this post just sounds ignorant.

[illwauk]

pmoehrin, on March 19, 2012 - 22:24, said:

illwauk, on March 19, 2012 - 18:17, said:

Call it me, but I find that college hockey offers a much better fan experience than the AHL if for no other reason than the relative lack of annoying promotional announcements during every stoppage of play.

I always had a blast going to the games I went to.

Its definitely a niche following, but the major colleges (Minnesota, Boston College/University, Michigan, Maine) all have very solid fanbases.  Its also do in part to the fact that the best colleges in the country are pretty compacted and the conferences as well are also very compacted so you have great regional rivalries.  And some of the schools that are dominant like Vermont and Denver are not really good at any other sport.  So at some of these schools hockey is the sport to follow.

I know with Hockey East you would see a top 25 team visit almost every night.  I would imagine its much the same with the WCHA.

It is a ton of fun if you happen to be going to one of these schools.

This... and in what other sport would a Michigan Tech or Minnesota-Duluth have a realistic shot at beating a Wisconsin or Minnesota?

You're right about the WCHA too, except it'll be a shell of its former self next year when the Big Ten adds hockey and the rest of the traditional powerhouses (North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, etc.) move to the new NCHA.  The upside of this for me is that the WCHA and some of the Badgers program's financial supporters who aren't happy with this decision are now prodding Milwaukee to add hockey since there's a huge college hockey following in Wisconsin (every Frozen Four match thats ever been played at the Bradley Center has sold out) that the WCHA doesn't want to miss out on.

[NEW.ERA]

Hope John Gaudreau and his Boston College Eagles have a long, successful tournament.

Don't think there is any media coverage here in Canada though.

[crashcarson15]

Can't wait for a couple weekends from now... gonna be a blast down in Tampa!

Any other Creamerites going?

[no97]

illwauk, on March 20, 2012 - 16:35, said:

...there's a huge college hockey following in Wisconsin (every Frozen Four match thats ever been played at the Bradley Center has sold out) that the WCHA doesn't want to miss out on.

No offense, but every Frozen Four since '00 (excluding Detroit two years ago, but come on, the got 35,000 per game) has been a sell out (including "hockey Mad" Columbus, OH, St. Louis, and Washington, DC). You'd do better touting UW's nation leading attendance than touting local Frozen Four attendance.

[AstroBull21]

crashcarson15, on March 22, 2012 - 10:44, said:

Can't wait for a couple weekends from now... gonna be a blast down in Tampa!

Any other Creamerites going?

I thought about it but have plans that weekend.

[RyanMcD29]

NJTank, on March 18, 2012 - 15:19, said:

I would love to see it come to Newark one day.

I know I'm late to this, but I would love a Frozen Four in Newark. The annual BU-Cornell game at the Garden sells out and there's plenty of B10 alumni in the city that would come out to see their teams. Plus I'm sure they can get Army or Princeton to be the host school for it considering they've got hockey programs, though Seton Hall could too with Navy hosting that one in DC

[chickenfish13]

Does anyone know of a site that will be streaming the games tomorrow? Really no coverage here in Canada, but I'd be interested in watching pretty much all the games tomorrow.

[twi]

I'll be attending all three games.

[Mr. Aware Eagle]

chickenfish13, on March 22, 2012 - 23:00, said:

Does anyone know of a site that will be streaming the games tomorrow? Really no coverage here in Canada, but I'd be interested in watching pretty much all the games tomorrow.

This is kind of late because the first game is in an hour, but all of today's games (and probably every game of the tournament) will be streaming on espn3.

[NEW.ERA]

Mr. Aware Eagle, on March 23, 2012 - 13:05, said:

chickenfish13, on March 22, 2012 - 23:00, said:

Does anyone know of a site that will be streaming the games tomorrow? Really no coverage here in Canada, but I'd be interested in watching pretty much all the games tomorrow.

This is kind of late because the first game is in an hour, but all of today's games (and probably every game of the tournament) will be streaming on espn3.

Sadly. ESPN3 can't be used by Canadians.

[McCarthy]

NEW.ERA, on March 23, 2012 - 13:36, said:

Mr. Aware Eagle, on March 23, 2012 - 13:05, said:

chickenfish13, on March 22, 2012 - 23:00, said:

Does anyone know of a site that will be streaming the games tomorrow? Really no coverage here in Canada, but I'd be interested in watching pretty much all the games tomorrow.

This is kind of late because the first game is in an hour, but all of today's games (and probably every game of the tournament) will be streaming on espn3.

Sadly. ESPN3 can't be used by Canadians.

[Seadragon76]

Well, Union did well in the first game in Bridgeport (BTW, the missed goal for Michigan State was a bogus call) and if you are a Miami of Ohio fan, you may want to find a place to hide as UMass Lowell is beating them down.