Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006
[quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]
I was just about to post the article. Tough break missing these three. Unbelievable effort by Gallagher this past weekend to play as well as he did.
I'm confident Whitney can play well this weekend. I assume either Roezler or Kary will fill-in for Gallagher; I think Roezler would be a better fit.
While Albany is convenient for me, if they made a move (and I can understand why they would) I would much prefer Bridgeport.
[quote scoop85][quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]
I was just about to post the article. Tough break missing these three. Unbelievable effort by Gallagher this past weekend to play as well as he did.
I'm confident Whitney can play well this weekend. I assume either Roezler or Kary will fill-in for Gallagher; I think Roezler would be a better fit.
While Albany is convenient for me, if they made a move (and I can understand why they would) I would much prefer Bridgeport.[/quote]
Friday night, Kary was warming up, I assume in case Gallagher couldn't go.
[quote Al DeFlorio]Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?[/quote]
Your smileys are backwards. :-P
[quote jtwcornell91][quote Al DeFlorio]Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?[/quote]
Your smileys are backwards. :-P[/quote]
Not according to scoop85.**]
[quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]
Excellent quote by Marsh.
The debated change in the travel partner system is a little worrying, but it comes up as often as the BTHC.
I've never been to Bridgeport. Lake Placid would be great. If the tournament is only going to draw 5-7k, might as well have it in paradise rather than some hole.
Excerpt from the article referenced above:
---
But scheduling and the league's travel partner system could be debated again in cost-cutting terms. Members schools could cut travel expenses by playing an unbalanced schedule where it plays both weekend road games at the same school, then plays the same school at home twice the following season.
---
Can someone explain to me how this could possibly save anything more than a pittance? The traveling teams are still going to need to pay for a bus and driver for the entire weekend. They're still going to need to pay for the same number of hotel nights. The only savings I see would be the cost of gas to travel between the partner schools.
Am I missing something?
[quote scoop85]
I was just about to post the article. Tough break missing these three. Unbelievable effort by Gallagher this past weekend to play as well as he did.[/quote]
Here's an article from his local paper about Blake Gallagher. It talks about his injury and how they treated it.
http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/sports/article/202343
Marsh does realize that his game was a tie, right? Does he expect to be able to play endless overtimes in a consolation game that precedes the championship?
Oh, and +1 for Bridgeport!
I somehow missed the chatter about the Barlow goal earlier. Sounds pretty amazing! Is there a link to it anywhere?
[quote Jordan 04]Marsh does realize that his game was a tie, right? Does he expect to be able to play endless overtimes in a consolation game that precedes the championship?[/quote]
Maybe his point was that they shouldn't have bothered with the shoot-out -- they should have just called the game a tie after the five-minute OT and gone home, as the ECAC has done a couple times in the past with a tied consolation, and as College Hockey America did just a week earlier when their consolation game between Alabama-Huntsville and Niagara was tied after OT.
[quote Give My Regards][quote Jordan 04]Marsh does realize that his game was a tie, right? Does he expect to be able to play endless overtimes in a consolation game that precedes the championship?[/quote]
Maybe his point was that they shouldn't have bothered with the shoot-out -- they should have just called the game a tie after the five-minute OT and gone home, as the ECAC has done a couple times in the past with a tied consolation, and as College Hockey America did just a week earlier when their consolation game between Alabama-Huntsville and Niagara was tied after OT.[/quote]
Exactly. Don't tacitly condone shootouts by holding them, even in such a meaningless situation. The Princeton kid who made the dipsy-doodle move had the best response to it: if this is a joke, let's make it a joke.
If you have to have overtime at all, then five minutes of 5x5 and put it in the books.
Not sure why everyone is getting so bent over a meaningless shootout. The only thing on the line here was a trophy that neither team could give a rat's ass about. At that point, the game was over and the shootout was purely for entertainment value. I thought the spin move was entertaining and it made for some good shots from behind the net. Lighten up. I'll get off your lawn now.
[quote Trotsky]If you have to have overtime at all, then five minutes of 5x5 and put it in the books.[/quote]
Having seen games with no overtime, I prefer having it so that teams fighting to tie the game still have a chance to win it. I'd be happy to extend non-playoff overtime to 20 minutes (and deal with the resurfacing) if it reduces the number of ties enough to kill the shootout madness. Overtime should absolutely be 5x5 and in other respects like the game itself.
[quote CowbellGuy]Not sure why everyone is getting so bent over a meaningless shootout. The only thing on the line here was a trophy that neither team could give a rat's ass about. At that point, the game was over and the shootout was purely for entertainment value. I thought the spin move was entertaining and it made for some good shots from behind the net. Lighten up. I'll get off your lawn now.[/quote]
What bugged me was the PA announcer (and scoreboard operator, who changed the scoreboard to read 3-2 after the shootout was over) pretending the shootout decided the winner of the game.
[quote andyw2100]
Can someone explain to me how this could possibly save anything more than a pittance? The traveling teams are still going to need to pay for a bus and driver for the entire weekend. They're still going to need to pay for the same number of hotel nights. The only savings I see would be the cost of gas to travel between the partner schools.
Am I missing something?[/quote]
Well its not just 'gas'. They rent the bus & the driver, which could be based on mileage. Could be significant, especially for Princeton-QU, but other pairs aren't that close. Needing the driver to do hotel-rink twice without often a multi-hour trip in the middle might help.
I wonder if they see it as a way to save a day on hotels too. Eaiser to travel early Saturday morning, if you don't have to travel Sat night too?
[quote Trotsky]The Princeton kid who made the dipsy-doodle move had the best response to it: if this is a joke, let's make it a joke.
[/quote]
I saw it as, "if this is a show for the fans, let's put on a show for the fans."
[quote Trotsky]If you have to have overtime at all, then five minutes of 5x5 and put it in the books.[/quote]
They did. Look "in the books." It's a 2-2 tie.
Like Age said, the shootout was there for entertainment. It wasn't in lieu of a better option for deciding the game. Yes, you could just go home with the game tied and say that they each take a share of 3rd place, but the extra 10 minutes didn't hurt anybody.
ETA: The lone unintended consequence I noticed was the Princeton fan on the phone in the bathroom afterward complaining that his team lost in a "stupid" shootout. But that's more of a problem with him being unaware of the rules than it is with the shootout.
[quote jtwcornell91][quote CowbellGuy]Not sure why everyone is getting so bent over a meaningless shootout. The only thing on the line here was a trophy that neither team could give a rat's ass about. At that point, the game was over and the shootout was purely for entertainment value. I thought the spin move was entertaining and it made for some good shots from behind the net. Lighten up. I'll get off your lawn now.[/quote]
What bugged me was the PA announcer (and scoreboard operator, who changed the scoreboard to read 3-2 after the shootout was over) pretending the shootout decided the winner of the game.[/quote]
Really? 'cause I had no idea it was troubling you at all.
Well they certainly have the right geographic location for the finals.
Geo Midpoint of ECAC Schools (http://www.geomidpoint.com/viewmap.html?42.7295634%7C42.444586%7C41.826956%7C44.668651%7C42.35892%7C42.822664%7C43.703926%7C40.349662%7C41.395586%7C42.73304%7C44.59692%7C42.801016%7C41.311053&-73.6823708%7C-76.499259%7C-71.408718%7C-74.986566%7C-71.05781%7C-75.541877%7C-72.282302%7C-74.659708%7C-72.896781%7C-73.676561%7C-75.173385%7C-73.927327%7C-72.930416&0&1)
What is the seating capacity for hockey at the Times Union Center? Seems like the event would be better in a smaller venue, that may sell out. Lake Placid would be great, but would be hike for everyone.
How about somewhere along I-90?
[quote statenaurora]What is the seating capacity for hockey at the Times Union Center? Seems like the event would be better in a smaller venue, that may sell out. Lake Placid would be great, but would be hike for everyone.
[/quote]
Wikipedia says the maximum capacity is 17500 for sporting events. It's not broken down by sport but I imagine hockey would be close to the maximum. So the ECAC might have filled one quarter of the available capacity.
From the part of the article about Barlow's goal:
QuoteDown by two goals with less than three minutes remaining in Friday's game, Cornell rolled the dice and put Barlow out on defense to try to get an offensive spark.
I didn't realize until just now that Barlow was playing D at that point.
[quote KeithK]Wikipedia says the maximum capacity is 17500 for sporting events. It's not broken down by sport but I imagine hockey would be close to the maximum. So the ECAC might have filled one quarter of the available capacity.[/quote]
They curtain off the upper deck ends and corners, so it's probably better than that, but then again that's a chicken and egg thing: if they were selling out, they wouldn't be giving up that revenue.
Just play the damn thing at Lynah every year.
[quote CowbellGuy]I'll get off your lawn now.[/quote]
And turn down your music.
[quote statenaurora]How about somewhere along I-90?[/quote]You mean like Albany?
The logical choice would be Albany, which has already been made. If the ECAC is open to other locations in order to moderate costs and improve the event then other smaller sites become an option. Syracuse, Utica, Springfield? Would it be possible to rotate the venue from year to year?
[quote pfibiger]Here's an article from his local paper about Blake Gallagher. It talks about his injury and how they treated it.
http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/sports/article/202343[/quote]How come nobody yelled about these quotes?
QuoteAll in all, he's thrilled with his decision to further his hockey career at a U.S. college instead of major junior, a direction few Nova Scotian teens choose to take.
"I absolutely love it," he said. "We probably have the loudest fans in the country night-in, night-out. Our rink is packed every night. It's an unbelievable experience."
QuoteAnd if they get to the Frozen Four?
"I'll definitely play," Gallagher said with a laugh. "If they cut my foot off, I'd still play in the Frozen Four."
[quote statenaurora]The logical choice would be Albany, which has already been made. If the ECAC is open to other locations in order to moderate costs and improve the event then other smaller sites become an option. Syracuse, Utica, Springfield? Would it be possible to rotate the venue from year to year?[/quote]
Presumably you'd need someone promoting one of those other venues in order for them to be considered. I doubt anyone is going to step forward and put in a bid for Utica or Springfield.
[quote KeithK][quote statenaurora]The logical choice would be Albany, which has already been made. If the ECAC is open to other locations in order to moderate costs and improve the event then other smaller sites become an option. Syracuse, Utica, Springfield? Would it be possible to rotate the venue from year to year?[/quote]
Presumably you'd need someone promoting one of those other venues in order for them to be considered. I doubt anyone is going to step forward and put in a bid for Utica or Springfield.[/quote]
My parents live 20 minutes from Springfield, yet I don't think I'd want to see the tournament there.
Year 1: "This city is a little scary and the arena is sad, but fans can use their downtime to check out the Basketball Hall of Fame!"
Year 2: "Why are having this in Springfield?"
[quote Trotsky][quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]
Excellent quote by Marsh.
The debated change in the travel partner system is a little worrying, but it comes up as often as the BTHC.
I've never been to Bridgeport. Lake Placid would be great. If the tournament is only going to draw 5-7k, might as well have it in paradise rather than some hole.[/quote]
A hole...like Ithaca? :-)
[quote Rich S][quote Trotsky][quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]
Excellent quote by Marsh.
The debated change in the travel partner system is a little worrying, but it comes up as often as the BTHC.
I've never been to Bridgeport. Lake Placid would be great. If the tournament is only going to draw 5-7k, might as well have it in paradise rather than some hole.[/quote]
A hole...like Ithaca? :-)[/quote]
Well sure. But a hole with home ice advantage is still a good thing!
[quote ftyuv]I somehow missed the chatter about the Barlow goal earlier. Sounds pretty amazing! Is there a link to it anywhere?[/quote]Barlow's goal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=551NBWOzYzY&feature=channel_page&fmt+18)
[quote Al DeFlorio]
Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
[/quote]
At the risk for flaunting the obvious, bidding doesn't mean that they'll get them. Here's hoping that Albany keeps them. LP, Bridgeport: ::barf::
Albany has its faults. But, until they come up with something better (which they haven't), they need to leave it in Albany. At least it's centrally located.
This is a case where change for the sake of change is a bad thing!!
Maybe Syracuse will one day build a 5-8K arena. Then they can get a shot. But, I suspect those who dislike Albany will dislike Syracuse, as well.
Given: They're not going to please everybody. And, probably don't intend to try. It'll be decided by factors that have nothing to do with our opinions.
[quote KeithK][quote Rich S][quote Trotsky][quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]
Excellent quote by Marsh.
The debated change in the travel partner system is a little worrying, but it comes up as often as the BTHC.
I've never been to Bridgeport. Lake Placid would be great. If the tournament is only going to draw 5-7k, might as well have it in paradise rather than some hole.[/quote]
A hole...like Ithaca? :-)[/quote]
Well sure. But a hole with home ice advantage is still a good thing![/quote]
True, which is why the ECAC isn't going to stage the tourney in Ithaca. And yes, I realize the comment was said in jest.
[quote marty][quote ftyuv]I somehow missed the chatter about the Barlow goal earlier. Sounds pretty amazing! Is there a link to it anywhere?[/quote]Barlow's goal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=551NBWOzYzY&feature=channel_page&fmt+18)[/quote]
Thanks. And wow.
Though I can't help but wondering if the fact that he didn't even look to pass to Riley or Jillson (who seemed a bit more open to me) implies some frustration with his teammates, or at least with the scoreboard. Then again, sometimes that bit of selfishness/frustration is exactly what it takes to remind a team that it can win if it wants.
[quote redice]
This is a case where change for the sake of change is a bad thing!!
[/quote]
I'm not sure the league is looking to change things for the sake of change. I think it's more that Albany's contract is ending and they are willing to entertain other offers.
Albany isn't a great town, but it has enough bars, enough cheap hotels, and is close enough to every school that it is probably the least evil of all options. I would probably go no matter where they held it, but having it in Albany makes a weekend trip reasonable without missing an entire day of work.
[quote ftyuv][quote marty][quote ftyuv]I somehow missed the chatter about the Barlow goal earlier. Sounds pretty amazing! Is there a link to it anywhere?[/quote]Barlow's goal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=551NBWOzYzY&feature=channel_page&fmt+18)[/quote]
Thanks. And wow.
Though I can't help but wondering if the fact that he didn't even look to pass to Riley or Jillson (who seemed a bit more open to me) implies some frustration with his teammates, or at least with the scoreboard. Then again, sometimes that bit of selfishness/frustration is exactly what it takes to remind a team that it can win if it wants.[/quote]
It looked to me like "if they aren't going to put a body on me, I'm taking this as far as they'll let me". I say this without intending to take anything away from Barlow, because the cut from right to left around the defender and the goal were both excellent, the defense was really embarrassing on that goal.
[quote ugarte][quote ftyuv][quote marty][quote ftyuv]I somehow missed the chatter about the Barlow goal earlier. Sounds pretty amazing! Is there a link to it anywhere?[/quote]Barlow's goal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=551NBWOzYzY&feature=channel_page&fmt+18)[/quote]
Thanks. And wow.
Though I can't help but wondering if the fact that he didn't even look to pass to Riley or Jillson (who seemed a bit more open to me) implies some frustration with his teammates, or at least with the scoreboard. Then again, sometimes that bit of selfishness/frustration is exactly what it takes to remind a team that it can win if it wants.[/quote]
It looked to me like "if they aren't going to put a body on me, I'm taking this as far as they'll let me". I say this without intending to take anything away from Barlow, because the cut from right to left around the defender and the goal were both excellent, the defense was really embarrassing on that goal.[/quote]I see your point... but by the same token, he had to lift a pass to himself when he had an easy passing lane to someone who would have been in about as good a position as he ended up being in. That to me says that he didn't trust his teammates to hustle for the goal. Which, to be honest, looks like a fair judgment -- neither one of them were moving their legs.
Obviously I have nowhere near the level of experience or talent as even the CU hockey rejects... but in my games I've definitely had moments of thinking "dammit we're going to make this work, and if you guys are going to just sit there, I'll just do it myself." Maybe it's me just being selfish, but I think I recognize a bit of that in his play.
[quote ftyuv][quote ugarte][quote ftyuv][quote marty][quote ftyuv]I somehow missed the chatter about the Barlow goal earlier. Sounds pretty amazing! Is there a link to it anywhere?[/quote]Barlow's goal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=551NBWOzYzY&feature=channel_page&fmt+18)[/quote]
Thanks. And wow.
Though I can't help but wondering if the fact that he didn't even look to pass to Riley or Jillson (who seemed a bit more open to me) implies some frustration with his teammates, or at least with the scoreboard. Then again, sometimes that bit of selfishness/frustration is exactly what it takes to remind a team that it can win if it wants.[/quote]
It looked to me like "if they aren't going to put a body on me, I'm taking this as far as they'll let me". I say this without intending to take anything away from Barlow, because the cut from right to left around the defender and the goal were both excellent, the defense was really embarrassing on that goal.[/quote]I see your point... but by the same token, he had to lift a pass to himself when he had an easy passing lane to someone who would have been in about as good a position as he ended up being in. That to me says that he didn't trust his teammates to hustle for the goal. Which, to be honest, looks like a fair judgment -- neither one of them were moving their legs.
Obviously I have nowhere near the level of experience or talent as even the CU hockey rejects... but in my games I've definitely had moments of thinking "dammit we're going to make this work, and if you guys are going to just sit there, I'll just do it myself." Maybe it's me just being selfish, but I think I recognize a bit of that in his play.[/quote]
I was actually afraid that he WAS going to pass to Riley and not finish it himself...
[quote Kyle Rose]Albany isn't a great town, but it has enough bars, enough cheap hotels, and is close enough to every school that it is probably the least evil of all options. I would probably go no matter where they held it, but having it in Albany makes a weekend trip reasonable without missing an entire day of work.[/quote]
Bingo. I loved Lake Placid as a resort-type weekend destination, but I absolutely do not miss the trip to get there and back. Plus, all the hotels that don't suck are über-expensive. If you don't want to be able to hear an Anbinder snore a couple of rooms over through the thin glit walls, you have to shell out handsomely.
After watching it a few more times, I'm nearly convinced that he tried to dish it off, with what ended up being the "pass to himself" over the diving defender's stick. Since the pass failed but he was already where the puck ended up, why not just take the shot?
I don't really think he was either being selfish or deliberately trying to fire up the team with an individual effort, I think it's just how the play evolved.
[quote Beeeej]I don't really think he was either being selfish or deliberately trying to fire up the team with an individual effort, I think it's just how the play evolved.[/quote]
You're probably right. But regardless, it's only being selfish if you don't score!
Just to clarify, I don't see selfishness as an inherent evil in hockey. There are times that trying to include your teammates in a play is the wrong thing to do. Barlow's goal is a good example.
I'm surprised nobody voiced complaint about Lake Placid as an ECAC host, with their Olympic ice sheet. I guess the glories of 1970 make up for it.
[quote imafrshmn]I'm surprised nobody voiced complaint about Lake Placid as an ECAC host, with their Olympic ice sheet. I guess the glories of 1970 make up for it.[/quote]
Sure, the Olympic sheet is a negative. But many of us accepted that years ago, after years of going there. Strong opinions about the place as a host for the ECACs tend to be based on the town/location. Either you think it's isolated, hard to get to and expensive or a wonderful little resort town that lives and breathes hockey during the tournament weekend.
[quote KeithK] Either you think it's isolated, hard to get to and expensive or a wonderful little resort town that lives and breathes hockey during the tournament weekend.[/quote]
Well, I think both those things are true.
Not coincidentally, I'm one of the few people without a strong opinion on this topic. I showed up in Lake Placid. I showed up in Albany. I like both places. Frankly, while I still would go, I think moving to Bridgeport would be a step down. I guess the only advantage would be accessibility. Right on Metro-North, Amtrak, and the Port Jeff ferry.
[quote imafrshmn]I'm surprised nobody voiced complaint about Lake Placid as an ECAC host, with their Olympic ice sheet. I guess the glories of 1970 make up for it.[/quote]
It isn't as big a deal to play on an Olympic sheet against other teams that usually don't. I've often thought that the complaints about the Olympic rinks were thinly-masked complaints about a form of home-ice advantage.
Quote from: imafrshmnI'm surprised nobody voiced complaint about Lake Placid as an ECAC host, with their Olympic ice sheet. I guess the glories of 1970 make up for it.
I can't help wondering if 1970 is a typo, or maybe imafrshmn
thought it was 1980, but realized, 'No - that is a summer olympics year'
[quote nshapiro]
Quote from: imafrshmnI'm surprised nobody voiced complaint about Lake Placid as an ECAC host, with their Olympic ice sheet. I guess the glories of 1970 make up for it.
I can't help wondering if 1970 is a typo, or maybe imafrshmn
thought it was 1980, but realized, 'No - that is a summer olympics year'[/quote]
Well, Cornell did have a pretty memorable experience at Lake Placid in 1970.
[quote nshapiro]I can't help wondering if 1970 is a typo, or maybe imafrshmn thought it was 1980, but realized, 'No - that is a summer olympics year'[/quote]
They held the Summer and Winter Olympic games the same year until 1994.
[quote RichH][quote KeithK] Either you think it's isolated, hard to get to and expensive or a wonderful little resort town that lives and breathes hockey during the tournament weekend.[/quote]
Well, I think both those things are true.
Not coincidentally, I'm one of the few people without a strong opinion on this topic. I showed up in Lake Placid. I showed up in Albany. I like both places. Frankly, while I still would go, I think moving to Bridgeport would be a step down. I guess the only advantage would be accessibility. Right on Metro-North, Amtrak, and the Port Jeff ferry.[/quote]
Not easily accessible from Ithaca unless you plan on the tournament during break and then only if you care about those that live in the big city. It's also uncomfortably far from Potsdam and Hanover. Seeing the SLU fans in Albany was generally a plus (-1).
It makes no sense to move the ECACs from Albany to Bridgeport, New Haven, Rochester, Utica, etc, unless the Knick is infested with Syphilis or something. There are basically three ways you can go:
1) Major city with infrastructure, nightlife, etc
2) Small (dumpy) city in convenient location
3) Small town with charm
Placid was #3. You obviously want #1 for a Frozen Four, and the other three major conferences have it as well. Hockey East stole the ECAC's major city, and NYC would never work. When the move from Placid to Albany was being made, people tried to pretend it was going to a #1, but by that measure Albany fails. As a #2 it's fine, and there is no serious alternative given the geographic footprint of the league, except maybe Springfield.
[quote jtwcornell91]It makes no sense to move the ECACs from Albany to Bridgeport, New Haven, Rochester, Utica, etc, unless the Knick is infested with Syphilis or something. There are basically three ways you can go:
1) Major city with infrastructure, nightlife, etc
2) Small (dumpy) city in convenient location
3) Small town with charm
Placid was #3. You obviously want #1 for a Frozen Four, and the other three major conferences have it as well. Hockey East stole the ECAC's major city, and NYC would never work. When the move from Placid to Albany was being made, people tried to pretend it was going to a #1, but by that measure Albany fails. As a #2 it's fine, and there is no serious alternative given the geographic footprint of the league, except maybe Springfield.[/quote]I think you're neglecting the possibility of finding a small city in a convenient location that's NOT dumpy; that's probably what would be ideal for the ECAC. I guess the problem is that there really isn't one, or we would've all agreed that it was the best choice long ago. I mean, if Albany weren't dumpy (personally, I don't think it's actually as dumpy as people are making it out to be, but I'm going with that for the time being since it seems to be the consensus), nobody would be complaining about this, right?
I wasn't a big fan of the move at the time, but I've come around to a point of view that's similar to what Rich said earlier today. If you're open-minded and with a few people you get along with, you can have fun pretty much anywhere, whether it's the biggest city in the world, the middle of nowhere, or anything in between. There's a thread discussing Albany on USCHO now (or there was a couple of days ago before I got bored of all the idiocy), and more than anything else, the people who were complaining that there's nothing fun to do in Albany annoyed me. Yeah, if you come into town by yourself, stay in a hotel up on Wolf Road, don't associate with anyone, watch the games, eat fast food and go to sleep at 10pm, you're not going to have fun, but you could just as easily have a miserable time in NYC by restricting yourself to similar activities. You've gotta at least put forth a modicum of effort to make something out of the situation before you can complain about how bad the situation is.
After 7 years in Albany we know the options for before and after games, so it's become adequate. The surrounding area is quite nice if you go in for scenery. If you go there primarily to get wasted, well, you can do that in Antarctica as long as you plan ahead (actually the official motto of the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce).
The serious drawback with Albany is that there is no place where the team and fans can go to party in peace after the Saturday game à la Mud Puddles. That's a bummer, but it may be the case with any decent-sized city with a competent law enforcement presence.
Boston was ideal but it's not an option unless the ECAC jogs its schedule to steer clear of Hockey East, and even then they might not be able to book the Garden. All of the competing cities (Worcester, Providence, Hartford, Syracuse) have the same "hole" problem as Albany -- it's a region in decline, whaddya want? I'd vote to move it permanently back to Lake Placid, but we don't vote.
[quote Trotsky]After 7 years in Albany we know the options for before and after games, so it's become adequate. The surrounding area is quite nice if you go in for scenery. If you go there primarily to get wasted, well, you can do that in Antarctica as long as you plan ahead (actually the official motto of the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce).[/quote]Right. It's just the people who are (metaphorically) screaming "I WANT READY-MADE FUN! I'M NOT GOING TO GO LOOK FOR IT! SOMEONE BRING ME FUN!" that were annoying me.
Quoteit's a region in decline, whaddya want?
It's actually worth pointing out that Albany, along with Ithaca, are the only two upstate metros not experiencing population decline.
[quote mnagowski]
Quoteit's a region in decline, whaddya want?
It's actually worth pointing out that Albany, along with Ithaca, are the only two upstate metros not experiencing population decline.[/quote]
I would hardly consider ithaca "Metro"... unless of course you are from Caroline
[quote Dpperk29][quote mnagowski]
Quoteit's a region in decline, whaddya want?
It's actually worth pointing out that Albany, along with Ithaca, are the only two upstate metros not experiencing population decline.[/quote]
I would hardly consider ithaca "Metro"... unless of course you are from Caroline[/quote]
It's officially classified as a city. That's enough in my book.
I wouldn't necessarily, either, but as of the last census, the *ahem* Ithaca metropolitan area was home to just under over 100,000 people.
[quote CowbellGuy]I wouldn't necessarily, either, but as of the last census, the *ahem* Ithaca metropolitan area was home to just under over 100,000 people.[/quote]
I would Hardly consider all of tompkins county the ithaca metropolitan area. Groton is definetly more closely affiliated with Cortland. T-burg and Newfield are both a little too far to be considered metro area too.
[quote Dpperk29][quote CowbellGuy]I wouldn't necessarily, either, but as of the last census, the *ahem* Ithaca metropolitan area was home to just under over 100,000 people.[/quote]
I would Hardly consider all of tompkins county the ithaca metropolitan area. Groton is definetly more closely affiliated with Cortland. T-burg and Newfield are both a little too far to be considered metro area too.[/quote]
Amazing how the thread drifts when there's no hockey to consume our interests.
QuoteI would Hardly consider all of tompkins county the ithaca metropolitan area.
*shrugs* The U.S Census makes the definition, not me. Apparently a metro area requires 50,000 residents in the 'urbanized core'.
The main point, though, was to suggest that Albany isn't in decline -- at least from a population perspective. I find it to be a perfectly viable small city with plenty of amenities. And anybody who may think otherwise probably needs to get outside of the megalopolis more often.
Utica, on the other hand...
I'm perfectly happy when going to Albany. Then again, I'm not interesting in the slopes and/or drinking.
Like anything else, Albany is what you make of it.
[quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]Today Brandon Thomas (http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090328/SPORTS/903280334/1006) says Gallagher might play.
Freeze that ankle,
(http://www.clipartof.com/images/emoticons/xsmall2/273_cold_person_shivering.gif)
[quote David Harding][quote Al DeFlorio]Gallagher and both Devins to miss the NCAAs with injuries:-/. Bridgeport::banana:: and Lake Placid::yark:: bidding for ECACs?
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090325/SPORTS/903250322/1006[/quote]Today Brandon Thomas (http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090328/SPORTS/903280334/1006) says Gallagher might play.[/quote]
He's playing. Damn near scored on the first shift.
[quote marty]Freeze that ankle,
(http://www.clipartof.com/images/emoticons/xsmall2/273_cold_person_shivering.gif)[/quote]
Freeze everyone's ankles for tomorrow.
In the Bridgeport vain, I must point out that they sold out their regional, which is pretty rare. Despite being nothing like a hotbed of hockey, perhaps the easy of transport from NYC does have something to be said for it.
[quote DeltaOne81]In the Bridgeport vain, I must point out that they sold out their regional, which is pretty rare. Despite being nothing like a hotbed of hockey, perhaps the easy of transport from NYC does have something to be said for it.[/quote]
Having Yale, Vermont, and Michigan helped, too. The first is local and the latter two travel well.
[quote Al DeFlorio][quote DeltaOne81]In the Bridgeport vain, I must point out that they sold out their regional, which is pretty rare. Despite being nothing like a hotbed of hockey, perhaps the easy of transport from NYC does have something to be said for it.[/quote]
Having Yale, Vermont, and Michigan helped, too. The first is local and the latter two travel well.[/quote]Yeah, see what the ticket situation would have been had CU been there. If we can sell out half of MSG and that Harvard rink, I think we would have done well there.
As an aside, I've wondered for a while why the NCAA doesn't put into their Frozen Four lottery number a credit for buying regional tickets.
[quote ugarte][quote marty]Freeze that ankle,
(http://www.clipartof.com/images/emoticons/xsmall2/273_cold_person_shivering.gif)[/quote]
Freeze everyone's ankles for tomorrow.[/quote]
I don't think it can be overemphasized how beat the players looked after taking their shifts towards the end of these games. The shots of Greening, Barlow and Gallagher on the bench after their goals show guys fighting for each breath of air. The amount of effort they put into the games (especially easy to see during the games versus Princeton and Northeastern when the cameras were on them after they scored) was evident as they panted like tired dogs.
For anyone with the video, look at Colin after the GWG in Albany versus Princeton. He is still gasping as the teams do the traditional handshake!
Thanks all for an end of season run that I didn't expect when I first saw this team in Schenectady and Troy. They didn't have the killer D or '03, '05 and '06 but somehow they achieved a bit more than most of us thought they would.
Hockey is a great game and one of the reasons that Cornell will be fondly remembered by so many of us. Yesterday hurt all of us mentally, but the point of this post is that I've never felt the sting of a division one slash or 90+ MPH puck bouncing off an un-padded area of my body. Thanks to "the team" for another enjoyable season. I love this game but you guys love it on a whole different level.
[quote redice]I'm perfectly happy when going to Albany. Then again, I'm not interesting in the slopes and/or drinking.
Like anything else, Albany is what you make of it.[/quote]I am interested in drinking and Albany serves my purposes just fine. =]