Generic Off Season Thread

[adamw]

On a more serious note, why does Bridgeport draw so well? Didn't the Union final draw better than BC in Worcester?

Mass-Lowell?

Bridgeport has drawn well solely because, in the 3 years it has hosted, the teams there have included Yale, Union, Lowell and Vermont ... all of which brought a ton of people there. If the bracket were BC-Miami-Duluth-Northern Michigan - no one would've been there.

[adamw]

Why need we become complacent with the level of success that the ECAC has?

Not sure if you were referring to me, but ... not becoming complacent at all. The opposite, actually. That's why I said the ECAC should seize the momentum, and do something that will help even further.

BTW - Cornell has been even closer to the FF a bunch of times in the last 10 years - so using them as a yardstick is not saying much. Cornell has always been the standard bearer, sometimes by itself. Getting Union to the FF is the only thing different about this year compared to anything else in the last 10 years. Not much of a difference.  There's no question that the ECAC has been "competitive" as a whole over the last decade, so I don't see that as an issue.

The ECAC should be able to pass WCHA Lite and Atlantic Hockey.

I don't think there's any question that the ECAC will be above those two in future years, but I don't see that as the point of this discussion.

I think Adam commented once that winning the ECAC was not "the thing" it once was. There's one certain way to make it "a thing" again and that is national success.

That is not the reason why I said it wasn't a big deal. I don't perceive winning the ECACs as a huge thing unto itself, if NCAA success doesn't follow. In more parochial times, "the ECACs" was practically held in the same esteem as the national championship. Just like winning a Big Ten football title was to people. It's not the same anymore. It has nothing to do with the ECAC per se - it's the same for any conference in any sport these days.

Also, would Lake Placid be the best locale for television exposure? Which networks would be willing to travel to what most describe as a helplessly remote location to broadcast the ECAC Championships? I think that Lake Placid might present unforeseen issues with television exposure.

I believe a company like CBSCS would be more willing to broadcast the event from Lake Placid than from Albany. That is just a theory though.

[Beeeej]

I believe a company like CBSCS would be more willing to broadcast the event from Lake Placid than from Albany. That is just a theory though.

On what basis - that they'd get to say "Herb Brooks" and talk about the 1980 miracle on ice a few times?

[adamw]

I believe a company like CBSCS would be more willing to broadcast the event from Lake Placid than from Albany. That is just a theory though.

On what basis - that they'd get to say "Herb Brooks" and talk about the 1980 miracle on ice a few times?

Believe it or not, from my experience, yes.

[marty]

I was surprised that it did well this year compared to BC with Union and Mass-Lowell. Yale was more predictable.

[Trotsky]

I believe a company like CBSCS would be more willing to broadcast the event from Lake Placid than from Albany. That is just a theory though.

On what basis - that they'd get to say "Herb Brooks" and talk about the 1980 miracle on ice a few times?

Believe it or not, from my experience, yes.

If we're talking about TV coverage, wouldn't Lake Placid, as a remote location, be more expensive to broadcast from?

[Beeeej]

I believe a company like CBSCS would be more willing to broadcast the event from Lake Placid than from Albany. That is just a theory though.

On what basis - that they'd get to say "Herb Brooks" and talk about the 1980 miracle on ice a few times?

Believe it or not, from my experience, yes.

If we're talking about TV coverage, wouldn't Lake Placid, as a remote location, be more expensive to broadcast from?

Sure, but it's all worth the expense.  Go ahead, say "Herb Brooks" out loud.  Try it just once, and tell me that's not worth thousands of dollars in travel expense, overtime, and telecom equipment investment.

[adamw]

Sure, but it's all worth the expense.  Go ahead, say "Herb Brooks" out loud.  Try it just once, and tell me that's not worth thousands of dollars in travel expense, overtime, and telecom equipment investment.

mock if you must - I'm just telling you like it is.  There are usually crews all over - and there would not be additional costs for those things.

Also - some buildings have union regulations that make broadcasting more expensive - something Lake Placid would not.

[adamw]

I was surprised that it did well this year compared to BC with Union and Mass-Lowell. Yale was more predictable.

BC typically does not draw big crowds.

[Jim Hyla]

I just don't know what to say, but that won't stop me from trying.:-}We did LP once, a few times actually, and I don't see how it was some tremendous help back then. If the coaches were to say that it make their recruiting that much easier, I'd go along with it in a heartbeat. But if that were the case we wouldn't be discussing this, it would already be a done deal, wouldn't it? Why would the schools not be screaming, "Let's get back to LP.", if they felt it was so much better? All I've read is that they were ones to say no, I guess because of the sheet size. I just can't believe that a prospect would be turned to the ECAC because of LP, I just can't, can't can't. They will go with the coach that inspires them, assuming finances, facilities, etc. are up to snuff.

No, I just can't believe that the name LP is so strong that we'll get players because of it. Sorry.

Adam, I'd never imply that ECAC coaches are inferior. No that's why we lost a couple to other conferences, because they are good. Now why did they leave? Was Providence that much better than Union? He probably got more money, Union couldn't or wouldn't match it, felt that it would be easier to get students admitted, and easier to keep them in school, maybe PU has better facilities, I don't know. Why PSU? I'm sure the money is better, facilities are better, easier to get admissions, more athletic prestige. But none of the coaches left because we were in Albany, or AC, instead of LP. Those schools have things that we'll never have, and we can't match them, never. We have to do it another way, but I just don't see that LP adds that much, if any; and the negatives far out-way the positives, IMO.

[Josh '99]

Why need we become complacent with the level of success that the ECAC has? ECAC results during the 2012 NCAAs were fairly impressive. Union got into the Frozen Four and Cornell knocked off a team that many viewed as a favorite for a national title going into the tournament. Cornell was arguably an ill-timed, broken stick away from making the Frozen Four. I know that it requires more than one season to establish a trend, but I feel somewhat assured the Cornell, Sucks, and Union have a chance at being competitive next season. If RPI can right their course, then that would be one-third of the ECAC. The Ivies have become more competitive with the scholarship programs with their competitive financial aid offers. Why pretend it is like what it once was when it clearly is not?

I don't think it's realistic to say that things are categorically different now than they were, say, five or ten years ago, based on the fact that the ECAC had one good year in the NCAA tournament.  Maybe things will continue to improve, sure, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.  This year's good showing notwithstanding, it's still 22 seasons and counting since an ECAC team even played in the championship game.

[redice]

I've been smoking the same thing for 10 years. My opinion has never changed

I know...   At least you're consistent, my friend.   No offense intended.   We'll just agree to disagree on this one.   All is good!!

[redice]

I will say this, LP is the only ECAC tournament location where I can recall a constant drone of statements that it's a "WONDERFUL PLACE TO HOLD THIS TOURNAMENT" from the media and the league officials.    That tells me that they don't really believe it and their trying to convince the world.

For example, when it was in Boston before the ECAC & HE split, nobody wasted any time bragging about Boston being a great place to have the finals.   They didn't have to make such claims.   Why?   Because it was!!   No promotion was necessary!!   And no, I am not proposing that we move back to Boston.   We all know why that can't/won't happen.   But, at the time that the tournament was held there, it was a terrific site.   LP?   Never!!

[jtn27]

I will say this, LP is the only ECAC tournament location where I can recall a constant drone of statements that it's a "WONDERFUL PLACE TO HOLD THIS TOURNAMENT" from the media and the league officials.    That tells me that they don't really believe it and their trying to convince the world.

For example, when it was in Boston before the ECAC & HE split, nobody wasted any time bragging about Boston being a great place to have the finals.   They didn't have to make such claims.   Why?   Because it was!!   No promotion was necessary!!   And no, I am not proposing that we move back to Boston.   We all know why that can't/won't happen.   But, at the time that the tournament was held there, it was a terrific site.   LP?   Never!!

By that logic, why isn't anyone claiming AC is wonderful?

[Rosey]

I will say this, LP is the only ECAC tournament location where I can recall a constant drone of statements that it's a "WONDERFUL PLACE TO HOLD THIS TOURNAMENT" from the media and the league officials.    That tells me that they don't really believe it and their trying to convince the world.

For example, when it was in Boston before the ECAC & HE split, nobody wasted any time bragging about Boston being a great place to have the finals.   They didn't have to make such claims.   Why?   Because it was!!   No promotion was necessary!!   And no, I am not proposing that we move back to Boston.   We all know why that can't/won't happen.   But, at the time that the tournament was held there, it was a terrific site.   LP?   Never!!

By that logic, why isn't anyone claiming AC is wonderful?

No one can gild that turd.