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I actually expected to read more
First off, if you’re going to attack someone you should have saved your ire for the Wisconsin Badgers athletics department. Wasn’t Barry Alvarez one of the big cheer leaders of the B1G? Without the Big Ten Hockey Conference none of this would probably ever happened.
Brandon Veale; DMG Sports Editor --- You can probably bet on this being the last time UND slums around here, thanks to they and the rest of the band of mutineers that formed the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. You may remember the NCHC as the league formed to avoid undesirable (and more importantly, untelevised) trips to places like Houghton, Mankato and Anchorage and replace them with occasionally televised places like Oxford, Ohio and Kalamazoo.First, I don’t have anything against Michigan Tech and appreciate their school and their hockey program so this isn't directed at their team. I have met many great Michigan Tech fans and have enjoyed interacting with their fans during the Final Fives.
They're very excited about this, as the NCHC is already sending out regular releases on each future member's progress, even though league play doesn't begin until next season. It's a job Winston from the book would be proud of.
I'm sure everyone the television industry is beating the door down to go to Grand Forks in January to show the Fighting _____ play Western Michigan, though I wouldn't mind seeing how they're going with uninstalling all the _____ logos paid for, and demanded by, Ralph Engelstad's hard-earned casino money.
Last year, during the Final Five I had a 0:300 am breakfast at Mickey’s Diner in Saint Paul with a Gopher fan, two Tech fans and two other UND hockey fans that I know and the general theme was we’re were going miss days like this when our favorite teams all go different directions in 2013-14.
That being said, this sports column was hardly needed.
Like I have said a few times, the fans are hardly to blame when it comes to College Hockey re-alignment; we had no choice in this matter. These types of conference decisions are made by people in athletic departments that are supposed to be a lot smarter than the rest of us. I don't remember them asking any of us for our feed back when they made these decisions either.
I have always told people if you’re unhappy with the formation of the NCHC send the people that made this happen an email or letter. That’s where your anger should be focused.
Lastly, I also don’t think that it’s necessary to take shots at a dead benefactor. What’s the point? I don’t know any college hockey program that would have turned down a 100,000,000.00 donation/gift to build a hockey arena. Ralph Englestad Arena has been a God send to UND, and helps recruit some the best hockey players in college hockeys. I am just shocked there wasn't a Nazi reference in there. I mean seriously, Ralph Englestad has been dead since November 26, 2002 but yet the hateful comments never cease, ten years later.
