This is a rumor that is starting to make it's way
onto the internet. Looks like UNO could have some competition for the final spot in the WCHA. While it does seem logical, I think UNO is the better fit. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Of course UAA would be for it, because they are their heated in state rival.
QUESTION --- Rumors have circulated around the Internet, as well as the UAF community, that the Alaska Nanooks hockey team may be moving from the CCHA to the WCHA. Is this true?
RESPONSE --- From Forrest Karr, UAF Athletics and Recreation director
We are working with both conferences to explore affiliation with the WCHA for a number of reasons including the potential to increase revenue, reduce team travel costs, reduce team travel subsidies and the opportunity to play four league games each year against our natural in-state rival.
Chancellor Rogers will be briefed on May 27. If he decides to move forward, students, faculty, staff and the greater Fairbanks community will all be invited to open forums for discussion and input.
Please...take them!
ReplyDeleteWhat a dumb idea, two Alaska teams in one conference. Hello fun times, traveling to Alaska twice a year. Also, if all these teams are so interested in joining tWCHA, why didn't they all apply BEFORE the deadline?
ReplyDeleteBoosh,
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with two Alaska teams in the same conference?
You mean, WCHA schools would have to make two 4000 mile trips a year? Gee, UAA and UAF make 7 or 8 such trips a year. So you're saying that WCHA schools are too pussy to make an extra trip (which they probably wouldn't have to do anyway with some minimum creativity in scheduling)?
Isn't fairness toward your opponent part of the spirit of competition?
Decrying this idea as dumb was the stupidest thing you've ever said. And I say that knowing you have established a track record of tremendously stupid things in the past.
As a Nanook watcher, it would be awesome to se the Nooks in the WCHA, one can only take so much of Ferris State, and LSSU etc. The CCHA, in my opinion is garbage. Being in the WCHA would do wonders for recruiting as well. I hope they do it. What goes against it is, just like in Anchorage, where there are alot of Minnesota roots, there are alot of Michigan roots in here in Fairbanks. Hopefully it happens!
ReplyDeleteI gotta say, the whole "Wah, flying to AK twice a year!" thing is getting old. Especially since, as I understand it, only two teams a year would have to go twice, or just an extended two-weekend trip. I mean really, it couldn't be THAT hard to schedule the clustermates so one plays UAF one weekend and UAA the next, while the other clustermate does just the opposite. The rest would only have to go once, UAF one year and UAA the next. Is that REALLY so bad?
ReplyDeleteSure, that length of air travel is tiring. I've done it before, I know first-hand. But as Donald mentioned, the AK schools do it all the time. If I were a fan of another program, I'd hope that my team could handle it once or *gasp* twice a year without fainting on the ice due to fatigue.
If you wanna argue that UAF is a bad choice for the WCHA, then fine. But pick a better argument than that.
Would the teams that travel up there twice get two exemptions then for non-conference games?
ReplyDeleteAnd if UAF joins the WCHA, I'd rather have UNO (because I could actually get there w/ out going broke), the CCHA better let in Huntsville, since the WCHA just sucked up their biggest travel cost.
Also, could the Badgers play them both during the summer, so I could actually enjoy a trip to Alaska in between two weekends of hockey?
I predict this summer we will hear that the WCHA is going to be a 12 team league, it is just a matter of which team is going to be the 12th team. Either team would add their pros to the process. I have read and heard that there is a reason UAF and UAA are NOT in the same conference. I guess that is by design.
ReplyDeleteGandalf I agree with you I wouldn't mind seeing a series in Alaska. UND had a fan flight one time that went up there for a series, If they do it again I might jump at the chance. I was told by some people that went that they had a good time.