RW77's Late Frozen Four Wrap Up

Whoooo, what a week for me.

This weekend saw me in Chicago with some buddies so I wasn't so quick on the draw with the Frozen Debacle at the Hockey Are... I mean Ford Field.

But first...

An Apology to Boston College

Yeah, I'm sorry guys. I didn't see it happening. Muse looked pathetic vs. Yale and I let one game get to me. From a bar on State and Rush (Shenanigans if you're interested) I watched the Eagles skate around the Badgers as if they were flies facing off against a hippo.

I found it interesting that BC took such easy care of Miami. I thought they'd be the easy outs in this round. But the Miami goaltender took a turn at pulling a Christobal Huet imitation.

Slight Vindication

Ok, I've maintained all year long that the NUMBER ONE SUPER WEAKNESS of the Badgers was between the pipes. BINGO!!! I win! Gudmanson looked L-O-S-T. He sucked. Flat out. Yeah, the D abandoned him but in these types of contests, goaltending makes or breaks it. And face it, Muse came to play. Gudmanson got lost on the way to Ford Field. I was STUNNED that Gudmanson stayed in the game. I would have pulled him after the 3rd goal.

Thank you so much, Ford Field

Thanks a bunch, Ford Field! You helped provide ample evidence to never return the Frozen Four to a NON HOCKEY ARENA!

Ok, there were the ticket issues and, yes, I've heard that the fan experience at Ford Field was ok, if not good overall. However, UW's Michael Davies and especially Derek Stepan can attest to the number one most important aspect of a championship game: FREAKING ICE.

In fact, I'd argue that the ICE is the MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF HOCKEY. Ever try to play ICE hockey on water? How about slush? How about several large slabs of ice stuck together with a thin layer of ice laid above it?

Well, they know now. The ice SUCKED. I talked to my buds at the bar and they looked at the ice and said, "Hey, is there supposed to be large cracks running down it?" I told them that I bet it was merely the lines of the football field coming through the ice.

Then Derek Stepan got injured. You see... when I saw he hit the boards, I SWORE I'd find a BC Eagle near him. NOPE. His edge hit one of those cracks and he flew, back of the head first, into the boards. He had to be helped off the ice. Yeah, losing edges happen but really... EVERYONE said the ice was bad. Coaches, officials, players, EVERYONE! So who's to say that they weren't cracks?

If Mike Eaves doesn't raise hell about the ice, he should be fired. No, I don't think it had any effect on the outcome, but hey, further proof that the NCAA only cares about $$$.

There is NO WAY a championship event AT ANY LEVEL OF HOCKEY should be held ANYWHERE OTHER THAN A HOCKEY ARENA. Yeah, you can have your crappy outdoor games and I'm not at all unopposed to a crappy game at Ford Field... provided it is either EXHIBITION or REGULAR SEASON. Playoffs? Nope. Tournement? Nope. Frozen Four? HELL NO.

The NCAA should be embarrassed but... they're probably just sitting in some stuffy board room with their Excel Spreadsheet in front of them laughing at the money.