jeff jackson not pleased

[rood]

1. Other than taking a week off between conference playoffs and the nationals there's not a lot that could be done about it being Easter weekend.

3. When you say adults couldn't buy a beer do you mean they weren't for sale on Sunday or you couldn't afford on after the ticket price?

Not being allowed to leave the arena between games is pretty standard. I've never been able to leave Joe Louis during the CCHA tournament.

5. Not opening the gift shop is really stupid.

[transfer2BGSU]

4. The music on the PA when the game was stopped was awful. At one stage, they played "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell. Seriously?

Nothing wrong with playing some Glen Campbell. Play some "Classical Gas" along with some George Jones and George Strait and you have the makings for an outstanding PA music selection.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh0F2sMcr_4

[factman]

That sounds like music for a horse show to me!

[BGFalconfromCincy]

5. The Walleye gift shop was closed. Might have been fun to take a Walleye hat or t-shirt or Jersey back to Minnesota.

I work at the Falcon Team Store in the Stroh Center and last year during the NCAA Women's basketball tournament we weren't allow to open the store or sell BG merchandise, just the NCAA tournament merchandise (which we did on the concourse). This is likely why the Walleye gift shop wasn't open

[rally]

Ah, I wondered about the Walleye shop and the NC$$ eliminating the competition. As for the beer, none allowed to be served at NC$$ sponsored events. At the Albany Frozen Four in 2001 every one of the 17,000 seats had a cup holder that said Bud Lite, and every Bud Lite logo had been covered with a blue NC$$ sticker. If you have time and money to waste on such things, you have too much time and money.

[Falcon Fanatic]

Yup, ticket prices, Easter weekend. NC$$ is all about the $$. No way most local families would attend at those prices. I totally agree with Jackson about the "media" time-outs. Terrible. Breaks up the flow of the game, stops momentum and is alien to the type of play that got each team to the tournament.

Agree with everything, but your last statement. I know for fact the CCHA (probably WCHA also) has had media time-outs for every game, regardless if it was on TV. The object was to make every game the same for every team. Only difference this past weekend is they seemed twice as long.

Were the time-outs any different than when a game is on tv during the regular season? They seem to have more time-outs when it's on tv than the usual "media time-outs" that we have to put up with each game. Just curious.

[pdt1081]

Were the time-outs any different than when a game is on tv during the regular season? They seem to have more time-outs when it's on tv than the usual "media time-outs" that we have to put up with each game. Just curious.

They didn't add any time outs. They were just longer. They were probably 90 seconds-2 full minutes. They'd put a "find the differences" picture up on the screen with a 30 second timer, and there was still plenty of time for the band to play. They were long enough to go to the bathroom and get back to your seat....depending on where you sat.

One thing to add, having the video screen while they are reviewing goals is awesome. Everybody sees exactly what the refs do. Notre Dame kicked a goal in. The ref reviewed it and they showed it on the big screen. Ref skated over to Jackson to explain why it was disallowed and Jackson waved him off and pointed at the board.

[Lord_Byron]

What genius thought it would be a good idea to put two of the regionals less than three hours apart? If the ticket prices hadn't kept me away I would have had to decide which one to go to but if they did Grand Rapids this year and Toledo next year I would have gone to both (personal finances willing).

It's not unusual to have the regionals close to each other. Happens most years in the E-NE.

This year, Providence and Manchester are closer to each other thatn Toledo and Grand Rapids.

[Freddie]

There are a lot of problems that come from having top seeds host regionals at their home rink...those of us who have followed college hockey for long enough remember when it used to be this way.

Several D1 rinks are very small (RIT 2100, Union 2225, Niagara 2100, Robert Morris 1100). Even from among this year's top seeds Q'pac only holds 3084.

Imagine the logistical nightmare if Anchorage or Fairbanks would earn home ice for a regional. Teams and fans would have 5 days to make those travel arrangements.

Also remember, most of these buildings (including ours) count on other events to cover their operating expenses. Youth tournaments, clinics and in some cases concerts, basketball games and monster truck shows. All 59 d1 schools would have to keep that weekend 'open' until the last minute...that's a hidden cost that can never be recouped.

I would favor dropping to 2 regional sites with 8 teams coming in, and two advancing from each regional to the frozen 4.

[rood]

What genius thought it would be a good idea to put two of the regionals less than three hours apart? If the ticket prices hadn't kept me away I would have had to decide which one to go to but if they did Grand Rapids this year and Toledo next year I would have gone to both (personal finances willing).

It's not unusual to have the regionals close to each other. Happens most years in the E-NE.

This year, Providence and Manchester are closer to each other thatn Toledo and Grand Rapids.

That doesn't make it any less stupid.

[Freddie]

Travel in the east is always less an issue than in the west. Look at the traditional eastern regional venues: Providence, Manchester, Bridgeport, Albany, Boston...all are within easy driving distance from practically any of the eastern schools.

I met a group of 5 kids from St Cloud Saturday. They drove 12 hours to get to Toledo, and from the way they looked, I wouldn't be surprised if they were sleeping in their car. That's dedication.

The other problem with sites like Grand Rapids, Toledo and Green Bay is you cant fly there direct from anywhere. I think they'd be better off to stick to larger metro areas (Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis). And I still think they'd have better attendance and better playoff atmosphere with 2 8-team regionals instead of the current 4.

The big-BIG-BIG issue however is ticket prices. Without a true local team in the field, could anybody at the NC$$ really have been expecting to sell many $45-75 tix to the general public?

[transfer2BGSU]

That sounds like music for a horse show to me!

And that reminds me....

The BG Equestrian Team is having a World's Finest Chocolate fundraiser on Friday, April 5. Come out to support your Team. Members will be at the Union Tables from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. Chocolate bars will be sold for $1. Also stop by to make a bracelet for FREE.

[mscarn]

Easter weekend.

Hey, ho!

[Freddie]

Easter weekend.

Hey, ho!

I don't get it

[Falcon Fanatic]

Me either.