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So, what does everybody think??

Jim and Cookie

GO FALCONS!

NEVER GIVE UP!
NEVER SURRENDER!

Have to be honest, this totally surprises me. Not sure what to think. As I thought about possible scenarios, this was not on my radar.

BG better sign up to join fast...we got lucky on this one to get invited. It still makes no sense to me why the WCHA would include us, due to location. It is going to be really expensive to travel, but I don't see us getting a better invite. NCHC would be nearly impossible for the team to compete. Take the deal before they change their mind.

I say don't go. If travel will be that expensive, aren't we just destroying the budget to play in this league? The other options on the table seemed to make much more sense. Having a 6 team conference still guarantees you a spot in the playoffs, doesn't it? BG, Ferris, and 4 other teams that are relatively close make more sense than joining the WCHA and getting screwed on travel costs.

I'm going to assume that BG would have to fly to the Minnesota schools.

I'm not excited.

"Bemidji State, Minnesota State, St. Cloud State, Alaska-Anchorage and Michigan Tech ... give me a break! What do those teams have to offer? Lots of travel and little exposure. Stay East BG!

I would assume the following:

As talks occurred it was determined that the 5 CCHA members acknowledged a willingness to disban their conference to migrate to the 6 WCHA members therefore if BG were to decide to stay they would be alone.

Traveling to 2 Alaska and 3 Minnesota schools would be drawbacks while 5 members from Michigan would be a positive travel experience. Half good & half not-so-good - most schools are on the outer edge of a conference and this conference put us on the edge.

If the CCHA membership thought there was a better option they would have explored it and been hesitant about this one. If they were hesitant the WCHA would not have extended an inviatation.

The WCHA is not likely to open themselves up to get publicly rejected upon publicly inviting 5 new members.

Likely this is a done deal because it is the best deal available at this time.

According to USCHO.com Alaska and LSSU have already accepted the invite so the CCHA is dead. This is the best situation in terms of travel and the programs are better and better established than the ACHA. I'm not wild about the NCHC (I just don't see Miami maintaining that travel budget for the long haul) and I really don't believe Hockey East is going to come calling.

I can live with the WCHA and a trip to Alaska every year means two extra home games every year.

Not only will expenses increase significantly, but income will DROP significantly! You cna't convince me that the remaining WCHA schools would ever draw near as well at BG as OSU, UM, MSU and Miami! Bad deal for the whole athletic department, but then againit woulod nothing I wouldn't expect.

factman wrote:Not only will expenses increase significantly, but income will DROP significantly! You cna't convince me that the remaining WCHA schools would ever draw near as well at BG as OSU, UM, MSU and Miami! Bad deal for the whole athletic department, but then againit woulod nothing I wouldn't expect.

Didn't know being in a conference with OSU, MSU, UM and MU was an option. I don't believe the AD would have passed on that offer.

dforde wrote:Have to be honest, this totally surprises me. Not sure what to think. As I thought about possible scenarios, this was not on my radar.

That is exactly how I feel.

Falcon Fanatic wrote:

dforde wrote:Have to be honest, this totally surprises me. Not sure what to think. As I thought about possible scenarios, this was not on my radar.

That is exactly how I feel.

Really? Both of you? When they announced the NCHC this was my first thought.

I did think it was a possibility at some point, but really thought we'd go the route of inviting the four Atlantic teams into the CCHA. I seriously wonder about the travel costs of joining the WCHA!!