Bottom Ten Tourney Field, Futile Four Site Announced

[Bob Gray]

Bottom Ten Selection Committee Announces 2001 Tournament Field and Site of the Futile Four


Just to refresh everyone on the structure of the tournament, there are a total of 16 teams, meaning none of those wimpy byes the NCAA uses in its tourney. Four regionals are held, two in the east and two in the west, with the winners of the regionals converging for the Futile Four. The Committee wishes to announce the site is has chosen for the Final Four. After careful consideration, the Site Selection Committee has selected the Schenectady Civic Center for the Futile Four. This is the former home of the Schenectady Chiefs, of the ACHL. That’s the league where Vince McMahon owned the Cape Cod franchise. Unfortunately the Chiefs folded after just nine games in which they average 500 in attendance. Of course this probably relates to the fact the only entrance to the Civic Center was through a drug store! The Committee was very impressed with this pedigree. The Committee is still investigating the availability of the Schenectady Civic Center, but is optimistic that something will be able to be worked out. For all you old Chief fans out there, Dean Willers was the team’s leading scorer with 9-8-17, Mike Crawford was the top assist man with 10, Jay Larson led in PM with 30, and Gary Scott was the regular goalie.

The Committee had a very tough time choosing the 16 teams and particularly the selection of the last few teams presented the Committee with some very difficult choices. The first six teams into the tourney are the six conference champions who all get autobids: Bemidji State, Bentley, Brown, Lake Superior State, Mass-Amherst, and Minnesota-Duluth. Next, in looking at the PWR, there are two teams that clearly warrant selection, Holy Cross (#3 PWR) and American International (#5 PWR). Next the Committee felt that Alaska-Anchorage, with their relatively lofty ranking in the final regular season poll (#5) and 20 game winless streak during the regular season (longest in D1), should definitely be in despite their borderline PWR (#14). That’s nine teams in. Next the Committee looked at Alaska-Fairbanks, which finished at #7 in the final regular season poll. Despite failing to defend its CCHA crown, UAF was #15 in the PWR and also won just one of its last twelve, so the Nanooks are in the tourney again.

Air Force presented an interesting quandary for the Selection Committee. The Falcons were not even honorable mention in the final regular season poll, but find themselves at #7 in the PWR. Removing their three wins and one loss to non Division One teams, their D1 record is 13-16-4, which is a very questionable record. The Committee decided to hold off on the Falcons until later in the selection process.

The next two teams in the PWR are Fairfield and Army at #8 and #9 respectively. It didn’t take very long for the Committee to decide these teams belonged in the tourney. Army is the defending tourney champion and Fairfield has been a regular Bottom Ten contender the last few years, although they slipped a bit this year. With the addition of these two teams there are now twelve teams in and four to go.

Once you get down to the last few slots the Committee felt that the teams getting those spots should have demonstrated the ability to make some noise in the tournament. One team the Committee felt met this criteria is Michigan Tech. The Huskies were the regular season champion last year and this year finished up at 3-10-3 in their last 16. Three more spots to fill.

Niagara is another interesting case, having not appeared in the polls most of the season, but coming in at #10 in the PWR. The Committee didn’t like the idea of taking a team that was above .500. However, the Purple Eagles went just 1-7-2 at the end of the season, including a loss and tie to Bemidji State, a loss the Lake Superior State, and three straight losses to Wayne State. These results indicate to the Committee that Niagara can compete with the big name teams in the postseason tournament and the Committee felt that Niagara had played their way into the tourney with their late season run.

Next the Committee took a look at Notre Dame. Here is a team that a month or two ago would have been a shoe in for the tournament and had a good shot at an autobid. However, the Fighting Irish went 5-3-2 to finish out the year, lost the CCHA autobid, and put themselves on the bubble for postseason action. However, the Committee felt that their overall record (10-22-7) was still quite impressive and they were the runner up in the CCHA. Their PWR, at #17, didn’t really sway things one way or another. The Fighting Irish almost played their way out of the tournament, but not quite.

That makes 15 teams in, and one more to select. The last three teams to be considered were Air Force, Union, and Colgate. Air Force was just 7-3-3 against teams already in the tournament and despite a high PWR, the Committee just didn’t feel that the Falcons had earned a tournament berth. That left Union and Colgate, two ECAC schools. Colgate has a slight edge on overall record and finished second to Brown in the ECAC. Union only finished one point behind Colgate and has a more impressive goal differential. Union had a slight edge in late season record, going 5-6-1 in their last 12 while Colgate went 5-4 in their last 9. In head to head action Union won at home 4-2 and Colgate won at home 4-1. Against teams already in the tournament Colgate was 2-1-2 while Union was 1-1-2. There really was nothing substantive separating these two teams, so the deciding factor really came down to the fact that although they had split the regular season series, the Colgate’s win over Union in the next to last game of the regular season tilts the scale toward Union. The Committee just didn’t feel it could take Colgate with that late season result, so Union is the last team in the tournament.

Several Others Under Consideration

Connecticut – The Huskies had an impressive PWR (#11), but never contended in the MAAC, had a winning conference record, and twice scored 10 or more goals in beating Bentley.

Merrimack – So close but yet so far. A single point separated the Warriors from a tie for the Hockey East title, but without that autobid, they didn’t have much chance of getting in the tournament, although their late season performance did garner some consideration. Nevertheless, they were a very poor 26th in the PWR.

So here is the complete listing of the teams left on the Road to Schenectady: Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska-Fairbanks, American International, Army, Bemidji State, Bentley, Brown, Fairfield, Holy Cross, Lake Superior State, Mass-Amherst, Michigan Tech, Minnesota-Duluth, Niagara, Notre Dame, and Union

The Selection Committee will shortly announce the seedings and the first round matchups.

[Kieron]

Yes! post-season baby!!

And shouldn't it be "the slipery slope to schenectady" (TM donated to the Bottom Ten Tourney)?

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GO MINUTEMEN!
FleetCenter in 2002!
Blame the Tremont St. Brain Trust
Kieron
UMass Amherst

[This message has been edited by Kieron (edited March 30, 2001).]

[redraider13]

God **** it!! Why did you have to go through your thought process!!? Now I had to see how close we were to making the post season, only to lose out by a small margin to Union, AGAIN! This is bs and you know it! Well ya know what, you can't hold us back any longer, I'll be in Schenectady, and I'm bringing the team, just you wait and see!

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[riverchief1]

Futile Four! That's hysterical. And I agree, instead of "Road to ...", it should be "Slippery Slope to...". Too funny.



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[nanookfan]

I would urge the committee to match up UAA and UAF in the tournament. Fairbanks went 0-3-1 against Anchorage this year.

Come on 'nooks!

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Let's Go 'Nooks!

[mtuck20]

I never heard of the Schenectady Civic Center. Is it the same as the City Center? That was an arena which had limited seating room, on one side of the arena only,and which was overlooked by a drug store, offices, and I think even apartments. If that is the same place, well, its no longer a rink. I heard they turfed it and made it into indoor soccer/lacrosse. So that would make it PERFECT for the futile 4. Have fun on the rug (if that is the same place).

[jericho]

That's the only thing I can think of. Yes, Bob, the Electric City Shockers play there now of the famed Indoor Soccer League where they are league champions. So, that being said, the Knickerbacker Arena just across the river in North Troy is open for business. (I work there, ill be glad to do the Futile Four for ya. It can hold 1,500 people with SRO. So that being said, it is now up to you to choose another location.

[mtuck20]

Thats way too nice for the futile 4. Try Frear Park, or the old barn in Saratoga. Actually, the best place for the Futile 4, and I am making a bid right now, since Schenectady has no ice. The Fairgrounds Colosseum in Syracuse. The place is probably about 80 years old (thats just a guess). It probably seats a couple thousand. There are seats with obstructed view, support beams in the way. It is where they have the horse show during the State Fair. The locker rooms are tiny and filthy, with holes in the wall, and I am pretty sure that they are used as horse stables in the summer. In high school we played 1 game a year there against Liverpool, and our coach wouldn't let us shower in there for real fear that we might contract some disease (that is not a joke.) Anyone else in favor of the Fairgrounds Coliseum? Vote now! I would make this a permanent site.

[Top Row]

I would respectfully like to submit the Minnesota State Fair Coliseum as a potential venue. It has all the attributes of the aforementioned Syracuse building, but has a 40 foot gap around the rink between the boards and the first row of seats. The only area where it falls short is no obstructed seats.
Another location that might work is the Dee in Houghton. It is the reason so much snow falls on the U.P. I think Christ played there when he was squirt. Cold AND Old.

I would like to nominate two rinks from the MAAC.

Benteys Home Rink-The Jar- $2 million dollars went into it this year and no real improvement has been made. It is the only rink in college hockey where people go outside in 10 degree whether between periods to warm up. In the past two years there has been broken glass, broken boards, broken zamboni entrances and broken zambonis. Never mind the speaker system which consists of a wireless microphone that doesnt ever seem to quite work. Also the netting isnt quite protective and you always need to keep your head up for incoming pucks.

Fairfield-Wonderland of Ice- You have about a 50/50 having your car stolen when you park here. You also have pretty good chance of getting parked or mugged. Then you go inside. Its cold, almost as cold as the JAR and its dark. In the last two years there has been an incident in which gas leaked from somewhere, causing a game to be cancelled, and a Zamboni broke down causing a game to be cancelled. There have also been incidents involving at least one more long delay due to a Zamboni breakdown and a long delay to the glass popping out, and the staff being unable to fix it. Also one reported case of food poisining from the snack bar.

[mtuck20]

Originally posted by Top Row:
I would respectfully like to submit the Minnesota State Fair Coliseum as a potential venue. It has all the attributes of the aforementioned Syracuse building, but has a 40 foot gap around the rink between the boards and the first row of seats. The only area where it falls short is no obstructed seats.

I would just like to add that The State Fair in Syracuse has the same problem of distance. There is the ice, surrounded by the boards obviously, then about a 10 foot gap, and another oval of boards, but these are the ones for the horse show, so they aren't like normal boards obviously. They are about 4 feet high with two bars that go all the way around the rink. Then there is nother 15 feet to the seats. Not as bad as Minnesota, but still not close. Also, its been a while, the one thing I forgot about. NO GLASS ON THE SIDES. They only have glass around the back and the corners. I played goalie and I shot the puck over the boards, but still lower than the glass height should be, many times. The refs didn't have the heart to give me a penalty.

[This message has been edited by mtuck20 (edited March 30, 2001).]

[Bob Gray]

While some would argue that the turf contained in the Schenectady site would actually speed things up, the Committee feels that an alternate site, with the possibility of ice availability, must be chosen. Given the unavailability of the Schenectady site, the Site Selection Committee will hold further consultations on other possible sites and will make an announcement of the new site in the next day or so.

[Wardy]

I again nominate the dreary as hell Glens Falls Civic Center former home of the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings. Like the building in Schnectady it is in relative close proximity to the Frozen Four in Albany for comparison purposes.

Next year, have it at The Dee. I can't believe Tech used to play in that steel barn before MacInnes was built. When skating in there I can still feel the snowin' and the blowin' from outside!

I'd second The Dee in beautiful downtown Houghton, Michigan.

Go Tech!

~The Meal

[Drop The Puck]

How about the Miramar House of Ice in San Diego? It used to host the San Diego Gulls (WCHL team) and the now defunct USIU D-1 team. I don't know much about it but hey ... its in San Diego!

There's lots of Western teams in the tourney sooooooo ....

[jericho]

Bob, of course, there is always the Guptills Roller Skating Arena in Latham. After all, it is in the Guiness Book of World Records for the largest roller skating arena in the world

[mtuck20]

I believe that since the Frozen Four is in the East this year, hold the Futile Four here as well, and then save the Dee or the Minnesota State Fair for next year. I am officially nominating The State Fair Coliseum in Syracuse, NY. All those in favor, let the committee know! Anyone who has seen this place would have to nominate it. It is the symbol for futility.

[Bob Gray]

Given that the initial site selection for this year was in the east, the Committee felt that it would be inconsiderate to switch it to a western site at this point, given the many fans who have already made travel plans. A midwestern site is likely to be selected for next year's tournament.

As for the San Diego site, the Committee feels that after holding last year's tournament in the LA Sports Center (former home of the LA Clippers) that the tourney should be held in another part of the country this year.

[Drop The Puck]

Originally posted by Bob Gray:


As for the San Diego site, the Committee feels that after holding last year's tournament in the LA Sports Center (former home of the LA Clippers) that the tourney should be held in another part of the country this year.

I dint know last years was in Cali ... oh well ... I guess I don't getta go to Tijuana...

[RSTuthill]

Wait a minute!!! They didn't take the refrigeration out of Center City in Schenectady. They just laid down a rug and turned the refrigeration off. That place is an ideal site!! It must hold 250 people, all in a balconey type setting. Fantastic sight lines!! And a real hockey bag scent to boot!!

I think that the committee needs to do site visits before selecting a venue. Schenectady would be perfect!