The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

[burd]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

I plan on releasing #1-3 all at the same time, probably on Friday (although it may be Saturday).

Three programs left: (in alphabetical order)
Michigan
Minnesota
North Dakota

Who is going to be #1?

Discuss...make your case for why your school should be #1...rip on your fellow college hockey brethren who disagree with you...act like an idiot refusing to concede any point whatsoever...rant about concepts that have no bearing on what makes a great program...Enjoy!

Mrs. Potato head. Mrs. Potato head.

[SanTropez]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

It's obvious the Gophers should be #1.

The ugly helmets won most of their NC's from 1964 and earlier, hardly worthy of accolades today. They have 2 NC's in the modern era of college hockey, congrats to them on this huge accomplishment.

The whioux, well they are just hacks with overage canadians who play in a land with 1 tree. This is hardly worthy either.

[Siouxfaninseattle]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

It's obvious the Gophers should be #1.

The ugly helmets won most of their NC's from 1964 and earlier, hardly worthy of accolades today. They have 2 NC's in the modern era of college hockey, congrats to them on this huge accomplishment.

The whioux, well they are just hacks with overage canadians who play in a land with 1 tree. This is hardly worthy either.

Wrong. Mich won most of their NCs over 100 years ago so that doesn't count. And why is minnie ranked in the same sentence as the Fighting Sioux? Here's your favorite: 7>5

[darker98]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

If Minnesota is not #1 there will be riots in Golden Tuuk's living room.

[Terry Switzer]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

The Goofs lost to Holy Cross, based on the fact alone they should forfeit the number one spot.

[D2D]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Gophers are 131-117-15 against Michigan.
Gophers are 146-130-15 against the whioux.

All Time:
Gophers 1707-956-182 .632
Wolverines 1594-1019-145 .604
whioux 1409-926-133 .598

Nuff said.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Gophers are 131-117-15 against Michigan.
Gophers are 146-130-15 against the whioux.

All Time:
Gophers 1707-956-182 .632
Wolverines 1594-1019-145 .604
whioux 1409-926-133 .598

Nuff said.

That is pretty meaningless really because it doesn't say how they performed when it matters. Until only a couple of years ago, Clarkson had the best lifetime record of any program (and they still are above Michigan and North Dakota). Would they have been #1 in your opinion?

[burd]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

I say you give #1 to the fan base that needs it most, which is clearly UMinn.

[D2D]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Until only a couple of years ago, Clarkson had the best lifetime record of any program (and they still are above Michigan and North Dakota). Would they have been #1 in your opinion?

No because until a couple of years ago the ECAC wasn't all that competitive with the Western schools, as evidenced by the fact that not a single ECAC team will be ranked in the Top 10. On the other hand Minnesota, North Dakota, Denver and Wisconsin (all in the Top 10 and, until very recently, were members of the WCHA) were playing each other several times each year. They also had regular conference games against #10 Michigan Tech, #13 Colorado College and #16 Minnesota-Duluth, all of which says something about the records of all three of these teams.

I do realize that NCAA tournament records, Frozen Four appearances and number of NCAA championships all figure heavily in the overall rankings, as they should. But overall winning percentage during the season and in league playoffs, while taking the quality of their opponents into consideration, counts for something too.

[5mn_Major]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Gophers are 131-117-15 against Michigan.
Gophers are 146-130-15 against the whioux.

All Time:
Gophers 1707-956-182 .632
Wolverines 1594-1019-145 .604
whioux 1409-926-133 .598

Nuff said.

...and there is just one program (i.e., MN) that caused or could cause national realignment.

[Slap Shot]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Can we not go mnstateofhockey on the bit folks? Or perhaps I'm missing the tongue-in-cheeks?

[Go4PuckFan2.0]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

I plan on releasing #1-3 all at the same time, probably on Friday (although it may be Saturday).

Three programs left: (in alphabetical order)
Michigan
Minnesota
North Dakota

Who is going to be #1?

Discuss...make your case for why your school should be #1...rip on your fellow college hockey brethren who disagree with you...act like an idiot refusing to concede any point whatsoever...rant about concepts that have no bearing on what makes a great program...Enjoy!

First of all, stick taps for the time and effort in creating this list. Well done.

My $.02:

Affixing the "greatest" label on a entity such as a college sports team needs to go beyond the cold calculus you've admirably applied here. Entities that carry the "greatest" label do so because they are measured beyond their competitive successes. They are often measured by how they elevate and contribute to their sport. They are measured, in part, by as much as how they lead. And when it comes to leadership within collegiate hockey, the Gopher program knows no peer.

Consider:

John Mariucci's reliance on Minnesota players helped grow the sport where today the state supplies the lions share of collegiate hockey talent across the nation.

The Gopher hockey program has groomed numerous hockey players who went on to create and lead hockey powerhouses as coaches. Dean Blais and "Badger" Bob Johnson are two of the most notable examples.

The greatest sports event of the 20th century, the Miracle on Ice was led by a Gopher-heavy team coached by then Gopher coaches Warren Strelow and Herb Brooks. (Warren Strelow was the Gopher goalie coach. He would later be the first on-staff NHL goalie coach)

The Gophers garnered TV revenues that paid the WCHA bills for decades.

These are but a few of the intangibles that I believe must be taken into consideration in any comprehensive evaluation of collegiate hockey greatness. I'll defer to my Gopher brethren to add to it and for the legion of Gopher haters to attempt to discount them. And regarding the haters, you can't be the greatest program until an equal number of people admire and despise you

Michigan?

Please.

Michigan has spent the past 20+ years padding it's resume by punching below it's weight in the CCHA.

UND?

Mostly great numbers (a losing record against the Gophers) but other than spineless capitulation to a Nazi lover and the politically correct, what have they contributed to the game?

Again, great job!

[Go4PuckFan2.0]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

The Goofs lost to Holy Cross, based on the fact alone they should forfeit the number one spot.

The Badgers lost, at home, to a Penn State club team with D1 aspirations.

They currently rank 59th in RPI

Dead. Last.

As bad as the Holy Cross debacle was, there's always the BADgers to remind us that the Gopher program never fell so far, so fast.

[darker98]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

I think there's enough space between teams that the order stays the same. #1 Mich #2 UND #3 Goofs.

[UMICH]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

...and there is just one program (i.e., MN) that caused or could cause national realignment.

Don't make me laugh! If you want to give credit to the school that caused national realignment at least get it right. Penn State developing a D-1 program DIRECTLY led to National realignment. How you ask? The development of Penn State caused the creation of the B1G TEN HOCKEY CONFERENCE. That in turn led to the demise of the CCHA, the creation of the NCHC, a total restructure of the WCHA, Notre Dame going east, etc.

Take off your Goofer-colored glasses.