WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

[vizoroo]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

Game times now set for Final
Five.

5:07 Michigan Tech vs Bowling Green
8:37 Minnesota State vs Ferris State

Looks like good hockey next week!
Will the chalk hold?

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

"Big 14, and Still Looking" is taken?

Big twelve was...before they added Maryland and Rutgers.

[TECHFAN]

The same reason it's still the big ten, name recognition and the other name is taken...

The WCHA Final Four is already taken? It's not like the Final Five brand recognition is even in the same galaxy as the Big Ten. Changing the name to the correct number of teams would make absolutely no difference in their marketing. Especially to the average fan in Grand Rapids who has never heard of the Final Five. Only 25% of the teams are left from when they still had 5 teams playing at this stage of the conference tournament. Hell, there's more CCHA teams in the league now than original WCHA teams. Why not call it the Super Six? That's got the same level of name recognition as the Final Five.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

The WCHA Final Four is already taken? It's not like the Final Five brand recognition is even in the same galaxy as the Big Ten. Changing the name to the correct number of teams would make absolutely no difference in their marketing. Especially to the average fan in Grand Rapids who has never heard of the Final Five. Only 25% of the teams are left from when they still had 5 teams playing at this stage of the conference tournament. Hell, there's more CCHA teams in the league now than original WCHA teams. Why not call it the Super Six? That's got the same level of name recognition as the Final Five.

I think you underestimate how huge the Final 5 was in its heyday. If they can evoke any kind of memory of the "glory days" then it is a positive for the league

[bigblue_dl]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

For those WCHA fans that will be attending the tailgate party, I made eggs. There is only a dozen so it will be first come first serve.

[oldish husky]

Kevin Gordon is far from God, but he was right. We were lucky that nobody was hurt. I understand the frustration but it was getting brutal with some obvious intents to injure. To their credit, after the game Walt Kyle and several upper class-men apologized to Bergeron.

Apologized after the game? I guess that's something. how about showing some discipline during the game. Hopefully the BG players held their cool knowing the final five was coming up. Tech had a DQ for this weekend from the NMU game after from what I could tell he got tired of the constant cheap shots. I just assumed it was the Tech-NMU rivalry. I didn't realize the NMU players had gone off the rail.

[The Rube]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

I think you underestimate how huge the Final 5 was in its heyday. If they can evoke any kind of memory of the "glory days" then it is a positive for the league

This. For the F5, I always made sure I had those days off from work. It got to the point where others wouldn't even bother trying for those days, since they knew I'd get them. People actually made vacation plans around the F5, if they were coming in from out of town. On a personal note, an old poster from here (Joe Yerdon of NHL dot com and NBC Pro Hockey Talk) made his first trip to MN just to see what all the hype was about and he left duly impressed.

[Superfly100]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

The WCHA Final Four is already taken? It's not like the Final Five brand recognition is even in the same galaxy as the Big Ten. Changing the name to the correct number of teams would make absolutely no difference in their marketing. Especially to the average fan in Grand Rapids who has never heard of the Final Five. Only 25% of the teams are left from when they still had 5 teams playing at this stage of the conference tournament. Hell, there's more CCHA teams in the league now than original WCHA teams. Why not call it the Super Six? That's got the same level of name recognition as the Final Five.

I have to agree. While the WCHA has a rich heritage, the commish has to recognize it's a new era for the league. Hanging on to a name that means little to many in the league doesn't make much sense. Do we really think that if you told someone you were going to the WCHA tournament, they would look at you with a blank stare, but there eyes would light up in recognition if you said you were going tot he Final Five?

And in all honesty... The Final Five name brings back memories of many teams that are no longer in the picture. If someone went to the tournament simply for the Final Five name recognition, they'd probably be pretty surprised to see there weren't any Gophers, Sioux, Badgers, Pioneers, SCSU Huskies, etc. in the tournament. If you don't know by now that the WCHA has a new make-up, you're probably not too big a hockey fan.

We have a new league, new rivalries, new teams moving into (back into) national prominence. Let's ditch a name that focuses on the past and has no significance to the current tournament format.

[MaizeRage]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

The Final Five name was kept because the old WCHA regime was incompetent and just plain lazy. There wasn't time for the new regime to come in and completely rebrand everything this summer, and it probably isn't worth the cost of rebranding the tournament when this current set-up is likely just a temporary thing anyway.

[MavHockey14]

Game times now set for Final
Five.

5:07 Michigan Tech vs Bowling Green
8:37 Minnesota State vs Ferris State

C'mon now you know better than to list your own personal time zone rather than the host site's time zone!

[davyd83]

Apologized after the game? I guess that's something. how about showing some discipline during the game. Hopefully the BG players held their cool knowing the final five was coming up. Tech had a DQ for this weekend from the NMU game after from what I could tell he got tired of the constant cheap shots. I just assumed it was the Tech-NMU rivalry. I didn't realize the NMU players had gone off the rail.

Obviously you missed the game Oldtimer. The first, and most ridiculous cheap shot came when Johnstone ran an NMU player squarely into the boards and the area where the glass attaches to boards at the Tech bench.

[davyd83]

Looks like good hockey next week!
Will the chalk hold?

Chalk has been erased. Ferris was the 5 seed and beat #4 Bemidji.

[Huskiefan906]

Obviously you missed the game Oldtimer. The first, and most ridiculous cheap shot came when Johnstone ran an NMU player squarely into the boards and the area where the glass attaches to boards at the Tech bench.

Johnstone's hit was ugly, but the general thought was it was precipitated by the face masking major on Urban.
Johnstone has been a constant target this season, and has received majors against NMU and Bemidji after taking a lot of abuse. He may have a shorter fuse due to missing time with injury and opponents taking liberties.

[huskyfan]

Re: WCHA Playoffs 2015: MacNaughton Quest Determined

I thought the Final Five / Frozen Five name was retained because a team had to win five games for the trophy. (theoretically, at least)

Geof, we are just down the hall in the hotel from several and no noise at all. ran into them having dinner tonight at The Library, we congratulated them on well played games and they were very polite. nice guys.

[davyd83]

I thought the Final Five / Frozen Five name was retained because a team had to win five games for the trophy. (theoretically, at least)

Geof, we are just down the hall in the hotel from several and no noise at all. ran into them having dinner tonight at The Library, we congratulated them on well played games and they were very polite. nice guys.

It only takes four wins for the Broadmoor. Former Commissioner McLeod told me the name was simply retained for brand purposes. I even made the Big 10 comparison and he said it was the same principle.

Congrats to the Huskies on the trip to St Paul. Good luck to all teams!