2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

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Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

Gee, pgb, I really wanted to stay out of this argument this year. But I at least want to take issue with what I think is a mischaracterization of the rationale for “neutral” sites. You state:

our neutral site regionals were created with one very specific goal in mind. Eliminate scenarios where one team's fanbase has the ability to take over the venue, and "carry" it's team to victory.

To my knowledge, there has never been “one very specific” goal stated. The “very specific goal” that I think the current system achieves is much more modest.

No team should host in their home rink.

If the opportunity to host in their home rink is not earned that’s far, far, worse, but in my view it’s the home rink per se that should be avoided.

[Kepler]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

Hosting takes effort and commitment and thus, a reward.

So if the Democrats put up the money for the polling places in 2020 you're good with giving them a 5% bonus in the vote totals?

Good to know.

[MTUHuskies]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

So if the Democrats put up the money for the polling places in 2020 you're good with giving them a 5% bonus in the vote totals?

Good to know.

That is not it at all. Nobody suggested the host school get bonus goals in the game. Your argument would be more accurate to say Democrats, or Republicans, could provide more polling places with heavy Democratic, or Republican, voters - i.e. gerrymandering. No guarantee they will go to the polls and vote how the "host" wants them to.

And with this, let's keep politics off this thread.

[Kepler]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

That is not it at all. Nobody suggested the host school get bonus goals in the game. Your argument would be more accurate to say Democrats, or Republicans, could provide more polling places with heavy Democratic, or Republican, voters - i.e. gerrymandering. No guarantee they will go to the polls and vote how the "host" wants them to.

And with this, let's keep politics off this thread.

My point wasn't about politics per se. It was that in a contest in which legitimacy depends on fairness introducing unfairness for whatever stupid "reason" (in this case, attendance and hence $$$) destroys the whole reason for the competition.

The algorithm should be as follows:

1. Be as neutral as humanly possible
2. When neutrality is impossible distribute advantage according to merit earned in the competition

The practical result is kill the regionals and put games in the better seed home rink. If Minnesota has to play in a 400 seat Atlantic Hockey rink, tough sh-t. Play better.

[LTsatch]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

How come no one ever complained when Yale played at Bridgeport, not much difference than the PC scenario.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

How come no one ever complained when Yale played at Bridgeport, not much difference than the PC scenario.

It’s only due to sour grapes of a vocal fan base onthese parts.

You’d have to be high to think that the NCAA ought to send 3/4 seeds far away from home just to appease a 3/4 overall seed and risk lousy attendance at a regional.

[Jon]

How come no one ever complained when Yale played at Bridgeport, not much difference than the PC scenario.

The amount of people of complaining on social media has gone up 10 fold.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

Gee, pgb, I really wanted to stay out of this argument this year. But I at least want to take issue with what I think is a mischaracterization of the rationale for “neutral” sites.

I had intended that this morning's post be my "closing statement" for this year, so I'm not eager to crank it up again either. But I do owe you an answer.

To my knowledge, there has never been “one very specific” goal stated. The “very specific goal” that I think the current system achieves is much more modest.

I didn't mean to suggest that one could find a set of meeting minutes that would say that. It's my opinion as to what the underlying motivation for the change was. The real reason, as opposed to the window dressing. My interpretation of the history, not a recitation of NCAA Press Releases.

Then again, as I've said several times this year, one's vantage point matters. Having personally attended the Yost and Mariucci regionals leads me to believe that crowd advantage was the key issue. But with a different set of experiences, maybe my beliefs would be different.

No team should host in their home rink. If the opportunity to host in their home rink is not earned that’s far, far, worse, but in my view it’s the home rink per se that should be avoided.

I recall & understand your point. I do appreciate that you distinguish between earned & unearned home ice. We still disagree, but I'm glad we can do so diplomatically.

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Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

Thanks pgb. I won't respond to you any more this year. I understand how the Providence situation might have fanned the flames. See ya' next year.

[chickod]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

In other news, just to emphasize the overwhelming popularity of the game, I wonder if the NCAA President will be in Buffalo to present the trophy to the National Champions as he was tonight to present it to the women's basketball champions.

[Fishman'81]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

In other news, just to emphasize the overwhelming popularity of the game, I wonder if the NCAA President will be in Buffalo to present the trophy to the National Champions as he was tonight to present it to the women's basketball champions.

Not going to comment on that one, but I will say that the 4th quarter of the womens' game tonight was pretty epic.

[ticapnews]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

How come no one ever complained when Yale played at Bridgeport, not much difference than the PC scenario.

People were going to complain but were silenced by the Skull and Bones.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

Thanks pgb. I won't respond to you any more this year. I understand how the Providence situation might have fanned the flames. See ya' next year.

There are other topics, of course. For my part, I'm more than ready to turn my attention to the trip to Buffalo & the games themselves.

[The Rube]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

People were going to complain but were silenced by the Skull and Bones.

teehee. Nice one.

[LTsatch]

Re: 2019 NCAA Tournament Thread - Regionals are the best weekend of hockey all year

People were going to complain but were silenced by the Skull and Bones.

I spoke to a friend of mine at the last Yale game who is a Fire Battalion Chief in New Haven, he responded to an automatic fire alarm at Skull and Bones the other night and some young man appeared at the door shouting "you can't come in here!" One of the truck company guys shouldered him aside and the crew took care of business resetting the false alarm. They all got a good tour of the place and it is as creepy as the rumours.