So There's Another Selection Show Tonight
Also happening: WBB in the first round of March Madness at 3PM on ESPN2.
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The hockey field gets announced at 7. I've already explained why I don't think this going to be particularly nerve-wracking for Michigan, but to recap:
- The Big Ten is almost certain to get at least three bids.
- Michigan is clearly the #3 team in line.
- But it's the NCAA hockey tournament so maybe they'll just put all of Atlantic Hockey in because they can.
Hockey bracketology folks are usually spending this moment in time debating which swaps will happen to reduce travel and intraconference matchups; this year they're gesturing at schedules that interlock not at all and making giant question marks appear above their heads. But, for what it's worth:
College Hockey News has Michigan as the two seed in Bridgeport:
Bridgeport
1. Boston College vs. 4. American International
2. Michigan vs. 3. Quinnipiac
SBN's college hockey site spends its energy talking about bubble teams and slots Michigan in as a lock.
USCHO had a tournament selection discussion a few days ago that was loony enough to advocate for Army's inclusion. Even that had an aside about the possibility of a fourth Big Ten team, thus assuming Michigan is in as #3. Their official bracketology column also assumes Michigan is a lock, albeit on the three line. Both brackets have Michigan in Loveland, Colorado. Here's one:
Loveland Regional:
Lake Superior vs. Minnesota
St. Cloud State vs. Michigan
There seems to be no way to reasonably exclude Michigan, and so we're talking about location and seeding. Michigan is likely to go east because they have to fly since 1% of NCAA regionals since 2005 have been in busing distance—great tourney you've got there, NCAA—and the tourney is heavy on western teams, and it seems like everyone expects them to be a 2 or 3. The exact placement doesn't seem to matter. They'll be playing the same team in the same place, probably, and will either have last change or not.
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Please give us St. Cloud State, just so that maybe ESPN will dig up the footage of the pregame scrum from the Molly Game.
Would love it if they were in Loveland. If so maybe some fans could get in and I could see them play in person
Would have been nice to have a Front Range roll call...
... but just read that no spectators admitted in Loveland.
We need to spin off Yost Ice Arena as a separate business (Yost Rinks, LLC) and the hockey team will just "rent" the facility in perpetuity and the sole customer will be the Michigan AD, but then we can start making bids for an Ann Arbor regional at the clearly independent facility run by Yost Rinks, LLC because it is not a home site arena. Our official "home arena" can be the Ice Cube or something just to avoid that problem
Or we can just keep doing regionals in Bridgeport until the universe collapses
Yeah, I thought it was conventional knowledge that UM was in. Of course, we also live in the same world where Tampa Bay and Las Vegas are considered hotbed of college hockey fandom worthy of hosting a Frozen Four before Detroit, so WTF do I know.
Neutral sites for hockey regionals in garbage locations have to end. Warde, your next assignment (should you choose to accept it): FIX HOCKEY!
Please be in Albany
Please be in AlbanyPlease be in AlbanyPlease be in AlbanyPlease be in AlbanyPlease be in Albany
We're not in Albany.
FUCK!
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