Date Posted:10:32:05 05/18/04 Tue Author: HChockeyalum Subject: Re: The Dumb Things We Say...Re ECAC expansion... In reply to:
HC1843
's message, "The Dumb Things We Say...Re ECAC expansion..." on 06:35:55 05/18/04 Tue
Is anyone surprised at the level of ambivalence being displayed by HC on this issue? I, for one, am not. The only thing that surprises me is that the college actually submitted an application. What better to dash the hopes of HC sports fans than to publicly toy with the idea and then either reject it out of hand or not pursue it agressively enough.
The real quandary for HC is that McFarland can't hang his hat on the ECAC being inferior academically to Atlantic for the obvious reason that it is far superior. The only other excuse is that it would be too expensive to join and give scholarships. But what of the other applicants? Are Quinnipiac, Niagara and Mercyhurst rolling in the dough? I haven't compared endowments recently, but suspect that HC, pathetic as its fundraising is, stands in better shape. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong, but isn't HC better positioned financially than these other schools to compete?
Unless McFarland has some brilliant strategy up his sleeve (playing hard to get) or he is just doing the bidding of the Trustees, we should all expect the expected, another lost opportunity on the scale of the Big East debacle. And then we can watch one or more of the other applicants pass us in the competition for the prize students and the national spotlight.
The lack of leadership, foresight and courage here is absolutely mind boggling. Call me crazy, but submitting an application SHOULD signal a committment to achieving the goal of admission and competitiveness. Instead, HC takes one step forward and two steps back, forward with the application and back with the public ambivalence. It's repulsive when you think about it for a minute, no a second. Where is the courage to go with McFarland's convictions? What are his convictions? Somebody, please dissuade me from the belief that he and/or the Trustees are cowards.
This ECAC thing has become a litmus test for the administration vis-a-vis athletics, IMHO. Even those of us who are not that interested in hockey are watching it closely.
And, Hockeyalum, you are right! They can't use the academic boogeyman to justify not being interested in this league; it's a better one in that regard than the one they are in now.
Plus, there's the added feature of the Ivies maybe saying no to HC in favor of another school not as prestigious.
I think it comes down to: Does HC want to compete with the big boys or stay small time"
Big time meaning an investment in scholarships and facility upgrades. If they are going to try to compete in the ECAC w/no scholarships and play in their public skating arena, I would say stay in Atlantic hockey.
The college thinks you can put forth a half-hearted effort and just because we are "HC, The mighty academic power", that will be enough to carry us to greater athletic prowess.
As long as you have people on board who believe any athletic upgrade to a better conference will see academics go down the toilet, there is no use in getting excited about any talk of upgrading anything.
