Another reason Nebraska needs Div I Hockey

HSKR said:
Exactly!!! Thus why I said I wouldn't have any problem knocking certain sports, even men's sports down to club level. Give them the scholarships but knock the outrageous and unjustified spending down to reality. That way they can get their education, play their sports and wouldn't have to worry about entertaining the rest of us. Glad you are finally coming around Knap! :)
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Maybe we're both coming around. Or maybe we were both brilliant the whole time!!

guinness_brilliant.jpg


 
So I'm guessing the new arena could technically hold ice hockey events? Or did they just overlook that possibility.

 
I think it was mentioned earlier, Foppa, but the place would have the capacity to hold ice, but that if they were actually going to hold regularly scheduled events, such as hockey throughout a yearly season, that certain equipment would still need to be purchased. I've had this conversation on another board as well, so I'm not sure whether that was in this thread or not, but I believe the person had talked to Dan Marvin, basically the city's overseer for the project, and I believe permanent dehumidifiers for the place would need to be bought. In other words, the capability has been built in to the facility, but a few extra pieces of equipment would need to likely be purchased for the permanency a hockey team would require. I've been searching for a bit, and can't find the thread, either here or on the other site I frequent that would talk about this, where the individual mentioned this. Anyhow... take that for what it's worth.

 
HuskerFanChuck said:
I think it was mentioned earlier, Foppa, but the place would have the capacity to hold ice, but that if they were actually going to hold regularly scheduled events, such as hockey throughout a yearly season, that certain equipment would still need to be purchased. I've had this conversation on another board as well, so I'm not sure whether that was in this thread or not, but I believe the person had talked to Dan Marvin, basically the city's overseer for the project, and I believe permanent dehumidifiers for the place would need to be bought. In other words, the capability has been built in to the facility, but a few extra pieces of equipment would need to likely be purchased for the permanency a hockey team would require. I've been searching for a bit, and can't find the thread, either here or on the other site I frequent that would talk about this, where the individual mentioned this. Anyhow... take that for what it's worth.
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So...basically...it was not just an oversight...they just couldn't care less. Correct?

 
HuskerFanChuck said:
I think it was mentioned earlier, Foppa, but the place would have the capacity to hold ice, but that if they were actually going to hold regularly scheduled events, such as hockey throughout a yearly season, that certain equipment would still need to be purchased. I've had this conversation on another board as well, so I'm not sure whether that was in this thread or not, but I believe the person had talked to Dan Marvin, basically the city's overseer for the project, and I believe permanent dehumidifiers for the place would need to be bought. In other words, the capability has been built in to the facility, but a few extra pieces of equipment would need to likely be purchased for the permanency a hockey team would require. I've been searching for a bit, and can't find the thread, either here or on the other site I frequent that would talk about this, where the individual mentioned this. Anyhow... take that for what it's worth.
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And FWIW...thanks for the info.

 
Not so sure that they couldn't care less, but why buy the extra equipment if you're not going to have a team playing there regularly. They did plan it for ice so they could easily hold one-off events, like ice skating shows. But planning for a hockey team to play there takes more equipment. I would think they'd be happy to have a team, just not planning for it at this point, because nothing has pointed in that direction. In other words, it has the built-in capability for ice, but not all of the equipment you would need to house a hockey team, which could be purchased later. (And if this were to ever happen, that might be part of the funding given for the team is enough to purchase the necessary equipment (at least initially)... speculation on top of speculation, obviously, but that wouldn't surprise me that funding of that sort would be part of the deal/arrangement/funding to get a team going.)

 
I've been thinking about Div. I hockey for UNL. Actually, for quite a bit longer than this thread has been around. I like hockey, and think it would be a huge hit in Lincoln IF we could put a competitive team on the ice. But that's the rub. I just don't think we could grow a team from scratch that would ever compete with the likes of Michigan, Minnesota, Mich State, etc. We wouldn't be able to get it off the ground, and end up with a sport that sucked. Which I don't want.

So here's what I've come around to thinking: Instead of jumping into the deep end of the Div. 1 pool and drowning, I think we should start funding our existing UNL club hockey team with seed money from the AD or boosters. We could grow it to the point where we have the best club hockey team in the land. To the point where we attract top Div. 1 prospects/players that fall between the cracks of other Div. 1 schools. Guys that are transferring because they don't get much ice time. Or special situation guys who just aren't fitting in at their present school. In other words we go after the most talented guys in Div 1 who need a place to play. Guys with talent, but somehow fall into the flotsam and jetsam category. Now THAT would be a fun club hockey program to watch. And talent wise, we'd be ahead of the game if we ever decided to make the leap to Div. 1 in the future.

Then again, you could put what I know about college hockey into a thimble. And still have room for Duncan Keith's remaining teeth. So maybe trying to jumpstart our club team like this wouldn't work for some reason. Tell me why this *wouldn't* work O' omniscient goobers of the interwebs.

 
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NUance said:
I've been thinking about Div. I hockey for UNL. Actually, for quite a bit longer than this thread has been around. I like hockey, and think it would be a huge hit in Lincoln IF we could put a competitive team on the ice. But that's the rub. I just don't think we could grow a team from scratch that would ever compete with the likes of Michigan, Minnesota, Mich State, etc. We wouldn't be able to get it off the ground, and end up with a sport that sucked. Which I don't want.

So here's what I've come around to thinking: Instead of jumping into the deep end of the Div. 1 pool and drowning, I think we should start funding our existing UNL club hockey team with seed money from the AD or boosters. We could grow it to the point where we have the best club hockey team in the land. To the point where we attract top Div. 1 prospects/players that fall between the cracks of other Div. 1 schools. Guys that are transferring because they don't get much ice time. Or special situation guys who just aren't fitting in at their present school. In other words we go after the most talented guys in Div 1 who need a place to play. Guys with talent, but somehow fall into the flotsam and jetsam category. Now THAT would be a fun club hockey program to watch. And talent wise, we'd be ahead of the game if we ever decided to make the leap to Div. 1 in the future.

Then again, you could put what I know about college hockey into a thimble. And still have room for Duncan Keith's remaining teeth. So maybe trying to jumpstart our club team like this wouldn't work for some reason. Tell me why this *wouldn't* work O' omniscient goobers of the interwebs.
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New arena to play in, new practice facilities if they get built, premiere hockey conference with it's own premiere TV network, quality junior hockey already built in the state and region. I don't think it would be as bad as you think to get a program going and make it successful. Not saying we are going to be making the Frozen Four every other year but there is no reason we shouldn't be competitive if the effort is put into it. If the University and Athletic Dept. wasn't going to get behind it completely, yea, I'd say don't even bother, but I don't think that would be the case.

 
http://www.sfgate.co...ast-3652771.php

Uconn going from club to Division I. Interesting, the cost is $1.3 million in scholarships which includes adding to women's sports for title IX. If we were a smaller University that would seem like a large financial hill to climb but you would think with our overall athletic budget, we would be able to handle that.

 
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HSKR said:
NUance said:
I've been thinking about Div. I hockey for UNL. Actually, for quite a bit longer than this thread has been around. I like hockey, and think it would be a huge hit in Lincoln IF we could put a competitive team on the ice. But that's the rub. I just don't think we could grow a team from scratch that would ever compete with the likes of Michigan, Minnesota, Mich State, etc. We wouldn't be able to get it off the ground, and end up with a sport that sucked. Which I don't want.

So here's what I've come around to thinking: Instead of jumping into the deep end of the Div. 1 pool and drowning, I think we should start funding our existing UNL club hockey team with seed money from the AD or boosters. We could grow it to the point where we have the best club hockey team in the land. To the point where we attract top Div. 1 prospects/players that fall between the cracks of other Div. 1 schools. Guys that are transferring because they don't get much ice time. Or special situation guys who just aren't fitting in at their present school. In other words we go after the most talented guys in Div 1 who need a place to play. Guys with talent, but somehow fall into the flotsam and jetsam category. Now THAT would be a fun club hockey program to watch. And talent wise, we'd be ahead of the game if we ever decided to make the leap to Div. 1 in the future.

Then again, you could put what I know about college hockey into a thimble. And still have room for Duncan Keith's remaining teeth. So maybe trying to jumpstart our club team like this wouldn't work for some reason. Tell me why this *wouldn't* work O' omniscient goobers of the interwebs.
Click to expand...
New arena to play in, new practice facilities if they get built, premiere hockey conference with it's own premiere TV network, quality junior hockey already built in the state and region. I don't think it would be as bad as you think to get a program going and make it successful. Not saying we are going to be making the Frozen Four every other year but there is no reason we shouldn't be competitive if the effort is put into it. If the University and Athletic Dept. wasn't going to get behind it completely, yea, I'd say don't even bother, but I don't think that would be the case.
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Despite the Title IX concerns...there is no way this will happen on Osborne's watch. Not that it can't happen...or that it won't happen...and I would like it to happen...but the personnel to greenlight such a project just isn't in place.

 
Tend to agree, Foppa, though maybe not for the same reasons. I think a lot of people in here assume Osborne is against it, and I'm not sure that's the case. But right now, I think his priority is getting everything on an even keel after all the facilities are open, and getting the work done is job 1 right now. He doesn't want anything else to detract from that, and certainly trying to create a couple new programs (considering that's likely what we'd be looking at for Title IX concerns) would be another distraction that I don't think the athletic department wants right now. I also think that if this happens, it's likely to happen after we're fully vested in our share of the monies from the B1G. Course, the other piece to that is that Osborne is likely gone as AD at that point too.

Part of the piece to this may be who Perlman... or the next chancellor... decides to bring in as AD. If it's the long-termer at Nebraska, this may have to wait, because the likelihood that he'll do much to shake up the status quo isn't too likely. But if Trev is hired, or someone we're not aware of yet... could be interesting to see what develops. I will say this... seeing the number of sports other B1G schools have, I think it's likely we'll see sports added at some point in the future. Exactly what those sports may be is anybody's guess at this point, but certainly having a natural practice facility and place to play in downtown Lincoln couldn't do anything but help the case for ice hockey here, I believe.

Love to see it, am very hopeful, but I think it'll be a few years before there's a real possibility.

 
I think that is the consensus on here that this will not happen under TO's watch. Perlman? Heck he probably doesn't want hockey because they have playoffs. ;) That's a great point HuskerFanChuck about waiting until we get our full share of the money because it would take some money to get it started. My hope is that if it does happen, hockey could get started in a 5-10 year window.

 
Update on this today:

@ericolson64

Neb AD Eichorst on adding men's hockey: "At this stageI wouldn't see that in the future,but again, I've only been on the job a couple weeks"

Eichorst, on hockey (cont): "It's a wonderful sport. I'm a big fan. But it doesn't fit all places."

More from Eichorst will be on AP wire later

 
Aye, mmg. That was the thing that caught my eye too. And honestly, I would have been surprised (and a little scared, even, of the implications of him making such a statement) if he had come out and said he was planning on adding hockey. Nice to have any tidbit we can get, though. Thanks for the update, knapp!

 
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