2008 Woodie Awards
NCAA needs to change rules of tournament
Dan Kukla
Issue date: 4/1/08 Section: Sports
Win or lose, there was always one question Miami University hockey fans were bound to be asking after this weekend: "Why did we have to play Boston College 40 miles away from BC's campus?"
The No. 1 seeded RedHawks were 32-7-1 coming into the tournament and had recently come within one goal of Michigan, the top overall team in the entire tournament, in the CCHA Championship game. Boston College was 21-11-6, seeded behind the Red and White.
So why, when Miami had earned a higher ranking, were the Eagles rewarded with the distinct advantage of playing in their backyard?
The official NCAA rule says that host teams, if they make the tournament, must play at their host site.
This means that 15-16-7 University of Wisconsin, the host of the Midwest region, got to play on their home ice despite the fact that a week ago no one was even sure that they would be in the tournament at all. In other words: Hooray mediocrity!
But that's not even the most absurd part of all this. If the NCAA wants to screw over the tournament's top seeded teams by making a rule that guarantees home games to any school that generates them money by providing a host site, I guess they're entitled to do that.
The real head-scratcher here is that Boston College, who is not even an official host team, was put in a region being played just a stone's throw away from its campus. Rules are rules. At times they can and should be changed; but while in place, I'm all for following them. However, simply rewarding a team with an advantage earned by another just flat out doesn't make sense.
Let me pause here to say this: I am not blaming Miami's loss in the regional final to the fact the opponent was playing in front of a home crowd. The last thing I want to do is be a disgruntled sports fan that just complains about unfortunate circumstances. Boston's fans did not prevent Miami from playing a great game on Sunday, nor did they cause the Eagles to score three goals in two minutes.
The No. 1 seeded RedHawks were 32-7-1 coming into the tournament and had recently come within one goal of Michigan, the top overall team in the entire tournament, in the CCHA Championship game. Boston College was 21-11-6, seeded behind the Red and White.
So why, when Miami had earned a higher ranking, were the Eagles rewarded with the distinct advantage of playing in their backyard?
The official NCAA rule says that host teams, if they make the tournament, must play at their host site.
This means that 15-16-7 University of Wisconsin, the host of the Midwest region, got to play on their home ice despite the fact that a week ago no one was even sure that they would be in the tournament at all. In other words: Hooray mediocrity!
But that's not even the most absurd part of all this. If the NCAA wants to screw over the tournament's top seeded teams by making a rule that guarantees home games to any school that generates them money by providing a host site, I guess they're entitled to do that.
The real head-scratcher here is that Boston College, who is not even an official host team, was put in a region being played just a stone's throw away from its campus. Rules are rules. At times they can and should be changed; but while in place, I'm all for following them. However, simply rewarding a team with an advantage earned by another just flat out doesn't make sense.
Let me pause here to say this: I am not blaming Miami's loss in the regional final to the fact the opponent was playing in front of a home crowd. The last thing I want to do is be a disgruntled sports fan that just complains about unfortunate circumstances. Boston's fans did not prevent Miami from playing a great game on Sunday, nor did they cause the Eagles to score three goals in two minutes.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 16
Tim Abel
Tim Abel
posted 4/01/08 @ 5:20 PM EST
A few things...
The way the bracket was set up was really the only way it could be. The only legitimate complaint you have is that teams hosting should not be automatically placed at their regional, because that is what drove the rest of the seeding. (Continued…)
Scott Moore
posted 4/01/08 @ 5:55 PM EST
Dan, I feel your pain and agree that changes must be made to the NCAA Ice Hockey Tournament selection process. However, your proposed changes would only serve to hurt the tournament by making it harder for fans to see their teams in person. (Continued…)
Scooby
posted 4/03/08 @ 10:20 AM EST
why did osu play lsu in Louisiana?
this is pre-determined stuff man, you also forget how poorly we've fared in past playoff games. it sucks that we lost but just suck it up and play
Erik
posted 4/04/08 @ 11:57 PM EST
This sounds like a crying article from a losing team, UND got past their regional, they were the number one seed, we never complained once about going to madison. (Continued…)
Miami Prof
posted 4/05/08 @ 2:53 AM EST
You lost. You choked. You failed to achieve on the field of play. For god's sake, quit frickin' whining and sack up and deal with it. Guess we'll have to put that "Miami Dynasty" on hold for a little while. (Continued…)
Sioux fan in Denver
posted 4/05/08 @ 10:25 AM EST
The Miami Student has been a total embarrassment to college hockey and the Univ of Miami(OH) all year long. Ink wasted!! You guys need to write about frat parties and leave hockey to the rest of us. (Continued…)
Packer487
posted 4/05/08 @ 7:54 PM EST
So if you want New Hampshire in Worcester, where are you putting Miami? Michigan earned the right to be in Albany. That leaves either Madison or Colorado Springs. (Continued…)
Anthony
posted 4/05/08 @ 9:27 PM EST
Wait a second here if UNH goes to Mass, Do you want Miami in Colorodo or Madison. Sure its very unfair I agree to teams like Wisconsin to play at home as a number 4 seed. (Continued…)
Miami Prof
posted 4/06/08 @ 12:13 AM EST
While I understand the puzzlement that some of the outsiders have in dealing with the Miami Mentality. Let me save you the time and the frustration. You can not reason with these people. (Continued…)
Piggybacking off of the professor
posted 4/06/08 @ 12:39 AM EST
I don't know much about Univ of Miami(OH), but according to Miami Prof, the picture being painted is not pretty. You kids should be thanking him for the life long lessons that he is providing. (Continued…)
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