Friday, March 18, 2005

Now what?

As the title suggests, I'm a glutton for punishment, so in the hockey world, now what?

Well, the stewards of the highest level met last week and this week to say the same things they've said for months...NHL has a cap offer, NHLPA doesn't want it. This is an issue for me because the PA decided to accept a cap at the last minute, and now Bobby is SHOCKED that the NHL would offer the cap again, and it would be lower. Amazing...somebody sign Bob up for an entry level econ class at any university. (This guy graduated from Harvard???)

So, since their doing their hard headed thing, still...on to the NCAAs!

Basketball - this is hands down the best time of the year with the NCAA tournament going on. Hours of college hoops to be enjoyed this weekend, and probably the best one and done tournament going.

But, the hockey NCAAs get drawn Sunday morning, which means the Road To Columbus starts next weekend. With my Frozen Four ticket purchased, I'm really looking forward to this one. I've never been to the Frozen Four, and am still kicking myself for not going to it in Cincinnati a couple years ago.

With OSU season tickets, I've been rather tuned into how the NCAAs are picked...and WOW is this a screwed up system. (www.uscho.com explains it very well, look for anything about the Pairwise Rankings.) It's a pretty good system, but has some flaws that allow teams to move up by losing to the right team. (It might be a worse system than the BCS in that respect.) But, OSU has been on the bubble for the last couple weeks. I can't fathom second place in the CCHA not getting into the tournament, but it's a strong possibility.

All in all, while Bob and Gary continue their "negotiations" I'm settled in watching the CCHA Super 6, bits and pieces of the WCHA Final 5, and a pile of college basketball. Life without the NHL isn't so bad...anybody at the NHL or NHLPA noticing that?