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re: Southern Hockey Fans
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:17 am to Prof
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:17 am to Prof
quote:
We've had a local minor league team for many years now, decades even so the market is there and growing.
Knoxville has really done a good job supporting the Icebears. They probably have the best home atmosphere in that league year after year.
1
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:24 am to Rebelgator
quote:
. There is just something about Giroux I can't stand. It is the same thing with Pronger. Read, Hartnell, and Cooter I respect, but there's just something about Giroux I can't stand.
I can see it with Giroux. I think I know what about him is unlikeable.
And I can definitely understanding not liking Pronger. He takes too many penalties, hurts his team with his stupidity and plays dirty. Watching Bouwmeester has been such a pleasure, he's like a clean and composed version of Pronger.
It's a shame about Letang, are they thinking he can play again this year? That's a scary thing to think about, didn't think that could happen at his age.
What is the perception of Vitale. I see he's played in a lot of games but not all, does he get healthy scratched?
This post was edited on 4/3/14 at 1:25 am
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:25 am to Sleeping Tiger
quote:
Knoxville has really done a good job supporting the Icebears. They probably have the best home atmosphere in that league year after year.
It took a while before the Ice Bears we had another team (I can't remember their name now) but the transition from them to the Ice Bears was seamless. For some reason, the Ice Bears were the ones that really were able to gain new fans and take off. Maybe it was management, hell, maybe it was the logo (that black bear is an every day site and has been an unofficial in these parts forever and they've been known to stroll the streets of Knoxville on occasion and woe be to you if you kill one!
) or maybe it finally hit critical mass but I'm glad it's happened. 
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:33 am to Sleeping Tiger
quote:
It's a shame about Letang, are they thinking he can play again this year? That's a scary thing to think about, didn't think that could happen at his age.
He wants to be back so bad. It's a really bad situation and obviously I've only seen the practice reports, but he needs to just focus on next season. There's just no reason to risk anything during the playoffs this year. I'll honestly be surprised if we make it past the opening round. Our lines past 2 are shite and it's pretty frustrating considering how we cruised most of the year
quote:
Vitale
He's a soild 3rd line center. Not spectacular, but he'll do for now. And yes, he gets healthy scratched a bit. I don't think Bylsma likes him.
This post was edited on 4/3/14 at 1:37 am
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:30 am to Prof
quote:
I would love to see the Ice Vols become varsity and for UT to add a women's team along with them.
You are not alone. With the SEC TV money the discussions are already out there on possible sports to add. It would not shock me to see different club sports get elevated. If the member schools get an extra 20 million per year that goes a long way in funding sports outside of football and basketball.
SECHC = 11 SEC schools : ACHA Division III
LSU is a member but has no team currently
IND : ACHA Division II = Kentucky
MACHA : ACHA Division II = Missouri
CHSW : ACHA Division II = Texas A&M
It is not like most every SEC school has at least club level hockey
Posted on 4/3/14 at 8:58 am to mizzou18
Lots of Yankees moved south, so yes. And its taken hold in some locations. Carolina, Nashville and Florida for example.
St. Louis Blues are an old NHL team, so I guess the Mizzou folks are Blues fans.
Hockey is pretty cool. Expensive ticket to the games though.
St. Louis Blues are an old NHL team, so I guess the Mizzou folks are Blues fans.
Hockey is pretty cool. Expensive ticket to the games though.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:26 am to Cheese Grits
quote:
SECHC = 11 SEC schools : ACHA Division III LSU is a member but has no team currently IND : ACHA Division II = Kentucky MACHA : ACHA Division II = Missouri CHSW : ACHA Division II = Texas A&M It is not like most every SEC school has at least club level hockey
I'm not real sure why you just shared this..
You do know that ACHA div II and III is below NCAA div III, it's lower level club. Sharing that SEC and ACC schools have club hockey is kind of irrelevant.
These schools are not going to build arenas, cut other sports, haggle win title 9, and start entirely new programs and new leagues.
This post was edited on 4/3/14 at 9:28 am
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:35 am to Pavoloco83
quote:
Lots of Yankees moved south, so yes. And its taken hold in some locations. Carolina, Nashville and Florida for example.
It's not as simple as thinking that every kid that plays hockey in the south is related to a yankee. I'm born and raised in the southeast, and hockey is, by far, my favorite sport (to play, at least). With the NHL expansion projects in the late 80s-through late-90s, the game wasn't just some exotic thing that belonged only to Buffalo, Edmonton, and Hartford. There was big-league exposure in the south, and, believe it or not, the Mighty Ducks movies made it look like a shitload of fun to play. Combine that with the affluence of the 90s allowing more people to be able to afford to play, and it was very accessible for southern kids. My neighborhood played roller hockey in the streets all the time; far more than we played baseball, football, or basketball combined.
Of all the guys I grew up playing hockey with, only a handful were originally Canadians, and even fewer were yankees.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:43 am to Sleeping Tiger
quote:
Sharing that SEC and ACC schools have club hockey is kind of irrelevant.
It means there is at least some demand
UK Cool Cats probably draws 4th behind football, basketball, W basketball. Since W basketball draws more than most programs, Cool Cats would be #3 normally. Bigger issue 30 years ago Central KY did not have youth hockey, and now they do. Think where things could be 30 years from now and those kids have had kids.
Trends do not happen overnight, but they do happen. Conferences without cash are the ones cutting back but with the new deals, the power conferences are flush with cash.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 11:44 am to Rebelgator
Yeah, I can't imagine them letting him come back this year, but read he was skating again. Tough situation, I'm sure he really wants to be back. You've got so many guys in their primes, tough to cruise through the season then not have everybody for playoffs.
And Vitale is from here, that's why I asked. But I don't pay enough attention to know how he's thought of in Pitt. He's always been an ox but never real skilled. Of the good players here growing up he was never pegged as a guy that would make it as far as he did.
And Vitale is from here, that's why I asked. But I don't pay enough attention to know how he's thought of in Pitt. He's always been an ox but never real skilled. Of the good players here growing up he was never pegged as a guy that would make it as far as he did.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:07 pm to Sleeping Tiger
I don't know about other places but it would be easy for the Ice Vols to be elevated to Varsity. We have both TBA and the Civic Coliseum and TBA could be used in a pinch/scheduling conflict. Hell, I've seen TBA converted into rodeo use and then back to basketball ready in a day. Since we restored the Tennessee Theatre (and if any of you get a chance to see any kind of performance there GO! you won't regret it - the restoration is awesome) we can shunt concerts there.
UT and Knoxville have the facilities to make this work without having to build anything.
UT and Knoxville have the facilities to make this work without having to build anything.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:19 pm to Prof
Colonial Life Arena in Columbia already has the glycol lines in the flooring, and separate hockey locker rooms. When the Inferno were in Columbia, both they and the USC club team played out of the Carolina Coliseum, right on campus.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:28 pm to RoyalAir
So there's at least two that could convert to varsity pretty easily. I bet there are others as well.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:39 pm to Prof
quote:
I don't know about other places but it would be easy for the Ice Vols to be elevated to Varsity. We have both TBA and the Civic Coliseum and TBA could be used in a pinch/scheduling conflict
TBA couldn't be made into an ice rink. The underground stuff has to be built beforehand, and dimensions are probably off. SLU just built a basketball arena that looks like it would be perfect for hockey but it can't be turned into a rink, I've heard that even with an expensive renovation it couldn't be done.
Knoxville would need another rink.
And it's not just simply elevating to varsity, the club team would remain just as they are, a totally new program would be started with new people.
This post was edited on 4/3/14 at 2:40 pm
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:54 pm to Sleeping Tiger
quote:
Yeah, I can't imagine them letting him come back this year, but read he was skating again. Tough situation, I'm sure he really wants to be back. You've got so many guys in their primes, tough to cruise through the season then not have everybody for playoffs.
He's supposedly gone full speed at a few practices. Against the staff's wishes and apparently looked solid, but he needs a full offseason to really get checked out.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 3:08 pm to Sleeping Tiger
Why would we need another? We already have the Coliseum which is used by both the Ice Vols and Ice Bears? The Coliseum is basically on campus - within spitting distance.
As for TBA I'm not sure the Coliseum is way older yet it houses hockey. But we also have the Icearium and other facilities.
LINK
The IceArium is now our main facility:
As for TBA I'm not sure the Coliseum is way older yet it houses hockey. But we also have the Icearium and other facilities.
LINK
The IceArium is now our main facility:
quote:
The IceArium at Cool Sports Complex Tennessee Hockey headed west in 2003 with the construction of the IceArium in the Farragut community of West Knox County, a multimillion dollar first-class venue. The IceArium is a 50,000 square foot multipurpose ice facility located in western Knox County. Aside from serving as a home for the Tennessee Ice Vols, the IceArium offers a variety of activities for Knoxvillians including public skating, skating classes, curling, broomball, and figure skating, as well as hosting Knoxville Youth Hockey, High School Hockey, Men’s League Hockey, and numerous select camps and hockey skills camps. Completed in 2002, the IceArium’s main rink area features a climate-controlled NHL regulation-size rink (200' X 85'), four locker rooms, 3 hospitality areas, a full-service pro shop, and a spacious concessions area featuring a variety of foods and beverages for our fans. The IceArium is also one of the few rinks in the country to have a new electric Zamboni, ensuring quieter intermissions and healthier air for our spectators.
This post was edited on 4/3/14 at 3:12 pm
Posted on 4/3/14 at 3:21 pm to Prof
If you have another rink in town for practice use then the Civic might be doable. UAH plays in the same arena as the Havoc in Hunstville (The Havoc do better in attendance btw).
But having a rink is hardly the first or last obstacle.
All the semantics aside, there really ins't enough talent to start adding more D1 teams. The bottom quarter of teams aren't very good, some play partial DIII schedules (no DII in hockey).
UAH is pretty bad, and there is no fighting in college like in minor pro, which is a major reason markets like knoxville have done well, fans enjoy going to drink beer and see some fights, you don't get that in college, so when the talent is low it's not very exciting.
SEC and ACC schools with club hockey are not going to start adding D1 programs, it's just not going to happen. 0% chance.
But having a rink is hardly the first or last obstacle.
All the semantics aside, there really ins't enough talent to start adding more D1 teams. The bottom quarter of teams aren't very good, some play partial DIII schedules (no DII in hockey).
UAH is pretty bad, and there is no fighting in college like in minor pro, which is a major reason markets like knoxville have done well, fans enjoy going to drink beer and see some fights, you don't get that in college, so when the talent is low it's not very exciting.
SEC and ACC schools with club hockey are not going to start adding D1 programs, it's just not going to happen. 0% chance.
This post was edited on 4/3/14 at 3:26 pm
Posted on 4/3/14 at 3:23 pm to Prof
quote:
The IceArium is now our main facility:
That could only be a practice rink for a DI team.
This post was edited on 4/3/14 at 3:24 pm
Posted on 4/3/14 at 3:29 pm to Sleeping Tiger
We have multiple rinks though and multiple practice facilities. We don't have to go all the way to DI but it would be nice to elevate the Ice Vols to a legit varsity team. They're the oldest hockey team in the South and the oldest continuous club sport on campus. They deserve funding and when they had a coach they actually had teams competing and beating legit northern varsity teams.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 3:34 pm to Prof
Then you'd go DIII and there aren't any DIII teams in your region.
And I think there are rules about a school like Tennessee starting a DIII program.
It really wouldn't make any sense anyway.
And I think there are rules about a school like Tennessee starting a DIII program.
It really wouldn't make any sense anyway.
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