Old UNO Hockey Threads

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:46 am

I'm sure it would be hard for the current generation of Maverick players to revert back to it having played in the QC ... but the fact remains... even the Civic... was a better facility than most collegiate teams play in.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:58 pm

I'm for the arena swap with the Mavs and Knights. I think the Knights will end up being a bigger draw and the non hard-core hockey fans would rather go to the Qwest Center than the Civic and vice versa for UNO. I don't follow the Mavs that much. If they would win more ( I don't know what they're like now) could that help them draw better and make going to the Civic more of a non issue with regruiting?

GoWest · Post by **GoWest** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 1:54 pm

I’m a fairly strong supporter of Mav Hockey and I don’t want to see them move back to the Civic. I wouldn’t mind if the Knights used the Qwest center as well, but I don’t want the Mavs moving back. I think if they string together a few good seasons they will have amazing attendance.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 4:45 pm

Herbster was on KKAR this morning with Pavelka talking about this, and he was (of course) putting the best spin possible on this, but reading (listening) between the lines, I don't think things are going to be the rosiest for the Mavs this fall in terms of attendance.

FatGuy · Post by **FatGuy** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:11 pm

I don't see why the mavs ever left the civic. "The Barn" was a wonderful atmosphere for hockey. How noisy that place bacame was something the Qwest will never see. At the time, UNO hockey was sad to see themselves move out. They had a real home rink advantage. That advantage died with the move. But how could they resist not moving into the new and bigger facility. In my opinion, uno hockey was hurt by the Qwest.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:25 am

UNO really should push hockey a lot more to the student population. I rarely felt compelled to go to a MAVS game when I was at UNO. I think every MAVS game I've gone to has been while I was not a UNO student.

They are fun games though. Hockey is one of the only sports I like watching. So graceful yet so violent.

HskrFanMike · Post by **HskrFanMike** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:15 pm

I still think the Mavs will outdraw the Knights this season, barring a collapse by the Mavs. Omaha is a college sports town, deep down. When the Racers were here, Creighton always outdrew them. Heck, some nights, UNO outdrew the Racers.

If the young talent the Mavs showed last year continues to develop, the concerns about "wrong arena" will be dismissed.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:23 pm

Some of you will probably disagree but I really don't think of Omaha as a great college sports town, rather a great minor league sports town. Barring the Jays basketball team (which has just gained popularity within the last ten years), I'm just not seein' it. Also, while I think the Qwest Center is great and it allows Jays attendance to be OUTSTANDING, there is no history involved within the venue and team, which many times is more important than anything.

FatGuy · Post by **FatGuy** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:38 pm

Linkin - you forgot about the CWS. Although, I agree. Omaha is not a great college sports town. But since we do not have a pro team (NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, NFL, WNBA), we have to pride ourselves on something.

Nebraska might be a better college sports state than Omaha is a college sports town/city.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:25 pm

I didn't forget the fact we host the CWS, that just doesn't have anything to do with Omaha being a great college sports town.

FatGuy · Post by **FatGuy** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 7:38 pm

I didn't forget the fact we host the CWS, that just doesn't have anything to do with Omaha being a great college sports town.

Holding an NCAA championship in a major sport for the last half century has nothing to do with prestige and perception regarding "college sports towns?"

What if Omaha hosted the final four, the frozen four, and the BCS championship game? Would these additions still not add to our status of being a good or bad college sports town?

Being an annual host to a college sports championship does impact a city's perception of being a college sports town. Linkin - maybe you should rethink or at least rephrase what you are saying.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:06 pm

nah, take Indianapolis for example. They have hosted, and will continuing hosting the NCAA Basketball Final Four (They don't host it every year obviously, but its a good example.) And while they are a great city to host the event, they are by no means a great college town. There is a BIG difference between a great college town, and a town that happens to anually host a great college event.

FatGuy · Post by **FatGuy** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:23 pm

I guess I would consider Indianapolis a "racing town." But then again, they hold the greatest annual car racing event. Maybe they are just a city that just holds a great car racing event. But having the event in their city helps their perception of being seen as a "great racing town."

I am saying having the CWS helps our cause of being labeled as a "great college sports town." You obviously disagree.

Also, the issue is not whether Omaha is a great college town. There is a big difference between being a "great college town" and a "great college sports town." You are using the two interchangable. Omaha is definitely not a "great college town".

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 10:30 pm

yea, i meant great college sports town.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 11:52 pm

If we were such a great college sports town then why are the Mavs hurting. ;)

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:03 am

While the Mav's are hurting... once again... they remain one of the top collegiate attendance teams in the nation.

Along with a nearly top 25 attendance Creighton basketball program...

... one of the nations premier collegiate soccer programs...

... one of the top annual college baseball rivalries in terms of attendance...

... and YES... the College World Series...

Omaha IS a great college sports town.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:32 am

Maybe in terms of number and quality of teams, but not everyone here is solidly behind one team.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 1:09 am

Omaha is many things, but its not a great college sports town. Look at cities like Boulder CO, Athens GA, Madison WI, Lawrence KS, Eugene OR, and you will see what I mean. You peoples civic pride is irritating sometimes!!! jk

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 2:47 am

You're citing great 'college towns'. The appeal and support of collegiate sports in Omaha is such that it extends beyond that of the 'student body'. What is the enrollment at Creighton... maybe 7-8,000? Yet they bring in 12,000 to basketball games. Their alum base isn't THAT big... these are folks who are drawn to Creighton basketball. Same is true of the CWS... sure we bring in people from around the country... but the real supporters attending these sessions (yes, even absent the Huskers)... are Omahans. This is what makes Omaha a great college sports town... not the campus presence... but the support the entire community provides.

OmahaBen · Post by **OmahaBen** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 7:17 pm

Twiztid1 wrote:The Lancer's captain last year visited uno before committing. And still a week later he committed to the university of vermont. Arena capacity of 4,000 and looks like this:

Of course you left out the fact Vermont is moving to Hockey East (2nd best conference in the land) and will likely have a new arena by the time the kid is a senior. And that picture does no justice to the Gut anyway. Way different when it's gameday compared to an empty rink...

Post by **Brad** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:44 am

Like I told Kevin K. and Mike S. on "unsportsman like conduct" on 1620 the zone, Omaha's ESPN radio. THe best promotion any hockey team could have is Free Beer! You offer free beer from 6pm when the gates open to 6:45 and by the start of the national anthem you will have a full house, in their seats.

FatGuy · Post by **FatGuy** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 8:06 pm

I think free beer would work at any sporting event. If it were given away at chess matches, I would soon become a fan of watching chess.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:37 pm

The decline of nearly $400,000 - from $1.38 million in the final year at the Civic to $988,029 at the Qwest Center last season - has led to budget cuts throughout UNO's sports programs.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2013633

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:15 pm

I'd say let's swap the Mavs and the Knights... but I get the idea that the Knights ownership really likes not having to share the Civic with anyone (giving them extremely flexibility in scheduling)... and I'm sure they expect to clear more profit playing at the Civic as well.

HskrFanMike · Post by **HskrFanMike** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:25 pm

Checking the Ticketmaster web site the other night for the home opener, it looks like the Knights haven't sold many tickets at all. Checking several price levels showed lots of seats available in prime locations.

When all is said and done, I expect the Mavs to outdraw the Knights on average. UNO might just outdraw the Knights in total attendance, even though the Knights play 40 home games vs. 21 for UNO.

OmahaJaysCU · Post by **OmahaJaysCU** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:53 pm

HskrFanMike wrote:Checking the Ticketmaster web site the other night for the home opener, it looks like the Knights haven't sold many tickets at all. Checking several price levels showed lots of seats available in prime locations.

When all is said and done, I expect the Mavs to outdraw the Knights on average. UNO might just outdraw the Knights in total attendance, even though the Knights play 40 home games vs. 21 for UNO.

I think the Knights might end up doing better. The NHL is testing getting rid of the red line (offsides line) and having shoot outs for overtime in the AHL, so this new game might be more exciting.

HskrFanMike · Post by **HskrFanMike** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 7:27 pm

Omaha is a college sports town. The BlueJays, at their worst, outdrew the Racers. Heck, sometimes the Mavs out drew the Racers. Nebraska and Creighton outdraw the Royals in baseball.

As for the changes to the NHL rules, the red line has been gone in college hockey for years.

loyalomahan · Post by **loyalomahan** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 7:40 pm

Nebraska and Creighton outdraw the Royals in baseball.

I realize the Royals attendance is below average, but the only time Creighton has outdrawn the Royals is when they've actually been playing the Huskers (perhaps that's what you meant).

jjjjhskr · Post by **jjjjhskr** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 2:45 am

This is pretty amusing - The headline from the Army athletic site about their playing at the UNO tournanment this weekend:

"Army Hockey Travels To Cornhusker State For Season Opener"

goarmysports.collegesports.com

Like it or not, a lot of the rest of the country does know Nebraska as the Cornhusker State.

--- my apologies for the typing error!

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 2:49 am

Is this some sort of league where only people named 'Amy' can hit the ice?

I might be interested in this niche league... ;)

jjjjhskr · Post by **jjjjhskr** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 2:58 am

It's a quiet night at my house -

More UNO hockey -
From the New Hampshire Union Leader in an article about the UNO tourney this weekend titled

"UNH hockey starts season in Nebraska, of all places"

DURHAM – The last time the University of New Hampshire’s Trevor Smith was inside the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb., he watched RPI play Merrimack in the first round of last year’s Maverick Stampede.

Now he’s playing in the Stampede this weekend and he’s looking forward to seeing some of the people he met during his time with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League.

He may have to also double as a tour guide for his UNH teammates, since Omaha is not exactly on the hockey map.

UNH's Daniel Winnik fires a shot during a game against BU at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester last season. (UNION LEADER FILE)

The Wildcats, ranked eighth nationally, begin their season there tonight by playing Ferris State in the first round of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s annual kickoff tournament.

“I’ve stuck to the Northeast my whole life, so it will be interesting,” said UNH captain Brian Yandle, who comes from the Boston suburb of Milton. “There’s a lot of farmland out there for me, I’m used to more of the city atmosphere. I come to New Hampshire and think it’s bad, I can only imagine what Nebraska is like.”

There are actually more than a million people in the greater Omaha area, and they don’t just play football and raise crops. College hockey returned there eight years ago when UNO revived the sport nearly 32 years after disbanding its club team.

The ‘Cats were part of that historical first season in 1997, beating the Mavericks, 6-2, in Omaha on their way back from a mid-season tournament in Denver, Colo. UNH coach Dick Umile remembers the game vividly.

“They had 8,000 people. It was nuts,” Umile said. “It was a fun place to play.”

The Mavericks have since left the raucous Civic Auditorium – known as “The Bullpen” – for the Qwest Center in 2003. Their new arena holds more than 14,000 people, making it the third-largest college rink in the country.

While Smith never did play in the Qwest Center – his junior team played its home games in nearby Council Bluffs, Iowa – he said Omaha is a great city. But enough about Omaha, this trip is really about UNH.

and later in the same article:

Smith isn’t be the only ‘Cat to have found a sheet of ice in Nebraska. There are 13 members of the team who have played in the USHL, which actually has three teams based in the Cornhusker State. Not that many expected to be going back there.

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_ ... icle=61812

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 3:33 am

jjjjhskr's article wrote:He may have to also double as a tour guide for his UNH teammates, since Omaha is not exactly on the hockey map.

There are actually more than a million people in the greater Omaha area, and they don’t just play football and raise crops. College hockey returned there eight years ago when UNO revived the sport nearly 32 years after disbanding its club team.

“They had 8,000 people. It was nuts,” Umile said. “It was a fun place to play.”

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_ ... icle=61812

jjjjhskr, what a GREAT article!!

An east coast article that doesn't pander to the generalizations of this area! Good show!

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