Hello fellow Jackalope fans! It is a beautiful day here in the Permian Basin, and we have found out over the last couple of days what the CHL conference alignment will be, how many games each team will play next season, and also the playoff format for next season.
So, since the title of my post mentions the playoff format, lets start there shall we? This season's format will be a format that sees sixteen out of eighteen teams make the playoffs. In other words, only one team from each conference will not make the post-season. How stupid is that? The whole point of the playoffs is to showcase the best of the best in the CHL and have those teams battle it out to prove who is the best team in the league. Now, with this format, you will have several teams with losing records make the playoffs when they do not deserve to be there. It just does not make any sense. Now, the regular season will be vastly diluted in the sense that all you have to do to make the playoffs is to not be the cellar dweller of your respective conference. This is just unbelievable.
What were the Board of Governors thinking when they approved this format? Many are saying that this is a compromise between the IHL and CHL since the IHL will not have a 70+ game regular season, but why wouldn't they just extend the regular CHL season as opposed to making a mockery of the regular season in order to make a few extra bucks? I think I may know the answer, and I would like to see if you guys agree with me. My theory is that since many season ticket holders have already payed for their tickets or at least signed a contract with a set price for their tickets, the CHL decided that they can't just give away free tickets to the season ticket holders by making the regular season longer. The teams can, however, charge for more playoff games by allowing more teams in the playoffs since season ticket holders don't get their bills for playoff games until the season has ended. In other words, it's all about the almighty dollar. The CHL is willing to make a mockery of their regular season in order to make more money. That's the way I see it anyway. With that said, I guess we will find out how truly ridiculous this setup is once the regular season starts in October.
Lets move on to the announced conference alignment for the 2010-2011 CHL season. This is exactly how I thought the alignment would be, with the Jacks, Allen, Arizona, Bossier, Laredo, Mississippi, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and Tulsa making up the Southern Conference. Obviously Bossier, Mississippi, and Tulsa have come from the Northern Conference to join the Southern Conference. The Northern Conference will consist of Bloomington, Colorado, Dayton, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Missouri, Quad City, Rapid City, and Wichita. Both conferences will have nine teams each, and according to the CHL website, the conferences will be given names that have to deal with the histories of both the CHL and IHL. Should be interesting. The CHL also stated that new trophies will be introduced for conference champions, regular season champions, and playoff champions. I'm curious to see these "new" trophies, and I really hope the CHL doesn't make a joke of them.
Finally, The Central Hockey League announced that there will be 66 regular season games this season, as opposed to the 64 played last season by the CHL teams. I would have liked to seen 68 or even 70 regular season games, but I won't complain about getting to watch another home game too much. The Jacks also announced that their home opener will be on the 28th of October, two weeks after the season starts. We all knew this would happen, since every other year the oil show occupies the Ector County Coliseum. Interestingly, though, the Jacks home opener will be on a Thursday which will be a little strange. They won't open on that Friday due to the OHS/PHS football game, and I can't say that I blame them. All I know is that I'm ready for some hockey! We still don't know who the Jacks will entertain on the 28th, though, since the schedule still has not been released. I'm expecting the schedule to be released either some time this week, or maybe even next week. When it does happen, I will let all of you know.
I guess I'm going to go ahead and wrap things up here. Be sure to check the blog for updates throughout the week, and feel free to comment on my posts.
Until next time Jackalope fans all I have to say is GO JACKS GO!!! and what were you thinking CHL?
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