Wednesday, March 2, 2011

MSU Coach and Writer Whines About Travelling Back to Alaska

Now this is funny. Spartan head coach Rick Comley called a local Lansing news blogger Tim Staudts who posted a  tear-filled rant about his team having to make another trip back to Alaska in a 3 week span, claiming "Alaska has no business being in this league". Since Michigan State could only place one spot from the bottom of the barrel, they're on the road the rest of the way. Since their fate was sealed this past weekend, they needed a plane with 32 seats available. The only plane they could get themselves on was out of Chicago, which involved a 3 and a half hour bus trip. Wow. My heart is full of sympathy already. Pathetic.

I'm all for teams complaining about the travel, whatever, but when they say we have no business being in this league, that pretty much pisses me off. Don't like it? For starters, you could try finishing better than 10th place. I'm not saying MSU is a bad team, but finishing in 10th doesn't exactly earn the right to choose where you want to play in the playoffs. I've seen our team in that spot several times in years past. Home ice for the playoffs hasn't exactly been the norm until recently.

Our team travels more than any other team in the country, I've covered this subject before after some Notre Dame fan whined about the same thing. I could ask Coach Ferguson next week what he thinks about the long trip for the quarterfinals, but I know what his response will be, and it won't be a complaint. Basically its the same story, different chapter. Maybe Michigan State isn't tough enough to make those long trips? I guess I know the real reason why Adam Henderson transferred. Too much man for a single Spartan uniform. Funny, 'cause I don't hear him complaining about travel.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

If coach Comley doesn't like it, maybe he should just quit. Oh, wait a minute...

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

MSU has a 36-game schedule this year thanks to the alaska exemption. That allowed them to play a conference series without it counting against the 34-game limit, indirectly giving them the ability to play 2 additional non-conference games.

They played 8 non-conference games this year, including 2 separate tournaments, a HOME series against maine, and a HOME series against alabama huntsville. The HOME series is an important distinction, as it adds directly to the MSU bottom line. Considering the fact that MSU gets the income for an extra series, the extra practice, AND UAF pays the price of airfare to alaska, MSU should be thanking their lucky starts Alaska is in the CCHA.

YOUR WELCOME RICK COMLEY, AND MSU ADMINISTRATION.

Cynical Counsel said...

Does UAF subsidize other teams travel as part of their membership in the CCHA? As a Nanook grad living in Ohio I sure am glad they come down here to play.

TAHL

Jason said...

@ Lawyer, yes we do.

I hope somebody sent this to Dallas Ferguson because this is classic bulletin board material.

Jason said...

I re-read that blog post, it's laughable mostly because the author has no clue what he's talking about. And if Comley was actually stupid enough to tell a member of the media that his upcoming playoff opponent doesn't belong in the CCHA, then he deserves what's headed his way.

I hope somebody has the balls to ask Comley about this at the coaches luncheon tomorrow (assuming he shows up).

Britton said...

If I was able to go to the luncheon tomorrow, that would be topic number 1. Missing these games too, dammit...

crazynookfan said...

Thank you Britton for this article. It had me laughing for at least 10 minutes.