Why doesn't Iowa have a hockey team?

by Ioweegin on Nov 24, 2009 2:50 PM CST Comment 14 comments

Because, I'm one of those people whom, once football is over-with*, switches over to my other favorite Violent Sport Of Choice™ which happens to be hockey. I came to love it watching the D-1 college my signifigant other covered in Omaha (GO MAVS!), and when we had to move to the 5th Circle of Hell (it's the cold one) it became my only salvation in a place where winter lasts 6-7 months. I just like the sport, and it satiates my need for violence during the time when there is almost nothing** worth watching.

So am I just some crazy hockey-loving freak of nature, or are there any others out there in BHGP land that would support a Hawkeye Hockey team?

*Yes, I'm well aware that football isn't quite over yet - but 2 months is a long time damnit!

**with all due respect to the institute that is Iowa Basketball you can't tell me replacing the wood in Carver with ice wouldn't make things more interesting for a basketball game. I'd PAY MONEY to see that.

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In fact, we do have a hockey team

…it’s just a club hockey team that plays its games in Coral Ridge Mall.

http://www.hawkeyeshockey.com/

by fossilhawk on Nov 24, 2009 3:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Really?

They should seriously try to promote that more. It’s too bad, Coral Ridge really isn’t a very good “venue”, I’d really like to go see a game some time – but then you have to deal with all the crap at the foodcourt.

I have occupational turrettes... My job makes me swear uncontrolably at everyone.

by Ioweegin on Nov 24, 2009 3:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, seriously...

….I used to go visit the couple “friends” that I had at That Other Iowa University (think far-east-Omaha), and one of my favorite memories (sort of) on the Cyclone campus was tailgating before the hockey games. I think theirs is a club team too, but they had their own ice arena, and the atmosphere was awesome (even though it was more of a giant shed than an “arena”). Whenever there was a slapshot the entire student section would go “OH!” and if their player missed they’d follow up with “SHIT!”— done in real time the “arena” resonated with the sound of slap “OH, SHIT!” And when I was 20 that seemed really cool.
Also, I was once grazed across the cheek with a puck that the goalie cleared a little too high (into the crowd). I proceeded to act like I was going to climb the plexiglass to go fight the goalie (I was lubricated enough that I barely felt the welt forming) and the goalie acknowledged that he had hit me and put his hands up in a “I don’t want to fight” kind of way. Then later, after the game, he saw me at the bar and bought me a beer and a shot (for the welt).

by Eyeheartfreedumb on Nov 24, 2009 3:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You are correct, ISU has a club team only

…and the games are a lot of fun. They made an attempt at making it a formal university team around 2000 (I think), because they are typically pretty good. That shed is also where ISU hosts another great ice-related activity: Intramural Broomball.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broomball

by mattbednar on Nov 25, 2009 8:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

My brother

Went to ISU and took me to a hockey game back in the 90s. Not sure if it was a club team back then, I vaguely remember the game. But I do remember the student section being pretty rambunctious. They were pulling the heat shields off of the overhead pipes and banging on them during the game and the announcer got mad. It was really fun. Then they had a Dodge Neon come out at the periods and do doughnuts.

by Duez I say on Nov 25, 2009 8:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A Dodge Neon?

That makes it so much more awesome.

"I don't know. I don't know. [waves hand dismissively] First, you'd have to tell me what a 'BCS' is. I don't know."

by ReadingRambler on Nov 25, 2009 9:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

My roommate played while I was there

I went and watched him a couple times play at the mall, and it was fun and entertaining because I knew someone playing, but I can’t imagine it would have been much fun just to go watch a random game. It wasn’t exactly a high flying action packed affair.

It's not that I'm lazy, Bob, it's that I just don't care

by Colteyes on Nov 24, 2009 6:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I would LOVE to see an Iowa hockey team

The Blackhawks are the the only thing that will keep me sane this winter.

by mattbednar on Nov 25, 2009 8:04 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

We do have Field Hockey!

Although that’s over now too. Not the greatest this pas year but we went to the Final Four last year….See, Iowa can make it to a Final Four.

by HawkeyePapyrus on Nov 25, 2009 10:49 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hello, and Welcome to the ACHA

As far as I understand, Iowa fields two ACHA D-II teams – something that a few other schools do as well. Anyway, the ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) is an organization that was created for club hockey teams. Basically in the 80’s, the club hockey scene was a mess. Two coaches from two of the premiere hockey clubs at that time (Al Murdoch of Iowa State, and Joe Batista at Penn State) got together and decided to start-up a new association to bring some order to collegiate club hockey. They now have 3 men’s divisions and 2 women’s divisions of college club hockey teams. And while I have my gripes at times, it’s a well-run organization and extremely helpful for a lot of club hockey programs across the country.

Admittedly, I don’t keep tabs on the D-II teams, so I can’t really say how good the Iowa teams are/have been. I know Penn State, Illinois, and Iowa State all have ACHA D-I programs, and all 3 are usually among the top teams each year. So if Iowa can ever bump one of their teams up to D-I, there will be recognizable teams to play.

"In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

by IcersGuy on Nov 25, 2009 11:34 AM CST reply actions 0 recs