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Post by belcherboy on Feb 18, 2005 0:24:14 GMT -5
I have quite a few friends still working at Liberty and rumor has it that Lahaye's son is a good hockey player. Mrs. Lahaye asked Dr. Falwell why they didn't have a rink nearby and he stated "the cost". She asked how much, he stated a high ball number and she said, "start building it, I'll write the check".
Just a rumor, but my buddies have pretty much been accurate on the vast majority of their rumors!
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Post by Sly Fox on Feb 18, 2005 1:30:16 GMT -5
If true, that is ultra-cool. We can use all the financial help we can get. And if we can find someone to underwrite hockey expenses than its all the better.
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Post by Stevev on Feb 18, 2005 21:25:07 GMT -5
It's hard to believe that a college in the South is putting so much emphasis on ice hockey. You would think that that money could be used for football or basketball. Sports that are considered to be more important to the majority of the students but if it is there best interest so be it.
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Post by PAmedic on Feb 19, 2005 12:49:33 GMT -5
NO NO NO. you've got it all wrong. First, you can't simply cater to the majority all the time, that's how Prop whatever came about to ensure equality among mens/ladies' sports. (not the club hockey would qualify) there is a very dedicated following for the club sports (at least there always WAS), incl hockey and lacrosse that deserve equal consideration. Secondly, the arena would be used for the public as well, and is a good outreach opportunity to the "townies" and old hags that may want to visit campus (think of "Lynchburg Ice-capades w/ Dorthy Hamil and that bald dude who does the back flips- okay: maybe not!)
Besides, as has been stated NUMEROUS times- D1AA football will NOT generate cash, no matter how much money you dump into it.
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Post by ATrain on Feb 19, 2005 21:57:09 GMT -5
Its about time our hockey team gets a rink. They've been good forever, and this year we have a shot at a national title, seeing as how we're the #1 seed in the Southeast region going into nationals.
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Post by Guest on Feb 21, 2005 8:51:01 GMT -5
According to an interview during halftime of one of the basketball games, Coach Handy said the plans call for the arena to possibly be built by the fall semester. He said it will seat 1,500 plus about 400 standing room and can be expanded in the future. In addition to LU using the facility, the coach hopes to begin junior and youth hockey programs as well as youth figure skating. The plans call for it to be built on the site where the LU police department used to be.
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Post by Yohan on Feb 21, 2005 13:00:42 GMT -5
1500? ? Are they crazy? Great way to lose enthusiam. Pack 300 people into a 1500 seat arena. People have already talked about the fact that a lot of LU students who go to games now would quit going if it was on campus.
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Post by PAmedic on Feb 21, 2005 13:04:37 GMT -5
glass half-full or half-empty? yeah, some of those who went to get off campus may not attend, but you can draw 2-3x as many simply b/c its now more accessable/convienient.
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Post by Yohan on Feb 21, 2005 13:42:21 GMT -5
True, if this was the north where people actually play hockey.
Personally, I don't remember seeing many narthern license plates when driving around the circle.
Its mostly VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, TX, NJ with the occasional NY or midwest, maybe CA.
Every once and a while you might spot a psycho Vermont person.
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Post by PAmedic on Feb 21, 2005 13:51:13 GMT -5
Then the demographics must have REALLY changed in the last 15 years, b/c the PA/NJ contingent was HUGE when I was down there- I never had a problem finding a ride home for the weekend or break if need be.
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Post by Yohan on Feb 21, 2005 13:55:44 GMT -5
I'd put PA right underneath NJ. But like I said, that's just from seeing license plates. I could be wrong.
Maybe PA license plates are indescript.
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Post by Sly Fox on Feb 21, 2005 13:57:32 GMT -5
The makeup of campus must be considerably different from when I went to school. We had a large contingent of students from Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota and Canadians (even a bunch from Dunton's old school in Anchorage). And you don't have to have played the game to appreciate it the experience in person. It is arguably the best sport to experience live. It is also the perhaps the poorest sport to watch on television. Usually, once someone gets a feel of the action the first time, there's a good chance they'll be back.
As for where they play hockey, its wildly popular on the youth and high school level down here int he traditional hockey hotbed of Houston.
I was under the impression the rick was going to be over in the old GE facility. A stand-alone building is even more impressive.
I guarantee you that it will pay for itself. Most rinks are very profitable due to youth leagues alone. And that is in spite of the sizeable operational costs (refridgeration, Zamboni, etc.).
As for seating capacity, I think that's about what it should be. That's about the capacity it was in Salem back in the day and we drew between 500-750 back when it was first starting up.
If we continue to win against opponents the common student has heard of, then we'll draw some numbers. And while there will have to be admission due toi club status, the fact they won't have to pay for ice time should keep the costs very reasonable.
You can complain all you want about the money being spent in the wrong areas of the athletic department, but this sounds like a designated gift. In other words, its money we probably wouldn't be getting otherwise.
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aLUmnus
Full Member
old school LU
Posts: 192
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Post by aLUmnus on Feb 21, 2005 16:51:13 GMT -5
They'll be able to fill it up, hockey is a little more popular than people think, and there are more Northerners at LU than you think. The demographics haven't changed at all, there's just a lot more people now. When going to Roanoke, the minor league team there packed the place out, so people do watch hockey in Virginia. And it's something that Lynchburg hasn't ever been able to experience, so I could see the curiousity factor come into play, as well as the many Northerners who live here coming out to watch.
I think making a very small arena is a huge turnoff to the general public. If you've ever been to a game in Charlottesville, you know what I'm talking about. It's pretty much a bunch of people crammed (standing) around the glass with about three feet between the glass and the wall and no place to sit. What townie would want to go to that? The rink they have planned sounds perfect to me.
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Post by Duntonville on Feb 21, 2005 18:17:13 GMT -5
Yeah, Yohan did leave off Ohio. Very, very important state. But I will say, Yohan, that I'm a little bit skeptical about this 1500 seat arena as well. I guess I don't know enough about hockey to make a good opinion though.
I went to a Richmond Renegades game once.
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Post by Sly Fox on Feb 21, 2005 21:23:19 GMT -5
Duntonville -- You from the Buckeye state? That's where I called home when I was in school way back in the day.
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Post by SCAR on Feb 22, 2005 0:07:21 GMT -5
Here is a breakdown of the top 5 states represented on Liberty's campus. www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=6916PA is third! So there are some northerners down here and I think Hockey games will be well attended especially if they win like they have been. It is a fun sport to watch in person. I love the Flyers (of course) and have been to several Washington Capitals games over the years when we lived in Northern VA. If you look at the numbers closely it appears that with external degree students Liberty serves almost 18,000 people! amazing.
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Post by Yohan on Feb 22, 2005 11:25:08 GMT -5
Ok, Ohio license plates do show up a lot.
I stand corrected. I guess the PA students are bums. If they can't afford cars, will they pay for hockey?
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Post by PAmedic on Feb 22, 2005 11:31:53 GMT -5
as long as it's not more than a buck or two!
and I prefer the term "thrifty"
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Post by eddantes on Feb 22, 2005 21:29:15 GMT -5
I went to the link that SCAR provided, and then checked out the school's five-year plan (starting in 2002) but I must say, I was disappointed. First of all, I was really hoping to see its plan for the athletic programs, but that aspect was all but ignored.
Second, the plan was written before the purchase of the Ericsson building, so it's all out of whack.
Third, the paper itself is just full of those administrative and business buzz words like "proactive" that really don't accomplish things.
Not exactly Baylor 2012 (I'm sure Sly knows about that one), but it's decent. I would like to see a more updated version, just so I know where my alumni donations are headed.
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Post by SeoulFlame on Mar 30, 2005 22:16:12 GMT -5
I'm an LU Grad from 2001 and had some friend on the Hockey team. I'm surprised none of you mentioned our frozen neighbor to the north. Half of LU's players are from Canada.
I'm new to this site and I am really enjoying it.
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Post by PAmedic on Mar 31, 2005 6:28:15 GMT -5
welcome aboard dude- looked at your personal webpage: that little guy is cute
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Post by Sly Fox on Mar 31, 2005 10:29:11 GMT -5
Wow! The Fire House goes international!
Welcome aboard, SeoulFlame. Are you military or missionary?
Yeah, the Canadian factor has more to do with the players than the fans. But you are correct that we were remissed for not mentioning those Canucks.
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Post by PAmedic on Mar 31, 2005 10:46:48 GMT -5
"remiss" (maybe Y'ALL THANK ITS SPELT DIFFERNT DOWN THAR IN TEXY)
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Post by tyzing on Mar 31, 2005 12:46:08 GMT -5
Guys i know i dont deserve a lot of respect but give me some!!! I posted about this about 1 month ago...and i even gave you the NEW SECRET location SHHHHH!!!! It will be built by next year and the original post is 100% right...there SHOULD be breaking ground in about 30 days...i know i said that a while ago although the location did change therefore the time they'll start did as well.....just a little respect guys!!!
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Post by tyzing on Mar 31, 2005 12:48:59 GMT -5
geez, i messed up on one part...it IS NOT her son that play's...cant really go into a lot of detail without revealing people...let's just say there's a family relationship with a hockey player....not even all that close (compared to family) but there just nice ;D
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Post by HarrisburgFlame on Mar 31, 2005 12:55:43 GMT -5
This is great news. It will help attract kids from the NE. Additionally, the ECHL has boomed since 1988 with a sunbelt hockey explosion. Not a bad thing to have hockey in the south. we may be able to get better players now that we will have an on campus hockey facility and kids won't have to drive an hour to get ice time. It may also provide an opportunity to expand within the community with youth hockey programs.
This is a good development in my opinion (IMO).
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Post by Sly Fox on Mar 31, 2005 13:24:42 GMT -5
tyzing -- Thanks for the heads up. And if it hasn't been stated already, welcome to the board.
Keep the hockey info coming for those of us who appreciate the program.
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Post by SeoulFlame on Mar 31, 2005 19:58:56 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome. We are missionaries here in Korea. I am the Athletic Director at a Christian school. My wife is not happy about The Fire House because I've been trying to catch up (read everything) for the last few days. ;D
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Post by Sly Fox on Apr 1, 2005 1:18:06 GMT -5
Cool. I had feeling that might be what has you over there. I admire your willingness to answer the call.
Yeah, my wife hates this website too.
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Post by PAmedic on Apr 1, 2005 1:48:07 GMT -5
that makes 3 of us- you guys are getting me in a LOT of trouble
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