Coffee Shop May Be Bemidji's Ticket Into WCHA

(above) Mike Chambers may have accidentally stumbled upon the WCHA's biggest conspiracy last month, hidden behind the doors of this Colorado Springs coffeehouse

Looks like Bemidji State University may have finally found a back door way to sneak into the WCHA. According to a couple of fishwraps, the WCHA may allow Bemidji State to make a presentation to join the league.

I know what you're thinking, "Who the Hell is Bemidji State and how can a Canadian university we've never heard of play in the NCAA?"

Turns out Bemidji is a city in Minnesota with a population roughly the same as a dorm at the University of Minnesota. Sporting an endowment of slightly less than Dan Ritchie's Master Card credit limit, Bemidji State wants to play "big-time" college hockey in the WCHA.

Why would Colorado College vote to accept a school that's even more anonymous than they are? DU beat writer Mike Chambers discovered the "smoking gun" while writing one of his fluff pieces for the Denver Post [its in the middle of the article].

"In Colorado Springs, Frank Serratore [Former DU & current Air Force hockey coach] and Owens' wives take the bond a step further. Frank and Carol Serratore co-own a coffee shop called "It's a Grind." Carol runs the place with Owens' wife, Sally."

Frank, of course, is the brother of Bemidji State's head hockey coach Tom. So it doesn't take a Colorado College grad to figure out where the front money came from to fund the partnership.

"They've become very good friends," Scott Owens said. "Our sons were playing on the same hockey team and they became friends. Between the kids playing together and "It's a Grind," the girls really click. They're kind of two peas in a pod.