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UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

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  • #16
    Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

    IMO...great start for the new regime. You all know nothing about Mike Souza. He has the reputation of being a tireless recruiter, similar to O'Connell's reputation at Harvard. Most importantly, these two guys are honest straight forward character guys. People you will be proud of supporting. If we learned anything over the last three weeks, aside from his ability to coach hockey, it's Coach Cav's reputation of being a stand-up good guy. This was reiterated multiple times by different people, it wasn't one or two people blowing smoke. So, these hires make sense. Be proud you have them, and as a fan of a future opponent, I believe UConn has scary momentum for a team that has never competed in HE. Could they pull up the rear their first year? Sure, but I won't be surprised when we start hearing about highly saught after recruits commiting to UConn.

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    • #17
      Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

      Originally posted by Kenny View Post
      IMO...great start for the new regime. You all know nothing about Mike Souza. He has the reputation of being a tireless recruiter, similar to O'Connell's reputation at Harvard. Most importantly, these two guys are honest straight forward character guys. People you will be proud of supporting. If we learned anything over the last three weeks, aside from his ability to coach hockey, it's Coach Cav's reputation of being a stand-up good guy. This was reiterated multiple times by different people, it wasn't one or two people blowing smoke. So, these hires make sense. Be proud you have them, and as a fan of a future opponent, I believe UConn has scary momentum for a team that has never competed in HE. Could they pull up the rear their first year? Sure, but I won't be surprised when we start hearing about highly saught after recruits commiting to UConn.
      Kenny hit the nail square on the head. Several "higher profile" candidates with a lot of experience were after these jobs and these are the two men that were chosen. Mike Cavanaugh was a surprising choice to me when he was hired (I voiced my reasons on here). With that in mind, he showed a ton of courage in having a plan and selecting the two candidates that fit what he was after. I have no doubt this staff will do a tremendous job.

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      • #18
        Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

        What is Cavanaugh's reported salary?

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        • #19
          Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

          What higher profile candidates with a lot of experience were after these jobs?

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          • #20
            Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

            Originally posted by J.D. View Post
            What higher profile candidates with a lot of experience were after these jobs?
            I know this will seem like a terrible cop out, but I have heard of a Hockey East assistant, and multiple ECAC assistants who applied and/or interviewed for the position. Out of respect for them and their current positions I'm not going to "out" them. Also, USHR had a few different candidates mentioned, some of which were different than the candidates I heard of.

            The hockey world is so small and the jobs are so coveted (particularly college ones), you'd be shocked at who applies for jobs that you'd never think of.

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            • #21
              Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

              USHR mentioned:

              Albie O'Connell (he reportedly turned down his alma mater in BU to stay at Harvard, so I don't think he would have left for UConn either)

              Kyle Wallack of UVM (don't think any of you would have been excited over someone from Kevin Sneddon's staff)

              Josh Ciocco (no experience)

              Scott Paluch (wasn't interested)

              Mike Mottau (no experience)

              Dave Peters of Dartmouth

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              • #22
                Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                I do believe that Cavanaugh will fail. Those guys mentioned above (the perceived higher qualified candidates) will wait until his replacement when the program's track record will have a few year's Hockey East experience before jumping on board. UConn is 10 years from being respectable in that conference.
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                • #23
                  Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                  Originally posted by irishfan85 View Post
                  What is Cavanaugh's reported salary?
                  I think it was reported as $250,000. as for what higher profile assistants were after the jobs, I don't know for certain but I've ehard that there was a good deal of interest, at least at the "tire-kicking" level. That could have evaporated when more information was available.

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                  • #24
                    Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                    Originally posted by Onion Man View Post
                    I do believe that Cavanaugh will fail. Those guys mentioned above (the perceived higher qualified candidates) will wait until his replacement when the program's track record will have a few year's Hockey East experience before jumping on board. UConn is 10 years from being respectable in that conference.
                    I don't know if that's true. I hope not, but I also recognize that this is one of those situations which will be tough to evaluate in less than 5 years, maybe even longer than that. It might even be tough to evaluate next season since Cav wouldn't be the first coach to go with inexperienced "his guys" rather than the established players in order to build for the future and take some lumps doing so. He's said he is planning to play to win next year, but he can't very well say he is playing to lose! So it could well be 5-7 years before we know whether he'll be good, bad or indifferent as a head coach. If he gets next years team to the NCAAs, a not unrealistic possibility given the talent level of the returning players, the additions and the league, and then goes into Hockey east and finishes competitively, we'll know we have something. But if he doesn't, we really won't. having been through these building processes at UConn before, I know enough to wait before making a judgement on a coach. After all, Jim Calhoun finished 8th, 9th and 7th in his first 3 Big East seasons. Edsall's first 3 football seasons were 4-7, 3-8, 2-9 before running off some solid seasosns, too.

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                    • #25
                      Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                      Originally posted by J.D. View Post
                      USHR mentioned:

                      Kyle Wallack of UVM (don't think any of you would have been excited over someone from Kevin Sneddon's staff)
                      Supposedly this guy showed his true professionalism by criticizing the choices on Twitter. Clown.

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                      • #26
                        Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                        Originally posted by Jim View Post
                        I think it was reported as $250,000. as for what higher profile assistants were after the jobs, I don't know for certain but I've ehard that there was a good deal of interest, at least at the "tire-kicking" level. That could have evaporated when more information was available.
                        It's $200K. I also heard Souza's salary jumped considerably, as would have O'Connell's. In fact, thanks to Cav and Quinny, I believe O'Connell leveraged those opps for more dough at Harvard.

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                        • #27
                          Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                          Originally posted by Kenny View Post
                          It's $200K. I also heard Souza's salary jumped considerably, as would have O'Connell's. In fact, thanks to Cav and Quinny, I believe O'Connell leveraged those opps for more dough at Harvard.
                          That's correct. It was $200,000 not $250,000 as I wrote. But when you pick 2 lower level inexperienced assistants, it isn't unexpected tha their salaries jump. The question is whether even paying them more than they were making, did UConn still have a limit such that they couldn't have afforded a more experienced assistant. So if a guy with 2 years experience was getting (I have no idea what assistant hockey coaches make honestly) 60,000 but UConn pays him $72,000, but would have needed 85,000 to land a guy with 5 years, they might still have limited what kind of coaches Cav could hire. Or he might have elected to hire relatively inexperienced coaches. Though I'd have liked to see him with a well respected assistant/associate head coach.

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Jim View Post
                            I don't know if that's true. I hope not, but I also recognize that this is one of those situations which will be tough to evaluate in less than 5 years, maybe even longer than that. It might even be tough to evaluate next season since Cav wouldn't be the first coach to go with inexperienced "his guys" rather than the established players in order to build for the future and take some lumps doing so. He's said he is planning to play to win next year, but he can't very well say he is playing to lose! So it could well be 5-7 years before we know whether he'll be good, bad or indifferent as a head coach. If he gets next years team to the NCAAs, a not unrealistic possibility given the talent level of the returning players, the additions and the league, and then goes into Hockey east and finishes competitively, we'll know we have something. But if he doesn't, we really won't. having been through these building processes at UConn before, I know enough to wait before making a judgement on a coach. After all, Jim Calhoun finished 8th, 9th and 7th in his first 3 Big East seasons. Edsall's first 3 football seasons were 4-7, 3-8, 2-9 before running off some solid seasosns, too.
                            The less attention you provide Onion Boy the better... He's a troll.
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                            • #29
                              Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                              Originally posted by Patman View Post
                              The less attention you provide Onion Boy the better... He's a troll.
                              Thanks for the tip. I find myself in a strange psotion for the 3rd time in 3 coaching hires. Pasqualoni, Ollie and Cavanaugh would not have been my choice for their respective positions. Each strikes me as the safe, or at least non-controvertial, choice. One has thus far been a flop. One thus far seems to have been the right choice. So Cav will be the one that tips the balance I guess. I hope he turns out to be excellent. But if he doesn't I hope he is a complete and utter flop out of the gate and goes 0-36 next season. Then they'll be no hesitation to replace him quickly and get on with it. I absolutely pray that he isn't a Pasqualoni...not so bad that you immediately can justifying replacing him, but not good enough that you want him here. I've heard people say he'll be great. I've heard a few question the choice. One BC friend says he is a great assistant but doesn't have head coaching personality and would never get the BC job when York steps aside. The majority are pro-Cavanaugh I'll have to say. I'm hopeful though I'll wait to see his team take the ice before making any predictions.

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                              • #30
                                Re: UConn 2013-2014: Let the Cavanaugh Era Begin

                                Jim, it doesn't matter how bad UConn is this year (if they do have a bad year)...he's not getting fired after one year.

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