RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

Commented to babo at the game last night that the pairing of #5 and #2 is developing a lot of chemistry. There were a number of situations last night where one would suddenly break off when covering back on a Dartmouth rush and the other would be right in his place a moment later, leaving the first to pursue another player altogether. It threw the Dartmouth forwards off a few times and was noticeable enough to stick with me after the game.

Also have noticed so far this season how much more comfortable #5 appears with the puck, both under pressure and otherwise. A number of times last year there would be a quick forced pass or dump that wouldn't really go anywhere, just because an opposing player was putting pressure on. Now it's a cool reaction and either using the body to protect the puck, or a much more controlled pass to get rid of it. Result is a lot fewer turnovers, at least to my eyes.

GR: Absolutely on the mark. LC has as we all know, the stuff you just cannot teach-6'5" and 255 and an aggressive fearless attitude on the ice. What he needed was some teaching and experience and time to absorb it all-obviously he has been a keen student of hockey. I never had any fear and knew he would improve like this. Now the only fear i have is that he has gotten good enough to garner lots of NHL attention. But knowing Babo a bit, i am very sure he has his head screwed on exactly right and I think we will see something very special in Troy for the next 2 years. Reno is going to be another very good one-and having them together for 2 years is a very exciting prospect.

[fishcore12]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

You're.

That's for all your remarks regarding a J. M. Barrie character.

You got me good dude...thanks for the help.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

GR: Absolutely on the mark. LC has as we all know, the stuff you just cannot teach-6'5" and 255 and an aggressive fearless attitude on the ice. What he needed was some teaching and experience and time to absorb it all-obviously he has been a keen student of hockey. I never had any fear and knew he would improve like this. Now the only fear i have is that he has gotten good enough to garner lots of NHL attention. But knowing Babo a bit, i am very sure he has his head screwed on exactly right and I think we will see something very special in Troy for the next 2 years. Reno is going to be another very good one-and having them together for 2 years is a very exciting prospect.

I agree that LC has improved a lot since he came to Troy. I don't know how much that is due to RPI's coaching staff or just his skill set and instincts improving.

I realized a long time ago that you can't teach 6'5". Then again I don't bump my head that often.

[Red Cloud]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

Is anyone else concerned, it is now 5 periods of hockey since we have scored a goal and now that we are in league play we have yet to win. I'm already starting to feel like it will be just another year.

Where'd you go, Big Jim?

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

Where'd you go, Big Jim?

I believe we all know the phrase "put up or shut up". He put it up, the team responded accordingly, so now he shut up. I don't really see much of a need for vindication since the end goal was achieved, including mine of actually playing a full second period, but to each his own.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

Big 4 game stretch in the early going... looking forward to seeing our aggressive speed driven attack this weekend. They don't get any bigger for me than Friday night's opponent... Public Enemy #1 in my book.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

I agree that LC has improved a lot since he came to Troy. I don't know how much that is due to RPI's coaching staff or just his skill set and instincts improving.

I realized a long time ago that you can't teach 6'5". Then again I don't bump my head that often.

Jenny is considerably height challenged(political correctness noted) but finds all sorts of ways to hit her head on things-Her bigger problem is our finding a car she can drive without sitting on a pillow. Being able to see the front of the car and over the dash while at the same time reaching the pedals(and putting the clutch all the way to the floor) can be the biggest challenge for her. She would normally not mind a pillow-but when you are spending a fortune on a car-and cars are indeed expensive-she feels you just should not have to.

Back to Luke-now that we get these wonderful RPI TV broadcasts-I get to see his play often enough to appreciate how much of a difference there has been. There is a difference between being big and playing big. We have had some sizeable players before on defense and as forwards-but LC plays to his size and you cannot help but notice.

[Red Cloud]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

Back to Luke-now that we get these wonderful RPI TV broadcasts-I get to see his play often enough to appreciate how much of a difference there has been. There is a difference between being big and playing big. We have had some sizeable players before on defense and as forwards-but LC plays to his size and you cannot help but notice.

Might be playing with fire here even mentioning this guy but there's someone who posts infrequently on these boards who was always very, very wrong about Luke and I'm glad to see him force-fed his garbage. Always knew LC would be an outstanding contributor as he got older.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

Might be playing with fire here even mentioning this guy but there's someone who posts infrequently on these boards who was always very, very wrong about Luke and I'm glad to see him force-fed his garbage. Always knew LC would be an outstanding contributor as he got older.

RC-Going back to when SA first announced him as a recruit-there were indeed some major doubters-but I remember those of us who were very excited. There were however a few who just look at past statistics/numbers and try to predict what a kid will be like years later. Thankfully our coach is not one of those.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

We're still #10 on the USCHO poll http://www.uscho.com/rankings/.

[Red Cloud]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

We're still #!0 on the USCHO poll http://www.uscho.com/rankings/.

How far ahead is #!0 of #26?

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

RC-Going back to when SA first announced him as a recruit-there were indeed some major doubters-but I remember those of us who were very excited. There were however a few who just look at past statistics/numbers and try to predict what a kid will be like years later. Thankfully our coach is not one of those.

After watching five of these kids, you get a better appreciation for what the coaches are looking for when they travel across North America. You can't really predict what these kids will do after just a score line, or sometimes even one game (as in the case of Chris Bradley). You REALLY have to watch these kids play. Even in juniors, there were signs of the BRO gaining confidence with the puck, something I even overheard Monty say. I don't know if it is the next step that creates timidity, not going to say one way or the other. I'm sure, even every once in a while, coaches will subscribe to USHL video feeds to check out these kids if they happen to be playing on a Sunday evening, or screencast and watch later.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

After watching five of these kids, you get a better appreciation for what the coaches are looking for when they travel across North America. You can't really predict what these kids will do after just a score line, or sometimes even one game (as in the case of Chris Bradley). You REALLY have to watch these kids play. Even in juniors, there were signs of the BRO gaining confidence with the puck, something I even overheard Monty say. I don't know if it is the next step that creates timidity, not going to say one way or the other. I'm sure, even every once in a while, coaches will subscribe to USHL video feeds to check out these kids if they happen to be playing on a Sunday evening, or screencast and watch later.

I assume that you posted it the time, but I have forgotten. What did you think of Bradley in that one game?

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

I assume that you posted it the time, but I have forgotten. What did you think of Bradley in that one game?

I don't know what game FD is talking about, but I saw Bradley in his first game as an engineer, and he was awful. I saw him again, later in the season and he was a different player. Nerves can do that to a player.
I think we have a real winner in Reno. No nerves and playing with Luke he looks like a seasoned veteran already.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2013/14: Sunny, with a slight chance of drivel

How far ahead is #!0 of #26?

We have all noticed Ralph's occassional lapses. It probably means nothing-but we have sent out a Silver Alert for him just in case.