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RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

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  • #76
    Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

    What ARE you talking about? Please explain. But, don't give the "they're men of fine character"etc. I'm sure they are, I'm sure you probably are as well, but that doesn't mean I want to watch you play hockey. RC, the game is played to be won.

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    • #77
      Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

      Originally posted by crossbar View Post
      RC, if success isn't measured by the final score and standings, why are such records kept? Simply pointing to records over time is a joke? please explain to me what I should be pointing at? If it's about understanding what wins games and loses games, it seems to me that for the last 4 seasons we haven't really caught on to what it is or isn't now, have we? You really aren't offering any defense to the facts. The team is 49-85-18 over the last 4 years. Has the team looked better this season? Yes, but it really couldn't look much worse. Do I want SA fired, no, but I'm just looking at it from the administration's point of view. Large investment, not many wins, and no fans. That's the forest, unfortunately.
      FWIW, and as far as I'm concerned, all of your points are valid.

      I'm not interested in seeing a coaching change either. In fact, it only does the program good to keep Appert in place for the foreseeable future.

      Records is records, though. What really hurts year after year is to see the rest of the ECAC put that one good year together now and then. The fact that Union has now eclipsed RPI for their "one good one" is really tough to take.

      I fully appreciate that the program's stable and Appert is the energetic leadership that Fridgen never was. however, four years is certainly long enough to expect a bit more than .500 and a defeat at home to Brown.
      RPI Hockey
      1954, 1985 NCAA Champions

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      • #78
        Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

        Originally posted by Dr. Robert View Post
        I fully appreciate that the program's stable and Appert is the energetic leadership that Fridgen never was. however, four years is certainly long enough to expect a bit more than .500 and a defeat at home to Brown.
        Coaches aren't magicians and they're not going to make top recruiting classes and better players appear out of nowhere. It takes time. Appert is working in his first head coaching position so he's not going to instantly bring in the best of the best of the best.

        That said, he's managed to get some of the best this program has seen in a long time, unfortunately one of them (Polacek) had a slew of third and fourth line talent surrounding him for two years because that's all this program had for a long stretch of time.

        You enter Pirri and you enter D'Amigo and O'Grady and all of a sudden Polacek is a legitimate Hobey Baker candidate and Paul Kerins is a goal scorer after not having that sort of role at all his previous three seasons. Greatness doesn't happen instantaneously in college sports, especially when you're essentially rebuilding a program from the bottom up. Expectations got a bit out of hand here this season.

        Patience friends.
        R.I.P. NASC/MCLA Mohawks Hockey

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        • #79
          Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

          Originally posted by GreatLakerMohawk View Post
          Coaches aren't magicians and they're not going to make top recruiting classes and better players appear out of nowhere. It takes time. Appert is working in his first head coaching position so he's not going to instantly bring in the best of the best of the best.

          That said, he's managed to get some of the best this program has seen in a long time, unfortunately one of them (Polacek) had a slew of third and fourth line talent surrounding him for two years because that's all this program had for a long stretch of time.

          You enter Pirri and you enter D'Amigo and O'Grady and all of a sudden Polacek is a legitimate Hobey Baker candidate and Paul Kerins is a goal scorer after not having that sort of role at all his previous three seasons. Greatness doesn't happen instantaneously in college sports, especially when you're essentially rebuilding a program from the bottom up. Expectations got a bit out of hand here this season.

          Patience friends.
          It is Coach's 4th year, so people probably figure he has all of his guys. Remember that a couple were still Fridgen's recruits. Plus, he doesn't always get everyone he wants. Sometimes, recruits don't work out (Zarbo, for example. Or Beauregard, though I'm guessing he's a walk-on). Not to mention, our team is very used to playing a west coast style offense. We don't play the ECAC clutch and grab game. So we end up the short end. But honestly, I'd rather be a national contender than an ECAC contender. Even though you first have to get through the ECAC to get to the big stage.

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          • #80
            Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

            After 4 years of Appert the hope is that he matures as a bench coach. Obviously he is very energetic and has his staff recruiting at what I think is a very high level by ECAC standards. Bottom line is there is alot of room for improvement as far as game management and style. I truly believe that RPI now has as much talent as anyone in the ECAC. They now need to play like it. When they realize that they can forecheck and pinch in from the blueline at the start of a game and not wait until they are down 3-0, the results, culture and energy at the fieldhouse will rise to a new level.
            Last edited by johnk; 03-08-2010, 12:28 PM.

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            • #81
              Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

              Originally posted by Humanoid View Post
              What I don't get is how RPI hasn't capitalized on D'Amigo's heroism for Team USA at the World Juniors? Maybe they have and I just don't know about it? But it seems like that would be a great way to draw off the association. Case in point - Ryan Miller and Team USA. Granted, again, not on the same level. But I have to think there's gotta be some connection to use?
              If, after the World Junior Championships, RPI had mounted a promotional campaign along the lines of "Come to the Field House and see our superstar, Team USA hero Jerry D'Amigo," that might have sold a few more tickets, but it would also have been putting an awful lot of pressure on a freshman. It could also have been perceived as a slight to a number of other very talented players on the team, including Chase Polacek, who was being touted as a candidate for the Hobey Baker award.

              FWIW, my impression was that Jerry put plenty of pressure on himself without the added weight of such a promotional campaign.

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              • #82
                Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                Originally posted by Waite21 View Post
                If, after the World Junior Championships, RPI had mounted a promotional campaign along the lines of "Come to the Field House and see our superstar, Team USA hero Jerry D'Amigo," that might have sold a few more tickets, but it would also have been putting an awful lot of pressure on a freshman. It could also have been perceived as a slight to a number of other very talented players on the team, including Chase Polacek, who was being touted as a candidate for the Hobey Baker award.

                FWIW, my impression was that Jerry put plenty of pressure on himself without the added weight of such a promotional campaign.
                Didn't they have a game where they gave out pictures of JD'A?
                sigpic

                Let's Go 'Tute!

                Maxed out at 2,147,483,647 at 10:00 AM EDT 9/17/07.

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                • #83
                  Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                  [QUOTE=crossbar;4679679]II realize that SA has supposedly brought in studs, but what's happening when they get here? /QUOTE]

                  Supposedly...? Are you serious? If you had bothered to glance at a few point totals, you'd surely know how foolish this statement is. D'Amigo, Polacek, Pirri and York. League scoring title. National scoring leader. League All-Rookie team. Nah, no on-ice results that I can see.

                  Am I happy were headed for golf season? Absolutely not. Should we have won more games? Certainly. But don't insult everyone here by attempting to sling mud at players who had tremendous seasons, by anyone's standards.
                  ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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                  • #84
                    Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                    Originally posted by Ralph Baer View Post
                    Didn't they have a game where they gave out pictures of JD'A?
                    They certainly did. Not only that, but they had Jerry on the ice with his family and they had one of his framed USA jerseys...the had a video slideshow featuring the USA team's run and Jerry's highlights...
                    ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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                    • #85
                      Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                      Originally posted by Brett Gobe View Post
                      Red Cloud,
                      Of the eleven games played this weekend in the ECAC playoffs not one broke 2000 in attendance. That includes three Clarkson SLU games. It's not just a RPI problem, it's a league problem. Who really wants to, or better yet, can afford to shell out 15 dollars a ticket for a game between two teams that are for the most part, bad to mediocre?
                      My guess is that like RPI, most of the schools are on Spring Break..not that hard to figure out why attendance stunk. Losing game one cetainly didn't help.

                      FWIW - The "townie" side of HFH was actually pretty crowded last night.
                      ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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                      • #86
                        Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                        Originally posted by RHamilton View Post
                        Peak viewership on Sunday was 380, 170 on Saturday. We're quite pleased, and we're looking forward to being able to provide this service again next season (with the blessing of RPI Athletics, of course). We've got quite a lot of time to perfect and mature our streaming over the summer, and we'll be practicing on Lacrosse and Football in the offseason.

                        All 3 Brown games:
                        1 - http://www.rpitv.org/productions/286...ship-1st-round
                        2 - http://www.rpitv.org/productions/287...me-2-1st-round
                        3 - http://www.rpitv.org/productions/288...me-3-1st-round
                        Congrats and thanks for all your work RHam. Babo texted me last night and said the feed was excellent...great job!
                        ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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                        • #87
                          Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                          Originally posted by aweise View Post
                          ...I don't look forward to another year of Polacek, nor do I look forward to seeing at least a couple more years of D'Amigo & Pirri.
                          If you think playing against them is tough, wait'll you meet Laliberte, Higgs and Curadi !

                          Good luck to U the rest of the way...as I am once again a fan-for-hire at the ECAC tourney, I hope U can stick it to a few teams!
                          ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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                          • #88
                            Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                            Originally posted by Ralph Baer View Post
                            Didn't they have a game where they gave out pictures of JD'A?
                            They also gave them out at the alumni event in Ithaca. Too bad that was the last game of the season.

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                            • #89
                              Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                              Originally posted by FlagDUDE08 View Post
                              It is Coach's 4th year, so people probably figure he has all of his guys. Remember that a couple were still Fridgen's recruits. Plus, he doesn't always get everyone he wants. Sometimes, recruits don't work out (Zarbo, for example. Or Beauregard, though I'm guessing he's a walk-on). Not to mention, our team is very used to playing a west coast style offense. We don't play the ECAC clutch and grab game. So we end up the short end. But honestly, I'd rather be a national contender than an ECAC contender. Even though you first have to get through the ECAC to get to the big stage.
                              Not to take away from any of your points but this is exactly how Yale, Princeton, and Quinnipiac have all had such success in the ECAC. Not only that, they were all able to beat out the kings of clutch and grab (Cornell) in decisive fashion for the past 3-4 years. This style should be successful at all levels and work the best against teams like Brown who will try and hit you and end up being left behind.

                              I think the difference is RPI really does not know how to use their speed throughout the entire game, in fact we regularly overskate pucks or go past the net on a 2on1 break leaving a rebound sitting their for a defender to pick up.

                              We have the talent and we will only be getting even more, if the team can't deliver better than this next year then you really have to start pointing at the coaching staff. Losing to one of the worst D1 teams in the entire country is a pretty serious issue. Part of a coaches job does have to be motivation and getting a team to be consistent, Appert did not provide anything in that respect this year.

                              Heres hoping for some after-game gambling and White House subs next year?
                              The color of illusion is perfect blue
                              Chase: What Matters.

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                              • #90
                                Re: RPI Off-Season Thread 2010 -- The Calm Before the Storm

                                Originally posted by Ralph Baer View Post
                                RPI is losing five players from this year's team, two on O (Kerins, Vassel) and three on D (Merth, Burgdoerfer, and Jensen). That is, assuming no one leaves early, which I said will be the case in my previous post. Yes, I don't expect any of our other draft choices (Foss, York, Bergin) or Polacek to leave either.

                                IMHO, continued improvement by the returning players and incoming freshmen (whether or not Laliberte and Quinn show up), should make next year's team significantly better. I will truly be disappointed if next year's team doesn't make it to Albany Atlantic City, and there is an excellent chance for an NCAA bid.

                                Kerins truly came into his own this season, but Laliberte, if he shows up, will be an improvement. If he doesn't, then Higgs probably won't be as good next season as Kerins was, but he has more potential, and we will rely more on improvement of other players to take Kerins' place. Vassel was an important role player for four years, but IMHO, any of many players can take his place -- Smith, Burgdoerfer II, Tinordi.

                                On defense, IMHO, Burgdoerfer will be the biggest loss. Merth's best positive trait is probably his leadership. Jensen, like Kerins, saved his best for his senior season. It isn't exactly clear who will take any of their places. Bailen and Leboeuf are likely to be two of the players. The third isn't clear. Zarbo only played one game this year. I don't know how he fits into SA's plans. Quinn and Curadi may or may not show up next season, but probably one will. It wouldn't surprise me if we still sign another dman this spring/summer.
                                RB - Good post. My biggest question is why Appert didn't mix up the D pairings after game one. I thought down the stretch that Burgdoerfer was perhaps our best D man ..sure handed with the pcuk, crisp outlet passes, quick on his feet and always ready to take the body. Eric was noticeably absent for much of the series, relegated to 3rd line....while Merth exasperated us yet again -- struggling for the entire series, as did Foss - his goal notwithstanding.

                                IMO, Burgie got the short of that coaching decision...for whatever reason. That's perhaps my biggest disappointment - that and Pirri and Polacek combining for 6 penalties.
                                ""Ralph is the Chuck Norris of this board. Ralph doesnt sleep he just waits." - fishcore12

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