Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

All Things Denver, XXVIII

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

    Originally posted by vizoroo View Post
    Sam Brittain does DU proud in gaining a 1-1 tie at Vermont.
    Brittain was awesome in his debut. The Pios are happy to come out of the Gut with 3 points. Looking forward to the BC series next weekend. BC played a single game against Northeastern last night which they won 2-0. I think the Pios have a schedule edge as they had two tough games this weekend to get them ready. BC is serious test for our boys and I think they're ready.
    Last edited by MagnessMan; 10-10-2010, 07:54 AM.
    Go Pioneers!

    Comment


    • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

      Originally posted by MagnessMan View Post
      Brittain was awesome in his debut. The Pios are happy to come out of the Gut with 3 points. Looking forward to the BC series next weekend. BC played a single game against Northeastern last night which they won 2-0. I think the Pios have a schedule edge as they had two tough games this weekend to get them ready. BC is serious test for our boys and I think they're ready.
      Thanks for the update and back to page 1. Bump.
      GO DU !!!

      Comment


      • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

        There's a few things in this blurb by Terry Frei to upset the DU Athletic Department...

        http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_16300197

        Comment


        • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

          Basketball players parents show up to the games? That's an improvement, no?
          Hollywood Hair Care Tip for Infinity (Directly from Hollywood himself)
          when its minus 20 and u have to go outside.. make sure u wear a winter hat as the mohawk does not enjoy the winter weathe(r)
          Hollywood Amazingness

          Comment


          • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

            Originally posted by Dirty View Post
            Basketball players parents show up to the games? That's an improvement, no?
            DI Hoops draws about 1,500 - 2,000 for most games, and when it's a name brand opponent or CU, CSU, Wyoming, the crowds go up from 3,500 -6,000. Sellouts are 7,200 and that's very rare.

            Comment


            • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

              Nice weekend for DU. Good luck the rest of the way out.
              Originally posted by Hokydad
              Maine will be better this year relative to rankings than BC will be this year

              Comment


              • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                I wonder what is going on with Waz's contract negoiations. It was odd to see that comment buried in the article about the Avs.

                Makes me think hmmm

                Comment


                • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                  Originally posted by beyou78 View Post
                  I wonder what is going on with Waz's contract negoiations. It was odd to see that comment buried in the article about the Avs.

                  Makes me think hmmm
                  Here are some of my ramblings on the subject, but with an eye on the bigger picture of DU sports....

                  Gwoz has a lot of friends both in the media and around DU, and he's trying to get a deal done and use what contract leverage he has. Gwoz signed a 10 year deal in 2002, which was extended after DU's NCAA titles in the middle of the decade, so I believe the extended contract expires in about 2014.

                  Gwoz obviously wants a deal that will keep him at or near the top of college hockey coaches, and would make him the highest-paid coach at DU. He'd probably like to close out his coaching career here and he's earned it by bringing the Pioneers into a perennial top 10 program. He's likely also chafed by the fact that DU's much-lower profile men's hoops coach currently makes more than he does, even though Gwoz' program is the only athletic program at the school that actually makes money. He's probably also chafed that other college hockey coaches have better deals now than he does, and his little visit to Columbus last summer was a warning shot accross DU's bow to get going on an extension. With his daugther graduating from high school, Gwoz also becomes more attractive to other programs (perhaps Penn State?).

                  On the other side, you have the DU administration. They probably look at Gwozdecky a little differently. He's doing a great job as coach and I'm sure they'd like to sign him to a deal that is appropriate for the next 5-10 years. DU's problem though, is that the next 5-10 years are probably going to be very different than right now. First, you have the whole WCHA/Big 10 mess coming down the pike soon. If DU is forced into a diluted WCHA with less attractive opponents, less TV, less gate and less tourney revenue and a loss of recruiting advantage, they probably can't justify paying Gwoz top dollar to coach in what will be second tier, mid-major conference. And with DU being bounced from the NCAA Hockey tourney in the first round against lower seeded teams for the last three seasons, DU's probably also has a little more contract leverage than they did in 2005.

                  If DU is going to be forced into a lesser conference, maybe they are thinking a less expensive, younger coach with a less expensive staff might be a better long term model for them, either as a reality or as a negotitating tactic to keep their coaching costs down and force Gwoz and his staff to take less money. This Big 10 thing is going to hurt DU badly, and I want to see them get proactive with Notre Dame, North Dakota, Miami, CC, etc to think about their own conference.

                  Additionally, the DU basketball program is now ascending, and DU is probably looking to generate more gate revenue from hoops to offset the heavier investment they've made into the program, If they can't get to 4,000 fan per home game game from the 2,000 they draw now, the revenue model doesn't grow. They need to get to an NCAA tourney in the next two seasons, or the basketball project will likely not succeed here.

                  They might pick up a few more dollars in men's lax if that program continues to climb, but that's a big roster sport with a limited about of home dates and a lot of eastern travel, so a revenue-positive positive status probably only happens if Tierney can get attendence into the 5,000-6,000 per game range, which is larger than Barton Stadium (2,000-3,000) can accommodate. They could play more game at Mile High, but 5,000 fans there feels tiny and doesn't really grow revenue much. I could see them adding some bleacher seating at Barton if the crowds grow, but all the 1:30 pm game starts are not going help grow attendance much, as that is the same time that youth lacrosse and their familes are all playing on weekends. DU is somewhat held hostage by the visiting teams, who won't play weekend here unless they can catch an evening flight home...

                  I also think the overall future of D-I college sports is cloudy. A lot of schools are dropping programs to keep costs down, and DU having to fly its many non-revenue teams all over the place isn't helping. DU will always have travel issues with only 6 D-I schools within 400 miles of Denver, but with costs going up and flat revenue, it's going to take more school money to keep their $25 million sports budget up to date.

                  I think DU also has to figure on some more capital improvement costs in the coming 5-8 years if they want facilities to remain in the upper echelon. Magness is no longer new. Basketball is going to probably want a practice facility of their own to keep pace. Barton Stadium may need to be expanded. Lighting and sound quality at Magness are both poor, and the corners they cut 10 years ago to finish the building are now entering the realm of embarrassing. All of those things are going to cost money...

                  All in all, the future is going to be interesting...

                  Comment


                  • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                    Do you think Gwoz would even sign a 5 year contract?

                    Scott has made major strides with the basketball program, but... At this point, I beleve Gwoz should be the highest paid coach at DU.
                    GO DU !!!

                    Comment


                    • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                      Originally posted by vizoroo View Post
                      Do you think Gwoz would even sign a 5 year contract?

                      Scott has made major strides with the basketball program, but... At this point, I beleve Gwoz should be the highest paid coach at DU.
                      Of course he should be the highest paid coach at DU, but it's more complicated than that...

                      1) Gwoz is going to want more than 5 year deal. He'd probably like this deal to give him basic financial security - $3 -4 million over 10 years or so, or $300-400K per season at a minimum.

                      2) Most people would say that since hockey is the flagship, elite national top 10 sport at DU and is the only serious revenue producer at the school that making Gwoz the highest paid coach at DU is a no-brainer. He's already in the top 5 or or pay packages his sport, reflecting DU's top 10 status as a program. But DU being top 10 in hockey in a 58 program universe with limited national visibility is a large fish in a small pond. And if the pond gets smaller, (which it might) it's tough for a school to justify the larger price tag.

                      D-I coaches in men's hoops are paid on a different pay scale than hockey coaches, given the size, difficulty and potential payoffs of winning at the D-I level. Joe Scott is a bargain coach at around $300K per year -- he's at the lower end of the D-I pay scale for hoops coaches. If his program is able to say in the upper half of D-I hoops programs (where it is now), it makes it harder to keep your coach in the lower salary range...

                      Comment


                      • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                        You have till Wed. to ask Coach Gwozdecky a question.

                        http://letsgodu.blogspot.com/2010/10...ion-coach.html

                        Comment


                        • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                          Originally posted by Puck Swami View Post
                          Here are some of my ramblings on the subject, but with an eye on the bigger picture of DU sports....

                          Gwoz has a lot of friends both in the media and around DU, and he's trying to get a deal done and use what contract leverage he has. Gwoz signed a 10 year deal in 2002, which was extended after DU's NCAA titles in the middle of the decade, so I believe the extended contract expires in about 2014.

                          Gwoz obviously wants a deal that will keep him at or near the top of college hockey coaches, and would make him the highest-paid coach at DU. He'd probably like to close out his coaching career here and he's earned it by bringing the Pioneers into a perennial top 10 program. He's likely also chafed by the fact that DU's much-lower profile men's hoops coach currently makes more than he does, even though Gwoz' program is the only athletic program at the school that actually makes money. He's probably also chafed that other college hockey coaches have better deals now than he does, and his little visit to Columbus last summer was a warning shot accross DU's bow to get going on an extension. With his daugther graduating from high school, Gwoz also becomes more attractive to other programs (perhaps Penn State?).

                          On the other side, you have the DU administration. They probably look at Gwozdecky a little differently. He's doing a great job as coach and I'm sure they'd like to sign him to a deal that is appropriate for the next 5-10 years. DU's problem though, is that the next 5-10 years are probably going to be very different than right now. First, you have the whole WCHA/Big 10 mess coming down the pike soon. If DU is forced into a diluted WCHA with less attractive opponents, less TV, less gate and less tourney revenue and a loss of recruiting advantage, they probably can't justify paying Gwoz top dollar to coach in what will be second tier, mid-major conference. And with DU being bounced from the NCAA Hockey tourney in the first round against lower seeded teams for the last three seasons, DU's probably also has a little more contract leverage than they did in 2005.

                          If DU is going to be forced into a lesser conference, maybe they are thinking a less expensive, younger coach with a less expensive staff might be a better long term model for them, either as a reality or as a negotitating tactic to keep their coaching costs down and force Gwoz and his staff to take less money. This Big 10 thing is going to hurt DU badly, and I want to see them get proactive with Notre Dame, North Dakota, Miami, CC, etc to think about their own conference.

                          Additionally, the DU basketball program is now ascending, and DU is probably looking to generate more gate revenue from hoops to offset the heavier investment they've made into the program, If they can't get to 4,000 fan per home game game from the 2,000 they draw now, the revenue model doesn't grow. They need to get to an NCAA tourney in the next two seasons, or the basketball project will likely not succeed here.

                          They might pick up a few more dollars in men's lax if that program continues to climb, but that's a big roster sport with a limited about of home dates and a lot of eastern travel, so a revenue-positive positive status probably only happens if Tierney can get attendence into the 5,000-6,000 per game range, which is larger than Barton Stadium (2,000-3,000) can accommodate. They could play more game at Mile High, but 5,000 fans there feels tiny and doesn't really grow revenue much. I could see them adding some bleacher seating at Barton if the crowds grow, but all the 1:30 pm game starts are not going help grow attendance much, as that is the same time that youth lacrosse and their familes are all playing on weekends. DU is somewhat held hostage by the visiting teams, who won't play weekend here unless they can catch an evening flight home...

                          I also think the overall future of D-I college sports is cloudy. A lot of schools are dropping programs to keep costs down, and DU having to fly its many non-revenue teams all over the place isn't helping. DU will always have travel issues with only 6 D-I schools within 400 miles of Denver, but with costs going up and flat revenue, it's going to take more school money to keep their $25 million sports budget up to date.

                          I think DU also has to figure on some more capital improvement costs in the coming 5-8 years if they want facilities to remain in the upper echelon. Magness is no longer new. Basketball is going to probably want a practice facility of their own to keep pace. Barton Stadium may need to be expanded. Lighting and sound quality at Magness are both poor, and the corners they cut 10 years ago to finish the building are now entering the realm of embarrassing. All of those things are going to cost money...

                          All in all, the future is going to be interesting...
                          Typically well informed, well written analysis. I approach the "Gwoz issue" from a slightly different perspective: whatever it takes. He's earned it, on the ice and in the classroom. And in a time of uncertainty (Big 10) now is not the time to put money first. Gwoz leaving would inevitably (and in my opinion, correctly) be reported as DU going "cheap" and conceding that we can't be successful in the brave new world. Thus greatly increasing the likelihood of a self fulfilling prophecy.

                          I believe losing Gwoz under these circumstances, at this time, potentially could be as disastrous as dropping into DII, and we all recall how THAT worked out. Eliminating programs may be inevitable, given the travel costs. We're proud that DU is one of only two DI lax programs west of the Mississippi, but we can't play AFA 15 times a year.

                          We're in an unusual position: hockey is the flagship, no football, and zero tradition in basketball. We seem to be making some progress on the latter, good. I've never seen basketball vs. hockey to be "either/or." But hockey IS the flagship and a head coach who has brought us the success Gwoz has, with no recruiting or academic issues, deserves to be our highest paid coach.
                          Now is simply not the time to send the message that DU is "retrenching."

                          BTW, what are these corners we cut in the construction of Magness? Certainly the lighting is a major problem.
                          2011 Poser of the Year & Pulitzer Prize winning machine gunner.

                          Comment


                          • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                            I certainly understand Pio fans concern over any contract squabbles involving Gwoz. But a couple of questions/comments.

                            First, is it really realistic or appropriate to expect a University to make Gwoz the highest page coach at the school based upon his success (or the BB team's lack thereof) when the markets are so very different for D1 basketball and hockey coaches?

                            Second, how do Pio fans feel when a coach, prior to achieving his greatest success, is given a very nice, long term contract, that provides a lot of security, then, before that contract is up comes looking for more due to recent success?

                            Isn't that part of the trade off of a long term contract? The coach gets the security of a long term deal. He knows that if things go to crap the worst that will happen is he'll get canned, and paid off.

                            It's always bothered me when someone (usually athletes) sign a long term deal, then suddenly start producing at higher level and start pouting (or holding out) if the deal isn't torn up and a brand new deal given.

                            With Gwoz' success, I could certainly understand the University coming to look to lock him up for much longer. But if they have a contract with him for another 4 years and choose not to negotiate now, I don't have a lot of sympathy if he's unhappy about it. Just my 2 cents.
                            That community is already in the process of dissolution where each man begins to eye his neighbor as a possible enemy, where non-conformity with the accepted creed, political as well as religious, is a mark of disaffection; where denunciation, without specification or backing, takes the place of evidence; where orthodoxy chokes freedom of dissent; where faith in the eventual supremacy of reason has become so timid that we dare not enter our convictions in the open lists, to win or lose.

                            Comment


                            • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                              Originally posted by Old Pio View Post
                              BTW, what are these corners we cut in the construction of Magness? Certainly the lighting is a major problem.
                              We have to remember that Magness Arena was never designed to be a State of the Art Hockey arena first. It was really designed as the best possible sports complex solution to fit (shoehorn?) a wide range of D-I sports facilities (Over 400,000 sq feet worth) into a very specific land footprint. That's why we have so many seats on the ends instead of the sides, etc.

                              The lighting and sound systems were very likely casualties of the ususal capital budget overruns and high pressure to finish the building 10 years ago, when the economy was booming and prices were high.

                              Both systems seem to be subpar concessions to speed and cost, and with the passage of 10 years of time since then, are now even more noticaeably poor since the building is no longer new...

                              Most modern multi-million sports arenas now have excellent, clear sound sytsems and reduced shadow lights. Magness needs both, and I hope they can find the money to correct these aspects to deliver a better experience.

                              Comment


                              • Re: All Things Denver, XXVIII

                                Originally posted by Puck Swami View Post
                                We have to remember that Magness Arena was never designed to be a State of the Art Hockey arena first. It was really designed as the best possible sports complex solution to fit (shoehorn?) a wide range of D-I sports facilities (Over 400,000 sq feet worth) into a very specific land footprint. That's why we have so many seats on the ends instead of the sides, etc.

                                The lighting and sound systems were very likely casualties of the ususal capital budget overruns and high pressure to finish the building 10 years ago, when the economy was booming and prices were high.

                                Both systems seem to be subpar concessions to speed and cost, and with the passage of 10 years of time since then, are now even more noticaeably poor since the building is no longer new...

                                Most modern multi-million sports arenas now have excellent, clear sound sytsems and reduced shadow lights. Magness needs both, and I hope they can find the money to correct these aspects to deliver a better experience.
                                Early on, I recall there were plans to be able to reconfigure the playing surface to accomodate both sizes, I'm assuming that was scrapped at least in part due to the huge cost. I know how bad Magness looks on TV, for sure, because of the lighting.
                                2011 Poser of the Year & Pulitzer Prize winning machine gunner.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X