UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I'm sorry that you feel that I'm letting you down, James, because I'm effectively handling the email down. I can't help that email from friends@uahhockey.com gets stuck in your filters. I really can't. And if your email address somehow came off of the list, then I'm sorry—but I've given you the link to add yourself back, and if you don't want to take the time to do that, just post here that you won't, because somewhere around here I have your address. But apparently you aren't interested in the fact that we do get a lot of traction on the channels we're using, that we're putting a lot of time into this, and that we are now essentially partnered with the University. Dr. Brophy said—twice—at lunch today that, "Geof will get you the information out on that." And I will, and I've been effective at it because I got 30 people to show up to Spragins Hall on a Tuesday night with 24 hours' notice and not a single phone call [except to Bob, but even then I didn't call Bob].

I don't know where you're not seeing information around here past USCHO that you want to see it, but I'm putting it out there, and you can't claim that I'm not trying hard enough. And if you do it anyway, I really am not likely to listen for longer than a second or two.

Get bent.

GFM

[Split-N]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

...I really am not likely to listen for longer than a second or two.

Get bent.

GFM

My, what a novel way to sustain the loyalty of an apparently longtime member of your fan base.

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

My, what a novel way to sustain the loyalty of an apparently longtime member of your fan base.

He's supported us financially. He's come to games when he's had a chance now that he's moved to Nashville. That doesn't mean that I have to put up with his crap. I'll take concrete criticism. What I got was handwaving, and a lot of it. If he's mad enough to stop giving because I said something, that's fine.

GFM

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Both Brophy and Lu were unknown quantities to Altenkirch. Given the history between Lu and Brophy, one had to go. Even if Lu had a .500 record, he would still probably have to be the odd man out. Kurt is a known quantity to Altenkirch and will undoubtedly be providing evaluation information on Brophy. If you check the Shelby County tax rercords (https://ptc.shelbyal.com/caportal_mainpage.aspx ), you'll see that Brophy (still wish someone would tell me how he got E. J. out William Earl) has yet to sell his home there and still apparently claims his homestead exemption on it. William is smart enough to know that he's the next one to go if progress isn't made. The community definitely raised the problem to a level that got Altenkirch's and the Board's attention.

Terry, I know that you don't like EJ, and he certainly hasn't always been on hockey's side. However, if we're going to fuss about who owns houses where, the Luongos didn't own a home in Huntsville (okay, Madison) until this summer. Of course, that's one of the many things about his dismissal that really bothers me.

I think EJ's pretty secure in his job. He's having success department-wide, in my estimation. Things are certainly run differently, and I know that not everyone loves it, but I feel like we're getting good results.

I understand why people don't like him. I've had run-ins with him. But I've come to the opinion that we are all pulling on the same set of oars, and I'd really appreciate it if we'd get in rhythm, at least for the short term. When it comes to hockey, Dr. Brophy got off to a very rocky start. I think that, since the program was reinstated, he's continually worked to bring about the success of the program. Do a lot of people harbor distrust of him? Based on the people that I talk to, I say yes. Is that deserved? Based upon my experience, no. If anyone has reason for distrust with him, it would be me, based on some friction that he and I have. But y'all, I just don't have it anymore. He has my full support.

GFM

[Waite21]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I notice that the Chargers are playing Alabama this weekend.

What kind of team does Alabama have? Do they have as hard a time finding opponents to play them as UAH does?

[jyoung]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

You deride me over assessing our fan base turnout as stinking on ice over the last couple years? I don't need to be the one to tell you that you've sure as hell haven't tried hard enough, you flat out said as much yourself in this very same post.

I've admittedly failed the BLC for the last two seasons, but let's see if the third try's the charm.

So quit crowing about a turn out of 30. When I first started actively attending games and events we had packed rooms, even on short notice. We also still do not see turn out at the VBC, so yeah, I'm questioning your claim of traction with an digital only marketing method. There are more than just "likes" on facebook, there are butts in the seats. Look at our attendance numbers. 1,466 per game last year. 1,288 per game the year before. 1,866 in 2009-2010. 2,688 in 2008-2009. Even with the small up tick in the last year, we're still down more than 1,000 per game in 4 years from our most recent high. Even without that we still used to average more than 1,800 steadily. You don't think that the WCHA notices? You think they're going to look at our averages from our hey-day? We should be packing in 2,000 a game easily, and pushing some nights closer to 3,000. We've got the capacity. People I saw week in and week out for several years just stopped coming. Have we won them back?

Instead of acting like a leader and responding to an initial assessment in a positive manner, you acted injured. Rather than accepting an offer of money and additional support, predicated on the fact that for some reason we weren't getting e-mails, you chose to be condescending with the snide "Really" line. You don't have to put up with me, that's certain, and I certainly do not have to tolerate your attitude either. You're also right in that we can stop giving and your previous posts were offensive enough to warrant the incensed response from me, and my wife was even less amused. We don't expect you to like us Geoff, but you certainly owe it to your position to learn to treat people with some level of courtesy even if you feel impugned unfairly. We could have had a reasonable discussion about this, but obviously that train derailed. Heck, my original complaint was about on-campus failures to get student and alumni participation, and obviously that fact has been overlooked TWICE. Do you think I've forgotten the scuttled trips to ND? Or the multi-year failures to produce shuttles or promote key games? The BLC is supposed to support and enhance the athletic department, and the Hockey Team in particular, it is not a substitute or replacement for a quality operation for information dissemination at the level of the athletic department or amongst the college as a whole.

You can call this whatever you want. You can decide it's legitimate criticism, or "handwaving" malarky. I don't care anymore. We've been ostracized enough by the BLC over the last two years.

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

And if you knew that there were shuttles lined up to go next Friday, would you be surprised? Because there are. There's also a ton of other things. It's part of Homecoming, which happens next weekend, and oh by the way, the shuttle buses are prepared to move people from campus to hockey and back to Spragins for Midnight Madness later that night. Dr. Brophy's attitude is that we can and will do all of that in one night.

And again, 30 people on short notice with one email is better than you might think—that didn't go out on Facebook or Twitter because it wasn't that crowd. I was afraid that we'd have ten with such short notice. Most of the key people in the program were there in terms of people who give money or time. You would've felt right at home in that crowd.

When it comes to attendance: it correlates to winning, strongly. We had a dip after we went Division I because we weren't thrashing people at every turn. That was the first year of my undergraduate career, 1997-98. It felt like we were going to see a win every time that we walked into the building. Now it feels like we don't have much hope of doing so. Six wins in two years will do that to a fanbase. Also, your notes of a decrease as time has gone by is accurate—but again, it ties strongly to winning.

As far as what we're doing with the WCHA visit, we're packing people in to see the games. They read the boxscores like the rest of us, so we're doing the smartest thing we can do: tell everyone about it, open up the entire building for free, and work in-arena stuff to have people fired up and excited about the visit.

I acted injured because I don't have time for your crap-on-everything mentality. I don't know what the BLC has done to wound you; if you had a problem, you knew how to find me. I'm quite sure that you have my number, because it goes in every email. In fact, I think that we've talked on the phone before. But rather than bring up your concerns in ways you know how, you decided to blast the program at a time that it didn't need blasting. As a result, I blasted you. You noted that I probably shouldn't have, and maybe you're right. But I would prefer not to be butt-hurt over past problems and would rather consider those as ways-we-can-get-better reminders and not things to be complained about endlessly just at the time that we need to be united most.

I notice that the Chargers are playing Alabama this weekend.

What kind of team does Alabama have? Do they have as hard a time finding opponents to play them as UAH does?

They have an ACHA D-3 club team that our guys should club repeatedly. The last time we played an SECHC team was Tennessee in 2008, and the boys pulled up on them very early. And yes, the Wyatt Ruseell.

GFM <-- invited James to the emailing list and hopes that was okay.

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

And there's also a splash graphic that nags you every time you pull up UAHChargers.com: http://www.uahchargers.com/splash.aspx?id=splash_11 Is this enough? No, but it's more than we used to do, and getting better a little bit each day is what Coach KK wants from his players.

GFM

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I overreacted, James. I'm sorry.

GFM

[sbkbghockey]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I see the sexiness of playing Alabama but UAH should have scheduled a top ACHA DI team, where there's a lot less "club" and a lot more "academic grants" and the rosters have former NAHL, USHL and EJHL players, NCAA DIII and a few DI transfers. Top 10-15 ranked ACHA DI teams could hang in NCAA DIII probably middle of the pack. Alabama is a true club team and some of those SECHL clubs take anyone (hockey experience or not).

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I see the sexiness of playing Alabama but UAH should have scheduled a top ACHA DI team, where there's a lot less "club" and a lot more "academic grants" and the rosters have former NAHL, USHL and EJHL players, NCAA DIII and a few DI transfers. Top 10-15 ranked ACHA DI teams could hang in NCAA DIII probably middle of the pack. Alabama is a true club team and some of those SECHL clubs take anyone (hockey experience or not).

We're going for butts-in-seats with the idea that we can sell BAMA fans on coming to our games. In-state, in-system, lots of BAMA fans in the area, and BAMA is off this weekend in pigskin. This really isn't about a tuneup for the season that an ACHA DI or a Canadian university team would be. This is about building a fanbase and building revenue.

GFM

[fangers]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I overreacted, James. I'm sorry.

GFM

James also overreacted, and if he went back and read his initial post (and the first couple replies) again I think he'd see it was not made clear at all who his target was - to me it appeared to be all against GFM. And I, speaking for my earlier post, wasn't talking down to him. Nor was I promoting social media as either a positive (or negative for that matter) tool. My point was that I had received information by way of several means of communication: snail mail, email, twitter and facebook updates, and that any group needs to use ALL the communication avenues available. Especially when the costs of printed material (flyers/mailings) and/or the timing involved are limiting factors.

And I stand by my comment about social media use by current aged students and the more recent graduates - I'm guessing my just recently completed research (15 months worth) on the very subject of social media usage patterns and trends (in support of my Masters in Comp Sci program work from Stanford) coupled with 35 + years managerial & computing consulting puts me in a pretty good spot to speak from. And "social media" covers much more than facebook and twitter, although that what most first think of.

[tnlong]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Terry, I know that you don't like EJ, and he certainly hasn't always been on hockey's side. However, if we're going to fuss about who owns houses where, the Luongos didn't own a home in Huntsville (okay, Madison) until this summer. Of course, that's one of the many things about his dismissal that really bothers me.

I think EJ's pretty secure in his job. He's having success department-wide, in my estimation. Things are certainly run differently, and I know that not everyone loves it, but I feel like we're getting good results.

I understand why people don't like him. I've had run-ins with him. But I've come to the opinion that we are all pulling on the same set of oars, and I'd really appreciate it if we'd get in rhythm, at least for the short term. When it comes to hockey, Dr. Brophy got off to a very rocky start. I think that, since the program was reinstated, he's continually worked to bring about the success of the program. Do a lot of people harbor distrust of him? Based on the people that I talk to, I say yes. Is that deserved? Based upon my experience, no. If anyone has reason for distrust with him, it would be me, based on some friction that he and I have. But y'all, I just don't have it anymore. He has my full support.

GFM

Hey cousin Geof (my mother was a Morris in case I've never told you that), my karma is such that there is no one I "don't like". But since you've indirectly asked for my evaluation of a state employee who I pay indirectly with my tax dollars, I'll provide my input. An edited Huntsville Times letter from me (the editing of which I did not approve) follows which explains my first contact with William Earl Brophy (I use that name because that is how he is paid by the state of Alabama and how he is listed on the tax roles) :
http://blog.al.com/times-views/2011/...od_immigr.html
After the letter appeared in the paper, William "looked me up" at my season ticket seat. I shook his hand and at first appreciated his taking the time to locate me in the arena. As I first began to explain how the Times had edited my letter to make it sound a little more abrupt than it was really intended and how I appreciated the opportunity to talk hockey with him, he made a quick snide comment and rapidly departed as fast as he had arrived. I was actually shocked that a man in his position would "look me up" only to take a verbal shot at me without "sticking around" to discuss the program. My seat location sort-of implies "hey, you really should listen a little to this guy because he's been around since the earliest days of the program and/or has contributed a fair amount to the program". Later that week, I learned that he had actually indirectly lied to us by saying that he had been told by Portera to take no action with regards to the hockey program when he had in fact been having conversations with at least one SEC school regarding taking UAH hockey to club level. My second encounter with William was later in the season while I was standing near my seat talking to a couple of friends who sit nearby. After William interjected himself and lobed a verbal insult my way, he again quickly departed.

William Earl Brophy is an employee of the state of Alabama. As a tax payer, I have certain expectations of maturity, respect, and honesty from people I pay indirectly with my taxes. William has the right to come past my seat and cast any disparaging remarks he desires my way for my reporting my insights. I have the right to report my insights. It's not that I "don't like" William Earl, it's just that I'll continue to report things as I see them. All I really expect from the guy is a little maturity, respect, and honesty. When I see that, I'll report it.

Brophy "has my full support" also (if he wants it). However, I'm so impressed with the credentials and connections of our new coach that I'm more optimistic than I've been in a long time. If Altenkirch and Coach Kurt with their Devils connections can't save UAH hockey, it can't be saved in my opinion. And repeating myself, I like the fact that there appears to be a fairly large trust factor between Altenkirch and Coach Kurt. It has got to play a factor in Brophy's motivation/actions.

T

[tnlong]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

If anyone really wants to impress the WCHA folks, the homecoming court should be presented on ice (with the fraternities and sororities cheering their respective candidates) and Altenkirch should crown the homecoming queen and king like it was done for many years before Franz and Harris ended the tradition.

[MikeAnderson]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

On this whole getting the word out mess, I would note that when I was an employee of the University, there was one (and really, one-half) person dedicated to marketing, promotions and athletic advancement. I have no idea how Brophy has adjusted this in his tenure.

I compare that to my current employer, which has six full-time people, plus GAs, plus Nelligan Sports Properties employed in these efforts.

"You gotta spend money to make money." They ain't lying.