UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

[Verkligen]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

So what I've been wondering over the last couple weeks is whether or not there may be some unproductive relationships among the players (no matter on or off the ice) that may have implications for what we're seeing on the ice.

I guess the most glaring examples that come to mind (and I'll quickly admit that the examples are subtle):

- the line-up of players and their families during the Senior night ceremony seemed rather "cool" in comparison to the last several years (players in the past hugging and shaking hands with everyone the whole line through and not just to where the one kid's family was standing in line)

- there was no "skate around the ice thank the fans" after the game the same evening

I just get the sense that this crew of kids aren't as tightly knit... *shrug* For what it's worth.

[scoreboard]

Well, it's been over 20 years for me (until this last season, that is). We know the players (usually) play hard but, over the years, when the pressure is on their collars get awfully tight. There's ONE commonality for all those players and all those teams - he sometimes wears a turtleneck. This isn't youth sports, I think the fans have every right to criticize and I think they should. If everyone just renewed their season tickets and "shut up and cheered" they'd have no motivation to try and get better, maybe me a little daring.

Good post. It is spot on. Why can't fans have opinions?

[UNHhockey29]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

there was no "skate around the ice thank the fans" after the game the same evening

That is something that really bugged me. My guess is that they assumed/thought they would be playing at the Whitt the next weekend. I know a lot of fans I spoke with thought at the end of the night we would be at the Whitt one more weekend. But anyone who was at the games at Providence saw the entire team salute the UNH fans after the Saturday and Sunday games. But seriously they should have lapped it out after the Maine game.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

That is something that really bugged me. My guess is that they assumed/thought they would be playing at the Whitt the next weekend. I know a lot of fans I spoke with thought at the end of the night we would be at the Whitt one more weekend. But anyone who was at the games at Providence saw the entire team salute the UNH fans after the Saturday and Sunday games. But seriously they should have lapped it out after the Maine game.

The lap is a newer thing and always has been the last home game. In recent (since 1997) years that game has been obvious as home/away has been clear. There was some odd hesitation after the Maine game. I can only assume the unknown of home or not. If I was a player to not "jinx" it I would have siad dont do it.

I dont read into it that the team has room problems, even if there are I wouldnt see that as a by product.

Posting from this mobile device sucks!

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Good post. It is spot on. Why can't fans have opinions?

You CAN have opinions. That's one of the purposes this board serves. I think his point was "check your opinions at the door" when you enter the arena. If you're going to go, support your team. It serves no constructive purpose to sit there and criticize DURING the game. Do you think the players aren't trying to win? Do you not think that encouragement is always good? If so, then there are other problems here.

[Rover]

You CAN have opinions. That's one of the purposes this board serves. I think his point was "check your opinions at the door" when you enter the arena. If you're going to go, support your team. It serves no constructive purpose to sit there and criticize DURING the game. Do you think the players aren't trying to win? Do you not think that encouragement is always good? If so, then there are other problems here.

Have you been going to the BU games over the last few years? Several times this year they deserved to get booed off the ice due to lack of effort. Can't speak for UNH however.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Have you been going to the BU games over the last few years? Several times this year they deserved to get booed off the ice due to lack of effort. Can't speak for UNH however.

I've never really been a "booer." Yes, I've been going to the games and I agree; it's just hard for me to boo college kids. I also think about how, now that I've gotten older, I made a million mistakes when I was young, too. And I think effort is part of that nebulous term "talent." Some extremely talented players don't seem to be "trying," but that's probably because it IS effortless for them. Fans love players who "hustle" all the time, but many times they give MORE effort to make up for a lack of talent. I'm sure this is before your time, but the Red Sox had a center fielder named Jim Gosger in the 60s. This guy would SPRINT out to center field before each inning and sprint back like he was being chased like a pack of dogs. The TV commentators would always remark how he "hustled" all the time. The guy was a journeyman and never really did much in the big leagues. Yet, people would get on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar because he wasn't a rebounder like Bill Russell, so they said he didn't "play hard." Effort is very subjective and is not always easily discernible with the eye alone. And I guess, in my view, booing isn't going to help them put the puck in the net. I guess the bottom line is I want to enjoy myself at the game. I can do that more easily by cheering rather than booing. If I'm not enjoying myself, I just tend to do nothing. It's true I don't get as upset during the game anymore...part of that is as I get older I realize that it's not the end of the world. Doesn't mean I'm not passionate, but booing to me doesn't accomplish anything except probably just **** off the people you are trying to get to perform better...

[scoreboard]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

You CAN have opinions. That's one of the purposes this board serves. I think his point was "check your opinions at the door" when you enter the arena. If you're going to go, support your team. It serves no constructive purpose to sit there and criticize DURING the game. Do you think the players aren't trying to win? Do you not think that encouragement is always good? If so, then there are other problems here.

My response was to Ned Braden's post above. I just said fans have a right to form an opinion. Neither he nor I stated anything about booing the team. Not sure where you came to to that conclusion.

[UNHhockey29]

You CAN have opinions. That's one of the purposes this board serves. I think his point was "check your opinions at the door" when you enter the arena. If you're going to go, support your team. It serves no constructive purpose to sit there and criticize DURING the game. Do you think the players aren't trying to win? Do you not think that encouragement is always good? If so, then there are other problems here.

glad someone understands!

[UNHhockey29]

My response was to Ned Braden's post above. I just said fans have a right to form an opinion. Neither he nor I stated anything about booing the team. Not sure where you came to to that conclusion.

If you read rovers post, the one that was quoted, you know in the post he was responding to.

[scoreboard]

If you read rovers post, the one that was quoted, you know in the post he was responding to.

My response was in reply to his response to a post of mine he quoted. My mistake was not including his quote in my most recent post.

[Rover]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Okay, now I'm confused.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

My response was to Ned Braden's post above. I just said fans have a right to form an opinion. Neither he nor I stated anything about booing the team. Not sure where you came to to that conclusion.

Sorry...I quoted the wrong post...I was responding to this post by Rover:

Have you been going to the BU games over the last few years? Several times this year they deserved to get booed off the ice due to lack of effort. Can't speak for UNH however.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

Okay, now I'm confused.

It's all my fault!

[Rover]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2012-2013 Postseason Thread

I find the attitude of unhhockey29 and chickod to be admirable. If going to the game and seeing kids trying hard every night works for you, that's cool. It shows a peace of mind that frankly I don't have. However I'll point out two things:

1) These kids (who are in some cases already in their 20's) are being compensated to play a sport via a free education and various other perks. With that comes responsibility. Same with the coaches. This isn't a charity game, where even I wouldn't condone booing. These people are in effect being paid, so its not too much to ask for results even when you're sitting in attendance.

2) I had a great professor once who spent 30 years in the working world, and he said something amusing in class. He told us that college is the place to screw up, screw up all day long, because there's no penalty for that. Get it out of your system because when you start a job the standards are going to be a lot higher. My point is, you're not doing these players any favors coddling them, because the fans in the ECHL/AHL/NHL sure aren't going to. Why not get them to learn their lesson (fans want to see success for their $$$)in college where unless they play for BU there's no danger of getting kicked off the team for giving up the puck in your own end or taking a stupid penalty? They're going to have to figure out how to deal with that sooner or later, right?