Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

[UWisco]

My family is actively debating dropping season tickets we've had since 1984...ugh

Because of one bad year? This team will be good again in 1 or 2 years...

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

Because of one bad year? This team will be good again in 1 or 2 years...

no because 1994-2014 has been a slide into a malaise with a few bright spots every few years...and really since 07-08 this team has been more average than great. With Eaves it's always "but wait, in 2 years we'll be good". I thought he had something w/that initial 4 years and the title... Since then? not so much.

whatever happened to building a solid foundation and keeping it there? Lucia may have had 2 down years in Minnesota but his track record since then and prior to that at CC speaks for itself. Has this ever happened to Jerry York at BC or Bowling Green? I don't think so.

Anyway, we've got 4 tickets on saturday nights and the conversation has been leaning toward not renewing and just going to 1-2 games per year.

[UWisco]

no because 1994-2014 has been a slide into a malaise with a few bright spots every few years...and really since 07-08 this team has been more average than great. With Eaves it's always "but wait, in 2 years we'll be good". I thought he had something w/that initial 4 years and the title... Since then? not so much.

whatever happened to building a solid foundation and keeping it there? Lucia may have had 2 down years in Minnesota but his track record since then and prior to that at CC speaks for itself. Has this ever happened to Jerry York at BC or Bowling Green? I don't think so.

Anyway, we've got 4 tickets on saturday nights and the conversation has been leaning toward not renewing and just going to 1-2 games per year.

See, I'm actually a Badger fan and can be loyal throughout tough times. I'm not the one to just drop a team because they haven't lived up to expectations.

Give me a break.

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

See, I'm actually a Badger fan and can be loyal throughout tough times. I'm not the one to just drop a team because they haven't lived up to expectations.

Give me a break.

we have different expectations then. I expect greatness more often than not and that's not ever going to change. Bob Johnson set the table, Sauer kept it running decently until about 94, since then?

Expecting greatness shouldn't be viewed as a fault. Dismissing mediocrity, in fact no, DISDAINING and ADMONISHING mediocrity should be heralded a bit more.

that's my .02

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

See, I'm actually a Badger fan and can be loyal throughout tough times. I'm not the one to just drop a team because they haven't lived up to expectations.

Give me a break.

It's been a long slide. Nobody wants Eaves fired for just this season and nobody is dropping tickets for just this season.

Being a fan doesn't mean you have to spend money on the team.


Good for you for being a superfan though. I'm in awe.

[Almington]

It's been a long slide. Nobody wants Eaves fired for just this season and nobody is dropping tickets for just this season.

Being a fan doesn't mean you have to spend money on the team.


Good for you for being a superfan though. I'm in awe.

The start to this season is clearly the straw that is breaking many a loyal backs.

Any halfway decent hockey coach should be able to come into UW and build a team that can play 0.500 hockey. Plus you wouldn't have to pay him like a top 10 coach either.

Eaves is either unable or unwilling to make the changes required for UW to be a contender every season (in the top 20% of teams; a bubble top 10 team), in far to many of the past 10 years UW has struggled to even be in the top half of all teams.

One year aberrations happen (injuries, early departures, terrible assistant coach hires, decommitments, etc) but after ten years it's become the status quo, and that becomes something that isn't worth supporting with up to $3000/year in hard earned money.

I don't blame any fan who has become feed up and decided to just walk away given the product that keeps getting put on the ice

[srkbadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

See, I'm actually a Badger fan and can be loyal throughout tough times. I'm not the one to just drop a team because they haven't lived up to expectations.

Give me a break.

You make it sound as if this is a one time thing. This is a pattern for Badger hockey with Eaves. I haven't seen any other program with these wild swings.

I believe that dropping tickets is the most meaningful way to send a message to the administration regarding your displeasure with the program. What other avenue does a fan have that will have any affect? These days it's always about the money. Nothing will change until the purse starts to empty.

Hell, I tried to watch Friday night's game and had to turn it off. Disgusting. They will probably improve as the year progresses, and by the end of the season it will look like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe we will be back in the mix in 2 years. Using our history with Eaves, we will live and die with that peak because you know what's coming after that. I prefer more stability than the Eaves' regime has provided. Thanks for 2006 and the run in 2010, but the ups and downs have this Badger fan a little sea sick.

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

The start to this season is clearly the straw that is breaking many a loyal backs.

Any halfway decent hockey coach should be able to come into UW and build a team that can play 0.500 hockey. Any you wouldnt have to pay him like a top 10 coach either.

Eaves is either unable or unwilling to make the changes required for UW to be a contender every season (in the top 20% of teams; a bubble top 10 team), in far to many of the past 10 years UW has struggled to even be in the top half of all teams.

One year aberrations happen (injuries, early departures, terrible assistant coach hires, decommitments, etc) but after ten years it's become the status quo, and that becomes something that isn't worth supporting with nearly $5000/year in hard earned money.

I don't blame any fan who has become feed up and decided to just walk away given the product that keeps getting put on the ice

This post.

I have been a season ticket holder since being in college in the early 90's, having both nights for the last 15 or so, and this season is a disgrace. I was there Friday and have not seen a worse performance in my 20+ years of following the team. At this point I am ready to pull the plug until a change is made.

I think the players, recruits and fans deserve better.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

I do recall seeing a particularly listless game in my student section days. It might have been this one, but time has robbed me of the ability to think of which game it was.

My friends and I tried a few different cheers and songs* that night to ease the dull pain of watching a team struggle to figure out how to shoot the puck, but none of it stuck. I think we were all so bored that night, it was hard to get anyone behind a cheer.

* The highlights? Monty Python's "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" and "Tomorrow" from Annie (although naturally, none of us really knew the words to that one).

[Gandalf the Red]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

What I have never understood about Eaves is how he can do so well at preparing players for pro hockey, but can't get consistent results on the ice while they are under his watch. Eaves has a system and never deviates from that system, but that system only delivers once every 4 years, and is sometimes competitive in between, but has really bad seasons in between. If it takes players 2 years to learn the system or they have to be really talented to achieve success in the system quicker (merely due to talent), maybe he needs a different system. As has been stated by others, BC, NoDak, etc have systems too I assume, but those systems don't have the EXTREME down cycle that UW has endured for a decade. Some how Jerry York and Dave Hakstol and even Lucia Pet can take young players into their system and they succeed. Some seasons might be bumpy, but they aren't 1-10-1.

A good coach maximizes the talent that currently exists on the roster. IMHO, Eaves is NOT successful unless the players have been in his system long enough or are top notch talent. The other coach who frequents the KC, generally takes 2nd tier basketball players and turns them into consistent winners. The basketball team is ALWAYS in the running for the Big 10 and has an outstanding track record in the NCAA tourney. As sports this is an apples to oranges comparison, but as coaches this is apples to apples. I don't think Eaves knows how to coach up players effectively with any consistency.

I'm not into UW hockey like I was during my blogging days. Life has changed and I'm much busier, and that being said its really tough for me to get excited about going to the KC to see the same sad **** I have for the last 9 years. The power play only works with upper classmen, the 3rd and 4th line are told that scoring isn't something they should worry about, and when we do have leads the team seems to always plays not to lose instead of to win.

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

We also have look at his curious choices of assistant coaches. He started off with some good ones (Hynes and Ward, which evolved into Oz and Patrick), but has really iced the puck on his last 3 choices having inadequate collegiate experience. Butters had a ton of experience, but was out of hockey Eaves hired him. Schuey had no college experience and neither does Walsh.

I think in the end, it's 50% uneven classes, 40% system, 10% coaching that is killing this team.

Here's an interesting idea.....Eaves ditches Schuey and hires Gwoz as associate head coach. Gwoz could bring some fresh ideas into the fold and have the clout to make Eaves listen.

[firstpusk]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

...I think in the end, it's 50% uneven classes, 40% system, 10% coaching that is killing this team.

Here's an interesting idea.....Eaves ditches Schuey and hires Gwoz as associate head coach. Gwoz could bring some fresh ideas into the fold and have the clout to make Eaves listen.

I think coaching deserves more of the credit/blame for the current situation. That is because system and recruiting are reliant on the coach's decisions. On hiring Gwozdecky, I don't see him leaving an NHL assistant job to become a college assistant - even for his alma mater. I would certainly enjoy watching the inevitable simultaneous at the officiating that would eventually ensue when both Eaves and Gwoz are going at the refs.

[bucky15]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

What I have never understood about Eaves is how he can do so well at preparing players for pro hockey, but can't get consistent results on the ice while they are under his watch. Eaves has a system and never deviates from that system, but that system only delivers once every 4 years, and is sometimes competitive in between, but has really bad seasons in between. If it takes players 2 years to learn the system or they have to be really talented to achieve success in the system quicker (merely due to talent), maybe he needs a different system. As has been stated by others, BC, NoDak, etc have systems too I assume, but those systems don't have the EXTREME down cycle that UW has endured for a decade. Some how Jerry York and Dave Hakstol and even Lucia Pet can take young players into their system and they succeed. Some seasons might be bumpy, but they aren't 1-10-1.

A good coach maximizes the talent that currently exists on the roster. IMHO, Eaves is NOT successful unless the players have been in his system long enough or are top notch talent. The other coach who frequents the KC, generally takes 2nd tier basketball players and turns them into consistent winners. The basketball team is ALWAYS in the running for the Big 10 and has an outstanding track record in the NCAA tourney. As sports this is an apples to oranges comparison, but as coaches this is apples to apples. I don't think Eaves knows how to coach up players effectively with any consistency.

I'm not into UW hockey like I was during my blogging days. Life has changed and I'm much busier, and that being said its really tough for me to get excited about going to the KC to see the same sad **** I have for the last 9 years. The power play only works with upper classmen, the 3rd and 4th line are told that scoring isn't something they should worry about, and when we do have leads the team seems to always plays not to lose instead of to win.

I think this was brought up in the UW recruiting board. Some of these kids that go through UW into the NHL, would go to the NHL regardless of Eaves or UW. We may have just been quite lucky in the past to have so many top end players pick UW. McD/Stepan/B Smith/Gardiner/C Smith/Schultz/Suter/McBain/Skille all came to UW as players with very solid chances of playing in the NHL. Some players that come to mind that are surprises to make it to the NHL are Pavs(changed the way he skated, don't know if that was Eaves), Burish(his career is pretty much over), Rene B and Drewiske. I am sure I am missing a few on both lists.

[oldicecoach]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope

Here is a thought.

Maybe the 4 year cycle with uneven classes is the Badger coaching strategy and not an anomaly. 1st year of cycle with many freshmen results in a poor won/lost record and disgruntled fans. 2nd year produces mediocre results, 3rd year produces a competitive team on the rise, 4th year results in a high national ranking and a deep run to The Frozen Four with happy fans.

The 4 year cycle can also produce job security if the coach times the cycle so the 4th year occurs 1 year before his contract expires. A deep run into Frozen Four guarantees the coach a new or extended contract and buys him slack for the 1st year of the cycle. The AD will not let him go after a good year which would also mean paying a large buyout.

Of course the above is meant to be tongue in cheek.

[Almington]

Here's an interesting idea.....Eaves ditches Schuey and hires Gwoz as associate head coach. Gwoz could bring some fresh ideas into the fold and have the clout to make Eaves listen.

That idea is just... the worst.