UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

[Nosmo King]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

The only explanation for this is that Sneddon has donor$$ lined up for a new facility. This certainly isn’t based on merit.

#firesneddon
#firethe3stooges

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

I'm going to try and do a fan reaction post on the blog, feel free to shoot me a message on here or tweet at @TheVTHockeyBlog with your thoughts.

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

Or he has incriminating photos of people who could have him fired.......UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I

2018 now worse than 2017 to me!

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

The only explanation for this is that Sneddon has donor$$ lined up for a new facility. This certainly isn’t based on merit.

#firesneddon
#firethe3stooges

He's a good talker, so that would make sense. But at the same time, interest in UVM men's hockey has never been lower. As a student the vibe I tend to get around campus is that people would much rather go see the basketball team win than the hockey team lose. Hell at the Brown game (last game the students were there) half the student section was sitting until some of us shouted at them. Rule #1 of student section: STAND UP

My advice to everyone angry at the men's program but who still wants to see hockey - save some cash, skip the men, and go support the women. While it's true they've been a bit rocky this season (they're a young team, so that happens), the program is slowly but surely improving, and it's full of very good people who would really appreciate the support. They just came back from going 3-0 in a tournament in Montréal and play Providence on Saturday and Sunday.

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

Apparently it was agreed prior to the start of the season. Fishy that it took this long to come out considering back then we were actually (somewhat) optimistic

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

Apparently it was agreed prior to the start of the season. Fishy that it took this long to come out considering back then we were actually (somewhat) optimistic

yes it is and like i said it is probably because he was getting the pressure and they were both feeling it!
i also want to say to you to please continue with the great coverage of the team and not being afraid to take a stand like you did before it is very sad to see bootlicking like ted has done in last 6 years your voice is refreshing to those of us who want new prospective keep up good work!

also so now that we're stuck with him - where all those Sneddon defenders at??? they know who they are they can come back and scold all of us now with your told you sos while this team will be lucky to win 8 games! WHAT A JOKE! enjoy the empty gutt!

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

yes it is and like i said it is probably because he was getting the pressure and they were both feeling it!
i also want to say to you to please continue with the great coverage of the team and not being afraid to take a stand like you did before it is very sad to see bootlicking like ted has done in last 6 years your voice is refreshing to those of us who want new prospective keep up good work!

also so now that we're stuck with him - where all those Sneddon defenders at??? they know who they are they can come back and scold all of us now with your told you sos while this team will be lucky to win 8 games! WHAT A JOKE! enjoy the empty gutt!

I'll do my best. As I said elsewhere I'm going to be doing a "fans react" thing to this news if enough want to speak their mind. I know the fans aren't decision makers but I feel that they deserve some sort of voice. We're angry because we care, and the worst thing that can happen to a hockey program is fan apathy.

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

In Ryan's piece Schulman said we were the last team out of the NCAA tournament last season. Which is factually inaccurate, BC was last, the WCHA was going to get the last slot due to the autobid. And BC absolutely obliterated us in the playoffs.

C'mon, if you're going to make a move the fans are going to **** on you for, at least get the facts right.

[VTALUM]

Had to check the calendar...nope, it’s not April 1st. Wow. I’ve compeltely lost interest in this program. What a joke.

Sneddon gets a new 3 year deal through 2019-20....

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/s...ct/1005800001/

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

Probably shouldn't post this, but saw him totally blotto at one of the waterfront watering holes this summer. He was probably out celebrating his handshake deal with Schulman!

I'm sure this got leaked intentionally as Schulman must know there are a lot of dissatisfied fans and didn't want Sneddon left out to dry. My biggest problem with him is he seems to recruit fairly well, but the players generally do not get better over time, in fact many regress.

But also historically, it seems every 10 years we get a great player or group (O'Connell, Boyce, St. Louis, Stalberg), have a top ten team, get everyone's hopes up, then go back to average. I thought Colton might be that guy, but something is missing with this team. And rumors are he doesn't like the Coach, so would be surprised if he returns next year.

sadly not the first time he's been seen like that out in public - many times its with his new girlfriend who lets just say he met at work while in a marriage. thats his business but while we are talking out of school..

Im so mad at this I cant sleep 22 years of going to games as a season ticket holder ive seen a lot of hockey! some great hockey and some awful hockey and i stand by everything ive said about what i think UVM could be and thats a national title contender because in college hockey its possible and UVM admins should feel that way too because its a sport they can actually win a title in no offense to the basketball team but them getting to NCAAs is wonderful and most people know they cant win it all but hockey - this is the life bloods of the school the big time sport that is supposed to leave a NATIONAL mark!
Now what do I get? a crappy team and coach who needs to go but a AD who backs his buddy and was sneaky about his contract status but sends message to all the fans who are finally fed up with the garbage performances we see every weekend that he doesnt care about the results just cares about taking care of his pal and 10 plaace finishes are just fine at UVM. what a total loss of respect from me!
Im done with this team, threw my ticket packets in the trash and won't renew. i remember a time when doing that would be a big sin! now i could walk up to any game i wanted and get a ticket and that is a shame - no more pride in this team or people caring and it only gonna get worse. I too predict Colton leaves plus the annual right of summer which is that 5 others will join him and well hear about all these dominating new recruits who will just get jumbled around in lines same bad hockey! Im done but its so hard to say that because this has been such major part of my life for so many years but i've had enough!! other fans should too!
FIRE SCHULMAN FIRE SNEDDON! Not letting up on that ever until its done!!

[VTALUM]

Had to check the calendar...nope, it’s not April 1st. Wow. I’ve compeltely lost interest in this program. What a joke.

Completely*

[VTALUM]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

Honestly, Sneddon has been long known to be a philandering alcoholic. Anyone who has seen him out after hours knows what a sleazebag he is in his personal life. The players pick up on that, and don’t respect him. These kids are trying to be pros. Maybe Schulman is the same as Sneddon, who knows. It’s really a shame.

[QUAlum2004]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

I honestly thought this job would open up this year. Sneddon must have pictures on someone as in no way should he ever earn an extension with how his team has played the past few years.

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

To say the timing of this news is disappointing is an understatement. As the article points out, if this was agreed upon in the summer why was it kept such a secret? Surely there would have not been such backlash as they are facing now had this been known back in June. I cannot say I'm surprised at all by this. Maintaining the status quo and putting minimal effort into retaining and finding strong coaching has long been something UVM has not been good at, nor do they want to be. There is a lot of what you'd call an old boy network I find at UVM. Administrators, coaches, and donors who were ex-players in the 70s and 80s who are all drinking buddies at Vermont National.

I've always tried to keep my critiques of Sneddon to his on-ice coaching abilities, but I can't deny also hearing rumors of his antics. I was told earlier this year that his ex-wife lists her status on Facebook as a "widow." What people do in their own time is none of my concern, but I certainly don't like hearing rumors of coaches acting that way while representing the school. It just seems like Sneddon can do no wrong in the eyes of the decision makers, and it's very puzzling to me that there seems to be no levels of concern regarding his leadership of the program or concern for consistent winning and effort. I'd hoped for more but I suppose when you have the top administrator as a UVM lifer who knows no other way, it leads to a very narrow prospective.


This isn't the hockey season I was expecting that's for sure.

[Catamount93]

Re: UVM 2017/18: A Gutt Check

I fundamentally don't understand....or, more accurately, I do understand and don't like it.

As I've said many, many times, he's not a bad coach. I think he's done a lot for the program and he's had some success, and I appreciate his efforts. But the results have been inconsistent, the style of play is frustrating and not very exciting, and the current trend on wins/losses is decidedly negative. And as been often mentioned, players just don't seem to get better. Under his stewardship our program has a losing record. Basketball has had great success and I love what they've done, but along with skiing the hockey program is the ONE sport where we truly have the opportunity to be competitive on a national stage on a consistent basis. Giving Sneddon a new contract right now is accepting of the fact that what he's done is as good as we can expect to be, which I feel is a massive disservice to the university, it's students and all of us alums.

To me, this is an example of UVM deciding to be an average D1 hockey school instead of trying to be as good as we can be. I've always been frustrated at UVM that we seem to be unwilling to fire coaches who don't perform, instead generally waiting for contracts to expire. I get it, it's a financial thing. But his contract is (was) up. If you aren't going to go a different direction at the end of a contract with a coach who has a lifetime losing record and who's team is dramatically under performing versus expectations...when are you going to make a change?? It saddens me that we can't aspire to do better than this in our marquis sport.

Finally, I'd ask folks to avoid commentary on his personal life. In my opinion that is irrelevant and not cool.

Personally I will always support the Cats, and I really hope Coach Sneddon can right the ship and get us where we all want to be. But his track record is now quite long and strongly suggests that won't happen. I think this new contract is a huge mistake and a step backwards for the program at this time.

Go Cats.