UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

[chickod]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

Who said this obligatory Miracle quote?: "Why'd yah wanna play college hockey?" "Isn't it obvious? For the girls!"

Well, if you want to believe the movie (some of which, I would guess, was embellished), it would be none other than UNH's own Ralph Cox.

[jjmc85]

It was enough...point made....it would be so monumental to beat UMass this weekend...I mean...what WOULD Herb Brooks say tonight in that locker room to make a big enough difference? It's leave it all on the ice or bust...you don't win games with effort alone but it sure does help! Pressures on the Minutemen....

I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume Herb wouldn’t tell the team they would lose 9 of 10 to a team they’re playing in a best of three, but whaveter fires you up.

I’m also gonna go out on a limb and say the pressure isn’t on UMass. Would it be nice to go back to the garden for the first time in 12 years? You bet! Does the season continue regardless? Absolutely. I fully plan on being at a regional rooting for UMass regardless of what happens in the next two weeks. UNH on the other hand is golfing next week if they don’t take two of three. As a fan, I was much more nervous and anxious last year going to Matthews cause it was do or die. Now it’s more do or bye.

As an aside, I remember going to BC for QF back around 2010 or so that UMass played in when the Minutemen sucked and BC was winning National Championships every other year. I remember Conte Forum playing the clip of this speech from Miracle to fire up the home crowd and wondering how the heck that made sense. One team was on a streak of winning championships all the time, the other was routinely under .500. Which was more like the Soviets? Does context mean nothing?

Anyway, I’ll be there for as many games as necessary. I’ve been waiting for this since my senior year, the last time UMass hosted the QF on campus. Here’s hoping for another sweep of a former Big 4 team.

[e.cat]

Well, if you want to believe the movie (some of which, I would guess, was embellished), it would be none other than UNH's own Ralph Cox.

We have BINGO:-)

There had to be some creative license but I remember Eruzione saying somewhere that the lines from the movie were pretty accurate.

[e.cat]

Everything you do as a team, the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly...are all on display in this 'second season'. You either have figured out the issues or you haven't. Fixed your weaknesses or you haven't. Nothing is going to 'happen' all of a sudden. Being in these games is a start. How we finish them, is huge. If they play their guts out, don't quit, get some help from the Hockey Gods (like, score some goals) who knows? The 'Cats are as prepared as they are every going to be...Heading out; see some of you there!!

Let's Go 'Cats!!

Get the pom poms out Ref! Have fun!

[chickod]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

We have BINGO:-)

There had to be some creative license but I remember Eruzione saying somewhere that the lines from the movie were pretty accurate.

Yes...like "Because we're a family..."

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

Get the pom poms out Ref! Have fun!

hmmm no poms for this one...and chickod I'm sitting in that section pretty low to the ice and close to the aisle. Subject to change if my views are lousy. Hopefully a lot of other UNH fans there (not calling you one but we are glad to have you...why aren't you going to Lowell??) Anyway...will be wearing my #27 KG jersey for posterity's sake! Go 'Cats!!

ps
In case we 'rah rah' types are misunderstood...trust me..the struggle IS real

[chickod]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

Hopefully a lot of other UNH fans there (not calling you one but we are glad to have you...why aren't you going to Lowell??) Anyway...will be wearing my #27 KG jersey for posterity's sake! Go 'Cats!!

To be honest, I think the atmosphere will be electric (according to the ticketing website there should be a huge crowd), and I think it will be a fun night. They're not expecting a huge crowd at Tsongas. (That's not an indictment on anyone today - but unfortunately, I have the experience of past memories during the golden age of full arenas when there were no other distractions like internet and other technology, so my perspective is just different) I don't enjoy going to games where the arena is half empty...it's just really depressing. And if we don't get one of the big state schools to the Garden (Maine, UNH in particular - not sure how well UMass will draw there only because they haven't been there enough to establish any sort of pattern) it will be another snoozefest like the last three years. I'll look for you. For tonight I'm a Wildcat fan!

[HockeyRef]

To be honest, I think the atmosphere will be electric (according to the ticketing website there should be a huge crowd), and I think it will be a fun night. They're not expecting a huge crowd at Tsongas. (That's not an indictment on anyone today - but unfortunately, I have the experience of past memories during the golden age of full arenas when there were no other distractions like internet and other technology, so my perspective is just different) I don't enjoy going to games where the arena is half empty...it's just really depressing. And if we don't get one of the big state schools to the Garden (Maine, UNH in particular - not sure how well UMass will draw there only because they haven't been there enough to establish any sort of pattern) it will be another snoozefest like the last three years. I'll look for you. For tonight I'm a Wildcat fan!

Well then welcome aboard!! Looking forward....

[chickod]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

Well then welcome aboard!! Looking forward....

Me too!

[sonar]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

If one waits long enough there can be a reversal of fortunes and a tendency to move toward the middle. In statistics it is called regression to the mean (RTM. For example, if you flip a coin often enough the results will be close to 50/50. Of course athletic teams are not coins and events are complex.

RTM refers to the idea that “things” tend to even out over time, or at minimum move toward an even split. It can be comforting when applied to life in general. As a matter of fact I kind of like it applied to life in general because it nudges me toward being optimistic when “things” don’t go my way.

Things certainly did not go my way when attended a couple of hockey games in the 1970’s. The results were gut wrenching for UNH. Some of you remember those games ☹

ECAC Quarterfinals 1974 lost to #8 RPI when UNH was #1
ECAC Quarterfinals 1976 lost to #7 Harvard when UNH was #2.

It is now 2019 and maybe the gods in charge of life in general have decided that enough is enough and it is time for UNH to move in a different direction. If not this weekend at UMass …. next year.

PS: 1974 was the first year that UNH was ranked #1 in the country.

[chickod]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

If one waits long enough there can be a reversal of fortunes and a tendency to move toward the middle. In statistics it is called regression to the mean (RTM. For example, if you flip a coin often enough the results will be close to 50/50. Of course athletic teams are not coins and events are complex.

RTM refers to the idea that “things” tend to even out over time, or at minimum move toward an even split. It can be comforting when applied to life in general. As a matter of fact I kind of like it applied to life in general because it nudges me toward being optimistic when “things” don’t go my way.

Things certainly did not go my way when attended a couple of hockey games in the 1970’s. The results were gut wrenching for UNH. Some of you remember those games ☹

ECAC Quarterfinals 1974 lost to #8 RPI when UNH was #1
ECAC Quarterfinals 1976 lost to #7 Harvard when UNH was #2.

It is now 2019 and maybe the gods in charge of life in general have decided that enough is enough and it is time for UNH to move in a different direction. If not this weekend at UMass …. next year.

PS: 1974 was the first year that UNH was ranked #1 in the country.

That assumes non-bias (i.e., the coin is equally weighted so that with a large enough sample size it will tend to land on one side or the other close to an equal number of times). On the other hand, if the Bruins played Merrimack 100 times, I don't think each team would win 50. Get my point?

But I applaud your optimism and actually hope that the Wildcats can pull the upset!

[sonar]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

That assumes non-bias (i.e., the coin is equally weighted so that with a large enough sample size it will tend to land on one side or the other close to an equal number of times). On the other hand, if the Bruins played Merrimack 100 times, I don't think each team would win 50. Get my point?

But I applaud your optimism and actually hope that the Wildcats can pull the upset!

No, I do not get your point because as a statistician I included the 2nd sentence in my original post. "Of course athletic teams are not coins and events are complex." I think perhaps your point lies elsewhere ..........

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

No, I do not get your point because as a statistician I included the 2nd sentence in my original post. "Of course athletic teams are not coins and events are complex." I think perhaps your point lies elsewhere ..........

On the other hand if your point is that you were attempting to demonstrate how much you know about statistics

That's gonna leave a mark, chickod ...

[chickod]

That's gonna leave a mark, chickod ...

As Paul & Mary said, “But if I really say it, the radio won’t play it; Unless I lay it between the lines.”

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH v UMass HE qtr Final Extraganza

I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume Herb wouldn’t tell the team they would lose 9 of 10 to a team they’re playing in a best of three, but whaveter fires you up.

Excellent point.

I’m also gonna go out on a limb and say the pressure isn’t on UMass. Would it be nice to go back to the garden for the first time in 12 years? You bet! Does the season continue regardless? Absolutely. I fully plan on being at a regional rooting for UMass regardless of what happens in the next two weeks. UNH on the other hand is golfing next week if they don’t take two of three. As a fan, I was much more nervous and anxious last year going to Matthews cause it was do or die. Now it’s more do or bye.

See, here's the thing. Will this weekend be the end of the season for UMass? No. Are they expected to win, and some might say, win handily? Yes. Is this a team/program that's used to playing games like these from the position of prohibitive favorite? Not even close. So, will they feel a little extra pressure? Maybe … maybe not. This season is going to end up in uncharted waters for Coach Carvel, no matter what happens this weekend. That Round of 16 game your program is looking at two weeks from now, that's Coach's first time in the big tourney. So he's experiencing all of this for the first time in his career. If he does not feel the pressure of high expectations to some degree in this first-time scenario, then he's probably super-human.

I'm not saying UNH wins the series, and in fact I've given them no more than a 20% chance to do so (trust me, I got the odds from Sully at The Heights). BUT … if things do not get off to a bright start tonight, and (worst case for the MinuteWagon) the wheels come off with a Game One loss … the pressure is squarely on them for the rest of the weekend. As a new #1, big boys on the block team, all you want to do is prove yourself, and shut up doubters (like me). And if it starts to go pear-shaped on you, nasty self-doubting thoughts start to creep into your mind. For UNH, for that reason, tonight is pretty much a must-win.

As an aside, I remember going to BC for QF back around 2010 or so that UMass played in when the Minutemen sucked and BC was winning National Championships every other year. I remember Conte Forum playing the clip of this speech from Miracle to fire up the home crowd and wondering how the heck that made sense. One team was on a streak of winning championships all the time, the other was routinely under .500. Which was more like the Soviets? Does context mean nothing?

There is a universe up on The Heights all unto itself, and this is just one of the millions and millions of pieces of evidence that intelligent life does not necessarily inhabit that portion of the Earth.