Wisconsin Hockey 22-23 Empty Dreams & Empty Seats

[WiscTJK]

I know you didn't realize this, but I have emailed JK many times in the past, including last year.

Me as well. I will keep writing...

[WiscTJK]

....

EDIT: has McIntosh even attended a men’s hockey game? Inquiring 37 year season ticket holder wants to know.

I saw him at a Friday night game last year in the lower level by section 112 in the handicap area. Edit: 21-22 season...

[srkbadger]

I think that if the program can return to a consistent winner and compete with the best programs in the country, people will return. People love a winner. Being a winner will draw back many that are looking for an exciting event to fill their winter weekend evenings. Those people in turn will draw in the more casual fans who are there for the spectacle as much as the shots, goals, and checks. If (and this may be a big if) the hoopla returns when a competent on ice product returns, the people will return. It may take a few years, so we can't have 1 up year followed by 4 down. That will not turn it around. We need 3-4 up years with an occasional rebuild year. I don't mind an occasional down year as long as competence is demonstrated, and there is a history to suggest an upward trajectory. Kind of like Eaves' first year. They didn't win much, but you could see some budding talent growing each weekend. Mistakes were made, but you saw them corrected in game or by the next series. I truly haven't seen much growth or improvement in the last 3-4 years. Same dumb passes, same dumb puck watching, same dumb results.

[GoBucky18]

It was a few weeks ago we were talking about how the legacy is gone. And I agree with that. The more we talk about Badger Bob and how amazing he was (in my opinion), the less room we have to move forward and make decisions on the future. We are far enough removed from Badger Bob that it should have no influence or qbility to cast a shadow on the next hire. And I agree that fans that attended the Coliseum. They are all gone. No sense even talking about em anymore because the simply dont factor. That fan base existed at a time when the rest of UW sports was awful, before social media, and before sports/TV entertainment options were blasted across the universe.

I think the Ath Dept became arrogant about hockey. They looked at it as self sustaining and the hands off approach has been disastarous. They said, "here is Kohl Center, here is LaBahn. Now go to your ice sheeta and leave us alone while we focus on basketball and football".

The ice aheet at Kohl HAS to be shrunk to a closer version of NHL size. Its a net negative.

New start needed, wholesale program change outside of Nate LaPoint (equipment mgr, who is the best of the best in that profession)

[solovsfett]

The Indycar parallel is 100% accurate. Indycar was HUGE like UW hockey was, then they split into 2 factions and neither ended up doing much on their own, got back together years later, but the damage was done, people moved on. When you lose interest in something, you replace that interest with something else. You don't sit around and do nothing and wait for that old interest to come back. If it makes a comeback, you've already moved on. The hardcore hockey fans are still there but 65% have moved on. The newspaper has moved on. Will Ballysports move on?

Bingo!

most of the hardcore fan base that they’ve lost, the people who were there for all the Dane County Coliseum sold out nights, are gone and never to return. They’ve replaced Badger hockey with something else now. They’re gone forever.

of the fanatics who filled up the coliseum there may be 4-500 left who attend a few games a year. That’s inexcusable but that’s what King, McIntosh and Alvarez have allowed or even fostered.

like INDYCAR, Badger hockey is a relic. If you close your eyes and access your memory you can here PA announcer Phil “are you ready for Badger Hockey?!?!”, “Wisconsin goal scored by Scott Mellanby” and you can hear the crashes into the boards and the roar and buzz of a sold out crowd. Just like INDYCAR. Close your eyes and listen and you can hear the call of little Al vs Goodyear, or Michael Andretti stomping the field at the 500 only to have his car fail.

but today, the crowds are sparse. A few diehards will regale you with stories but they’re decades old now. The players/drivers themselves are in the rear view mirror. Today, kids don’t know Rafalski from Andretti. It’s what it is. And it never should have gotten this far.

we have Alvarez, King and McIntosh to thank for it.

and king can rah rah all he wants about “hang in there”. ACTIONS are what counts. Not mindless optimism or promises of change. Action. Fire the staff, treat the sport like you do football and they’ll be kicking *** again soon.


EDIT: I also wonder if Badger hockey is salvageable at all. Even with a new hire. Forget the 2/3 of the crowd they’ve lost forever, how do they replace them? Hockey is a niche sport.
where does the new fan come from? Where do the wins come from?

I fear what has happened is permanent, JUST like INDYCAR. They finally make a right move and hire Roger Penske as CEO but it was 25 years too late and even Roger can’t save them with all of his business acumen and billions. Will season’s end be too late to salvage this team, this brand, this sport? Yes. The more I think of this situation and the history the more I believe that 5-6,000 will be the new ceiling for fans IF this team ever turns a corner.

[Timothy A]

Wisconsin Badger Men’s hockey is the INDYCAR of Wisconsin sports. No-one gives a **** anymore except the 5 posters here and maybe 4-500 diehards who still go to games.

The Indycar parallel is 100% accurate. Indycar was HUGE like UW hockey was, then they split into 2 factions and neither ended up doing much on their own, got back together years later, but the damage was done, people moved on. When you lose interest in something, you replace that interest with something else. You don't sit around and do nothing and wait for that old interest to come back. If it makes a comeback, you've already moved on. The hardcore hockey fans are still there but 65% have moved on. The newspaper has moved on. Will Ballysports move on?

[digitalbooya]

Okay, I'm gonna quick jump out of my normal lurking to let you guys know you prompted me to email Jason King this morning - something I have never done. He responded within an hour:

"Please know that we share a desire for our program to thrive and decisions have been/will be made with that in mind. Please stick with us!"

While it's not a "we're gonna fire TG tomorrow", I think a resonable interpretation is they'll be making changes. IMO that's about as much as anyone can reasonably expect to hear from them.

Thank you for sharing!

The writing is on the wall. The lower buyout probably doesn’t kick in until after the season is over.

Should be noted that less cost to buyout = more money to find “the next Bob Johnson”

[Buck 'em]

Okay, I'm gonna quick jump out of my normal lurking to let you guys know you prompted me to email Jason King this morning - something I have never done. He responded within an hour:

"Please know that we share a desire for our program to thrive and decisions have been/will be made with that in mind. Please stick with us!"

While it's not a "we're gonna fire TG tomorrow", I think a resonable interpretation is they'll be making changes. IMO that's about as much as anyone can reasonably expect to hear from them.

[digitalbooya]

Honesty Timothy. Your just sending emails now? What the f*ck have you all been doing the last few years? F*ck me. Sorry but really. I been emailing these jack offs for years, including the pathetic Mikewski and girl like Polzin.

Complaining on this forum does nothing. Hockey fans are too nice.

Lmao, so we are going after fellow badger fans now for not sending emails that get at best cookie cutter responses back??

King should be able to recognize from this team’s lack of success, horrible attendance, and the warning/contract renegotiation (lower buyout) that at the end of this season Granato should be fired. He couldn’t make the tournament and has shown zero improvement as a staff. Gone.

I haven’t sent a single email. I’m probably never going to send an email. That doesn’t make me any more or less of a die hard than you. It just means some of us have more enjoyable things to do with our time than scream into the void.

[solovsfett]

I know you didn't realize this, but I have emailed JK many times in the past, including last year.

Fact. I know you’ve mentioned it several times over the years.

Many of us have emailed JK. I don’t advertise it often because there’s nothing to report.

I even straight up called the AD and left a message with Respect to dropping season tickets at the end of the Eaves era (we didn’t drop them which was a bad move, my dad wanted to retain them)…

Jason King responded one time. That’s it. A garbage patented AD type response of “we hear you”.

There really is no effort put forth by McIntosh or King to retain season ticket holders whether new or the old timers.

if they read this board I’ll just say this: Badger Bob Johnson deserves better than this. His legacy is untouchable. He’s as big as Vince Lombardi in his field and he accomplished more than Jimmy Johnson. Badger Bob took 2 teams to the Stanley Cup finals (winning with Pittsburgh, losing with Calgary) after winning 3 NCAA championships ( and his last Badger game was a loss in the NCAA championship game, he could have easily had 4 titles). There is nothing but a lack of respect from the Athletic Department in regard to how they’ve treated Men’s Hockey for 30 years now.

Put a statue of Badger Bob out in front of the Kohl Center stat. Fire the staff down to the people who sharpen skates and start a national or even international search for the next Badger Bob. Don’t settle, don’t favor alumni. Get the right coach, period. The standard should be NCAA appearances 7-8x a decade then let the chips fall. But make no mistake, yesterday, today, tomorrow, 25 years from now: Badger Bob Johnson was, is, and will always be the GREATEST Wisconsin Badger Coach of ALL-TIME. Don’t forget that McIntosh or King.

[Timothy A]

Honesty Timothy. Your just sending emails now? What the f*ck have you all been doing the last few years? F*ck me. Sorry but really. I been emailing these jack offs for years, including the pathetic Mikewski and girl like Polzin.

Complaining on this forum does nothing. Hockey fans are too nice.

I know you didn't realize this, but I have emailed JK many times in the past, including last year.

[druzy192]

Emails have been sent. I will report any responses I get.

Honesty Timothy. Your just sending emails now? What the f*ck have you all been doing the last few years? F*ck me. Sorry but really. I been emailing these jack offs for years, including the pathetic Mikewski and girl like Polzin.

Complaining on this forum does nothing. Hockey fans are too nice.

[solovsfett]

Great question. Everyone is all over King - and rightfully so. However, as far as we know, King may want to make all kinds of changes, and is prevented by McIntosh/his superiors. I honestly wonder if there aren't some people in the athletic department that want to see the hockey program discontinued to funnel more $$$ to football and/or support the needs Title iX women's sports. Someone else may have said it in the past; but, if that was your position, and you wanted to see the team do so poorly they lost support/you had a reason to drop the program - would you be doing anything differently than what McIntosh/they have been doing?

I’m so glad you said this. I’ve been musing whether this is all intentional by the AD. Let’s face it, once king Barry arrived the AD put hockey into the attic and it hasn’t been the same since (sure they had 3 great years from 91-94 but since then 3-4 truly great years from 95-22, a 27 year general malaise).

And now? New AD (football guy, oh wait, “I’m not a hockey guy” Jr.) we see “patience” for a coach who’s had 4 losing seasons in 6 years and will have 5 in 7 years, the beat writer moved to basketball, almost no coverage anymore and not even a whiff of concern from McIntosh. Not one solitary bit of evidence he cares whatsoever.


Wisconsin Badger Men’s hockey is the INDYCAR of Wisconsin sports. No-one gives a **** anymore except the 5 posters here and maybe 4-500 diehards who still go to games.

it’s going the way of the Muskie clap and maybe, just maybe, that’s what Mac wants.

[solovsfett]

These are truly legitimate points that give me some thought that it would be a good idea to make a move now. Previously I did not entertain such thoughts.

I have not had any response yet from Mr. King or the newspapers yet.

I think it’s telling that you’ve received no responses. We’ll see. Maybe Mac caught an earful from some alumni about this travesty.

[LordofBrewtown]

EDIT: has McIntosh even attended a men’s hockey game? Inquiring 37 year season ticket holder wants to know.

Great question. Everyone is all over King - and rightfully so. However, as far as we know, King may want to make all kinds of changes, and is prevented by McIntosh/his superiors. I honestly wonder if there aren't some people in the athletic department that want to see the hockey program discontinued to funnel more $$$ to football and/or support the needs Title iX women's sports. Someone else may have said it in the past; but, if that was your position, and you wanted to see the team do so poorly they lost support/you had a reason to drop the program - would you be doing anything differently than what McIntosh/they have been doing?