UNH Hockey 2023 Off Season Thread Turn and Face the Strange

[Scott]

All good stuff Scott! Whatever happened to that great anthem singer, I believe he was a Reverend? I'd add that to the list Seriously, the coaching piece
I believe is #1 on my list..facilities second like you said. What would a 'normal sports' atmosphere look like to you?

Wow, almost Sept 1!! Won't be long before the 'Cats name a captain. Who you got? I'm going with Luke Reid getting the C, Blaisdell and Sweeney with the A's. Not
necessarily in that order...

The good Reverend unfortunately got himself into a pickle while employed as a minister at PEA because of an alleged role with a student-on-student sexual conduct case:

https://theexonian.net/news/2018/11/...end%20on%20Oct.

Once he was put on administrative leave at PEA, it doesn't appear that he was ever invited back to the Whitt. Too bad...his amazing bass voice really shook the rafters!

RE: Captains - I'd go with any combination of Jenson, Reid and Blaisdell, but lean slightly towards Jenson with the "C". JMHO.

[Scott]

I'm not 100% sure, but I know Scott goes back a long time with the program, and I'm guessing he's referencing the colorful chants we used to hear from the student section before BS35+ No More went all controlling Karen on The Whitt, and instructed the pep band to play over the most purportedly "offensive" chants. And, of course, put "Black Betty" on the Naughty List. The atmosphere at The Whitt - which used to be amazing for the first decade-plus of the venue - slowly withered and died a quiet death. I truly believe that "feisty" atmosphere used to be a selling point for some of the recruits back in the day, and kind of typified the whole "Live Free or Die" spirit in its own unique way.

Now there is virtually no difference between The Whitt and any other arena. Scott - am I on the right track here?

Pretty much right on track Chuck. "Mahhty" and his "woke" nature pretty much put the kebash on "Lively Snively V.2" by killing some of "inappropriate" chants and caving into a disgruntled Women's hockey coach in eliminating "Black Betty". Now. to get butts back in the seats, the Athletic Dept. pushes promo after promo to make the UNH hockey game experience more of a fun, family venture than a quasi-gladiatorial battle on the ice. Groups of parents bring their "under 8-somethings" to the game and allow their little offspring to run amok while they, the parents pay no attention and sit back and enjoy their beers.

Give me the days of a packed arena with revved-up fans chanting "YOU S*CK!!" in unison......sigh.......

[Snively65]

Maybe UNH should rebrand our Wildcats moniker to Sabertooth Tigers, which may have both purred and roared during the late Pleistocene. ST’s, for short, not to be confused with SMT’s or STH’s or SOG’s.

http://www.popsci.com/science/sabert...ger-purr-roar/

[Chuck Murray]

Maybe UNH should rebrand our Wildcats moniker to Sabertooth Tigers, which may have both purred and roared during the late Pleistocene. ST’s, for short, not to be confused with SMT’s or STH’s or SOG’s.

http://www.popsci.com/science/sabert...ger-purr-roar/

I do think UNH has a rebranding opportunity in the coming years. It's been over 20 years (almost 25 years?) since UNH Hockey went from their classic block UNH jerseys to the cartoon angry Cat logo, which I'm not sure I ever took a full liking to. IIRC the new logo was in place for the last two FF trips, and the back-to-back HEA Trophies, so at the time I suspect there was a lot more trust in the powers-that-be at UNH that things were going in the right direction. Now it just reminds me of another fad that UNH caved into when the prevailing winds were blowing in that direction ... and of course, with Bob The Builder (a/k/a the former AD) focused on anything else but what folks not in the admin offices at UNH were thinking, it was just easier to leave it alone.

I hope the current AD, the younger crop of new HC's (including the new Men's Hockey coach) take this up soon. I mean, before MS7 adds it onto his list of excuses why his program somehow can't even rise to a level of mediocrity ...

[After the Whistle]

Be careful what you wish for. Remember the move to the new school logo? Most of you went ape over that change. Personally happy with the wildcat and block lettered jerseys.
I feel that Blazer will get the C and Jensen and Reid the As.

[Chuck Murray]

Be careful what you wish for. Remember the move to the new school logo? Most of you went ape over that

((( holding my hand up )))

My proviso would be for Hockey to go back to the classic block style from the 20th century.

[Felger]

The good Reverend unfortunately got himself into a pickle while employed as a minister at PEA because of an alleged role with a student-on-student sexual conduct case:

Maybe the Rev and Dick Osbourne can do their own competing podcast (ala the Mannings and the McCourtys.)

[Chuck Murray]

Maybe the Rev and Dick Osbourne can do their own competing podcast (ala the Mannings and the McCourtys.)

I see what you did there ...

[bakchk20]

((( holding my hand up )))

My proviso would be for Hockey to go back to the classic block style from the 20th century.

100% agree with that take. The new logo and Wildcat I can live with. As for the fatty-nascar-softy-font, hated it then, hate it now, will hate it tomorrow. Just more junk from the dimwitted marketing "consultants" at that time

[Robert Balin]

There's a nice article on Angus Crookshank in the the Hockey news site, i couldn't get link but easy to find. Didn't know he blew his knee out in the 2021-2022 season,hope the kid well.

[Chuck Murray]

There's a nice article on Angus Crookshank in the the Hockey news site, i couldn't get link but easy to find. Didn't know he blew his knee out in the 2021-2022 season,hope the kid well.

Why Angus Crookshank Remains a Sens Prospect to Keep an Eye On - The Hockey News Ottawa Senators News, Analysis and More

I'll be happy once everyone is back to talk UNH Hockey again!

[HockeyRef]

There's a nice article on Angus Crookshank in the the Hockey news site, i couldn't get link but easy to find. Didn't know he blew his knee out in the 2021-2022 season,hope the kid well.

Yeah he worked really hard to get back on the ice! Such a gamer that kid is...kind of like Derek Jeter, the only Yankee I ever respected ha!

[Robert Balin]

Yeah he worked really hard to get back on the ice! Such a gamer that kid is...kind of like Derek Jeter, the only Yankee I ever respected ha!

58-84-20. So they start with BU and 2 with the defending champs. They could steal one of these games considering it's early. Maybe pad that record with another W...lol

[Chuck Murray]

58-84-20

Put that on some t-shirts to be sold outside the Whitt this Fall, and you may cash in before they shut you down LOL.

[JB]

So it isn't a perfect comparable (but what in life really is) and still there is an interesting lesson out there in the college sports world.

"This is a uniquely charismatic man, a marketer with almost no peer, who looks like he and his players are having more fun than anyone, anywhere. That always works." Dan Wetzel

"...turning a team with a 1-11 record and just a single winning season in 17 years into an overnight national contender." Dan Wetzel

Yes, college football and who knows if Colorado will finish above .500 this year or not. At the same time the former Jackson State coach and for those who don't follow NFL Hall of Fame player and arguably the greatest corner of all time Deion Sanders, is using all the new rules to his advantage.

"Deion grabbed 53 guys from the portal and obviously many of them are capable of playing at a high level, but it’s not like he was plucking starters off SEC or Big Ten powers." Dan Wetzel

They were just better than what he had. That is flipping more than 50% of ~90 man the roster. That is bring in the full roster of an NFL team.

What does UNH Hockey need? Flipping greater than 50% of the roster? Potentially. Really the answer is in the first quote, charismatic (check), marketer (check), and more fun than anyone, anywhere (check).

Is the 2023-2024 season over yet? I want to move forward and UNH Hockey is standing still, on the ice that can get you leveled.