BU 2021-22: Albie's Great Adventure

[bu98]

Regarding the number of games won in a season, it's disingenuous to count last season as not reaching 18 wins since BU only played 16 games.

Sean

No, of course, but Albie's only winning season is one where we got 10 wins, coming against Maine 2, UVM 2, UMass 2, Mack, BC, UConn and Prov. I know they didn't make the schedule. Still, under .500 in the other 3 seasons.
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[Lemonade]

Well if they are going to switch coaches for the rest of the season the time is now. Team is on break and this would allow new coach to ramp up. Not holding my breath.

 

[Jofa]

Albie actually said yesterday that the team has done well points wise against the better teams. Using BC, Lowell, NU, Cornell, UMass as the better teams they’ve played. They have zero wins against those teams in regulation, one OT win, one OT loss and 3 shootout ties. That’s 6 pts out of a possible 23 (Cornell only 2 pts for a regulation win).

 

[Sean Pickett]

No, of course, but Albie's only winning season is one where we got 10 wins, coming against Maine 2, UVM 2, UMass 2, Mack, BC, UConn and Prov. I know they didn't make the schedule. Still, under .500 in the other 3 seasons.

BC and UMass were very good teams, while UConn and PC were about 0.500 teams, with Maine, UVM and MC bad teams. The combined record of those teams was 67-63-18, 67-53-18 if you remove the losses to BU.

For the record Coach O'Connell currently has one losing season, his first, as he was 13-13-8, 0.500, his second season. And the final record for this season is still to be determined. They still have 16 games to play: 3 vs Maine, 2 vs UVM and 1 vs Brown, all currently which have poor records; 2 vs ASU, which is currently 0.500; 2 or 3 vs BC, which has not played great hockey so far; 2 vs PC; and single games vs UConn, UMass, Harvard and possibly NU. The best of the teams left to play is currently NU, followed by UMass and PC. So, let's wait to see how those games turn out before claiming this is a losing season. I do not consider a 0.500 career record (Coach O'Connell is currently 45-45-16) to be a success, but it is not quite as bad as you implied.

Sean

 

[Terrier86]

BC and UMass were very good teams, while UConn and PC were about 0.500 teams, with Maine, UVM and MC bad teams. The combined record of those teams was 67-63-18, 67-53-18 if you remove the losses to BU.

For the record Coach O'Connell currently has one losing season, his first, as he was 13-13-8, 0.500, his second season. And the final record for this season is still to be determined. They still have 16 games to play: 3 vs Maine, 2 vs UVM and 1 vs Brown, all currently which have poor records; 2 vs ASU, which is currently 0.500; 2 or 3 vs BC, which has not played great hockey so far; 2 vs PC; and single games vs UConn, UMass, Harvard and possibly NU. The best of the teams left to play is currently NU, followed by UMass and PC. So, let's wait to see how those games turn out before claiming this is a losing season. I do not consider a 0.500 career record (Coach O'Connell is currently 45-45-16) to be a success, but it is not quite as bad as you implied.

Sean

Not disagreeing with many/most of your points, but against BU's historical .620 winning percentage, one could argue that Albie's .500 record is really like an adjusted 38% winning percentage. Given our advantages over most HE/NCAA programs (i.e. facilities, recruiting profile/proficiency, resources, legacy/reputation, etc.), it is really not acceptable for this program to be .500 over any 4 year period (it has happened once back in the 1950's and again in the 1960's; both before the commitment to excellence kicked in).

 

[Harry Cleverly]

Not disagreeing with many/most of your points, but against BU's historical .620 winning percentage, one could argue that Albie's .500 record is really like an adjusted 38% winning percentage. Given our advantages over most HE/NCAA programs (i.e. facilities, recruiting profile/proficiency, resources, legacy/reputation, etc.), it is really not acceptable for this program to be .500 over any 4 year period (it has happened once back in the 1950's and again in the 1960's; both before the commitment to excellence kicked in).

Exactly.

What has been happening these four seasons is akin to accepting abject mediocrity and underachievement.

 

[J.D.]

Mid-season coaching change ain't happening unless Albie resigns. I do wonder about him coaching this season as a lame duck. Is there any chance he's comfortable with staying on as an assistant next year or would that be a problem? Or will he have ill will towards the administration?

 

[Sean Pickett]

It is really not acceptable for this program to be .500 over any 4 year period (it has happened once back in the 1950's and again in the 1960's; both before the commitment to excellence kicked in).

I’m well aware of BU’s historical results as I started researching the program over 25 years ago and I'll note that you overlooked the program's poor performance from 1979-80 through 1982-83 when the team went 57-54-4 and again from 1986-87 through 1989-90 when the team went 72-70-9.

Sean

 

[buoldtimer]

Mid-season coaching change ain't happening unless Albie resigns. I do wonder about him coaching this season as a lame duck. Is there any chance he's comfortable with staying on as an assistant next year or would that be a problem? Or will he have ill will towards the administration?

Is it a certainty that he's working on a four year contract? Does anyone know beyond a shadow of a doubt?

I ask because, for the first three seasons of his tenure, the length of his contact seemed to be a mystery. Last spring, someone posted that it was a four year contract. Everyone seems to accept that it's a four year deal.

So, does anyone know for certain?

 

[Sean Pickett]

What has been happening these four seasons is akin to accepting abject mediocrity and underachievement.

I disagree, as a new coach has to be given time get his recruits to arrive and his system in place. In Coach O'Connell's case you could argue that any adjustments should have taken less time, but that fact remains that giving a coach 4 seasons is reasonable. I have researched the coaching records of every current or past DI program since WWII. The fifth season is the one after which the most coaches left the position (40), followed by the second (36), fourth (34), first (31), seventh (28), sixth (27) and third (26). Accepting abject mediocrity and underachievement would be to do what Maine did when they continued to extend Coach Gendron's contract despite his lack of results.

Sean

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Also, not for nothing but those BU jerseys tonight were some of the ugliest jerseys I've ever seen. I'll bet when you buy that jersey at the bookstore, you'll get a free bowl of soup.

Those jerseys were something...

Scott Weighart's sequel to his previous BU book will be entitled "Burn the Jerseys"

 

[brassbonanza]

I disagree, as a new coach has to be given time get his recruits to arrive and his system in place. In Coach O'Connell's case you could argue that any adjustments should have taken less time, but that fact remains that giving a coach 4 seasons is reasonable.

This argument is completely invalid as it applies to Albie. He was the primary recruiter for the program under Quinn, thus every player on this roster for the last four seasons is "his" guy. It's also relevant to note that every player from Albie's first incoming class as head coach transferred out.

He was also the associate, thus the system he plays now is not a major departure from the previous one.

In his fourth season, he is way past the "deserves time to implement his players/scheme" period of his tenure.

The fifth season is the one after which the most coaches left the position (40), followed by the second (36), fourth (34), first (31), seventh (28), sixth (27) and third (26).

While a nice aggregation, using this as a barometer for whether BU should re-sign Albie is an apples and oranges comparison. The statistic lacks enormous amounts of context and cannot be used in any material way to judge Albie's situation.

Accepting abject mediocrity and underachievement would be to do what Maine did when they continued to extend Coach Gendron's contract despite his lack of results.

.500 record
0 Beanpots
0 Hockey East Tournament titles
0 Hockey East RS titles
0 NCAA Tournament wins
2-2 Hockey East Tournament record ... that likely wouldn't have improved at Lowell in 2020

That is abject mediocrity and underachievement.

 

[Terrier86]

I’m well aware of BU’s historical results as I started researching the program over 25 years ago and I'll note that you overlooked the program's poor performance from 1979-80 through 1982-83 when the team went 57-54-4 and again from 1986-87 through 1989-90 when the team went 72-70-9.

Sean

Point taken on those two periods (the first one was mostly due to the loss of 3 of the 4 great BU Olympians) - but each was bookended by .600+ to .700+ winning percentage seasons so certainly discounted those two temporary skids (even the great coach JP caught some heat during that second skid).

The bottom line is that this program is underachieving statistically under AO, but even more so by the eye test. He's a good guy but it's pretty evident he's in over his head. Relief is needed.

 

[Sean Pickett]

This argument is completely invalid as it applies to Albie. He was the primary recruiter for the program under Quinn, thus every player on this roster for the last four seasons is "his" guy. It's also relevant to note that every player from Albie's first incoming class as head coach transferred out.

He was also the associate, thus the system he plays now is not a major departure from the previous one.

In his fourth season, he is way past the "deserves time to implement his players/scheme" period of his tenure.

You may be correct in your opinion, but BU apparently gave him four seasons.

While a nice aggregation, using this as a barometer for whether BU should re-sign Albie is an apples and oranges comparison. The statistic lacks enormous amounts of context and cannot be used in any material way to judge Albie's situation.

My statement was to show that there is no single season after which most new coaches leave/are terminated and I said nothing about Coach O'Connell deserving another season.

.500 record
0 Beanpots
0 Hockey East Tournament titles
0 Hockey East RS titles
0 NCAA Tournament wins
2-2 Hockey East Tournament record ... that likely wouldn't have improved at Lowell in 2020

Coach O'Connell has only had two shots at the Beanpot and Hockey East and NCAA Tournaments. In his first Hockey East tournament BU defeated UML and lost to NU in the overtime in the semifinals. In his second season BU lost the Beanpot championship game in overtime. If the next BU coach fails to wins any titles or NCAA games his first two seasons are you going to be calling for his head as well? And by the way, BU is 2-3 in the Hockey East tournament under Coach O'Connell.

That is abject mediocrity and underachievement.

Again, accepting "abject mediocrity and underachievement" would be to retain Coach O'Connell if this season continues along its current path and I don't support that.

Sean

 

[Sean Pickett]

Point taken on those two periods (the first one was mostly due to the loss of 3 of the 4 great BU Olympians) - but each was bookended by .600+ to .700+ winning percentage seasons so certainly discounted those two temporary skids (even the great coach JP caught some heat during that second skid).

The 1986-87 season was a particular disappointment. BU was picked the pre-season #1 team and they very much underperformed, losing 4 to Maine and 4 to BC along the way before losing to NU in the HE Quarters.

The bottom line is that this program is underachieving statistically under AO, but even more so by the eye test. He's a good guy but it's pretty evident he's in over his head. Relief is needed.

Yes, it certainly appears that Coach O'Connell is not a good bench coach (nor a good locker room coach).

Sean

 

[Section 6 Row S]

I’m well aware of BU’s historical results as I started researching the program over 25 years ago and I'll note that you overlooked the program's poor performance from 1979-80 through 1982-83 when the team went 57-54-4 and again from 1986-87 through 1989-90 when the team went 72-70-9.

Sean

Not to necessarily disagree with your overall point but the 89-90’ team was hardly a disappointment. Won the Beanpot and upset top-ranked Michigan State to make it to the FF. And even the 87-88’ group, which was loaded with Freshmen, rebounded nicely in the second half of the season after an awful start. I thought Coach Parker did a good job that season.

 

[mookie1995]

Desire, determination, and the will to win

 

[Sean Pickett]

Not to necessarily disagree with your overall point but the 89-90’ team was hardly a disappointment. Won the Beanpot and upset top-ranked Michigan State to make it to the FF. And even the 87-88’ group, which was loaded with Freshmen, rebounded nicely in the second half of the season after an awful start. I thought Coach Parker did a good job that season.

I didn't say that the '89-'90 team was a disappointment, just that it was part of a 4 season run that was barely above 0.500 overall. I was there for the Beanpot, the HE semifinal loss at Maine, the NCAA wins over North Dakota (I didn't make the trip to MSU) and the Frozen Four in Detroit, including the BU rally in the same downtown hotel at the same time BC held their rally and the BU and BC fans exchanged chants of "Beanpot" and "Hockey East" at each other.

As for the '87-'88 season, yes, BU had a nice turnaround, going 9-2 starting with a win over Wisconsin and then earning their first ever win over North Dakota (I was at both games, but missed the first half of the UND game as I was the godfather at my nephew's christening that morning). However, they faltered at the end, losing 4 of their last 5, including 3 to Providence, a team they only beat once in 5 tries that season. And unfortunately the team wasn't able to build on that as the next season was even worse.

Sean

 

[defkit]

86-87: my freshman year. Didn't know much about the sport but getting swept by Maine at home when you are preseason #1 didn't seem ideal.
87-88: I remember those WCHA games - I believe the turnaround coincided with Peter Fish, relegated to third string over John Bradley and Bryan LaFort, seeing time. Was that the same season he beat Robb Stauber 1-0? Or was that 88-89?

89-90: consecutive freshman recruits Joe Sacco, Dave Sacco and Shawn McEachern, and Tony Amonte finally pay off with a very good team. Of course there were loads of other recruits in those classes, but those were the scoring threats.

 

[Section 6 Row S]

86-87: my freshman year. Didn't know much about the sport but getting swept by Maine at home when you are preseason #1 didn't seem ideal.
87-88: I remember those WCHA games - I believe the turnaround coincided with Peter Fish, relegated to third string over John Bradley and Bryan LaFort, seeing time. Was that the same season he beat Robb Stauber 1-0? Or was that 88-89?

That was 88-89’. The upset of Minnesota was certainly a highlight as was the improbable comeback against Northeastern in the 1st round of the Beanpot (gave National Champs Harvard a fight in the Beanpot championship too). Overall, not a good season but you could see there was some talent developing.