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RPI 2025–26: Off the Critical List and In Recovery

As someone whose six lifetime residences were all less than 5 miles from the Fieldhouse, I can verify that with 100% certainty. Rattled off several shows that I was at in a matter of seconds that are nowhere to be found on the list.

Most glaring omissions are late 50's through late 60's annual visits by Dick Clark's Winter Caravan and annual multi day performances from at the latest the early 60's through circa 1980 by the Ice Capades. Have no idea how anyone who compiles lists could have omitted or missed those two.

I did notice that the list includes that Frank was here. Unfortunately, it was Zappa. However, they missed that Sinatra was here too. Unfortunately, it was Nancy (as part of one of the Caravan shows as best as I can recall).
The Smothers Brothers were a sell out as were several of the rock and roll revues of the groups from the 50's and early 60's.
 
Maybe if Shirley hadn't been an idiot, we could have used the $300 million for the useless EMPAC and covered facilities upgrades for the entire campus, HFH included. Too bad we had the worst college president to ever exist
I'm having a hard time finding any disagreement with this statement....lol
 
Coach Lange's post Mayor Cup Interview: https://youtu.be/MJpxYHoGqmY?si=KLizoWAY-h56iLCa
Worth watching, especially for this quote from the end of the interview:
"Sometimes the lessons inside of the loss are monumental for great progress ahead. And I think there is some great stuff inside of this for some of our younger guys. And this is something our program can lean on as our program builds, and get pretty good. Then we're going to get fricken really good, and I take that to the god damn bank."
 
The silver lining here was not on the ice. I have no idea what the attendance has been year to year for the Mayor’s Cup. But Saturday’s games attendance was far better than I expected.

Union is trying to get back to the top of the league and RPI is trying to make a climb out of the basement. Yet the lower seating of the arena was almost filled. And based on the RPI home attendance for both the men and women and the lack of interest in hockey in this area ( as evidenced by the low attendance at Frozen Four regionals and AHL level hockey leaving this area because of poor attendance ), I was encouraged by what I saw on Saturday.
 
The silver lining here was not on the ice. I have no idea what the attendance has been year to year for the Mayor’s Cup. But Saturday’s games attendance was far better than I expected.

Union is trying to get back to the top of the league and RPI is trying to make a climb out of the basement. Yet the lower seating of the arena was almost filled. And based on the RPI home attendance for both the men and women and the lack of interest in hockey in this area ( as evidenced by the low attendance at Frozen Four regionals and AHL level hockey leaving this area because of poor attendance ), I was encouraged by what I saw on Saturday.
It’s also two cities on an upswing. I’m not into the bar scene, however, Troy and Schenectady have much more going on than downtown Albany. I grew up in Troy, so I’m choosing that city every time, however, I’m choosing Schenectady over Albany any day as my second choice. Admittedly the casino has had a positive impact, so I was wrong about putting in a casino. I don’t gamble, but I’ve been to a few events there and stayed in the hotel. With Union’s new arena and RPI’s renewed commitment to its hockey program, maybe it can be a trip that instills fear back into opponents.
 
It’s also two cities on an upswing. I’m not into the bar scene, however, Troy and Schenectady have much more going on than downtown Albany. I grew up in Troy, so I’m choosing that city every time, however, I’m choosing Schenectady over Albany any day as my second choice. Admittedly the casino has had a positive impact, so I was wrong about putting in a casino. I don’t gamble, but I’ve been to a few events there and stayed in the hotel. With Union’s new arena and RPI’s renewed commitment to its hockey program, maybe it can be a trip that instills fear back into opponents.

Albany has been on a decline the past 10-15 years. The pandemic only accelerated it
 
It’s also two cities on an upswing. I’m not into the bar scene, however, Troy and Schenectady have much more going on than downtown Albany. I grew up in Troy, so I’m choosing that city every time, however, I’m choosing Schenectady over Albany any day as my second choice. Admittedly the casino has had a positive impact, so I was wrong about putting in a casino. I don’t gamble, but I’ve been to a few events there and stayed in the hotel. With Union’s new arena and RPI’s renewed commitment to its hockey program, maybe it can be a trip that instills fear back into opponents.
Albany is an absolute hell hole. It’s astounding the state allows its capital to fall into utter despair.
 
Coach Lange's post Mayor Cup Interview: https://youtu.be/MJpxYHoGqmY?si=KLizoWAY-h56iLCa
Worth watching, especially for this quote from the end of the interview:
"Sometimes the lessons inside of the loss are monumental for great progress ahead. And I think there is some great stuff inside of this for some of our younger guys. And this is something our program can lean on as our program builds, and get pretty good. Then we're going to get fricken really good, and I take that to the god damn bank."
The difference between being one of the upper teams and one of the bottom teams in the standings is often remarkably small. We’ve all seen teams add a few key pieces and turn things around in a season or two. See the AFC rep in the SB (yes, I know they had an easy regular season schedule, but they are also the first team in more than 50 years to beat 3 of the top 5 defenses in the playoffs to make it to the final so it’s more than good luck). Frankly, I think they should probably be more than a 4 point underdog, but they have won close games by staying disciplined and making a few key plays so they have a chance.

Our roster obviously has weaknesses that need to be addressed, but with the exception of the Yale game, has shown recently that when they play disciplined hockey they can compete. However, they’ve not learned how to win. I used to think that was a silly statement as the answer is to outscore the other team. But a winner’s culture and mindset helps the team that has played that solid game overcome the bad play or bad bounce. That’s tough to create when you turn over 70% of the roster and the coaching staff in one season so we’ve seen those things create a snowball effect that leads to ugly and unnecessary losses like Saturday.

Season two will tell us so much. If we retain the core of this roster (the portal is a new challenge to building and maintaining a winning team) and add a few key players in weak spots, we’ll see if the team has developed the discipline and mental strength to compete and play to the standards of their better play for a full 60 minutes. I’m sure Coach Lang has been studying this team carefully to identify the players that have not just the talent, but the leadership skills to make it happen. If we’ve got the right guy at the helm I expect significant year 2 improvement and I think his quote was aimed at setting those expectations in his staff, team and fan base.

That alone should get us into the top 1/2 of the league. Then we can try to find the one or two difference makers to get to the top.
 
The difference between being one of the upper teams and one of the bottom teams in the standings is often remarkably small. We’ve all seen teams add a few key pieces and turn things around in a season or two. See the AFC rep in the SB (yes, I know they had an easy regular season schedule, but they are also the first team in more than 50 years to beat 3 of the top 5 defenses in the playoffs to make it to the final so it’s more than good luck). Frankly, I think they should probably be more than a 4 point underdog, but they have won close games by staying disciplined and making a few key plays so they have a chance.

Our roster obviously has weaknesses that need to be addressed, but with the exception of the Yale game, has shown recently that when they play disciplined hockey they can compete. However, they’ve not learned how to win. I used to think that was a silly statement as the answer is to outscore the other team. But a winner’s culture and mindset helps the team that has played that solid game overcome the bad play or bad bounce. That’s tough to create when you turn over 70% of the roster and the coaching staff in one season so we’ve seen those things create a snowball effect that leads to ugly and unnecessary losses like Saturday.

Season two will tell us so much. If we retain the core of this roster (the portal is a new challenge to building and maintaining a winning team) and add a few key players in weak spots, we’ll see if the team has developed the discipline and mental strength to compete and play to the standards of their better play for a full 60 minutes. I’m sure Coach Lang has been studying this team carefully to identify the players that have not just the talent, but the leadership skills to make it happen. If we’ve got the right guy at the helm I expect significant year 2 improvement and I think his quote was aimed at setting those expectations in his staff, team and fan base.

That alone should get us into the top 1/2 of the league. Then we can try to find the one or two difference makers to get to the top.
It's going to be a very young team next year but there will certainly be plenty of talent coming in through our recruiting class
 
It’s bad
Yes it is. It has no tax base to speak of. When I was a kid there were lots of shops and restaurants downtown. They all left for the suburbs and malls. Albany hasn’t been the same since. And the answer to the problem? A soccer stadium? Really? It might draw people for , what, maybe a dozen home soccer games? Then what? That leaves 353 days to fill. They can build apartments near it, but I think the notion that if you build it they will come is a delusion. When people who work in Albany would rather sit in Northway traffic jams 5 days a week than live in Albany, well need I say more?
 
It’s also two cities on an upswing. I’m not into the bar scene, however, Troy and Schenectady have much more going on than downtown Albany. I grew up in Troy, so I’m choosing that city every time, however, I’m choosing Schenectady over Albany any day as my second choice. Admittedly the casino has had a positive impact, so I was wrong about putting in a casino. I don’t gamble, but I’ve been to a few events there and stayed in the hotel. With Union’s new arena and RPI’s renewed commitment to its hockey program, maybe it can be a trip that instills fear back into opponents.
It should be noted that the recently departed former mayor of Albany openly opposed the casino in Albany ....which in part is how it ended up in Schenectady.
 
The business of operating a successful casino has changed drastically over the past few years with the introduction of so much on line gambling. Witness the extensive problems and decline seen in both Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Not sure it is easy to predict what effect it would have had on Albany.
 
The business of operating a successful casino has changed drastically over the past few years with the introduction of so much on line gambling. Witness the extensive problems and decline seen in both Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Not sure it is easy to predict what effect it would have had on Albany.
They've really done a nice job at Mohawk Harbor...a casino with three hotels, marina, restaurants, high end apartments, retail, office and now an arena. They did their homework and built an intentionally small casino, as far as casinos go. It's a really nice project that I'm not at all sure Albany could've pulled of nearly as well.
 
They've really done a nice job at Mohawk Harbor...a casino with three hotels, marina, restaurants, high end apartments, retail, office and now an arena. They did their homework and built an intentionally small casino, as far as casinos go. It's a really nice project that I'm not at all sure Albany could've pulled of nearly as well.
Be quite successful I think if Albany could have built such a complex along the Hudson River. But that is not happening anytime soon
 
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