UNH- How Far West Do We Go?

walrus said:

I'm curious if Miami Ohio U has NIL money to give to Bball players? Wasnt too long ago they had good hockey program also

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I was rooting for Miami yesterday. But man, that final ten minutes was a very UNH-esque performance

Potluck said:

A classless rant from the bowl hair cut, single tooth Hillbilly! Gooooooooo, Buford!

Those out there who are civilized, don't attend family reunions looking for sexual conquests, eat with utensils, and can chew instead of suck on solid foods, unlike Buford, recognize how sick Buford really is and how little he has in his life to attack Souza in such a vicious, personal manner. Souza is a hockey coach. Full stop.

As for accuracy, Buford, of course, knows very little. in 1999, Ron Mason, legendary coach at Michigan State, called UNH a one line team after Mich State lost to UNH in the national semifinal. Mason called the Krog, Haydar, Souza line the best in college hockey. Souza jumped DIRECTLY from playing public school hockey Wakefield High School in Mass and played every game of his 4 year career at UNH. Souza was the consummate team player; he was highly productive, a great leader and a total winner.

To say anything other than Souza was an outstanding college player is dumb. But were are talking about Buford......

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At the risk of being pithy, may I suggest the ignore button? It’s my new found best gadget. Works wonders! I’m serious btw.

Engineers said:

Reid cashman is the guy to go after. If UNH is serious about hockey then look over to Hanover. The guy is a legit winner! The assistant at qpac is another one to watch. Although he seems settled in with pecknold. Keep away from Eric lang and Corey Schneider

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Under contract through 2028 as the Koenig Family (endowment) Head Coach Of Dartmouth Men’s Hockey. Currently NPI #11, finished #3 regular season. Why would he leave Dartmouth for UNH?

Darius said:

Under contract through 2028 as the Koenig Family (endowment) Head Coach Of Dartmouth Men’s Hockey. Currently NPI #11, finished #3 regular season. Why would he be leave Dartmouth for UNH?

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More history, better conference, better recruiting, more success (despite the last few years). Dartmouth is making its first tournament appearance since 1980. At Dartmouth, just making the tourney is history making. If you actually want to win, seems to be way easier to do at UNH

One thing I want to add. Lots of valid points I've seen about UNH being underfunded and resourced, which is why Souza has been unsuccessful. I have no doubts that it is all true. That can be true at the same time as Souza needing to go, however. Coaches who are doing a good job don't go out and complain about facilities, NIL, resources, etc. They tout the positives of their program (or re-frame negatives as positives) and then they go out and get results. This is coming from someone who just saw his program make a change last year.

Chuck Murray said:

Ref, you really didn't miss all that much as far as Souza the player is concerned. First two seasons, a solid 3rd line winger, then much like how he landed the head coaching gig 15 or so years later, this 3rd round NHL draft pick ended up on the left wing with a Hobey winning center in his apex season, and a future Hobey finalist on the opposite wing. Both of those undrafted players would go on to make it to the NHL, and would take the team to within an OT goal of a national title in '99. The Final may have been his best game in a UNH uniform, although he also assisted Mark Mowers on an OT SHG GWG the year before to get UNH into a FF appearance. His senior year as captain was OK, but your team bowed out in the opening round of the NCAA tourney. Niagara, anyone??

If you remark to yourself that, "Wow, that seems to be a pretty harsh look at a playing career that deserves more appreciation" ... well, you're probably right. But this is what happens when you trade on your prior role in a great run of highly competitive teams to get a job above your true station, and cling to it like it's a birthright, despite it becoming increasingly obvious that you either aren't qualified for the job, or have underestimated the demands of the job, or both.

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Potluck said:

A classless rant from the bowl hair cut, single tooth Hillbilly! Gooooooooo, Buford!

Those out there who are civilized, don't attend family reunions looking for sexual conquests, eat with utensils, and can chew instead of suck on solid foods, unlike Buford, recognize how sick Buford really is and how little he has in his life to attack Souza in such a vicious, personal manner. Souza is a hockey coach. Full stop.

As for accuracy, Buford, of course, knows very little. in 1999, Ron Mason, legendary coach at Michigan State, called UNH a one line team after Mich State lost to UNH in the national semifinal. Mason called the Krog, Haydar, Souza line the best in college hockey. Souza jumped DIRECTLY from playing public school hockey Wakefield High School in Mass and played every game of his 4 year career at UNH. Souza was the consummate team player; he was highly productive, a great leader and a total winner.

To say anything other than Souza was an outstanding college player is dumb. But were are talking about Buford......

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So I'm going to take the following unsolicited quote, freshly out this morning from someone very close to the '99 team, commenting on Souza's standing that season (and there are a few on here who will know but not share who is the source of this assessment):

I truly feel for Mike Souza. He was a solid player on a stacked UNH team. He is a good guy who no one wants to see fail.

There seems to be some significant space between being a "solid player" and "outstanding". Notwithstanding your cherry-picked quote from Coach Mason after losing to UNH in the semis ... I now am forced to point out that not only wasn't Souza an All-American level player at any stage of his 4 year UNH career, but in his "breakout" season in which he scored almost half of his total career points ('98/'99), Souza was not a First Team Hockey East player ... nor was he on the second OR third Hockey East teams. He did earn second team All Hockey East in 2020 as a senior, minus Krog (and with 25 less points to his credit) ... and of course, captained the team that showed up fat, happy and super overconfident, then laid the at-the-time stinkiest NCAA Tourney turd of all time with a 4-1 first round loss to ... Niagara.

How did Souza end up on a line with Krog and Haydar? Well, he was in the right place at the right time when Derek Bekar left to turn pro a year early, and his competition for the LW1 slot was then Corey Joe Ficek and Matt Swain. Two other players easily described as "solid players on a stacked UNH team".

Souza was an average skater at best, who had good hands around the net. There are no highlight reels filled with "oohs" and "aahs" from Souza's greatest moments in a UNH jersey. And his post-UNH career was totally unremarkable. "Better than average college player" is about as far as I'm willing to go, and I challenge you to demonstrate how he gets to that next level as a player. Remember, scoring numbers a generation ago were much higher than they are nowadays ... without the aid of two of the top scoring players in UNH history as his linemates, both of whom would earn Hobey nominations, Souza likely ekes out just over 100 points in that different era. Looking at recent vintage UNH players, he'd be like Cy Leclerc or Liam Devlin, with a better senior season.

walrus said:

I'm curious if Miami Ohio U has NIL money to give to Bball players? Wasnt too long ago they had good hockey program also

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They haven’t had much of an NIL budget to speak of, but along with the new arena and a second contract offer for the HC, the AD has committed to raising money to give the program everything it needs to be the be nationally competitive, including significant increases to NIL spending…

Last year they lost their leading scorer to GA Tech and their starting center to Kentucky due to NIL deals.

So we’ll see if they can deliver but the expectation is - now that bball is a winner - they will find a way to invest.

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To further illustrate how Miami is rewarding recent success, and their plans for NIL, take a look at this!


Miami football spent 80,000 in NIL in 2024. After three straight MAC Championship appearances and back to back bowl games they’ve solicited enough donor money to project football NIL budgets of 8-10,000,000…!!

Miami has its inherent advantages, but watching the Athletic Department transform entirely over the past two years it’s clear: winning begets enthusiasm and enthusiasm can change a schools reality. Period.

Darius said:

Under contract through 2028 as the Koenig Family (endowment) Head Coach Of Dartmouth Men’s Hockey. Currently NPI #11, finished #3 regular season. Why would he be leave Dartmouth for UNH?

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Agreed, why would Cashman ever want to leave at this point? Snives will kill me, but this is the best candidate for the UNH HC job, familiar with Hockey East and the ECAC from his years as an assistant, and now enjoying unprecedented HC success at a smaller school where he is likely paid less than what UNH can afford.

Chuck Murray said:

Agreed, why would Cashman ever want to leave at this point?

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Given Cashman's resume/trajectory I think he will leave at some point but for something bigger than UNH

Felger said:

I was rooting for Miami yesterday. But man, that final ten minutes was a very UNH-esque performance

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There’s a reason why so many fans, myself included, were dreading a third matchup with UMass. As underachieving as they had been they are easily Miami’s worst match-up in the MAC. They are big. They are strong. And their post is an absolute monster of a player…

As good as Miami has been, we’re small. UMass hammered the RedHawks on the boards all day - offensively in particular - and scored nearly 30 second chance points…

Miami has looked as though the pressure and fatigue of an unbeaten run has worn on them. They pressed, they stressed and they lost their legs. It would have been amazing to get a MAC double, but I hope a week off will have them at their best for round one…

walrus said:

Harold Alfond owned Dexter Shoe with other brands. He made a ton of money back when shoes were made in the USA , made had shoe shops everywhere when I was a kid. Like most manufacturing in Maine it went away once sold to whoever. The Alfond foundation has tons of money, the Alfond family has tons of money. They give lots to UMaine and I think Colby College and probably to lots of other schools in Maine.

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And places far away, like Rollins College in Winter Park, FL

I must also mention - not that anyone cares - but lost in the national conversation of Miami’s basketball season is one impressive obstacle overcome…

The RedHawks lost their all-conference, starting PG - and arguably their best player - to an ACL tear in early December.

Evan Ipsaro averaged 14 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists, and was shooting over 57% from the field when he went down…

Dan said:

They haven’t had much of an NIL budget to speak of, but along with the new arena and a second contract offer for the HC, the AD has committed to raising money to give the program everything it needs to be the be nationally competitive, including significant increases to NIL spending…

Last year they lost their leading scorer to GA Tech and their starting center to Kentucky due to NIL deals.

So we’ll see if they can deliver but the expectation is - now that bball is a winner - they will find a way to invest.

—

To further illustrate how Miami is rewarding recent success, and their plans for NIL, take a look at this!

Miami (Ohio) making multimillion-dollar bet: How the RedHawks are spending big to secure future

Looking to the future is key in this day and age, and Miami (Ohio) is going all in to make sure it won't be left behind

www.cbssports.com

Miami football spent 80,000 in NIL in 2024. After three straight MAC Championship appearances and back to back bowl games they’ve solicited enough donor money to project football NIL budgets of 8-10,000,000…!!

Miami has its inherent advantages, but watching the Athletic Department transform entirely over the past two years it’s clear: winning begets enthusiasm and enthusiasm can change a schools reality. Period.

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Cool, thanks for the reponse .NIL is going to be key to any program wanting to compete at a high level

bakchk20 said:

And places far away, like Rollins College in Winter Park, FL

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Interesting, I think Maine used to play them in Baseball when Maine was a (believe it or not) national powerhouse in Baseball in early 80s. Baseball in Orono was hopping back then. They were a good reliever away from winning a natl championship in Baseball

walrus said:

Harold Alfond owned Dexter Shoe with other brands. He made a ton of money back when shoes were made in the USA , made had shoe shops everywhere when I was a kid. Like most manufacturing in Maine it went away once sold to whoever. The Alfond foundation has tons of money, the Alfond family has tons of money. They give lots to UMaine and I think Colby College and probably to lots of other schools in Maine.

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There is an excellent article out there some place on Alfond and Dexter shoe - maybe the Alfond Foundation website (?). I found it years ago doing something else, google search gone sideways. From memory Alfond had essentially retired (from shoes) and the state of Maine (maybe with the feds ???) asked him to start a shoe business to give people in Maine good jobs. That is when Dexter Shoe was born, not because he need to do it, because he was asked and was happy to help. I am also fairly certain (again from memory) that it fell apart after Alfond really needed/wanted to retire and his skill is what made the company work. I think he was also from North of Boston. It was a good story about what happened.

walrus said:

Cool, thanks for the reponse .NIL is going to be key to any program wanting to compete at a high level

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Yes and most colleges are talking about NIL donations. This is going to make it harder still to climb as people give to winners (not whiners).

Dan:

... solicited enough donor money to project football NIL budgets of 8-10,000,000

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JB said:

There is an excellent article out there some place on Alfond and Dexter shoe - maybe the Alfond Foundation website (?). I found it years ago doing something else, google search gone sideways. From memory Alfond had essentially retired (from shoes) and the state of Maine (maybe with the feds ???) asked him to start a shoe business to give people in Maine good jobs. That is when Dexter Shoe was born, not because he need to do it, because he was asked and was happy to help. I am also fairly certain (again from memory) that it fell apart after Alfond really needed/wanted to retire and his skill is what made the company work. I think he was also from North of Boston. It was a good story about what happened.

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Warren Buffet has referred to Berkshire’s purchase of Dexter, a deal comprised primarily of BH stock, as the worst acquisition he ever made.

Potluck said:

They've got no idea how little respect that coaches and players have for them.

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Then why do current and former players call, text and email looking for career advice once their playing careers are over, ask to play a round of golf or simply posit a question about a challenge they're facing at work?

JB said:

There is an excellent article out there some place on Alfond and Dexter shoe - maybe the Alfond Foundation website (?). I found it years ago doing something else, google search gone sideways. From memory Alfond had essentially retired (from shoes) and the state of Maine (maybe with the feds ???) asked him to start a shoe business to give people in Maine good jobs. That is when Dexter Shoe was born, not because he need to do it, because he was asked and was happy to help. I am also fairly certain (again from memory) that it fell apart after Alfond really needed/wanted to retire and his skill is what made the company work. I think he was also from North of Boston. It was a good story about what happened.

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I'm not sure he was loved by the folks making shoes and getting paid piecework. Lots of repetitive motion injuries and little workmens comp. Dexter shoes were a quality shoe back in the day .

Darius said:

Under contract through 2028 as the Koenig Family (endowment) Head Coach Of Dartmouth Men’s Hockey. Currently NPI #11, finished #3 regular season. Why would he leave Dartmouth for UNH?

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I said as much...he's not available but I think there's others like him who would jump at the chance to coach a D1 program. But thats not gonna happen here.
On another note I see NH is using the SNHU ice for its state championships...