RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Personally I don’t like the bye week. To me if your the 1 or 2 seed maybe it’s an advantage. Certainly not at 4. In this instance Finishing 4th would mean a series against Harvard and finishing in 5th would mean the same thing. The only difference is the venue. I think if you asked the team they would prefer the momentum of continuous play vs practice. As sketchy as Harvard has been this season I would want to play them with them in a weeks worth of extra practices and sitting around. But that’s just my opinion.

Coach Smith in yesterday's Talkin' Neers said that he would prefer the week off. It gives injuries time to heal. I suspect that he referred both to ones keeping players out and ones that don't/

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Post count doesn't directly translate into excitement and obviously there are far fewer regular posters here now, but we got 6 threads deep in the 2010-11 season and 5 deep in 2012-13, and that doesn't include pages and pages of discussion in every weekend thread.

I agree with the threads count, but those seasons were exciting going into the season for obvious reasons.
This year, we had no expectations. We would have been happy with 11 wins. We could only hope to have a home playoff series.
It wasn't until January that we even thought that this team was worth paying attention to. So we have less than two months of excitement.
And it has just been building with each weekend of ECAC games.
It is just so unexpected.

[johnk]

Oof.

Do not agree.

Welcome back!!! A lot of new arena rumors down the road in the Electric City. 4,000 seat multi-purpose. We will see if it's real. They just had a $52 million donor.

As far as RPI, I want to believe they have turned the corner. A weak ECAC and an exceptional goalie have me on the fence. At least were actively discussing as March gets near.

[NPC19850330]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Welcome back!!! A lot of new arena rumors down the road in the Electric City. 4,000 seat multi-purpose. We will see if it's real. They just had a $52 million donor.

As far as RPI, I want to believe they have turned the corner. A weak ECAC and an exceptional goalie have me on the fence. At least were actively discussing as March gets near.

Not quite there yet. At least Coach Smith stressed the importance, during non-conference games as well as some of the league matches in January, of the entire team to contribute on all 17,000 square feet of ice by giving said "exceptional goalie" the night off as a test. Looks like we're starting to get that situated, albeit with lapses here and there that I'm sure he's addressing.

And a weak league could actually be seen as what the program needs to move ahead. For too many years, we were so focused on national prowess and playing like we were in a western league that the ECAC caught us by surprise, and ended up on the losing end when all was said and done. Let's walk before we run. Start taking care of business in league, and then use those fundamentals as a springboard out of conference.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

...
And a weak league could actually be seen as what the program needs to move ahead. For too many years, we were so focused on national prowess and playing like we were in a western league that the ECAC caught us by surprise, and ended up on the losing end when all was said and done. Let's walk before we run. Start taking care of business in league, and then use those fundamentals as a springboard out of conference.

I agree 100%. RPI's current and at least near-future success will come from rising in the ranks of the ECAC until we are mentioned with the likes of Cornell, H, CCT, Q, etc. Those teams have demonstrated success in recruiting in this league AND consistently fielding competitive teams.

For RPI's run in the second half this year, the tipping point for me was the Cornell game in Ithaca which I attended. After sleepwalking thru the 1st period, RPI answered the bell and made a game of it for the final two periods in a hostile environment. They outscored Cornell in the 2nd and 3rd... to the point that the Lynah faithful in my section were openly nervous about the outcome. That effort showed me a lot about this team and its attitude. I have no idea how the stretch run will play out, but I'm looking forward to witnessing it.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Welcome back!!! A lot of new arena rumors down the road in the Electric City. 4,000 seat multi-purpose. We will see if it's real. They just had a $52 million donor.

As far as RPI, I want to believe they have turned the corner. A weak ECAC and an exceptional goalie have me on the fence. At least were actively discussing as March gets near.

Hi JK, Good to hear from you. A few of us have been wondering about the proposed renovations to U's rink... are they now talking about a new building ??
The silence on that idea has been similar to RPI's publicly stating (MacElroy with Shirley) at Smith's hiring announcement that they had plans for extensive HFH renovations and "fundraising was already underway" ...which were a complete farce.

The $52 mil gift at Union was a general gift to the school, correct ? I hadn't heard anything about it being earmark for Messa ? I'm sure there are many people on campus angling for their share of that $$$. But I'm sure if Bennett can get a piece of it, it will be a nice kickoff for a FR campaign for the renovations.

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Welcome back!!! A lot of new arena rumors down the road in the Electric City. 4,000 seat multi-purpose. We will see if it's real. They just had a $52 million donor.

According to press reports on day of the announcement, the donor couple (husband [chairman, ceo of Texas instruments] and wife [ex-GE information systems], Union graduates from class of '80) gave a $51 million gift to the school.

According to the Union website, Powering Union is a $300 million capital campaign; currently, they have $221 million in leadership gifts.

The $300 M is to be allocated in these ways:
- $65 M to ensuring access; supporting financial aid (generating interest, I imagine)
- $150 M propelling liberal arts and engineering (facility enhancements was listed as 4th of 5 priorities listed)
- $30 M developing students beyond the classroom (from the website: co-curricular programs and student services
- $55 Union Fund (sounds like their 'investment arm' for research, supplementing financial aid and 'adding to the student experience.'

Couple of comments:
- Sounds like a very comprehensive plan. And they'er raising money. Union raised $ to support a $200 M plan about 10/12 years ago. Compare that to RPI.
- The focus on the plan is primarily liberal arts... here's the money quote from their Chair of the College Board of Directors (again, from their website): "No better way to invest my time, talent and treasure than by supporting Union College's mission to provide a world-class liberal arts education for the next generation of leaders."
- There probably is some money for an updating of Achilles Rink but remember that their rink is very landlocked on a small campus. Building a 4,000 seat multipurpose facility would almost certainly have to be located off-campus or would involve a major re-imagining/reconstruction of their campus. Land is scarce and, with many priorities, money is finite.

For those wondering will money go to engineering, yes... the donors of the $51 M gift want to support engineering, computer science and drawing more 'women and underrepresented students' into these fields. However, Union's 3 minute video on their college website main page mentions the word 'engineering' once.

Union is a liberal arts school.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

According to press reports on day of the announcement, the donor couple (husband [chairman, ceo of Texas instruments] and wife [ex-GE information systems], Union graduates from class of '80) gave a $51 million gift to the school.

According to the Union website, Powering Union is a $300 million capital campaign; currently, they have $221 million in leadership gifts.

The $300 M is to be allocated in these ways:
- $65 M to ensuring access; supporting financial aid (generating interest, I imagine)
- $150 M propelling liberal arts and engineering (facility enhancements was listed as 4th of 5 priorities listed)
- $30 M developing students beyond the classroom (from the website: co-curricular programs and student services
- $55 Union Fund (sounds like their 'investment arm' for research, supplementing financial aid and 'adding to the student experience.'

Couple of comments:
- Sounds like a very comprehensive plan. And they'er raising money. Union raised $ to support a $200 M plan about 10/12 years ago. Compare that to RPI.
- The focus on the plan is primarily liberal arts... here's the money quote from their Chair of the College Board of Directors (again, from their website): No better way to invest my time, talent and treasure than by supporting Union College's mission to provide a world-class liberal arts education for the next generation of leaders.
- There probably is some money for an updating of Achilles Rink but remember that their rink is very landlocked on a small campus. Building a 4,000 seat multipurpose facility would almost certainly have to be located off-campus or would involve a major re-imagining/reconstruction of their campus. Land is scarce and, with many priorities, money is finite.

For those wondering will money go to engineering, yes... the donors of the $51 M gift want to support engineering, computer science and drawing more 'women and underrepresented students' into these fields. However, Union's 3 minute video on their college website main page mentions the word 'engineering' once.

Union is a liberal arts school.

Yes, a 4,000 seater on that campus will take some imagination. The logical spot is right next to Achilles, on the football field. But given that the football program has a long and storied history, I don't see them taking that space for a new building without a plan for where a new football field and track would be built. It's possible that either a new building or a new football field/track could be built over off of Erie near the P. Chopper HQ bldg??? ...but I'm just spit balling now...

EDIT: I'll stop now, before RB correctly tells me take it over to the U thread....

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

EDIT: I'll stop now, before RB correctly tells me take it over to the U thread....

QFT

a

[25+years]

That's good.

RPI Hockey 2019-2020. Part 3: Mr. Smith goes to Lake Placid

[rpi82]

Yes, a 4,000 seater on that campus will take some imagination. The logical spot is right next to Achilles, on the football field. But given that the football program has a long and storied history, I don't see them taking that space for a new building without a plan for where a new football field and track would be built. It's possible that either a new building or a new football field/track could be built over off of Erie near the P. Chopper HQ bldg??? ...but I'm just spit balling now...

EDIT: I'll stop now, before RB correctly tells me take it over to the U thread....

Why would a school with only 2,000 students that often didn't fill their existing 2,200 seat rink when they had a top ten team want to build a 4,000 seat building in an era of declining student attendance throughout college athletics?0

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Why would a school with only 2,000 students that often didn't fill their existing 2,200 seat rink when they had a top ten team want to build a 4,000 seat building in an era of declining student attendance throughout college athletics?0

Without any specific knowledge (and more than a healthy dose of skepticism that a new building will ever actually occur) I am sure that any project would be a "multi-use" facility not just a rink. Think student union, basketball, hockey, indoor track, athletic training/therapy, fitness, athletic offices, commencements, etc etc. Ok, now I'm really done ...promise RB! TAKE IT TO THE UNION THREAD PEOPLE !!!

[jmhusker]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

I suspect that fewer posters is the major contributor.

Yes... especially one in particular who drove some away and then seems to have taken his ball and gone home. I did catch him commenting on the RPITV link once this year. In honor of the recently passed Neil Peart... Plus ca change, plus ce la meme chose. Don't kill me on the spelling - I can only do Spanish and German!

I'm heading to the game tomorrow night for sure and think I will try to get to the John Harvard brew pub before. Anyone else have something similar in mind?

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

RPI Hockey 2019-2020. Part 3: Mr. Smith goes to Lake Placid

That's good too.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Yes... especially one in particular who drove some away and then seems to have taken his ball and gone home. I did catch him commenting on the RPITV link once this year.

Assuming that you are talking about Flaggie, he was kicked off by the site admins for comments on political threads. He did not leave on his own. He posts a lot on the YouTube RPI-TV threads.