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UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter :D

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  • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

    Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
    As I've always said, 'Ref … every fan has the right to be a fan on their own terms. My post was an attempt at a sober, balanced and objective response to ATW's plea for the return of good ol' hockey talk. You shouldn't take offense - actually, no one should - if I simply try to explain why traffic on our post-season thread is down. Like I said at the outset - don't shoot the messenger.

    Some folks can compartmentalize things better than others. ATW may be one of those folks, and there's nothing wrong with that. I've always thought that was a strength of mine too, but I'll be first to admit the current state of things has been very challenging, and I find myself both angered and saddened way too often. I've got two WIS things underway on here, one apiece reflecting each of those emotions. It's really been tough to get up the energy and focus to continue them, when my instinct (down to my core) is that college hockey is slowly fading to oblivion (see, I've become Greg ), unless there are dramatic and dynamic changes soon. And continued talk about adjustments to next season frankly ain't doing anything to change my ebbing sense of enthusiasm.

    You may see things entirely differently, and if so, I say "good for you". College hockey is going to need a lot more of folks like you if there's going to be a viable future close to comparable with its current modest placement. Folks like me are of no consequence.



    I've always felt the rink thing was the proverbial "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" project anyway, right now even more so. Sincere best wishes for a good outcome with your business, Darius.

    Anyone out there looking to invest some spare time on worthwhile content … I'd strongly recommend the Grant miniseries on the History Channel. Surprisingly fascinating piece on a largely forgotten behemoth in American history. And anything about Vince Lombardi, too - lots on YouTube, mostly via NFL Films. Both men rose to great heights from very modest upbringings.

    WIS Productions would love it if someone could ever put together something similar for the man responsible for the "W" into WIS. That's a compelling project that is frankly WAY overdue.
    The Grant documentary was AWESOME
    UNH Hockey: From "Why Not Us' to "Woe is Us"

    Comment


    • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

      Originally posted by Scott View Post
      One question that I should have asked on the ZOOM call (and forgot to do so ) - what about Kohei Sato, Kalle Eriksson, and Filip Engaras? If they are back home in their respective countries, will the US even allow them back in? Not sure Marty or Coach Souza would even be able to answer this question. And with US/Canada border still closed and remaining closed for the time being, you have to wonder about our Canadian players too....
      Wow that's a really good question Scott; hadn't even though of that. That places not only UNH, but obviously several schools at odds with returning athletes..man, so many things this has brought about...What about NHLers that are not stateside at the moment...

      On another note, what was something said about HE coaches all agreeing that everyone should play in the HE tournament given the 'unbalanced' schedule? I missed that segment...heard they were playing around with the OT idea of 3v3...

      Hey just read that IF UNH Hockey can garner 75 more donations for the 603 challenge a big bucket of funds (15K) will come their way! Every little bit helps...$$
      Here we go 'Cats!!

      Comment


      • Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
        More good news, eh Darius? The "deck chairs" will apparently remain in place for some time!!



        Funny you mention that, e.cat. That bar was definitely in St. Paul, right down the street from what was then their brand-new arena. One of our staff attorneys is from Minneapolis, though, and we got to talking yesterday. Says he spent his college years living in the same neighborhood where that stuff is going on now. He's a pretty level-headed guy, but you could see this hit home, and saddened him.

        There's a lot of stupidity going on out there these days, but your Governor Mills appears to be on the short list of the truly dumb and clueless governors vying for the newly-christened "Newsom-Whitmer Cup", enjoying their newfound totalitarian powers a wee bit too much. I'll just leave it at that …
        And the winner is......oh nvmd:-)
        UNH Hockey: You can check out any time you like but you can never leave!

        Comment


        • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

          Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
          Wow that's a really good question Scott; hadn't even though of that. That places not only UNH, but obviously several schools at odds with returning athletes..man, so many things this has brought about...What about NHLers that are not stateside at the moment...

          On another note, what was something said about HE coaches all agreeing that everyone should play in the HE tournament given the 'unbalanced' schedule? I missed that segment...heard they were playing around with the OT idea of 3v3...

          Hey just read that IF UNH Hockey can garner 75 more donations for the 603 challenge a big bucket of funds (15K) will come their way! Every little bit helps...$$
          Souza alluded to that fact that with the extreme parity in HE this past season teams such as Providence could qualify for the NCAA tournament and yet be in danger of not even making their own conference tournament. Every HE coach that he spoke to was in favor of ALL teams making the tournament because of the "unbalanced" scheduling, whatever that means (may have something to do with, as an example, UNH having no home game with Maine last season??) I don't know....but it doesn't seem that the current playoff format will change for next year, unless our new Commish decides to propose new changes. The 3X3 OT was brought up, the NCAA is trying to standardize the OT format for all teams, not just certain leagues.
          UNH

          Comment


          • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

            Originally posted by Scott View Post
            Souza alluded to that fact that with the extreme parity in HE this past season teams such as Providence could qualify for the NCAA tournament and yet be in danger of not even making their own conference tournament.
            We're going to eliminate all standards because of Providence? At 22nd in Pairwise, at least 6 teams away from the tourney?

            Every cut off point is going to have someone just on the other side of the line. Why don't the HE coaches lobby for the NCAA tourney to be 60 teams, because only 16 is unfair to the 17th team. (And those teams will probably be in a different conference, so have completely unbalanced schedules). They should tell this to MLB, where the scheules are unablanced because you play your division more than the other teams.
            Amazing that all these tough as nails "performance" guys who each day decide between the 18th skater and the 19th DNP-CD, become such soft and cuddly guys in not wanting to judge or make distinctions when it comes to their own performance.
            The Souza record:
            15-16 10th place
            16-17 10th place
            17-18 11th place
            18-19 8th place
            19-20 9th place
            20-21 10th place
            21-22 9th place
            22-23 10th place

            Comment


            • Originally posted by NCAA watcher View Post
              We're going to eliminate all standards because of Providence? At 22nd in Pairwise, at least 6 teams away from the tourney?

              Every cut off point is going to have someone just on the other side of the line. Why don't the HE coaches lobby for the NCAA tourney to be 60 teams, because only 16 is unfair to the 17th team. (And those teams will probably be in a different conference, so have completely unbalanced schedules). They should tell this to MLB, where the scheules are unablanced because you play your division more than the other teams.
              Amazing that all these tough as nails "performance" guys who each day decide between the 18th skater and the 19th DNP-CD, become such soft and cuddly guys in not wanting to judge or make distinctions when it comes to their own performance.
              +1
              Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories. - Stephen Wright

              Comment


              • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                Originally posted by NCAA watcher View Post
                We're going to eliminate all standards because of Providence? At 22nd in Pairwise, at least 6 teams away from the tourney?

                Every cut off point is going to have someone just on the other side of the line. Why don't the HE coaches lobby for the NCAA tourney to be 60 teams, because only 16 is unfair to the 17th team. (And those teams will probably be in a different conference, so have completely unbalanced schedules). They should tell this to MLB, where the scheules are unablanced because you play your division more than the other teams.

                Amazing that all these tough as nails "performance" guys who each day decide between the 18th skater and the 19th DNP-CD, become such soft and cuddly guys in not wanting to judge or make distinctions when it comes to their own performance.
                Nailed it.

                Luckily for you folks, I got some undercover video on the latest HEA AD's meeting, during which our former AD and his better half oversaw the meeting, tackling some very important, er, *issues* …

                Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                Montreal Expos Forever ...

                Comment


                • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                  Here's how the coaches meeting went on the zoom call discussing the HE tournament:

                  Nate: you guys...I mean...here I am at the 22nd seed, and if I can't win the HE tournament, that means NO national tournament for us! On one condition, we don't have to play UNH. We can't seem to beat them in the HE tournament....

                  Souza: Oh, you poor thing, I mean, you probably want to hang another banner since it's been 5 seasons since the last...So
                  long as we play you guys in the first round....

                  York: Whatever you guys wanna do. I'm loaded this season, and Ima gonna win it all anyway!

                  Borek: You mean we still gotta chance?

                  Red: Now wait a minute...we deserve our chance esp after sweeping UNH this season, just sayin'....As long as we play all of
                  our games at home.

                  Sneddon: Works for us!

                  Carvel: NFW...

                  Albie: Only if we get our own officials...he he he....

                  Cavannaugh: If Jerry says it's ok, count us in!

                  Madigan: ummm...this could make me mad-again...but, we've got the goods and 3 Beanpots in a row, so mk...

                  Bazin: I dunno….we'd kick all of your you know what's anyway, so, sure. But we get UNH in the first round.

                  I know, I know...lame attempt at some humor in the situation!
                  Last edited by HockeyRef; 05-30-2020, 02:16 PM.
                  Here we go 'Cats!!

                  Comment


                  • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                    Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                    On the Zoom call with a few of you here...just some quick things: compressor/refrigeration WILL be addressed. Re-sizing of the rink? 2 years off.
                    Is that not the same offseason when Souza's current contract will expire? 🤔
                    "...On To Victory, Forever Blue & White..."
                    Men's Hockey

                    ECAC Regular Season: 1 • ECAC Tournament: 1 • Hockey East Regular Season: 8 • Hockey East Tournament: 2
                    NCAA Appearances: 22 • Frozen Fours: 7 • 1999 & 2003 NCAA Runner Up

                    Women's Hockey
                    EAIAW Champions: 4 • ECAC Regular Season: 3 • ECAC Tournament: 5 • Hockey East Regular Season: 6 • Hockey East Tournament: 4
                    AWCHA Final Fours: 2 • NCAA Appearances: 5 • Frozen Fours: 2 • 1999 Runner Up
                    1998 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                      Here's how the coaches meeting went on the zoom call discussing the HE tournament:

                      Nate: you guys...I mean...here I am at the 22nd seed, and if I can't win the HE tournament, that means NO national tournament for us! On one condition, we don't have to play UNH. We can't seem to beat them in the HE tournament....

                      Souza: Oh, you poor thing, I mean, you probably want to hang another banner since it's been 5 seasons since the last...So
                      long as we play you guys in the first round....

                      York: Whatever you guys wanna do. I'm loaded this season, and Ima gonna win it all anyway!

                      Borek: You mean we still gotta chance?

                      Red: Now wait a minute...we deserve our chance esp after sweeping UNH this season, just sayin'....As long as we play all of
                      our games at home.

                      Sneddon: Works for us!

                      Carvel: NFW...

                      Albie: Only if we get our own officials...he he he....

                      Cavannaugh: If Jerry says it's ok, count us in!

                      Madigan: ummm...this could make me mad-again...but, we've got the goods and 3 Beanpots in a row, so mk...

                      Bazin: I dunno….we'd kick all of your you know what's anyway, so, sure. But we get UNH in the first round.

                      I know, I know...lame attempt at some humor in the situation!
                      Sneddon? :-)

                      Comment


                      • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                        Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                        Sneddon? :-)
                        Doh! Well, guess I put this convo in the context that the season hadn't actually ended...I should fix that lol
                        Here we go 'Cats!!

                        Comment


                        • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                          Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                          Here's how the coaches meeting went on the zoom call discussing the HE tournament:

                          Nate: you guys...I mean...here I am at the 22nd seed, and if I can't win the HE tournament, that means NO national tournament for us! On one condition, we don't have to play UNH. We can't seem to beat them in the HE tournament....

                          Souza: Oh, you poor thing, I mean, you probably want to hang another banner since it's been 5 seasons since the last...So
                          long as we play you guys in the first round....

                          York: Whatever you guys wanna do. I'm loaded this season, and Ima gonna win it all anyway!

                          Borek: You mean we still gotta chance?

                          Red: Now wait a minute...we deserve our chance esp after sweeping UNH this season, just sayin'....As long as we play all of
                          our games at home.

                          Sneddon: Works for us!

                          Carvel: NFW...

                          Albie: Only if we get our own officials...he he he....

                          Cavannaugh: If Jerry says it's ok, count us in!

                          Madigan: ummm...this could make me mad-again...but, we've got the goods and 3 Beanpots in a row, so mk...

                          Bazin: I dunno….we'd kick all of your you know what's anyway, so, sure. But we get UNH in the first round.

                          I know, I know...lame attempt at some humor in the situation!
                          When the most dynamic and colorful personality you have as a coach in your league is Jimmy Madigan … wow, I've mourned the losses of Walshy and Parker from the ranks over the years, but when Dick Umile would immediately become the second most compelling personality in your league if he came out of retirement tomorrow, your league has a monumental PR problem.

                          Not to nitpick too much, HR … but Jerry would never be so brash and immodest … BU no longer has the refs (BC does, as shown by the expose in the Effingwoods Hockey Almanac earlier this year … and Luce would be whispering to anyone who would bother to listen that Jerry hasn't won jack since he (Luce) left BC. And Bazin is starting to look more and more like Umile every year ...
                          Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                          Montreal Expos Forever ...

                          Comment


                          • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                            I am all for the top eight teams qualifying for the playoffs. I'd even go top four. Make the regular season meaningful. However, I do understand the unbalanced schedule argument. Say that the last team to qualify made it by one point, played fewer/no road games against the league's strongest team while the team that missed the payoffs by a point played the strongest team more, all on the road. Definitely unfair.

                            Will international players want to return? I know people outside the country who were wondering about us when we elected a "cowboy" George W. Now they see us as the most infected country in the world in a state of organizational chaos.

                            Even when we have a vaccine, assuming enough people take it, life and sports will be different. Before then they are going to be very different. It might actually be a good thing that college hockey is not as popular as it once was. Social distancing an a 1/3 full arena is possible. It is not in a full arena.
                            I will not be out cheered in my own building.

                            Comment


                            • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                              Originally posted by Darius View Post
                              I am all for the top eight teams qualifying for the playoffs. I'd even go top four. Make the regular season meaningful. However, I do understand the unbalanced schedule argument. Say that the last team to qualify made it by one point, played fewer/no road games against the league's strongest team while the team that missed the payoffs by a point played the strongest team more, all on the road. Definitely unfair.
                              2 vs 7
                              3 vs 6
                              4 vs 5
                              Regular season champion gets a bye

                              I've gone back and forth on support for a final 5 format over the years, it would have been a very interesting format in '12-'13 when there was a three way tie for 3rd.

                              The unbalanced schedule needs to be fixed.
                              Originally posted by Darius View Post
                              Even when we have a vaccine, assuming enough people take it, life and sports will be different. Before then they are going to be very different. It might actually be a good thing that college hockey is not as popular as it once was. Social distancing an a 1/3 full arena is possible. It is not in a full arena.
                              I've been very critical of Marty Scarano over the years but must give credit where it is due for his incredible foresight - not only did he ban Black Betty for being "theoretically racist" well ahead of what would become known as PC culture, UNH also became a very early adopter of social distancing despite once having a much vaunted 10 year waiting list for season tickets. There hasn't been anyone regularly sitting within 6ft of me for the last 5 years.
                              Last edited by ClOuD 9; 05-31-2020, 12:58 PM.
                              "...On To Victory, Forever Blue & White..."
                              Men's Hockey

                              ECAC Regular Season: 1 • ECAC Tournament: 1 • Hockey East Regular Season: 8 • Hockey East Tournament: 2
                              NCAA Appearances: 22 • Frozen Fours: 7 • 1999 & 2003 NCAA Runner Up

                              Women's Hockey
                              EAIAW Champions: 4 • ECAC Regular Season: 3 • ECAC Tournament: 5 • Hockey East Regular Season: 6 • Hockey East Tournament: 4
                              AWCHA Final Fours: 2 • NCAA Appearances: 5 • Frozen Fours: 2 • 1999 Runner Up
                              1998 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

                              Comment


                              • Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

                                Originally posted by ClOuD 9 View Post
                                The unbalanced schedule needs to be fixed.
                                The only way to do that - realistically - would be to add back a 12th team. I'm not sure that's imminent, and if/when it is, let's hope the league makes a more realistic decision than the one they made last time around (NICC). Bentley or Holy Cross would work just fine to my liking. Better yet, I'd like to see another NH school/program, but the potential options aren't particularly close to being ready to ramp up to D-1 level. And the likes of Quinnipiac or RPI just aren't interested. Now … if we had a far-sighted league/leadership, the winning option would be to get a NYC school/program to buy in, modestly subsidize them for a couple of years (if necessary/legal - Walshy assures me it's fine ) and once they become prominent, it drags HEA into real prominence.

                                Or not.

                                Originally posted by ClOuD 9 View Post
                                I've been very critical of Marty Scarano over the years but must give credit where it is due for his incredible foresight - not only did he ban Black Betty for being "theoretically racist" well ahead of what would become known as PC culture, UNH also became a very early adopter of social distancing despite once having a much vaunted 10 year waiting list for season tickets. There hasn't been anyone regularly sitting within 6ft of me for the last 5 years.
                                LOL. Yes, that's our BS-XL. Truly visionary.

                                Originally posted by Darius View Post
                                Will international players want to return? I know people outside the country who were wondering about us when we elected a "cowboy" George W. Now they see us as the most infected country in the world in a state of organizational chaos.
                                I guess it was your turn to "go there" eh Darius?

                                First of all, I'm not sure if you've heard of this, but Sweden has taken a different approach, and it's called herd immunity. They've actually done FAR better than we have, without (needlessly) shutting down their economy. So if you're worried about Engaras or Erikson (sp?) no need to worry. They're likely going to be the most immune players, among a group (young healthy athletes) who the data shows has relatively miniscule risk of getting it anyway. "Problem" solved.

                                Originally posted by Darius View Post
                                Even when we have a vaccine, assuming enough people take it, life and sports will be different. Before then they are going to be very different. It might actually be a good thing that college hockey is not as popular as it once was. Social distancing an a 1/3 full arena is possible. It is not in a full arena.
                                Who says it's "going to be different", and why?? That seems to be an increasingly popular catch-phrase bordering on so-called "conventional wisdom" (which historically has been neither conventional nor wisdom). Whether it's a vaccine, or herd immunity, or the thing just goes away - and let's face it, any of those options could happen, and anyone claiming to know for sure is full of it - at some point, this will be over. And then, why pray tell will sports (or life) be "different"? Is everyone going to cower in their basements every time the flu breaks out in the future?? Every time I hear "new normal", it reinforces my beliefs all along, that there is a large group of folks who embrace this as an excuse, or a vehicle to advance their wish-list agenda.

                                If we want to go further down this path, I'm happy to oblige you. I think you know that.

                                If not, we can agree to disagree, and move along to discuss my fabulous/stupid plan for HEA in NYC. Even sticking needles in our eyes would probably be more enjoyable to most of our readers than another partisan ring-around-the-rosie exercise no one wants to read/see/tolerate.
                                Last edited by Chuck Murray; 06-01-2020, 09:11 PM.
                                Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                                Montreal Expos Forever ...

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