Re: B.U. Season Thread 4. From a weekend that will determine playoff seedings on....
Without knowing it, you have crystalized the concern with coaching of myself and many BU fans. We've had one highly successful season in the last 12, and it took a tremendous amount of talent to get it done. In fact, that team barely got it done. Good coaching should be able to achieve great results without having to be stocked with future NHLers. I am cocnerned that under the current coaching situation, having the most talented team in the country is the only way we can remain among the elites.
Motivation and power play are two specific areas I have concerns with. JP is Mr. BU Hockey and he deserves all the kudos he receives. I just wonder if a Quinn or Sullivan would be able to better connect with this generation. I mean I have trouble connecting with them, and I am 25 years or so younger than Jack!
We should all be more than "concerned". Just watched Parker's post-game comments and it is obvious he is biting his tongue since the team opened up on the coaching staff in January. The fact that the the team did not show up for the first two periods last night is the fault of the COACHING STAFF - plain and simple. That post-game interview sounded like all the others since 2004. The last BU team that really played for Jack and over-achieved was the 2000 team ... then they laid an egg in 2001.
There is no more talent over at BC this year, but they come to play every night from the Beanpot through to March. That was BU's signature under Jack Kelley and then Parker until the end of 1998. Since that melt-down against Mack and UNH they have not been able to finish - except last year and it was only a miracle finish that brought home the prize.
Quinny would have been the guy to hand over the reigns, but he could see Jack was not ready to leave so he bolted. Buddy Powers was not the guy to replace Dave.
This scenario reminds me of MSU with Ron Mason. Mason over-stayed there by at least 5-6 years and the program suffered. They were the best team in 2001 with Miller, but they blew it in the nat'ls. The mark of BU now is their records in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2008 and now 2010.
Parker has always been the candid, frank one who always calls it as he sees it. So when is he going to look in the mirror and tell himself its time? The excuse of the rink/arena is well behind us and the talent flow has been strong. This team easily could have been a top 6 or 7 team this year. Obviously Jack is coming back, but what happens if we see the same thing next year? Jack could have gone out on top after last year, but now he runs the risk of being known more like Ron Mason than his mentor and coach Jack Kelley. Very sad for Jack, but very frustrating to the faithful.
