Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

The point is that the coaching staff does create this atmosphere, regardless of how trivial the actual "offenses" are.

I still don't get why we're talking about facial hair when this is a board to discuss hockey matters. Personally, I don't care what rules are in place. For all I care, the coaches could make the players wax their arses. I don't get how that matters to what happens on the ice.

Like I said - slow month.

 

[wwjg1158]

The point is that the coaching staff does create this atmosphere, regardless of how trivial the actual "offenses" are.

Ditto

 

[wwjg1158]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Just answer one question why is it ok for the majority of other teams to have facial hair or stand yet our team cannot show any spirit? Why because we have to be professional? They have plenty of time for that once they go to work! It isn't a big deal but really is there any need to be so strict?

 

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Just answer one question why is it ok for the majority of other teams to have facial hair or stand yet our team cannot show any spirit? Why because we have to be professional? They have plenty of time for that once they go to work! It isn't a big deal but really is there any need to be so strict?

I don't get why it's a big deal, that's all. I don't care what the coach's rule is about it. I really don't. We're spending an inordinate amount of time talking about facial hair and standing on the bench. That doesn't score a goal or stop a puck. I'm sorry, I just subscribe to the Jim Craig theory of when he had to take Herb Brooks' exam - "I don't get what answering a question has to do with stopping a puck."

Not antagonizing you guys, I'm just confused.

 

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Some thoughts to chew on:

http://excalibursportspage.com/2013/04/03/coaches-gone-wild/

 

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Had a good conversation with some people the other day about some things that might be happening:

- It appears some people over on Forest St. might be starting to get serious about a discussion of an on-campus rink. It's something that's going to take time, money, and a commitment, but there's a major dedication to the program from the higher-ups. There are a number of high-ranking hockey people in the Boston region who've taken a notice and interest in the Bentley program and seeing it succeed because, "it's in everyone's best interests to have more local teams getting better." There's no timetable on when it will be complete, but they want to have the discussion and start making something more concrete as opposed to saying, "yeah we're going to eventually do it."

- The team is getting new home uniforms next year and will do away with the yellow. This is to conform with the athletic department's rebranding that started with the introduction of the new shield last year. I remember them talking about that on the broadcast anyways this past year.

- The team will have concrete captains next year, and there is a chance they'll stitch the letters on. In the past, they didn't put letters on the uniform because the uniforms had to be reused year after year and had to avoid being completely destroyed over the course of the year. The yellow uniforms allowed for stitchable screened names on the back, and the school and the coaching staff wants to take the next step with branding as an appropriate hockey team this year.

- The school is most likely going to increase scholarships to the full complement allowable in the AHA - 12. That also means an obvious increase of spending on women's sports because of Title IX. Not sure where that's going.

- The athletic department is committed to the hockey program becoming a viable Division I program, but they're going to do it in baby steps to make sure they get the right stuff done first. They don't want to go full bore and end up with a Wayne State or Findlay type program. Findlay and Wayne State had big time programs with funding and a rink, but the spending inflated on the program and they ended up axed because they didn't have the institutional support. It's one thing to have institutional support, it's another thing to have only the support of the athletic department. UAH is a prime example of what happens when you don't have one versus the other. So this is still going to be a work in progress to make sure Bentley hockey is around for years to come without full blast and fizzling out within a decade or two.

 

[Red Cows]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

I note that Bentley gets the "honor" of being our very first opponent as an NCHC team next season.

Do you know if we are giving you a return engagement the following season? The only other time we have ever played the Falcons was in the '06-'07 season and that was here.

 

[schiegs]

I note that Bentley gets the "honor" of being our very first opponent as an NCHC team next season.

Do you know if we are giving you a return engagement the following season? The only other time we have ever played the Falcons was in the '06-'07 season and that was here.

The only program in recent memory to return a game in Watertown is Clarkson. I find it very unlikely that your team would be making the trip back.

 

[wwjg1158]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Give the team a rink! Your other teams have first class facilities and although everyone seems to have a special place in their hearts for the JAR it really is a hole. Having a nice rink on campus will help recruiting and would allow for other teams to come to Bentley! Not many people want to come to Boston to play at the JAR!

 

[Snively65]

I note that Bentley gets the "honor" of being our very first opponent as an NCHC team next season.

Do you know if we are giving you a return engagement the following season? The only other time we have ever played the Falcons was in the '06-'07 season and that was here.

Yikes, going 12-22-1 in 2000-2007 was like this past year for Bentley, as we started out reasonably well, tied and beat Princeton, then got trounced in both games at Omaha, traded wins and losses for about a month, then did a nose dive losing all but one game the last month. Please no repeats of either season next year.

 

[wwjg1158]

Yikes, going 12-22-1 in 2000-2007 was like this past year for Bentley, as we started out reasonably well, tied and beat Princeton, then got trounced in both games at Omaha, traded wins and losses for about a month, then did a nose dive losing all but one game the last month. Please no repeats of either season next year.

It is a different team. May I suggest they will have a bounce back season!

 

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

It is a different team. May I suggest they will have a bounce back season!

This team is going to have lowered expectations but still have expectations to compete. The roof is not expected to collapse.

 

[schiegs]

Give the team a rink! Your other teams have first class facilities and although everyone seems to have a special place in their hearts for the JAR it really is a hole. Having a nice rink on campus will help recruiting and would allow for other teams to come to Bentley! Not many people want to come to Boston to play at the JAR!

Get your checkbook out and write a check.

 

[Snively65]

Get your checkbook out and write a check.

My understanding is that the donations have been on hand for several years to build the rink (aka, an events center). But, it is the lack of willingness to absorb the expense of maintenance that has been the stumbling block, especially at a time of runaway tuition increases and until recently lousy markets for investing its endowment portfolio. Because Bentley is a business university, its entire brand is dictated by sound monetary policy, first and foremost.

 

[Humanoid]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

My understanding is that the donations have been on hand for several years to build the rink (aka, an events center). But, it is the lack of willingness to absorb the expense of maintenance that has been the stumbling block, especially at a time of runaway tuition increases and until recently lousy markets for investing its endowment portfolio. Because Bentley is a business university, its entire brand is dictated by sound monetary policy, first and foremost.

It's no secret that the school is *right there* with regards to the rink. They botched the Dana Center in terms of making it a multi-purpose center. In terms of basketball, offices, and student fitness, it's a great facility, but it's not conducive to bringing in guest speakers, public figures, or graduation. The rink would serve as that type of multi purpose center so graduation doesn't have to be in a tent anymore.

Bentley's biggest hang up has been ongoing maintenance; right now they're not paying to keep the compressors going or to staff the rink at the JAR. In the event that they move on campus, that's a sizable financial investment. This was the hang up back before the economy collapsed, and it's the hang up now. The school doesn't want to invest on the centerpiece without crossing the t's and dotting the i's...and they shouldn't.

This discussion isn't so much a rink facility as it is a multi purpose facility that will also house the hockey team. Hockey isn't the primary function, but at the same time, it's in the package for what that facility will house.

I know that the location is also a small issue. It would result in the tearing up of the tennis courts up front near the Bentley foot bridge. That could result in a slight loss of parking (eh).

 

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Actually the original space that the Waltham Conservation Commission approved as a building site was lower on the floodplain behind the Dana Center, which would not have impacted the tennis courts or parking lots, but that permit expired a long time ago, I think. I doubt that the WCC would approve that site today. Of course, I agree that such a structure only would sell as an Events Center, as in "We thought that we were going to hear a speech, but a hockey game broke out."

 

[schiegs]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

A multipurpose facility for events + hockey is probably also suited for basketball. Therefore, replace the Dana Center for basketball, and leave it dedicated to vball, indoor track, intramurals, etc.?

 

[Snively65]

A multipurpose facility for events + hockey is probably also suited for basketball. Therefore, replace the Dana Center for basketball, and leave it dedicated to vball, indoor track, intramurals, etc.?

Probably not cost effective at college level to install and breakdown the floor multiple times per week, but more important, hockey teams need ice available to practice every day.

 

[eXcSports]

Re: Bentley Falcons 2013-2014: No offseason. No excuses.

Probably not cost effective at college level to install and breakdown the floor multiple times per week, but more important, hockey teams need ice available to practice every day.

The Dana Center is too extravagant to shutter for basketball. It cost $12 million to renovate when the original Bentley Plan was put into place. As part of the renovation, the foyer of the Dana Center was completely redone to include the four-sided video board and the cafeteria space. The offices and locker rooms were redone. The Green Space was installed, as were playing courts. The Dana Center was anticipated to be the centerpiece because of the profile of the men's and women's basketball teams, with the football team next door.

Because of the extravagance and how much Bentley invested into it from a money perspective, it's unlikely the basketball teams would ever move to the multi-purpose center. The school is going to be less apt to invest in something that has a highlighted thought process of being involved with sports. They've done enough in terms of the Bentley Plan and the renovation, along with the rebranding. They're spending extravagant amounts to standardize uniforms as it is now.

That said, Bentley will most likely put ice down on the center just because it's not fair to hockey to be off campus. The hockey team will be able to do what it wants, but they'll need to work with the school the way that they are as it is. Do what the school wants, and you shall be rewarded.

 

[schiegs]

The Dana Center is too extravagant to shutter for basketball. It cost $12 million to renovate when the original Bentley Plan was put into place. As part of the renovation, the foyer of the Dana Center was completely redone to include the four-sided video board and the cafeteria space. The offices and locker rooms were redone. The Green Space was installed, as were playing courts. The Dana Center was anticipated to be the centerpiece because of the profile of the men's and women's basketball teams, with the football team next door.

Because of the extravagance and how much Bentley invested into it from a money perspective, it's unlikely the basketball teams would ever move to the multi-purpose center. The school is going to be less apt to invest in something that has a highlighted thought process of being involved with sports. They've done enough in terms of the Bentley Plan and the renovation, along with the rebranding. They're spending extravagant amounts to standardize uniforms as it is now.

That said, Bentley will most likely put ice down on the center just because it's not fair to hockey to be off campus. The hockey team will be able to do what it wants, but they'll need to work with the school the way that they are as it is. Do what the school wants, and you shall be rewarded.

$12 million and the games still have the atmosphere of a giant cardboard box. I always thought that project seemed to be tilted toward athletic administration (offices, function suites, common space and other things where an administrator *cough, cough, AD, cough* would spend most of their day) and very little toward actual game time facilities. New flooring, fresh paint, and new foldable bleachers. Was that it?