Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is well!

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

Hey, just saw on the UML thread a kid left the team for the ECHL......where are all the veiled statements about that?? Chuck!! Get on it!! I'd like to see a detailed summary from you about that!!,

You see ... the problem with that is, there is no confirmed information about any UML player being under suspension for gambling. All the speculation directed at BU surrounding the "scandal" (not my word BTW) is anchored to that simple fact. It's really not all that complicated, is it?

It probably doesn't help things that Coach wasn't forthcoming sooner about why the kid wasn't playing. Eichel's deflective non-response the other day didn't exactly cover himself in glory either. I'm sure they both have reasons for what they did/didn't say or do, and I'm not saying what they said/did was wrong. But objectively, viewed from outside the program, it's not a good look under the circumstances.

Maybe there's nothing else out there? For the sake of BU, Hockey East, and D-1 hockey overall, I really hope there isn't. It doesn't get worse in sports than questions about the integrity of the game. Agree/disagree?



But if you feel you must be annoyed at someone, please direct it towards Nick Roberto. He's the one whose actions have exposed the program and all his teammates (current and former) to this rampant speculation. Just sayin' ...

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

I'm curious how you can be so sure it didn't happen. Do you know something the rest of us don't like who other two players were? Hopefully nothing happened but as of right now I haven't seen anything very convincing either way.

This is a very fair question. Remember, there is a BU player under suspension for gambling. Fact.

And I would concur, there is nothing very convincing - either way - after that.

But you can't blame folks for asking logical follow-up questions once the first FACT has been established.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

This is a very fair question. Remember, there is a BU player under suspension for gambling. Fact.

And I would concur, there is nothing very convincing - either way - after that.

But you can't blame folks for asking logical follow-up questions once the first FACT has been established.

Of course, but the problem with these continuing conspiracy theories is that every credible reporter, and even some not-so-credible reporters have repeatedly stated there is NO evidence whatsoever that any point shaving occurred, nor is there evidence Roberto bet on college hockey, or even pro hockey. This is where the YOU CAN'T PROVE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR ABSOLUTE POSITIVE 100% SURE!!!!!!!!! line of thinking falls off the rails. Asking the question whether he and others threw the game is a fair question to ask when it's revealed he gambled on other sports. To date, that answer has turned up an unequivocal no, outside of some nefarious Twitter trolls and rumor mongers at local junior rinks. It's only those looking for a scandal who refuse to accept the answer to the question.

 

[chickod]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

... Eichel's deflective non-response the other day didn't exactly cover himself in glory either.

Whoa...hold on there Chuck (and for the record, I enjoy going over to the Wildcat thread and observing as you guys - Greg, ECat, etc. battle it out). What exactly did you expect Eichel to say? "Gee...I helped throw the game and we all knew about it all year?" Quite frankly, I agree with him. It's NOT his place to speak on the subject. And you know that ANYTHING he said would be twisted, spun and misinterpreted. Even a "denial." So he did the best thing. Say nothing. It's not a question "protecting" anyone from being implicated, because the facts will all come out in due time.

 

[Felger]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

This is a very fair question. Remember, there is a BU player under suspension for gambling. Fact.

And I would concur, there is nothing very convincing - either way - after that.

But you can't blame folks for asking logical follow-up questions once the first FACT has been established.

Actually, the proper phrase is "Fact, not opinion."

 

[Scarlet]

You see ... the problem with that is, there is no confirmed information about any UML player being under suspension for gambling. All the speculation directed at BU surrounding the "scandal" (not my word BTW) is anchored to that simple fact. It's really not all that complicated, is it?

No, but there has been chatter about players on other teams being included, or did you not read everything about this and just focus on BU. I know there's not a chance that this kid from Lowell was included in this but when a player from a Hockey East school leaves in the middle of a season amidst all of this mess, and you seem to not be at a loss for words on the subject, well, why not ask that question? You seem to have no problem asking it about other BU players.

It probably doesn't help things that Coach wasn't forthcoming sooner about why the kid wasn't playing. Eichel's deflective non-response the other day didn't exactly cover himself in glory either. I'm sure they both have reasons for what they did/didn't say or do, and I'm not saying what they said/did was wrong. But objectively, viewed from outside the program, it's not a good look under the circumstances.

Coach Quinn doesn't need to be forthcoming. He probably couldn't given that the issue was being investigated. Who gives a flying **** how it looks. Where was all the answers/comments/explanation in the press when your goalie got kicked off the team? Seriously, you should know better. As for Eichel - are you kidding me???? What the hell were you expecting him to say?

Maybe there's nothing else out there? For the sake of BU, Hockey East, and D-1 hockey overall, I really hope there isn't. It doesn't get worse in sports than questions about the integrity of the game. Agree/disagree?



But if you feel you must be annoyed at someone, please direct it towards Nick Roberto. He's the one whose actions have exposed the program and all his teammates (current and former) to this rampant speculation. Just sayin' ...

I am annoyed at Nick Roberto, did you not see my previous post? BU fans are all upset, annoyed, disappointed, confused, anxious, embarrassed and probably a whole ton of other feelings. We don't need you to come here to tell us how we should be looking at it. JFC Chuck, you think you're being this level-headed, objective person trying to let us know how the outside is seeing this, like we all have scarlet-colored glasses on and honestly, it's a bit offensive.

 

[Bomber]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

So.... Since BU just added another forward for the second half, it's probably safe to assume that we won't see Ahti anytime soon.

BU Hockey: Doubling Down on New Blood

 

[Tater]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

So.... Since BU just added another forward for the second half, it's probably safe to assume that we won't see Ahti anytime soon.

BU Hockey: Doubling Down on New Blood

Not necessarily. One replaces Roberto. The second replaces Greer.

 

[Rover]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

Chuck has "Championship Envy". No more complicated than that.

 

[Scarlet]

So.... Since BU just added another forward for the second half, it's probably safe to assume that we won't see Ahti anytime soon.

BU Hockey: Doubling Down on New Blood

Does this kid have a first name? All I've seen is Udahl. Does he just go by one name? I'm not going to use a first name if he has it as he's been introduced here as just Udahl and he has no first name on his Twitter account so Udahl it is!!!

 

[Tater]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

Does this kid have a first name? All I've seen is Udahl. Does he just go by one name? I'm not going to use a first name if he has it as he's been introduced here as just Udahl and he has no first name on his Twitter account so Udahl it is!!!

Erik Udahl

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=232475

Only 10 points in 33 games. Doesn't seem that exciting on paper.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

No, but there has been chatter about players on other teams being included, or did you not read everything about this and just focus on BU. I know there's not a chance that this kid from Lowell was included in this but when a player from a Hockey East school leaves in the middle of a season amidst all of this mess, and you seem to not be at a loss for words on the subject, well, why not ask that question? You seem to have no problem asking it about other BU players..

Anything but, Scarlet. I'm on record at least once (and IIRC multiple times) on this thread in my earlier responses, indicating my concern that this *could* go well beyond BU - certainly that *might* theoretically include UNH (or anyone else) as well. But as of right now, only BU has one of its players under suspension for gambling. And fair or not, there are reports two other former BU players may be involved as well. I'm sure most of us are waiting to see what else is out there if/when the other shoe drops. And maybe there isn't another shoe to drop? I really do hope the latter is the case.

Coach Quinn doesn't need to be forthcoming. He probably couldn't given that the issue was being investigated. Who gives a flying **** how it looks. Where was all the answers/comments/explanation in the press when your goalie got kicked off the team? Seriously, you should know better. As for Eichel - are you kidding me???? What the hell were you expecting him to say?

I'm not sure there is a parallel here - the UNH goalie (whose name I have not used since his dismissal) WAS dismissed from the team in the immediate aftermath of his incident (and rightly so). The events that led to his dismissal were well-publicized and well-documented, and the UNH program (of whom I've been highly critical in other situations) made the right call. On the other hand, BU has chosen not to dismiss its player, but rather just suspended him, and have (at least for now?) kept him in the program. But until recently, his absence was not termed a suspension. Admittedly, this put Coach Quinn in a tough place. Then again, if he dismissed the kid from the program, then he doesn't have to make excuses for him either.

As to Eichel's comments ... I was more critical of the (apparent) softball question, which allowed him to basically "no comment" and to deflect the attention to "those guys" still with the program. Like with Coach Quinn, this was probably not a situation of his own making, but The Globe's description of his response as "deft" was embarrassingly fawning to the extreme.

I am annoyed at Nick Roberto, did you not see my previous post? BU fans are all upset, annoyed, disappointed, confused, anxious, embarrassed and probably a whole ton of other feelings. We don't need you to come here to tell us how we should be looking at it. JFC Chuck, you think you're being this level-headed, objective person trying to let us know how the outside is seeing this, like we all have scarlet-colored glasses on and honestly, it's a bit offensive.

My involvement in this thread began in response to *some* posters - not you IIRC - who were cavalierly dismissing the possibility of further complications arising from the gambling allegations as "nonsense", and mocking those who were asking fair questions as rumor-mongers wearing tin-foil hats. I think you know that I've always held the BU posters on this site in high regard, so I was surprised to see some of this stuff - yeah, coming from folks apparently wearing those "scarlet-colored glasses' - and contributed accordingly. Some of the responses since have been enlightening, and others ... not so much. Oh well.

If what I'm saying and how I'm saying it is "offensive" - strong word for an opposing opinion at worst, no? - I'll have to live with that. I'm willing to cop to "persistently annoying" and not the slightest bit more.

As a side note ... if anything in this evolving story has been unfairly slanted, it's the description of one of the 30+ guys arrested/charged in the Greater Boston gambling ring as a "former BC hockey player". Trust me on this, if anything here was to make sense, and fit into the convenient stereotypes, it would be the proverbial "BC guy in the middle of a gambling scandal". But a little fact checking shows the guy - who did hail from Southie (check), and did play hockey at BC (check) - transferred out after one (1) year, and finished up his D-1 career with three (3) years at UMass Amherst.

I guess "former UMass Amherst hockey player involved in gambling ring" just doesn't resonate. So D-1 hockey obscurity apparently does have its (modest) privileges.

 

[Rogie21]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

Does this kid have a first name? All I've seen is Udahl. Does he just go by one name? I'm not going to use a first name if he has it as he's been introduced here as just Udahl and he has no first name on his Twitter account so Udahl it is!!!

Details, video.

 

[Rogie21]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

On the other hand, BU has chosen not to dismiss its player, but rather just suspended him, and have (at least for now?) kept him in the program. But until recently, his absence was not termed a suspension. Admittedly, this put Coach Quinn in a tough place. Then again, if he dismissed the kid from the program, then he doesn't have to make excuses for him either.

Roberto wasn't suspended until the NCAA issued it's "remedial" action. Before the NCAA investigated, BU was doing its own inquiry and its hands were tied by privacy laws and due process about what it could reveal.

Just wondering how many people, when they first saw the report that said a player was being investigated for gambling and that it did not involve gambling on professional or NCAA hockey, immediately thought there was a possibility of throwing a game. Or was that largely a product of the rumors that CHN's report mentioned were being perpetuated by certain assistant coaches, scouts and agents in New England? I understand the rumor and its sources were being discussed at the Hall of Fame induction dinner earlier this month.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

Roberto wasn't suspended until the NCAA issued it's "remedial" action. Before the NCAA investigated, BU was doing its own inquiry and its hands were tied by privacy laws and due process about what it could reveal.

Just wondering how many people, when they first saw the report that said a player was being investigated for gambling and that it did not involve gambling on professional or NCAA hockey, immediately thought there was a possibility of throwing a game. Or was that largely a product of the rumors that CHN's report mentioned were being perpetuated by certain assistant coaches, scouts and agents in New England? I understand the rumor and its sources were being discussed at the Hall of Fame induction dinner earlier this month.

The rumors were also perpetuated through Twitter over the past few weeks. At first it was through nonsense accounts, but eventually started making their way up to more high-profile people, namely one Barstool writer. Far from being credible, but nonetheless a guy with over 10,000 followers. His tweets occurred shortly before the story from BU came out, it wouldn't surprise me if it was a minor contributing factor that they did put out a release. The story was reaching a point where it had to be cutoff at its roots before the point shaving angle got out of control.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

Roberto wasn't suspended until the NCAA issued it's "remedial" action. Before the NCAA investigated, BU was doing its own inquiry and its hands were tied by privacy laws and due process about what it could reveal.

Understood. But BU certainly had the right to implement its own discipline, no? Presumably including suspension or dismissal from the program. They chose suspension ... and now they have to deal with an admitted gambler in the program, and all of the (unwanted) attention that comes with it.

Listen, I understand, this may well be relatively innocuous stuff like Draft Kings or something stupid like that. But gambling has long been the "third rail" of any sort of competitive athletics for a long time, and for very good reasons. Even if kids aren't betting on their own sport or their own games, they can amass debt, and if that debt gets big enough, it can compromise them in obvious ways. Not saying that's happened here ... but I don't think anyone can say with certainty that the "coast is clear" just yet either.

Just wondering how many people, when they first saw the report that said a player was being investigated for gambling and that it did not involve gambling on professional or NCAA hockey, immediately thought there was a possibility of throwing a game. Or was that largely a product of the rumors that CHN's report mentioned were being perpetuated by certain assistant coaches, scouts and agents in New England? I understand the rumor and its sources were being discussed at the Hall of Fame induction dinner earlier this month.

I don't think you necessarily need the CHN report to spark the discussion of possible implications. Once gambling gets in the door, as noted above, nasty things can happen. It's happened in the past, and it's almost certainly going to happen again in the future.

I'm sure I'm jumping up and down on the last nerve of some of you posters, so I'll just shut up and wait to see what else (if anything?) comes to the surface on this situation. Unless someone goes off the reservation again.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

Understood. But BU certainly had the right to implement its own discipline, no? Presumably including suspension or dismissal from the program. They chose suspension ... and now they have to deal with an admitted gambler in the program, and all of the (unwanted) attention that comes with it.

You're also assuming that Roberto will return to the program. For what it's worth, I've not seen him once at a game, on the road, in the box with the scratches, anything like that. For all we know, BU's plan is to wait for this to blow over (hopefully) in the second semester and quietly part ways with Roberto at some later point. He could also indeed return next season, we don't know. The point is, BU has not definitively "chose" anything. Not to mention, the option that they've currently "chosen" is the one the NCAA agreed upon. This conversation is a load of nonsense at this point.

 

[bu98]

I saw him at the FoH skate a few weeks ago and asked him when we'd see him back out there. I'd been told by someone who knows him that he was "injured" though we know that not to be true now. He said he wasn't sure when he'd get back but hopefully soon. Clearly that's not happening now. I'm just looking forward to getting back to some hockey so we can all enjoy that again. Happy New Year, my USCHO friends and BU fans (and even you other guys and haters)

J

You're also assuming that Roberto will return to the program. For what it's worth, I've not seen him once at a game, on the road, in the box with the scratches, anything like that. For all we know, BU's plan is to wait for this to blow over (hopefully) in the second semester and quietly part ways with Roberto at some later point. He could also indeed return next season, we don't know. The point is, BU has not definitively "chose" anything. Not to mention, the option that they've currently "chosen" is the one the NCAA agreed upon. This conversation is a load of nonsense at this point.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

You're also assuming that Roberto will return to the program. For what it's worth, I've not seen him once at a game, on the road, in the box with the scratches, anything like that. For all we know, BU's plan is to wait for this to blow over (hopefully) in the second semester and quietly part ways with Roberto at some later point. He could also indeed return next season, we don't know. The point is, BU has not definitively "chose" anything. Not to mention, the option that they've currently "chosen" is the one the NCAA agreed upon. This conversation is a load of nonsense at this point.

There we go with the "nonsense" again. BU has the right to enact supplemental discipline if they want to. No one can force them to keep a player they don't want in the program any longer.

In the words of my fave Canadians a few decades ago ... "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice".

Happy New Year, folks. Hoping this is my last post here for a while ...

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2015-16 thread part 2-move along! nothing to see here! all is w

There we go with the "nonsense" again. BU has the right to enact supplemental discipline if they want to. No one can force them to keep a player they don't want in the program any longer.

In the words of my fave Canadians a few decades ago ... "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice".

Happy New Year, folks. Hoping this is my last post here for a while ...

And who says they won't enforce supplemental discipline?