ericredaxe
Veteran
The most common reaction I get is an "oh cool" type of response, but essentially zero interest in college hockey. I pretty much can't even get local hockey (bruins) fans to come to a college game.
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Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
- Thread starter mookie1995
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The most common reaction I get is an "oh cool" type of response, but essentially zero interest in college hockey. I pretty much can't even get local hockey (bruins) fans to come to a college game.
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
Tom and Bernie (but esp Tom) ripped into Escobedo for that roughing call with about 5 minutes left in the 2nd, when BU was about to get back to even strength. Tom said something along the lines of:
"He makes a good play; good body contact; finishes his check for once; and then punches the guy when he's down on the ice-- right in front of the referee! And now look at him, he talking back to the ref! Unbelieveable!"
Bernie completely agreed with him. They were both reiterating, throughout the game, how the players know the coaching staff isn't going to bench them, because of the lack of depth. Almost made it sound like the players have a real arrogant attitude towards the coaches (not sure if this is the case, or not).
Tom and Bernie (but esp Tom) ripped into Escobedo for that roughing call with about 5 minutes left in the 2nd, when BU was about to get back to even strength. Tom said something along the lines of:
"He makes a good play; good body contact; finishes his check for once; and then punches the guy when he's down on the ice-- right in front of the referee! And now look at him, he talking back to the ref! Unbelieveable!"
Bernie completely agreed with him. They were both reiterating, throughout the game, how the players know the coaching staff isn't going to bench them, because of the lack of depth. Almost made it sound like the players have a real arrogant attitude towards the coaches (not sure if this is the case, or not).
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
Yep...I mentioned that before. And Tom said "And the ref told him BECAUSE YOU PUNCHED HIM AFTER THE WHISTLE!"
Yes, it's true they have 18 year-olds playing against 24 year-olds. Yes, it's true they have hit the wall. BUT...that's no excuse for what we're seeing. Total lack of discipline and disrespect. Even if the players don't like the coaches, do they think that MAYBE they know a little bit more about hockey than they do??? But again, when you've been treated like a prima donna your entire life because you possess a relatively rare skill, this is what you get. Yes, coaches have to be psychologists today, but as I mentioned last week, if you're not up to it, quit...
Yep...I mentioned that before. And Tom said "And the ref told him BECAUSE YOU PUNCHED HIM AFTER THE WHISTLE!"
Yes, it's true they have 18 year-olds playing against 24 year-olds. Yes, it's true they have hit the wall. BUT...that's no excuse for what we're seeing. Total lack of discipline and disrespect. Even if the players don't like the coaches, do they think that MAYBE they know a little bit more about hockey than they do??? But again, when you've been treated like a prima donna your entire life because you possess a relatively rare skill, this is what you get. Yes, coaches have to be psychologists today, but as I mentioned last week, if you're not up to it, quit...
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
Thus, why I say every time people bring up stuff like "Why aren't the games in HD on ESPN, why is it on ESPN 57, etc." I say, IT IS A NICHE SPORT. PERIOD. Get over it. It's not going to change. You grow up liking the sports you can play. In most of the world, you can't play hockey unless A) You have money and can afford ice time at a rink, or B) You live in a very COLD climate where ponds actually freeze. More people watch college lacrosse than hockey. Why? Because you can play it ANYWHERE.
Thus, why I say every time people bring up stuff like "Why aren't the games in HD on ESPN, why is it on ESPN 57, etc." I say, IT IS A NICHE SPORT. PERIOD. Get over it. It's not going to change. You grow up liking the sports you can play. In most of the world, you can't play hockey unless A) You have money and can afford ice time at a rink, or B) You live in a very COLD climate where ponds actually freeze. More people watch college lacrosse than hockey. Why? Because you can play it ANYWHERE.
Jacques Joubert
Registered User
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
23rd in the PWR. Short of winning the HE tourney this season is officially a failure.
23rd in the PWR. Short of winning the HE tourney this season is officially a failure.
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
PLAYoffs???? (Jim Mora)
PLAYoffs???? (Jim Mora)
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
A few thoughts:
1) The idea that Agganis should be the same size as Walter Brown is backwards thinking. Not everybody attends their first game as a die hard fan. So the trick is to convert the "pink hats" and the like with a fun experience. That builds attendance as well as a winning team. What's nice about the place is that you have a much larger student section and a father with a couple of kids or someone bringing a friend or two can score tickets without resorting to mugging people for them when they park in Brookline. When there's a big game, the place fills up.
2) However, the problem is the team. BU hasn't been a championship contender for 16 years save for once year. There's no sustaned success that builds fan loyalty. That's far different from my days on campus. There's few dynamic players, again except for one year when Wilson and Gilroy went nuts. The team plays a butt boring style of hockey, from dump-and-suck to the Vaunted Power Play. Recall the year that was "lets hope Curry pitches another shutout tonight".
3) Finally this idea of college hockey as a niche sport is all well and good but explains little. All sports not named hoops or football are niche sports on a national level, and that includes the lacrosse example. Friday I turned on the TV and there were 4 games being televised, from NESN, CBS Sport, the BTN, and one other who's name I forget. I don't ever recall seeing 4 lacrosse games on at the same time. I have a pretty basic cable package also. Same as BU having foreign students. Take them away (about 6K) and you still have 20-25K students + alums to go to games. The problem again is there's little hope for the team getting better under the boring style of a coach who's long past his expiration date. Yes, the players may be whiny candy @ sses but these problems aren't happening in other places. Hell, ***** Merrimack was in 1st place in the HE and the Q was #1 in the nation. Are people telling me we can't compete with these schools?
A few thoughts:
1) The idea that Agganis should be the same size as Walter Brown is backwards thinking. Not everybody attends their first game as a die hard fan. So the trick is to convert the "pink hats" and the like with a fun experience. That builds attendance as well as a winning team. What's nice about the place is that you have a much larger student section and a father with a couple of kids or someone bringing a friend or two can score tickets without resorting to mugging people for them when they park in Brookline. When there's a big game, the place fills up.
2) However, the problem is the team. BU hasn't been a championship contender for 16 years save for once year. There's no sustaned success that builds fan loyalty. That's far different from my days on campus. There's few dynamic players, again except for one year when Wilson and Gilroy went nuts. The team plays a butt boring style of hockey, from dump-and-suck to the Vaunted Power Play. Recall the year that was "lets hope Curry pitches another shutout tonight".
3) Finally this idea of college hockey as a niche sport is all well and good but explains little. All sports not named hoops or football are niche sports on a national level, and that includes the lacrosse example. Friday I turned on the TV and there were 4 games being televised, from NESN, CBS Sport, the BTN, and one other who's name I forget. I don't ever recall seeing 4 lacrosse games on at the same time. I have a pretty basic cable package also. Same as BU having foreign students. Take them away (about 6K) and you still have 20-25K students + alums to go to games. The problem again is there's little hope for the team getting better under the boring style of a coach who's long past his expiration date. Yes, the players may be whiny candy @ sses but these problems aren't happening in other places. Hell, ***** Merrimack was in 1st place in the HE and the Q was #1 in the nation. Are people telling me we can't compete with these schools?
claver2010
*****
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
I by no means have great seats (upper deck young alum) but $320 for the pair + $250 friends of hockey equivalent + $0 for parking = $570
'Dump and suck' I laughed, kudos
I by no means have great seats (upper deck young alum) but $320 for the pair + $250 friends of hockey equivalent + $0 for parking = $570
'Dump and suck' I laughed, kudos
Jacques Joubert
Registered User
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
No, we can't. At least not consistently anymore. You don't need to look any further back than the past seasons to see that this team has been owned by the ECAC (Brown, RPI losses come to mind) and even weaker conferences (Holy Cross and Robert Morris). It's really sad the way athletics are run at that place. Here's a top 50 academically ranked major university and what conference do they choose/attempt to join? Conf USA? The Big East? The A10? The Colonial? No...they pick (or it's the only one that would let BU in) the Patriot League. With all due respect to that league because it has good schools, should BU, a school with one billion in the bank, a massive alumni base, and 30,000 students even be allowed to join that league? When I heard it I thought, "OK. I bet they bring football back now. BU-Georgetown football would be fun." But do they? Nooooo. Don't even get me started on basketball.
Here's a list of schools that are similar to BU in size, setting, and resources that BU should be modeling themselves after: Northwestern, Stanford, Georgetown, UCLA, Rice, Univ. of Cincinnati, & Pitt come to mind (basically any decent sized university in an urban setting). Who do they choose to compete with? Lehigh, Bucknell, Colgate, and Holy Cross. Not in football though! I guess all these schools are also better equipped for that. Pathetic right? So then as an alum it all comes back to hockey, all the eggs are in that basket...and they're dropping the ball there as well. At least if I didn't have to pay $900 for my two seats...ARRRGGHHHH!
No, we can't. At least not consistently anymore. You don't need to look any further back than the past seasons to see that this team has been owned by the ECAC (Brown, RPI losses come to mind) and even weaker conferences (Holy Cross and Robert Morris). It's really sad the way athletics are run at that place. Here's a top 50 academically ranked major university and what conference do they choose/attempt to join? Conf USA? The Big East? The A10? The Colonial? No...they pick (or it's the only one that would let BU in) the Patriot League. With all due respect to that league because it has good schools, should BU, a school with one billion in the bank, a massive alumni base, and 30,000 students even be allowed to join that league? When I heard it I thought, "OK. I bet they bring football back now. BU-Georgetown football would be fun." But do they? Nooooo. Don't even get me started on basketball.
Here's a list of schools that are similar to BU in size, setting, and resources that BU should be modeling themselves after: Northwestern, Stanford, Georgetown, UCLA, Rice, Univ. of Cincinnati, & Pitt come to mind (basically any decent sized university in an urban setting). Who do they choose to compete with? Lehigh, Bucknell, Colgate, and Holy Cross. Not in football though! I guess all these schools are also better equipped for that. Pathetic right? So then as an alum it all comes back to hockey, all the eggs are in that basket...and they're dropping the ball there as well. At least if I didn't have to pay $900 for my two seats...ARRRGGHHHH!
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Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
Thanks, but I think BU2K might have coined that one.
Regarding the costs you are correct. The school needs to do a better job with costs. Friends of BU is too expensive for a sh ! tty product. Also the parking needs to be improved greatly, although in school's defense this was all built during the Silber reign, which revolved around kissing @ ss on wealthy alums while ignoring everybody else. Perhaps the new lacrosse field with FREE parking will change all that. They also need to do better promoting the program on campus. When I was there you could walk from Kenmore to West Campus the afternoon of a game vs BC and have no clue an event was going on. I hear they've gotten better in recent years although I'm not sure if they have live streaming of the Court TV appearances of several of our ex players .
Thanks, but I think BU2K might have coined that one.
Regarding the costs you are correct. The school needs to do a better job with costs. Friends of BU is too expensive for a sh ! tty product. Also the parking needs to be improved greatly, although in school's defense this was all built during the Silber reign, which revolved around kissing @ ss on wealthy alums while ignoring everybody else. Perhaps the new lacrosse field with FREE parking will change all that. They also need to do better promoting the program on campus. When I was there you could walk from Kenmore to West Campus the afternoon of a game vs BC and have no clue an event was going on. I hear they've gotten better in recent years although I'm not sure if they have live streaming of the Court TV appearances of several of our ex players .mookie1995
there's a good buck in that racket.
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
eruzione picked up nearly 1mm last night. and the bloody sock went for 92k
eruzione picked up nearly 1mm last night. and the bloody sock went for 92k
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
The Mike Eruzione Trophy Case at Agganis Arena?
eruzione picked up nearly 1mm last night. and the bloody sock went for 92k
The Mike Eruzione Trophy Case at Agganis Arena?
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
Yes...and how many of those schools are in Massachusetts? Here's a hint...NONE. I appreciate Rover's comments and yours, but you are all glossing over my initial premise upon which all of this is based (and I realize you may not want to address it, because it is a somewhat sensitive topic these days). We are in an academic, elitist part of the country at a PRIVATE school. I'm sorry, but sports are just not a big deal here. They are for us on this board,, but we're oxymorons (I said OXY-morons
). Let me ask you this. Why did you apply to BU? For me, it was because of their math and science programs. It was NOT for their athletics. This is not Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Ohio State, etc etc (all large state universities with ginormous athletic programs which they use as recruiting tools). We didn't even have a golf team. I played on a golf "club" (club sport that we had to fund ourselves) and the biggest event we played in was the "Greater Bostons" at Concord Country Club. Gee, do you think Phil Mickelson or Tiger would have gone to school here? After all, we have OUTSTANDING academics, as you pointed out.
See what I'm saying? When you are a sports fans at an academic institution, you have to get used to the fact that it "comes and goes." As Rover said, the idea was to "attract" a following, but you have to understand that as soon as the team stops winning, the pink hats get bored, because they were never really sports fans to begin with. So, yes, Rover is right - the team has to be good - but that's the point. At Nebraska, the fans come whether the team is good or not. Here, they won't. End of story. There are more options here...culture, museums, symphonies, restaurants, skiing, the beach, the mountains...you get the point. I'm not spending $1500 for a boring, uninspired product. So in a way I'm contributing to the problem - the lack of enthusiasm and the empty seats. But I can do that here - there are other options and I am voicing my displeasure by my absence - voting with my feet. It's not the "only game in town." But I still insist that it is a UNIQUE niche sport, because you can play soccer and lacrosse anywhere (unless you have monsoons 365 days a year), where you can't play hockey unless you have ice (which means there are FEWER people that will follow the sport). But we can agree to disagree on that point.
Now you can try to say "But BC is a great academic institution and look at their sports program," and I would tell you that you have a short memory.
Yes...and how many of those schools are in Massachusetts? Here's a hint...NONE. I appreciate Rover's comments and yours, but you are all glossing over my initial premise upon which all of this is based (and I realize you may not want to address it, because it is a somewhat sensitive topic these days). We are in an academic, elitist part of the country at a PRIVATE school. I'm sorry, but sports are just not a big deal here. They are for us on this board,, but we're oxymorons (I said OXY-morons
). Let me ask you this. Why did you apply to BU? For me, it was because of their math and science programs. It was NOT for their athletics. This is not Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Ohio State, etc etc (all large state universities with ginormous athletic programs which they use as recruiting tools). We didn't even have a golf team. I played on a golf "club" (club sport that we had to fund ourselves) and the biggest event we played in was the "Greater Bostons" at Concord Country Club. Gee, do you think Phil Mickelson or Tiger would have gone to school here? After all, we have OUTSTANDING academics, as you pointed out.See what I'm saying? When you are a sports fans at an academic institution, you have to get used to the fact that it "comes and goes." As Rover said, the idea was to "attract" a following, but you have to understand that as soon as the team stops winning, the pink hats get bored, because they were never really sports fans to begin with. So, yes, Rover is right - the team has to be good - but that's the point. At Nebraska, the fans come whether the team is good or not. Here, they won't. End of story. There are more options here...culture, museums, symphonies, restaurants, skiing, the beach, the mountains...you get the point. I'm not spending $1500 for a boring, uninspired product. So in a way I'm contributing to the problem - the lack of enthusiasm and the empty seats. But I can do that here - there are other options and I am voicing my displeasure by my absence - voting with my feet. It's not the "only game in town." But I still insist that it is a UNIQUE niche sport, because you can play soccer and lacrosse anywhere (unless you have monsoons 365 days a year), where you can't play hockey unless you have ice (which means there are FEWER people that will follow the sport). But we can agree to disagree on that point.
Now you can try to say "But BC is a great academic institution and look at their sports program," and I would tell you that you have a short memory.
brassbonanza
Super Serial
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
Leave UC and Pitt off that list and trade UCLA for USC, and add George Washington to the group. All three are public, where the rest are mostly large private universities that draw students from all over the world.
Leave UC and Pitt off that list and trade UCLA for USC, and add George Washington to the group. All three are public, where the rest are mostly large private universities that draw students from all over the world.
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
No the problem is the coaching staff. Also, they had championship caliper teams in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2006. I contend the 98,02 and 06 team each showed signs of choking and falling apart at the most critical times. Except for 2000, those teams underachieved and lost badly to UNH, Maine and BC in the worst way in regional finals. You could even make a case that the team collapsed in the 97 championship games vs NoDak.
JackPa was already losing it then. He had great players on all those teams and some of the best goalies the school has ever had. But gets out coached in all the big games now, which was his trademark. However, now the top players are avoiding BU, even with one the best facility and rink in the country and best urban location.
There are so many JackPa stories out there of his recruitment blunders and what the fraternity says about him behind his back. There are way more peopleoff this forum who know the score and are staying away from coming to the games, but worse pushing the best players away. The questions comes down to whether the admin has had enough after last year and all the alumni grumbling to buy him out and arrange a graceful exit.
No the problem is the coaching staff. Also, they had championship caliper teams in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2006. I contend the 98,02 and 06 team each showed signs of choking and falling apart at the most critical times. Except for 2000, those teams underachieved and lost badly to UNH, Maine and BC in the worst way in regional finals. You could even make a case that the team collapsed in the 97 championship games vs NoDak.
JackPa was already losing it then. He had great players on all those teams and some of the best goalies the school has ever had. But gets out coached in all the big games now, which was his trademark. However, now the top players are avoiding BU, even with one the best facility and rink in the country and best urban location.
There are so many JackPa stories out there of his recruitment blunders and what the fraternity says about him behind his back. There are way more peopleoff this forum who know the score and are staying away from coming to the games, but worse pushing the best players away. The questions comes down to whether the admin has had enough after last year and all the alumni grumbling to buy him out and arrange a graceful exit.
brassbonanza
Super Serial
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
When did the 06 team choke at a critical time? That loss to BC wasn't a choke, they ran into a great team hungry to beat them, after winning something like 20 of their last 22 or 23 games. I think everyone knew when that bracket came out and BC was there, there was no chance we were getting out of there. Perhaps they could've put up a better fight, but we had a better chance of winning the lottery than winning that game.
When did the 06 team choke at a critical time? That loss to BC wasn't a choke, they ran into a great team hungry to beat them, after winning something like 20 of their last 22 or 23 games. I think everyone knew when that bracket came out and BC was there, there was no chance we were getting out of there. Perhaps they could've put up a better fight, but we had a better chance of winning the lottery than winning that game.
mookie1995
there's a good buck in that racket.
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
*** are you typing?!?!
*** are you typing?!?!
mookie1995
there's a good buck in that racket.
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
bu was 4-1-0 vs bc before the worcester game. there was no way you can say that bu and everyone there thought bc would win going away and get to milwaukee.
bu was 4-1-0 vs bc before the worcester game. there was no way you can say that bu and everyone there thought bc would win going away and get to milwaukee.
brassbonanza
Super Serial
Re: Boston University season thread - strike 3! last man there turn out the lights.
maybe not on here, but among everyone i went to games with and interacted with after that game, no one expected to win, especially after stealing the HET from them a week earlier where York made his whole team stay on the ice and watch us skate around celebrating after receiving the trophy, and having won four straight against them going into that night. All I'm contending is that that team didn't "choke," especially considering their record post-January 1.
maybe not on here, but among everyone i went to games with and interacted with after that game, no one expected to win, especially after stealing the HET from them a week earlier where York made his whole team stay on the ice and watch us skate around celebrating after receiving the trophy, and having won four straight against them going into that night. All I'm contending is that that team didn't "choke," especially considering their record post-January 1.
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