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CCHA v2.9.1 - BGSU BSU FSU LSSU MSU MTU NMU UST & Special Guests - The Augie Vikings

devildog said:
So what are the players saying? I thought we had a good coach.
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I'm just as confused and heard as much as you have. I get there is most likely something that needs to be taken care of that we don't need to be told, but yet, the silence is deafening.

I'm not sure what's worse at this point: airing the dirty laundry or staying silent.
 
aparch said:
I'm not sure what's worse at this point: airing the dirty laundry or staying silent.
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Why not both?

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Rick Comley is about to do a radio interview in Lansing. This could be really interesting.

EDIT - says he's disappointed but that's the nature of the sport right now. He's planning on meeting with all the players who are entering the portal to try and figure out if they're A) recruiting the wrong players or B) there's something they're doing wrong with them once they're at NMU.

Doesn't sound at all like he's considering a coaching change. Knowing him, that's probably not a company line he's parroting either.
 
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John J. MacInnes said:
Rick Comley is about to do a radio interview in Lansing. This could be really interesting.

EDIT - says he's disappointed but that's the nature of the sport right now. He's planning on meeting with all the players who are entering the portal to try and figure out if they're A) recruiting the wrong players or B) there's something they're doing wrong with them once they're at NMU.

Doesn't sound at all like he's considering a coaching change. Knowing him, that's probably not a company line he's parroting either.
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Not sure why the coach is not stepping up and saying anything. Further, what does that tell you when all these players leave and the AD, and apparently the coach as well, don't know why they are leaving? Clearly, there is a statement being made by all these players. We just don't know what the statement is, yet. But, I do like that Comley will investigate the recruiting angle. As I have said before, this team underperformed. We would all expect that the coach is going to hold players responsible and conduct some uncomfortable meetings, either individually or as a group. Maybe Grant said either step up or hit the road to all these guys.
 
devildog said:
Not sure why the coach is not stepping up and saying anything. Further, what does that tell you when all these players leave and the AD, and apparently the coach as well, don't know why they are leaving? Clearly, there is a statement being made by all these players. We just don't know what the statement is, yet. But, I do like that Comley will investigate the recruiting angle. As I have said before, this team underperformed. We would all expect that the coach is going to hold players responsible and conduct some uncomfortable meetings, either individually or as a group. Maybe Grant said either step up or hit the road to all these guys.
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A similar situation happened at BG a few years back. We suddenly had 8 guys in the portal and the college hockey universe was like "WHAT'S GOING ON AT BOWLING GREEN?!?!?!!!" Eigner came out with a statement reminding everyone that a) every single player in the portal that season graduated with a degree from BG and b) keeping all these players would completely screw up the recruiting pipeline. @World then calmed down. It looks like there are a number of things going on with Northern right now, one of which is graduations and guys turning pro, one is the extra year of Covid eligibility, one is a big incoming class for next year. I agree Potulny could tamp down some of the hysteria with a statement outlining the plan going forward. But hey, I'm just a dumb fan, not an experience executive in charge of a program.
 
TalonsUpPuckDown said:
A similar situation happened at BG a few years back. We suddenly had 8 guys in the portal and the college hockey universe was like "WHAT'S GOING ON AT BOWLING GREEN?!?!?!!!" Eigner came out with a statement reminding everyone that a) every single player in the portal that season graduated with a degree from BG and b) keeping all these players would completely screw up the recruiting pipeline. @World then calmed down. It looks like there are a number of things going on with Northern right now, one of which is graduations and guys turning pro, one is the extra year of Covid eligibility, one is a big incoming class for next year. I agree Potulny could tamp down some of the hysteria with a statement outlining the plan going forward. But hey, I'm just a dumb fan, not an experience executive in charge of a program.
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Yeah, I was wondering about this. I was looking at Chris Heisenberg's recruits page the other day and I noted that NMU had something like 13-14 recruits listed as possible for this year. When I saw the portal stuff discussed in this thread, I started wondering to what extent a lot of this is just the coach telling a bunch of seniors, "thanks for the four years" but then moving on, and also telling maybe some returners who didn't get to play, or saw very little play, that with a big freshman class they are going to see a ton of competition for playing time.
 
What's raising all the red flags is the amount of eligible years walking away from campus. Sure the 5th year guys or guys going to Grad School are gonna look elsewhere, but having 60+% of the departees as underclassmen raises eyebrows.


Also, it's now 14.
 
I don't know the solution but one thing is for sure. As a league, something is going to have to change. No one is going to continue to make the sacrifices our programs make financially, just to be number 40 every year. The Big decided to use their financial muscle to make it impossible for anyone else to compete. They are very successful in doing so thus far. But having it be that only 10-12 teams have a shot at winning won't work and the Big should know that. It is unsustainable.
I am not ok with being a farm system for the rich guys.
 
I'm guessing Minnesota State has their hands in the air and a "WTF" look on their faces. But it's more about Josh Fenton aligning the Summit League teams so that he can create a conference-run hockey league in the near future, getting the Tommies in with the three teams already in the NaCHo. He'll need two more to get the autobid, could probably do that with CC and Arizona State as affiliate members a la Notre Dame in the B1G.
 
I'm guessing Minnesota State has their hands in the air and a "WTF" look on their faces. But it's more about Josh Fenton aligning the Summit League teams so that he can create a conference-run hockey league in the near future, getting the Tommies in with the three teams already in the NaCHo. He'll need two more to get the autobid, could probably do that with CC and Arizona State as affiliate members a la Notre Dame in the B1G.

Probably more egg on the faces of the CCHA who coveted that Twin Cities presence, and now sees it evaporate before it took hold.
 
Honestly, good riddance, though it will be tough to find a replacement. I didn't find them in any way happy to be in the league or interested in making the league better. I figure the style they play will not get them any further in the nacho than it did in our league. However, maybe our directors ought to institute some sort of nacho style penalty for leaving. I wonder how long the various staffs have known about this.
 
I just hope we quit seeing holier-than-thou posts and articles from nchc school fans and reporters talking about growing the game when they are willing to patch players and schools from others. The narrative about the big ten being evil and just being forced to act is a fallacy as is the idea of growing the game when they refuse to take new schools until there is a selfish reason to take them. At least be honest that they are just as greedy as big ten schools.
 
Bale said:
I just hope we quit seeing holier-than-thou posts and articles from nchc school fans and reporters talking about growing the game when they are willing to patch players and schools from others. The narrative about the big ten being evil and just being forced to act is a fallacy as is the idea of growing the game when they refuse to take new schools until there is a selfish reason to take them. At least be honest that they are just as greedy as big ten schools.
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Have always said the WCHA minus Minnesota and Wisconsin would have still been an amazing conference. The CCHA minus Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State would have struggled but no worse than it is right now. Can scream about the B1G killing college hockey all you want, but the NCHC at the very least helped a ton.

Also it's weird how strongly nacho schools cheer for each other.
 
John J. MacInnes said:
I'm guessing Minnesota State has their hands in the air and a "***" look on their faces. But it's more about Josh Fenton aligning the Summit League teams so that he can create a conference-run hockey league in the near future, getting the Tommies in with the three teams already in the NaCHo. He'll need two more to get the autobid, could probably do that with CC and Arizona State as affiliate members a la Notre Dame in the B1G.

Probably more egg on the faces of the CCHA who coveted that Twin Cities presence, and now sees it evaporate before it took hold.
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Besides your interesting Summit League comment its been stated that MSP is a fairly large sports market compared to Mankato and thus more economically attractive to get STU in place of MSU. I can't say I believe that is a contributing factor, but neither have I seen market surveys to verify or negate such. Seemed to me that MSU would have been a better choice. But I also would have picked Bemidji, Michigan Tech, anyone from CCHA from a pure hockey standpoint.
 
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