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Colgate 2021-22

Thanks, Shabby. I purchased the Worcester and Albany tickets last night after the Selection Show. I am staying in Worcester. I also have my Frozen Four tickets and accommodations for Boston, and I will be joined by my Frozen Foursome… Alaska Mike (a Minnesota grad), 43-year-season-ticket-holder Clarkson Doug and Dartmouth Doug (whose son played for Dartmouth and who now plays for the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays). Native Canadian Clarkson Doug was thrilled to meet Pierre McGuire at Colgate’s pre-game reception in Lake Placid. It remains a good life.
 
Could I just butt in here and say congrats to the team on a great season? Special kudos to the seniors! It was an up and down season as many have opined, but a fantastic last third that propelled them into 5th place in the league and a trip to LP. Yes, it's a successful season as far as I'm concerned. Any time you get to Placid, it's good stuff. Hope we are finally on the path upward as a program, can continue to add speed and depth, and can knock off those four top teams regularly in the future. Our wins over SUNY Ithaca were the highlight. BTW, should QU be playing in HE and not the ECAC??
 
Whether one likes it or not, the ECAC desperately needs Q-Pac...and personally I applaud Rand Pecknold and his program...ECAC Hockey is lucky to have two teams in the NCAAs this year, in part because fully 50% of the league resided in the bottom fifth of the Pairwise...yes, you can throw a few shots at their somewhat "liberal" recruiting requirements, but this league needs a team to emulate in its commitment to success year-in and year out...too many ECAC programs seem to be content to play .500 hockey and this is reflected in our aggregate out-of-conference record...and, truth be told, their students support the program...
 
So, honestly, now that the season is in the books, where does everyone think the program stands? Was this season the sign of tangible progress or an outlier? I am curious as to what everyone thinks.
 
very good question Marmot...lots of issues here, including DV's future for starters...not sure if he has one more year on current agreement...he's coached for, I think, 29 years, taking the 2003-04 season to serve as interim AD...so next year would be his 30th in Hamilton...I do think Colgate benefitted from the Ivies, along with RPI and Union to some degree, trashing their respective 2020-21 seasons...just take a look at the Pairwise and note - with the exception of (typically) Cornell and Harvard - the cellar dwellers...then we have the impact of COVID and the transfer portal...last season we kept two graduate players, but lost two quality defensemen...can (and will) Griffin Lunn, e.g., stay for another year in Hamilton? How about Mitch Benson? The incoming class looks OK, but not great...some may be deferred to 2023 for both development reasons AND the potential for graduate players staying in Hamilton...and can we actually bring in some grad transfers? It certainly didn't hurt Q-Pac and several other teams...the Ivies are structured such that gaining grad transfers is almost impossible...I honestly don't know where we stand on this issue...Bottom Line: college hockey remains in a state of flux, with the rich getting richer generally...middle tier programs have to think a little out of the box and I am not convinced our program has that capability...Note also the paucity of 2023 recruits; this maybe tied to a good-sized 2022 class and the transfer questions...I have a lot of questions but few answers...Progress? Yes, but "tangible progress"? God I hope so...I'm not getting any younger...
 
Benson to BC? Ya gotta be kidding. So the ECAC is just a farm club league for the HE and other "Big Boys?" Sheesh!
 
ColSkate65 said:
Benson to BC? Ya gotta be kidding. So the ECAC is just a farm club league for the HE and other "Big Boys?" Sheesh!
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He's a senior and a good student. Probably wants to get a graduate degree. Can't argue with that. Colgate needs to beef up its graduate programs. A grad degree in Education is not a big draw for a lot of players who want to go to grad school.
 
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I've been a raider fan for decades and followed the team closely this season. I was curious if anyone knew the reason why one of the assistant coaches never wears a tie when he is on the bench. Colgate University is a prestigious school, and the dress down approach is something I do not see from other coaches throughout the country. If there is a medical reason why he doesn't wear a tie I completely understand.
 
Now, I know there's gotta be a good reason for this, but would someone explain to me why there would be a Regional in Allentown, PA? I mean this is the home of wrestling, with Lehigh University and Lafayette big name wrestling colleges. Neither has a hockey team (that I know of). Is hockey a big sport in northern central PA?

It seems strange to me that there were 3 out of 4 regionals in the East: Albany, Allentown and Worcester. Why would this be? It seems to me that having 50% of the regionals in the west and 50& in the east would make more sense. Plus, the Final Four is in Boston. Whaaaaa? Of course other years I suppose three out of four were in the west, who knows? It just seems weird that teams like Michuigan, Notre Dame, Western Michigan, etc. are all playing in the east when their fan base is in the west. Whats the logic? And Boston is as far east as it gets :-(
 
ColSkate65 said:
Now, I know there's gotta be a good reason for this, but would someone explain to me why there would be a Regional in Allentown, PA? I mean this is the home of wrestling, with Lehigh University and Lafayette big name wrestling colleges. Neither has a hockey team (that I know of). Is hockey a big sport in northern central PA?

It seems strange to me that there were 3 out of 4 regionals in the East: Albany, Allentown and Worcester. Why would this be? It seems to me that having 50% of the regionals in the west and 50& in the east would make more sense. Plus, the Final Four is in Boston. Whaaaaa? Of course other years I suppose three out of four were in the west, who knows? It just seems weird that teams like Michuigan, Notre Dame, Western Michigan, etc. are all playing in the east when their fan base is in the west. Whats the logic? And Boston is as far east as it gets :-(
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The short answer is that there aren't many western venues bidding on the regionals.
 
MarkEagleUSA said:
The short answer is that there aren't many western venues bidding on the regionals.
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I am not surprised. Hosting NCAA hockey regionals is a pain in the neck operationally and fiscally, but something that might make financial sense for smaller arenas that need to fill the calendar. I am pretty sure that part of the reason some of these places bid it is to keep a current NCAA portfolio in service of trying to get NCAA basketball regionals/Sweet 16.

For hockey, I'd rather see the top 4 seeds host the opening rounds at their own rinks rather than playing at half full arenas far from the fan base.
 
Gate Raider said:
I've been a raider fan for decades and followed the team closely this season. I was curious if anyone knew the reason why one of the assistant coaches never wears a tie when he is on the bench. Colgate University is a prestigious school, and the dress down approach is something I do not see from other coaches throughout the country. If there is a medical reason why he doesn't wear a tie I completely understand.
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The casual attire seems to be a Covid related casualty to the dress codes of old, as evidenced by D1 basketball coaches wearing sweat suits or casual attire, etc. on the sidelines of games. I believe I saw during the Western Michigan game on Sunday none of their coaches had ties on.... not sure how I feel about it, but I guess I am a bit traditionalist in this regard.
 
“tangible progress?”
Of course. Anytime kids go to Lake Placid (ECAC site) or (Regional site) or (Frozen Four site), it is real progress (especially when they haven’t gone for awhile). Hopefully they remember that (positive) feeling and want to return.

As for other subjects… I have gone to Allentown, Penna., previously and it is a fine host city, despite it technically not being in the Midwest. With Penn State trying to grow its market and culture, both East and West, Allentown is a good fit. I just wish Des Moines (Iowa) or Omaha (Nebr.) would bid on the Midwestern Regional.

I went to Worcester, Mass., on Friday, Albany, N.Y., on Saturday, and Worcester again on Sunday. This year’s NCAA tournament was filled with incredibly close (one-goal) games. I saw and spoke with ‘Colgate Dad’ Pierre McGuire briefly at Worcester last night. I am excited about the possibilities in Boston for the Frozen Four, though I hope Minnesota wins it all (or, at least, Michigan loses it all). Denver will be the only team that I have not seen in-person this season. Apparently, West is Best and East is Least this season.
 
Anybody else going to be representing Colgate in Boston this weekend?
In the past, I always saw ‘Gate season ticket holders Dave & Helen from Holland Patent (N.Y.), but they dropped their Colgate tix this year (after three decades) after being told that they had to renew online.
 
I’m not going but am so glad you are as you are a great ambassador for Colgate! Have a great time!!
 
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