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Fire Mike Eaves?

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Shirtless Guy said:
You make it sound like it's impossible to be successful in a town where you're 3rd fiddle. Do you really think in the grand scheme of things there are more BC/Michigan hockey fans than basketball or football?
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There isn't a single hockey program at a BCS-level school that isn't (at best) third fiddle. So I guess there's that.
 
ExileOnDaytonStreet said:
There isn't a single hockey program at a BCS-level school that isn't (at best) third fiddle. So I guess there's that.
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And at some schools, much more than others. Was Barry bombarded with so many emails publicly from UW Hockey fans that he was compelled to publicly (on numerous occasions) assure UW fans that hockey would continue to be a major focus of the athletic department when he was hired?
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

What I can't quite get my head around is how a school with little tradition can be more successful on the big stage where it counts than a program with tradition coming out of its arse. Looks kinda like a long established tradition of underperformance if you ask me, but what do I know, I'm undertraditioned.
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

JDUBBS1280 said:
And at some schools, much more than others. Was Barry bombarded with so many emails publicly from UW Hockey fans that he was compelled to publicly (on numerous occasions) assure UW fans that hockey would continue to be a major focus of the athletic department when he was hired?
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Minnesota is the exception, not the rule...and to be honest, I really wonder what would happen to Minnesota Hockey if the Gophers had similar basketball/football success as Wisconsin.
 
Shirtless Guy said:
Minnesota is the exception, not the rule...and to be honest, I really wonder what would happen to Minnesota Hockey if the Gophers had similar basketball/football success as Wisconsin.
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I don't have any false illusions that hockey is bigger than football or basketball even here in Minnesota. It's not. So I won't lie to you and say I don't think it will have any effect. It probably would. But I think the effect would be relatively minimal here because of how deeply engrained youth and high school hockey are in the culture.
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

BTW - Not here to hate on UW. I am envious of where they have gotten their football and basketball programs.
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

If you are going to rank History & Tradition of any college hockey program you probably need some sort of criteria. Here's mine [Top 3]:


1). NCAA Championships [Michigan, North Dakota, Denver]

2). Attendance: Ticket Revenue + Annual Attendance + % of Capacity + Student Section/Band/Atmosphere [North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin]

3). All-Americans, Hobey Baker Winners, Olympians [Michigan, Minnesota, Boston University]

4). NHL: Players, Coaches, GMs, Scouts [Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan]

5). Alumni Coaches: High School, Juniors, College, Pros [Minnesota, Wisconsin, _______ ]

6). Conference Hardware [Michigan, Boston University, UND]

7). Where hockey ranks in Athletic Department Hierarchy [Boston University, Maine, Colorado College]

8). Intangibles: Prestige program brings to school/state [Maine, North Dakota, Minnesota]

9). Recruiting Class Rankings [Boston College, North Dakota, Minnesota]

10). Facilities/Arena [North Dakota, Boston University, Minnesota/Wisconsin]
 
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Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

I think attendance is a factor, but you also have to consider that Wisconsin and North Dakota have only 1 program in state, where Michigan and Minnesota have multiple. Minnesota would likely be drawing more if SCSU and, BSU, Mankato hadn't made the jump. Not to mention, a school like Minnesota makes more $$ than anyone else even with less attendance, so they built a smaller, more intimate arena. It is also dedicated to hockey, where as others are larger because they are not. Minnesota also has more games televised than anyone else.

For decades Minnesota had the longest seadon ticket holder waiting line in the nation. Things like that should be a factor. As should other things I've spoken about plenty in the past, but don't want to get into because this thread isn't the place.

UW has a nice history, and Bob Johnson started some nice traditions. I wouldn't put them in my Top 10, but their history and tradition is something UW fans should feel proud of.
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

JDUBBS1280 said:
I think attendance is a factor, but you also have to consider that Wisconsin and North Dakota have only 1 program in state, where Michigan and Minnesota have multiple. Minnesota would likely be drawing more if SCSU and, BSU, Mankato hadn't made the jump. Not to mention, a school like Minnesota makes more $$ than anyone else even with less attendance, so they built a smaller, more intimate arena.
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I seriously doubt that Minnesota's ticket revenue per game is much more than North Dakota which has far more luxury boxes. And don't forget that Sconnie has been selling seat licenses far longer than the Gophers. The ticket revenue from all three is probably pretty close.

Minnesota probably makes far more in advertising.

As for Minnesota's "waiting list" it evaporated as soon as the Gophers asked for fans to ante up.
 
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Wisko McBadgerton said:
You said this earlier and I asked then, but asking again, could you state who IS in your top 10?
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In no padticular order because it would require further thought:

Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, Denver, Michigan Tech, Boston, Boston College I would definately rank above UW. So, I stand corrected. I'd probably put UW in the 8-10 range. Definitely not Top 5, but you're right. Solid Top 10.
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

JDUBBS1280 said:
In no padticular order because it would require further thought:

Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, Denver, Michigan Tech, Boston, Boston College I would definately rank above UW. So, I stand corrected. I'd probably put UW in the 8-10 range. Definitely not Top 5, but you're right. Solid Top 10.
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You can throw Tech out right now.

Cornell, Maine & Michigan State would be in there. Boston College would be in the lower/middle half because 90% of their success is in the past decade & a half.

Tier I: Michigan, North Dakota, Minnesota, Boston University

Tier II: Wisconsin, DU, Boston College

Tier III: Cornell, Maine, Michigan State
 
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Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

JDUBBS1280 said:
In no padticular order because it would require further thought:

Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, Denver, Michigan Tech, Boston, Boston College I would definately rank above UW. So, I stand corrected. I'd probably put UW in the 8-10 range. Definitely not Top 5, but you're right. Solid Top 10.
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I think that's very fair...although I don't think MTU deserves to be above Wisconsin without more recent success...I would add Michigan State, Wisconsin, Colorado College and Cornell to create a top 11.
 
Shirtless Guy said:
I think that's very fair...although I don't think MTU deserves to be above Wisconsin without more recent success...I would add Michigan State, Wisconsin, Colorado College and Cornell to create a top 11.
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Yeah, it's just a matter of opinion. Personally, I don't tie winning with history and tradition as much. MTU has a far longer history, and the success they have had in that history as a relatively small school is the result of a strong hockey tradition IMO. That's why I have them above UW.

I agree on the others you mentioned. I'd have them in the 7-10 area too. I also respect the history and tradition at Princeton and Harvard.
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

I just started playing the Jess Myers drinking game based on the last 2 pages of this thread and it is becoming a lot more entertaining...
 
Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

why do I care what a youth hockey coach in Inver Grove Heights has to say about UW? I don't. Jess Myers? who? so what! big deal!
 
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