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Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

With respect, I can't figure out from where you're getting your economic information. The July jobless rate was 3.7%, which is well within most definitions of "full employment." And as for people with Masters degrees not being able to find anything but minimum wage jobs, they either 1) Aren't looking; 2) Aren't looking in the right places; 3) Have a paper degree from an online diploma mill that employers can smell a mile away; or 4) Have a degree in some niche field where scarce jobs are available only in museums and certain research houses.

And as for that minimum wage, $15/hr equates to $600/wk, assuming a standard 8-hr workday and 5-day workweek. Extrapolate that out to a four-week month and you have $2,400. I live on the edge of Washington DC and I can tell you that you can rent a clean, respectable, functional apartment for a lot less than that. Of course, it won't be downtown, won't have concierge service or a gym, and maybe you won't be able to have restaurant meals all the time, but it will do until you do what you have to do to find something better.
 
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Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Split-N said:
With respect, I can't figure out from where you're getting your economic information. The July jobless rate was 3.7%, which is well within most definitions of "full employment." And as for people with Masters degrees not being able to find anything but minimum wage jobs, they either 1) Aren't looking in the right places; 2) Have a paper degree from an online diploma mill that employers can smell a mile away; or 3) Have a degree in some niche field where jobs are available only in museums and certain research houses.

And as for that minimum wage, $15/hr equates to $600/wk, assuming a standard 8-hr workday and 5-day workweek. Extrapolate that out to a four-week month and you have $2,400. I live on the edge of Washington DC and I can tell you that you can rent a clean, respectable, functional apartment for a lot less than that. Of course, it's not downtown, doesn't have concierge service or a gym, and maybe you won't be able to have restaurant meals all the time, but it will do until you can do what you have to do to find something better.
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And that is where the wage starts. One of the major differences in the millenials is that they don't understand or aren't prepared to start at the bottom and work their way up. Somehow, they were filled with the idea that they are too good to start at the bottom. It starts with the participation ribbons. I remember taking my son to a hockey camp in the Spring when he was 9. The camp was lead by a school teacher who had coached for years and had a son who had gone to play in the NHL. My son was late to start hockey for a Canadian and so he wanted to catch up. The head of the camp started by talking about respect for the game and your opponent and the officials. He was going on and on and like most school teachers at the time he was talking about how winning doesn't matter, etc. Then, one of the kids asked him if it is okay to want to be the best. He said, "Of course! They keep scores and stats for a reason." I was relieved and my son continued to attend his extra camps for a few years.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Nick Papagiorgio said:
The glory days are over for us here in HE and all of college hockey. And while it has little to do with the hockey discussion, I assure you millennials really really really do suck. And I'd like to point out these young, whiny, dumb people that cannot put their phones down are NOT special; we had significant student debt too we just didn't whine about it like crybabies for attention and worked to pay it off because we had a sense of responsibility to pay it off rather than having a completely unfounded sense of entitlement. And while people my age now displace a grumpy generation of baby boomers, we respect the path they paved and carry that torch to some degree.... just with things like Excel and not an abacus. :D
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Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 1979: $2,917. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $9,643.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 1989: $7,212. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $13,959.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 1999: $11,888. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $17,126.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 2009: $22,654. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $25,343.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 2015: $39,529.

Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 1979: $16,692. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $51,683. 5.7x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 1989: $26,297. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $49,487. 3.6x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 1999: $35,595. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $50,218. 3.0x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 2009: $48,633. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $53,451. 2.1x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 2015: $50,219. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $50,219. 1.3x yearly tuition costs.

But yes, tell us how much you enjoyed walking uphill both ways in those snowstorms.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

AMC said:
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 1979: $2,917. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $9,643.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 1989: $7,212. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $13,959.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 1999: $11,888. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $17,126.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 2009: $22,654. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $25,343.
Average tuition, room, and board at all 4-year universities in 2015: $39,529.

Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 1979: $16,692. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $51,683. 5.7x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 1989: $26,297. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $49,487. 3.6x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 1999: $35,595. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $50,218. 3.0x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 2009: $48,633. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $53,451. 2.1x yearly tuition costs.
Average first year's salary for bachelor's degree holder, 2015: $50,219. Inflation adjusted for 2015: $50,219. 1.3x yearly tuition costs.

But yes, tell us how much you enjoyed walking uphill both ways in those snowstorms.
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lesson -- see what happens when one shoots for average?
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Split-N said:
This is what happens when the Comm Ave Axis goes Beanpot-less for three years and wins the HEA Tournament only twice since 2013. But seriously, there has to be a story behind the story here. I'd like to get some insight on how the decision to let the contract expire was reached, which institutions were pushing it, and how united (or not) the ADs were WRT extending the contract. The USCHO and CHN stories went only so far.

I don't know Joe personally but have always had great respect for him and wish him all the best.
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I'm really disappointed with the lack of original reporting as to EXACTLY WHY Bertagna is being let go. Between USCHO and CHN, I've read three columns and two staff reports and no one has said exactly why he's leaving. And of course knowledgeable fans through speculation are providing more insight into what is going on here than the internet's two largest supposed news sites for college hockey.

You mean no one at USCHO or CHN can get any ADs or associate ADs or univ presidents on the phone and get them to say why he's not being renewed? Give me a break.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

The Zlax45 said:
You got to wonder how much in the pocket Jim and Wodon were with Bertagna as there are no quotes in here from AD's that ended up removing him. At least get them off the record on their opinions.
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Yep. Five stories and not ONE of them have any reporting on why exactly he's not calling him back. Hell call him and ask him to say on background why he thinks he's not bringing returned and have him be specific.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Dirty Dream No. 2 said:
Yep. Five stories and not ONE of them have any reporting on why exactly he's not calling him back. Hell call him and ask him to say on background why he thinks he's not bringing returned and have him be specific.
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The audio of Bertagna's conference call is on the Hockey East web site. He was asked - he said he doesn't know. He then goes into speculation, which includes many topics discussed here and in the aforementioned articles. Have a listen.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Dirty Dream No. 2 said:
I'm really disappointed with the lack of original reporting as to EXACTLY WHY Bertagna is being let go. Between USCHO and CHN, I've read three columns and two staff reports and no one has said exactly why he's leaving. And of course knowledgeable fans through speculation are providing more insight into what is going on here than the internet's two largest supposed news sites for college hockey.

You mean no one at USCHO or CHN can get any ADs or associate ADs or univ presidents on the phone and get them to say why he's not being renewed? Give me a break.
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whynt you try to go into ANY company and get info on why an employee has been let go :p :D let's not be foolish and infect others :)
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

ScoobyFanClub said:
The audio of Bertagna's conference call is on the Hockey East web site. He was asked - he said he doesn't know. He then goes into speculation, which includes many topics discussed here and in the aforementioned articles. Have a listen.
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Give me a break. He knows, he's just not saying why. I will certainly listen to his call, thank you for pointing it out. But bland speculation like "they just want a change" isn't very insightful into why he was let go. This is why you ask others, ESPECIALLY those who are responsible or who know why Bertagna was pushed out. ADs, associate ADs, head/assistant coaches, presidents. That's a lot of people to ask.

This isn't national security. If Bertagna said he was being pushed out because Hockey East ADs wanted to hire the Sultan of Brunei, would that be the truth? As evidenced by this thread there are many many legitimate issues surrounding Bertagna's departure, ranging from Hockey East member finances, the league finances, the league's viability, tournament financing, the 11 school roster, no league TV deal, a small ESPN+ league streaming deal.

Lots of things to report on surrounding Bertagna's departure. Let's put a little bit of effort into this as opposed to stenography.
 
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Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

mookie1995 said:
whynt you try to go into ANY company and get info on why an employee has been let go :p :D let's not be foolish and infect others :)
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It's called journalism. Sure, it's entirely possible this is pandora's box and nobody's talking. It just seems no one at CHN or USCHO is trying, as evidenced by Wodon's remarks and Connelly's "candidate" column. Wodon's been writing about college hockey for 20 years. He can't get anyone on the phone about this? Get out of here.

Wodon's excuse was "what if they're lying?" Really? These aren't 9/11 suspects. You're not torturing them into confessions. His sitting on the racial taunt issue last season with the Providence hockey team was also evidence of a lack of journalistic effort. It gave Wodon a chance to get on his moral outrage platform and pontificate about how bad this racial taunt was, but then he claimed he knew who did it but refused to report it. Nice going.

I guess CHN and USCHO are really fan sites as opposed to news organizations. Which is sad because the sport needs good original reporting.
 
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Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Just listened to Bertagna's conference call. Not a whole lot going on here.

Bertagna: they want to hire marketing, media, and branding people. (What does that mean?)

Jim Connelly: What are some of your Hockey East career highlights? (Groan.)

Bertagna: I don't know why I was not returned. But I was told we're in the entertainment business. (What does that mean?)

Lots of joking about parodies.

Does geography matter?

What about your long lost acting career?

Lots of joking between Bertagna and reporters on this conference call.

That's pretty much it. As I said, we could really use some original reporting on this. I hope to read some someday.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Dirty Dream No. 2 said:
It's called journalism. Sure, it's entirely possible this is pandora's box and nobody's talking. It just seems no one at CHN or USCHO is trying, as evidenced by Wodon's remarks and Connelly's "candidate" column. Wodon's been writing about college hockey for 20 years. He can't get anyone on the phone about this? Get out of here...I guess CHN and USCHO are really fan sites as opposed to news organizations. Which is sad because the sport needs good original reporting.
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Couldn't agree more. There has to be a "story behind the story" that nobody seems to want to dig into. Disappointed in Messrs. Connolly, Woden, etc. who come off more like fanboys than journalists.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

Dirty Dream No. 2 said:
His sitting on the racial taunt issue last season with the Providence hockey team was also evidence of a lack of journalistic effort. It gave Wodon a chance to get on his moral outrage platform and pontificate about how bad this racial taunt was, but then he claimed he knew who did it but refused to report it. Nice going.
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Not sure how you consider it "sitting on it" when the only way anyone knew about it was because CHN reported it, and criticized Bertagna for the handling of it.

Methinks you're all making the reason for the firing a lot more complicated than it is. He's old and want a modern day "marketing genius" instead of a "hockey guy" - it was all alluded to. You're claiming that this is not 9/11 on the one hand, and then want some explosive investigative reporting on the other hand, on a non-topic, on sites you read for free.
 
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Dirty Dream No. 2 said:
Just listened to Bertagna's conference call. Not a whole lot going on here.

Bertagna: they want to hire marketing, media, and branding people. (What does that mean?)

Jim Connelly: What are some of your Hockey East career highlights? (Groan.)

Bertagna: I don't know why I was not returned. But I was told we're in the entertainment business. (What does that mean?)

Lots of joking about parodies.

Does geography matter?

What about your long lost acting career?

Lots of joking between Bertagna and reporters on this conference call.

That's pretty much it. As I said, we could really use some original reporting on this. I hope to read some someday.
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Death of local journalism killer here. The info you want is going to come from ADs or inside the schools. The people with those relationships should be the local outlets. ProJo for Providence, BDN for Maine, Free Press for Vermont, etc. Not like the Boston papers give a hoot to have someone call BC or BU AD about Joe its small potatoes to them.
 
Re: Hockey East: 2019/20 season is Joe Bertagna's last as commish

BoSox3066 said:
Death of local journalism killer here. The info you want is going to come from ADs or inside the schools. The people with those relationships should be the local outlets. ProJo for Providence, BDN for Maine, Free Press for Vermont, etc. Not like the Boston papers give a hoot to have someone call BC or BU AD about Joe its small potatoes to them.
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Mark Divver of the Providence Journal was let go after the season....
 
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