Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12
No doubt you're dead on in that analysis.
There are more than a few people gleefully rubbing their hands together, hoping greed, CCHA ineffectiveness, and WCHA dismissiveness towards LSSU hockey will do what they could only dream of doing all these years: slay the LSSU Hockey dragon, and in doing that place a serious wound on the hockey culture of the area overall. The problem is exacerbated by the fact there are no "hockey people" in positions of power at LSSU right now.
The high school football, high school basketball, and college basketball vultures are hoovering overhead, hoping it is only a matter of time before they can swoop down on the hockey corpse they see as, if not mortally wounded, at least with serious enough wounds to change the sport culture of the EUP (how's that for creative license???)
It was into this same enviroment that Frank Anzalone brought the persona of Crazy Frank. He refused to allow the small-town-mentality to limit this program. I was there. He absolutely refused. He worked 20 hour days. He hammered the students. He worked the dorm rooms. Literally went into the dorms and rallied the students to support the team. He worked every possible church, Rotary, and men's breakfast club every day, month after month, year after year. He stood strong against those in town who laughed at him, those who said (in their small-town mentality) that a school as small as LSSU can't compete in D-I sports, can't compete in hockey, can't compete nationally. Folks, that man was so darned stubborn and passionate that him and his players hit the ice every day for practice and every night for games, with a rage. Frank told them nobody believed in them -- now go out and prove those SOBs wrong.
Jeff Jackson carried so much clout that there was nobody in town who could say anything against him. The small-town basketball vultures crushed. The muddy-boot-beer-drinking Soo Indian fans (who, you may recall, also loathed LSSU hcokey) were crushed. When LSSU and Mike Illich combined to rebuild the Norris, the war was won.
Jackson left town in a fight with the NCAA and a dream of NHL glory. (and also I suspect a large silent issue about assistant coach's pay). In came Borek. Borek was not a D-I coach, or at least he was not a good fit for LSSU. LSSU required constant attention to the small school mentality. Frank preached it -- Jackson perfected it -- "The Whole World Says you Can't -- Go Out There and Prove Them Wrong." This includes the constant attention to the town and students, whose first passion may not be college hockey.
Frank came back, but lets be honest (and lets not beat a dead horse here), he was not the same his second time around. He was older, had a family, and his enemies were ready for him. After years of Borek losing games, fans, and local interest -- Frank had a tough job. Too many old enemies were far too happy to see Frank founder. And Frank foundered. He did not win many games. He did not reconnect the program to the town. He did not reignite student interest. He did not fight, and win, against the administration.
Roque followed. He has followed a more Borek-esque approach. Too few wins and too quiet. Not enough connection in town. No connection with the students. Its better under Roque the past few years than any time since Jackson left -- but that isn't saying much.
This is about vision and passion. The school and the coach are simply going to have to fight the small-town mentality. And the school must connect with the students. I suggesed years ago to allow the students into the games for free. For years North Dakota was the most feared building in the hockey world -- because students got in free, first come, first seated, with a student ID. The student section at UND is still a monster to behold. Free seats will do that. Students don't hav money. And frankly, would the school rather sell more concessions and LSSU gear and have a great atmopshere -- or collect an additional trickle of money squeezed out of the students already-empty pockets?
Anyhow, just getting fired up today.
