Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

[all bear]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

OK, let's just say Montgomery is Maine's top choice. My only point is that he very well may turn out to be a better coach than whoever BC/BU hires, but Montgomery still won't even be looked at by either school. He won't even be in the pool of candidates. Not because he might not be a great coach, but because each of those schools will be looking for someone with ties to the program.

Why so? Walsh had no ties to Maine. Leaman has no ties to Providence. I'm sure the list is a lot longer. Grads are not always the best choices out there. Just because BU and BC may think its critical to have a graduate of their school behind the bench doesnt mean its the right choice. If Montgomery was a good candidate and someone else was interested who had more to offer, I wouldnt hesitate if I was on the seach committee. I just like Montys fire, his smarts and apparently his proven coaching ability, I mean afterall he did give you Gadreau and Matheson,...whats there to beetch about?

 

[walrus]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

If you are going to cut anything Football it is, don't see it happening though. Alumni would go nuts

 

[KnowItAll]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

In order to remain D-I the school must offer at the least either 7 sports each for men and seven for women or six for men and eight for women. Right now the university offers 7 male sports and 8 female sports. Bear in mind that if you cut a woman's sport you have to take Title IX into account (hello football). As I recall, the Stephen and Tabitha King Swim Team is paid for in perpetuity thanks to a donation they gave back when I was a student, so you'd actually be losing about $230K by cutting those. Track & Field? That would net you $225K after revenues and expenses are totaled, but women's track is 75% Maine kids and men's track is 67% Mainers. Besides, if we cut both Maine falls below the D-I threshold. Men's Cross Country is only 42% Maine kids so they can be axed. Expenses aren't reported so who knows how many untold thousands can be saved. Problem solved. You can make the announcement.

why not cut football?

 

[KnowItAll]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

The hockey team could have a perfect 4.0 GPA and spend every Sunday morning helping at the Soup Kitchen, and the perception of the team as a bunch of scumbags will still persist as long as Whitehead aids and abets the Joey Diamonds of the world. Why doesn't having a guy who obliterated the league record for penalty minutes count against Whitehead as much as good grades counts for him? The kid was the captain and the face of the team, and he was an embarrassment.

I am honestly guessing you did not watch him all that closely this season to see what was called on him and what was not called on others.
I agree that the kick was over the top considering he knew that he was being watched, but by most accounts, he was more of a push off than an intent to injure. (I did not see it).

 

[Priceless]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

If you are going to cut anything Football it is, don't see it happening though. Alumni would go nuts

Football is an $800,000/yr black hole so cuts to the program would be in line. Expenses went from $2.15M in 2003 to $3.6M by the end of the decade. Either trim the expenses or get those alumni to write more checks to help defray the costs.

 

[sandiegoblkbr]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

If you are going to cut anything Football it is, don't see it happening though. Alumni would go nuts

Yeah, there's literally thousands of them that show up for every home game. They're disguised as metal bleachers and blue and white seats in October and November. I think that the days of fans, alums and students being "upset" at dropping sports has long passed. Other than a few hundred die hards (even less than that for hoops)..........there really sin't a lot of passion or interest left for University of Maine athletics........sad but true. They've p*ssed it all away over the past decade.

Oh Uncle Alfond or Uncle Collins might get upset.........but unless they plan on underwriting their ENTIRE pet programs (hockey and hoops respectively)...........they really don't have much of a leg to stand on when it comes down to it.

 

[sandiegoblkbr]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

Football is an $800,000/yr black hole so cuts to the program would be in line. Expenses went from $2.15M in 2003 to $3.6M by the end of the decade. Either trim the expenses or get those alumni to write more checks to help defray the costs.

Amen!

Same can be said for hockey alums.........maybe the trip to Notre Dame can be sponsored by Paul Kariya or Jimmy Howard.

 

[all bear]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

Amen!

Same can be said for hockey alums.........maybe the trip to Notre Dame can be sponsored by Paul Kariya or Jimmy Howard.

Notre Dame....boring. I'd just as soon play Merrimack

 

[J.D.]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

Why so? Walsh had no ties to Maine. Leaman has no ties to Providence. I'm sure the list is a lot longer. Grads are not always the best choices out there. Just because BU and BC may think its critical to have a graduate of their school behind the bench doesnt mean its the right choice. If Montgomery was a good candidate and someone else was interested who had more to offer, I wouldnt hesitate if I was on the seach committee. I just like Montys fire, his smarts and apparently his proven coaching ability, I mean afterall he did give you Gadreau and Matheson,...whats there to beetch about?

Oh I'm not speaking for every school, just specifically for BC/BU in this case. Heck, I'm not even saying Montgomery shouldn't be considered...I'm just saying he won't be. Every school, every situation is different. Doesn't have to be a grad either. Cav isn't a grad and he will surely be considered due to the work he has done under York. I don't want to sound like JDUBBS here, but programs with "less history/tradition" are more inclined to go outside the box--and that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. As you say, you can hit a homerun by doing that.

 

[rufus]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

Lets say you're correct, that means the on ice product is 2nd, 3rd etc to the other factors. Anything and everything outweighs what the fan sees. Thats fine but it should be made clear to everyone why Tim stays. Personally I think its his contract that keeps him here, nothing else

Right. I see this review, depending how extensive it is, will result in a couple of things. First, if it's found that Whitehead's practices really are half speed as some on here say(never having seen one myself), and with the number of games lost to injuries over the past few years, Abbot will probably insist on changes in the conditioning/strength/practice regimen to prepare the players better. He may even go so far as to insist on an assistant coaching change(bring in someone experienced in coaching defense?) Probably a lot of other small things about the way TIMMAY conducts the team may be asked to change(a new "system" perhaps?) I'm sure the players will be asked a lot of questions about this sort of stuff.

If these things are done, then the review can be said to have been worth the time, but if the review is completed and then it's just back to business as usual, then I fear another underperforming season next year, maybe TIMMAY gets them to .500. But barring the review finding total and complete incompetence on TIMMAY's part, I think he did enough this season to keep the final year on his contract. But in no way does he warrant an extension. After next season, Maine begins the search for a new head coach, one with some fire, energy, charisma, and some chutzpah, who can bring this program back to where it should belong.

 

[rufus]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

OK, let's just say Montgomery is Maine's top choice. My only point is that he very well may turn out to be a better coach than whoever BC/BU hires, but Montgomery still won't even be looked at by either school. He won't even be in the pool of candidates. Not because he might not be a great coach, but because each of those schools will be looking for someone with ties to the program.

And they'd be idiots for just dismissing him out of hand because of that.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

If York has significant/any input and doesn't mention Jim Montgomery (which he wouldn't), that doesn't make him an idiot. I don't agree with that at all.

 

[Runsub5]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

I'm surprised no one has mentioned baseball as a way to trim costs. Don't know the cost for baseball.

 

[BobF]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

ON a hockey note Devin Shore left off Hockey East rookie team but two goalies named to it? 2 goalies, 2 forwards and 2 d-men. Has to be a first and makes no sense. Thought you could only start one goalie at a time? Here is the link http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/pres1213/201303/mar20ar.php

Sandie anything to add to your signature in this one?

 

[Patronick]

I can see any of those guys being interested, except for Leaman. I have no insight into his personal life, but on the surface, he's in his second year at PC, seems to have just landed a great freshman class with a very promising future, is probably paid pretty well seeing that he's employed by a private institution that had to lure him from Union, and they're in the midst of upgrading their facilities in a major way. And you gotta think it's going to be easier for him to sell recruits on the virtues of Providence vs. the underrated rustic charm that is the Downeast. Foxy Lady vs. Pat's Pizza?? I think you can cross Leaman off that list.

I worked in Raymond for five summers, and Pat's Pizza is by far more amazing than any strip club. I would cut off two of my fingers if they'd open one near Lowell.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

I'm surprised no one has mentioned baseball as a way to trim costs. Don't know the cost for baseball.

Baseball costs are only $165K/year with $650K/year in revenues. Not a whole lot to cut.

Edit: For comparison - It would take 30 years of baseball expenses to equal one season of football expenses.

 

[BoSox3066]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

Maine PR didn't get the Hockey East All-Rookie team list, I guess, unless there are two teams, one named by the league and one named by the writers? http://www.goblackbears.com/sports/m-hockey/2012-13/releases/20130320u1phq4

The only option for football was to try to get the NEC thing going, the thing URI tried, reduce scholarships, reduce competitive costs. But now it appears the CAA is gobbling up the NEC instead of the other way around. Might as well ax the whole thing if you want to cut costs, they're already well behind the southern CAA teams in budget, start cutting more and they'll never be able to compete in that league.

 

[Hockeyman99]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

How far can he chuck a waterbottle ?

He's been known to blow a gasket on occasion.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

ON a hockey note Devin Shore left off Hockey East rookie team but two goalies named to it? 2 goalies, 2 forwards and 2 d-men. Has to be a first and makes no sense. Thought you could only start one goalie at a time? Here is the link http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/pres1213/201303/mar20ar.php

HE loves pulling this crap with two goalies, three dmen, four forwards...who knows. Shore should have been a 3rd forward on that team, I agree.

 

[UncleRay]

Re: Maine 2012-2013 Fade to Black

An honest question for you and everyone else...How could Abbott due a thorough review of the program and come to any conclusion but Whitehead needs to go?

Simply by looking at factors that he and the U find important that you and I might not.

Abbott also has to balance the wishes of the boosters (Ted Alfond) into the equation. I still have not found out what connection there is between the two but it has to be more than they're just golfing buddies.

I don't understand this obsession with Ted and Tim's relationship. Tim Whitehead did not bring Ted Alfond to Maine hockey. He did not convince Ted to start writing checks. Tim may be the bagman bringing the check to the office, but not because of him. It wasn't Shawn, either. Ted's pappy brought him to the table. A table he was at before Shawn. If I were a donor like Ted I would expect some golf, dinners, and windjammer cruises with the wives. That's part of the price of the donations. But that doesn't mean Ted's loyalty is to Tim. I'm not privy to any special information, but I'd believe that Ted's loyalties are to the program and the position of head coach, whoever occupies it. If Tim gets got done, Ted will be golfing with the next guy.

Another possible factor could be, if what I am hearing is true, is that there is still a LOT of hockey being played outside of UMaine. IF you were bringing in someone who may or may not be coaching a team going deeper into their season and/or their playoff season, you would not want to announce that coach and risk his current crop of players finding out they are losing their coach prior to the end of their season, especially if the search/hire of this coach was all done on the hush-hush.

I don't see that happening. I don't believe that the search for the next coach will be anything but public and aboveboard. A search will be announced, committee members selected, applications collected, finalists interviewed, all in a public way. I could be wrong, but I don't believe a backroom deal will be done. And I certainly don't believe that it already has been done.