Re: Maine Off Season 2011
What is your infatuation with defending Whitehead? The program is in utter disarray. It's a what have you done for me lately business. He kept the program in good shape for 6 years, but the last four have been a certifiable disaster.
I'm not. I've actually got no stake in him keeping his job whatsoever. I can certainly see the position that his performance is not sufficient, and that problems warrant a change.
What I find curious is that judging on the performance doesn't appear sufficient for some people-- that any positive aspects of anything during Whitehead's tenure are reassigned to Walsh, to Grant, or to the players themselves, while the negatives only are heaped on Whitehead. I suppose if the guy inspires no loyalty or admiration that's also part of the problem, but I'm just curious as to why that is.
Re:dmj.
He's a troll,right..?
Articulate enough,yes,but he's clearly enjoying the spectacle of his enemy's ongoing train-wreck.
Let's all visit the UNH thread when the Wildcats lay down like little girls in the NCAAs yet again,and see how reasonably he wants to chat with
us about THAT!
Troll? I don't think so. I'm not gleefully chuckling over Maine's loss, although I am celebrating Merrimack's win. I don't particularly enjoy discussions which call for people to lose their jobs, even when it is justified. It's not something to be done lightly. The recent changes at Providence and UML I think are, without a doubt, justified. Such changes at Maine or at BU I think are more debatable.
You are far too, rational for this crowd.
Umm... thanks?
Long post that in the end you sum up in one sentence. Tell us how the team has done since Grant was kicked to the curb? If you were a Maine fan would you be satisfied with the record the last 4 or 5 years. What do you think will change in coming years when the same plans are repeated over and over.
I think it really depends on what you mean by "if you were a Maine fan". If what you mean is, if I were not myself, but were a Maine fan, with a recollection of Maine's past performances and expectations set accordingly, then I suppose it's possible I would not be satisfied, if I was convinced-- as some here are-- that all the other pieces are in place and that a head coach change only means a near-instant return to success.
However, if what you mean is that if I, with my own background and expectations, changed my loyalties tomorrow for some reason and began rooting for Maine-- I probably would be satisfied. Maine usually makes the playoffs. They get home ice more often than not. They've been to the NCAAs several times in the past decade. The coach's career winning percentage is respectable. So, yes, I'd have a hard time in that position saying that a guy that wins more often than he loses, competes for titles, needs to be replaced. I'd say that calls for replacing Whitehead are more justified than calls to replace Parker, but less justified than the calls to replace MacDonald and Army.
Whitehead isn't and will never be near the level that Walsh was. Walsh was a great tactician, motivator, evaluator, and recruiter....one of the best. Early in his start at Maine, Whitehead inherited a program positioned to compete for the title every year and was able to recruit based on that and the legacy that Walsh had left behind.
That may all be true, but it doesn't actually address the question. Aside from what Walsh was able to do with it, what is it about Maine's program-- which was unexceptional before Walsh elevated it-- which means that a winning coach who isn't competing for titles every year isn't good enough? There are only so many programs that can compete for a title every year. Even BC and BU have off-decades, and NoDak hasn't won a title in a decade.
As time goes on and Maine drops out of the limelight, the ability to recruit wanes significantly. If the present course for this program is the one they stay with then Maine will further sink into mediocrity and wallow with the likes of UML, Providence, and UVM hoping to crack the top 4 in HE every once in a while and will relish a Hockey East Championship as much as we used to relish a NCCA Title once upon a time.
Maybe, without calling it lowered expectations, it might be worthwhile to learn to appreciate a league championship without sneering? Maybe periods of success are only enjoyable in comparison to failure?
