Maine Off Season 2011

[KnowItAll]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

Very well said. It is difficult to invest in the team financially or emotionally when it is apparent that the head coach is not invested in the success of the program.

interesting way to put it... back in about 1994, Harry Sinden was on the radio... he was asked "you have Neely, Oates, Bourque and Moog[or Ranford, cannot remember], if you had one more million dollar player, you could have won the cup"... he responded, "it is my job as general manager to see that the Burins finish in the black at the end of the season, we mad $Xmillion dollars last year.... The Rangers won the cup, but lost $Xmilion dollars doing it. They do not have a GM that should be congratulated, they have a GM who should be fired."
That day, I vowed never to buy another bruins ticket as long as they are not trying to put the best possible product out on the ice, (and I haven't)

You are right, Tim is not truly invested in the success of the program... he would never have driven Grant out, told him to shut up in front of the players who adored him, undone his teachings, etc, etc... he would bring in ANYONE who can augment his skill set and make up for his shortcomings (goaltending, playmaking and defense)... instead he has automatons do exactly as he tells them, and does not allow them to do anything on their own.

 

[KnowItAll]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

There were Mainers who went elsewhere to play college hockey, even under Walsh. Some of them were pretty good. Let's not get carried away too much by a particular kid's decision.

That said, I agree completely with your other point. Who on earth would choose to play for Whitehead if he got even a glimmer of interest from York?

dumoulin's family advisor knows what is best for the kid's future

 

[MEbear]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

There were Mainers who went elsewhere to play college hockey, even under Walsh. Some of them were pretty good. Let's not get carried away too much by a particular kid's decision.

That said, I agree completely with your other point. Who on earth would choose to play for Whitehead if he got even a glimmer of interest from York?

Isn't that a LOT like saying, "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?" How can we ever expect to compete in a league where you agree that any kid would be crazy to come here if he had a chance to go and be coached by our competitions coaching staffs? Harvard might be able to make up for that in other ways, but we can't.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

That day, I vowed never to buy another bruins ticket as long as they are not trying to put the best possible product out on the ice, (and I haven't)

To be fair to the Bruins, there's now a salary cap and they spend to it. Now, given the ticket prices, I still wouldn't blame you

 

[rufus]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

I donate 0, I used to say as long as Blake James is AD you get 0 money, they haven't called lately they send letters. I guess I should send one back with my reasons for not donating.



As far as Asst coaches go, I agree, something should change. Whats one area where MAine forwards have really improved in the last 2 years. Faceoffs, who do you suppose is teaching that? Dan?, yeah right. He needs to hit the road and a guy who can coach goalies and D needs to be hired. I won't hold my breathe.

I completely agree. We may be stuck with whitehead for three more years, but there's no reason we have to be stuck with his useless assistant as well. The current AD, interim or not, should make it clear to TIMMAY that changes need to be made, and the first should be canning Danny and hiring someone who actually knows how to teach defense. After that, he can do something about the goalie coaching sityuation.

If the interim AD doesn't feel comfortable doing that, the new guy should, as on of his first acts.

 

[walrus]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

There were Mainers who went elsewhere to play college hockey, even under Walsh. Some of them were pretty good. Let's not get carried away too much by a particular kid's decision.

Yeah, Travis Roy,great example, but everyone knew Shawn went after him tooth and nail, did you hear that about Billett or Dumolin?

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

Yeah, Travis Roy,great example, but everyone knew Shawn went after him tooth and nail, did you hear that about Billett or Dumolin?

I was thinking later on - guys like Matt Libby.

 

[john g]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

Must be someone who can design that, I know someone who can make the tee. Great idea. Next time I see him I'll ask what something like that might cost per Tee

Wally,

I think we're onto something here....I've given it more thought and I think it would be more appropriate to have a ship "ss Maine hockey" or "ss Whitehead" getting sucked into a whirlpool with our fearless former AD and maybe even Purcell jumping off the ship.

If he could come up with something before the Frozen Four, I would be glad to model it in St. Paul!

 

[AtHomeAtTheAlfond]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

I want to see the D take the body, I want see a hip check when the opponent actually has the puck, I want to see something besides a stick check or a poke check. I want to see Maine finish a team not run out of gas or gag on a hair ball.

Agreed

 

[acs64]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

Wally,

I think we're onto something here....I've given it more thought and I think it would be more appropriate to have a ship "ss Maine hockey" or "ss Whitehead" getting sucked into a whirlpool with our fearless former AD and maybe even Purcell jumping off the ship.

If he could come up with something before the Frozen Four, I would be glad to model it in St. Paul!

I subscribe to the KISS principal....as an alternate or add on, I like a T that simply says Save Maine Hockey, Fire Whitehead. Short, sweet and to the point. Maybe everyone at the Garden or FF, who isnt in the know, gets a clear message from the Maine fans.

In the meantime, dont forget to spread the word to friends, family, bar buddies or anyone who'll lend an ear that Whitehead's "work" is ripping the program to shreds and a drastic change needs to be made fast. Anything we can do to push in that direction cant hurt.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

Wally,

I think we're onto something here....I've given it more thought and I think it would be more appropriate to have a ship "ss Maine hockey" or "ss Whitehead" getting sucked into a whirlpool with our fearless former AD and maybe even Purcell jumping off the ship.

If he could come up with something before the Frozen Four, I would be glad to model it in St. Paul!

You guys are getting a bit more creative here but I think there has to be a better way to do this.

For example, anything you have in Maine colors or with a Maine bear logo has to have the words Lake Superior State East on it.

Another good example... the LSSU logo is an anchor. Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're plunging deep into the abyss like an anchor so you need think about incorporating the anchor into it as well. Maybe have a ship with Whitehead at the wheel and a blackbear hanging onto the anchor down at the bottom of the ocean.

Lastly, I don't think it's a coincidence that you can't spell bLAcKbEaRS without "Lakers".... it's even in the right order. Pretty incredible coincidence.

 

[acs64]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

You guys are getting a bit more creative here but I think there has to be a better way to do this.

For example, anything you have in Maine colors or with a Maine bear logo has to have the words Lake Superior State East on it.

Another good example... the LSSU logo is an anchor. Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're plunging deep into the abyss like an anchor so you need think about incorporating the anchor into it as well.

Lastly, I don't think it's a coincidence that you can't spell bLAcKbEaRS without "Lakers".... it's even in the right order. Pretty incredible coincidence.

Nah....way to obscure. We're talking hawkey fans here.....gotta be direct. Most fans dont even know the history of the Lakers...cherist, they'd think LA

 

[carltonbarrett]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

While I wholeheartedly agree that TIMMAY isn't the right guy for Orono, I think that as much as it hurts, Maine fans have to accept the fact that the program will unlikely ever again reach the heights that it attained under Walsh, who through a perfect storm of circumstances, was able to build the program into the envy of the rest of D-1 hockey. Times have changed a lot since the glory days of the 90's and that is not 100% TIMMAY's fault.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

While I wholeheartedly agree that TIMMAY isn't the right guy for Orono, I think that as much as it hurts, Maine fans have to accept the fact that the program will unlikely ever again reach the heights that it attained under Walsh, who through a perfect storm of circumstances, was able to build the program into the envy of the rest of D-1 hockey. Times have changed a lot since the glory days of the 90's and that is not 100% TIMMAY's fault.

Agreed completely.

 

[AtHomeAtTheAlfond]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

While I wholeheartedly agree that TIMMAY isn't the right guy for Orono, I think that as much as it hurts, Maine fans have to accept the fact that the program will unlikely ever again reach the heights that it attained under Walsh, who through a perfect storm of circumstances, was able to build the program into the envy of the rest of D-1 hockey. Times have changed a lot since the glory days of the 90's and that is not 100% TIMMAY's fault.

I'm not sure that everyone is so much upset about not being the envy of the rest of D-1 hockey as we are about having an abysmal record against BU, BC, UNH the last few years, and going out in the HE quarterfinals.

Edit- There is a pretty big difference between being the envy of college hockey and consistently blowing 3 goal leads.

 

[MEbear]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

I'm not sure that everyone is so much upset about not being the envy of the rest of D-1 hockey as we are about having an abysmal record against BU, BC, UNH the last few years, and going out in the HE quarterfinals.

Edit- There is a pretty big difference between being the envy of college hockey and consistently blowing 3 goal leads.

Exactly, there's a WHOLE LOT of middle ground between where our program was in the 90's and where it is now. None of us are naive or unrealistic enough to expect lightning to strike twice in the same spot, but right now we are headed for the bottom of our league and fast, and the direction has to change.

 

[AMC]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

While I wholeheartedly agree that TIMMAY isn't the right guy for Orono, I think that as much as it hurts, Maine fans have to accept the fact that the program will unlikely ever again reach the heights that it attained under Walsh, who through a perfect storm of circumstances, was able to build the program into the envy of the rest of D-1 hockey. Times have changed a lot since the glory days of the 90's and that is not 100% TIMMAY's fault.

I agree in part and disagree in part. The landscape has completely changed- as Walsh was building Maine into a national power, he had to catch up to teams like Clarkson and St. Lawrence and LSSU and BU and Northern Michigan. Not major athletic powers who put most of their limited resources into hockey. It was easy for Maine to do the same. Now? BC has ACC money and spends it on hockey. Notre Dame takes the sport seriously. The Big Ten schools are printing money and using it on their hockey programs. Penn State is about to start up and is not going to spare a dime. Maine can't compete financially with those schools. Heck, Maine can't compete financially with the America East rivals it has.

On the other hand, it is a lot less expensive to MAINTAIN excellence than create or regain it. That's where the failure occurred, in my opinion. If Maine was still going to the tournament every year and was well regarded, it wouldn't need to spend millions to catch up to BC, BU, UNH. It would have been able to slowly make changes (new weight room one year, something else the next) instead of having something rotten from the core.

So, is it Timmy's fault Maine can't spend to catch up to the national programs right now? No in that it isn't his fault Maine doesn't have the money. But yes, it is his fault that Maine needs to spend that money.

What we had is gone and gone forever. Harold Alfond isn't walking through that door with a $50 million check for the athletic department.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

As I said before, there's no reason Maine can't be a perennial NCAA tourney team like Umile/UNH.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

Agreed completely.

It's been years since anyone disputed that point. It's a non-issue.

The point is: there's a middle ground between racking up the most frozen four appearances of any D-1 team (along with BC) and falling to complete irrelevance.

eta: Looks like MEbear got there first. Same argument.

 

[lewylew]

Re: Maine Off Season 2011

There were Mainers who went elsewhere to play college hockey, even under Walsh. Some of them were pretty good. Let's not get carried away too much by a particular kid's decision.

That said, I agree completely with your other point. Who on earth would choose to play for Whitehead if he got even a glimmer of interest from York?

I challenge you to name these "pretty good" Mainers that went on to other D1 schools. Besides Greg Moore, Matt Duffy, and Libby who were "pretty good", there isn't another kid that has come out of this state since Eric Weinrich to be drafted out of high school in the 2nd round and been as highly-touted as Dumoulin. Some above posters referenced to Billet, who as a goalie, is one of very few from Maine to play D1 hockey.