Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

The students weren't even there and it couldn't hold a Friday afternoon game.

"Students weren't there"....umm hello it's thanksgiving break. And I'm not sure what you mean by "couldn't hold a friday afternoon game"...

I don't mind having a small arena, you're close to the action. It doesn't bother me that only 2700 can see the game...I don't understand how that matters.

A lot of your negatives, to me and other hockey fans are positives. Where else in hockey east can you watch a game standing literally on the glass with no one sitting behind you saying "sit down".

No one is saying Lawler is a great arena...but to say it's terrible because it only holds 2700 and people have to stand is kind of stupid. (Also no one HAS to stand...they only sell 2776 or however many seats there are in the arena, so those standing are doing so out of their own free will not because there isn't a seat for them).

I enjoy the small arena, and I enjoy that we can fill it. Too many times have I gone to games at Matthews and basically the ENTIRE upper bowl is empty save the student section.

Students this year at Lawler have been absolutely phenomenal, close to 700 a game.

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Salvo, I asked you before what your problem with BC was and you went on some spiel about how you actually love BC. What is the obsession? Forget about BC. Enjoy your team. Nobody is saying you shouldn't be excited...you definitely should be. Preseason predictions happen every year. Let me ask you something, who was your pick to win Hockey East this year?

Take a chill pill, nothing I said in that post was meant as a negative towards Boston College. Maybe you misread my tone, I can see how the second paragraph may seem condescending but I didn't mean it that way, I consider the BC roster one of the best in college hockey myself, and taking a season series from a team like that is something to get exited about. That is all.

I picked BC to win HE this season just like any sane person would when looking at the roster, that program and that coach. It was a bad example to use because I can understand how it can be taken out of context. What I mean by that is that there are some people that I know, one of my best friends included, that made that pre-season pick more than a preseason pick and pretty much was talking how great another trophy is going to look inside Conte Forum.

There is a difference between pre-season picks and "crowning a team HE champs" 1/3 of the way through the season. So what I meant is that no Merrimack fan here is doing that..and if they are then they need to heed Sterlippo's advice.

 

[irishfan85]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

This is the problem with the alumni. It's not, big boys vs. little boys, it's that you put up with it. Please do not put Lawlor in the same breath as Alfond, Matthews, The Gutt, or Whittemore. Lawlor doesn't belong in the same breath as 3/4 of the DIII arenas. Seriously, it's ignorant to defend that place. The students weren't even there and it couldn't hold a Friday afternoon game. The sad part is the locals are great hockey fans. There have been numerous local players to go on to college and the pro's, they would jump on this program in a heartbeat if they ever invested in it. Don't talk about resources, if the school wanted to commit to the program it would. The arena hasn't changed, other that some Mary Kay cosmetic touch ups, since the 80's. To be in hockeyeast and have people standing 5 rows deep ice level is pathetic. It doesn't happen at any other of your Lawlor "comparables".

You are stuck in the 80's when the place would rock for games against Bowdoin. The team has definitely progressed to big time, time for the rink to follow suit. Instead of defending the place, demand a better facility.

First off, I'm not an alum. I'm just a local who enjoys college hockey a lot. I went to a school that does not have a hockey program in another part of the country. You are one bitter human being. With chairback seats, the teams no longer having to walk through the crowd, better ice surface, etc., the Lawler (you seem to have a spelling problem for going to such a "prestigious" school) is not a "terrible" rink.

Personally, I'd rather play at a facility that is hockey only than in a basketball facility. Yes, I'd rather play for a winning BC program, but out of all the "big four," I'd rather play at UNH, Maine or BU because hockey is the number one sport on campus and don't play second fiddle to bouncy ball.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

What I mean by that is that there are some people that I know, one of my best friends included, that made that pre-season pick more than a preseason pick and pretty much was talking how great another trophy is going to look inside Conte Forum.

Fair enough, but perhaps you should construct your posts to reflect what goes on here on the board. If you're talking about the Regular Season title, BC fans know better than to just say it's a given BC will win it. It just hasn't worked that way under York.

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

I'd rather play at UNH, Maine or BU because hockey is the number one sport on campus and don't play second fiddle to bouncy ball.

Come on now... give the pigskin a little love, BC just qualified for their 12th straight bowl game

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Firs ting, I like Merrimacks, no problem wif dem at alls.

Mais, mon dieu I was at zee Lawler dis weekends pour zee Warrior yute hockey turnament. I tink der maybe 40 peoples at de game. So we goes et sit on de side with the nice seats. Et some nimrod wif Staff rited on his coat tell us we not allow to sit der we need a go to da side wif da bleecheur.

Eh? Wotdf! Oh non, we sitted in you preshis plastique seet wif da back on it oh my gods we can't do dat. Dont you knowing how grate deez is, you can't sit on dem, you mite wear out de plastique, we tryin to keep dem nice. Mon Dieu, it was so small time it not even funny. You'd tink we asked to sit on zee queens velvet trown or someting.

Zat kinda da probleme wif da Mack, zey got a small time mentalty someting wicked. Zey gotta get ovure dat.

i love this guy's posts...........btw, a packed Lawler or 1100 in Schneider? i'd say A, a packed Lawler but the way PC is playing hopefully the fans will come back there too

 

[irishfan85]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Come on now... give the pigskin a little love, BC just qualified for their 12th straight bowl game

I know this was sarcasm. I love college football a ton, but just look at where the almighty BC has been sent for bowl games. This is what irritates me about some of the pompous BC fans like Kenny (NOT ALL BC fans) criticizing Merrimack's facility. Yes, it is not up to par with some of the rest in the league, but now with the chairback seats, it is every bit as good as Schneider and as I said some of the other arenas have their issues with concession and bathroom lines. However, BC is small potatoes when they take their game to Division I College Football. Look where they have ended up for bowl games. It's all I'll say.

Let's get back to talking Merrimack hockey. I'm definitely expecting a big win tonight in Cambridge. The Crimson are struggling. Merrimack must stay focused and take care of business tonight.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Compared to other schools with similar academic standards and taking into account the lack of fan support/recruits in the area, I think BC football has done pretty darn well in competing in the ACC. In the years BC made the ACC title game, they beat Virginia Tech in the regular season. What this tells me is that BC CAN win the ACC and someday will. That's nothing to scoff about. The fact they are passed over for better bowls is strictly a financial decision. Other ACC schools travel better than BC.

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Let's get back to talking Merrimack hockey. I'm definitely expecting a big win tonight in Cambridge. The Crimson are struggling. Merrimack must stay focused and take care of business tonight.

you should EXPECT to take 5 out of 6 points this week anything less would be meh..........then again, 2 are road games but taking both of those sure would go a ways in shaking the "cant win on the road" issue

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

However, BC is small potatoes when they take their game to Division I College Football. Look where they have ended up for bowl games. It's all I'll say.

HAHAHAHAHAHAA.

That's all you have to say, huh? Wow. It's all you need to say for someone to realize you don't know anything about college football or BC football. Because of the distance from bowl country, size of the school, and location in a pro sports town, there are two bowls for BC. 1. Orange Bowl. 2. Non-BCS. They are all the same after the Orange Bowl. BC's bad bowl destinations (ie - not the Orange Bowl) are a function of the team not winning the ACC. And they've been pretty close twice. They've had Heisman campaigns recently, they've been #2 recently, they've been in 2 ACC title games. Small potatoes? They stand pretty tall for a small school in a pro sports town (not bad being in a division with Clemson, FSU, NC State, and Maryland).

 

[irishfan85]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Compared to other schools with similar academic standards and taking into account the lack of fan support/recruits in the area, I think BC football has done pretty darn well in competing in the ACC. In the years BC made the ACC title game, they beat Virginia Tech in the regular season. What this tells me is that BC CAN win the ACC and someday will. That's nothing to scoff about. The fact they are passed over for better bowls is strictly a financial decision. Other ACC schools travel better than BC.

All of which is precisely my point. Mark Dennehy has done a great job, turning around the program. However, Merrimack is a small school with not as many resources and not as many alumni to draw more than 2700 and to be able to build a fancy arena with all kinds of bells and whistles like more concession stands and bathrooms.

Alumni Stadium is not as nice of a facility or as big as many of the behemoths in college football. There is far less fan support for BC football compared to Clemson, NC State, Va Tech, FSU, etc. That is why they get shipped to Boise and San Francisco. Their coaching staffs over the years have done more with little and produced some good QB's and some very good linemen.

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Alumni Stadium is not as nice of a facility or as big as many of the behemoths in college football.

it's not as big but it is surely a nice facility, ever been to a BC football game there? you should, it's great and a terrific place to be on a nice fall saturday watching college football

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Compared to other schools with similar academic standards and taking into account the lack of fan support/recruits in the area, I think BC football has done pretty darn well in competing in the ACC. In the years BC made the ACC title game, they beat Virginia Tech in the regular season. What this tells me is that BC CAN win the ACC and someday will. That's nothing to scoff about. The fact they are passed over for better bowls is strictly a financial decision. Other ACC schools travel better than BC.

Two words, Matt Ryan. Their offense has been nearly stagnant since he left. How does a program go from a first round draft pick at QB to a minor-league baseball player turned football who has close to zero football decision making knowledge?

I have a feeling the program was just on its head after the TOB and Jag scandals and recruitment suffered big time. I hope Spaz can turn it around he's a stand-up guy, but I don't know if he belongs behind the reins of a football program that is constantly on the upper-end of mediocrity, they need someone who can give them that last shove into the upper-elite. It's not far away.

Defense on the other hand...quite impressive which is definitely testament to what Spaz has done on that side of the ball.

As for Merrimack tonight, I expect nothing but a mopping of Harvard. Not a hard arena to play in, I'm sure all the Harvard fans will be hard at work in their studies, finals are around the corner

Also really looking forward to heading to Matthews on Friday, my favorite HE arena by far.

 

[irishfan85]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Alumni Stadium is not as nice of a facility or as big as many of the behemoths in college football.

it's not as big but it is surely a nice facility, ever been to a BC football game there? you should, it's great and a terrific place to be on a nice fall saturday watching college football

Yes, I have been to about 10 college football games at Alumni Stadium. I've also been to games at UNC, Clemson, Wake, Georgia and Notre Dame. Alumni is nice, but it isn't anything to write home about compared to the nice facilities at beautiful campuses in the south with a big time college atmosphere.

I'm not here to denigrate BC's football program, but guys like Kenny insist on putting Merrimack down, so I will point out that BC is to the ACC as Merrimack is to Hockey East in terms of facilities, fan support and resources.

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Yes, I have been to about 10 college football games at Alumni Stadium. I've also been to games at UNC, Clemson, Wake, Georgia and Notre Dame. Alumni is nice, but it isn't anything to write home about compared to the nice facilities at beautiful campuses in the south with a big time college atmosphere.

I'm not here to denigrate BC's football program, but guys like Kenny insist on putting Merrimack down, so I will point out that BC is to the ACC as Merrimack is to Hockey East.

Don't think I'd go that far, if we're talking pure football and not bball too....Duke lol

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Two words, Matt Ryan. Their offense has been nearly stagnant since offensive coordinator Logan left.

Fixed your post. Offense wasn't that bad with Chris Crane.

 

[Kenny]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

I know this was sarcasm. I love college football a ton, but just look at where the almighty BC has been sent for bowl games. This is what irritates me about some of the pompous BC fans like Kenny (NOT ALL BC fans) criticizing Merrimack's facility. Yes, it is not up to par with some of the rest in the league, but now with the chairback seats, it is every bit as good as Schneider and as I said some of the other arenas have their issues with concession and bathroom lines. However, BC is small potatoes when they take their game to Division I College Football. Look where they have ended up for bowl games. It's all I'll say.

Let's get back to talking Merrimack hockey. I'm definitely expecting a big win tonight in Cambridge. The Crimson are struggling. Merrimack must stay focused and take care of business tonight.

Dude, I grew up in Merrimack's rink. I'm not pompous, I'm simply stating the facts. The place hasn't really changed since I was lugging my bag in there decades ago. I realize you are a die hard supporter, and that's great, I also pull for Merrimack and have for a long time. My point is that the more you stick up for the place, the longer it will be before they knock a wall or two down and make it bigger. The better the team gets the bigger an issue this will become. Don't mistake my comments for being pompous pro-BC (because I don't think I've even mentioned that team's facility), take them as protesting the Merrimack administration for not adequately supporting the hockey program. Merrimack fans need to be heard. Don't take solace in the half arsed renovations and the alumni/supporter beer drinking room, think bigger!

But if you want to resort to mudslinging and name calling, then we can do that to.

 

[irishfan85]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Dude, I grew up in Merrimack's rink. I'm not pompous, I'm simply stating the facts. The place hasn't really changed since I was lugging my bag in there decades ago. I realize you are a die hard supporter, and that's great, I also pull for Merrimack and have for a long time. My point is that the more you stick up for the place, the longer it will be before they knock a wall or two down and make it bigger. The better the team gets the bigger an issue this will become. Don't mistake my comments for being pompous pro-BC (because I don't think I've even mentioned that team's facility), take them as protesting the Merrimack administration for not adequately supporting the hockey program. Merrimack fans need to be heard. Don't take solace in the half arsed renovations and the alumni/supporter beer drinking room, think bigger!

But if you want to resort to mudslinging and name calling, then we can do that to.

As a long time supporter of the hockey program, you're **** right I'd like a new arena or walls to be torn down, but unfortunately, there are many things at play here. A lack of resources and bickering from the two adjacent towns regarding environmental stuff and the like.

I, too, played youth and high school hockey at Merrimack. It is a far cry from what it was. The visitor locker rooms are no longer what we used to get dressed in for youth and high school games. They have Merrimack's old locker room. Merrimack now has a state of the art locker room that is nicer than Maine's, yet no where near as nice as BC's. The bleachers are being replaced with chair back seats. There is now a fairly nice BLC room, compared to when it was the Warrior Club in the squash court and basketball gym. There is the ability to buy tickets online for a cheaper than Ticketmaster "ordering fee" if you don't want to wait in line. I'll tell you there is at least one Hockey East school that you cannot buy tickets online. The school's athletic website is better, they have highlights after every home game, which is really nice. A lot of things have been done really nicely. Of course, I'd love a plush, yet small arena with the cozi confines and feeling like you're right on top of the ice, but someone needs to donate lots of money for that to happen.

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Fixed your post. Offense wasn't that bad with Chris Crane.

haha true that, Dominque Davis wasn't all that bad either, I liked his style...too bad his grades couldn't hold up. Look at what he's doing now for ECU: 3700 yards, 36 TDs, rating of 137.59. If they had found some way to keep him around I think they could have groomed a nice offense around him, maybe running some option plays too.

Regardless, I think it's clear that after TOB left and the Jag scandal went down, recruitment fell by the wayside.

As for the Lawls...part of the problem Kenny is quite simply money. We don't have the alumni support, nor do we have the sized endowment required for "knocking" walls down. Something needed to be done now to bring Merrimack's facilities up above a laughable standard.

I think further down the road when the program has solidified itself as a contender year in and year out, and the college grows financially, then we can talk about walls being busted down and roofs raised. Until then though, hell, I'm happy to be sitting in a chair and not a bench

 

[northeastern]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Looking forward to seeing the Warriors Friday. You have a very good team this season. The Huskies have not really played that well at home (save last home gm), but are now somewhat getting it together.

I see a close gm Fri. I give the edge to Merrimack Sat for sure. The only thing that might favor us ..it'll be your 3rd gm in 5 days but that may not even be a factor.

I do look forward to being at Lawler Saturday, nice facility or not. We're so spoilt. Buy a ticket, get a seat..just enjoy college hockey . There's a lot that needs to be factored in ($$ wise) when making a decision vis-a-vis education spending /sports facility upgrade at a smaller school. Well.. gluck tonight.