Leather Lungs
New member
Aren't you guys ever tempted to drop to the Atlantic Conference? Y'know, have an honest shot at an autobid every couple of years. Would recruiting really fall off that much? Are you on NESN all that often?
http://merrimackathletics.com/news/...ockey-announces-broadcast-deal-with-nesn.aspxAren't you guys ever tempted to drop to the Atlantic Conference? Y'know, have an honest shot at an autobid every couple of years. Would recruiting really fall off that much? Are you on NESN all that often?
That is definitely a good thing, but all three games will be on "NESN National." Does that mean simulcast on NESN National or only on NESN National?
Their inability to score is incredibly frustrating. 57th in the nation in scoring, and just got swept by a team that is 59th! But hey, you know, just didn't get the bounces, or maybe this time it was bad puck luck. We're "gritty". You know, like that gritty effort back-checking on BC's winning goal. Watch the highlights as they loaf back until they realize, "Oooops, maybe we should actually try to play some D", and then it's too late. Frustrating.
At least Pantano is playing well, and the defense has tightened up.
Aren't you guys ever tempted to drop to the Atlantic Conference? Y'know, have an honest shot at an autobid every couple of years. Would recruiting really fall off that much? Are you on NESN all that often?
Aren't you guys ever tempted to drop to the Atlantic Conference? Y'know, have an honest shot at an autobid every couple of years. Would recruiting really fall off that much? Are you on NESN all that often?
Go back to 2001 with this garbage question.
So you are tempted then.
Probably not an unfair question to be honest. But the answer is most definitely NO. The schools aspirations are huge - they've pretty much rebuilt the entire campus (looks amazing btw) and are driving hard towards making MC a nationally recognized school; and athletics is really the center of that. President Hopey is asbolutely crazy about the sports programs, and have invested millions upon millions of dollars over the last few years. Hockey being the shining light on the hill.. playing the big boys, selling out games, being on TV.. even though we aren't good, for some reason there's an aura around the program - a weird reputation that depicts hockey as some great prestigious program.. when in reality, outside of campus, its not.
But its a microcosm of the mentality of MC. Frankly, that mentality has been really successful in D2 athletics (we're probably at the stage in all other sports where we should be moving up to D1).. but that hasn't translated to hockey. I'm not sure we'll ever really grow as a hockey program until the school grows substantially. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if football overtakes hockey at MC when they move D1.
It's idiotic. Who in college hockey is moving down? Seriously Merrimack has not been nearly as bad as Umass over the last few years, but Merrimack should leave the league? Please......
It's idiotic. Who in college hockey is moving down? Seriously Merrimack has not been nearly as bad as Umass over the last few years, but Merrimack should leave the league? Please......
I dunno, FB/BB haven't really overtaken hockey at places like UNH, Maine and Lowell. I could see basketball potentially flourishing. Much cheaper to run a bball program than football (scholarships, title 9 etc)
That's true - I'm basing that off of what I've seen when we play D1 schools in football; the support is usually pretty good. New stadium, new to D1 excitement; will definitely bring some good crowds.. how it will translate years down the road.. idk. But I know Hopey REALLY wants to see Football on the big stage.
Basketball needs a new arena - I don't thnk they'd compete with the hockey crowd.. mainly because hockey east is a bigger draw than NEC or whatever we join.
Anyone thinking we should drop from hockey east...shaking my head at you. We've done more with our limited resources than most schools with infinitely more than us. Our program actually MAKES money. We also don't play in empty arenas like some other places. Overall great for the school, great for the community.
I think they'd probably put a floor down in the Lawler for the bigger b-ball games, at least to start. Would probably be more than adequate unless the program really catches fire. There are perennial tournament teams who have crappier gyms than the Lawler I'm pretty sure.
I'm definitely going to check out their new rink. I'm biased because it'll be ten minute from my house.
Speaking of bias, this is probably the time of weekend that Eastern Bias starts looking at USCHO, anything of tremendous importance I can talk about for you guys to retweet?