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Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

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Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

the calumet radar station.
Correct me if I'm wrong huskyfan, but when I was a AF ROTC cadet we visited it and it was active. It was part of the Pine Tree line, which was erected in the late 50's I think, as part of a radar warning network. this line was superseded by the DEW line a few years later and then they were all dismantled.

Fighters, usually F-101's or 102's, or possibly F-106's, often took off from KI Sawyer or Duluth, or Kinchloe, and run north for intercept exercises. The radar controllers might have been on site or might not have. I would bet they were, at least for a time.
This was not one of the top assignments someone might hope to get you understand.
I'd be extremely surprised if this was a priority target, but you have to understand the combatants had/have thousands of warheads. Thousands. so everywhere that was anything to do with the military was a target.I bet even dirty's house was a target.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

nmupiccdiva said:
So, you're saying it's not something that should be attempted in a Focus, but perhaps a GMC Sierra?
Click to expand...

If it's a 4x4 Sierra, sure. I'd also recommend a big can of bug spray and a bag lunch - it'll be a long day without either. ;)

Good to hear about the assistant coach. I'll overlook the Spartan ties if he helps get us on the winning path again. :p
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

The word out of the paint store is that Ben Johnson has not committed to Tech yet as his family is going through a rather tough time.
 
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Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

pbr said:
http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/whitten_damon01.html

If this is indeed true, it's good to see someone who comes from a very successful program. Someone who is used to winning, tends to take losing much more personal than someone who comes from a unsuccessful background. Let's hope he can instill a winning attitude in the program.
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He was a volunteer coach at MSU for the last two years.

Have you watched MSU the last two years
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

manurespreader said:
the calumet radar station.
Correct me if I'm wrong huskyfan, but when I was a AF ROTC cadet we visited it and it was active. It was part of the Pine Tree line, which was erected in the late 50's I think, as part of a radar warning network. this line was superseded by the DEW line a few years later and then they were all dismantled.

Fighters, usually F-101's or 102's, or possibly F-106's, often took off from KI Sawyer or Duluth, or Kinchloe, and run north for intercept exercises. The radar controllers might have been on site or might not have. I would bet they were, at least for a time.
This was not one of the top assignments someone might hope to get you understand.
I'd be extremely surprised if this was a priority target, but you have to understand the combatants had/have thousands of warheads. Thousands. so everywhere that was anything to do with the military was a target.I bet even dirty's house was a target.
Click to expand...

The base was active until September 1988.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

HE is the best we can do?!

puke.gif


I still say BRING BACK BATTY!! :mad:
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Shyiak seemed to like him when he signed him at UAA.

Russell was looking for a good communicator and energy guy.

It sounds like they found that in a relatively young coach.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Huskiefan906 said:
Shyiak seemed to like him when he signed him at UAA.

Russell was looking for a good communicator and energy guy.

It sounds like they found that in a relatively young coach.
Click to expand...

I agree, I think they were looking for a young, inexpensive guy who will work his tail off (which is what Chris Tok was). Since Whitten was only an unpaid assistant at his alma mater, after holding salaried assistant jobs elsewhere, it seems he's willing to work primarily for experience. We needed someone who is committed to helping us win in the next few years, though not necessarily committed to sticking around for a decade-long haul (since second assistants rarely do).

Finally, he may be a Brighton/SE Michigan native, but I'm not expecting to get much of a boost in recruiting from downstate. The CCHA schools still have the inside track on a lot of those guys.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

pbr said:
It's also nice to see someone with ties to southeast Michigan / Ontario. That area is a hotbed for talent and MTU has either had little success in landing these guys to come here or have neglected it in favor of western Canada. Nothing against western Canada, but the Huskies haven't been winning much with the boys coming in from there.
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By the way, I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion when more than half of our players are now Americans. 12 of the returning 21 players, in fact, plus 5 of the 9 incoming freshmen. It doesn't matter where we're getting our players, the trouble is getting the talented ones and keeping them healthy.

Also, it's tough to get decent talent out of Ontario now, with the way they diddled around with their various bantam, midget, and junior leagues' rules and requirements about a decade ago, so that a majority of the good prospects are railroaded into the OHL.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

No word out of the paint store today. But, I did see Jake Hauswirth driving a shiny new automobile on my way home.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Whitten has a lot more experience than you guys have given him credit for, and I think he is a great hire for the hockey program. I would bet that Tech offered him significantly more than what was listed in the job posting...job postings always show low-ball salaries.

He started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at MSU. He then left MSU to take a full time paying job as a real assistant coach for Wayne State, where he worked for 2 years before WSU ended their men's hockey program. He then worked as an assistant coach for Alaska Anchorage for two years, and left when he got an offer to come back to the great state of Michigan for the position of "director of hockey operations" at MSU. My guess is that after two years of that position at MSU, he probably decided he wanted to do more coaching and a bit less PR stuff...hence the move to the Husky program.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Madison Husky said:
Whitten has a lot more experience than you guys have given him credit for, and I think he is a great hire for the hockey program. I would bet that Tech offered him significantly more than what was listed in the job posting...job postings always show low-ball salaries.

He started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at MSU. He then left MSU to take a full time paying job as a real assistant coach for Wayne State, where he worked for 2 years before WSU ended their men's hockey program. He then worked as an assistant coach for Alaska Anchorage for two years, and left when he got an offer to come back to the great state of Michigan for the position of "director of hockey operations" at MSU. My guess is that after two years of that position at MSU, he probably decided he wanted to do more coaching and a bit less PR stuff...hence the move to the Husky program.
Click to expand...

I agree, He seems fine to me and I look forward to seeing the results of his work.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Madison Husky said:
Whitten has a lot more experience than you guys have given him credit for, and I think he is a great hire for the hockey program. I would bet that Tech offered him significantly more than what was listed in the job posting...job postings always show low-ball salaries.

He started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at MSU. He then left MSU to take a full time paying job as a real assistant coach for Wayne State, where he worked for 2 years before WSU ended their men's hockey program. He then worked as an assistant coach for Alaska Anchorage for two years, and left when he got an offer to come back to the great state of Michigan for the position of "director of hockey operations" at MSU. My guess is that after two years of that position at MSU, he probably decided he wanted to do more coaching and a bit less PR stuff...hence the move to the Husky program.
Click to expand...
The job posting had no $$$ figure ;)
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

The official announcement from Tech website:


Whitten Named Assistant Hockey Coach

HOUGHTON, Mich. - Michigan Tech athletic director Suzanne Sanregret announced today (June 6) that Damon Whitten has been hired as an assistant hockey coach. Whitten replaces Chris Tok, who left to take a head coaching position with the Austin (Minn.) Bruins of the North American Hockey League.

“I am excited to join Jamie and Pat at Michigan Tech,” said Whitten. “I am familiar with Michigan Tech from both my playing and coaching days Michigan State. I look forward to using my hard work and determination to help the Huskies return to its strong hockey tradition.”

For the past two years, Whitten served as the director of hockey operations at Michigan State where he was in charge of the team’s travel, video and budget.

Prior to that, he served a two-year stint as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Alaska Anchorage. From 2004-06, Whitten was an assistant coach at Wayne State.

“I am very excited to be able to add Damon to our staff,” said head coach Jamie Russell. “Damon has great recruiting experience having worked in the WCHA where he was instrumental in landing players that signed NHL contracts early from our league in Paul Crowder and Jay Beagle. Damon also recruited Tommy Grant who scored 15 goals as a sophomore and Kevin Clark who ranked second in the WCHA last season with 18 goals.

“Damon has a proven track record and has the personality to win recruiting battles. He has learned from tremendous mentors in Ron Mason, Rick Comley, Bill Wilkinson and Dave Shyiak. I remember Damon as a player from my days in the CCHA, and he had the work ethic that propelled him from a walk-on to a team captain of the class with the highest winning percentage in Michigan State hockey history. Damon will join Patrick and I to elevate Michigan Tech hockey up the WCHA ladder. We couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of recruiter, coach and person we have added in Damon.”

Whitten was a four-year hockey letterwinner for the Spartans from 1997-2001. He recorded 35 goals and 40 assists for 75 points in 166 career games. The Brighton, Mich., native was a two-time nominee for the NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award and was awarded the Blue Line President’s Award as the top senior scholar-athlete at Michigan State.

The holder of a bachelor’s degree in communication and master’s in sports administration from MSU, Whitten earned the Amo Bessone Award (athletic, scholastic and community service) and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Team selection.

Following his collegiate career, Whitten spent two seasons playing professionally in the East Coast Hockey League. He won a Kelly Cup title with the Greenville Grrrowl in 2001-02.

Whitten begins his appointment at Michigan Tech on June 15.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Just an FYI... there was a nice interview on 970 AM out of marquette on the Sportspen show with Coach Whitten. In a nutshell, he discussed how excited he was to be coming to Tech and how his job will be starting immediately with doing some recruiting in lower michigan while he is packing up for the move. He also spoke about playing under and working with Coaches Comley, Shyiak and Mason.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Hatch_man said:
Just an FYI... there was a nice interview on 970 AM out of marquette on the Sportspen show with Coach Whitten. In a nutshell, he discussed how excited he was to be coming to Tech and how his job will be starting immediately with doing some recruiting in lower michigan while he is packing up for the move. He also spoke about playing under and working with Coaches Comley, Shyiak and Mason.
Click to expand...

I think Damon is a good choice for Tech. The players liked him when he was at UAA, and I had several talks with him - he is very personable. I wish him luck, he's gonna need it.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason II: We Won as Much Hardware as Ovechkin!!

Word at work today is that someone heard through the vine that there's suppose to be a breaking news story out of the athletic department today...

Anyone know anything about this?

I figured at first that it was just typical UP news taking forever to keep up with the Whitten story. But apparently they ran that story right before they said this...

So, I guess we wait...or maybe the vine is a little twisted and no "breaking news" will happen...except for ctf robbing her new place of employment :rolleyes:
 
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