HarleyMC
Registered User
Re: Minnesota Gophers 2012-2013 Part II: Mmmm, Iron City Beer!
This is a fair assessment Gurt...good post. In terms of accountability, some seem to want to draw a circle of blame around either Lucia or the players. It's easy to overreact after a "sudden death" sting like this and call for Lucia's head or blame the players. I would draw a big circle around both. There's never only one primary source of adjustment needed in cases like this. One thing I'm sure of is the players and coaches seem honest enough to look inside themselves tonight and ask the hard questions. There are a number of negative systemic factors from both the players and coaches that affected the second half of the season and yesterday's outcome. I suspect many of these issues will be hashed and rehashed this off season, so for the moment there's no need to engage in that now.
But one thing I see happening that is counterproductive is calling for Lucia's head again. Don Lucia is most likely the Gopher head coach until he retires. Despite the early exits, tDon is an excellent coach. I also think he's honest enough to engage in some soul searching tonight and in the long days ahead to adjust and improve for next season.
They've also seen two teams that appeared to have all the pieces for a deep run get beat in the first round by a 15 seed. As a fan, you hate to see those opportunities squandered coz even the top programs don't get those every year.
Now in 06, they weren't gonna win anyway coz they couldn't beat us with Els. I'm not saying that to troll or be cute. That was our year. But I'm sure the fans (and the team) would have LOVED a shot at us in Milwaukee. I was thankful that they didn't get that shot. I was confident, but no need to play with fire.
This year though. This year they had it all and there wasn't/isn't another team this year with as many of the pieces. Yes, 06 was a better Gopher team, but this year was better relative to the competition.
The only thing missing this year was the drive and will to play to their ability for a full 60 on a consistent basis. Look at the 3rd period today. That's the potential that this team had and failed to live up to. Play like that right out of the gate today and Yale has no chance.
I understand why the fans are frustrated, but I think the people who want Lucia gone are misguided. Players play and coaches coach. I'm sure that the message from tDon was to come out firing, lay it all on the line, leave it all on the ice etc. Why the players failed to take that message to heart is on them.
It happens. It just means that the makeup of the room was flawed. Not every team with great assets is able to put them all together.
Burd - I don't often disagree with you, but the top programs want to see high quality hockey... that eventually leads to titles. Squandering chances to compete for titles is gonna chap people. Seeing high quality hockey is for the in-between years. This wasn't supposed to be an in-between year for the Gophers.
There's my outsider's take on Gopherdom. Maybe I'm off base, but that's how it looks from over here in deer-****ing country.
This is a fair assessment Gurt...good post. In terms of accountability, some seem to want to draw a circle of blame around either Lucia or the players. It's easy to overreact after a "sudden death" sting like this and call for Lucia's head or blame the players. I would draw a big circle around both. There's never only one primary source of adjustment needed in cases like this. One thing I'm sure of is the players and coaches seem honest enough to look inside themselves tonight and ask the hard questions. There are a number of negative systemic factors from both the players and coaches that affected the second half of the season and yesterday's outcome. I suspect many of these issues will be hashed and rehashed this off season, so for the moment there's no need to engage in that now.
But one thing I see happening that is counterproductive is calling for Lucia's head again. Don Lucia is most likely the Gopher head coach until he retires. Despite the early exits, tDon is an excellent coach. I also think he's honest enough to engage in some soul searching tonight and in the long days ahead to adjust and improve for next season.
