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MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

I wouldn't call it "mind-boggling" to finish 2nd and make the tournament. I'd say it's roughly a coinflip right now (assuming they win their next four games and don't damage their RPI before the playoffs start). Assuming neutral results elsewhere, MN finishing 2nd in the Final Five probably puts them squarely on the bubble in the 14th-16th overall range. From there, it's a question of what happens with teams like RPI, Dartmouth, WMU, and UNH to name a few (I'm intentionally omitting UW/CC here because I think one of them will be MN's first round opponent - which means the winner of that series will win the comparison).
 
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Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Brenthoven said:
You need to tell the wet blanket to come out with us, gosh darnit. She's missing good times. :(
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Apparently when you buy a house, have to make mortgage payments, buying paint, a refrigerator, couches and other odds and ends you don't have a lot of money you want to spend on going out.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Biddco said:
Apparently when you buy a house, have to make mortgage payments, buying paint, a refrigerator, couches and other odds and ends you don't have a lot of money you want to spend on going out.
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She doesn't have to spend money. Actually many bars downtown won't charge for pop if you're DDing.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Brenthoven said:
She doesn't have to spend money. Actually many bars downtown won't charge for pop if you're DDing.
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Well parking and cover! A whole ten dollars!

I would expect UMTC to sweep this series. But I am hopeful Tech can take a point from this series.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

She can spend zero on parking - just go to a park and ride and hop the train (cheaper for a pair of train tickets than to park).
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

state of hockey said:
The only thing is that the Gophers have been at their downright worst against downright bad teams this season.
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They have had their moments, and this series totally has trap game written all over it. However they did handle business against Tech last time, and if they can't do it again this team probably doesn't deserve to build up the bandwagon going into the playoffs. But I'm still hoping and think they can make NCAA with only one F5 win with some help, but would likely have to win at least 2. But then again, if you're going to win 2, why not put it all together and win all 3 to make it easy? Sounds like a good plan to me.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Perhaps she just doesn't want to hang out with you losers.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Stauber1 said:
I just don't think Lucia's job is dependent on an NCAA tourney appearance this year. I think the team has shown a lot of improvement over the second half, and I think Maturi truly believes in Lucia's abilities.
At the beginning of the year I was on board saying the Gophers had to finish in the top half and make the NCAAs to warrant keeping Lucia. But at this time, I think the program has shown signs of moving in the right direction, and I think they are going to be yet more competitive next year. My guess is that Maturi sees it the same way.
I also think there were some elements to the Gophers' struggles the past few years that will be taken into consideration.
Just my opinion.

As far as Russell and the contract issues, I'll cede to you on those points.
But regardless, the past 3 years have been abysmal for Tech hockey.
Typically I consider MTU to be a pretty average D1 team that struggles to compete in the high-powered WCHA. But the past 3 years have just been bad. It's hard to imagine coach Russell has much credibility left, fair or not.
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I think you're right about Don Lucia. The Gophers have played well against good teams (this last weekend was very good), have shown "some" improvement lately, and they're still basically a young team. UMN is not about to buyout his contract and your point on Maturi's trust in Lucia is right on. I think we need to keep mind as well, that coaching changes in college do not reflect the same financial protocol as in pro hockey. My opinion is Don Lucia is still one of the top college hockey coaches in the country. Don's got a lot left in the tank and my opinion is he'll be around for a few more years.

But I wouldn't be surprised if John Hill took another head coaching job somewhere in the not too distant future.:eek:
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

HarleyMC said:
But I wouldn't be surprised if John Hill took another head coaching job somewhere in the not too distant future.:eek:
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Edina is looking for a peewee B2 coach for next year. Some of those kids will need some encouragement. :)
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Let's give him to Mankato State of Minnesota Technical College.


Edit: Although I would miss seeing Corky blow up at the refs.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Stauber1 said:
As far as Russell and the contract issues, I'll cede to you on those points.
But regardless, the past 3 years have been abysmal for Tech hockey.
Typically I consider MTU to be a pretty average D1 team that struggles to compete in the high-powered WCHA. But the past 3 years have just been bad. It's hard to imagine coach Russell has much credibility left, fair or not.
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Money is definitely the only reason that I think Russell could be extended 1-2 years, which is the only option the AD has other than scraping together the money to buy out his last year (and likely the last year of lead assistant Mikesch too, so about $200k total). I don't see how letting a lame duck coach try to recruit for and coach a program that he won't be in charge of come next March helps the program at all.

The word is that many of the players' parents still have a positive attitude about the direction of the program going into next season. Granted they are parents, but if their kids weren't learning/developing and were unhappy with the coaches, I think they would know about it.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

HarleyMC said:
But I wouldn't be surprised if John Hill took another head coaching job somewhere in the not too distant future.:eek:
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I think most of us are hoping that will happen. What better way for Hill to get a job offer then the success of the program? So that's reason enough for the Gophers to step it up.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Brenthoven said:
Any of the local Techies going to be in attendance? how about the non-locals? Sounds like a couple of us will try and be at Sat's game, with probable SENANICANS afterwards.

I do hope that no more MTU players get hurt. Not that it really matters for the season; I just hate injuries. Also, a word to the wise: wear extra-thick shinguards. Fairchild has been known to try and take out opponents' legs by shooting pucks into them.
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I'm in for both games!
Decided on my way home at 6:30 Sunday morning that I was going to stay.

P.S. Thanks for the hospitality, Brent. I woke up and decided to go home. See you this weekend!
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Lucia stays. Maturi would rather have a lame duck hockey coach during his last year of retirement. Both contracts are up at 2012.
 
Re: MTU @ MN: Whose coach gets fired first?

Why is Friday's game a 6:30 p.m. local start?
 
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