Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

[HHound]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

Who the hell cares who the AD is? You can probably count the number of people on one hand who would not go to a hockey game because of who our AD is. Probably the few people who cared about football and swore off all NU athletics until he moves on.

Digging way to deep here people. Peter Roby, not some scary monster out keeping fans from hockey at Matthews.
.

He's not a "scary monster", just an arrogant, unfriendly, insincere character. Please make an effort to have a conversation with him on Saturday night (if you can find him). Then just, for kicks, ask him why he took a certain action. After his explanation (if he deigns to give one), disagree with him. See what he does next!

I could tell you what his reaction will be, but why should I spoil your fun.

 

[claver2010]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

For the BC guys that monitor this thread: If GDF were still the AD at BC and I was able to wave a magic wand that put PR at BC and GDF at NU, I'd say NU got a steal.

That bad?

 

[Happy Husky Victory!]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

He's not a "scary monster", just an arrogant, unfriendly, insincere character. Please make an effort to have a conversation with him on Saturday night (if you can find him). Then just, for kicks, ask him why he took a certain action. After his explanation (if he deigns to give one), disagree with him. See what he does next!

I could tell you what his reaction will be, but why should I spoil your fun.

Well said. You described exactly what would happen (assuming a person could find him at the game). Anybody who has not met the BOZO needs to approach him and follow those instructions above.

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

You know, Cronin did move to a BETTER job. Its not like he went to some 2nd tier minor league team. Assisstant on the Toronto Mapleleafs is a pretty good, well paid, gig. Alot of people probably be an assistant there then a HC in some NHL cities. I know I rather be Cronin then whoever is the head guy in Florida or Carolina or Columbus, or Phoenix. He might have taken it even if he was best buddies with Roby.

Again, who cares about Roby or his personality? As long as all the teams stay compliant, he stays out of the way and lets the coaches coach, we do not rank near the bottom in graduation % or top student athletes, to me he is doing his job. If he does not have metrics measuring attendance or anything along those lines, well why would he bother paying attenton to it?

He does his job. If he does not want to be friendly to students or alumni, so be it. People wanna complain about Cronin's "treatment" over the butt texting, remember that was just the version that came out on message boards. Nothing else ever did. So nobody REALLY knows what happened there. And lets keep in mind, the NCAA did not come in and do further damage, so Roby, while to the rest of us might have seen the suspension for a few games as to much, Roby might have done enough damage control on his end to keep the program from getting in more trouble. Remember due to mens hoops violations, NU was already under watch...

Again though, we have Clay Witt carrying this team on his shoulders to a possible 2nd place finish, and people are worried about Roby?

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

Again though, we have Clay Witt carrying this team on his shoulders to a possible 2nd place finish, and people are worried about Roby?

..no, just that.. due the low attendance PERHAPS he, with his clout/ power (read budget) can find more creative ways to boost attendance going forward.. is all.

I agree.. if he stays out of Madigan & co's team business..that is great. Yet part of the ADs job is to discover.. hey, we got a good thing going here.. let's promote the heck out of it! How do you think he'd act if (for arguement's sake) our men's hoops were in the top 12.. ? Exactly.. he should bring the same sort of assets & enthusiasm here..

..and if he hasn't done it so far.. okay Roby, change..

 

[walrus655321]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

Hey, the students got a really sweet Paws Bobblehead after sitting through yet another home loss by our 9-20 basketball team. That was some great promotional work by Roby & Co!

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

..no, just that.. due the low attendance PERHAPS he, with his clout/ power (read budget) can find more creative ways to boost attendance going forward.. is all.

I agree.. if he stays out of Madigan & co's team business..that is great. Yet part of the ADs job is to discover.. hey, we got a good thing going here.. let's promote the heck out of it! How do you think he'd act if (for arguement's sake) our men's hoops were in the top 12.. ? Exactly.. he should bring the same sort of assets & enthusiasm here..

..and if he hasn't done it so far.. okay Roby, change..

I dont think he would be any different. Talk to the hoops people who goto the conference tournament each. They have nothing positive to say about him when he goes their either, if he even shows up. The basketball team has had some good years under him too. And since he is all about male/female fairness, its not like he has gone out of his way to make the womens hoops team better by hiring better coaches.

I honestly think he is just not interested in certain parts of his role, that being marketing and winning teams. I think he likes being on the NCAA tournament selection committee and having a platform to speak his mind. Hiring and firing coaches, watching or tweeting about his teams, not his thing. High graduation rates and compliance, more up his ally.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

well.. he does tweet a lot. has done his bit on our women's hockey lately.. some highlight goals, other video etc.

but.. changing gears now.. tomorrow's gm @ bu is on nesn & also.. they're having a jack parker night (retiring his jersey etc) so I know their team will be fired up for that. here's hoping Huskies bring some energy & not let the opponent dictate the gm. Play sound hockey like you are capable of, NU. Play hard, play with discipline & overall have fun! we got 2 gms with these guys.. let's bring some intensity this wknd. go Huskies

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

reg gms going into final wknd..
outcomes..

http://www.uscho.com/2014/02/27/the...s-for-hockey-east-teams-on-the-final-weekend/

nice job by Connelly.

 

[HHound]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

Again, who cares about Roby or his personality? As long as all the teams stay compliant, he stays out of the way and lets the coaches coach, we do not rank near the bottom in graduation % or top student athletes, to me he is doing his job. If he does not have metrics measuring attendance or anything along those lines, well why would he bother paying attenton to it?

He does his job. If he does not want to be friendly to students or alumni, so be it. People wanna complain about Cronin's "treatment" over the butt texting, remember that was just the version that came out on message boards. Nothing else ever did. So nobody REALLY knows what happened there. And lets keep in mind, the NCAA did not come in and do further damage, so Roby, while to the rest of us might have seen the suspension for a few games as to much, Roby might have done enough damage control on his end to keep the program from getting in more trouble. Remember due to mens hoops violations, NU was already under watch...


?

H'01
When is the last time that you conversed with the man? He is supposed to be both a manager of the Athletics area and and AMBASSADOR and Chief Fundraiser for the athletic programs. When he blows off students, he is blowing off future alumni. When he is rude to alumni he is alienating current donors, whose help is needed to help the individual programs to offer the little extra touches that are needed to be competitive. He does very little to help the alumni to identify with their favorite team or to feel as though they are a part of it. Does that answer your question about why we care about Roby and his "personality".

As for your question about who really knows what happened: Many of us do. During the past three years, some of us, including myself, have had extensive conversations with the former coaches as well as Amanda Braun and other members of the administration. We've heard both sides of the story. In brief, Roby couldn't manage Cronin. Cronin was simply too aggressive for his liking. He was already making life difficult for the coaches when the texting violation, (which was happening elsewhere, from Boston to Colorado) surfaced. This was the perfect cover for him to turn the screws while pointing out how we had to be squeeky clean as we sought to pay penance for Everhart's transgressions.

He slapped the incoming coaches with a variety of restrictions, which hobbled them during their attempts to rebuild the program. I believe he hit us with more restrictive measures than the NCAA would have. His gravest sin, IMO, was letting Johnny Gaudreau out of his LOI without any restrictions that could have kept him from attending another HEA team - which he could have, and should have done. At least he appeared to have learned something from that screwup, because he backed JM when Szmatula tried to get out of his obligation last summer. Good GD thing that he listened to Jimmy on that one.

Hopefully you know a bit more about what (who) sent us careening in the wrong direction.
We've all talked about "what if" all of the players we had lined up actually came to school. That is in the past. Rehashing it has become tiresome. We have taken a different road to having a stong competitive road.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

H'01
When is the last time that you conversed with the man? He is supposed to be both a manager of the Athletics area and and AMBASSADOR and Chief Fundraiser for the athletic programs. When he blows off students, he is blowing off future alumni. When he is rude to alumni he is alienating current donors, whose help is needed to help the individual programs to offer the little extra touches that are needed to be competitive. He does very little to help the alumni to identify with their favorite team or to feel as though they are a part of it..

good point/s. this part is very telling. cannot disagree with it. either you are comfortable (and good at) doing your job.. or you're not.

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

I knew all of that. ANd i really do not care. It takes two to tango, its never just one persons fault. If Cronin really wanted to be here, he could have toned it down. IT was also a great excuse for him to pick up and leave. Also, if donations were down so much, I am sure he would be hearing about from those above him. I am guessing even with his know it all attitude, they are not down signfigantly.

As for Johnny Goo, I am more then over it. He could be out in Western Michigan, BC would still be a power that we cannot pass. The restreictions to the new coaching staff might have been a bit much, but it is what it is. And it did not hurt them really anyway. Its not like they were going to land anybody that was anygood anyway until right about now. The majority of A prospects all signed sealed and delivered somewhere else.

My big issue with Roby is hiring an unqualified candidate to run the Mens Hockey Team. But that is for the offseason.

 

[HHound]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

I knew all of that. ANd i really do not care. It takes two to tango, its never just one persons fault. If Cronin really wanted to be here, he could have toned it down. IT was also a great excuse for him to pick up and leave. Also, if donations were down so much, I am sure he would be hearing about from those above him. I am guessing even with his know it all attitude, they are not down signfigantly.

As for Johnny Goo, I am more then over it. He could be out in Western Michigan, BC would still be a power that we cannot pass. The restreictions to the new coaching staff might have been a bit much, but it is what it is. And it did not hurt them really anyway. Its not like they were going to land anybody that was anygood anyway until right about now. The majority of A prospects all signed sealed and delivered somewhere else.

My big issue with Roby is hiring an unqualified candidate to run the Mens Hockey Team. But that is for the offseason.

Cro was NOT looking to leave. He was really looking for ward to coaching the talent that he had assembled. He had turned down several offers from the pros while he was building the program.
I don't know if overall donations are down. Remember that Madigan was a professional fundraiser with a wealth of contacts. I wonder if Roby has raised a dollar for the hockey program
I can't say for sure if we could beat BC without Johnny Goo, but I'd love to find out. Taking this year's likely Hobey Baker winner, and NCAA leading scorer, off a team would certainly make that team more vulnerable!

Do you know what Roby's restrictions were? The coaches would vehemently disagree with your proclamation that they didn't hurt the team!

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

Cro was NOT looking to leave. He was really looking for ward to coaching the talent that he had assembled. He had turned down several offers from the pros while he was building the program.
I don't know if overall donations are down. Remember that Madigan was a professional fundraiser with a wealth of contacts. I wonder if Roby has raised a dollar for the hockey program
I can't say for sure if we could beat BC without Johnny Goo, but I'd love to find out. Taking this year's likely Hobey Baker winner, and NCAA leading scorer, off a team would certainly make that team more vulnerable!

Do you know what Roby's restrictions were? The coaches would vehemently disagree with your proclamation that they didn't hurt the team!

I know what some of them were, yes. But all A list prospects were already off the market due to how early kids commit. They would have snagged more 21 year old freshmen who peaked late like Szmatula. They still landed this class everyone has been bragging about. And Roy the year before. (which i said before, Roby let happen, when he could have said we wont take kids like that here) They were never going to sign anyone good that first season.

Being a professional fundraiser was just one of his hats. I doubt that there has been a huge influx of $$ since he became head coach because of his previous job. We would have heard by now as those rushing to his defense all the time would have sighted it. Plus, if he was SO GOOD, at landing dollars, they would have kept him over there, who lets a top fundraiser go to coach hockey?

Of course Cro was looking to leave. Maybe at that point he would not have, but he had only a year or two to go before he left for something else. He was never going to be here 35 years behind the bench. It was convivent for him too, he comes out looking less of a bad guy. He did wait forever to jump ship that offseason.

We did not beat BC prior to them having Johnny Goo, we have not beaten them since they had Johnny Goo, and we probably wont beat them after Johnny Goo either. At this points its like bu, waiting it out until York moves on. Because if it was not Jonny Goo, it would be someone else. Its a machine up there now, much like Alabama in football or Duke in basketball.

edit: anyway, again. If there are 50 things keeping people/students from Hockey Games, Roby being Roby does not even make the list.

 

[walrus655321]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

We did not beat BC prior to them having Johnny Goo, we have not beaten them since they had Johnny Goo, and we probably wont beat them after Johnny Goo either. At this points its like bu, waiting it out until York moves on. Because if it was not Jonny Goo, it would be someone else. Its a machine up there now, much like Alabama in football or Duke in basketball.

I'd have to look up the exact numbers, but I believe the 2011 senior class was .500 against bc going into the HE semifinal and, I THINK, at that point they were the only HE team the bc seniors did not have a winning record against.

 

[claver2010]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

I'd have to look up the exact numbers, but I believe the 2011 senior class was .500 against bc going into the HE semifinal and, I THINK, at that point they were the only HE team the bc seniors did not have a winning record against.

Great memory, I think you're right

Edit:
07-08: NU 2-1, NU W's were OT wins
08-09: NU 3-1, again 2 more 1 goal Ws for NU. Also the Beanpot prison raping.
09-10: BC 2-1
10-11: BC 3-1-1, 7-6 Beanpot game followed by a 7-7 tie that Friday

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

I can't say for sure if we could beat BC without Johnny Goo, but I'd love to find out. Taking this year's likely Hobey Baker winner, and NCAA leading scorer, off a team would certainly make that team more vulnerable!

In this imaginary faceoff against BC without Gaudreau, do we just pretend that BC would be skating without a full complement of scholarship players or do we actually consider that BC would have someone very very good skating in his place?

I like imaginary hockey on this board, especially in the NU thread!

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

In this imaginary faceoff against BC without Gaudreau, do we just pretend that BC would be skating without a full complement of scholarship players or do we actually consider that BC would have someone very very good skating in his place?

Thank you.

The blame Roby thing for everything that has gone wrong since 2011 is tiresome. As if Cronin stays, we get Gaudreau and suddenly have a NC. Chance are that team would have found a way to foul things up too.

Now if Roby had not hired the guy who ran plant and facilities and had not coached hockey in over 15 years to be behind the bench, maybe the drop off would not have been as bad.

 

[HHound]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

If you are going to count on BC/bu posters to second your twisted view of the NU program, you are very needy. Your pathological dislike for Jim Madigan and his coaching skills as well as your complete misunderstanding of what motivated him to leave his CBA Development position for his dream job simply confirm that you are out of your depth when posting about such things.

Do this: Call Jim on the phone. Identify yourself as a long time Husky hockey supporter who would enjoy having lunch with him. He'll probably make a date with you for a time when things have cooedl down a bit and will probably offer to pay for the meal. You'll benefit from meeting the man and from learning how he views the world. You'll get all of your questions answered. Then you will be able to post more rationally and constructively with a better understanding of the challenges he faces and how he deals with them.

Our mutual friend, TMM, will benefit as well.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2013-14 Season Thread II: In Witt we Trust

Some good stats:

Witt still leads the NCAA in save percentage at .940
Szmatula leads all freshmen in points per game at 1.12
Roy is 6th in the nation with 42 points


The Szmatula-Roy line might prove to be lethal down the stretch. I think both are going to end the season on a huge tear playing alongside one another.