Re: OHIO STATE ( 2013 summer talk , The Great & Powerfull Coach OZ. )
I don't think Gene Smith or his goon Schneider realize the committment that the other Big Ten schools have made to hockey, and I am afraid you will be right ... we'll be in the cellar for years. Oz probably got sick of broken promises regarding facilities and said something, then Smith and Schneider fired him. It's going to be an uphill climb for any coach that comes here, and the climb gets that much steeper when the program gets next to no support/committment from the athletic department.
Some have mentioned the situation of sharing Value City Arena and how Wisconsin makes it work with the Kohl Center. I think we are comparing apples to oranges there. Wisconsin's program, though it was started around the same time ours was, has more titles and more tradition than Ohio State. They don't appear to have a problem drawing 10,000 or more to Kohl Center for every home game. I haven't heard any Wisconsin fans talking about their hockey team getting kicked out of the Kohl Center for high school sports. Another thing that factors into this is Madison doesn't have an NHL team. I understand and appreciate the "Wisconsin makes it work" comments, but I don't think it applies here where we are basically still trying to build the program vs a program that has won six National Titles in Wisconsin.
One other thing that I always find interesting is the "we're here to see the other team" mentality. My wife is a BG grad and I have always banged on her about her football team's attendance. What happens there is fans only seem to come out if they are playing a BCS team or a rival like Toledo or Miami. I always ask her which team are her fans there to see, their team or the other team? Never thought I would encounter that mentality at any Ohio State sport, but based on what I have been reading the last few years, Ohio State hockey fans are also attending games "to see the other team." This is proven in all the statements about attendance going up "when we start playing Big Ten teams instead of Lake Superior State, Ferris State, Western Michigan, etc.." I'm not trying to bash our own fans and this obviously doesn't apply to some of us diehards who go to quite a few of the games regardless of who Ohio State is playing. I would just ask the people who won't show up for a game against Ferris State, but are saying they will be there when we play Minnesota, "Which team are you there to see?!?" If you're there to see the Ohio State Hockey team, it shouldn't matter who the opponent is. If it does, then apparently you're there to see the other team. Just my thoughts on the "when we play Big Ten teams, they will come" statements. I am sure I will get some who do not agree, and that is fine. It just grinds my gears a little when people profess to be Buckeye hockey fans but won't show up for a game unless we're playing Michigan or some other big-name opponent.
Well, I have said enough. Anyone hear anything on the coaching situation today?
I don't think Gene Smith or his goon Schneider realize the committment that the other Big Ten schools have made to hockey, and I am afraid you will be right ... we'll be in the cellar for years. Oz probably got sick of broken promises regarding facilities and said something, then Smith and Schneider fired him. It's going to be an uphill climb for any coach that comes here, and the climb gets that much steeper when the program gets next to no support/committment from the athletic department.
Some have mentioned the situation of sharing Value City Arena and how Wisconsin makes it work with the Kohl Center. I think we are comparing apples to oranges there. Wisconsin's program, though it was started around the same time ours was, has more titles and more tradition than Ohio State. They don't appear to have a problem drawing 10,000 or more to Kohl Center for every home game. I haven't heard any Wisconsin fans talking about their hockey team getting kicked out of the Kohl Center for high school sports. Another thing that factors into this is Madison doesn't have an NHL team. I understand and appreciate the "Wisconsin makes it work" comments, but I don't think it applies here where we are basically still trying to build the program vs a program that has won six National Titles in Wisconsin.
One other thing that I always find interesting is the "we're here to see the other team" mentality. My wife is a BG grad and I have always banged on her about her football team's attendance. What happens there is fans only seem to come out if they are playing a BCS team or a rival like Toledo or Miami. I always ask her which team are her fans there to see, their team or the other team? Never thought I would encounter that mentality at any Ohio State sport, but based on what I have been reading the last few years, Ohio State hockey fans are also attending games "to see the other team." This is proven in all the statements about attendance going up "when we start playing Big Ten teams instead of Lake Superior State, Ferris State, Western Michigan, etc.." I'm not trying to bash our own fans and this obviously doesn't apply to some of us diehards who go to quite a few of the games regardless of who Ohio State is playing. I would just ask the people who won't show up for a game against Ferris State, but are saying they will be there when we play Minnesota, "Which team are you there to see?!?" If you're there to see the Ohio State Hockey team, it shouldn't matter who the opponent is. If it does, then apparently you're there to see the other team. Just my thoughts on the "when we play Big Ten teams, they will come" statements. I am sure I will get some who do not agree, and that is fine. It just grinds my gears a little when people profess to be Buckeye hockey fans but won't show up for a game unless we're playing Michigan or some other big-name opponent.
Well, I have said enough. Anyone hear anything on the coaching situation today?