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Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

S

slowe

New member
So it feels kinda odd to start a thread for not my school, but I'm not sure how many Penn State fans have made their way to this board yet. I hope nobody minds if I take the initiative to kick it off.

So far people have talked mostly about the either the school's *ahem* difficulties or progress on the new arena. I say it's time to turn it over to hockey talk. What better way to start off a new year's thread with the newly unveiled sweaters! Courtesy of the blog Thank You Terry, which is necessary reading if you want to follow Penn State.

PcX-V3E4So


It's good to see another B1G team logo on a jersey but personally I think it needs a little something more. Just a tad on the plain side. What do you think? Especially if you are a Penn State fan. Let's get some conversation going here!
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Welcome, Penn State Hockey

We will see you next year in the B1G, good luck to you guys this year.
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

"Also, North Dakota fans are now going after our leftovers. The balance of power already shifting! All hail the era of college hockey domination by schools that...aren't North Dakota!"
Click to expand...

Yikes!

:p:D:D

Good luck to Penn State. Very happy for your fan base that this big day is almost here :)
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

I love the "balance of power shifting" comment. :) It will be true very soon...
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

A bitter Penn State fan already. Neato! Probably just jealous that our crazy old man arena donator is cooler than their crazy old man arena donator.

But as a token of goodwill toward the jealous Penn Staters and to help slowe out, here are the jerseys:
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Dirty said:
A bitter Penn State fan already. Neato! Probably just jealous that our crazy old man arena donator is cooler than their crazy old man arena donator.

But as a token of goodwill toward the jealous Penn Staters and to help slowe out, here are the jerseys:
Click to expand...

No ill will here; Penn State's "crazy old man arena donator" also owns an NHL team to which I give loyalty.
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

I don't know if I'm a fan of how the blue in the logo is different than the blue in the jersey.
 
Scarlet said:
I don't know if I'm a fan of how the blue in the logo is different than the blue in the jersey.
Click to expand...

The colors are the same Scarlet, it's just the photo.
BTW, that's former Gopher Max Gardiner on the left and Tommy Olczyk on the right.
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Dirty said:
A bitter Penn State fan already. Neato! Probably just jealous that our crazy old man arena donator is cooler than their crazy old man arena donator.

But as a token of goodwill toward the jealous Penn Staters and to help slowe out, here are the jerseys:
Click to expand...


being a piece of dead wormbait is not cooler.
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Dirty said:
A bitter Penn State fan already. Neato! Probably just jealous that our crazy old man arena donator is cooler than their crazy old man arena donator.

But as a token of goodwill toward the jealous Penn Staters and to help slowe out, here are the jerseys:
Click to expand...
I'm not bitter at all - honestly, the whole thing is just one giant troll. Back when breaking up hockey conferences was the only reason people hated Penn State (I sure do miss those days), mostly everyone I came into contact with, representing a wide range of programs, was all like "hey, welcome to the club," even if they'd then come on here and complain about how we ruined everything (because really, I didn't blame them...*I* didn't even want the Big Ten, that 12th CCHA slot was just dandy with me). The one exception? A couple of North Dakota fans. I'd never assume that two people represent an entire fanbase, but just because I hadn't met my snark quota at the time, I decided to hate on NoDak every time the opportunity came up. Which isn't really that often, because I try to keep my focus pretty tight on PSU except for a Monday link post where I usually touch on major stories across college hockey in a paragraph or so. I actually do have tremendous respect for their program. If we achieve half of what they have so far in the next 100 years, I'll be very happy. But if their fans want to put the hard sell on a kid who our staff wanted to stash in junior for an extra year...yeah, I'm going to have fun with that.

As far as the jerseys, I think they're fantastic. TBH, my original endorsement was for a arched block "Penn State," with a number underneath. For those unfamiliar, "Penn State" was the dominant jersey element for nearly the entire history of the club program. So I mocked one up...and realized that I basically had UConn's jerseys with a single stripe instead of a double stripe. After that, I more or less came around to the logo on the front.

PS. Thanks for the love slowe! I'm definitely reading on here, even if I don't post a ton. Sort of a job requirement, but I do enjoy hearing what fans of other teams have to say about us, or even themselves.
 
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Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Scally Lama said:
I'm not bitter at all - honestly, the whole thing is just one giant troll. Back when breaking up hockey conferences was the only reason people hated Penn State (I sure do miss those days), mostly everyone I came into contact with, representing a wide range of programs, was all like "hey, welcome to the club," even if they'd then come on here and complain about how we ruined everything (because really, I didn't blame them...*I* didn't even want the Big Ten, that 12th CCHA slot was just dandy with me). The one exception? A couple of North Dakota fans. I'd never assume that two people represent an entire fanbase, but just because I hadn't met my snark quota at the time, I decided to hate on NoDak every time the opportunity came up. Which isn't really that often, because I try to keep my focus pretty tight on PSU except for a Monday link post where I usually touch on major stories across college hockey in a paragraph or so. I actually do have tremendous respect for their program. If we achieve half of what they have so far in the next 100 years, I'll be very happy. But if their fans want to put the hard sell on a kid who our staff wanted to stash in junior for an extra year...yeah, I'm going to have fun with that.

As far as the jerseys, I think they're fantastic. TBH, my original endorsement was for a arched block "Penn State," with a number underneath. For those unfamiliar, "Penn State" was the dominant jersey element for nearly the entire history of the club program. So I mocked one up...and realized that I basically had UConn's jerseys with a single stripe instead of a double stripe. After that, I more or less came around to the logo on the front.

PS. Thanks for the love slowe! I'm definitely reading on here, even if I don't post a ton. Sort of a job requirement, but I do enjoy hearing what fans of other teams have to say about us, or even themselves.
Click to expand...
You think they hated you...you should ask some of the Tech fans what they think of PSU hockey. :p
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Tommy Olczyk has been selected as the captain of the first varsity team of the modern era. Former Icer George Saad and Nate Jensen have been selected as assistant captains.

All very good choices IMHO

"Tommy, George and Nate are three outstanding student-athletes who were selected by their teammates for their strong work ethic and commitment to the program," said Gadowsky. "They are fantastic representatives of Penn State Hockey, and the staff is extremely excited to have them lead the team during our first NCAA season."
Click to expand...
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

I hope they have some fun this year, because next year probably won't be fun.
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Welcome to D1. I'll see you in a few weeks in Rochester. If any Penn State fans are looking for good places to eat/drink while in town I'd be happy to divulge.
 
Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

Hundreds of fans of all ages were at the Greenberg Ice Pavilion at midnight for the first official practice of the Nittany Lions varsity team. Coach Gadowsky was mic'ed up and answered questions while putting the team through a 45 minute workout. The fans and players took part in an open skate after the session. A great start to the inaugural season in Hockey Valley.

47119_428783703844463_1921261917_n.jpg
 
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Re: Penn State 2012-2013: Welcome to D1

A UNO angle to all of this since we're the most recent "program launch" before Penn State.

I note a couple of things of interest. One, is this:

http://thankyouterry.blogspot.com/2012/06/cause-for-concern.html

.......and this as a follow-up:

http://thankyouterry.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-snails-pace-of-ticket-sales.html

I can't believe that there apparently isn't any more interest in Penn State's new program than this. This is so bad it makes me start questioning the wisdom of their having done so.

When UNO announced their program on May 1st, 1996, they frantically had to get the season ticket sales stopped at the 6,389 mark on May 16th, two weeks after the announcement of the program formation, which coincided with the commencement of ticket sales. It was either that or they were clearly going to have 8,314 season ticket holders, which is what the Omaha Civic Auditorium seated for hockey when UNO was still playing there. This would have been unacceptable to all involved, obviously. The first year of the program, UNO sold out every home game and finished 3rd, nationally, in attendance. In fact, UNO sold out every one of the 131 games they ever played at the Civic from 1997 through the end of the 2003 season. I understand that Happy Valley is not a major metropolitan area, but, can't they do better than the situation that is being portrayed in these blog posts? Penn State enrollment is something like 44,000 students, more than 3 times that of UNO, actually, nearly 4 times. They had/are having a hard time moving tickets for their first season of D-1 hockey and selling out a building that seats, maybe, 1,300?

Another thing I note, that may be contributing to the ticket issue I have raised, is the horrendous schedule quality that Penn State is playing this year. In case you haven't seen it:

http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-hockey/sched/psu-m-hockey-sched.html

Forget about UNO's first season, it's worth noting that UNO has NEVER played an ACHA team and they have NEVER played a Division III team, either. Penn State has 6 games against ACHA teams and 4 games against D-III teams scheduled this season. And, they have a two game series against the 18 and under national team. Ten of these games are Penn State home games. I can certainly understand why that schedule wouldn't exactly set the university populace's collective pulses racing. Penn State really doesn't have any "quality" home opponent(s) all season, other than maybe, Air Force, a reigning conference champion, and, depending about how you feel, generally, about the AHA.

Plus UNO didn't have the luxury of having 11 holdover players from their club team in their inaugural season, either. UNO unveiled a team of players entirely devoid of any playing experience together. And, even though UNO also played as an independent it's first season, they played a schedule that looks nothing like the cream puff schedule (with the exception of less than 10 games or so) that Penn State is going to play. For the record, here's the schedule UNO faced that season:

http://omavs.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=296&path=mhockey

Look anything like Penn State's schedule this year? I didn't think so.

I can't for the life of me understand why Penn State would have scheduled like this, particularly when their schedule next season is going to take a major league turn from this season's My bet is that Penn State has a vastly better record this season than they will next season because of the way they scheduled this year. Instead of being afraid of this season and taking their lumps, that's the situation they are facing next season because they are then going to have to get off the porch and play with the big dogs.

Perhaps they are taking the Bill Snyder/K State approach to scheduling that they employed in the late '90's in the the 2000's?

Is there something going on back there that I don't know about or understand? Maybe somebody can enlighten me? Because, from where I stand I don't understand this approach/scheduling. I wouldn't want to pay to see these teams, either. It screams everything but "big time, Division 1" to me, and to their fans, I would think.





.
 
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