Re: Providence College 2010-2011 - Things are looking up.
Bob Driscoll introduced Ed Cooley as Providence College's new basketball coach Wednesday, and now will turn his attention to hockey.
The Providence College athletic director also needs to hire a new hockey coach to replace Tim Army, who resigned two weeks ago after six difficult seasons. Driscoll reported that he has compiled a list of 10 candidates. That list will be cut to four or five candidates who will be brought to campus for interviews.
That process, though, will be on hold for a couple weeks. Driscoll is chairman of the NCAA hockey selection committee and he will be at the national championships. He said several of the candidates are on list and will be taking part in the national championships, thus would not be available to come to campus until the tournament is completed.
The goal is to have a coach in place within a month, Driscoll said
A couple of comments on this and reaction:
1. Saying compiling a list of 10 candidates to me means Driscoll is still gauging interest and that with luck the list is whittled down to 4 or 5 solid guys.
2. Do wonder where the money to pay the coach is coming from since you seem to be paying Army and Davis, plus in several places the word is Cooley is getting 1.7 million a year (maybe some of it is camps, sneaker deals etc)
3. The way the whole thing is worded would ead me to believe what I've believed all along we aren't going to pay the next guy what the last guy got.
4. The way they approached the bball hire was to list out the skills they wanted and then match them vs potenial candidates.
5. I saw the press conference on tpe. To '91's point about Shanley. I thought it looked like Shanley had just met God.
6. I wonder if Driscoll will have any help. I would be surprised if the big 3 offered much with the way they failed to support Army with the internal infrastructure.
7. For basketball it sure sounded like winning was secondary to getting back the respect. They also sounded like they wanted to go back to basics. I would think those are 2 things they want from the hockey coach to. Though it will take more then naming a hockey coach to do that and since Driscoll has the integrity of a used car salesman I wouldn't believe a word he is saying about fixing up Schneider. As I said before the bulk of the "plan" is to help lacrosse, the parking situation, and get the softball field up to Henricken Field.
8. The skills Like returning bringing order to the program and making sure the PC bball players are truly student athletes are things they would want but Army did, he improved the academic tanding of the hockey team, he ran a tight enough ship he did not have the problems Pooley had. Remember Nate Myers had problems, the incidnet with the J & W students, Luke Irwin an Torey Gjada's problem, Jason Bloomburg etc etc back all the way to Russ Guzior his first season.
9. What seems to be needed is a coach like Cooley who will demand not only the best of of his players, but to demand their respect which I think both Army and Pooley never got. It means sticking up for them when they are right, being fair and even handed, and open to listen to them.
10. Like in basketball going back to basics I think hockey has to do the same thing. You are going to need to build this team from the goal out. Play a defensive game. And like Cooley suggested for the bballers to be the toughest team in the league. In some ways I think you have to revisit the Pooley stratergy and find ways to make it work that he could not.
11. Sorry HM hockey isn't basketball you don't have that pool to grab an experienced guy and you especially don't if you aren't going to bankroll it. There are some realities. I think as 91 pointed out they'll look at AHL guys like Quinn. If you think that way let us know who you think we could snag.
12. I'm also going to say unlike some of you since you are selling to the alumni/RI community I think just like Cooley they will go back to someone with roots here.
13. Since you basically have your next 2 teams in place with your scholarship money used up. I think you need someone resourceful and who knows how to get players in without the schoalrships to offer.
14. If I was going to quickly make a list of people I want to guage interest from before cutting the list to the finals here is my top 10 list. Bennett, Hynes, Quinn Kleinendorst (the last 3 th AHL guys with head jobs). I would have on the list the top guy at our Hockey East competitors though I think you won't get much of a reception. That would be Cavanagh, Bavis, and Lassonde. (2 of these beside Bennett fit into the NCAA theory) The only one who you might have a chance for would be Lassonde since he's a PC guy. Below I threw out Hastings name, but he has no Eastern roots. I'd add Jim Hughest whose been out of college too longfor my taste but is I believe Burke's Director of Player Development. Finally if I'm going cheap I'd look at Jerry Keefe. I don't think he has enough experience yet but he had the head job at Westfield State before moving up to D1 as Whittet's assistant the past 2 years. He also supposedly has strong ties to USA Hockey.
15. Everything you do again is contingent on the school matching their words with actions to help rebuild. You could bring in Jerry York and you would find he isn't the same coach as he is at BC since we are not BC.
16. One key thing though is you avoid the my players/Army's players. First year might easy you live with all of Army's players. You lose better then a quarter of the remaining players after next year (trouble is army converted their scholarships already)
17. The second key is since Army converted their scholarships already the only way to get new players is to do the same things and mortgage into the future and the track record of paartials PC has given out gets you exactly what that suggests. The next guy has to raise the level of skill from the class the following fall. At the same time not alienate the players who are here when those coming in push them down the depth chart.
18. Lastly what might be interesting is if Army now as a hockey parent shows up at the games. It is a sitaution I have not heard of before and that could be dicey. It could especially be an issue if it is Bennett.
