>>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

I can honestly say I couldn't have even imagined anything like this even as recently as two years ago.
The program should be embarrassed, to be honest.

Can't we all just get along?
Always remember... This is just a game we're talking about here. Let's not take it all too seriously.

I agree with your signature.

 

[kbranch]

The program should be embarrassed, to be honest.

Nothing the program has done all year comes close to the embarrassment that some regular posters have made of themselves this season. RIT Hockey owes you exactly nothing. Period. Calling for players to be kicked out of school, or calling their play 'unacceptable', or otherwise acting like you have some influence over the program through your posts is laughable. And no need to hide behind passion for the program - the negativity is hardly motivational. Gain some perspective.

 

[komey1]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Sometimes I wonder what people where thinking that 2010 was a stepping stone. Cinderella teams like RIT have teams that are special. Anyone remember Goerge Mason's run to the basketball Final Four? Anyone want to see what they did since?

RIT is not a Minnesota or BC where you can just reload. They still have to find fidden gems. I think they have some nice pieces for upcoming yearas.

This was a disappointing year to be sure. I don't consider the prior 2 years as bad years. The real question is if this year is a harbinger of things to come. I don't think it will.

 

[komey1]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Ok I looked up George Mason. They went to the Final Four in basketball in 2006. That's obviously a much higher profile sport. Since then, they have been to the NCAAs twice, and won 1 game. The year after the Final Four - they finished tied for fifth in their conference. They also were one and done in the NIT once and the CIT once. Hardly a step up for them to the next level.

 

[lmg6841]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

RIT Hockey owes you exactly nothing. Period.

Who ever heard of a sports team pleasing its fan base? Sounds silly to me. I'm willing to bet that with a few more seasons like this one the only people left will be the students. While that's not the end of the world, it's the opposite direction this administration wants to take this program.

calling their play 'unacceptable', or otherwise acting like you have some influence over the program through your posts is laughable. And no need to hide behind passion for the program - the negativity is hardly motivational. Gain some perspective.

I'm not sure how anyone can defend the play of this team this year. I'm pretty sure Wilson has chastised it several times. I don't think anyone here is honestly hoping to make a change in things with their posts, but the internet is a great place to vent frustrations.

 

[lmg6841]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Thank you for the great summary. While others are right to an extent: this program "owes us nothing", the fans did play a big part in making a name for it. College hockey isn't just the players or success, but the atmosphere as well which I hope isn't going to suffer because of the diminishing dominance of RIT. It just seems that RITs priorities lay in filling seats and being content with the cost containment the AHA. As a college hockey fan, hockey player, hockey lover, the notion of settling to "good enough" kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

So let me see if I've got this straight...
A short while ago, RIT was "living the dream", so to speak. The Tigers in only their third fully eligible AHA/NCAA D-I season were far and away the best team in the AHA, running away with the regular season and tournament championships. They also became national darlings after pulling off two huge upsets in the NCAA East Regional in Albany to reach the 2010 Frozen Four in Detroit in front of 35,000 fans.
Many of us (myself included) were so excited for the future believing (obviously in error) that the 2010 season was something to truly build on with respect to recruiting, fan interest in the program on campus and in the greater Rochester area, and of course in the win-loss column.
Just about a year and a half ago as the college hockey world was shaken up in historic fashion, a number of folks on this board in particular wondered if it was time for RIT to seriously look into "moving up" to one of the newly re-aligned big-5 conferences and free this burgeoning program from the shackles of the lowly Atlantic Hockey. The thought there being that RIT must certainly see itself as on a track to outgrow the AHA eventually.
Meanwhile, on the ice... In 2011, the team failed to defend its conference tournament championship despite finishing in first in the regular season yet again (although not in nearly as dominating fashion as in 2010 -against an admittedly tougher conference with the additions of NU and RMU). In 2012, the team fell into a dog-fight in the standings that they barely survived with a 3rd place finish that could just as easily have been 7th if it weren't for a last minute tying goal against NU in the final game. Once again, the Tigers failed to re-live their 2010 tournament championship, once again being shut-out by AFA.
Fast forward to March, 2013 and RIT gets swept by Canisius (to complete and 0-3 season against the similarly below average Griffins) to finish in 8th place in the AHA and awaiting a first round playoff matchup against former perennial doormats AIC who at the moment are one of the winningest teams in the NCAA over the last 5 weeks or so. If there were Vegas lines on these types of things, it wouldn't be surprising to see AIC being the favorite to beat the Tigers and move on to the second round. So not only is this the first time the Tigers didn't finish in the top 3 in the league, it is also the first time it has had to play in the first round, and it could realistically end up being the first time they did not play in the second round. While I certainly hope that does not come true, I just have to say...
Way to go! Good job building on success!
I can honestly say I couldn't have even imagined anything like this even as recently as two years ago.
The program should be embarrassed, to be honest.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Nothing the program has done all year comes close to the embarrassment that some regular posters have made of themselves this season. RIT Hockey owes you exactly nothing. Period. Calling for players to be kicked out of school, or calling their play 'unacceptable', or otherwise acting like you have some influence over the program through your posts is laughable. And no need to hide behind passion for the program - the negativity is hardly motivational. Gain some perspective.

Boy, state a couple facts and everyone gets quite carried away interpreting my feelings. I never said anything about me being embarrassed. I am not a player, coach, or adminstrator for the program. I am merely a fan. Notice I try never to refer to the team as "We" or "Us".
I also made absolutely no claim to being owed anything by the team. It is kind of presumptuous to read such arrogance into what I wrote.
On a similar note, I am not so arrogant as to believe that anyone associated with the program would waste their valuable time reading my (or anyone else's) uninformed posts on a meaningless message board, let alone think that what I think should or even could influence them in any way whatsoever. I am in no way trying to motivate nor degrade the players or coaches. I sincerely hope they don't even read this crap. They (as well as the rest of us) have much more important things to worry about.
My comment about the program and it's proposed embarrassment was solely motivated by the seeming mission/vision/direction of this program not being reflected in the recent seasons' results. It was obvious early in the D-I era that the goal was not just to "be a D-I team" but to build a team that would be consistently at or near the top of the AHA and regularly contend for an NCAA bid. The results in 2010 seemed to indicate that they had begun to establish exactly that, but merely three years later, that was not built upon and now we (as fans) aren't sure where they are headed in the near future. I would imagine their goals are still the same, but things just haven't fallen in place as they desired in the last couple seasons for whatever reasons that they would know much better than I do.

btw... I HAVE perspective and I don't take it all that seriously, but that doesn't mean I can't make observations based on the facts as I know them. My life goes on whether RIT hockey goes 0-34 or 34-0 or anything in between. That doesn't mean that I can't be disappointed after seasons like this one (I know it's not actually over yet).
also... I have never suggested anyone be "kicked out of school" or any other such ridiculous thing. That wasn't me.

 

[MattS]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Noyes is already playing a similar role as Saracino. They don't play the same style but they're both excellent defensemen. And while you might not be able to see how good he is, thankfully Wilson does.

I wouldn't call Noyes an "excellent" defenseman. I guess my standards are higher than yours.

So let me see if I've got this straight...
.......
I can honestly say I couldn't have even imagined anything like this even as recently as two years ago.
The program should be embarrassed, to be honest.

While I wouldn't have written it that way, I do agree with a lot of the sentiment. I never thought the after the recent success, RIT would fall so far so quickly.

Sometimes I wonder what people where thinking that 2010 was a stepping stone. Cinderella teams like RIT have teams that are special. Anyone remember Goerge Mason's run to the basketball Final Four? Anyone want to see what they did since?

RIT is not a Minnesota or BC where you can just reload. They still have to find fidden gems. I think they have some nice pieces for upcoming yearas.

This was a disappointing year to be sure. I don't consider the prior 2 years as bad years. The real question is if this year is a harbinger of things to come. I don't think it will.

I think bouncyball and hockey are apples and oranges for comparison. Hockey like a lot of niche sports can still be played at an elite level by small even obscure schools. While BB cannot. At least not with consistency. The world those sports are in are just too different.

I am even more baffled by why you think a FF run shouldn't gain RIT greater talented players. If a coach can't turn a FF run into greater talent, then they should resign from that position. Period. What better recruiting tool is there than to sit in a potential recruits living room and tell them that we just went to a FF and with your help we can do it again? Before anyone goes off on this, I do not expect RIT to recruit BC type talent, but I do expect them to recruit better talented players today than they did in 2009.

I do agree the real question is if this season is a blip in the program progression or is this the direction the program is headed.

Who ever heard of a sports team pleasing its fan base? Sounds silly to me. I'm willing to bet that with a few more seasons like this one the only people left will be the students. While that's not the end of the world, it's the opposite direction this administration wants to take this program.

I'm not sure how anyone can defend the play of this team this year. I'm pretty sure Wilson has chastised it several times. I don't think anyone here is honestly hoping to make a change in things with their posts, but the internet is a great place to vent frustrations.

I, like other older posters, can easily remember the days where 700 people was a large crowd at Ritter. The program keeps this up and those days will be back at least to some degree. If the point was to just "compete" then RIT should have remained DIII.

As a college hockey fan, hockey player, hockey lover, the notion of settling to "good enough" kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I agree. I cannot stand the whole "good enough" settling that some posters seem to be OK with. That is how mediocrity sets in then poor come right along behind it.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Sometimes I wonder what people where thinking that 2010 was a stepping stone. Cinderella teams like RIT have teams that are special. Anyone remember Goerge Mason's run to the basketball Final Four? Anyone want to see what they did since?

RIT is not a Minnesota or BC where you can just reload. They still have to find fidden gems. I think they have some nice pieces for upcoming yearas.

This was a disappointing year to be sure. I don't consider the prior 2 years as bad years. The real question is if this year is a harbinger of things to come. I don't think it will.

OK, for those who continue to press this point, I'll state it again... IMHO, the FF run was simply icing on the cake as far as how I viewed 2010. Even if you throw the two games in Albany out, that season was by far the team's best in D-I. I could be wrong, but I would imagine the goal for AHA teams is primarily to get to the NCAA's. While they certainly know they are capable of winning in the tournament, any wins in the NCAA's are sort of "extra". So you can just ignore any reference to the Frozen Four and I would still have the same opinion of the 2010 season and what it could have meant to the development of this program. The nearly complete dominance of an improving AHA was what was the stepping stone, not the Frozen Four.
I don't believe there are too many on here who actually believed that beating Denver and UNH meant that RIT was suddenly amongst the elite D-I programs. No, they are not Minnesota or BC and may never be. But they are RIT and recently are not living up to that (on the ice, that is). No, RIT cannot reload like a UMn or BC, but then again they never were loaded like those programs to begin with. Their wins in Albany were UPSETS, not indications of where the program was. Relative to the other AHA programs and the talent pool from which most AHA teams recruit, programs like AFA, RIT, NU, etc. really SHOULD be able to re-load rather than have to fall to the bottom and re-build from there. At least that is the impression I got as to where this program wanted to be. And none of this is intended to take away anything from the other AHA teams that have improved their recruiting and their entire programs over the last few years. Many of them certainly have. But when those around you are moving forward, you need to find a way to do the same or you'll fall behind. Standing still and lamenting how much better the competition has gotten is not going to get anybody anywhere. As I've stated in the past, I'm sure the people in the program don't use that as an excuse, but some of the fans do.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

I bought you guys some hats. Wear them with pride at Ritter, next time this team forces you to part with a completely unreasonable $5-10 to watch some godawful hockey that makes you so bitterly disappointed.

 

[JRZ DVLS]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Regardless of what they have done, playoffs are a new season, and from what many of you haven said they have underachieved. If they have more potentiail, i Just hope they show it now. Flew in from Chicago, and got tix to Saturdays game, hope they don't dissapoint.

 

[Downstate_RIT_Fan]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

These recent posts must be bringing the boys down...my recommendation, spend the week growing your beards and go out on Friday night and kick some *****.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qj8kMmUxkSE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Downstate_RIT_Fan]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

BTW, Construction Cam looks good using Vista Home Premium, FireFox 19.0.

 

[lmg6841]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Realistically I spent over $100 on a ****ty AmericaOne service to watch the team I love play. If not for the awesome commentary I get from the radio guys during home games, I probably wouldn't be able distract myself from the awful video quality.

I bought you guys some hats. Wear them with pride at Ritter, next time this team forces you to part with a completely unreasonable $5-10 to watch some godawful hockey that makes you so bitterly disappointed.

 

[five8five]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

I wouldn't call Noyes an "excellent" defenseman. I guess my standards are higher than yours.

I'll say it again, both Saracino and Noyes are excellent defensemen. You can question my standards if you want but keep in mind:
Noyes has a higher shot percentage, a better +/-, twice as many power play goals (6 vs. 3, only Colavecchia has more), has taken two less minor penalties, and leads the team in blocked shots (31 for Noyes, 23 for Saracino). He's scored 22.22% of the entire team's PPG (6/27).

 

[Rochester]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Nothing the program has done all year comes close to the embarrassment that some regular posters have made of themselves this season. RIT Hockey owes you exactly nothing. Period. Calling for players to be kicked out of school, or calling their play 'unacceptable', or otherwise acting like you have some influence over the program through your posts is laughable. And no need to hide behind passion for the program - the negativity is hardly motivational. Gain some perspective.

Do you like to win? Or are you one of those people that says "everyone is a winner if we're having fun." Wake up man, people like to win, and if you're the only school in Rochester that is D1 you best represent. RIT by default has eyes on its D1 program for being the lone wolf. Enough said.

Yes, I am at times an irrational poster. I admit it.After I listen or watch a game and we lose when we should have won. Yes I am going to be angry. I am extremely competitive. That being said, I will not post after a loss right away. I have something I like to call pride for Rochester and it's universities.

And guess what kbranch. Like it or not. This is a very delicate time for RIT. If they do not keep growing now, with fans and talent. This program will turn into another stagnent program. With very little students and outside fans coming to the games. I don't know if you go to Rochester sports or not. We are fair weather people. White collar you better win FANS! I can't change that, you can't change that.

We must all pray they have a strong showing this weekend and in Niagara. This program can't afford two seasons of this. As you can already see, attendance is down. I wonder why? BECAUSE ROCHESTARIANS LIKE TO WIN.

One thing this program has going for it at the moment is this new arena. RIT needs to make sure this arena is best it can be to recruit talent and fans.

COME ON BOYS! WE KNOW YOU HAVE IT IN YOU! FINISH STRONG!!!!

 

[Rochester]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Anywho. I read on here a couple pages back there was a rumor that the offical renderings and floor plans for the new arena were going to be released to the public within the next week or so. Is this true?

 

[MattS]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

And guess what kbranch. Like it or not. This is a very delicate time for RIT. If they do not keep growing now, with fans and talent. This program will turn into another stagnent program. With very little students and outside fans coming to the games. I don't know if you go to Rochester sports or not. We are fair weather people. White collar you better win FANS! I can't change that, you can't change that.

We must all pray they have a strong showing this weekend and in Niagara. This program can't afford two seasons of this. As you can already see, attendance is down. I wonder why? BECAUSE ROCHESTARIANS LIKE TO WIN.

I think this is 90% of sports fans anywhere, not just Rochester. Outside of a very few select places if a team doesn't win they won't attract and keep fans. RIT hockey is just like any other entertainment business in that they are competing for people's disposable income. Winning creates a better atmosphere and makes is seem like people are getting their money's worth. Losing does not.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Yes, I am at times an irrational poster. I admit it.After I listen or watch a game and we lose when we should have won. Yes I am going to be angry. I am extremely competitive. That being said, I will not post after a loss right away. I have something I like to call pride for Rochester and it's universities.

And guess what kbranch. Like it or not. This is a very delicate time for RIT. If they do not keep growing now, with fans and talent. This program will turn into another stagnent program. With very little students and outside fans coming to the games. I don't know if you go to Rochester sports or not. We are fair weather people. White collar you better win FANS! I can't change that, you can't change that.

We must all pray they have a strong showing this weekend and in Niagara. This program can't afford two seasons of this. As you can already see, attendance is down. I wonder why? BECAUSE ROCHESTARIANS LIKE TO WIN.

One thing this program has going for it at the moment is this new arena. RIT needs to make sure this arena is best it can be to recruit talent and fans.

I think we're being a little overdramatic about this seasons attendance. Though not selling out as much as we used to, we're still hovering around the 1800-1900 most games. That means all the seats are filled, only standing room only is left. We've already discussed and largely agreed that the community at large will come in greater numbers when they know they have a seat.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2012-13: Clawing our way up the standings in the 2nd half

We've already discussed and largely agreed that the community at large will come in greater numbers when they know they have a seat.

I certainly hope that is the case. What makes me nervous (and has for some time, not just this season) is the seemingly (at least to me) small percentage of students that attend the games. While the percentage of fans at the games that are students is reasonably high, the percentage of the student body that actually attends is kind of small. I don't know what the same ratios are at other schools, but RIT is a fairly large school and only draws maybe (I'm guessing) less than 1,000 students to games. I know at the mega-State schools the ratios are probably comparable. But when your student body is 40,000 to 50,000 strong, you can only build an arena with so many seats. Have any recent initiatives to increase student body attendance been working, or have they scaled those back due to the lack of tickets available to begin with? I don't see a whole lot about the team through the RIT Message Center emails, but that is my only remaining connection to campus now. Just wondering.