>>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

[RITFan67]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

The solution is to play better, not to soften our schedule.


Powers &8^]

I'm an advocate of having a homecoming game against a more equal opponent. I'm not an advocate of softening the overall schedule. Komey had a good point about playing Bowling Green at our next homecoming.
Also, I think it's great we're playing BC again next year... and it's not at homecoming.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Given the circumstances I wasn't too unhappy with the game yesterday. I would much have preferred it to end 5-2 and that 6th goal was definitely the one soft goal Rotolo gave up all night, a sentiment matched by Wilson.

Reading between the lines of his WITR interview it sounds to me like he still likes Rotolo as his #1, but can't ignore that MacLean and Ruby both played well so far as well. I'd imagine at least one more round of goaltending by committee before we see a clearer picture.

 

[cplinford]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

The first 10 minutes and last 10 minutes RIT played great, everything in between was kind of a let down. I thought the Norrish brothers, and Garbosky in particular had strong games. I have mixed feelings on the home coming games. On one hand that only way you are going to get a high end team to even think of coming here is playing at the blue cross (BC, Michigan) but it doesn't do the program favors when we get our butts kicked in these show case type games. I think we are going to see a return to home coming games along the lines of SLU, Bowling Green, Colgate etc in which RIT has a fighting chance against mid teir teams from other conferences. I wouldn't be surprised to see Clarkson in one of these games in the next couple of years

I think a home coming game against Niagara would be fun though, would help build even more rivalry. I don't think just because its a conference game we should avoid the BCA. Its an even more hostile environment for a visitor and should help RIT more.

 

[Rochester]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

I think a home coming game against Niagara would be fun though, would help build even more rivalry. I don't think just because its a conference game we should avoid the BCA. Its an even more hostile environment for a visitor and should help RIT more.

We need to forget about the AHA all together and focus on the ECAC for that is where we are destined to be.

 

[kwh7433]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

We need to forget about the AHA all together and focus on the ECAC for that is where we are destined to be.

If we really do want to sellout every game we need to take advantage of the extra 7000 people that come out to homecoming and give them a win and a good time. Not a blowout loss. It's the best opportunity to win the new freshmen and get them hooked.

 

[RITFan67]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

If we really do want to sellout every game we need to take advantage of the extra 7000 people that come out to homecoming and give them a win and a good time. Not a blowout loss. It's the best opportunity to win the new freshmen and get them hooked.

Yup. At least a chance to win!

 

[MattS]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Just to take the opposite stance on the Homecoming game....

Historically Wilson has used the non-conference schedule to expose the team to tough competition before AHA play begins. While I am not necessarily a proponent of this plan, if you believe that Wilson has the correct philosophy then it certainly has gotten some good results for most seasons. So why change it up? In my mind this is the one game of the year where I very much want the Tigers to play an excellent opponent. I agree some wins would be great and getting easily beaten isn't good but with that being said it's on the team to play better and Wilson to recruit better.

Also, and this is really my main point, can RIT sellout the Blue Cross consistantly against lesser known opponents? I would hazard a guess that many of the attendees are coming at least in part because it was Michigan and BC (recently). Yes, they are there to support RIT but I am guess a fair amount might not attend if the opponent was (to use other's examples) SLU or (especially) Bowling Green.

As for a AHA opponent, I am very much against that. The whole idea of early season games is that the outcome as far as NCAA's are concerned are essentially meaningless and prepare the team for the important part of the season. That of course could change if RIT starts winning more than they have in the past few seasons.

As a fan, I don't care if the Tigers lose a homecoming game easily, yet have the team come out better for it, and thump the AHA competition to make the NCAA's.

 

[kwh7433]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Just to take the opposite stance on the Homecoming game....

Historically Wilson has used the non-conference schedule to expose the team to tough competition before AHA play begins. While I am not necessarily a proponent of this plan, if you believe that Wilson has the correct philosophy then it certainly has gotten some good results for most seasons. So why change it up? In my mind this is the one game of the year where I very much want the Tigers to play an excellent opponent. I agree some wins would be great and getting easily beaten isn't good but with that being said it's on the team to play better and Wilson to recruit better.

Also, and this is really my main point, can RIT sellout the Blue Cross consistantly against lesser known opponents? I would hazard a guess that many of the attendees are coming at least in part because it was Michigan and BC (recently). Yes, they are there to support RIT but I am guess a fair amount might not attend if the opponent was (to use other's examples) SLU or (especially) Bowling Green.

As for a AHA opponent, I am very much against that. The whole idea of early season games is that the outcome as far as NCAA's are concerned are essentially meaningless and prepare the team for the important part of the season. That of course could change if RIT starts winning more than they have in the past few seasons.

As a fan, I don't care if the Tigers lose a homecoming game easily, yet have the team come out better for it, and thump the AHA competition to make the NCAA's.

Completely disagree and history has proven this wrong in that we did sell out homecoming vs SLU. It can't be on the players to play better and Wilson to recruit better when the opponent is a team full of NHL draft picks. Not even fair to say Wilson should be able to recruit like that. And as for coming out better for it recent history says otherwise as our schedules have been getting harder and harder as we dip further and further in the AHA. You can't really tell me that the team is in better spirits after that game.

 

[Downstate_RIT_Fan]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Completely disagree and history has proven this wrong in that we did sell out homecoming vs SLU. It can't be on the players to play better and Wilson to recruit better when the opponent is a team full of NHL draft picks. Not even fair to say Wilson should be able to recruit like that. And as for coming out better for it recent history says otherwise as our schedules have been getting harder and harder as we dip further and further in the AHA. You can't really tell me that the team is in better spirits after that game.

I think we should stick with the bigger teams for reasons many of you have already touched upon. I also feel that all of us want to see the program grow, we want to see successful RIT teams year in and year out. Playing the big teams not only gives our freshman and our potential recruits the experience of knowing that RIT will play the 'big boys', but it also gives the 'big boys' a closer look to what RIT hockey is all about. Head over to BC's blog on their hockey team ( http://www.bcinterruption.com/2014/10/19/7001705/hockey-bc-6-rit-2) and read about what they have to say about RIT. Of course playing in front of 11,000 fans when you win is great, but I feel they had a healthy appreciation of the atmosphere that RIT brought to that game. I thought the BC fans next to the RIT bench were getting into it too. Hopefully next year we will give them a good game in their barn and maybe some of the recruits from the Boston area that don't wind up playing for a Hockey East team might take a second look at RIT because of what RIT has to offer.

I look forward to Brick City Homecoming and seeing big OOC teams each year and if I could buy my seats for next year when Bowling Green visits and the following year when Yale visits I would buy them today.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Completely disagree and history has proven this wrong in that we did sell out homecoming vs SLU. It can't be on the players to play better and Wilson to recruit better when the opponent is a team full of NHL draft picks. Not even fair to say Wilson should be able to recruit like that. And as for coming out better for it recent history says otherwise as our schedules have been getting harder and harder as we dip further and further in the AHA. You can't really tell me that the team is in better spirits after that game.

I'm not sure history is of great use here. The downtown homecoming game is only, what, 5 years old now? The novelty was higher when we played SLU and we were also coming off multiple years of success (back to back AHA championship appearances, for example).

If SLU was coming next year, do you think it'd be the same kind of lock? I doubt it. 10,556 is a lot of people for RIT to bring in considering our struggles to even fill Ritter (2,100) the last two years. Having a big name team with lots of buzz as well as local alumni such as Michigan or BC helps bring people in. The casual fanbase making up probably 7000+ of the crowd at homecoming isn't going to not show up because RIT might lose. They don't even follow the team, as it's mostly friends and family of students. They will however be interested in the fact that a huge school/program is coming in to play us.

Look, AIC and Sacred Heart have both beaten the #1 team in recent years. RIT has a history of beating ranked teams. Bringing in teams better than RIT is not a problem, if RIT wins it sends the fanbase into the stratosphere and gives the team a huge boost. RIT should absolutely not be avoiding teams because they are scary. If the program ever wants to grow we're going to have to be able to punch with the big boys. If the big boys demand to come when we're downtown, then we need to let that happen.

Also considering our record against Niagara over the past 20 years, I think I'd rather play BC at homecoming. At least then the loss doesn't count for anything. There's inherent risk in bringing in less prestigious/uninteresting schools in that if we lose to them, it's not only a loss for the crowd but against a team nobody even cares about. At least people can go home from a game against Boston College saying they saw 9 NHL draft picks..

I think we should stick with the bigger teams for reasons many of you have already touched upon. I also feel that all of us want to see the program grow, we want to see successful RIT teams year in and year out. Playing the big teams not only gives our freshman and our potential recruits the experience of knowing that RIT will play the 'big boys', but it also gives the 'big boys' a closer look to what RIT hockey is all about. Head over to BC's blog on their hockey team ( http://www.bcinterruption.com/2014/10/19/7001705/hockey-bc-6-rit-2) and read about what they have to say about RIT. Of course playing in front of 11,000 fans when you win is great, but I feel they had a healthy appreciation of the atmosphere that RIT brought to that game. I thought the BC fans next to the RIT bench were getting into it too. Hopefully next year we will give them a good game in their barn and maybe some of the recruits from the Boston area that don't wind up playing for a Hockey East team might take a second look at RIT because of what RIT has to offer.

I look forward to Brick City Homecoming and seeing big OOC teams each year and if I could buy my seats for next year when Bowling Green visits and the following year when Yale visits I would buy them today.

The friends and family of BC Freshman Alex Tuch bought over 100 tickets to the game, and filled that entire lower bowl section. They were definitely into it, especially when he put home their 5th goal of the night.

 

[cplinford]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

I think the school is doing more to ensure these are sold out. First noticed it with 7k at the Colgate game (up from Cornell at 5k which is def a bigger draw though not home coming) to then the series of sellouts from 2010 onward (umass-lowell, penn state, SLU, Michigan, BC). Most of those schools would not be a big draw to the casual fan

 

[LtPowers]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

How about this:

RIT offered me free tickets to the Penn State and SLU games for my RIT volunteer work over the prior year. Starting last year with Michigan, that wasn't an option any more. This year I could get Dr. Gupta or the Alumni Ball, no homecoming game.

So the question here is this: is the reason they don't need to give away tickets to ensure a sellout because we were playing Michigan and BC, or because the event has just gotten more popular as the years go on? We'll find out next year, I guess.


Powers &8^]

 

[elbojpb]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

I would hazard a guess that many of the attendees are coming at least in part because it was Michigan and BC (recently). Yes, they are there to support RIT but I am guess a fair amount might not attend if the opponent was (to use other's examples) SLU or (especially) Bowling Green.

Exactly the reason I made the trek from the So Tier, and frankly wouldn't drive 2 hours to see RIT play lesser competition. However, I appreciate quality hockey, and don't want a gimme for homecoming. I was obviously in the minority ... the typical Brick City attendee wants only to see RIT win. It's good seeing an ex-rival D3 program moving up and onward.

P.S. If RIT hadn't given up so many odd man rushes, and had the wingers played any defense whatsover during the middle 30 minutes, the score would have been much more respectable.

 

[lmg6841]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

P.S. If RIT hadn't given up so many odd man rushes, and had the wingers played any defense whatsover during the middle 30 minutes, the score would have been much more respectable.

The back checking was pretty much non-existent. I'm not sure if they were frustrated at being repeatedly shut down in the offensive zone, but the odd man breaks are where BC shined.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

The back checking was pretty much non-existent. I'm not sure if they were frustrated at being repeatedly shut down in the offensive zone, but the odd man breaks are where BC shined.

I think the problem was so many of our guys felt outclassed and outskilled, and were. The only players that played up to their normal game were Garbowsky and the Norrish twins, maybe Macgowan too. Our big physical line with Thompson were so outclassed they just spent entire shifts hemmed in their own zone and lacked opportunities to even get a good backcheck going. Things like backchecking and forechecking are going to be the first to suffer when playing a faster, better team.

 

[Chris Lerch]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

I remember one play where Hanifin took the puck away from Garbowsky quite easily and thinking to myself, "If they can do that to one of our best, this is not going to go well." Of course, Hanifin is projected to go as high as third overall in the next NHL draft (He's 17). BC's blueliners were some of the best I have seen play against RIT. Matheson is a first round pick, Santini is a second round pick, McCoshen second round, etc.

 

[mar7967]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Yet another special jersey: http://www.ritathletics.com/news/2014/10/20/MHOCKEY_1020145629.aspx

 

[LtPowers]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Saturating the market, aren't we? How many game-worn nontraditional jerseys can the fanbase purchase?


Powers &8^]

 

[mar7967]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Don't expect to see Caleb Cameron in the lineup for a while, saw him on campus today and one of his hands was in a cast.

Per the D&C, out at least 4 weeks. http://www.democratandchronicle.com...2014/10/21/rit-hockey-caleb-cameron/17668275/

The RIT men's hockey team will be without sophomore forward Caleb Cameron for at least four weeks.

Cameron broke his hand lifting weights last week and will be sidelined at least four weeks.

 

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Re: >>>>>RIT TIGERS... The Polisseum, just like the Ritter only more of us!<<<<<

Saturating the market, aren't we? How many game-worn nontraditional jerseys can the fanbase purchase?


Powers &8^]

The benefit of being a collegiate team is that you see a huge turnover in fanbase every year, which means lots of new customers on top of those who just like to collect jerseys. I'm sure many of us spending time on the forum here have more than one RIT jersey...

Although I will say that another camo jersey doesn't excite me. I've already got the Wounded Warriors one the women auctioned off, so count me as someone not interested in this years offering.