RPI 2020 Off-season Overtime: In Memory of Turk181

[Waite21]

On a "positive" note, I received a blast email the other day promoting alumni events and gatherings. Obviously, they have all been "virtual" for the past ten months. Finally, one has popped up that is being advertised as IN PERSON. Unfortunately, it is alumni and homecoming weekend in October, 2021.

Sure is starting to look like all sports at the institute will end up being suspended for a hard to even imagine eighteen months. Have to wonder if that is just far too long to maintain either the paying live gate or those that follow via RPI TV or ESPN PLUS. Just cannot imaging anything even close to the entire fan base returning after all that time. By September/ October of 2021, a very healthy number are very likely to find something else to do even if that means just staying home.

I received an e-mail today promoting Spirit Day, to be celebrated on Feb. 5 this year. The e-mail notes that Spirit Day is normally the day before Big Red Freakout. So I guess now we know when Big Red Freakout would have been if there had been a hockey season.

Way down at the bottom of the Spirit Day e-mail is a note to "mark your calendar for a virtual celebration of Reunion & Homecoming, April 14-16, 2021."

Does that mean we're going to have the first ever Homecoming lacrosse game - but with alumni restricted to virtual attendance only?

 

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 16 January 2021. There are 259 days (17 weeks) until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 2 October 2021 for the start of next season.

 

[Ralph Baer]

I received an e-mail today promoting Spirit Day, to be celebrated on Feb. 5 this year. The e-mail notes that Spirit Day is normally the day before Big Red Freakout. So I guess now we know when Big Red Freakout would have been if there had been a hockey season.

Way down at the bottom of the Spirit Day e-mail is a note to "mark your calendar for a virtual celebration of Reunion & Homecoming, April 14-16, 2021."

Does that mean we're going to have the first ever Homecoming lacrosse game - but with alumni restricted to virtual attendance only?

February 6 would have been against Dartmouth.

 

[sk8tronthepond]

You are not alone Doc. One tidbit of interest today per CHN NCAA put off decision on Transferring without sitting a year. Fingers crossed that doesn`t happen.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. Players choose a school to further their academic and athletic careers. If there is no regard for these athletes who commit themselves to the school, they should be allowed to transfer without penalty. It should be a 2-way street with their athletic development taken into consideration, which is a problem in the decision-making process by RPI's administration. The student-athlete is never a consideration. Obviously, RPI is not the only school in this boat.

 

[jstadts]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. Players choose a school to further their academic and athletic careers. If there is no regard for these athletes who commit themselves to the school, they should be allowed to transfer without penalty. It should be a 2-way street with their athletic development taken into consideration, which is a problem in the decision-making process by RPI's administration. The student-athlete is never a consideration. Obviously, RPI is not the only school in this boat.

I might not have been clear. I was referring to the coming years not this current hot mess. My fear in the future for RPI and similar schools is this.t The big boys will just use the smaller schools as prep programs and poach every gem at will without the sit out rule.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 17 January 2021. There are 258 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 2 October 2021 for the start of next season.

 

[engineerhockeyfan]

The big boys will just use the smaller schools as prep programs and poach every gem at will without the sit out rule.

That is a great observation. I have always thought that players should have the same abilities as coaches and asst. coaches when signing with a new school. (no restrictions).
So, if you are going to allow players to leave without waiting out a year, the new school should have to incur a serious penalty. Put the onus on the school and not the student/athelete.
Just a thought.

 

[jstadts]

That is a great observation. I have always thought that players should have the same abilities as coaches and asst. coaches when signing with a new school. (no restrictions).
So, if you are going to allow players to leave without waiting out a year, the new school should have to incur a serious penalty. Put the onus on the school and not the student/athelete.
Just a thought.

I see merit in that idea. Too bad no one cares what we the fans think. Think of the cost involved for a School like RPI to beat the bushes to find an overlooked standout, then scholly$ and poof he is gone when a prettier girl winks at him.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 18 January 2021. There are 257 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 2 October 2021 for the start of next season.

 

[DrDemento]

I see merit in that idea. Too bad no one cares what we the fans think. Think of the cost involved for a School like RPI to beat the bushes to find an overlooked standout, then scholly$ and poof he is gone when a prettier girl winks at him.

I could understand "poof he is gone when a prettier girl winks at him" - especially if she has a lot of money!

 

[jstadts]

I could understand "poof he is gone when a prettier girl winks at him" - especially if she has a lot of money!

Doc, You`re the best! Stay healthy and keep doing whatever it is you do to stay so .....umm... perky

 

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 19 January 2021. There are 256 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 2 October 2021 for the start of next season.

 

[jericho]

I might not have been clear. I was referring to the coming years not this current hot mess. My fear in the future for RPI and similar schools is this.t The big boys will just use the smaller schools as prep programs and poach every gem at will without the sit out rule.

if this happens, then you might as well pay the players. Free agency in college athletics will be here

 

[DrDemento]

Doc, You`re the best! Stay healthy and keep doing whatever it is you do to stay so .....umm... perky

Always followed the advice of my father - marry a rich girl who can cook. Everything else you can find somewhere else!

Biggest problem for me now is all the weight gain from staying home and not eating meals out. Jenny is a fabulous cook and over the past 10 months of lock downs here in NJ, I have gained over 15 pounds. Much of it from her pecorino romano encrusted chicken.

 

[jstadts]

random, I`m bored Tuesday night post. Twelve Freshmen could be starters next year..omg

 

[sezenack]

random, I`m bored Tuesday night post. Twelve Freshmen could be starters next year..omg

Definitely going to be a young team next season. You factor in the 9 incoming freshmen (who I will still consider freshmen because they won't have D1 experience) along with whatever players they want to bring in this year, and you're looking at 10 minimum. I think it will probably be around 12 with Watson, McDonald and Ciccarello coming.

How does this affect the overall roster?
Well the defense will be fine. We will still have Babichuk, Kjellberg, Hallbauer, Ferner, Johnson and Klee (as far as I know). Sertti and Davies were also players I thought would contribute as freshmen.
The goalies will be in rough shape. Watson and Miller will both be freshmen. No goalies with D1 experience on the roster. They desperately need to find a transfer with starting experience here.
The forwards are a wildcard. Lots of youth as there will be at least the 6 freshmen from this season and probably more than that factoring in the 2021 enrollees. With Ashbrook's transfer, only 3 forwards that were in the top 9 last season will be back (Linden, Leppanen, Dubinsky). The other returning forwards were all depth guys last season (Lee, Bowman, Mahshie, Lacka, Herrman). There's lots of talent in this freshman class, but you can't rely on immediate impacts from so many freshmen despite their talent. I really hope that DS can convince Sellar to stay instead of going pro or going to med school. We could really use his experience and leadership on this team. I'll say the same thing about Billy Jerry. They might even want to add another transfer here although it's not as dire as the goaltending.

 

[jstadts]

Definitely going to be a young team next season. You factor in the 9 incoming freshmen (who I will still consider freshmen because they won't have D1 experience) along with whatever players they want to bring in this year, and you're looking at 10 minimum. I think it will probably be around 12 with Watson, McDonald and Ciccarello coming.

How does this affect the overall roster?
Well the defense will be fine. We will still have Babichuk, Kjellberg, Hallbauer, Ferner, Johnson and Klee (as far as I know). Sertti and Davies were also players I thought would contribute as freshmen.
The goalies will be in rough shape. Watson and Miller will both be freshmen. No goalies with D1 experience on the roster. They desperately need to find a transfer with starting experience here.
The forwards are a wildcard. Lots of youth as there will be at least the 6 freshmen from this season and probably more than that factoring in the 2021 enrollees. With Ashbrook's transfer, only 3 forwards that were in the top 9 last season will be back (Linden, Leppanen, Dubinsky). The other returning forwards were all depth guys last season (Lee, Bowman, Mahshie, Lacka, Herrman). There's lots of talent in this freshman class, but you can't rely on immediate impacts from so many freshmen despite their talent. I really hope that DS can convince Sellar to stay instead of going pro or going to med school. We could really use his experience and leadership on this team. I'll say the same thing about Billy Jerry. They might even want to add another transfer here although it's not as dire as the goaltending.

Very informative post. I should have said first year skaters as this years freshmen will be sophomores.. with no experience. I was wondering about sellars. Two full years off. I haven`t heard a word on his status. Perhaps the NCAA will grant an extra year of eligibility due to this years non season? I can imagine the disbursement of scholarship money is one hell of a math problem.Lee dabbled in transfer portal.no idea if he drew any interest or if he is coming back.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Very informative post. I should have said first year skaters as this years freshmen will be sophomores.. with no experience. I was wondering about sellars. Two full years off. I haven`t heard a word on his status. Perhaps the NCAA will grant an extra year of eligibility due to this years non season? I can imagine the disbursement of scholarship money is one hell of a math problem.Lee dabbled in transfer portal.no idea if he drew any interest or if he is coming back.

I doubt that Lee got any D-I interest.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 20 January 2021. There are 255 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 2 October 2021 for the start of next season.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

random, I`m bored Tuesday night post. Twelve Freshmen could be starters next year..omg

At this rate, I won't care if we're dressing guys off of the club team next fall....so long as we get to watching live hockey again. The upside is that every team is in upheaval and transition with recruiting lists smoldering in the trash can...plenty of tough decisions to made both with players on current D1 rosters vs. those in the pipeline.