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RPI 2024–25: Come for the Hockey, Stay for the Football

RPI67 said:
I'm told the Field House ice is bad. Why don't we have more of a home court advantage? or is 1-10 with the home court advantage?
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Aspy covered the HFH ice issue recently in a post. The refrigeration tubing in the HFH concrete is failing (leaking). RPI opted for a band aid approach of using small gauge tubing on top of the slab, instead of replacing the slab and installing new refrigeration tubing for the rink. One possibility is that they have chosen the band aid approach as they consider the larger question of renovations and expansion study of HFH.

As for the team's continued on-ice home struggles...(3 total home wins last season, one so far this season) it's anyone's guess. Smith doesn't have any answers for it...that much we know.
 
What.A.Freakout! RPI was clearly the better team but Yale played em tough throughout. Credit to RPI for battling back being down 1-0 and 2-1. The crowd was into it for most of the game and the Pep Band brought it! Sure, do I wish they had more sustained effort in the offensive zone? Sure but overall Hotson and McDermott were enough to help create and carry the day. Go Red!
 
RPIfanNYC said:
What.A.Freakout! RPI was clearly the better team but Yale played em tough throughout. Credit to RPI for battling back being down 1-0 and 2-1. The crowd was into it for most of the game and the Pep Band brought it! Sure, do I wish they had more sustained effort in the offensive zone? Sure but overall Hotson and McDermott were enough to help create and carry the day. Go Red!
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No game is perfect. I'm just hoping they can carry this momentum through the rest of the season. As it stands, RPI is currently ties with Princeton in the ECAC, gaining the 9th seed by tiebreaker. These last few games will determine if we have a home playoff game, or an away playoff game. We need every point we can get these next few weekends, and a big freakout victory was definitely the way to start it.
 
The Ivy League recently voted not to adopt the new NIL, revenue sharing and roster standards. How will this affect the other two D1 schools and four D3 play ups? I’m not even sure that we are eligible to apply the new standards, but would the Ivies even stay in a league that permits them? Given their deep financial aid pools and name recognition, they’ve been able to play in a league where the other schools (including Union’s stated intent) give full and partial scholarships. However, would they stay in a league that permits directly paying players and a 26 man full scholarship roster? Frankly, I don’t see how RPI can go down the revenue sharing path, but has the decision effectively been made if we want to stay in the ECAC?
 
rpi82 said:
The Ivy League recently voted not to adopt the new NIL, revenue sharing and roster standards. How will this affect the other two D1 schools and four D3 play ups? I’m not even sure that we are eligible to apply the new standards, but would the Ivies even stay in a league that permits them? Given their deep financial aid pools and name recognition, they’ve been able to play in a league where the other schools (including Union’s stated intent) give full and partial scholarships. However, would they stay in a league that permits directly paying players and a 26 man full scholarship roster? Frankly, I don’t see how RPI can go down the revenue sharing path, but has the decision effectively been made if we want to stay in the ECAC?
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Sadly, These are all excellent questions that in days gone by would be posed to the coach and the A.D. by the journalists who used to cover the team. Those days are long gone.. So eventually, when the smoke clears, the powers that be will decree to us what the future holds for the program. From what I heard over the weekend, the hockey alumni were not supplied with anything resembling an update or current information on where the program is headed.
 
Because I am a glutton for punishment, I tuned in to Smith's weekly segment on Wyland's radio show. The usual rose colored glasses were employed following the eked out (job saving?) win vs. Yale. Smith did mention in rather glowing fashion how good Geisbrecht has been and that he is our #1 keeper. No mention of Watson, who I believe Smith stated was nursing an injury earlier in the season. He indicated that there's been a steady flow of NHL scouts have been in attendance scouting the Geisbrecht. I have no idea how accurate this statement is. I am not expert on hockey scouting...so I won't offer any opinions. He did make many excellent saves this weekend, especially given our chronic inability to cover the back door on the PK... which better teams have repeatedly beaten us on.

In regards to injuries, he again mentioned being without four keys players with long term injuries.... So they are Tonelli, Muzzatti, Strom and........Bourgeault ? Watson ? I dunno who the 4th is....
 
Wicked Slappaahs said:
In regards to injuries, he again mentioned being without four keys players with long term injuries.... So they are Tonelli, Muzzatti, Strom and........Bourgeault ? Watson ? I dunno who the 4th is....
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My guess is Bourgeault--it was mentioned he hadn't suited up at all this year in the TU article printed before the UNH loss.
 
Wicked Slappaahs said:
Because I am a glutton for punishment, I tuned in to Smith's weekly segment on Wyland's radio show. The usual rose colored glasses were employed following the eked out (job saving?) win vs. Yale. Smith did mention in rather glowing fashion how good Geisbrecht has been and that he is our #1 keeper. No mention of Watson, who I believe Smith stated was nursing an injury earlier in the season. He indicated that there's been a steady flow of NHL scouts have been in attendance scouting the Geisbrecht. I have no idea how accurate this statement is. I am not expert on hockey scouting...so I won't offer any opinions. He did make many excellent saves this weekend, especially given our chronic inability to cover the back door on the PK... which better teams have repeatedly beaten us on.

In regards to injuries, he again mentioned being without four keys players with long term injuries.... So they are Tonelli, Muzzatti, Strom and........Bourgeault ? Watson ? I dunno who the 4th is....
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I have no insider knowledge, but I bet Watson's injury has something to do with his back, on account to it has to hurt for him carrying the team his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Jokes aside, Geisbrecht has been a really good addition to this team. He's hit and miss like Watson, but appearing to have more hits than misses.

As for Smith, I highly doubt that if Smith's job is in fact on the chopping block after two disappointing seasons, that one long overdue win in Big Red Freakout is going to save it. Don't get me wrong, Big Red Freakout was a GREAT win, but it also is just a win. Now if this win leads to the team getting hot, and doing good the rest of the regular season along with a deep playoff run, I can see that saving Smith's job. I just can't see the argument to keep Smith unless it's for money reasons, or he manages to somehow save this sinking ship.
 
This weekend will have a lot to say about Smith's future.
Cornell and Colgate away is no easy task. If we were to win those games, it could help his cause.
However, if we do not win them, the Freakout will be forgotten.
 
RPI Hockey Guy said:
I have no insider knowledge, but I bet Watson's injury has something to do with his back, on account to it has to hurt for him carrying the team his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Jokes aside, Geisbrecht has been a really good addition to this team. He's hit and miss like Watson, but appearing to have more hits than misses.

As for Smith, I highly doubt that if Smith's job is in fact on the chopping block after two disappointing seasons, that one long overdue win in Big Red Freakout is going to save it. Don't get me wrong, Big Red Freakout was a GREAT win, but it also is just a win. Now if this win leads to the team getting hot, and doing good the rest of the regular season along with a deep playoff run, I can see that saving Smith's job. I just can't see the argument to keep Smith unless it's for money reasons, or he manages to somehow save this sinking ship.
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Freakout was a great win but like you said not enough to keep his job. If he does go on a run maybe that will save it. I think most people are ready for a change. His record at home past two seasons is indefensible. throw in the fact he’s had 1 winning season in 8 years I just don’t see how you could keep him. Who knows maybe they go on a run and reach lake placid? If not and they keep him it’s simply for $$. No doubt
 
engineerhockeyfan said:
This weekend will have a lot to say about Smith's future.
Cornell and Colgate away is no easy task. If we were to win those games, it could help his cause.
However, if we do not win them, the Freakout will be forgotten.
Click to expand...
Tough weekend for sure. Colgate is playing well. Cornell is injury bitten this year but still very good.
 
Wicked Slappaahs said:
Sadly, These are all excellent questions that in days gone by would be posed to the coach and the A.D. by the journalists who used to cover the team. Those days are long gone.. So eventually, when the smoke clears, the powers that be will decree to us what the future holds for the program. From what I heard over the weekend, the hockey alumni were not supplied with anything resembling an update or current information on where the program is headed.
Click to expand...
That’s awesome! Why keep your hockey alumni up to date with the program when you can leave them in the dark guessing.
 
Engineers said:
That’s awesome! Why keep your hockey alumni up to date with the program when you can leave them in the dark guessing.
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Interesting tidbit from this week's TU article that I was unaware of: Neil Hernberg has been working in the RPI advancement office since last year. This may be a conduit for hockey-supporting alumni to communicate their views on the program to leadership through somebody that understands the program and the sport.

Article here: https://www.timesunion.com/sports/a...-player-jack-brackett-a-glue-guy-20136138.php
 
Engineers said:
That’s awesome! Why keep your hockey alumni up to date with the program when you can leave them in the dark guessing.
Click to expand...

It seems communication and outreach from the program has really fallen off in recent years. I'm not an alum, but I am a long-time season ticket holder, and it's surprising that aside from the yearly season ticket brochure and an email invite to the pre-season coach's talk, there's nothing. I don't hear anything about LGR. Talk to season ticket holders at other schools and see what they get. Letters from the head coach, updates on the program, previews of next season schedule, and lots of promos and special events. I don't expect all of that here, but I bought one ticket to a Dartmouth game a few years ago and still get updates and more info than I get about our team. I will note getting off Dartmouth's athletics email list might be harder than getting admitted there!

It was mentioned earlier that in the old days, reporters covering the program would be asking these questions. Absolutely true. RIP Ed Weaver. Coverage in the local media is sporadic at best with UAlbany and Siena men's and women's hoops and lax overshadowing nearly all coverage of local college hockey. Hockey attendance is well ahead of lax and women's hoops at UA and Siena yet it consisently fails to merit anywhere near the same coverage. With the exception of Ken Schott at the Gazette and Sean Martin (a stringer for the Times Union), there's little interest in covering the local hockey programs. SIDs at both RPI and Union should be hounding local sports editors/directors to cover these programs more consistently. Maybe they are and the local media don't care. Who knows?

Regarding the HFH study: first, shout out to AspyDad for the recent background on the floor and the icemaking system. That is eye-opening. Second, as others have noted, there is a lot going on with NIL etc and some big questions about the future of D-1 hockey for programs such as ours. It's possible this has evolved into a much larger discussion about the future of the program itself, potential coaching change, where to play while HFH is demolished/rebuilt. If so, then the silence is a little more understandable. But some update on the status of the HFH study - even a timeline for when to expect some decision or further action - would be a sign of respect for the very loyal fans that remain left. A lot of us have been supporters of this program for decades and have stuck with it through thick and thin. To leave folks totally in the dark for many months seems to show a lack of consideration for the fans (alum, non-alum, and donor alike) who continue to support the program.
 
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