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RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

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Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

JohnK speaks the truth. After hearing Appert say we would have a "final 4 quality offense" and then seeing the initial results, for me it was like a switch went off this season. I've had enough of the snake oil. Now I simply monitor things from afar... checking the scores online here and there but expecting little. The program makes no sense to me. We lost a great goalie last season but little else... yet we simply cannot score goals this year. Many kids look good as freshmen but seem to regress and then plateau at a lower level. It has to be the coaching. I feel like I've invested too much time on this regime already. RPI feels like the Cuba of college and hockey... hopefully we won't need to wait as long for our Castros (both Seth and Shirley) to die (metaphorically.... I'm not wishing ill health on anyone).

It may not make much sense to Appert either. He seemed very confident at the start of the season. Behind the "I'm not worried...we'll get there" comments I have to think he's as stumped as the rest of us. Unfortunately, he's paid the reasonably big bucks to have the answers. However it may happen, it looks more like he'll need to pull the rabbit out of the hat very soon or the administration will have to make a tough choice at the end of the season. Without a major turnaround I'm not sure they can ask alums and fan base to tolerate four more years. And a "buy out Appert" fund would probably get a lot of takers.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

We lost a great goalie last season but little else...

This statement should tell you everything you need to know. This staff doesn't know what the hell they're doing in front of their own blue line, they've been using good goaltending as a crutch for all of our teams, and then when that doesn't show up, your weaknesses are exposed. Look, I can understand wanting to teach two-way play because that's how you become successful at the next level. That's not being achieved; they only learn one way: defensively. Pass first, even if you're wide open. You want to talk about scoring by committee, yet you only want 2 or 3 people taking the shot. No one pinches to keep the offense going; they just give up and retreat behind the blue line, ending any sort of opportunity the team might have at that point. And don't get me started on the dumb penalties, either; you can't entirely blame the officiating crew on that, if even 80% of it.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

From the outside looking in, the RPI situation reminds me of the late Tim Taylor years at Yale (although with a much younger and less tenured Coach). Both of these once vaunted programs slowly slid backwards into complacent mediocrity. Both teams have passionate fan bases who will show their disapproval with non attendance. The better recruits started regularly looking elsewhere, because even though both schools are great educational institutions, the recruits would still like to win a few games. Yale, finally pulled the band aid off of the wound ten years ago with a MUCH debated coaching change and a facility refurbishment. RPI has that option and is ahead of the game on the facility side. When there is a well respected existing coach, making a change may well be the hardest thing a program has to do. Will that change be enough to reverse RPI's fortunes? That is above our pay grades, but it looks like the most important stakeholders (the devoted fans) are starting to jump ship and not attend, that will usually get the attention of the powers that be. Good luck with the debate it will get painful.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

It may not make much sense to Appert either. He seemed very confident at the start of the season. Behind the "I'm not worried...we'll get there" comments I have to think he's as stumped as the rest of us. Unfortunately, he's paid the reasonably big bucks to have the answers. However it may happen, it looks more like he'll need to pull the rabbit out of the hat very soon or the administration will have to make a tough choice at the end of the season. Without a major turnaround I'm not sure they can ask alums and fan base to tolerate four more years. And a "buy out Appert" fund would probably get a lot of takers.

Patreon campaign?
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

This statement should tell you everything you need to know. This staff doesn't know what the hell they're doing in front of their own blue line, they've been using good goaltending as a crutch for all of our teams, and then when that doesn't show up, your weaknesses are exposed. Look, I can understand wanting to teach two-way play because that's how you become successful at the next level. That's not being achieved; they only learn one way: defensively. Pass first, even if you're wide open. You want to talk about scoring by committee, yet you only want 2 or 3 people taking the shot. No one pinches to keep the offense going; they just give up and retreat behind the blue line, ending any sort of opportunity the team might have at that point. And don't get me started on the dumb penalties, either; you can't entirely blame the officiating crew on that, if even 80% of it.

Totally agree - actually more like outside of their own crease. But also need players with better skating ability, speed and skills - who have more intensity and passion to beat opponents to the puck and win the battles around the net.....hard to watch.
 
Totally agree - actually more like outside of their own crease. But also need players with better skating ability, speed and skills - who have more intensity and passion to beat opponents to the puck and win the battles around the net.....hard to watch.

I listened to th QU post game show last night. They interviewed one of the assistant coaches. It was shocking how dismissive he was of our team. He didn't even trot out any of the cliches praising the opponent. We were simply an opponent they expect to beat (from the tone, handily) and they didn't even know if our team "wanted to play." If we've reached the point where we aren't even a respected opponent it may be time for a change.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

If we lose out on his son to #26, what makes you think pops is going to want to help out?

We lost out on his son because we got Pirri and D'Amigo. Had we not gotten both we probably would have gotten him.
 
I know this doesn't happen in college hockey, but I'm so frustrated I'd make a change now and give the interim job to Nolan Graham. At least he was a successful coach in juniors so this would give him a chance to see if he can turn it around and save our future recruits. If he can't it's time to clean house and start from scratch in March.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Heavy sigh.

I expected to lose to Quinnipiac. I thought we had this one, and then it was 4-1 and I really thought we had it. I mean ****.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Heavy sigh.

I expected to lose to Quinnipiac. I thought we had this one, and then it was 4-1 and I really thought we had it. I mean ****.

the stat of 25 SOG allowed in the third periods of both games this weekend really jumps out. We were outshot 50-8 and outscored 5-2 in those periods. Lucky that wasn't worse.

For the weekend we were outshot 106-36.

Whatever Appert tells this team before games and between periods, it's time to throw the book out.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

I expected Quinnipiac to come after us in the third period. And I wasn't surprised by the shot discrepancy.
But against Princeton, I expected an even third period at worst. We just laid down and let them come at us.
If this was due to coaching, the whole staff needs to go.
If it was the team, the coaching staff has lost the team, and needs to go.
I have supported SA in te past, but this game and our play in the third period put an end to any support I have for him.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

Sorry Ralph...you're wrong on this one. It was the forward from Kingston they took instead. Forget his name but he had his neck cut with a skate.

I assume that you mean Brock Higgs.

I certainly could be wrong but I thought that Jooris wanted to come a year earlier when Pirri and D'Amigo came.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2016 - 2017: Here we go again! I hope it's a fun ride.

I assume that you mean Brock Higgs.

I certainly could be wrong but I thought that Jooris wanted to come a year earlier when Pirri and D'Amigo came.

That class only had 5 kids, did it not? Pirri, D'Amigo, O'Grady, Merriam, and Lee.
 
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