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Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

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Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Yager said:
You left out the home series against UMD, 1/21-22. I don't know about the SLU series, there are potentially 3 weekends they could play that are in October. And both schools are trying to avoid the Christmas break NMU/Tech series so both games hopefully will be changed, not just the one.
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Are they really? Last I had heard on our end, we just were trying to fit the series in somewhere, even if it was an off weekend. And that is a full week after NMU students will be gone for the holidays, again.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

nmupiccdiva said:
Are they really? Last I had heard on our end, we just were trying to fit the series in somewhere, even if it was an off weekend. And that is a full week after NMU students will be gone for the holidays, again.
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Since they love to schedule this damm series when no students are around, why don't they put it at some arena downstate. :rolleyes:
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

bigblue_dl said:
Since they love to schedule this damm series when no students are around, why don't they put it at some arena downstate. :rolleyes:
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Not that crazy of an idea, just tack on an extra day to the GLI perhap.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

I'm finding it to be quite stupid that the MN series is the beginning of Thanksgiving break.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

nmupiccdiva said:
Heck, I wouldn't mind. Move it to where more alums can come, too.
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bigblue_dl said:
Since they love to schedule this damm series when no students are around, why don't they put it at some arena downstate. :rolleyes:
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Allstate Arena in Rosemont? Sears Centre in Hoffman <strike>Mistakes</strike> Estates? The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne? Resch Center in Green Bay? Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids? Bradley Center in Milwaukee?

Why? Because it costs money to rent out the arenas for the weekend, and Friday/Saturday are prime dates in the winter for existing hockey, basketball, or concerts at those arenas already.

If both schools rented out the arena for weekend and split the gate fee, that may work out, but the up front initial costs may be a bit more than both schools could afford to shell out for rent without a guaranteed return on investment. And there are travel costs to the neutral site that wouldn't be incurred with the bus ride to/from Marquette/Houghton.

Plus... you're looking at trying to schedule an event for nine months from now. Most concerts have their venues booked by now, and hockey/basketball schedules will be set soon with just minimal tweaking to the dates.

Why are the Athletic Departments not talking about doing this or haven't looked into it sooner? My impression over the years is that the MTU AD doesn't really give two sh**s, and NMU isn't quite in a spot to front cash for a questionable attendance return as host. (Green Bay was different because they were banking on their being a huge UW attendance).


I would love to see both schools utilize a neutral site if the lack of students is an issue, but it's not going to happen.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

aparch said:
Allstate Arena in Rosemont? Sears Centre in Hoffman <strike>Mistakes</strike> Estates? The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne? Resch Center in Green Bay? Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids? Bradley Center in Milwaukee?
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VAN ANDEL!!!!
YES YES YES YES.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

No, No, No, NOOOOO! I didn't actually mean to suggest they do this! They need to have these games in Houghton and Marquette when students ARE ACTUALLY IN TOWN! With an 11 team and 10 team league schedule, there should be an opportunity to align the schedules so these games get a good weekend. Are the leagues not allowing one or both of the teams to say "hey, we want to play our biggest rival during one of these weekends, lets work out a way to schedule around that" UAA and Alaska find a way to play each other late in the year, when students are actually around...so did UNO and MSU-M.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

bigblue_dl said:
No, No, No, NOOOOO! I didn't actually mean to suggest they do this! They need to have these games in Houghton and Marquette when students ARE ACTUALLY IN TOWN! With an 11 team and 10 team league schedule, there should be an opportunity to align the schedules so these games get a good weekend. Are the leagues not allowing one or both of the teams to say "hey, we want to play our biggest rival during one of these weekends, lets work out a way to schedule around that" UAA and Alaska find a way to play each other late in the year, when students are actually around...so did UNO and MSU-M.
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I happen to prefer NMU's method of actually playing games that matter after Christmas break. No off weeks, no non-conf games that don't earn league points.


In all honesty, I'd be happy if we kept the "Superior Showcase" did away with the "rivalry" and used our two games to schedule a better non-conf opponent.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

aparch said:
Allstate Arena in Rosemont? Sears Centre in Hoffman <strike>Mistakes</strike> Estates? The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne? Resch Center in Green Bay? Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids? Bradley Center in Milwaukee?

Why? Because it costs money to rent out the arenas for the weekend, and Friday/Saturday are prime dates in the winter for existing hockey, basketball, or concerts at those arenas already.

If both schools rented out the arena for weekend and split the gate fee, that may work out, but the up front initial costs may be a bit more than both schools could afford to shell out for rent without a guaranteed return on investment. And there are travel costs to the neutral site that wouldn't be incurred with the bus ride to/from Marquette/Houghton.

Plus... you're looking at trying to schedule an event for nine months from now. Most concerts have their venues booked by now, and hockey/basketball schedules will be set soon with just minimal tweaking to the dates.

Why are the Athletic Departments not talking about doing this or haven't looked into it sooner? My impression over the years is that the MTU AD doesn't really give two sh**s, and NMU isn't quite in a spot to front cash for a questionable attendance return as host. (Green Bay was different because they were banking on their being a huge UW attendance).


I would love to see both schools utilize a neutral site if the lack of students is an issue, but it's not going to happen.
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:rolleyes: = sarcasm in this case

And last year, NMU didn't want to move the game so Jamie Russell and Tech basically said, fine we'll do what we want with our game so they moved it to a Tuesday game.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
It really isn't much. Basically I said that I understand the difficulties of being a head coach at Tech, but was still disappointed in the way the last two seasons have gone. If you want to read the whole thing, here you go...
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My favorite drop-in hack here... me

FtB&G you are a gifted writer.

I have never met coach Russell but he seems like a man of character. I have no doubt he does his very best 100% of the time, has passion & pride for the Michigan Tech program, and that losing games eats at his soul more than it ever could any of us.

Clearly what's going on in Houghton isn't working. I have no doubt that much of this is external to the head coach position. After all, the results since the late 80s and onward have been similar to now. FtB&G eloquently alluded to some reasons (funding) but I'd like to add that direction comes from the top of any organization. Perhaps the duties of the athletic administrator job are beyond the abilities of its current occupant. One thing is for sure... the committment to doing the things necessary to build a winning hockey program in the year 2010 does not exist in the management at The Institution. More than anything, this is what I would like to see... the attitude that back to back single-digit win seasons and losing 10-1 in what used to be your showcase tournament is completely unacceptable. Neg rep me with profanities all you want... but by doing nothing, the PowersTheBe at Tech think that's the best they can do, and the best YOU deserve!

Success in the NCAA comes down to recruiting. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on this subject, but I do know that it's about networking and building a rappor with hockey families and towns over time, and sticking with it. Tech has historically NEVER recruited in their own backyard, or in the Marquette area, and very sporadically in the Soo and in-state in general... specifically southeastern Michigan. What would be the harm in focusing more from your own home state and the untapped hockey hotbed that your campus resides in? After all, if you're gonna average one goal per game and be last in the NCAA in almost every category.. you might as well do so with more than a few token locals and trolls who play with chips on their shoulders because they were passed over by their first- and second-choice schools. At least game attendance might improve that way.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

pyhtboss said:
FtB&G you are a gifted writer.
Click to expand...

I occasionally wonder why I don't just give up on IT and spend my time attempting to write the next Great American Novel, but then I remember that the publishing industry largely sucks and there's rarely any money in it. ;)

pyhtboss said:
I have never met coach Russell but he seems like a man of character. I have no doubt he does his very best 100% of the time, has passion & pride for the Michigan Tech program, and that losing games eats at his soul more than it ever could any of us.

Clearly what's going on in Houghton isn't working. I have no doubt that much of this is external to the head coach position. After all, the results since the late 80s and onward have been similar to now. FtB&G eloquently alluded to some reasons (funding) but I'd like to add that direction comes from the top of any organization. Perhaps the duties of the athletic administrator job are beyond the abilities of its current occupant. One thing is for sure... the committment to doing the things necessary to build a winning hockey program in the year 2010 does not exist in the management at The Institution. More than anything, this is what I would like to see... the attitude that back to back single-digit win seasons and losing 10-1 in what used to be your showcase tournament is completely unacceptable. Neg rep me with profanities all you want... but by doing nothing, the PowersTheBe at Tech think that's the best they can do, and the best YOU deserve!

Success in the NCAA comes down to recruiting. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on this subject, but I do know that it's about networking and building a rappor with hockey families and towns over time, and sticking with it. Tech has historically NEVER recruited in their own backyard, or in the Marquette area, and very sporadically in the Soo and in-state in general... specifically southeastern Michigan. What would be the harm in focusing more from your own home state and the untapped hockey hotbed that your campus resides in? After all, if you're gonna average one goal per game and be last in the NCAA in almost every category.. you might as well do so with more than a few token locals and trolls who play with chips on their shoulders because they were passed over by their first- and second-choice schools. At least game attendance might improve that way.
Click to expand...

I think the problem with recruiting Yoopers is that the pool of players truly talented enough to play WCHA hockey is limited, let alone finding players who care enough about academics to go to Tech. The best developmental hockey program in the Keweenaw is the Ojibwa Eagles, who are only Midget AAA. As far as I know, the high school teams all play in MHSAA Division 3. The closest USHL team is in Green Bay.

Granted, a handful of decent prospects have come out of the area over the years (hopefully we'll get to see one of them in a Tech sweater in 2011 ;)), but as long as Russell is the coach, we're going to be getting 1/3 to half of our players from BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Chris Tok and Pat Mikesch will mostly be in charge of recruiting from the USHL and Michigan. Perhaps some new avenues will start to be tapped with the upcoming trip to Germany and Russell's recruiting trip to Sweden last year.

That reminds me that last September, I figured out that 17 of our 27 players this season were Americans (18 of 28 if you want to retroactively throw in Heinonen). I'll have to sit down and do the addition again in the near future for next year's team, but I'm pretty sure that between two Michiganders, two Minnesotans, and a random guy from Missouri, the numbers will be solidly tilted in the USA's favor.
 
Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Speaking of Cranbrook, I watched the Calumet/CK game this past weekend. Ben Johnson missed a wide open net in the dying seconds of the first period that would have tied the game at one, plus failed to convert on at least two other good chances, so he's already a perfect fit for Tech. :o ;)

CK won 4-1, and Nate Sturos had the only goal for the Copper Kings.
 
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