uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

[Squarebanks]

Honest answer. My comment is more about emotional investment. Been there/done that to some degree. I have conscientiously tried to be better at supporting the program but not be too emotionally invested in on ice success. Regardless of results, these “kids” bust their butts in the weight room, in practice, in the classroom, on the ice, and wish even more so than the fans that the results were better. As fans we have to remember that. If our programs survive the budget crisis, UAA will put together a string of rivalry game victories. Hang in there. Remember you are talking to Nanook fans, pros at handling multi-sport disappointing seasons. This post will self destruct in….

I think that's exactly right. Take it a step further and look at all the players (not just hockey) who were recruited to UAF and wound up settling down in Fairbanks and raising families because they liked the town and the program.

 

[mmf]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Here is what was handed out after last night's dance...

<a href="https://mmf.smugmug.com/Alaska-Nanook-Hockey/201516-Hockey-Season/n-3B6CTS/i-LbZ4QTQ/A"><img src="https://mmf.smugmug.com/photos/i-LbZ4QTQ/0/S/i-LbZ4QTQ-S.jpg" alt=""></a>

 

[AKSWF]

The negativity of some "fans".
WOW!
It's a great day to be a Seawolf!

So what exactly do you feel good about last night? Losing the all "important" Governor's Cup, being down 3-1 until the 90 second mark, Mantha not getting the support he needs, us playing like we've been since joining the WCHA (minus the 1 winning season).

We do play for the playoffs tonight but we need a win, not a tie, not a loss.

I count the reasons 4 to 1.

 

[AKSWF]

Agreed. I’m hoping it relieves a bit of pressure and they are just a bit looser. My biggest concern is that late in the game they start playing not to lose. We don’t do well when we get back on our heels and stop being aggressive.

Echos of game 7 in Thomas' first season.

Between the two of us I think you guys would have the better shot at upsetting the moo moo. (Even if Tech wins, moo moos would still be "first"?)

 

[Jimjamesak]

Honest answer. My comment is more about emotional investment. Been there/done that to some degree. I have conscientiously tried to be better at supporting the program but not be too emotionally invested in on ice success. Regardless of results, these “kids” bust their butts in the weight room, in practice, in the classroom, on the ice, and wish even more so than the fans that the results were better. As fans we have to remember that. If our programs survive the budget crisis, UAA will put together a string of rivalry game victories. Hang in there. Remember you are talking to Nanook fans, pros at handling multi-sport disappointing seasons. This post will self destruct in….

To be honest I have these feelings and expectations because of how the players are treated. If you look at the facilities available to these players, even at UAA, I don't feel it is wrong to have expectations of these "kids".

When I was a college student I would've loved to have had a personal lounge that I could study in, a fitness training staff to help me work out, all of my hockey gear provided for free, people to help me study for classes etc. I do not think it is wrong to say, given the results, "you are not good enough right now."

I really do mean it when I say "this is embarrassing" it really is embarrassing. In the eyes of many, UAA hockey is a joke. If I wear a UAA hockey shirt around, people laugh. I work with people involved in hockey at various levels in Anchorage, who know I'm a UAA fan, and say "why do you watch? They're a joke, they can't even beat Fairbanks let alone any other team in that league." It stings dealing with UAF alums who laugh and say "7 years!"

I'm frustrated by this loss of pride. But what really gets me is, publicly the team doesn't seem to care. Thomas doesn't seem to care, the players don't either. It just seems these people are given these perks (and salary in the case of Thomas), are losing, and don't seemed, publicly, bothered by it. That's really frustrating.

 

[Seawolf Fan]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

After tying 4-4 the Seawolves alumnus prevailed 1-0 in the shootout.

 

[Jimjamesak]

After tying 4-4 the Seawolves alumnus prevailed 1-0 in the shootout.

How is it we can always win the shootout in the Alumni Game yet never the real one?

Anyways, congrats to those guys. Good to hear.

 

[Suze]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

If that's a true statement then he should not be the coach and leader of this program. That's a "you need to turn in your resignation letter" type of statement. Absolutely unacceptable. How in the hell are we supposed to build our program if we can't even care about our rivalry?

I agree, I really don't care if we win tomorrow. We get to go get our *es handed to us by Mankato? Whoopdee *ing doo. Meanwhile we're now 7 years without a Governor's Cup, eternity without a home playoff series, and a serious doubt as to whether the program will even exist in two years.

You can't blame this year on the coach. He cannot control injuries. McColgan left early on due to repeated concussions. Dusyk never fully recovered from the health issues he had last season and has left hockey altogether. Amantea had shoulder surgery. Erb-Eckholm has missed the entire second half courtesy of the Nanook player who broke his thumb and gave him a concussion in December. Our captain Sevalrud missed weeks due to a separated shoulder. Azurdia, Luedtke, and Jackstadt were injured. And then you have the two freshmen twins who the NCAA ruled ineligible because of a new rule change. Mitchell is academically ineligible ... not by the NCAA's standards, but by UAA's. He could play because he made up his work that he missed when his mom was deathly ill, but UAA won't let him ... There are probably more injuries I am forgetting, but that puts the coach down a significant number of players and there is no depth. Look at how good the team did the first half of the season when they were healthy!!

 

[Squarebanks]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

GNAC championship hasn't even started and the play by play guy already called us Alaska Anchorage.

 

[Suze]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

GNAC championship hasn't even started and the play by play guy already called us Alaska Anchorage.

That's a no brainer. When people hear "Alaska", they don't think "Fairbanks", they think "Anchorage".

 

[Jimjamesak]

You can't blame this year on the coach. He cannot control injuries. McColgan left early on due to repeated concussions. Dusyk never fully recovered from the health issues he had last season and has left hockey altogether. Amantea had shoulder surgery. Erb-Eckholm has missed the entire second half courtesy of the Nanook player who broke his thumb and gave him a concussion in December. Our captain Sevalrud missed weeks due to a separated shoulder. Azurdia, Luedtke, and Jackstadt were injured. And then you have the two freshmen twins who the NCAA ruled ineligible because of a new rule change. Mitchell is academically ineligible ... not by the NCAA's standards, but by UAA's. He could play because he made up his work that he missed when his mom was deathly ill, but UAA won't let him ... There are probably more injuries I am forgetting, but that puts the coach down a significant number of players and there is no depth. Look at how good the team did the first half of the season when they were healthy!!

Injuries are part of hockey. Fact of the matter is people have to quit making excuses. We have not been good enough. That's all. We get horribly out shot most games. We had a terrible home record. Our PP has been horrendous. The team wasn't any better in the first half of the season than they are now outside of a flukey weekend at Tech.

And to be honest Suze, it should absolutely rile up everyone of us if he said these games get too much hype and expectation. It's almost insulting for him to say that.

The program needs a total attitude change before anything else. I liken it to watching a loved one deal with an addiction, you're just hoping at some point they'll hit rock bottom, quit making excuses and say "* this. Things have to change!" I figured last year's ending would've been bottom but apparently it wasn't.

tl;dr Quit making excuses.

 

[Squarebanks]

That's a no brainer. When people hear "Alaska", they don't think "Fairbanks", they think "Anchorage".

Most people think of vast wilderness, glaciers, world class fishing and hunting, Denali, etc. But a few might think of the cloudiest mid-size city in the country instead.

 

[Squarebanks]

Injuries are part of hockey.

This. We lost our best player for six weeks and had so many forwards hurt we had to slide a defenseman (Fernsler) to forward. It happens. Guys have to step up when it does.

 

[AKSWF]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

How is it we can always win the shootout in the Alumni Game yet never the real one?

Anyways, congrats to those guys. Good to hear.

They get enough practice.

 

[Suze]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Injuries are part of hockey. Fact of the matter is people have to quit making excuses. We have not been good enough. That's all. We get horribly out shot most games. We had a terrible home record. Our PP has been horrendous. The team wasn't any better in the first half of the season than they are now outside of a flukey weekend at Tech.

And to be honest Suze, it should absolutely rile up everyone of us if he said these games get too much hype and expectation. It's almost insulting for him to say that.

The program needs a total attitude change before anything else. I liken it to watching a loved one deal with an addiction, you're just hoping at some point they'll hit rock bottom, quit making excuses and say "* this. Things have to change!" I figured last year's ending would've been bottom but apparently it wasn't.

tl;dr Quit making excuses.

How soon you forget. UAA was the highest scoring team in the league in the first half. We took 3 from Huntsville, split with Bowling Green and split with (but almost swept) Ferris - remember the 5-0 score of the second game with FS? Then there was the Tech sweep on the road. Huge difference between first and second half. I'm not trying to make excuses, but there are indeed extenuating circumstances and what the coaching staff got dealt this season was not the norm. You have given up on the team but I have not. I still believe Thomas is building a team that will turn things around and will get more fans in the arena.

 

[mmf]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

That's a no brainer. When people hear "Alaska", they don't think "Fairbanks", they think "Anchorage".

Actually, most of them think “Sarah Palin”, and “Alaskan Bush People.” Since Anchorage is about as faux Alaska as those two I guess you’re in good company.

 

[Suze]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Actually, most of them think “Sarah Palin”, and “Alaskan Bush People.” Since Anchorage is about as faux Alaska as those two I guess you’re in good company.

You're right about one thing, Fairbanks is more "Alaskan Bush People" than Anchorage is.

Whoever recommended the ice sculptures (Squarebanks maybe??), thank you. They were beautiful. I was just shocked it cost us $30 to see them!

 

[mmf]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

The people at the university sees money being cut from their programs while money is being spent on hockey for... what exactly?

In all fairness to the Seawolves, they are doing their best to help control program operating costs, although Coach Thomas may not appreciate their efforts…

$2,500 for winning the Governor’s Cup
$4,000 for winning season.
$4,000 if team averages overall 3.0 GPA
$6,000 if UAA gets an NCAA bid.
$6,000 for winning McNaughton Cup.
$8,000 for WCHA Championship.
$8,000 for hosting WCHA first round series.

 

[Seawolf Fan]

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

Re: uaa @ UAF March 4 & 5 … Why? …Because it really is never too early.

How soon you forget. UAA was the highest scoring team in the league in the first half. We took 3 from Huntsville, split with Bowling Green and split with (but almost swept) Ferris - remember the 5-0 score of the second game with FS? Then there was the Tech sweep on the road. Huge difference between first and second half. I'm not trying to make excuses, but there are indeed extenuating circumstances and what the coaching staff got dealt this season was not the norm. You have given up on the team but I have not. I still believe Thomas is building a team that will turn things around and will get more fans in the arena.

You can't blame this year on the coach. He cannot control injuries. McColgan left early on due to repeated concussions. Dusyk never fully recovered from the health issues he had last season and has left hockey altogether. Amantea had shoulder surgery. Erb-Eckholm has missed the entire second half courtesy of the Nanook player who broke his thumb and gave him a concussion in December. Our captain Sevalrud missed weeks due to a separated shoulder. Azurdia, Luedtke, and Jackstadt were injured. And then you have the two freshmen twins who the NCAA ruled ineligible because of a new rule change. Mitchell is academically ineligible ... not by the NCAA's standards, but by UAA's. He could play because he made up his work that he missed when his mom was deathly ill, but UAA won't let him ... There are probably more injuries I am forgetting, but that puts the coach down a significant number of players and there is no depth. Look at how good the team did the first half of the season when they were healthy!!

Good on ya Suze!!
You're not making excuses you're stating facts.
I'd like to add the question of how many 1 goal games where one puck bounce our way would have changed the outcome?
Including last night!
These are the right guys and the right coaching staff to move our team forward.
I'm with you and this team.
It's a great day to be a Seawolf!

 

[Jimjamesak]

How soon you forget. UAA was the highest scoring team in the league in the first half. We took 3 from Huntsville, split with Bowling Green and split with (but almost swept) Ferris - remember the 5-0 score of the second game with FS? Then there was the Tech sweep on the road. Huge difference between first and second half. I'm not trying to make excuses, but there are indeed extenuating circumstances and what the coaching staff got dealt this season was not the norm. You have given up on the team but I have not. I still believe Thomas is building a team that will turn things around and will get more fans in the arena.

Except a lot of that scoring was done Tatchell, Anholt, and Kozun, all players who were not injured. Those guys starting getting shut out and nobody stepped up. It's excuse making, that's it.