UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

[fangers]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

The UAH athletic department released their "review". If anyone wasn't convinced this decision wasn't made long before this "review" was conducted, one read of this should do the trick.

http://www.uahchargers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1925&Itemid=330

Note that no one had the guts to put their name to this. If out side resources were used, there should be contracts, statements of work, and other documentation that shows what was expected to be produced in order for them to be paid.

And if any student turned this in as a research/term paper they would get a failing grade. Very few references/citations provided, and those that are there are woefully inadequate - simply say the source is the NCAA. It follows none of the constructs used in writing - no statement of the objective, little to no benefit/loss analysis, no alternatives identified/reviewed, no real analysis of the overall performance of the athletic department (why isn't there more fundraising, what could have been done better, etc.), nothing to support the rationale for their recommedations.

My opinion of the "objective": Give me reasons to cut hockey.

 

[Federal League]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

What a joke. So I guess they should cut Alabama football, too, since I'm sure that takes up a "disproportionate portion" of the budget as well.

 

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

How many UAH fans here are planning on going to the Frozen Four? Outside of any fans heading to the Denver game in January (if you want to sit with me, my DU season tickets are immediately behind the visitor's bench), this will be my last time getting together with any UAH fans.

Two years ago I got to sit in my UAH seats a grand total of two games, last year one, and this year, barring a major change in work, none. At least I got to see UAH in Colorado Springs last year and in Denver in January.

We just got a notification of tickets being available to Charger fans before the general public. Personally, if the decision to kill the program doesn't get reversed, I'm likely not going to even watch the Frozen Four on TV, let alone go to Tampa and attend. I get the feeling a lot of other Charger fans are feeling the same way.

 

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

The UAH athletic department released their "review". If anyone wasn't convinced this decision wasn't made long before this "review" was conducted, one read of this should do the trick.

http://www.uahchargers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1925&Itemid=330

Note that no one had the guts to put their name to this. If out side resources were used, there should be contracts, statements of work, and other documentation that shows what was expected to be produced in order for them to be paid.

And if any student turned this in as a research/term paper they would get a failing grade. Very few references/citations provided, and those that are there are woefully inadequate - simply say the source is the NCAA. It follows none of the constructs used in writing - no statement of the objective, little to no benefit/loss analysis, no alternatives identified/reviewed, no real analysis of the overall performance of the athletic department (why isn't there more fundraising, what could have been done better, etc.), nothing to support the rationale for their recommedations.

My opinion of the "objective": Give me reasons to cut hockey.

What also gets me is that the report says many sports are inadequately funded without any definition of what adequately funded is. In some cases, a paragraph goes on and on about how great the program is doing and getting better, then says it's inadequately funded (again, with no details or what the goal should be). And instead of proposing how to raise funding for all sports, the only agenda it wants to push is killing hockey to solve everyone's financial woes. And the anonymity of who did this review and making the recommendations removes any credibility.

Quite frankly, I'm embarrassed that my school would pass this off as a legitimate review of the athletics department.

 

[COHockey]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

We just got a notification of tickets being available to Charger fans before the general public. Personally, if the decision to kill the program doesn't get reversed, I'm likely not going to even watch the Frozen Four on TV, let alone go to Tampa and attend. I get the feeling a lot of other Charger fans are feeling the same way.

Did you see where these tickets are located? Upper level corners, row L yesturday. Add insult to injury, most sponsor schools get at least some of the better tickets. I suspect the athletic department did not take any of the tickets or possibly the NCAA did not offer any. Either way, this is the first time that I know of that a sponsor school did not offer any decent seats to their own season ticket holders. When the Frozen Four was in Denver, I sat in lower bowl center ice seats, row 22. Due to the uncertainty of actually getting tickets from UAH, I purchased tickets via the lottery, and I guarantee my seats will be significantly better than any of these "presale" tickets available to UAH season ticket holders. The betrayal never ends.

 

[davyd83]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Did you see where these tickets are located? Upper level corners, row L yesturday. Add insult to injury, most sponsor schools get at least some of the better tickets. I suspect the athletic department did not take any of the tickets or possibly the NCAA did not offer any. Either way, this is the first time that I know of that a sponsor school did not offer any decent seats to their own season ticket holders. When the Frozen Four was in Denver, I sat in lower bowl center ice seats, row 22. Due to the uncertainty of actually getting tickets from UAH, I purchased tickets via the lottery, and I guarantee my seats will be significantly better than any of these "presale" tickets available to UAH season ticket holders. The betrayal never ends.

That's about where I sat for the '99 NHL All Star Game. The view isn't bad at all!

 

[fangers]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

So much for that idea portera...

http://www.waaytv.com/news/local/st...le-Hockey-Program/3Ob1TL2xx0SZP74_rKo9lA.cspx

SEC says no to expansion, won't allow non-SEC teams. So portera's dream club team has no place to play...

[sarcasm] I'm shocked! [/sarcasm]

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

The comments by Kenny Day, the commish for SEC club hockey, are so fantastic, I want to have sex with them (the comments, to be clear)

The day of the crushing announcement, Brophy said he'd look to make SEC Club hockey a real possibility for the Chargers. And now, the program finds itself with no conference, no ability to offer scholarships and zero incentive for experienced players and coaches. Day says if University President Dr. Altenkirch doesn't reverse the Chancellor's decision, Huntsville is in jeapordy of losing its title as the "Hockey Capital of the South."

Day says, "Huntsville is going to lose it's identity. There will be a tremendous difference in not only the talent pool but also in the level of experience that we're going to lose in the City of Huntsville."

Brophy says he'll look to schedule "exhibition" games with any willing SEC teams instead. But Day stresses that given the program's projected club level status, all funding for travel and team expenses will have to come out of player's pockets. He says that will put a serious damper on the program's desirability to skaters.

"By no means will I tell the schools not to schedule games with UAH. But for most it will be a wait and watch situation. No one is going to want to schedule games until they see if the team has enough players and can afford to travel. Believe me it's an entirely different climate when you can't offer scholarships and all the costs have to come out of someone's pocket."

Head Coach Chris Luongo says none of players have expressed any interest in playing for a university club team. That makes filling the roster with an entirely new set of skaters a big challenge.

Day stresses that it is the SEC's firm standing that the program should remain D-1. He says if the University moves forward with the decision, it will forever be a black eye on Huntsville's hockey legacy.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

After reading the report, I'm sorry but that document is a joke. After about three pages it was pretty clear that the decision was made and then they needed to write a paper that would show support for the decision. I loved the angle they tried to use by stating that the hockey scholarships are "more expensive" to the university because they go to all out of state students. I would be willing to bet there are less than a dozen D-I programs where more than half of their players come from in-state. Tuition is set lower for in-state students because residents have paid taxes to support public education, not because it costs less. It doesn't cost one dime more to educate a kid from AK than it does a kid from AL. There are several similiar items in the report which are nothing more than "lets spin it so hockey looks like a huge drain..."
If they were trying to make a case to save the program, or at least show some pros and cons, how about something like UAH has better attendance (with no conference) than a dozen other schools who are not considering cutting hockey. How about, UAH has had past success in spite of everything being stacked against it? Funny, things like that didn't find their way into the report.
Let's hope UAH can find a way to right the ship before it is too late and be the Marshall of college hockey.
Ryan J

 

[HoosierBBall_GopherHockey]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Any UAH fans making the trip to Nashville this weekend for the series against UNO? I am fairly certain I will be at the Friday night game. Looks like tickets are $5 apiece...not bad.

 

[jyoung]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Any UAH fans making the trip to Nashville this weekend for the series against UNO? I am fairly certain I will be at the Friday night game. Looks like tickets are $5 apiece...not bad.

My wife and I will be attending both games, but we're local so I don't know if that counts as making a trip. (I work a couple blocks from Bridgestone Arena.)

 

[jyoung]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

We were there... where were the rest of you? I saw a few folks, but a lot of regulars didn't want to make the trip. That's a shame, since UAH played a complete game and came away with their best offensive performance of the year in a 3 to 1 victory over UNO. Yes, the first victory of the year, but it's also been the first game I've been able to make so I'm quite a bit happier than I expected to be. We sorely missed the pep band though.

 

[HoosierBBall_GopherHockey]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

I was there! Sorry I did not recognize (obviously) any of you UAH fans, but I was cheering for you guys. Glad to see the Chargers get their first 'W'. You guys have some passionate fans. On a side note, I met Blake Geoffrion at the game. He was sitting about 15 ft. from me during the game. Seemed like a very nice guy.

 

[Douglas]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Great game for the Boys in Blue tonight as they played with intensity, desire, and they finished!!
A truly quality win over a great team in UNO.
Final score was 3-1 with an empty netter.

Here's the game winning goal scored by Mac Roy set up by Justin Cseter.
Brice Geoffrion scored the first goal and the empty netter.


Also, caught this shot on the Jumbotron during the game...

My sentiments exactly!!!

 

[FerrisLives]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Chatter has started as to whether UAH and UAB should just secede from the system entirely, since both schools' interests do not seem to be adequately represented.

Its especially galling when you see what South Alabama and Troy University are able to accomplish with their independence. I am an Alabama voter. If it ever came to a statewide vote, I would vote in a nanosecond to allow UAH and UAB to withdraw from the University of Alabama system.

 

[Douglas]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Its especially galling when you see what South Alabama and Troy University are able to accomplish with their independence. I am an Alabama voter. If it ever came to a statewide vote, I would vote in a nanosecond to allow UAH and UAB to withdraw from the University of Alabama system.

I seriously hope you get the chance!

 

[Snively65]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Congrats for your win on Friday night. I got to see your team at UNH a week ago and felt badly when UNH ran up the score on your guys, especially given that UNH is an inconsistent team this season, to put it kindly, and likely will miss the post-season for the first time since the mid-1990s, I think. I really hope that something can work out so that your team can get back into a Div 1 conference at some point.

 

[Umileated]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

Congrats for your win on Friday night. I got to see your team at UNH a week ago and felt badly when UNH ran up the score on your guys, especially given that UNH is an inconsistent team this season, to put it kindly, and likely will miss the post-season for the first time since the mid-1990s, I think. I really hope that something can work out so that your team can get back into a Div 1 conference at some point.

I was also at that game, and had a lot of fun watching the team. There's a lot of talent on that bench, and I respect the heart that every player put into that game. In spite of the scoreboard, and in spite of the road schedule that was had earlier in the week, UAH fought through all 60 minutes of that game. I have a working theory that the bench that stands represents the team that wins. The closeness of the first period of that game would have no doubt continued through 2 and 3 under better circumstances.

That no conference was willing to pick your team up violates the all-inclusive attitude that I believe should be paramount to college athletics. The hockey community should feel ashamed of its inaction. I'm aware that there is more playing against the team's existence, but this is more than just a nail in the coffin. In the worst case scenario that Cranky-pants Portera gets his way, I wouldn't mind seeing a few from the UAH squad dressing in a slightly different shade of blue and white. They'd be able to teach our guys a few things; the heart, dedication and camaraderie that I see as the foundation of the Chargers are measurably what the Wildcats lack the most much of the time.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

For those interested, here are the recent numbers for the Big Ten team's:

<IMG SRC="http://mnhockeycentral.webs.com/BigTenNumbers.JPG"></>

You can use the source website to look at the numbers for smaller schools to see what their revenues and expenses have been.

 

[jyoung]

Re: UAH 2011-2012 - The Farewell Tour Kicks Off Tomorrow

UAH Ice Hockey Data Dump

Year Per Participant Operating Revenues Expenses Profit (Loss)
2003 $7,099 $177,479 $469,120 $540,438 $(71,318)
2004 $5,943 $160,469 $479,844 $537,284 $(57,440)
2005 $5,803 $156,670 $525,115 $549,091 $(23,976)
2006 $6,324 $164,428 $550,432 $590,981 $(40,549)
2007 $7,638 $206,224 $554,468 $740,587 $(186,119)
2008 $8,916 $240,740 $694,959 $805,590 $(110,631)
2009 $9,738 $243,461 $978,260 $845,813 $132,447
Avg. $7,352 $192,782 $607,457 $658,541 $(51,084)
Total N/A $1,349,471 $4,252,198 $4,609,784 $(357,586)