UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

[kingdobbs]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I guess I'm used to the 20-game CHA and the independent world where we play all the games people will schedule!

GFM

Well, in theory, there's good news on the horizon starting next year, as the conference load for most leagues will be dropping precipitously; I can't imagine the Big Whatever playing more than 20 league games, I know Hockey East will be playing 20 and 22 games when Notre Dame and UConn join, respectively, and the NCHC seems to be aiming for a 24 game schedule.

That should, if my calculations are correct (and assumptions about future behaviors of the WCHA and AHA hold firm), increase the number of available non-conference dates by the 2014-15 season by more than 100.

It won't help make teams more willing to travel to Alabama on its own, but it should make the opportunity cost a little lower to do so.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Well, in theory, there's good news on the horizon starting next year, as the conference load for most leagues will be dropping precipitously; I can't imagine the Big Whatever playing more than 20 league games, I know Hockey East will be playing 20 and 22 games when Notre Dame and UConn join, respectively, and the NCHC seems to be aiming for a 24 game schedule.

That should, if my calculations are correct (and assumptions about future behaviors of the WCHA and AHA hold firm), increase the number of available non-conference dates by the 2014-15 season by more than 100.

It won't help make teams more willing to travel to Alabama on its own, but it should make the opportunity cost a little lower to do so.

The WCHA has already announced that they will continue with their 28 game schedule.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

It won't help make teams more willing to travel to Alabama on its own, but it should make the opportunity cost a little lower to do so.

We had a decent home slate this year (I won't say who) before Portera hit the program over the head with a 2x4. Mankato was the only team able to return to our home schedule.

GFM

 

[wsummers]

Well, in theory, there's good news on the horizon starting next year, as the conference load for most leagues will be dropping precipitously; I can't imagine the Big Whatever playing more than 20 league games, I know Hockey East will be playing 20 and 22 games when Notre Dame and UConn join, respectively, and the NCHC seems to be aiming for a 24 game schedule.

That should, if my calculations are correct (and assumptions about future
behaviors of the WCHA and AHA hold firm), increase the number of available non-conference dates by the 2014-15 season by more than 100.

It won't help make teams more willing to travel to Alabama on its own, but it should make the opportunity cost a little lower to do so.

The challenge for an Independent is getting dates after Christmas when teams are locked into conference schedules....on the bright side the WCHA assuming they don't add UAH will have 9 teams...so one should be available every weekend. If they don't want to take a bye week UAH may be the only option.

Regarding playing the Alabama club team...I think it's great as it will demonstrate the clear difference between club and D1 hockey.

 

[true2BSU]

Glad to read about some possible movement for your team. Keeping my fingers crossed up here for you. It's starting to be crunch time. The new wcha will only be better through inclusion of Huntsville. I have a good feeling that after the initial growing pangs of reorganization all will be better for the new system.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

The challenge for an Independent is getting dates after Christmas when teams are locked into conference schedules....on the bright side the WCHA assuming they don't add UAH will have 9 teams...so one should be available every weekend. If they don't want to take a bye week UAH may be the only option.

With the notable exception of Ferris State in 10-11 and Miami in 11-12, that's not mattered to CCHA schools. Can you blame them, really? Bring in UAH and your guys may overlook it and get edged by a hungry team; travel to Huntsville and you wear your guys out a bit when you could be at home with a bye weekend. While I would love those schools scheduling us, I don't necessarily fault anyone for taking that bye weekend during conference play.

GFM

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

FYI, Andrew Creppin isn't back for this year. I understand that all eight recruits came.

GFM

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

One month and five days until the longest game drought in UAH history ends. It's been a long, long time since mid-February...

GFM

 

[Goon]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

With the notable exception of Ferris State in 10-11 and Miami in 11-12, that's not mattered to CCHA schools. Can you blame them, really? Bring in UAH and your guys may overlook it and get edged by a hungry team; travel to Huntsville and you wear your guys out a bit when you could be at home with a bye weekend. While I would love those schools scheduling us, I don't necessarily fault anyone for taking that bye weekend during conference play.

GFM

Has the NCAA and college hockey looked into giving team that travel to UAH an extra two games like with the two Alaska Schools?

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Has the NCAA and college hockey looked into giving team that travel to UAH an extra two games like with the two Alaska Schools?

That decision would have to be made above the hockey level. The only idea that I see is an exception for teams more than X miles from more than one other program in any sport, which would let lacrosse grow in the South, for example. That would imply that the NCAA cares about growing regional sports, which I rather doubt that it does.

Also, I'm not convinced that it would bring teams to Huntsville. The closest analog that we have is UAA and UA when they were independent programs in the 1990s, but then there were more independents in those days (Army and Air Force, with some overlap with Notre Dame) and more games overall being played. I don't think that it's a very good analog to the current games played / OOC available / two independent world.

GFM

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Since we're killing another month and two days: the new hotness around here is the Mount Rushmore of your program. I may have mentioned it in the old thread, but it's a fun game to play: who are the four Chargers that define the program?

I have to take Jared Ross, Scott Munroe, and Cam Talbot in order from the D-I days; I can't really think of anyone from the current era that comes close to those guys, and those scorers who do benefitted from Jared being their center (Bushey, Funk, Zirnis). Dropping back to the older days, I think you have to go Mario Mazzuca, who is still the school's scoring leader (or was the last time I looked at him v. Roscoe; I have had a few drinks since then, and all the good stats work that Jamie Gilliam and Michael Napier did is lost to the wind with the new UAHChargers.com).

I'm waiting for someone to tell me that you can't have two goalies. I'm also waiting for someone to tell me that you take Talbot over Munroe, at which point I will smack you with a trout, even if 'bot's backing up Henrik Lundqvist in 13-14 (not unreasonable).

GFM

 

[UAHStatman]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Since we're killing another month and two days: the new hotness around here is the Mount Rushmore of your program. I may have mentioned it in the old thread, but it's a fun game to play: who are the four Chargers that define the program?

I have to take Jared Ross, Scott Munroe, and Cam Talbot in order from the D-I days; I can't really think of anyone from the current era that comes close to those guys, and those scorers who do benefitted from Jared being their center (Bushey, Funk, Zirnis). Dropping back to the older days, I think you have to go Mario Mazzuca, who is still the school's scoring leader (or was the last time I looked at him v. Roscoe; I have had a few drinks since then, and all the good stats work that Jamie Gilliam and Michael Napier did is lost to the wind with the new UAHChargers.com).

I'm waiting for someone to tell me that you can't have two goalies. I'm also waiting for someone to tell me that you take Talbot over Munroe, at which point I will smack you with a trout, even if 'bot's backing up Henrik Lundqvist in 13-14 (not unreasonable).

GFM

Mazzuca's still the all-time leading goal scorer with 95 goals (and the single-season holder with 35). You could make the case for Tony Guzzo, who was the center on Mazzuca's line (his career 118 assists and 179 points are both school records).

But if I were to add a star from the D-II days -- and at the risk of having three goalies -- it'd be Derek Puppa. He became the face of those mid-'90s teams (his mug was on billboards around town). I wish I had more to go on statistically besides his school record 65 wins (because I'm no fan of win-loss records for individuals in team sports), but it's hard when, as you said, the current record book isn't online.

There are some records on the UAH hockey Wikipedia page. They haven't been updated in three years, although I'd say if there were any updates, they certainly wouldn't be on offense.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

There are some records on the UAH hockey Wikipedia page. They haven't been updated in three years, although I'd say if there were any updates, they certainly wouldn't be on offense.

:sad trombone: None of the records you had on there would've been touched by Talbot's junior year, even if he was wicked unbelievable down the stretch.

I need to see if Taylor still has all the old files. If he does, we should gussy them up for uahhockey.com.

Anyone want to donate $1000 so we can put uahhockey.com on a dasher board?

GFM

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Separate post: had a meeting with the usual regulars [Douglas and his wife, Ragland, Butler, Bowen, coaches, me] tonight, talking about the Blue Line Club and season tickets. STs are $100ea / 80ea (student) reserved for the ten home games in 2012-13. Blue Line Club breakdowns are unchanged, although we're working on a UAH Student and Kids Club pricing structure. We need to build the BLC long-term, and this is our way to do that. We've talked about it in the past, but it's going to happen now.

GFM

 

[Goon]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

That decision would have to be made above the hockey level. The only idea that I see is an exception for teams more than X miles from more than one other program in any sport, which would let lacrosse grow in the South, for example. That would imply that the NCAA cares about growing regional sports, which I rather doubt that it does.

Also, I'm not convinced that it would bring teams to Huntsville. The closest analog that we have is UAA and UA when they were independent programs in the 1990s, but then there were more independents in those days (Army and Air Force, with some overlap with Notre Dame) and more games overall being played. I don't think that it's a very good analog to the current games played / OOC available / two independent world. GFM

Thanks for your response Geof - I think with the right situation that UAH could again be a successful hockey program and I would much rather see it thrive than go by the way side.

 

[Humanoid]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Found a good article about the upcoming season on a website I usually check out for Bentley coverage. It goes into some detail about UAH. It also mentions directly the ACHA conference they might be geographically suited for in D3 ACHA.

http://excalibursportspage.com/2012/09/19/last-season-of-discontent/

 

[fangers]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Found a good article about the upcoming season on a website I usually check out for Bentley coverage. It goes into some detail about UAH. It also mentions directly the ACHA conference they might be geographically suited for in D3 ACHA.

http://excalibursportspage.com/2012/09/19/last-season-of-discontent/

That writer, like many others, seems to like to ignore the fact that anyone with anything to do with the SEC ACHA conference are on record saying there is no place for UAH, nor will there be. People who are trying to somehow justify in their own mind that it's ok for UAH to drop from DI because they have this convienent SEC club conference to fall back on are only fooling themselves. IMHO, if UAH has to drop DI hockey, there will be no hockey at all.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

That writer, like many others, seems to like to ignore the fact that anyone with anything to do with the SEC ACHA conference are on record saying there is no place for UAH, nor will there be. People who are trying to somehow justify in their own mind that it's ok for UAH to drop from DI because they have this convienent SEC club conference to fall back on are only fooling themselves. IMHO, if UAH has to drop DI hockey, there will be no hockey at all.

I agree quite strongly. I would not attend club games. I would not give money to a club program. I would delete everything on Facebook. I know, because I was ready to do this back after last October happened.

And then last December happened.

GFM

 

[davyd83]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

Has the NCAA and college hockey looked into giving team that travel to UAH an extra two games like with the two Alaska Schools?

I'm not sure if that would be plausible, but I do think that adjusting the 48 hour rule would be very beneficial. Base allowable departure time upon mileage, say 48 hours + one more hour for every 50 miles over 500. So for Northern Michigan to bus to Huntsville, instead of being allowed at 8 pm ET Wednesday for a 7 PM CT Friday game, they could leave at 11 am ET on Wednesday and get a good solid day of travel in.

 

[tnlong]

Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing

I agree quite strongly. I would not attend club games. I would not give money to a club program. I would delete everything on Facebook. I know, because I was ready to do this back after last October happened.

And then last December happened.

GFM

We do not intend to attend the 10/6 & 10/7 games against UA. Attendance might be used as a revenue test to see if UAH can make money playing club hockey against local opponents. Nothing good can come out of it for UAH. Blue-White games would be much more useful.