UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

[rufus]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

That's fine, ..... and about the same thing I've been hearing on and off for 5-10 years now. BU is a very good team. I get that. The difference between winning and losing in this league is marginal. I get that. We played pretty good. Ive heard that. Bad teams lose close games all the time in Div 1 coll hockey. You are what your record sais you are, 3-7. I could replay many of these comments I ve been hearing and they are the same things I heard under the Timmay era. How long do you want to keep saying the same things? Explain to me whats different with this current team?

If you watched that game last night, and didn't think the level of play was vastly improved from where it was under TIMMAY time, I don't know what to say to you.

 

[rufus]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Vesey and Pecararo may not be guns, but they were easily the best line last night. If they stat to finish those plays they create, then this team might start moving up. Agree on the sophomore class, especially Byron and Morgan. Those two, along with Shore and Swavely, really need to pick up their games and lead this team. not just be along for the ride.

Thought Hamilton played very well last night, along with Renouf and Scheurhamer. Romeo looks like he's earned the #1 job, and if he can string a few more games together like last night, this team might turn around quickly.

Brown continues to be the hardest working and most consistent player on the team. If only we had a couple clones of him. Wonder how a line with him centering Vesey and Pecararo would do?

Really wish they'd have shown something of the 1999 team ceremonies during the game, even if it was only on tape between periods. The interviews were nice, but we should have seen the ceremony too. Get it together, athletic department.

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

If you watched that game last night, and didn't think the level of play was vastly improved from where it was under TIMMAY time, I don't know what to say to you.

Vastly improved? No, I just don't see that. Whiteheads teams competed well in many games also. They lost close games in similar fashion. Whitehead himself certainly wasn't fiery, but his most talented teams suffered from the lack of good goaltending. Again I ask - will this years team be better than last years 16-15 team? No. After next weekend we will fall to 3-9. Will next years team be better without our two best players? No. That's just not progress. I do think Red seems to have what it takes to be a good coach, but all coaches need to be judged ultimately on their ability to produce wins and improvement from one year to the next. Red isn't doing that. Wish I was wrong.

 

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Vastly improved? No, I just don't see that. Whiteheads teams competed well in many games also. They lost close games in similar fashion. Whitehead himself certainly wasn't fiery, but his most talented teams suffered from the lack of good goaltending. Again I ask - will this years team be better than last years 16-15 team? No. After next weekend we will fall to 3-9. Will next years team be better without our two best players? No. That's just not progress. I do think Red seems to have what it takes to be a good coach, but all coaches need to be judged ultimately on their ability to produce wins and improvement from one year to the next. Red isn't doing that. Wish I was wrong.

2 best players sure aren't looking like the 2 best players to me.

 

[umhockey91]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Vastly improved? No, I just don't see that. Whiteheads teams competed well in many games also. They lost close games in similar fashion. Whitehead himself certainly wasn't fiery, but his most talented teams suffered from the lack of good goaltending. Again I ask - will this years team be better than last years 16-15 team? No. After next weekend we will fall to 3-9. Will next years team be better without our two best players? No. That's just not progress. I do think Red seems to have what it takes to be a good coach, but all coaches need to be judged ultimately on their ability to produce wins and improvement from one year to the next. Red isn't doing that. Wish I was wrong.

How come people like you weren't quicker on the draw when Whitehead started sucking 5 or 6 years before he was fired?????............huh.

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

How come people like you weren't quicker on the draw when Whitehead started sucking 5 or 6 years before he was fired?????............huh.

Not exactly sure of your question. I think coaches, like presidents, can only truly be evaluated with proper hindsight and historical prospective. I absolutely wanted Tim Whitehead gone. I had high hopes that Red was a good/right choice. I understand that he's only about 1/3 of the way through his contract. All's I'm saying is that so far, he's not making progress and more importantly, I don't see the strong indicators that the future will be brighter. If someone wants to shred me based on not enough of a sampling, I suppose that's not outlandish, but that doesn't change my opinion.

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

2 best players sure aren't looking like the 2 best players to me.

I would agree with this so far. Brown has easily been our best player. Shore has been inconsistent, and Hutton invisible too much of the time. However as the season progresses the cream will rise, one can hope.

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Will this years team be better without our two best players? No. That's just not progress.... but all coaches need to be judged ultimately on their ability to produce wins and improvement from one year to the next.

Oh oh... Jerry York is probably getting the ax after this season.
Lost his 3 best players and this years team is not better, by a LONG shot.

 

[Fishman'81]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

I thought Maine was the better team last night... Seriously. (And I held off on the cocktails until the ENG went in.)

O'Connor won the game. Maine had a lot more close-in chances than did BU, and he denied all but one. Romeo played really well. Both BU goals were a result of bad spacing by Maine. I liked Vesey and Pecararo.

Would not be surprised by a Maine win tonight. This team doesn't look too far from being "good" to me. Romeo keeps playing like he did last night, they ought to be in every game they play.

 

[blackbear80]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

I thought Maine was the better team last night... Seriously. (And I held off on the cocktails until the ENG went in.)

O'Connor won the game. Maine had a lot more close-in chances than did BU, and he denied all but one. Romeo played really well. Both BU goals were a result of bad spacing by Maine. I liked Vesey and Pecararo.

Would not be surprised by a Maine win tonight. This team doesn't look too far from being "good" to me. Romeo keeps playing like he did last night, they ought to be in every game they play.

0% chance they win tonight

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Oh oh... Jerry York is probably getting the ax after this season.
Lost his 3 best players and this years team is not better, by a LONG shot.

Any coach who wins 3 nat titles in 6 years can prob have his job for another 5-8 years, especially a coach of Jerry York's ilk.

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

I thought Maine was the better team last night... Seriously. (And I held off on the cocktails until the ENG went in.)

O'Connor won the game. Maine had a lot more close-in chances than did BU, and he denied all but one. Romeo played really well. Both BU goals were a result of bad spacing by Maine. I liked Vesey and Pecararo.

Would not be surprised by a Maine win tonight. This team doesn't look too far from being "good" to me. Romeo keeps playing like he did last night, they ought to be in every game they play.

Good teams can get outplayed and still win. If you recall, Shawns teams, over the years, were famous for that. No better example than the '99 nat title game. Bad teams can outplay opponents and still find ways to lose. BTW, no game tonight.

 

[rufus]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

You better go look at the tape again if you think UHN outplayed Maine in the '99 championship game.

Mrs. Whitehead, I think you've been in the sauce a bit too much.

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

You better go look at the tape again if you think UHN outplayed Maine in the '99 championship game.

Mrs. Whitehead, I think you've been in the sauce a bit too much.

Be nice, I'm a sensitive new age guy who likes sunsets, puppies, and long walks on the beach. I also like to start fires !

 

[umhockey91]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Not exactly sure of your question. I think coaches, like presidents, can only truly be evaluated with proper hindsight and historical prospective. I absolutely wanted Tim Whitehead gone. I had high hopes that Red was a good/right choice. I understand that he's only about 1/3 of the way through his contract. All's I'm saying is that so far, he's not making progress and more importantly, I don't see the strong indicators that the future will be brighter. If someone wants to shred me based on not enough of a sampling, I suppose that's not outlandish, but that doesn't change my opinion.

Not sure how you think Red is going to get BC/BU caliber recruits to magically show up in Orono after the Tim Whitehead Sh*tshow drove this program into the abyss. If you don't have the horses.......you're not going to win, place or show in this league......period.

 

[blackbearbandie]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

When evaluating the first 1/3 of the season and wondering what the difference is between this year and last year, I think there are some intangible factors that are being overlooked when it comes to team dynamics. I know Lomberg was talked about plenty in the preseason, but to say it's all completely irrelevant now when the team is underperforming would be to overlook a major piece of the puzzle that was removed from last year. Wasn't he the team's third leading scorer last year? These guys aren't machines out there, and I'm sure it does affect them somewhat -especially the Junior class- not having a friend and teammate out on the ice with them who had been there the previous two seasons.

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Not sure how you think Red is going to get BC/BU caliber recruits to magically show up in Orono after the Tim Whitehead Sh*tshow drove this program into the abyss. If you don't have the horses.......you're not going to win, place or show in this league......period.

How did previous doormats like Union and Quinnipiac do it?

 

[hobeyfaker]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

You better go look at the tape again if you think UHN outplayed Maine in the '99 championship game.

Mrs. Whitehead, I think you've been in the sauce a bit too much.

Sorry, I've had this same discussion countless times with many. We were outplayed, except in the most important department of goaltending. UNH had a more talented team with Hobey winner Krog, and they won Hoc East that year.

 

[Runsub5]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

........... I know Lomberg was talked about plenty in the preseason, but to say it's all completely irrelevant now when the team is underperforming would be to overlook a major piece of the puzzle that was removed from last year...........

Tim was villified by posters on this forum when he honestly made comments about players leaving early and how it affected the team's on ice production. Your comment by the way is credible. I do think this team will improve and get some wins down the stretch (unlike last year's team which "tanked"). Gendron's recruits are no better than Tim's, but I am a patient person. I am even willing to give him two more years on his 4 year contract. I recognize the many obstacles involved with college coaching. Having said that, it only took Norm Bazin and Nate Leaman one year to turn their programs around.

 

[Drew S.]

Re: UMaine Hockey 2014-15: The Road from Alfond to Boston

Tim was villified by posters on this forum when he honestly made comments about players leaving early and how it affected the team's on ice production. Your comment by the way is credible. I do think this team will improve and get some wins down the stretch (unlike last year's team which "tanked"). Gendron's recruits are no better than Tim's, but I am a patient person. I am even willing to give him two more years on his 4 year contract. I recognize the many obstacles involved with college coaching. Having said that, it only took Norm Bazin and Nate Leaman one year to turn their programs around.

I certainly was not one of them. It's not like there are tons of other Teddy Purcells out there you can just ring up and have come in. I think you are wrong, at least this year, as far as Red's recruits not being better than Tim's. Pecararo(semi-timmy recruit), Vesey, and Hamilton are much better than Anthoine, S. Swavely, and O'Connor.

I've been thinking a lot about the Lomberg situation and I agree it is having a really negative influence on the team, for more than one reason too. You look at the two guys who are underperforming the most, juniors from Ontario. What would Lomberg have been? A junior from Ontario. Where it was decided he left so late Maine is basically playing with one less top six forward too. He might not have been a 50 point guy but I think he would have had 12-15 goals and 25 points or so this year. The thing where I think they miss him most is the competitiveness he brought. I think he would have been by a mile the most competitive guy on the team. Not having guys like him on the team has really hurt Maine this year and is something Red needs to get right in next year's recruiting class.