UNH 2024/2025 Goldberg Edition

[Chuck Murray]

I mean..when being 'in games' is all ya got...but..is that enough for the donors?

LOL, yeah ... "the donors" might be more appropriate, and even TDL seems to have cooled his interest in the current offerings, now that he's got his name up on the building, apparently for next to nothing, due to a good deal of blind faith from the school.

... and for the record, I am NOT teez, nor have I met teez (knowingly?), but teez has a very good read on my bestest buddy from Storrs!

 

[Snively65]

I mean..when being 'in games' is all ya got...but..is that enough for the donors?

Apparently, close games and third period collapses at the Whitt are enough to bring back STH’s year after year.

 

[Darius]

There are people, doubtful any of them on this forum, who are fans regardless of team performance. I’ve heard variations of statements like “The team needs us the most when they aren’t doing well.” and “I don’t mind missing games or having an extra. It’s like donating to the U.” many times over the years. I know people who’ve kept a spouse’s season ticket for years after the spouse died even during and after seasons when the seat was mostly empty. This forum is an echo chamber.

 

[acs64]

While your point remains...they did beat UVM on Jan 25

This is what the stretch of play looks like since the 4th, though:

L
L
L
L (OT)
L (OT)
W
L
L
L
T (SL)
L
T (SW)
L

Way back a couple months ago on this thread I predicted UHN would finish with all L's. At the time I was half kidding, but apparently I was spot on. Hey, someone has to finish in the cellar, why not be our good neighbors? In all fairness and sympathy, I have started a Go Fund Me page for the sole purpose of helping youse guyz oust the coach you all love to hate. Of course should your admin decide to buy him out with their own money, I would no doubt need to pocket the GFM cash. You can thank me later.

 

[Darius]

Way back a couple months ago on this thread I predicted UHN would finish with all L's. At the time I was half kidding, but apparently I was spot on. Hey, someone has to finish in the cellar, why not be our good neighbors? In all fairness and sympathy, I have started a Go Fund Me page for the sole purpose of helping youse guyz oust the coach you all love to hate. Of course should your admin decide to buy him out with their own money, I would no doubt need to pocket the GFM cash. You can thank me later.

 

[Darius]

On February 2 out with friends for breakfast, I set the +/- for wins at two and took the under. The two UNHers at the table scoffed. The most casual fan looked at his phone and said, “Tough schedule”.

 

[deltabravo62]

There are people, doubtful any of them on this forum, who are fans regardless of team performance. I’ve heard variations of statements like “The team needs us the most when they aren’t doing well.” and “I don’t mind missing games or having an extra. It’s like donating to the U.” many times over the years. I know people who’ve kept a spouse’s season ticket for years after the spouse died even during and after seasons when the seat was mostly empty. This forum is an echo chamber.

If UNH is content with hanging on to that regressing number year after year, then by all means stay the course. If the vision of the people in charge (as it's written in their contracts) is to grow and improve the goodwill and vision of specifically the hockey program and UNH as a whole then they are failing... Miserably...

Offering a lesser product every year, offering no accountability, and expecting everyone to praise them for just showing up to the office everyday... No effing thanks. This forum certainly skews further negative but numbers that a college with a business school could look at would tell you that group who accept whatever the athletic department serves up is shrinking. I wager that is mostly a product of those fans being older and either unable to attend (health) or no longer inhibiting the planet. My point here, if the athletic department is hanging their hat on someone maintaining a ticket for their deceased spouse as anything of a success, they are more delusional than they seem. As a fan there is honor in sticking it out when the going gets tough (either the team or in your personal life), All we hear out of the athletic department are empty tropes about facilities, how tough it is, and how UNH will be back at the top one day. Notice there is never a plan beyond the next shiny toy that the boogeymen Boston schools have that we don't.

I gave up my season tickets 2 years ago, I had hope that the new AD would see beyond the one year Souza had with a bonfire under his rear (Witt as well). She didn't, she took the easy way out and here we are, cellar dwelling again.

 

[HockeyRef]

Lots of fans and I consider myself one...are supporting the team more than anything else
Just because we voice dissenting views on the coach does not take away from that...plus there are other reasons to have a seasons pass than to drink the blue colored Kool aid.

And some of us even travel to away games can you imagine that?! Didnt know there was a fan requirement. If you ask me UNH should consider themselves fortunate that many of us have hung in there regardless of performance..

In the recent email about the meet the team thing it started with 'as a cherished UNH season ticket holder'. I'm glad they see it that way because many have bolted.

Most likely we will renew tho not at the moment as other things beg our financial attention. There's more to being a fan than the won/ loss record but it sure does help.

Cherished indeed....they are fortunate many of us keep.coming back.

There are people, doubtful any of them on this forum, who are fans regardless of team performance. I’ve heard variations of statements like “The team needs us the most when they aren’t doing well.” and “I don’t mind missing games or having an extra. It’s like donating to the U.” many times over the years. I know people who’ve kept a spouse’s season ticket for years after the spouse died even during and after seasons when the seat was mostly empty. This forum is an echo chamber.

 

[Fishman'81]

If anyone is wondering what the difference between normal and crazy is fishy dope just cleared it up for you.

Have you booked your suite in tRump Gaza yet?

Talk about "crazy".

 

[norbert]

This! Souza is absolutely to blame but he’s not on the ice. Even if he’s lost the team it’s their job to make the plays, to finish checks, to pass the puck and SHOOT the puck and they don’t. The commentators last night even made a comment during the power play that UNH spent way too much time passing the puck. I’m all for supporting the players but they also don’t seem to care or want to put the effort in.

This might be an all time dumb take. If it’s all on the players why do we have a coach?

Just play pick up and save the money. The reason this is his fault is he puts systems in that don’t work. Players even if they don’t agree go with it to not be benched.

 

[Fishman'81]

Classy take on Coach Umile's wife, Fishy. Not that I expected any better from you. Say what you will about my Walshy cave drawings late last century, but they never involved his wives nor his children.

The TDS runs strong and deep in you. At least you have the good sense not to defend the indefensible last four years. I don't expect any of this to make any sense to you, considering the bizarro-world "norms" your Dem colleagues believe in. Speaking of which, to the mothers in our audience, Governor Evers (D-WI) comes in an agonizingly close second place to Governor Mills for this beauty ...

MSN

Go ahead, harp on, Fishy. I don't agree with everything DJT does/says, but like most of the country now, we realize just how much smarter and sane he is, as compared to the contrarian "geniuses" who are down with all the lefty fringie causes. Knock yerself out ...

OK, bowl-head, let's review...

I have already stated that I'm not a Dem, and never have been.

But, I'm not a moron, either.. Hope that clears things up.

Keep on winning, President Musk! Chuckie LOVES the idiotcracy.

 

[norbert]

In 1998-1999 this Northeastern Huskey lead her team with 51 points while wearing #7










That would be UNH ls own Hillary Witt off a new contract and a blowout at the TRatWCAatKAGV in the first round of the women’s hockey east tournament.

Guessing #7 is cursed here.

 

[UNHHockey16]

This might be an all time dumb take. If it’s all on the players why do we have a coach?

Just play pick up and save the money. The reason this is his fault is he puts systems in that don’t work. Players even if they don’t agree go with it to not be benched.

I didn’t say it was all on the players. Literally the first sentence says Souza is absolutely to blame. But it’s not all on him. We have a team that is almost exactly the same as last year and are much worse. The amount of breakaways that don’t come to anything because of missed pucks, the lack of shooting on power plays, the lack of checking, that’s on the players.

 

[UNHHockey16]

Also on a side note, UNH women’s hockey bounced in the first round just like the men are about to. At least they got a home game, though the arena was almost completely empty.

 

[norbert]

I didn’t say it was all on the players. Literally the first sentence says Souza is absolutely to blame. But it’s not all on him. We have a team that is almost exactly the same as last year and are much worse. The amount of breakaways that don’t come to anything because of missed pucks, the lack of shooting on power plays, the lack of checking, that’s on the players.

So from March of last year when the season ended in Maine in an embarrassment to this year, the players lost talent? This is 100% on MS7. Inability to adapt which is the gene he inherited from Umile, the new flick the puck of the glass style of hockey, never ending lineup changes, no high-end talent.

 

[norbert]

Also on a side note, UNH women’s hockey bounced in the first round just like the men are about to. At least they got a home game, though the arena was almost completely empty.

When you give a one year record a 3-year contract like the men's side, this is what happens.

 

[Snively65]

Do UNH band members get paid to perform at games?

 

[Chuck Murray]

If UNH is content with hanging on to that regressing number year after year, then by all means stay the course. If the vision of the people in charge (as it's written in their contracts) is to grow and improve the goodwill and vision of specifically the hockey program and UNH as a whole then they are failing... Miserably...

Offering a lesser product every year, offering no accountability, and expecting everyone to praise them for just showing up to the office everyday... No effing thanks. This forum certainly skews further negative but numbers that a college with a business school could look at would tell you that group who accept whatever the athletic department serves up is shrinking. I wager that is mostly a product of those fans being older and either unable to attend (health) or no longer inhibiting the planet. My point here, if the athletic department is hanging their hat on someone maintaining a ticket for their deceased spouse as anything of a success, they are more delusional than they seem. As a fan there is honor in sticking it out when the going gets tough (either the team or in your personal life), All we hear out of the athletic department are empty tropes about facilities, how tough it is, and how UNH will be back at the top one day. Notice there is never a plan beyond the next shiny toy that the boogeymen Boston schools have that we don't.

I gave up my season tickets 2 years ago, I had hope that the new AD would see beyond the one year Souza had with a bonfire under his rear (Witt as well). She didn't, she took the easy way out and here we are, cellar dwelling again.

Post of the day.

As someone who's lived through the permanent loss of my favorite MLB team ... the "Dead Wings Era", which eventually morphed into one of the NHL's greatest extended franchise runs of all time, receded for almost a decade now, and is finally threatening to be a force again ... the habitual ups and downs of the Fabulous NY Football Giants ... and of course UNH Hockey ... I don't need a how-to guide on sticking it out through thick and thin. But I DO expect the people running my teams to give a rat's a$$ and have some know-how on how to run a winning program/team. I somehow managed to do it myself coaching a sport I never played 'til age 41; I'm still coaching and playing 20+ years later.

I never said any of this was supposed to be easy. You set up a league, you pay coaches good salaries, and they envision success not only at their current station, but at the next stations, in the next leagues, etc. It is a recipe for the competitive freaks among us to do crazy things to get their program ahead ... endless hours practicing and preparing, endless travel, endless video review, hoping that all adds up to winning your next test, all for the prize of getting to do it all over again in two days, next weekend, next season, whenever.

As best as I can tell ... UNH currently has an AD who is in her position for reasons more closely related to compliance than to excellence in identifying coaches capable of winning at the D-1 level. In hindsight, the seemingly harsh decision to non-renew Coach Herrion a couple of Springs ago now almost seems to have been driven by other ... uh, "compliance measurables". Coach Hubbard's replacement seemed to be a "path of least resistance" exercise. The Souza/Witt decisions seem to have been a matter of wishful thinking, and lack of basic context on what had gone before with both coaches. But I'm positive the compliance stuff is buttoned down firmly. Hang a banner, right??

Souza seems to be a nice person, and I've never heard anyone say otherwise. How his path crossed with Luce, I'll never know, and I hope Mike never forgets the wisecrack Luce laid on him when he left, about him being "Umile's nephew". Hang out with pigs, you get dirty. QED.

I've just never gotten the impression Souza appreciates how lucky he is to have the job he now has, and when it came so easily to him, he's never come to terms with how hard you have to work to be competitive and successful at it. If that penny was ever gonna drop, it should've been this past offseason, with his narrow brush with professional "death", and how he at last had something approaching success that he could sell to the world. Instead ... he scrambled to fill goalie slots that he had to know at least one guy was leaving, and should have made it his business to know for certain that the other guy would be back too. He just assumed his returning veteran-laden squad would magically come back even better than they were last year. Heck, it even looked like that might work. And then the clock struck midnight (2025) and ...

... well, anyway, BC Weekend is almost upon us, I'll spring for one close loss, and one not-so-close loss. Two weeks 'til MBPBEGAM, folks!!

 

[deltabravo62]

As an addition to my previous post:

Regarding this board being called an echo chamber. I could argue that the coaches/AD not actively participating in these "breakaway with the Cats" is them not wanting to hear dissenting opinions. By cutting off those opinions face to face where you can't drum up a well thought out PR style email days later, I could argue the offices at the TR@WCA@KAGC and the fieldhouse across the street are creating their own echo chamber. The difference between that one and this one, they are paid by the university to grow and expand the program, to fundraise, and to engage the fan base. Over the last few years several donors, fundraising organizers, and general fans have been shunned for daring speak blasphemy of change needing to happen. Hell, Marty Scarano got aggressive with me (verbally) in the lobby of the Whitt for daring to say they shouldn't have held us there for 2.5 hours the night the ice compressor failed. The entire attitude in the last several years from various sources has been "we know what we are doing so keep your ideas and opinions to yourself". Unless of course that idea is some marketing gimmick, "dollar dog night" or something else similar to used car lot marketing (kind of ironic given the new complex naming rights). I fully expect the wacky waving inflatable tube men to line main street next October (yes I'm exaggerating now)

So while we may be Waldorf and Statler over here (along with the Facebook/twitter/Instagram commenters). UNH Athletics should not be dismissing all of the commentary as just a bunch of bitter people who want to go torch and pitchfork for their heads. I think in some cases you will find a better analysis in this place of WHAT the issues are instead of "Souza sucks, fire him, everything sucks" crowd speak you find on other platforms. While the more thought out answers that do exist here are very much opinion, there is actual substance that is more than #firesouza on a Facebook post. I'll say I participate in both, here because it can lead to actual discussion that I know will never eek it's way into the walls of 145 Main St. I also post memes in the comment sections on social media because... Well... I'm a snarky SOB when I want to be. I don't think I'm actually changing anything, UNH Athletics are going to do what they do regardless of what I or anyone else says. The murmurs in the seats of the Whitt during games, or more telling on the way out the exits, is a good gauge of the temperature of this fan base.

The frustrating thing about it all is that there is a sleeping group of fans who are looking for a reason to come back. Say what you will about them not being "true fans" or whatever for wanting better than what they have gotten. Turn the team around and watch the seats and season ticket sales go back in the direction you want them to go...

 

[bakchk20]

It's all about the money... STH have the money. Durham wants it. You want to get their attention? Its cliché but talk with your feet.
DiLorenzo has the money. Durham wants it. He should be demanding some level of improvement. Gotta believe he prefers to be associated with success and a path to a "return to prominence". If that is what MS7 sold him, well, this season ain't any of that. Maybe the ship has sailed on the $4mm nut, but I can't believe he's just OK with where things are at, nor are any of the additional donors he is theoretically inspiring.