UNH 2024/2025 Goldberg Edition

[Sparkee]

At least Lowell was exposed as a tourney pretender. Don't see Northeastern getting into the Finals, but it would seem fairly likely based on PWR that UMass Amherst will sneak in, despite not making it to Boston. So it seems six it will be, not the five I'd predicted. Hardly the first time I've been wrong on here.

I agree with you for once… hardly the first time you’ve been wrong on here.

 

[Felger]

Those with familiarity of the current AD question her ability to run a competitive D-1 program, and raise perhaps the most overriding question we here as UNH Hockey folks should be asking, which is, if (presumably when, so long as she sticks around) the decision to separate with MS7 is made ... what confidence should we have in MS7's replacement, and their ability to bring this program back to its previous level of prominence??

Curious why you feel this way Chuck. I remember a lot of genuflecting on here when she hired the new basketball coach. "Inspiring choice" and "hit a home run" are among the comments that come to mind.

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

Noted this response and the previous one regarding elimination of Football at UNH, and ultimately I agree with your legal pal's conclusion, although frankly I hadn't even considered the diversity issue until you raised it here. Not that I disagree BTW, but I think the Football program currently being untouchable has more to do with its recency, and the fact that enough of the folks responsible (and accountable) for its construction would look rash and shortsighted if/when the school pulled the plug on the Football program. A side point is that while Soccer may be able to better fill that stadium in the not-too-distant future, the place would be widely viewed as a proverbial "white elephant", and if you think UNH struggles with Concord now ... imagine that struggle if/when the Football stadium becomes the albatross hung around UNH's shoulders by those politicians. You can only host so many NHIAA title games to put lipstick on that pig.

As a matter of comparison to other HEA schools who do not field a D-1 Football team ... Providence (80+ years) and UVM (50 years) walked away a long time ago, Lowell and Merrimack play in other lower divisions, and UMaine struggles as a mid program in UNH's same league. There was some controversy when BU dropped football almost 30 years ago, as they had some very competitive and entertaining teams in the mid-'90's, and also had managed to send a decent amount of players to the NFL over the previous generation (Reggie Rucker, Bruce Taylor, Jim Jensen, Billy Brooks, Butch Byrd, and Pat Hughes, an Everett kid who was the last NY Giant LB before Lawrence Taylor to wear #56 - good trivia Q!). Harry Agganis was/still is a BU icon, and it was because of football, even if he only turned pro in baseball briefly before his tragic untimely passing. BU also played on the re-purposed, hand-me-down home of MLB's Boston Braves, which was originally dubbed "BU Field" for the first 3 seasons of the Boston Patriots, and eventually became Nickerson Field in 1963. Shutting down football at the time was not a mainstream solution, and BU took some short term heat over the decision, but the clarity it created likely helped build Agganis Arena.

Northeastern's decision to terminate football may have been the easiest, most painless decision ever. The program was a habitual also-ran, and played all of their home games off campus at Parsons Field in Brookline. Out of sight, out of mind ... if a tree falls in an empty forest, does it make a noise, etc. BU had shown them the path forward 12 years earlier, and no one ever asks about Northeastern football anymore.

Northeastern no doubt would like to have the same result as Agganis, as recent disclosures of plans for a new multi-purpose arena emerge. But there will be opposition from the local community for sure, as hinted at in the following Substack article I came across not too long ago.

Save Matthews Arena?

By City Councilor Sharon Durkan

rondurk.substack.com

Long and short ... however you feel about UNH Football, pro or con, we can all look back at Blue Skies' long trek to building the half-stadium a decade or so ago as a watershed moment in the future of UNH Athletics (anyone remember the hubbub that followed with the cutting edge upgrade of adding lights?!?), and understand the U will have to live with that decision for the rest of the natural lives of the admins AND politicians who were on hand for that decision.

There is a better chance that stadium will be (modestly) expanded to the other side of the field, than of Football being discontinued in the next 50 years.

JMHO

You're 100% correct that the football "stadium" is a totem to the failed tenure and legacy of Blue Skies and the previous administration.

You would be quite surprised. You see, unlike you, who has been on here for 3+ years, I've been on here for close to 30 years, if you include prior iterations of the USCHO message board. Just because you personally disagree with my opinions, doesn't mean there isn't widespread support for many of them on here, and with that comes other opinions that may not achieve an overall consensus. But one way or the other, folks I am fortunate to call upon as informed sources have trusted me to keep my word when I promise confidentiality, and that's exactly what I've done. That builds trust. You should try it sometime.

As far as your "assignment" ... you chalk it up to UNH's purported "embarrassment" at the condition of its "digs", and when I've commented on UNH's lack of engagement in this AND many other ways, I've laid that at the doorstep of MS7, who seems to be under the misguided impression that he's doing a 9-to-5 job. The activities (and other such means of publicizing his program) MS7 apparently considers to be beyond his strict union paygrade are staggering, but when people like you are so quick to offer him excuses like "the facility has fallen behind", and he gets extensions for achieving nothing, why change, right?

I certainly don't need any primer - not from anyone, and certainly not from you - on the current state of "American culture", seeing that for the last 20+ years, I've been interacting every single year with groups of at least 15-20 families who have entrusted their future student athletes to me, and for whom I've written dozens of testimonials and fielded countless calls and in-person visits on their behalf. These families almost always place their relationship with their players' future coach(es) and their history(s) of player development and advancement at or near the top of the list, along with alignment of their academic strengths. Many families also want to know about the communities where these schools are - some folks desire the "bright lights of the big city", while others favor the relative calm and tranquility of a more rural setting. UNH can offer the best of both worlds, with direct access (literally) from their campus to the TD Garden.

Winning solves most, if not all issues (see Ben Barr). We currently do not have a coach capable of winning at this level, and worse, he is operating under the assumption he has been shorted on facilities support. So try as he may, he is helpless to turn things around ... so why bother investing the extra effort? He is a "victim", and folks like you continue to enable this kind of loser mentality. Your mindset seems to reflect a genuine yet misguided viewpoint, where you solve your problems by simply throwing more money at it. And the funny thing is, UNH used to have a pair of Friends organizations to provide some of these extra "bells and whistles", until the former control freak AD eliminated both of them (and the current Men's HC stood by and let it happen).

MS7 is complicit in his own demise, and your proposed approach of simply throwing more money at "solutions" is outdated and discredited.

I only pray folks like you are nowhere near the hiring process for his replacement, as we'll never move forward via excuses and enablers.

Strong post.

It's inconceivable for those sequestered in the UNH bubble and on the state payroll to believe that many fans and posters have extensive networks of their own in the hockey community.

The hockey community, while broad, is awfully small and information is shared freely amongst friends and colleagues, albeit under the cover of confidentiality. The hubris of certain segments of UNH Admins and "influencers" is indicative of the echo chamber in which they live and operate and only validates their inability to accept or even consider an opinion contrary to their own.

Hence, the reason why the FOH was shut down because donations also mean influence and a seat at the table. God forbid the university allow that to happen from the hoi polloi who buy the tickets, pay their taxes and who have supported the team for decades.

UNH and MS7 do a rotten job promoting the program. Since Mrs. Grouch and I attend a lot of away games, we see the proactive outreach other schools engage in to market the team and drive interest. What UNH does pales in comparison. Emails, texts, video and yes, access to coaches and players online and in person are normal and far more frequent than anything coming out of Durham.

Not that MS7 is the most dynamic or articulate of speakers, but making him available to fans, the public and yes, even smaller donors would go an awful long way in raising the visibility of the program and stoking goodwill to the community at large.

But, he hides. Fans, donors and the public notice. Has the administration noticed or is it ignoring the obvious to shield the decision makers complicity in a decades worth of piss poor decision making?

 

[Snively65]

At least Lowell was exposed as a tourney pretender. Don't see Northeastern getting into the Finals, but it would seem fairly likely based on PWR that UMass Amherst will sneak in, despite not making it to Boston. So it seems six it will be, not the five I'd predicted. Hardly the first time I've been wrong on here.

Chuck, you and I may have a team in the Manchvegas regional after all (apparently Manch will not be hosting a regional in 2026, 2027, or 2028, which I had missed). All your alma mater needs to do is win at Hart Rink next Saturday night.

Last time that Bentley and Holy Cross faced one another in the AHA post-season was when the Crusaders beat the Falcons 5-2 at Hart on March 18th 2006 to win the AHA auto seed. I was there and the game was much closer than the score would indicate, as Tony Quesada kicked the net of its posts not once but twice in which the refs took away two Falcon goals. The refs called 20 minor penalties (11 against the Falcons, nine against the Crusaders) in the game, in which the Crusaders cashed in four times, the Falcons just once.

The Gophers were the #1 seed that year and what happened a week later at the West Regional in Ralph Engelstad on March 24th was one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history. I was not there, but Sioux friends told me that everyone in the arena was madly screaming for the Crusaders to win, of course. The Sioux beat the Crusaders the next day for a trip to the FF.

Bentley has never won an AHA title with a trip to the NCAAs. Another big NCAA regional upset, of course, was RIT’s 2-1 win over #1 seed DU at the Albany regional in 2010, the night before the Tigers annihilated our Wildcats depriving us of an unexpected FF opportunity.

 

[Potluck]

Chuck: Well you certainly are NH through and through. Spending less is more and spending nothing is the ultimate. You and Dan feel spending money is “throwing money at the problem” and don’t understand that intelligent people invest. Your thought process is why UNH is in so much trouble and so much of NH is unable to create businesses that thrive and deliver value to society. It’s interesting how the high tech industry in the northeast is centered out of Massachusetts and somehow skipped over NH.

Souza is a symptom of much larger problem. Firing him, without addressing the larger problem, at best will lead to a few not so bad seasons before the next coach leaves.

As for Ben Barr (you’re going to die on that hill because you have nothing else to point to), he likely is the exception that proves the rule. Simply stated, tell me what the last 40 years of UMaine hockey would have been like without the existence of the Alford family? The Alfond foundation is pretty much Maine hockey . Same goes for UND with the Engelstadt family.

So just find UNH hockey the equivalent of Alfond or Engelstad and UNH can then go find its Shawn Walsh, Ben Barr, Gino Gasparini, Dean Blais or Dave Hakstol

 

[Chuck Murray]

Curious why you feel this way Chuck. I remember a lot of genuflecting on here when she hired the new basketball coach. "Inspiring choice" and "hit a home run" are among the comments that come to mind.

Didn't hear that from me, Felgie. My recollection on the Hoops hire was the decisiveness of her action to replace Coach Herrion, who (say what you will) is the winningest (and 2nd losingest too) coach in the program's sordid history, and had at least elevated the profile of Men's Hoops from abject to mediocre. Here I was, hoping that decisiveness would carry over to Hockey ... but it didn't. Coach Davis had a decent first season, but this season the program is back down to where it's usually been, so now one has to wonder if our AD f/k/a SB was being decisive OR looking to check a certain box?

The handling of the Men's Soccer situation was hardly inspiring this past Summer, so now with a limited yet unimpressive UNH track record, and the AD with no apparent expertise in Hockey, we can only hope that a guy like Jim Tortorella is still around when the time comes for MS7 to inevitably walk the plank. The idea that the current AD may turn her attention to the former AD for guidance on the issue should make everyone's blood run cold. on here.

 

[NCAA watcher]

Souza is a symptom of much larger problem. Firing him, without addressing the larger problem, at best will lead to a few not so bad seasons before the next coach leaves.

Is the bigger problem a group that thinks its not worth fixing anything - even the most obvious problem - unless they are sure that it will solve the entire problem?

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

Chuck: Well you certainly are NH through and through. Spending less is more and spending nothing is the ultimate. You and Dan feel spending money is “throwing money at the problem” and don’t understand that intelligent people invest. Your thought process is why UNH is in so much trouble and so much of NH is unable to create businesses that thrive and deliver value to society. It’s interesting how the high tech industry in the northeast is centered out of Massachusetts and somehow skipped over NH.

Souza is a symptom of much larger problem. Firing him, without addressing the larger problem, at best will lead to a few not so bad seasons before the next coach leaves.

As for Ben Barr (you’re going to die on that hill because you have nothing else to point to), he likely is the exception that proves the rule. Simply stated, tell me what the last 40 years of UMaine hockey would have been like without the existence of the Alford family? The Alfond foundation is pretty much Maine hockey . Same goes for UND with the Engelstadt family.

So just find UNH hockey the equivalent of Alfond or Engelstad and UNH can then go find its Shawn Walsh, Ben Barr, Gino Gasparini, Dean Blais or Dave Hakstol

Investing implies the making of a strategic decicision TODAY for the benefit of a (potential) outcome tomorrow. I think we all can agree that the decision to make investments for the benefit of Whit upgrades should have been made 5-10 years ago.

But, they weren't.

Potluck, you say that an intelligent person invests. You're right, but you also unintentionally confirmed that the UNH Admin and Blue Skies acted unintelligently by not making these investments or even planning for them years ago.

Now, the team is suffering the consequences.

The Whit 100% needs upgrades. Without a doubt. However, the program ALSO 100% needs a new coach. Facilities in need of a refresh and upgrade aren't responsible for on ice decisions, poor conditioning or an inability to hold a third period lead.

The coach is.

There are multiple issues with the program which need to be addressed ASAP. It will take years to upgrade the physical plant but hiring a new coach can yield results today.

 

[Snively65]

Whose post will top page 100?

 

[Chuck Murray]

Chuck: Well you certainly are NH through and through. Spending less is more and spending nothing is the ultimate. You and Dan feel spending money is “throwing money at the problem” and don’t understand that intelligent people invest. Your thought process is why UNH is in so much trouble and so much of NH is unable to create businesses that thrive and deliver value to society. It’s interesting how the high tech industry in the northeast is centered out of Massachusetts and somehow skipped over NH.

...

As for Ben Barr (you’re going to die on that hill because you have nothing else to point to), he likely is the exception that proves the rule. Simply stated, tell me what the last 40 years of UMaine hockey would have been like without the existence of the Alford family? The Alfond foundation is pretty much Maine hockey . Same goes for UND with the Engelstadt family.

So just find UNH hockey the equivalent of Alfond or Engelstad and UNH can then go find its Shawn Walsh, Ben Barr, Gino Gasparini, Dean Blais or Dave Hakstol

It's pretty funny how you attribute UMaine's past AND current success to Harold Alfond, et als. As if he was the guy who led UMaine out of the wilderness (twice now), rather than being a well-heeled bandwagon jumper who only started to spend AFTER Walsh/Standbrook (and later Barr) established winning programs. I'll let the UMaine-iacs take it from here, but I can't help not to laugh when your cart-before-the-horse oversimplifications make me rush to defend Walshy. The old timer UMaine fans are probably splitting their sides laughing at the sheer audacity and irony.

Rather than re-iterate 'Watcher's and Grouch's previous responses, let me first point out that we need look no further than Coach Umile for another example of a coach who came in making relative peanuts (like Barr), and quickly turned a moribund program into a winning program, which then and only then saw an outlay of "investments" in the new facility ('94/'95), and Coach Umile leveraging his success into highest paid State employee another 5 years later. Again, the winning came first, and then the "investments". For the record, it's not as if UNH hasn't given MS7 some of his wish list (I'm seeing the Jumbotron as well as his Shrink The Rink excuses having been met, with no discernable change of on-ice results), so pardon me if I'm cynical of further support of a losing coach.

Lastly, and I will say this with all due respect to our fellow UNH fans living south of the border ... but you and your mentality of trying to apply Massachusetts social policy to New Hampshire, is what's so absolutely and totally galling to those of us who live in this great state, and have no interest in becoming another tax-and-spend mess like the so-called "Commonwealth". I have to assume you reside in MA, and if by happenstance you do live in NH, I'd strongly suggest you move your a$$ the he11 out of here, as you are not wanted and not welcome. Not to come here, take advantage of the freedoms and quality of life our state has to offer, and then b!tch about why we should be more like Taxachusetts. As far as your hallowed "high tech industry" ... maybe that works nicely for Boston/Cambridge, and some of the bedroom communities in MetroWest ... but otherwise, your precious "Commonwealth" has more than its share of Rust Belt casualties, including but not limited to Lynn, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Brockton, Fall River/New Bedford, Fitchburg, Worcester, Springfield and Holyoke. In fact, if you carve out the 128 "hub", your state is arguably Mississippi North/Arkansas East. So you can stuff your smug superiority BS.

In the meantime, I would venture to say the communities surrounding Durham (20+ mile radius) make up the most affluent area in Northern New England. If UNH cannot exploit that advantage, that's their problem. I've been on here at various times listing a number of affluent potential donors, many of whom do have UNH ties, and one who doesn't but is 80+% down the approval path to a half Billion dollar project at Hampton Beach, and could stand to generate some goodwill with the folks in Concord. That they haven't, or won't, means UNH is complicit. MS7 allowing Friends to be disbanded, he is complicit as well.

This is the second time you've come on to peddle your social engineering BS, and if you think MA is so great, I'd encourage you to stay there forever.

 

[bakchk20]

It's pretty funny how you attribute UMaine's past AND current success to Harold Alfond, et als. As if he was the guy who led UMaine out of the wilderness (twice now), rather than being a well-heeled bandwagon jumper who only started to spend AFTER Walsh/Standbrook (and later Barr) established winning programs. I'll let the UMaine-iacs take it from here, but I can't help not to laugh when your cart-before-the-horse oversimplifications make me rush to defend Walshy. The old timer UMaine fans are probably splitting their sides laughing at the sheer audacity and irony.

Rather than re-iterate 'Watcher's and Grouch's previous responses, let me first point out that we need look no further than Coach Umile for another example of a coach who came in making relative peanuts (like Barr), and quickly turned a moribund program into a winning program, which then and only then saw an outlay of "investments" in the new facility ('94/'95), and Coach Umile leveraging his success into highest paid State employee another 5 years later. Again, the winning came first, and then the "investments". For the record, it's not as if UNH hasn't given MS7 some of his wish list (I'm seeing the Jumbotron as well as his Shrink The Rink excuses having been met, with no discernable change of on-ice results), so pardon me if I'm cynical of further support of a losing coach.

Lastly, and I will say this with all due respect to our fellow UNH fans living south of the border ... but you and your mentality of trying to apply Massachusetts social policy to New Hampshire, is what's so absolutely and totally galling to those of us who live in this great state, and have no interest in becoming another tax-and-spend mess like the so-called "Commonwealth". I have to assume you reside in MA, and if by happenstance you do live in NH, I'd strongly suggest you move your a$$ the he11 out of here, as you are not wanted and not welcome. Not to come here, take advantage of the freedoms and quality of life our state has to offer, and then b!tch about why we should be more like Taxachusetts. As far as your hallowed "high tech industry" ... maybe that works nicely for Boston/Cambridge, and some of the bedroom communities in MetroWest ... but otherwise, your precious "Commonwealth" has more than its share of Rust Belt casualties, including but not limited to Lynn, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Brockton, Fall River/New Bedford, Fitchburg, Worcester, Springfield and Holyoke. In fact, if you carve out the 128 "hub", your state is arguably Mississippi North/Arkansas East. So you can stuff your smug superiority BS.

In the meantime, I would venture to say the communities surrounding Durham (20+ mile radius) make up the most affluent area in Northern New England. If UNH cannot exploit that advantage, that's their problem. I've been on here at various times listing a number of affluent potential donors, many of whom do have UNH ties, and one who doesn't but is 80+% down the approval path to a half Billion dollar project at Hampton Beach, and could stand to generate some goodwill with the folks in Concord. That they haven't, or won't, means UNH is complicit. MS7 allowing Friends to be disbanded, he is complicit as well.

This is the second time you've come on to peddle your social engineering BS, and if you think MA is so great, I'd encourage you to stay there forever.

Epic...mic drop...

 

[acs64]

It is all about the coach and his winning ways. IF he wins, the money will follow. I remember in the early 80's pre-Walshy the Alfond was a concrete walled absolute train wreck, acoustical nightmare. Those walls were highly finished concrete almost glass like and they echoed noise like nobody's business. Whenever the band played you had to cover your ears, it was that painful. So, fast forward a few years to the mid 80's when Walsh is hired and he starts developing his team. Oh man, look at these guys work....the talent level was abysmal but his teams never were outworked. The Bears upset a few highly rated teams on occasion, the crowds went wild, the echoes reverberated unmercifully and the locals started taking notice.

Chit, maybe this guy is something special. He engages the local community, starts a Center Ice Club where local businessmen and leaders can get the skinny on the team and college hockey in general direct from a coach whose enthusiasm is contagious. Drinks, dinner and a buzz is developing......maybe this guy can turn this program around and give us something we have never seen before....he deserves our support. Shortly thereafter, an acoustical treatment was applied to the walls to "tone it down a bit" . Minimal expense probably, but it helped. Winning became a habit, some top level recruits were brought in and the program was definitely on an upswing....before you know it, Maine is in the NCAA's and everyone knows its the coaches doing, and the players obviously, not the facility. In fact in 91 or 92 prior to our first NC, the Alfond was finally expanded to accommodate bigger crowds. This was a major expansion and with Alfonds unique shape, not an easy project. The rest is history.

So yeah, it has to start with the coach. If and when he wins and the locals feel the commitment from the coach is solid, the rest will follow. Sort of a "show me first" deal. The absolute worst thing you can do I believe is pour a bunch of money right now into facilities and then not be able to get the coach needed to prove the expenses were worthwhile. The coach is the only one who can lead you out of the abyss. Granted I don't know Souza but to me he does not seem to have the needed leadership qualities.

 

[Potluck]

Is the bigger problem a group that thinks it’s not worth fixing anything - even the most obvious problem - unless they are sure that it will solve the entire problem?

In private industry ignoring the big problem and firing one person without addressing the larger problem is seen as scapegoating or deflecting. Firing Souza is simple. It gives cover to the AD.

Firing Souza as part of a larger plan to bolster and improve the hockey program makes more sense. Btw, if the program can’t raise the $240k to buy out Souza’s contract that says it all about UNH in general. $240k is a middle management salary in any successful business.

 

[NCAA watcher]

First, not sure if firing Souza gives cover to the AD that unnecessarily gave him a 3 year deal after one above-.500 year in his 10 year tenure. It actually makes her look pretty bad.
Two, framing it as a "larger problem" suggests the exact wrong thought process. Calling this "scapegoating" suggests that he has had no role in this failure. He was a bad hire when made, and has had 10 years to show that he remains a central part of the problem. That's not "private industry," that's basic management 101, and science - look up a necessary cause v. a necessary and sufficient cause.
In no world is this unfair to him. As I said upthread, no program in a major conference has had a 10-year streak of failure without making a coaching change. That anyone close to the decision makers might think this is "scapegoating" would be incredibly troubling, but also explain a lot of the bad decisions made by the AD.
I'd like to think that she made the extension (wrongly) thinking he delivered Key Auto. That, at least, would be a rational decision.
A solution would be to have Souza admit he's not a hockey coach, but has skills with patrons. (Cultivated by doing solids to them like recruiting their kids, Connor Sweeney, Joe Sacco.) Don't waste his $240K, move him into fundraising.

The real problem is the conditions/commitment that any solid candidate would require. But you won't know know that until you open the spot.

 

[Potluck]

Chuck: oh my, I drew blood. Your post is revealing though. You cite social engineering and point to minority urban areas of Massachusetts. How Bull Connor of you.

I was correct is recognizing you simply are not up to date on American culture. You haven’t a clue about investing or capital improvements. Sort of fits together nicely though. How NH of you!

The reason the counties you point to are higher income is proximity to the Mass border (hint: the residents work in Massachusetts and keep NH afloat financially).

As for fundraising, let’s just say the Robert Morin scandal makes it more difficult. Prospective donors see that type of misconduct and take their money elsewhere. As they should.

Add things up. 88% acceptance rate. Inability to attract donors (“the Robert Morin”) factor. Underfunded failing D1 program. Second rate infrastructure throughout campus. Non competitive university.

And your solution is to fire Mike Souza. Full stop.

By all means fire Mike Souza, introduce an innovative buy one and get one free bowl of popcorn fundraiser at hockey games and a have a Coke with the Coach fundraiser twice a year with the new head coach and watch things take off! Five years from now you’ll have raised enough money to buy new gloves for the players.

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

In private industry ignoring the big problem and firing one person without addressing the larger problem is seen as scapegoating or deflecting. Firing Souza is simple. It gives cover to the AD.

Firing Souza as part of a larger plan to bolster and improve the hockey program makes more sense. Btw, if the program can’t raise the $240k to buy out Souza’s contract that says it all about UNH in general. $240k is a middle management salary in any successful business.

Addressing the "big problem" usually begins with making a leadership change, if for no other reason than to appease the Board, Investors, Employees and Clients. Optics and messaging matter. Right now, it appears that UNH is content with the status quo as long as 4,500-5,200 seats are sold for every home game.

 

[Potluck]

‘Watcher: very good point regarding scapegoating. Wrong term. In no world is Souza a victim. No way, no how. I’ve repeatedly said that he’s a problem but not the problem.

I worry that firing Souza just adds 3-5 more years before any attempt is made to address the much larger and formidable problem - a total lack of administrative and political support.

My first worrisome moment with Souza actually occurred during his first press conference (I think that was it) when he was asked about his recruiting philosophy. Part of his answer included saying “there are a lot of good hockey players”. His attitude was thst recruiting would be a cinch.

 

[HockeyRef]

‘Watcher: very good point regarding scapegoating. Wrong term. In no world is Souza a victim. No way, no how. I’ve repeatedly said that he’s a problem but not the problem.

I worry that firing Souza just adds 3-5 more years before any attempt is made to address the much larger and formidable problem - a total lack of administrative and political support.

My first worrisome moment with Souza actually occurred during his first press conference (I think that was it) when he was asked about his recruiting philosophy. Part of his answer included saying “there are a lot of good hockey players”. His attitude was thst recruiting would be a cinch.

...he said as much at FOH meetings that "you could find just as good a hockey player in your own backyard" and also "UNH will win the NC". And yeah I'd agree with the first premise but tell me why some of these great local recruits choose to skate elsewhere? (I know why they choose Boston schools over us etc)

Well all of this talk is interesting but does anyone really think UNH will buy out his contract? Not when people are still showing up at games...including loyal fans like me. And yes there are a ton of people who have walked away and I respect that choice fwiw dept.

...if he can't get the job done in 7 seasons I shudder to think what the next 3 to 5 seasons will look like...I will be shocked if we win 10 games next season but I hope to be proven wrong!

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

Chuck: oh my, I drew blood. Your post is revealing though. You cite social engineering and point to minority urban areas of Massachusetts. How Bull Connor of you.

I was correct is recognizing you simply are not up to date on American culture. You haven’t a clue about investing or capital improvements. Sort of fits together nicely though. How NH of you!

The reason the counties you point to are higher income is proximity to the Mass border (hint: the residents work in Massachusetts and keep NH afloat financially).

As for fundraising, let’s just say the Robert Morin scandal makes it more difficult. Prospective donors see that type of misconduct and take their money elsewhere. As they should.

Add things up. 88% acceptance rate. Inability to attract donors (“the Robert Morin”) factor. Underfunded failing D1 program. Second rate infrastructure throughout campus. Non competitive university.

And your solution is to fire Mike Souza. Full stop.

By all means fire Mike Souza, introduce an innovative buy one and get one free bowl of popcorn fundraiser at hockey games and a have a Coke with the Coach fundraiser twice a year with the new head coach and watch things take off! Five years from now you’ll have raised enough money to buy new gloves for the players.

UNH planning for capital improvements is akin to ignoring your leaky roof, not budgeting for repairs and then complaining about your contractor doing a poor job because you didn't plan appropriately. Apparently, UNH hasn't a clue about investing or capital improvement either because it's scrambling, years after the fact, to find the cash needed for upgrades that should have been identified, budgeted for and completed a half decade ago.

Perhaps the school could raise more than a pair of new gloves if it and it's hockey coach didn't alienate and discard the most ardent of fans. Fans of which are of a certain age, have discretionary income and the time to commit to a program which needs the help.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Chuck: oh my, I drew blood. Your post is revealing though. You cite social engineering and point to minority urban areas of Massachusetts. How Bull Connor of you.

I was correct is recognizing you simply are not up to date on American culture. You haven’t a clue about investing or capital improvements. Sort of fits together nicely though. How NH of you!

The reason the counties you point to are higher income is proximity to the Mass border (hint: the residents work in Massachusetts and keep NH afloat financially).

As for fundraising, let’s just say the Robert Morin scandal makes it more difficult. Prospective donors see that type of misconduct and take their money elsewhere. As they should.

Add things up. 88% acceptance rate. Inability to attract donors (“the Robert Morin”) factor. Underfunded failing D1 program. Second rate infrastructure throughout campus. Non competitive university.

And your solution is to fire Mike Souza. Full stop.

By all means fire Mike Souza, introduce an innovative buy one and get one free bowl of popcorn fundraiser at hockey games and a have a Coke with the Coach fundraiser twice a year with the new head coach and watch things take off! Five years from now you’ll have raised enough money to buy new gloves for the players.

Admitted full-blooded Ma$$hole, QED. FWIW, your state is also rife with rural poverty, once you get west of Worcester. Sorry I overlooked that. Feel better now?

And far be it from me to defend the U unnecessarily ... but the so-called "Robert Morin scandal" is only in your fertile imagination. For someone who claims to have elite level knowledge of "investing and capital improvements", that you cannot tell the difference between an earmarked donation and general donation is rather telling. If Morin the Librarian wanted his estate donation to go to a specific cause, the U would have been bound to honor that. In this instance, the donation was NOT earmarked, designated, etc. Folks like you who enjoy the social engineering racket can spout off about what you think was the "right" way to allocate the donation, but if it came without strings attached, the U could use it however they wished. Which they did. I know, not very "Commonwealth" of them, and sure, the optics may have been awkward once publicized (hence the "late in life football fan" cover story), but UNH did nothing wrong at all, and I'm sure this so-called "scandal" brings no baggage, since unlike you, big-time donors (see Whittemore, Towse, Paul, TDL, etc.) know they can allocate gifts.

The idea that the NH Seacoast Region depends on your blight of a socialist state for its wealth is likewise laughable. If that were true, Cheshire County (which has the longest shared border of MA/NH) would be above and beyond our area. It isn't though. But pretty much every NH border town exceeds the financial health of the town on your side of the border. So once again, you are talking out of your rear orifice. Surprising? No. Entertaining? He11 yes.

It is clear you hold not only UNH in contempt, but the entire State of NH, its residents, and our way of life in contempt. Why do you bother posting here, while pretending to have any degree of worthwhile insight or life experience ... when every time you try, you manage to step in it big time?