UNH- How Far West Do We Go?

[Darius]

How about them apples?! Wow! Did not see that coming, but I’ll certainly take it!

The way they’ve been playing defense the past 2 games, they can play with anyone scoring less than three (two?) goals. It reminds me of how they played against Maine and Dartmouth earlier this year.

…Can we get greedy tomorrow?

The end of this season is starting to get interesting. Confidence can take you far in this league.

Looking forward to tomorrow! It certainly will be a happy bus ride back to Durham!

FYP

 

[Chuck Murray]

The Hardy family story is a tough one. For those that don't know I went online and found this old story: UNH Today Lessons of Loss

I knew Josh. It was hard to hear of Nate passing (or to read this story when it came out) not because I knew Nate other than in passing rather I knew his older brother and could only imagine the pain of their father losing 2 sons.

War is hell for "in peace sons bury fathers, but war violates the order of nature, and fathers bury sons" Herodotus. Fathers aren't supposed to bury their sons, and to do it twice...

My Over -50 team plays our games sometimes on a field at the SUSC Epping field complex that is named after Nate.

 

[Chuck Murray]

For me it is the stories of Walsh in his early days at Maine. He was extremely hands on in recruiting: 1) he knew how from his time at MSU (?) and 2) he understood you had to have great talent evaluation, needed the best ingredients and in particular when building (or rebuilding) a program you had to get it right fast. Famously Standbrook recruited for Maine, but only after he proved himself to Walsh. I don't believe Umile ever had to be that hands on, Kullen and Coady had the ship turning by the time Umile arrived. Umile ultimately was to build on what was started, we didn't know it then, hindsight. Now Umile certainly made some excellent hires. You have to wonder if he understood his own blind spots and knew the things he needed, that he wasn't. It would make Umile self aware and might be part of explaining several decades of success, along with another pivot that happened after 97-98.

Don't ever doubt for a second that Coach Umile was completely self-aware during his time in charge at UNH. I truly believe the only time he took his foot off the gas pedal in terms of hiring quality assistants was at the very end, after Borek left and Dick had to know his own time in charge was running down. Blue Skies had already eliminated obvious successor options like McCloskey and Borek, and Lassonde had moved on to bigger and better things too.

In the stretch run of his career, I'm sure Coach Umile's focus went from having a long-term coaching plan with complementary (not complimentary) parts, all working in unison, to figuring out a succession plan using relatively inexperienced guys. Hence the "I'll need three years to teach these guys, Marty", which not so coincidentally dovetailed with The Quest for The NRN. That his teams faded competitively as he got deeper into his career, I chalk up to him losing out on the borderline upper tier kids he used to draw, who were probably swayed to some degree by the "can't win the big one" narrative.

Let's put it this way ... if someone told you UNH's next HC hire post-MS7 - be it this Spring or next - was gonna hang around for a quarter century and win you close to 600 games, get you to Boston more often than not, ditto the national tourney, and win some cool hardware along the way ... who doesn't sign up for that?!?

 

[Chuck Murray]

UNH only rarely fires coaches or non-renews their contracts. The relatively recent non-renewal of their men’s basketball coach was inexplicable, whereas the firing of their women’s ice hockey coach for a bench altercation with a recalcitrant player was totally bizarre.

Snives, I know you are a fan of irony and karma ... as to the irony, it should be noted that Coach McCloskey's accuser, who by all accounts was insubordinate and running her mouth with a profanity-laced tirade directed at him at the time of the jersey tugging "altercation", finished off her mediocre UNH on-ice career without further incident. She went on to secure her post-grad degree at UNH Law/Franklin Pierce (with a Sports Law certificate!) and is currently an attorney in Arizona. Her mom was/is a paralegal, and her dad was/is a regional VP for a large international business, a position that traditionally brushes up against legal issues frequently.

In retrospect, it's not too difficult to connect the dots between the incident, the oversized reaction to same on the legal front, and the cowardly response from UNH and its AD at the time - the former totally wilted, and bent in the "victim's" favor by Woke dogma, and the latter unwilling to buck his Woke overseers, while suddenly seeing an opportunity to get out from under a recent contract extension to the "assailant".

Karma, of course, is both the Women's and Men's Hockey programs have gone down the competitive tubes since. As has been said, everything Woke turns to sh!t.

 

[Darius]

Snives, I know you are a fan of irony and karma ... as to the irony, it should be noted that Coach McCloskey's accuser, who by all accounts was insubordinate and running her mouth with a profanity-laced tirade directed at him at the time of the jersey tugging "altercation", finished off her mediocre UNH on-ice career without further incident. She went on to secure her post-grad degree at UNH Law/Franklin Pierce (with a Sports Law certificate!) and is currently an attorney in Arizona. Her mom was/is a paralegal, and her dad was/is a regional VP for a large international business, a position that traditionally brushes up against legal issues frequently.

In retrospect, it's not too difficult to connect the dots between the incident, the oversized reaction to same on the legal front, and the cowardly response from UNH and its AD at the time - the former totally wilted, and bent in the "victim's" favor by Woke dogma, and the latter unwilling to buck his Woke overseers, while suddenly seeing an opportunity to get out from under a recent contract extension to the "assailant".

Karma, of course, is both the Women's and Men's Hockey programs have gone down the competitive tubes since. As has been said, everything Woke turns to sh!t.

There was woke back then? Who knew?

 

[HockeyRef]

Bummer...it had been going so well!!! Sighhh

 

[FlagUp17]

Well… it was a hard fought game. You can’t expect to win many games when you go 1 for 7 on PP and give up 2 short handed goals.

Nevertheless, they gave PU everything they could take, and 3 points is more than I was honestly expecting this weekend, despite my prediction.

It appears Merrimack will sweep UVM this weekend, likely taking us out of contention for a home playoff game first round. Still, if UNH can channel this weekends energy to next weekend and into the playoffs, I wouldnt be surprised if they landed an upset or 2… stranger things have happened.

Also congrats to Carr on his first collegiate goal!

 

[2013hockeyfan]

No D man on the power play was idiotic

 

[FlagUp17]

No D man on the power play was idiotic

I agree - although I understand the sentiment by MS7 who is likely trying everything he can to promote more offense on a PP unit that has struggled mightily throughout the year. Putting more goal scorers on the PP makes sense to try and generate more offense.

Still… not a good decision at all, and it backfired twice. I would not have recommended trying something outside of the box (like this) against the #1 defense in HE…

 

[emily422]

No D man on the power play was idiotic

Exactly. If the PP strategy isn’t working probably should change it entirely. Putting out 5 forwards is not going to help.

 

[Chuck Murray]

There was woke back then? Who knew?

Are you serious, Darius?? Woke was born in academia, well before this all went down. Maybe it wasn't called that at the time ... but reflexively defending the person who initiated the incident, just because that person fit a certain category, and likewise punishing someone for the same reason ... what do you call that??

Now that there are some female coaches in male pro team sports ... let's say a male athlete ignores his female coach's demands to perform up to standard, and then unleashes a torrent of profanities at said female coach when reaching the bench, prompting her to accost him to ensure she gets his attention ... that male player is on waivers before his ar$e hits the bench. And the female coach is the toast of the town, as opposed to being very publicly handed her walking papers and threatened with incarceration, despite having served her team/program with distinction for well over a decade, at the highest levels even.

Keep in mind that in the UNH scenario, the other female players confirmed their teammate's insolence and verbal abuse, which clearly was deemed irrelevant.

If you want to have a discussion about physical size, I can point out the player was almost half a foot taller and 40 years younger than the coach, and based on her actions, did not seem the least bit physically intimidated in taking liberties with his position of authority. I don't think we need to go there, though, do we?

 

[JB]

It wasn't "woke".... (Stop finding something to be offended by) Blue Skies wanted out of the contract and this was the excuse, really just that simple.

 

[JB]

Exactly. If the PP strategy isn’t working probably should change it entirely. Putting out 5 forwards is not going to help.

This isn't new. Been 5 forwards on the 1st power play unit for a month anyway.

The problem is the strategy didn't change just the personnel. Still mostly dump and chase, mostly hunting for shots from the point and limited movement.

Players = deck chairs
PP Strategy = Titanic

So I am shocked it hasn't worked.........

 

[Will]

It appears Merrimack will sweep UVM this weekend, likely taking us out of contention for a home playoff game first round.

The Cats came back to earn a tie (shootout loss), keeping the doors open a crack. I believe that UVM clinched last place, and now need MC to lose out in regulation, and two UNH regulation wins

 

[Chuck Murray]

It wasn't "woke".... (Stop finding something to be offended by) Blue Skies wanted out of the contract and this was the excuse, really just that simple.

First, who said anything about being "offended"?? It's a simple matter of right and wrong. Yes, Blue Skies wanted out of the extension they'd just inked, but he couldn't well just come out and renege on a contract, could he? You know better than that. You think the U's hands are tied with one more year of MS7, imagine climbing out of a multiyear deal they'd just agreed on with Coach Mac?!? The only way to do that was to fabricate some "leverage", call in the campus cops, and presto bingo ...

UNH absolutely used Woke dogma to support railroading a loyal and highly competent coach out of Titletown, and de facto breaching a totally valid contract.

The absolute tell in the whole situation was ignoring/burying the players' support of Coach. FWIW this is stuff I had direct sourcing on at the time it went down.

Please tell me exactly what part of that you disagree with, or feel is inaccurate?? Shameful episode, and one UNH would do well to try to make amends on ...

 

[Darius]

No D man on the power play was idiotic

Watching on TV I couldn’t be sure, but figured since always and forever. In general, regardless of team and (almost any) situation this drives me effing crazy!

 

[Darius]

Exactly. If the PP strategy isn’t working probably should change it entirely. Putting out 5 forwards is not going to help.

How are the defensemen supposed to develop?!?

 

[Darius]

Are you serious, Darius?? Woke was born in academia, well before this all went down. Maybe it wasn't called that at the time ... but reflexively defending the person who initiated the incident, just because that person fit a certain category, and likewise punishing someone for the same reason ... what do you call that??

Now that there are some female coaches in male pro team sports ... let's say a male athlete ignores his female coach's demands to perform up to standard, and then unleashes a torrent of profanities at said female coach when reaching the bench, prompting her to accost him to ensure she gets his attention ... that male player is on waivers before his ar$e hits the bench. And the female coach is the toast of the town, as opposed to being very publicly handed her walking papers and threatened with incarceration, despite having served her team/program with distinction for well over a decade, at the highest levels even.

Keep in mind that in the UNH scenario, the other female players confirmed their teammate's insolence and verbal abuse, which clearly was deemed irrelevant.

If you want to have a discussion about physical size, I can point out the player was almost half a foot taller and 40 years younger than the coach, and based on her actions, did not seem the least bit physically intimidated in taking liberties with his position of authority. I don't think we need to go there, though, do we?

Afore/erelong/prewoke then.

 

[Darius]

First, who said anything about being "offended"?? It's a simple matter of right and wrong. Yes, Blue Skies wanted out of the extension they'd just inked, but he couldn't well just come out and renege on a contract, could he? You know better than that. You think the U's hands are tied with one more year of MS7, imagine climbing out of a multiyear deal they'd just agreed on with Coach Mac?!? The only way to do that was to fabricate some "leverage", call in the campus cops, and presto bingo ...

UNH absolutely used Woke dogma to support railroading a loyal and highly competent coach out of Titletown, and de facto breaching a totally valid contract.

The absolute tell in the whole situation was ignoring/burying the players' support of Coach. FWIW this is stuff I had direct sourcing on at the time it went down.

Please tell me exactly what part of that you disagree with, or feel is inaccurate?? Shameful episode, and one UNH would do well to try to make amends on ...

Pick one. Same result. About an eon ago I liked Bobby Knight, Woody Hayes, many with similar coaching styles. Ever see The Junction Boys? Times change. Everything one disagrees with or doesn’t like is not part of a sinister plot or conspiracy. FWIW with the public information I had access to at the time I wasn’t super happy with the McCloskey dismissal.