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UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

QUOTE What new stuff did I learn from Mike's interview with Mike Souza (please keep up the great work Mike; I really like your blog!)? I learned that Mike Souza played his last two years in Italy for Mickey Goulet (UNH, 1969) as head coach. And, that got me thinking how loaded that Rube Bjorkman 1968-69 team was: in order of points scored in their 22-6-1 season, Rich David, Bob Brandt, Loui Frigon, Mike Ontkean, Mike McShane, Alan Clark, Ryan Brandt, and Dave Sheen (all forwards), and Pete Stoutenburg, Graham Bruder, Mickey Goulet, and Bob Davis (all d-men). Great time for me to be a student hockey fan at UNH. QUOTE

Snively 65:

Your listing these players makes me either want to cry or smile -- 1968-1969 was first year as a season ticket holder -- and 2015-2016 was my last year until Mike Souza is the HC.

I'm puzzled that I still experience a sense of anticipation for a new era in UNH men's hockey. Perhaps Richard Ford, in his book entitled "The Sportswriter" helps me out with my puzzlement. He wrote -- " anticipation, all the things we are happy to leave and happier yet to see come toward us new again."
 
HockeyRef said:
Haha as a teacher I got a HUGE kick out of that cartoon; think it was hanging in our teacher's room right next to the copy machine for YEARS with running commentary by other beleaguered teachers, oh, those were the days!! And, by the way? Kids still take notes :) or at least, they pretend to?

Greg it's nice to see you here today (along with Darius!! Shawnbag...haha) and your comment about how late things are for season tix comments/ how hockey is being viewed, stuck a chord in me. While I only have a few years (3 now, who knew?!?) at it even I see that difference. It's not all "Sunny Days" at the 'Whitt; there's lots of dissatisfaction there among the faithful that I sit with/near. I guess Monday is the big roll out day for the 'new plan' of buying tickets? Even small things like taking out the "Your Wildcats" between periods now the team just skates out not the same. That makes a difference in that arena...but oops that's really not a priority but just sayin'. I guess that makes me a fanboy ;)

PS...the new stadium looks amazing. How do people like paying a grand to park? :)
Click to expand...

The stadium does look amazing. I think I'll pass on the grand for parking and stick to my secret free parking spot. Ha ha;)
 
sonar said:
QUOTE What new stuff did I learn from Mike's interview with Mike Souza (please keep up the great work Mike; I really like your blog!)? I learned that Mike Souza played his last two years in Italy for Mickey Goulet (UNH, 1969) as head coach. And, that got me thinking how loaded that Rube Bjorkman 1968-69 team was: in order of points scored in their 22-6-1 season, Rich David, Bob Brandt, Loui Frigon, Mike Ontkean, Mike McShane, Alan Clark, Ryan Brandt, and Dave Sheen (all forwards), and Pete Stoutenburg, Graham Bruder, Mickey Goulet, and Bob Davis (all d-men). Great time for me to be a student hockey fan at UNH. QUOTE

Snively 65:

Your listing these players makes me either want to cry or smile -- 1968-1969 was first year as a season ticket holder -- and 2015-2016 was my last year until Mike Souza is the HC.

I'm puzzled that I still experience a sense of anticipation for a new era in UNH men's hockey. Perhaps Richard Ford, in his book entitled "The Sportswriter" helps me out with my puzzlement. He wrote -- " anticipation, all the things we are happy to leave and happier yet to see come toward us new again."
Click to expand...

Don't forget the "sage" Sonar. Who knows maybe it will help.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Souza may be limited by Umile in what he can do for the players and team on campus - or in eliminating current commitments, if he was even inclined to do so. However, please don't try to tell me that a coach who has never taken much of an interest in recruiting (and completely abandoned that responsibility according to Borek confidants) is suddenly micro-managing and hindering the recruiting efforts of the future head coach over players who will never play for him...

Souza needs to put his stamp on the future of this team in terms of talent and personnel and that is an area where nothing is standing in his way but himself. Any thoughts that the recruiting is being held back by Umile and the transition is just wishful thinking. It's as easy as telling kids, "by the time you're here I'll be in charge and this is how you fit in."

The transition over the next two years are irrelevant if Souza correctly embraces his job. To date, he simply has not - the interview reinforces the fact that he is extremely inexperienced as a recruiter, with no specific plan and lacking the ability to create excitement and sell kids on UNH. I'm not a huge fan of many of the players he has committed and now even those wells have run dry. Every day fewer 18s, 19s and 00s are available and Souza and UNH hockey seem oblivious to the danger that represents.

Unless of course you want to believe he's doing everything right - and I agree I could care less if he tells us what he's doing (show us) - and he simply can't land kids. Which is probably worse.

I enjoyed the Keegan article about not making an emotional decision. Haha, not a UNH emotional decision at least. He claimed to take his time and found Wisconsin by not jumping on a UNH offer. Except he cancelled future visits to make an emotional commitment to WIsconsin - doing so because the staff has shown an aggressive and calculated approach to recruiting.

There are so many aggressive and successful staffs around the country (it's ridiculous to believe that finding this type of recruiter for UNH means he'd have to cheat like Walsh) who's example Souza should follow. Yet, he's modeling his philosophies after the provincial, passive and gritty beliefs of his head coach. Not because he's forced to. By choice, as a result of inexperience as a lead recruiter and because he has no other plan...

The success of other programs has not effected UNHs success on the ice or in recruiting. It has ALL been self-inflicted...
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

BTW 1932 - you're argument would have been great 5-10 years ago in response to our own Angry Bill, but Umile is cruising along at a .489 winning percentage over the last five years (zero trophies). He is no longer the coach he was and the program is nowhere near where it once was. it's just reality...
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Dan said:
Souza may be limited by Umile in what he can do for the players and team on campus - or in eliminating current commitments, if he was even inclined to do so. However, please don't try to tell me that a coach who has never taken much of an interest in recruiting (and completely abandoned that responsibility according to Borek confidants) is suddenly micro-managing and hindering the recruiting efforts of the future head coach over players who will never play for him...

Souza needs to put his stamp on the future of this team in terms of talent and personnel and that is an area where nothing is standing in his way but himself. Any thoughts that the recruiting is being held back by Umile and the transition is just wishful thinking. It's as easy as telling kids, "by the time you're here I'll be in charge and this is how you fit in."

The transition over the next two years are irrelevant if Souza correctly embraces his job. To date, he simply has not - the interview reinforces the fact that he is extremely inexperienced as a recruiter, with no specific plan and lacking the ability to create excitement and sell kids on UNH. I'm not a huge fan of many of the players he has committed and now even those wells have run dry. Every day fewer 18s, 19s and 00s are available and Souza and UNH hockey seem oblivious to the danger that represents.

Unless of course you want to believe he's doing everything right - and I agree I could care less if he tells us what he's doing (show us) - and he simply can't land kids. Which is probably worse.

I enjoyed the Keegan article about not making an emotional decision. Haha, not a UNH emotional decision at least. He claimed to take his time and found Wisconsin by not jumping on a UNH offer. Except he cancelled future visits to make an emotional commitment to WIsconsin - doing so because the staff has shown an aggressive and calculated approach to recruiting.

There are so many aggressive and successful staffs around the country (it's ridiculous to believe that finding this type of recruiter for UNH means he'd have to cheat like Walsh) who's example Souza should follow. Yet, he's modeling his philosophies after the provincial, passive and gritty beliefs of his head coach. Not because he's forced to, but by choice...
Click to expand...

Excellent points throughout, Dan.
 
HockeyRef said:
Haha as a teacher I got a HUGE kick out of that cartoon; think it was hanging in our teacher's room right next to the copy machine for YEARS with running commentary by other beleaguered teachers, oh, those were the days!! And, by the way? Kids still take notes :) or at least, they pretend to?

Greg it's nice to see you here today (along with Darius!! Shawnbag...haha) and your comment about how late things are for season tix comments/ how hockey is being viewed, stuck a chord in me. While I only have a few years (3 now, who knew?!?) at it even I see that difference. It's not all "Sunny Days" at the 'Whitt; there's lots of dissatisfaction there among the faithful that I sit with/near. I guess Monday is the big roll out day for the 'new plan' of buying tickets? Even small things like taking out the "Your Wildcats" between periods now the team just skates out not the same. That makes a difference in that arena...but oops that's really not a priority but just sayin'. I guess that makes me a fanboy ;)

PS...the new stadium looks amazing. How do people like paying a grand to park? :)
Click to expand...

C'mon HR, let's be accurate... The grand is ONLY for the Boulder priority lot, and the grand is a donation to the Wildcat Fund. $125 is the annual fee after that. Then there's the $500/75 option for the regular priority lot. I don't mind that kind of setup - win/win in my eyes.

And the fee is waived if you are in the Victory Club or box seats.

I only know this because I'm going all in on Football and Hockey on Monday. Since I won't be at all the games, I will figure out a way to get my tix and parking spot to you when I'm not up! Pays to be a yahoo sometimes, I guess.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

wildcatdc said:
C'mon HR, let's be accurate... The grand is ONLY for the Boulder priority lot, and the grand is a donation to the Wildcat Fund. $125 is the annual fee after that. Then there's the $500/75 option for the regular priority lot. I don't mind that kind of setup - win/win in my eyes.

And the fee is waived if you are in the Victory Club or box seats.

I only know this because I'm going all in on Football and Hockey on Monday. Since I won't be at all the games, I will figure out a way to get my tix and parking spot to you when I'm not up! Pays to be a yahoo sometimes, I guess.
Click to expand...

Awwww...was just yankin' the footballers chains a bit!!! I know there's other alternatives and e.cat has his special secret parking place soooo there's that. So looking forward to the trips back to Durham and do connect; just so you know I no longer have your contact info as the phone was lost and so were my contacts. Won't be long now!!!

Was a 'big day' around here on the board. A couple came out of hibernation, sage was mentioned, a bit of a dog fight over the Souza impressions. I really am looking forward to seeing what we can do this season, lots of new faces out there who will get their chance. And, looking forward to seeing those of you who I know etc. Have to do a Libby's pre game (we are usually there :p ) Anyway, more Olympics to watch for now!
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

sonar, if you have had season tickets for 48 straight years, I think that DU and BS35+4 should pay for your season tickets for these next two years. :-)
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Snively65 said:
sonar, if you have had season tickets for 48 straight years, I think that DU and BS35+4 should pay for your season tickets for these next two years. :-)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a long time .... however, since I am 77 it went by very quickly.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Anybody out there hear from the Athletic Dept today? Thought they were rolling out the new system...maybe I missed it my Wildcat account is messed up.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Snively65 said:
And, they should add a free cup of fish chowdah for each of sonar's seats!
Click to expand...

Chowdah would be OK .... however, I think that black crape paper stretched across the seats previously occupied by season ticket holders would be more appropriate. They could have a "Black out the Whit" night .....
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

sonar said:
Chowdah would be OK .... however, I think that black crape paper stretched across the seats previously occupied by season ticket holders would be more appropriate. They could have a "Black out the Whit" night .....
Click to expand...

That made me laugh. :D
 
HockeyRef said:
Anybody out there hear from the Athletic Dept today? Thought they were rolling out the new system...maybe I missed it my Wildcat account is messed up.
Click to expand...

I was on the phone with the ticket office today (locked down my tickets and parking for football), and when I asked about hockey, he said the renewal email went out today.

He sending me a few different options of hockey season tix, with different options regarding sections/rows. I'll be joining you, HR, for a few games this year - looking forward to it, and the Libby's pregame
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Chowdah would be OK .... however, I think that black crape paper stretched across the seats previously occupied by season ticket holders would be more appropriate. They could have a "Black out the Whit" night .....

Chuck Murray said:
That made me laugh. :D
Click to expand...

Tis better to laugh than to cry .... but since I wrote that hopeful article for The New Hampshire entitled "Something is Happening" .... prior to the opening of the Whit .... I can't help but conclude that the recipe involved with that god awful label - "No Hardware" - has only one consistent ingredient.

Am I bitter .... **** right.
Am I thankful for the effort and skills of the players on the ice for those many years .... **** right.
Am I thankful for all the positive events and people in my life .... **** right.

Thomas Fuller wrote ........"We are born crying, live complaining, and die disappointed."

Perhaps in 2018 I can get back on the road toward eliminating one of the disappointments in my life ... nothing major here .... it is just one of those disappointments that never makes me laugh.
 
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