UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Snively65 digs out three more points to close out the hoops category ...

But, Argghh! I cannot believe that I spaced on Dolph Shayes and the Syracuse Nationals winning in 1954-1955, before they won of course two more as the 76ers. My brother and I played basketball against one another with tennis balls and Maxwell House coffee cans in our basement through the mid- to late 50s; long straw got the Celtics, short straw the opponent, which was usually the 76ers, St Louis Hawks, or the Cincinnati Royals (all three of those teams were loaded back then).

I also was wrong about the LA Stars winning in 1970, as that was the Pacers. I also should have known that the Washington Bullets championship pre-dated the NBA, after our long discussion about George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers winning in the first NBA season.

Still need that third team that won in two different cities, or does the Nationals/76ers franchise also answer that question. Yes

Already got that one 4-5 posts back, HR. But, apparently there is still one more city with two different teams winning a title, and you gifted me that one by mentioning the Golden State Warriors, who won in Oakland last year, as did the ABA Oakland Oaks (that was really their name!) in 1969, the same year that the Mets won their first World Series. Lots of poison oak in the Bay Area, which may explain the name?

Updated scoreboard:

Snively65 10 pts.
FiveHole12 4 pts.
HockeyRef 2 pts.
'Watcher 1 pt.

That leaves us with the remaining hockey questions, and the entire football board to go.

Trivia bonus question (not to count in scoring): in what year did the Baltimore Bullets get rid of their politically incorrect moniker?

Sometime in between Elvin Hayes' and Wes Unseld's retirements (loved those players), and Michael Jordan's comeback with the Wizards? Without cheating and just taking a WAG, I'll guess at 1998? Good question!!

OK - a couple of bonus questions (points WILL count though) - the second one in two parts (one point apiece):

What star player links the Oakland Oaks '69 ABA and the GS Warriors '75 NBA title teams (fairly easy)?
Other than the Pirates ... which Pittsburgh team was the first to win a major league pro sports title?

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Quiz refresh - we've already run the board on Major League Baseball and ABA/NBA hoops ... pulling things up, next up is pro football. For purposes of these questions, "NFL Championships" will be constituted of Super Bowl (1966-present) and NFL Championship Game (1933-1965) winners. AFL Championship (1960-1965) and AAFC Championship (1946-1949) winners will be considered only for the questions that are specifically geared to multi-league winners. None of the WFL, USFL or XFL are considered here, as none of their teams were eventually merged into the NFL. Surprisingly, still no one has taken a sniff of any of these yet:

* Name the only franchise to have won the NFL Championship in three (3) different cities?
* Name the only three (3) franchises to win the NFL Championship in two (2) different cities?
* Name the five (5) cities to win NFL championships with two (2) different franchises?
* Name the only two (2) franchises to have won championships in two (2) different leagues?
* Name the only (1) franchise to have won championships in different leagues, in two different cities?

BONUS POINTS (True or False):

The NFL began competition in 1920. The 2001 Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots marked the first time a New England based team were recognized as NFL champions?

When the San Diego Chargers waxed the Boston Patriots 51-10 in the 1963 AFL Championship game, it marked the first time ever that a Boston based team had played in a professional football (NFL/AFL/AAFC) championship game?

A New England city has never hosted a professional football (NFL/AFL/AAFC) championship game?

Now, back to the NHL, which for our purposes will extend back to 1927 when the Stanley Cup was competed for solely by the NHL's teams, and awarded to the winner of the NHL playoffs. I've eliminated the true/false questions, which were all answered. Questions will include the WHA and its Avco Cup (1973-1979) where appropriate:

* Name the two (2) franchises who have won both the Stanley Cup and the Avco Cup (WHA)?
* 4 WHA franchises merged into the NHL in 1979. Which is the only one not to have since won the Stanley Cup?

We're more than halfway through, but if someone had told me at the start that hockey and football would be the only two categories still left on the board near the end, I'd have been surprised if not shocked.

If we don't get some UNH Hockey content anytime soon, I'm going to start setting an over/under line on Coach Umile's morning round over at Pease ...

 

[Snively65]

Snively65 digs out three more points to close out the hoops category ...





Updated scoreboard:

Snively65 10 pts.
FiveHole12 4 pts.
HockeyRef 2 pts.
'Watcher 1 pt.

That leaves us with the remaining hockey questions, and the entire football board to go.



Sometime in between Elvin Hayes' and Wes Unseld's retirements (loved those players), and Michael Jordan's comeback with the Wizards? Without cheating and just taking a WAG, I'll guess at 1998? Good question!!

OK - a couple of bonus questions (points WILL count though) - the second one in two parts (one point apiece):

What star player links the Oakland Oaks '69 ABA and the GS Warriors '75 NBA title teams (fairly easy)?
Other than the Pirates ... which Pittsburgh team was the first to win a major league pro sports title?

Must be Rick Barry for the first one, and the Steelers for the second, given that the Penguins did not win their first of four until 1991, and I do not believe that the ABA or NBA has ever had a team in Pittsburgh?

 

[Snively65]

Quiz refresh - we've already run the board on Major League Baseball and ABA/NBA hoops ... pulling things up, next up is pro football. For purposes of these questions, "NFL Championships" will be constituted of Super Bowl (1966-present) and NFL Championship Game (1933-1965) winners. AFL Championship (1960-1965) and AAFC Championship (1946-1949) winners will be considered only for the questions that are specifically geared to multi-league winners. None of the WFL, USFL or XFL are considered here, as none of their teams were eventually merged into the NFL. Surprisingly, still no one has taken a sniff of any of these yet:

* Name the only franchise to have won the NFL Championship in three (3) different cities?
* Name the only three (3) franchises to win the NFL Championship in two (2) different cities?
* Name the five (5) cities to win NFL championships with two (2) different franchises?
* Name the only two (2) franchises to have won championships in two (2) different leagues?
* Name the only (1) franchise to have won championships in different leagues, in two different cities?

BONUS POINTS (True or False):

The NFL began competition in 1920. The 2001 Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots marked the first time a New England based team were recognized as NFL champions?

When the San Diego Chargers waxed the Boston Patriots 51-10 in the 1963 AFL Championship game, it marked the first time ever that a Boston based team had played in a professional football (NFL/AFL/AAFC) championship game?

A New England city has never hosted a professional football (NFL/AFL/AAFC) championship game?

Now, back to the NHL, which for our purposes will extend back to 1927 when the Stanley Cup was competed for solely by the NHL's teams, and awarded to the winner of the NHL playoffs. I've eliminated the true/false questions, which were all answered. Questions will include the WHA and its Avco Cup (1973-1979) where appropriate:

* Name the two (2) franchises who have won both the Stanley Cup and the Avco Cup (WHA)?
* 4 WHA franchises merged into the NHL in 1979. Which is the only one not to have since won the Stanley Cup?

We're more than halfway through, but if someone had told me at the start that hockey and football would be the only two categories still left on the board near the end, I'd have been surprised if not shocked.

If we don't get some UNH Hockey content anytime soon, I'm going to start setting an over/under line on Coach Umile's morning round over at Pease ...

Oops, I meant to attempt answers for the WHA questions earlier, but held off until I could get on a real keyboard, but then forgot. I am still not on a real keyboard, so I will just summarize here. As noted above, I was in Boulder for the latter part of the 1970s, when I had to follow our great Cats teams of that time remotely, only seeing some NCAA post-season games on TV. But, during this same time frame, there was great acrimony between the upstart WHA and the NHL, which led to a boycott of Molson brews in Canada, as the Canadiens management did not want the Oilers, Jets, and Nordiques to be "merged" into the NHL (the other one of the four WHA teams that got "merged" into the NHL was the Whale, of course), as they thought that would cut into their take of profits of TV Hockey Night in Canada. What that meant for us in Colorado was a flood of Molson Export into the states, our favorite brew at the time (craft brews were not on the scene yet), for which we were enamored in part by the logo, which we realized right away was not a tall ship, but an armadillo when turned sideways, and our rock and ice climbing club from Orono grad student days was known as Armadillo Salvage. But, I digress.

The four WHA that were "merged" into the NHL only got to keep two goalies and two skaters (hence the word "merge" was a farce), which put these teams at a huge disadvantage. The Jets, who had won three AVCO's, never won a SC as the Coyotes in Phoenix. The Whale, who had won one AVCO, eventually won one SC as the 'Canes. The Nordiques, which had won one AVCO, eventually won two SC's as the Av's, with our local hero participating in the second one, late in 2000-2001. The Oliers, who never one an AVCO, ironically won five SC's, with the Great One and a plethora of other superstars, in part on smart drafting. I almost forgot to mention that the four "merged" WHA teams got dumped to the bottom of the draft for their first two years in the NHL. So, although I have always followed the Bruins, my heart was with the Whale and the WHA.

But, one more digression. A friend's older brother, who played 3B with my friend at SS and me at 2B on the Little League team that my father coached in Durham, was really captivated by Curt Flood and MLB's reserve clause, which apparently rubbed off on me a bit, as I became a union man for one summer of employment in 1970. So, when the WHA formed, the de facto reserve class of the NHL was broken, as the Jets awarded Bobby Hull the largest contract in professional hockey, while the Houston Aeros did much the same for Gordie "Mr Hockey" Howe. Up to this time, hockey players were woefully underpaid compared to the other big three sports.

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Back to the thread. AIC just announced their 2016-2017 OOC schedule, and we ain't on it. Good? Bad? Makes no difference? Discuss.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Love the history of Molson getting themselves snagged in the NHL/WHA merger, Snively65. I was always a Labatts guy (probably due to their frequent Radio Canada adverts on Expos' broadcasts). But I digest *burp* oops digress ...

Oops, I meant to attempt answers for the WHA questions earlier, but held off until I could get on a real keyboard, but then forgot. I am still not on a real keyboard, so I will just summarize here. As noted above, I was in Boulder for the latter part of the 1970s, when I had to follow our great Cats teams of that time remotely, only seeing some NCAA post-season games on TV. But, during this same time frame, there was great acrimony between the upstart WHA and the NHL, which led to a boycott of Molson brews in Canada, as the Canadiens management did not want the Oilers, Jets, and Nordiques to be "merged" into the NHL (the other one of the four WHA teams that got "merged" into the NHL was the Whale, of course), as they thought that would cut into their take of profits of TV Hockey Night in Canada. What that meant for us in Colorado was a flood of Molson Export into the states, our favorite brew at the time (craft brews were not on the scene yet), for which we were enamored in part by the logo, which we realized right away was not a tall ship, but an armadillo when turned sideways, and our rock and ice climbing club from Orono grad student days was known as Armadillo Salvage. But, I digress.

The four WHA that were "merged" into the NHL only got to keep two goalies and two skaters (hence the word "merge" was a farce), which put these teams at a huge disadvantage. The Jets, who had won three AVCO's, never won a SC as the Coyotes in Phoenix. The Whale, who had won one AVCO, eventually won one SC as the 'Canes. The Nordiques, which had won one AVCO, eventually won two SC's as the Av's, with our local hero participating in the second one, late in 2000-2001. The Oliers, who never one an AVCO, ironically won five SC's, with the Great One and a plethora of other superstars, in part on smart drafting. I almost forgot to mention that the four "merged" WHA teams got dumped to the bottom of the draft for their first two years in the NHL. So, although I have always followed the Bruins, my heart was with the Whale and the WHA.

But, one more digression. A friend's older brother, who played 3B with my friend at SS and me at 2B on the Little League team that my father coached in Durham, was really captivated by Curt Flood and MLB's reserve clause, which apparently rubbed off on me a bit, as I became a union man for one summer of employment in 1970. So, when the WHA formed, the de facto reserve class of the NHL was broken, as the Jets awarded Bobby Hull the largest contract in professional hockey, while the Houston Aeros did much the same for Gordie "Mr Hockey" Howe. Up to this time, hockey players were woefully underpaid compared to the other big three sports.

Correct on the remaining WHA/hockey questions, so the hockey board is now closed.

It's ironic to see Howe mentioned in the context of a pioneer in challenging the old reserve clause. Earlier in his career, Gordie had a big falling out with former DRW "Production Line" linemate (and fellow HHOF'er) "Terrible" Ted Lindsay, who back in the 1950's was trying to set up a players' union in the NHL, which met with predictable owner resistance. The Wings were in the midst of a dynasty in the early half of the '50's, having won 4 out of 6 Stanley Cups, but this did not stop them from first stripping Lindsay of his captaincy, and then trading him to the (then) lowly Chicago Black Hawks for the proverbial bag of pucks. DRW ownership was obviously irate, and defamed Lindsey with falsehoods about the size of his contract and the reasons for his trade, which turned out to be false. But Howe (perpetually underpaid) sided with ownership, as did most of his DRW teammates, and the union was basically broken at that time.

Those facts eventually came to the surface in the years that followed, but the DRW dynasty of the '50's had already been broken as well. But Lindsay and Howe eventually patched things up on the ice when Lindsey came out of retirement for one final season in Detroit in the mid-'60's, when Howe and Lindsay got the team back to the SC Finals for the first time in about a decade, but fell to the then dynastic Toronto Maple Leafs in 6 games. Howe followed Lindsay's footsteps with a post-retirement return to pro hockey almost another decade later, and the aforementioned big payday. Lindsay and Howe had patched things up off the ice by then as well, but it's interesting to see that while Howe was the greater among great equals on the ice with Lindsay (in a Gretzky over Messier way), Lindsay was always the glue that kept the DRW dynasty ticking, had a higher leadership profile, and served almost as a role model for his legendary linemate.

Must be Rick Barry for the first one, and the Steelers for the second No, given that the Penguins did not win their first of four until 1991, and I do not believe that the NBA has ever had a team in Pittsburgh?

Correct on the first one. Rick Barry was arguably Larry Bird before Larry Bird, combining long range shooting, smart penetration, and the best passing skills from a forward in his era. Both guys were known to be just a little outspoken at times ... but only Barry shot underhanded free throws (at a 90%+ clip over his career).

The Pittsburgh Pipers - led by legendary playground superstar Connie Hawkins - won the inaugural ABA championship in 1968. The Steelers never won an NFL Championship/Super Bowl - or even played in one - until the '74 season.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Back to the thread. AIC just announced their 2016-2017 OOC schedule, and we ain't on it. Good? Bad? Makes no difference? Discuss.

Something must've opened up on the Sacred Heart OOC schedule, and Coach & Marty had to make a difficult call.

I'll update the scoreboard and remaining questions later this weekend. Have a good one!!

P.S. - the over/under on Coach Umile's round this morning at Pease GC: 92.5

 

[Snively65]

Something must've opened up on the Sacred Heart OOC schedule, and Coach & Marty had to make a difficult call.

I'll update the scoreboard and remaining questions later this weekend. Have a good one!!

P.S. - the over/under on Coach Umile's round this morning at Pease GC: 92.5

Great stuff on Ted Lindsey; after the Bruins, i really liked those two guys on the Wings, and Bobby Hull and Stan Makita on the Black Hawks.

I remember Connie Hawkins, as IIRC he might have been the first pro signed out of high school, which the ABA allowed before the NBA, I think. But, totally forgot about the Pittsburgh Pipers.

But, does DU really score in the 90s on the links? I only played in high school and first year at UNH, mostly at the 9-hole course on Route 108 south of Newmarket, before I discovered rock and ice climbing, but even I usually was in high 70s to low 80s. But, probably Pease is a tougher course than Rockingham?

 

[Snively65]

Something must've opened up on the Sacred Heart OOC schedule, and Coach & Marty had to make a difficult call.

Oh, right, I had forgotten that Bobby Valentine's team announced that they would playing us. Here are the other eight OOC teams that have announced that they are playing us, along with schieg's rumor on the Bentkey thread.

Cornell, in MSG, PWR 16
@ St Lawrence, 18t
Dartmouth, assumed, 22t
@ Clarkson, 24
Bentley, rumor, 47
Sacred Heart, 48
@ Brown, 49t
CC, 52
Maine, OOC, 54
Arizona State, 59

Ten OOC team PWR average = 39.05 (hey, that is above bottom third!).

Need two more OOC teams.

When is our schedule coming out?

 

[HockeyRef]

Oh, right, I had forgotten that Bobby Valentine's team announced that they would playing us. Here are the other eight OOC teams that have announced that they are playing us, along with schieg's rumor on the Bentkey thread.

Cornell, in MSG, PWR 16
@ St Lawrence, 18t
Dartmouth, assumed, 22t
@ Clarkson, 24
Bentley, rumor, 47
Sacred Heart, 48
@ Brown, 49t
CC, 52
Maine, OOC, 54
Arizona State, 59

Ten OOC team PWR average = 39.05 (hey, that is above bottom third!).

Need two more OOC teams.

When is our schedule coming out?

Schedule? Any day now...One other assumed OOC team? RPI ....I mean why not?

 

[boblav1]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Schedule? Any day now...One other assumed OOC team? RPI ....I mean why not?

RPI @ UNH on (Tue) November 22, 2016.
http://www.rpiathletics.com/schedule.aspx?path=hockey

I would imagine the final OOC game would be @ Air Force on October 21.

 

[Snively65]

RPI @ UNH on (Tue) November 22, 2016.
http://www.rpiathletics.com/schedule.aspx?path=hockey

I would imagine the final OOC game would be @ Air Force on October 21.

RPI, with a 25t PWR, and Air Force, with a 28t PWR, certainly would help raise our average OOC PWR. But, IIRC, from earlier discussion here, or in the Scheduling thread, AF was out of town on the weekend that we were supposedly visiting the Springs, so speculation switched to the Cats also visiting Tempe that weekend. But, later it was revealed that both CC and AZ State would be visiting Lake Whitt at some point.

In any case, if possible future HEA member RPI is indeed on the schedule, that leaves only one OOC game to be identified, assuming that the RPI and Bentley rumours are for real. Who will it be, if not AIC?

 

[HockeyRef]

RPI, with a 25t PWR, and Air Force, with a 28t PWR, certainly would help raise our average OOC PWR. But, IIRC, from earlier discussion here, or in the Scheduling thread, AF was out of town on the weekend that we were supposedly visiting the Springs, so speculation switched to the Cats also visiting Tempe that weekend. But, later it was revealed that both CC and AZ State would be visiting Lake Whitt at some point.

In any case, if possible future HEA member RPI is indeed on the schedule, that leaves only one OOC game to be identified, assuming that the RPI and Bentley rumours are for real. Who will it be, if not AIC?

Well one things for certain it ain't NoDak Seriously we will have to pull off some pretty big wins in HE to even think about NCAA's but hey it's early yet ...

 

[wildcatdc]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Say it ain't so, Ray Bourque...

Going all Johnny Manziel on us.

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: Bourque. I was his 1 fan, but his decisions and family since have lowered his standing in my eyes. After seeing the top pick in his 79 draft go to jail for killing Keith Magnuson in a dui, and just having Gord Borek die in a dui (a guy who he had connections with), the decision seems particularly troubling.

Hard not to feel sympathy for the EU, with GB "leaving" but wanting 2 years to actually leave. At least GB hasn't asked to appoint a successor country once it leaves. GB's pound hasn't been this bad since 1985-87, which is also the nadir of the UNH program before DU's "Umiliatexit" vote.

Other random Sunday thoughts. Interesting to see Uconn with a first round pick, a second rounder (letunov) a high goalie ( hruska) and a total of six nhl picks.

Interesting that Wisconsin's new coaching staff was able to make use of its actual scouting connections to secures late commitments from a 3rf and 4th round nhl picks to fill holes.

Interesting to see Denver, BC and Providence pick up late commitments from Finnish draft picks (1st rounder and 3rf rounders). UNH is anti immigrants taking jobs from the gbl players.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Hard not to feel sympathy for the EU, with GB "leaving" but wanting 2 years to actually leave. At least GB hasn't asked to appoint a successor country once it leaves. GB's pound hasn't been this bad since 1985-87, which is also the nadir of the UNH program before DU's "Umiliatexit" vote.

This is "next level content" 'watcher. I'll only modestly suggest we shorten it up a little bit to "Umiliexit".

Other random Sunday thoughts ... Interesting that Wisconsin's new coaching staff was able to make use of its actual scouting connections to secures late commitments from a 3rf and 4th round nhl picks to fill holes.

Interesting to see Denver, BC and Providence pick up late commitments from Finnish draft picks (1st rounder and 3rf rounders). UNH is anti immigrants taking jobs from the gbl players.

As a former GBL player (not in hockey) myself, that quip made me as well.

 

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

So, ex-recruit Masonius goes in the 6th round to Pittsburgh. What's the over/under on him staying more than one more season at UConn?

http://www.uscho.com/2016-nhl-draft-college-rankings-and-selections/

 

[CollegeHockeyRinkReport]

So, ex-recruit Masonius goes in the 6th round to Pittsburgh. What's the over/under on him staying more than one more season at UConn?

http://www.uscho.com/2016-nhl-draft-college-rankings-and-selections/

I bet he stays all four years. He wasn't drafted in a spot that they'll rush him.

 

[joecct]

Great stuff on Ted Lindsey; after the Bruins, i really liked those two guys on the Wings, and Bobby Hull and Stan Makita on the Black Hawks.

I remember Connie Hawkins, as IIRC he might have been the first pro signed out of high school, which the ABA allowed before the NBA, I think. But, totally forgot about the Pittsburgh Pipers.

But, does DU really score in the 90s on the links? I only played in high school and first year at UNH, mostly at the 9-hole course on Route 108 south of Newmarket, before I discovered rock and ice climbing, but even I usually was in high 70s to low 80s. But, probably Pease is a tougher course than Rockingham?

IIRC Connie Hawkins attended Iowa, but ran afoul of the NCAA before he played a varsity game. He could not play in the NBA so was a Globetrotter before ABAing.

 

[Dan]

Re: Bourque. I was his 1 fan, but his decisions and family since have lowered his standing in my eyes. After seeing the top pick in his 79 draft go to jail for killing Keith Magnuson in a dui, and just having Gord Borek die in a dui (a guy who he had connections with), the decision seems particularly troubling.

Hard not to feel sympathy for the EU, with GB "leaving" but wanting 2 years to actually leave. At least GB hasn't asked to appoint a successor country once it leaves. GB's pound hasn't been this bad since 1985-87, which is also the nadir of the UNH program before DU's "Umiliatexit" vote.

Other random Sunday thoughts. Interesting to see Uconn with a first round pick, a second rounder (letunov) a high goalie ( hruska) and a total of six nhl picks.

Interesting that Wisconsin's new coaching staff was able to make use of its actual scouting connections to secures late commitments from a 3rf and 4th round nhl picks to fill holes.

Interesting to see Denver, BC and Providence pick up late commitments from Finnish draft picks (1st rounder and 3rf rounders). UNH is anti immigrants taking jobs from the gbl players.

You can't seriously expect that we can compete with UConn for recruits!? It's not like we're located in a sweet town like Storrs! Also, they're closer to all the junior leagues than us!