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Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Congratulations to Leaman. Union has made fantastic strides recently, and, from across the river, it's great to see.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Congratulations indeed to Nate Leaman on this well deserved and prestigious award. Should be a great Garnet Blades banquet on Sunday.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

and congrats to Leaman for being hired at Providence. You heard it here first. been lying to a lot of you peeps
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Again, it's nice to see the program getting the well deserved recognition with post season accolades. Congrats to all the recipients.
Can't say I like hearing all the rumors, articles, etc about coaches and players moving around. Seems you can't really trust anything you hear, so we'll just wait to see where all the cards fall later in the year. I just can't ride the emotional roller coaster this time of year!
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Congrats to Leaman.

It just sounds a little bit dissonant, though, when an ECAC coach wins it after "merely" finishing in first place, flaming out of the conference quarterfinals, and going 0-1 in the NCAA tourney. If Mike Schafer accomplished that, fans would be calling for his head, not congratulating him on picking up a national award. And it's not as if Union's 26-10-4 came out of nowhere, considering their 21-12-6 record last season. This is not in any way, shape, or form a criticism of Leaman - it's a raised eyebrow at the voters in years past.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

LynahFan said:
Congrats to Leaman.

It just sounds a little bit dissonant, though, when an ECAC coach wins it after "merely" finishing in first place, flaming out of the conference quarterfinals, and going 0-1 in the NCAA tourney. If Mike Schafer accomplished that, fans would be calling for his head, not congratulating him on picking up a national award. And it's not as if Union's 26-10-4 came out of nowhere, considering their 21-12-6 record last season. This is not in any way, shape, or form a criticism of Leaman - it's a raised eyebrow at the voters in years past.
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I don't necessarily disagree with your analysis, but I'm wondering when the actual voting takes place, i.e. before during or after the postseason? I also think that part of the rationale for Nate Leaman getting the kudos he has is that he his accomplishments have been achieved by overcoming huge obstacles which his fellow coaches who I think vote on the award, undoubtedly recognize. No scholarships, no Ivy league cache to attract recruits, very, very limited resources and tepid but warming support from the school administration. These are all factors that coaches like Mike Schafer do not have to deal with. I just hope Nate isn't tired of dealing with them too and sticks around for a while longer.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Wholin1 said:
I don't necessarily disagree with your analysis, but I'm wondering when the actual voting takes place, i.e. before during or after the postseason?
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It has to be after at least the regionals considering that the only coaches eligible are the individual conference CotY winners and coaches of the teams in the Frozen Four.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Union93 said:
It is worth repeating, in my opinion the Nate bashing is the most ridiculous pile of CRAP I have ever read on any Union thread. End of story.
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Couldn't agree with you more. If Coach Leaman leaves, I will be devastated. Not only has he made this program respectable, but he has turned us into a National Contender. Go figure. Union fans are calling for Coach Leaman's head an then he wins the National Coach of the Year award a few days later.

Why would he leave Union for Providence? That would be an enormously crushing blow to this program.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

UnionHockeyManiac said:
Couldn't agree with you more. If Coach Leaman leaves, I will be devastated. Not only has he made this program respectable, but he has turned us into a National Contender. Go figure. Union fans are calling for Coach Leaman's head an then he wins the National Coach of the Year award a few days later.

Why would he leave Union for Providence? That would be an enormously crushing blow to this program.
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Just to set the record straight, I don't see where anyone has been calling for NL's head. In any event, I don't think anyone should be surprised that he is a hot commodity. If the Coach of the Year did not receive some serious consideration from other programs, that would be the surprise. I have no idea what is going on behind the scenes, but I am guessing or at least hoping that the College is giving some serious thought to what they can do to keep Coach Leaman at the College. Included in that process needs to be an affirmation of the College's commitment to doing what it takes to compete on a national level including a hard look at compensating Nate Leaman at least on a par with other ECAC coaches and possible upgrades to the facilities. I don't see him finishing out his career at Union without such moves by the Administration. All of this is speculation and maybe he is using the PC job as leverage in his negotiations with Union, who knows? Nate's first obligation is to do what is best for his family and I for one do not begrudge him that. He is in the sweet spot right now and deservedly so. I can't imagine there is any coach who works any harder than he does.

Bottom line, I hope he stays...for a long time...but regardless, if he were to go, he will be leaving this program in a much better place than when he started and I for one will be wishing him well.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Wholin1 said:
Just to set the record straight, I don't see where anyone has been calling for NL's head. In any event, I don't think anyone should be surprised that he is a hot commodity. If the Coach of the Year did not receive some serious consideration from other programs, that would be the surprise. I have no idea what is going on behind the scenes, but I am guessing or at least hoping that the College is giving some serious thought to what they can do to keep Coach Leaman at the College. Included in that process needs to be an affirmation of the College's commitment to doing what it takes to compete on a national level including a hard look at compensating Nate Leaman at least on a par with other ECAC coaches and possible upgrades to the facilities. I don't see him finishing out his career at Union without such moves by the Administration. All of this is speculation and maybe he is using the PC job as leverage in his negotiations with Union, who knows? Nate's first obligation is to do what is best for his family and I for one do not begrudge him that. He is in the sweet spot right now and deservedly so. I can't imagine there is any coach who works any harder than he does.

Bottom line, I hope he stays...for a long time...but regardless, if he were to go, he will be leaving this program in a much better place than when he started and I for one will be wishing him well.
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I really don't think any of us should be surprised at this - the program has been taking steps over the past few years to become a more nationally-recognized program and Nate is the biggest reason for that. We knew other programs would come calling sooner or later...I just prefer it would be later.

Funny - as soon as I heard of the ACHA award, I got two people telling me how bad this was for Union. :confused: I know why they said that, but at least give me some satisfaction in enjoying the recognition. :D
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

What a shame that not a week after being named COY Nate Leaman is off to Providence, where, no doubt, they are about to "fill his bucket." The inference can not be ignored that Union has made an offer he can refuse. The college will pay dearly in support should he leave. Once again the college will be cutting off its nose to spite its face. One might think Union is allergic to bright lights. Nate should be eligible for compensation at least equal to the the best paid in the league. Whatever it takes to keep him translates into goodwill among alums as Union steps out of the shadow of its more storied rivals. If the college wants to play in the big leagues and consistently succeed, it has to pay a big league salary. If the college wants to play on the cheap in DI, the success of this year will be ephemeral. In fact, the college should reconsider DIII. A NESCAC repatriation would not be the worst outcome, but that is not even a given. Should it be eventually revealed that the college was unwilling to to offer an attractive package, player desertions will ensue not to mention leaving a disaffected fan base whose financial contributions are not inconsequential. In any event, the afterglow of a glorious season is being quickly extinguished. Sisyphus should be the Union mascot.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Miami Ice said:
What a shame that not a week after being named COY Nate Leaman is off to Providence, where, no doubt, they are about to "fill his bucket." The inference can not be ignored that Union has made an offer he can refuse. The college will pay dearly in support should he leave. Once again the college will be cutting off its nose to spite its face. One might think Union is allergic to bright lights. Nate should be eligible for compensation at least equal to the the best paid in the league. Whatever it takes to keep him translates into goodwill among alums as Union steps out of the shadow of its more storied rivals. If the college wants to play in the big leagues and consistently succeed, it has to pay a big league salary. If the college wants to play on the cheap in DI, the success of this year will be ephemeral. In fact, the college should reconsider DIII. A NESCAC repatriation would not be the worst outcome, but that is not even a given. Should it be eventually revealed that the college was unwilling to to offer an attractive package, player desertions will ensue not to mention leaving a disaffected fan base whose financial contributions are not inconsequential. In any event, the afterglow of a glorious season is being quickly extinguished. Sisyphus should be the Union mascot.
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The college did extend Leaman's contract to 2016-2017, so at least from that standpoint, they are willing to stand behind Coach Leaman. However I would have to agree with the "allergic to bright lights", and this is something that was indirectly discussed on Slap Schotts after the RPI series when the players were not available for comment. Nate was also REALLY showing how he got that CoY award during the postgame interview, but that's for another day. :D However, you are correct in that this is the true test for support from the administration. From a travel partner standpoint, we want Union to be strong (in 20 of 22 ECAC contests) because it really helps us both.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Heard Kinkaid signed with New Jersey today, should be coming out soon online i would think.
 
Re: Union Hockey 2011 Off Season Thread-"Union, We've Paid Our Dues"

Why would anyone hold it against Leaman if he left? Players leave for bigger and better, coaches leave for bigger and better. Nothing wrong with that.

And it's not Union's fault if it won't pay what Providence can pay. Union is what Union is. And again, there's nothing wrong with that. This ain't exactly the Roger Hull days where he was happy if his team won 40 percent of its games. But fact is, it's a Division III institution - whereas Providence is a Big East school. I mean - c'mon! What do you all expect?

I get it about loyalty and stuff, but it only goes so far. There's nothing wrong with a man trying to move up in the world. Unfortunately, that's a harsh reality to Union and its fans --- I feel bad for them. But no one is doing anything wrong here.
 
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