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Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

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Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

ExileOnDaytonStreet said:
I'm still trying to process it.

I get that Eaves (eventually) earned his keep this year. He did well enough to turn an absolute disaster into more than enough reason to keep him around for another two or three seasons. Maybe I should put more weight on how remarkable that is, but I would still say he's earned himself a "get out of jail free" card for at least as long as it takes to give him a chance to see how he does after we lose a lot of talent after this season.

But to guarantee five more years (this takes him through '18-'19, right?)... boy that just doesn't seem like a prudent decision to me.
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It's almost a no-win situation they have set up with the contracts. They restated his contract in 2005, and amended it in 2006 after the national championship. Every off-season since, they've just tacked on another year to his deal so that he's five years out. So now if they don't add a year to his deal, recruits look at is as if the school doesn't have faith in the head coach. It's almost as if they have to fire him or keep tacking on a year with the way they have it set up.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

I suppose I hadn't thought about the recruiting angle.

Or the fact that they kept his contract this far out for so long.

But why let little things like facts get involved? [Bows head in shame]
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

ExileOnDaytonStreet said:
I suppose I hadn't thought about the recruiting angle.

Or the fact that they kept his contract this far out for so long.

But why let little things like facts get involved? [Bows head in shame]
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Upon further review in my head, this extra year may be a moot point in terms of cost if/when Eaves is canned. Per Chuck's post earlier in this thread, Eaves' buyout is his 'current yearly salary x4, or whatever is left on his term, whichever is less'. So throwing the extra year on there is good for recruiting while not costing more to show him the door.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Chuck Schwartz said:
So now if they don't add a year to his deal, recruits look at is as if the school doesn't have faith in the head coach. It's almost as if they have to fire him or keep tacking on a year with the way they have it set up.
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I have my doubts the length of a coach's contract is much of a factor in the recruiting wars. If you are a blue chippah, you don't plan on being in school for more than 3 years max (more than likely 2 or less) and it you are a 4 yr guy, you are just as interested in that degree from a quality U as you are in playing in the NHL. (It would be really interesting to see what % of college players currently playing in the nhl stayed in school 4 years.)

The bottom line is there would have to be some pretty rich alums to finance Eaves' firing, otherwise it just isn't happening. Hopefully next season is awesome and he loads up on blue chippahs for depth (like land 3 a year) so they have 6-8 on the roster at all times.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Timothy A said:
I have my doubts the length of a coach's contract is much of a factor in the recruiting wars.
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Agreed. It's probably #13 on the list on why a kid chooses a school. Right behind "number of hot girls on campus" and just above "dorms with private bathrooms."
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Timothy A said:
I have my doubts the length of a coach's contract is much of a factor in the recruiting wars. If you are a blue chippah, you don't plan on being in school for more than 3 years max (more than likely 2 or less) and it you are a 4 yr guy, you are just as interested in that degree from a quality U as you are in playing in the NHL. (It would be really interesting to see what % of college players currently playing in the nhl stayed in school 4 years.)

The bottom line is there would have to be some pretty rich alums to finance Eaves' firing, otherwise it just isn't happening. Hopefully next season is awesome and he loads up on blue chippahs for depth (like land 3 a year) so they have 6-8 on the roster at all times.
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It's not about the length of contract, necessarily. It's about a commitment to a coach. If they've extended him an extra year for seven seasons in a row, and all of a sudden stop, that has a negative effect on recruiting. You don't think other schools use that against their rivals? These "blue chippers" are recruited 2, 3, sometimes 4 years out. If you've extended a guy for a year, every single year he's been at a program, and then you stop, kids look at that as if the school is losing confidence in the coach. And if the school is losing confidence in the coach, why should I go play for him? Is he going to be fired before I even get there? Is he going to be fired while I'm there? It's all about image.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Huge news today as Let's Play Hockey is reporting each Big Ten hockey school is getting an extra $2 million PER SEASON on top of what they already get from the Big Ten Network $.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Chuck Schwartz said:
Huge news today as Let's Play Hockey is reporting each Big Ten hockey school is getting an extra $2 million PER SEASON on top of what they already get from the Big Ten Network $.
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Maybe a ploy to entice other schools to take the leap?
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

TJbadgerfan said:
Maybe a ploy to entice other schools to take the leap?
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I know it's hypothetical and a long way off, but does anyone else get nervous/weird when the topic of Illinois NCAA D-I hockey comes up? It's because of the recruiting of Illinois talent. I just thought I'd throw this up here.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

WiscDC said:
I know it's hypothetical and a long way off, but does anyone else get nervous/weird when the topic of Illinois NCAA D-I hockey comes up? It's because of the recruiting of Illinois talent. I just thought I'd throw this up here.
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No. I think it's just you. There are a few Div. I hockey players coming out of Illinois lately, but It will be many many years before UofI becomes potentially capable of getting all the top graded home state recruits. No team could be consistantly competitive with a team of all Illinois borns.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Updated dates on the schedule, for those who care.

CONFIRMED DATES (Either team or conference released schedule):
Northern Michigan (home) Oct. 11-12
Lake Superior State (home) Nov. 1-2
AT Miami Nov. 15-16
Colorado College (home) Dec. 13-14
Alabama-Huntsville (home) Dec. 27-28

UNCONFIRMED DATES:
AT Minnesota Nov. 29-30
AT Boston University Nov. 10
AT Boston College Nov. 11
Alaska Anchorage (home) Jan. 3-4
Minnesota (home) Feb. 7-8
 
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Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Chuck Schwartz said:
Updated dates on the schedule, for those who care.

CONFIRMED DATES (Either team or conference released schedule):
Northern Michigan (home) Oct. 11-12
Lake Superior State (home) Nov. 1-2
AT Miami Nov. 15-16
Colorado College (home) Dec. 13-14
Alabama-Huntsville (home) Dec. 27-28

UNCONFIRMED DATES:
AT Minnesota Nov. 29-30
AT Boston University Nov. 10
AT Boston College Nov. 11
Alaska Anchorage (home) Jan. 3-4
Minnesota (home) Feb. 7-8
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The non-conference road games are two weekends in a row? bleh. I was considering going to both, but that's a little troubling.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

WiscDC said:
I know it's hypothetical and a long way off, but does anyone else get nervous/weird when the topic of Illinois NCAA D-I hockey comes up? It's because of the recruiting of Illinois talent. I just thought I'd throw this up here.
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no but i get goose bumps and the shivers everytime i think about purdue hockey....now theres a major powerhouse
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

Chuck Schwartz said:
Huge news today as Let's Play Hockey is reporting each Big Ten hockey school is getting an extra $2 million PER SEASON on top of what they already get from the Big Ten Network $.
Click to expand...

that oughta cover the loss of tickets sales.....its a start
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

DoorCtyBadgers said:
that oughta cover the loss of tickets sales.....its a start
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I am sure the atmosphere next year is going to be great! This year's atmosphere was bad enough, and fully I expect it to to get much worse. Maybe I should give up my tickets and just watch the team on TV. The Athletic Dept obviously care more about TV revenue than the fans that spend their hard earned money and attend the games. In my case that was season tickets to both nights.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

WiscTJK said:
The Athletic Dept obviously care more about TV revenue than the fans that spend their hard earned money and attend the games.
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Oh, that's definitely the impression I've gotten the last few seasons.

I still have no earthly idea why the AD has so greatly reduced the role of Leckrone and the pep band in recent years, for instance.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol XXV: There's Hope! Or whatever...

WiscTJK said:
I am sure the atmosphere next year is going to be great! This year's atmosphere was bad enough, and fully I expect it to to get much worse. Maybe I should give up my tickets and just watch the team on TV. The Athletic Dept obviously care more about TV revenue than the fans that spend their hard earned money and attend the games. In my case that was season tickets to both nights.
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This is what I hope the people in charge realize. Part of the reason people go to games (in any sport) is the crowd atmosphere, which is created by people actually going to games. It's a cycle that can be hard to get into (you need to win) once you're out of it. Reduce the prices, and make them scaled on multiple price levels. Two words - Cleveland Indians.
 
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