Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

[Wisko McBadgerton]

The next thread needs to be: Wisconsin Hockey: No Where To Go But Up!

Ok.

And we're off...

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

Ok.

And we're off...

post script or addendum: "...with a new coach"

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

My last question from the old thread was basically "Having seen UND, BU, Tech, and MI all play at the KC now, how would you guys rank them?" if anyone cares to take a crack at it.

 

[icebadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

My last question from the old thread was basically "Having seen UND, BU, Tech, and MI all play at the KC now, how would you guys rank them?" if anyone cares to take a crack at it.

Hard to say for me. I was underwhelmed by BU, we beat Tech once, and all but quit for most of the Michigan series. So, UND, I guess.

 

[MadCityRich]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

I did something I've never done in my several decades of watching Badger hockey; I left after the first period horn. I used Eaves' words, "Enough is enough". I'm NOT a fair-weather fan. I've been thru' bad stretches of Badger hockey many times knowing they would come back. With this team, I don't see it.

Years ago, I quit analyzing games to enjoy them more. Maybe I'll start analyzing again for some entertainment. Isn't that what sports is all about....entertainment? Yes, it's college athletics and I don't blame the players. If I were offered a scholly I'd be the first one on the bus. We're not getting the right players and we're losing local great talent. I'm not an athletic director, I no longer coach or "scout" talent. I'm a passionate fan, Badger hockey especially, who sees this program quickly going down the toilet. I care; we ALL care. Otherwise we wouldn't post or read here.

I've got 2 more games in me this year, only because I never miss East Dakota and my daughter bought me a white out shirt for this weekend. After that, the shirt will be kindling and she'll have my tickets; that is if she takes them.

Time for a complete sweep of the program.

Thanks for letting me rant. The other "Old School" long time posters know EXACTLY what I mean.

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

I did something I've never done in my several decades of watching Badger hockey; I left after the first period horn. I used Eaves' words, "Enough is enough". I'm NOT a fair-weather fan. I've been thru' bad stretches of Badger hockey many times knowing they would come back. With this team, I don't see it.

Years ago, I quit analyzing games to enjoy them more. Maybe I'll start analyzing again for some entertainment. Isn't that what sports is all about....entertainment? Yes, it's college athletics and I don't blame the players. If I were offered a scholly I'd be the first one on the bus. We're not getting the right players and we're losing local great talent. I'm not an athletic director, I no longer coach or "scout" talent. I'm a passionate fan, Badger hockey especially, who sees this program quickly going down the toilet. I care; we ALL care. Otherwise we wouldn't post or read here.

I've got 2 more games in me this year, only because I never miss East Dakota and my daughter bought me a white out shirt for this weekend. After that, the shirt will be kindling and she'll have my tickets; that is if she takes them.

Time for a complete sweep of the program.

Thanks for letting me rant. The other "Old School" long time posters know EXACTLY what I mean.

I'm with you. I have left games early this year too. We stuck through the second, but that was because my daughter wanted to stay that long.

 

[Almington]

I did something I've never done in my several decades of watching Badger hockey; I left after the first period horn. I used Eaves' words, "Enough is enough". I'm NOT a fair-weather fan. I've been thru' bad stretches of Badger hockey many times knowing they would come back. With this team, I don't see it.

Years ago, I quit analyzing games to enjoy them more. Maybe I'll start analyzing again for some entertainment. Isn't that what sports is all about....entertainment? Yes, it's college athletics and I don't blame the players. If I were offered a scholly I'd be the first one on the bus. We're not getting the right players and we're losing local great talent. I'm not an athletic director, I no longer coach or "scout" talent. I'm a passionate fan, Badger hockey especially, who sees this program quickly going down the toilet. I care; we ALL care. Otherwise we wouldn't post or read here.

I've got 2 more games in me this year, only because I never miss East Dakota and my daughter bought me a white out shirt for this weekend. After that, the shirt will be kindling and she'll have my tickets; that is if she takes them.

Time for a complete sweep of the program.

Thanks for letting me rant. The other "Old School" long time posters know EXACTLY what I mean.

The decision to replace a reasonably successful head coach whose time has past is the hardest one for any Athletic Director to make, that is also why (at least partly) they are paid as much as they are. They are the CEO of a $100+ million dollar organization and they have to make the hard decisions. I hope that those who make the decision on Eaves future realize that the damage to the fan base from keeping Eaves on even one more season will take at LEAST a decade to fix. While casual fan apathy rises and falls with the success predictably as the tides, when faced with growing discontent from long-term invested and rabid fans that is a clear sign that something major beyond simple wins and losses is wrong. Its far easier to retain fans than it is to regain them, emotional bonds that die-hard fans feel are hard to rebuild once destroyed.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

The misery must end at some point, right?

 

[TUSCHWI]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

The misery must end at some point, right?

You're right. It must. Even someone as blind to hockey at BA is has to have lieutenants with balls and bean counters who are saying "we've got a problem here Barry". The season ticket holders are vaporizing, die-hard fans are near giving up, and even the UW_approved radio announcers can't hide their disgust.

 

[KaMiGo]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

OK, i'll chime in with my $0.02 of rambling

I like this team, I like the young group of guys that flash moments of talent. I like that they have shown that they can skate with any team in the country (just maybe not for a full 120 minutes yet).

We played #2 NoDak pretty even on Friday, played pretty well against Denver, put in a solid weekend against Ferris State, put together a good performance against #5 Michigan Tech on Saturday, put in a great performance against #2 Boston University on Friday, and played a great game at #13 Minnesota on Friday.

Yeah, it would be great to have more wins, and it would be great to have more good games result in wins, but I came into this season with low expectations and I'm able to see small victories in most of the games that I have seen. And yes, there are some games that are complete losses, Friday against MTU, Saturday against Boston University, Saturday against Minnesota, Saturday against Michigan...those were all pretty horrible games with not many good things to be seen.

It is frustrating, but I knew that this would be somewhat expected this year. You simply can't lose the amount of scoring that UW did and expect new players to step in and produce at the same level.

I like the coach, I like that he gets so invested in every moment of every game that he looks like he is moments away from giving himself a heart attack on the bench every night. I like that he adds something genuine to his press conferences, and that he doesn't spout out the same "we didn't perform in ABC phase of the game", "we need to work on XZY", and that he offers something different like "we're climbing a mountain", "we're turning the ship in the right direction", and "the puppies got out of the box and crapped on the carpet".

I like the general pattern that this team/coach seems to be in. I'm OK with one down year in every 4, and I'm OK with making the tournament 6 of 12 years (assuming we don't get a miracle at the end of the season and win the B1G tournament for the auto-bid). Yes, this year is an extreme swing of that pattern, but I think that having this core group of players and having them deal with this adversity together will yield big returns in the coming years.

I'm not going to leave games early, you never know when one of these talented young men might do something amazing.

I'm not going to give up my tickets (both nights) for the same reason.

It would sure be great to have a home record like we did last season when we were 17-2-1 at home, but it was never going to happen this year, and I'm OK with that.

To sum it up, I knew that a bad season was coming, and I'm not terribly shocked with where things are.

I don't think that there needs to be a coaching or administration change.

So go ahead, tell me how wrong I am, how naive I am, how this is the worst program in the country right now and nothing short of wiping the coaching staff out and replacing them (and please feel free to tell me what coach we should get and how they would provide different results) and how we should drop the 1/2 of the kids that we have on the roster right now to concentrate on in-state talent...but don't think that you'll change my mind with your arguments.

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

OK, i'll chime in with my $0.02 of rambling

I like this team, I like the young group of guys that flash moments of talent. I like that they have shown that they can skate with any team in the country (just maybe not for a full 120 minutes yet).

We played #2 NoDak pretty even on Friday, played pretty well against Denver, put in a solid weekend against Ferris State, put together a good performance against #5 Michigan Tech on Saturday, put in a great performance against #2 Boston University on Friday, and played a great game at #13 Minnesota on Friday.

Yeah, it would be great to have more wins, and it would be great to have more good games result in wins, but I came into this season with low expectations and I'm able to see small victories in most of the games that I have seen. And yes, there are some games that are complete losses, Friday against MTU, Saturday against Boston University, Saturday against Minnesota, Saturday against Michigan...those were all pretty horrible games with not many good things to be seen.

It is frustrating, but I knew that this would be somewhat expected this year. You simply can't lose the amount of scoring that UW did and expect new players to step in and produce at the same level.

I like the coach, I like that he gets so invested in every moment of every game that he looks like he is moments away from giving himself a heart attack on the bench every night. I like that he adds something genuine to his press conferences, and that he doesn't spout out the same "we didn't perform in ABC phase of the game", "we need to work on XZY", and that he offers something different like "we're climbing a mountain", "we're turning the ship in the right direction", and "the puppies got out of the box and crapped on the carpet".

I like the general pattern that this team/coach seems to be in. I'm OK with one down year in every 4, and I'm OK with making the tournament 6 of 12 years (assuming we don't get a miracle at the end of the season and win the B1G tournament for the auto-bid). Yes, this year is an extreme swing of that pattern, but I think that having this core group of players and having them deal with this adversity together will yield big returns in the coming years.

I'm not going to leave games early, you never know when one of these talented young men might do something amazing.

I'm not going to give up my tickets (both nights) for the same reason.

It would sure be great to have a home record like we did last season when we were 17-2-1 at home, but it was never going to happen this year, and I'm OK with that.

To sum it up, I knew that a bad season was coming, and I'm not terribly shocked with where things are.

I don't think that there needs to be a coaching or administration change.

So go ahead, tell me how wrong I am, how naive I am, how this is the worst program in the country right now and nothing short of wiping the coaching staff out and replacing them (and please feel free to tell me what coach we should get and how they would provide different results) and how we should drop the 1/2 of the kids that we have on the roster right now to concentrate on in-state talent...but don't think that you'll change my mind with your arguments.

oh boy, I am not on the same page is you at all. I am sure this is waste, but here goes.

One down year in every four? try 2 to 3 of every four. I have seen very few moments of hope in this years disaster. I am not seeing the freshman show signs of brilliance. In the 20th game of the year, they came out at home and didn't give an effort, and got annihilated like no Wisconsin team ever should. I don't care how many freshman, blah blah blah.

I have stated, my choice would be a guy like Mike Hastings, someone who has coached this age of kids, been successful in the USHL and turned around Mankato in three years.

I am glad you are enjoying going to the games. I don't, not this year, and the dump and not chase has run its course with me and the time for change is now.

If they keep him around next year, you can enjoy them with an even more empty kohl center each week.

 

[UWisco]

oh boy, I am not on the same page is you at all. I am sure this is waste, but here goes.

One down year in every four? try 2 to 3 of every four. I have seen very few moments of hope in this years disaster. I am not seeing the freshman show signs of brilliance. In the 20th game of the year, they came out at home and didn't give an effort, and got annihilated like no Wisconsin team ever should. I don't care how many freshman, blah blah blah.

I have stated, my choice would be a guy like Mike Hastings, someone who has coached this age of kids, been successful in the USHL and turned around Mankato in three years.

I am glad you are enjoying going to the games. I don't, not this year, and the dump and not chase has run its course with me and the time for change is now.

If they keep him around next year, you can enjoy them with an even more empty kohl center each week.

Wrong.

 

[srkbadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

oh boy, I am not on the same page is you at all. I am sure this is waste, but here goes.

One down year in every four? try 2 to 3 of every four. I have seen very few moments of hope in this years disaster. I am not seeing the freshman show signs of brilliance. In the 20th game of the year, they came out at home and didn't give an effort, and got annihilated like no Wisconsin team ever should. I don't care how many freshman, blah blah blah.

I have stated, my choice would be a guy like Mike Hastings, someone who has coached this age of kids, been successful in the USHL and turned around Mankato in three years.

I am glad you are enjoying going to the games. I don't, not this year, and the dump and not chase has run its course with me and the time for change is now.

If they keep him around next year, you can enjoy them with an even more empty kohl center each week.

Right!

 

[Almington]

Wrong.

Please elaborate because we must be in different realities.

I'm ok with the occasional 0.500 team, but I will never be ok with a team that isnt competitive in half of its games.

I don't doubt the players talent, but in the wrong system that talent is completely wasted

 

[UWisco]

Please elaborate because we must be in different realities.

I'm ok with the occasional 0.500 team, but I will never be ok with a team that isnt competitive in half of its games.

I don't doubt the players talent, but in the wrong system that talent is completely wasted

UWs bad years are at worse, .500 teams. This season is just a bump. Miami had a dismal year like this last year or the year before. 13K at the Kohl Center Saturday is great for college hockey, I don't care what you say. The freshmen this year have underperformed, no doubting that. That's because they lack hockey smarts and size.

Also, I wouldn't have Hastings in my top 3. Granato, Johnson, Osiecki, and Gwoz would be before him.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

Miami had a dismal year like this last year or the year before.

Mystery season

 

[KaMiGo]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

One down year in every four? try 2 to 3 of every four.

To help you understand my views, and to help me understand your views, here is a list of records. I'll mark what i think are "down" and you do the same. Let's see where that gets us

2002-03 / Mike Eaves / 13-23-4 / 7-17-4 / 8th
2003-04 / Mike Eaves / 22-13-8 / 14-7-7 / 3rd / NCAA Quarterfinalist
2004-05 / Mike Eaves / 23-14-4 / 16-9-3 / T-3rd / NCAA First Round
2005-06 / Mike Eaves / 30-10-3 / 17-8-3 / T-2nd / NCAA Champion
2006-07 / Mike Eaves / 19-18-4 / 12-13-3 / T-6th
2007-08 / Mike Eaves / 16-17-7 / 11-12-5 / 6th / NCAA Quarterfinalist
2008-09 / Mike Eaves / 20-16-4 / 14-11-3 / T-3rd
2009-10 / Mike Eaves / 28-11-4 / 17-8-3 / 2nd / NCAA Finalist
2010-11 / Mike Eaves / 21-16-4 / 12-13-3 / 7th
2011-12 / Mike Eaves / 17-18-2 / 11-15-2 / 10th
2012-13 / Mike Eaves / 22-13-7 / 13-8-7 / 4th / NCAA First Round
2013-14 / Mike Eaves / 24-11-2 / 13-6-3 / 2nd / NCAA First Round

02-03 - down year, first year for new coach
03-04 - good year
04-05 - good year
05-06 - GREAT year
06-07 - average/down year
07-08 - average regular season - good end result
08-09 - average year
09-10 - GREAT year
10-11 - average/down year
11-12 - down year
12-13 - good year
13-14 - good year
*14-15 - way down year

Out of 13 years; I see 1 way down year (yeah, this year is really rough and if you want to can a coach based on a single year of performance, then this would be that year), a couple of down years, a couple of average years, a couple of good years, and a couple of great years.

So yeah, I stand by my statement of 1 down every 4 years. Please identify which 2 or 3 of every 4 years you would classify as down years? I guess if you pick specific segments of 4 years (08-12) then yeah, you could justify that 3 of those specific 4 years were down, but you could also look at 03-07 and say that it was a fantastic run with 3 NCAA appearances and finishing above .500 every year.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

Miami had a dismal year like this last year or the year before.

Also, I wouldn't have Hastings in my top 3. Granato, Johnson, Osiecki, and Gwoz would be before him.

BU won 10 games last year and won only 2 in a 20 game stretch...

Hastings would not be on my radar. Good coach, great guy by all accounts, but I think he might end up the Gary Anderson of Hockey at Wisconsin. Besides Eaves terrible down year team crushed Hasting's great team 7-2 in their last meeting in the Old WCHA tournament. And I doubt folks that are unhappy now would be pleased with his defense first attitude. In Gophers v. Purple Cows shots were 22 each. Who wants to win that way, right?

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

BU won 10 games last year and won only 2 in a 20 game stretch...

They brought in one of the best to play college hockey this millennium.

 

[HighToTheGloveSide]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXII: No Where To Go But Up!

I have stated, my choice would be a guy like Mike Hastings, someone who has coached this age of kids, been successful in the USHL and turned around Mankato in three years.

^ This ^

If they do get rid of Eaves, Hasting is one of the first guys that I'd talk to along with Gwoz and maybe Blasi from Miami.

I've considered Badger hockey my favorite team sport for as long as I can remember but the roller coaster that this program is perpetually on has pushed me to the edge. My biggest disappointment is the unbalanced recruiting classes that have plagued the program since Eaves took over. Yes they've had guys leave early but so has Minny, NoDak. I would consider a 'down' season a .500 record and that should be the exception and not the norm. I've gotten to the point where I'm not mad, I just don't care.