Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Probably the same people who were predicting this as early as 2009, which at least saves them the effort of asking such senseless questions six years later.

Those people were a little late to the party. In the mid 90's plenty said playing in a bouncy ball facility would be the death of Badger Hockey. In '83 they said without Badger Bob the program was doomed. In the early sixties plenty said reinstating it was a waste of money. And of course let's not forget the OG's that had the good sense to kill the program in 1936. If only we idiots had listened to them, we wouldn't be in this terrible fix now.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

What MSU is doing for Thanksgiving vs. UND https://twitter.com/MSU_Athletics/status/668798741730607104

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

I realize that Baggot is now a paid shill http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2015/11/22/MHOCKEY_1122151400.aspx but one thing that is encouraging is that Bucky has been tied or in the lead in the third in 9 of 12 so far.

They've mostly been competitive and the main issues are things that are correctable, IMO. Primarily, breakdowns in coverage, and getting it out clean to start the break. My impression of Saturday wasn't that effort was lacking but rather that the D were trying to take a step forward in making quicker decisions in moving the puck. Unfortunately it led to making a lot of poor passes and poor decisions. Fine line between playing on the edge of control, which is where you need to be, and going out of control, which is where they were. Frustration sets in, communication breaks down, and the whole thing comes apart pretty quickly.

Badgers can be a factor in the B1G if they can just take that next step forward in those two areas.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

I love the RPI SOS.

Granted in theory it is supposed to eventually straighten out, but I don't believe it ever really is even close to being an accurate Strength of Schedule measure across the board. Should at least call it something else.

For example:

Team A has played 14 games consisting of PWR #'s 2, 2, 22, 22, 35,35, 47, 50, 50, 54, 55, 55, 58, 58. So half (7)of their games against the bottom 10, and 10 of 14 against the bottom 25. 4 against the top 25. Average PWR rank is 37.

Team B has played 12 games consisting of PWR #'s 5,9,9,12,12, 18, 25,25,31,31,45,45. So 5 against the top 12, 2/3 (8) against the top 25, and none against the bottom 15. Average PWR rank of opponents is 21.

So without looking it up, tell me which of these teams has an RPI SOS of #17, and which is at #35?

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

I won't bore you with the details of why this is, and since you are all pretty much untrustworthy, Team A is UND (17th SOS) and Team B is of course, Wisconsin (35th SOS).

 

[Almington]

I won't bore you with the details of why this is, and since you are all pretty much untrustworthy, Team A is UND (17th SOS) and Team B is of course, Wisconsin (35th SOS).

Simple math. Maybe you should investigate how RPI SOS is calculated.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Simple math. Maybe you should investigate how RPI SOS is calculated.

Is it your point that I don't understand math, or that UND has played a tougher aggregate schedule?

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

I won't bore you with the details of why this is, and since you are all pretty much untrustworthy, Team A is UND (17th SOS) and Team B is of course, Wisconsin (35th SOS).

The KRACH strength of schedule ranking is kinda close to the reverse of that. Wisconsin has the 17th-ranked schedule so far, while UND has the 30th.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

The KRACH strength of schedule ranking is kinda close to the reverse of that. Wisconsin has the 17th-ranked schedule so far, while UND has the 30th.

Right, because Krach figures SOS based on opponents Krach rating. Which actually makes sense. RPI SOS uses W/L records of opponents and opponents opponents. In a complete round robin, this works out just dandy, but because it's never complete, RPI uses adjustments. For example right now, UND has never played LSSU or one of their Bemidji games as far as RPI is concerned. Also there's the issue of excluding the team which is being calculated for in the opponents win%. Which in a round robin, again makes sense and has to be, but it has issues when it's not a closed round. I can explain in more detail why that's a problem but it's bit more lengthy to get to the point.
At any rate, what I was pointing out is that perhaps it should be called something other than "Strength of Schedule", because that's not accurate in the terms most people would generally think of it to be. Subjectively, the KRACH SOS rating for UND and UW makes sense. The RPI SOS doesn't.

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Not an issue if you have a top level team. If the team was better year in and year out the "math" takes care of itself. Quit settling for a good team once every four years.... Problem solved.

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Maybe you should be doing the math on Frederic and percentage chance he wears a Wisconsin sweater.

 

[UWisco]

Maybe you should be doing the math on Frederic and percentage chance he wears a Wisconsin sweater.

When is the last time you didn't post a negative response?

To answer your question, there is a 80% chance he is a Badger.

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

When is the last time you didn't post a negative response?

To answer your question, there is a 80% chance he is a Badger.

Yeah I'm negative. Watching the program disintegrate right before my eyes has me pretty bitter I fully admit. Right now there is little to be positive about. Sure they are playing better, but it would have been near impossible to be worse than last year. I have had season tickets of some sort (student or regular) for 20 years, most of those both nights, so it is a sad state of affairs right now from my stand point.

 

[solovsfett]

Not an issue if you have a top level team. If the team was better year in and year out the "math" takes care of itself. Quit settling for a good team once every four years.... Problem solved.

Agreed. Just win and win 20 + games per year, become perennial ncaa qualifiers and win in the tournament at a clip that bring frozen fours AT MINIMUM once every 4 years. All the analytics are is way for average teams and coaches to feel better about themselves and apologist fans to feel better about a flagging program.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Agreed. Just win and win 20 + games per year, become perennial ncaa qualifiers and win in the tournament at a clip that bring frozen fours AT MINIMUM once every 4 years. All the analytics are is way for average teams and coaches to feel better about themselves and apologist fans to feel better about a flagging program.

Well, PWR is the way teams are selected for the tournament, so I'm not sure it's just a way to feel better. Which wasn't the point anyway. I suppose I should have used CC as an illustration to avoid controversy. CC has played 10 of 12 against the top 16 and 2 against #28 UMD and their RPI SOS is #30. (#7 KRACH) I simply brought it up as over the years I've seen several posts referring to RPI SOS as proof that one team had a tougher schedule than another. That's not what it's designed to do, and it doesn't, in many cases, do that. Just providing some courtesy info and discussion to anyone who might find it interesting, but feel free to ignore it or criticize me for doing it.

It's a long way off, but the way things are setting up, it's possible that no B1G team could end up in the top 16 PWR. I haven't checked, but if for example Wisco would beat UMich next, I bet it knocks them out of the top 16 and B1G teams are all playing lower ranked teams all year. Unlikely they will get close but UW (or another B1G team) could win 20 and easily be left out in the cold.

 

[drop_the_puck]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Yeah I'm negative. Watching the program disintegrate right before my eyes has me pretty bitter I fully admit. Right now there is little to be positive about. Sure they are playing better, but it would have been near impossible to be worse than last year. I have had season tickets of some sort (student or regular) for 20 years, most of those both nights, so it is a sad state of affairs right now from my stand point.

Seems like everything I read about this past weekend was all positive rah rah, hard schedule, things are looking up...I know the PR machine is going, but we took ONE point out of the weekend, at HOME, and got pounded Saturday night. I agree its looks better than last year, but lets pump the brakes on letting Eaves anywhere near off the hook.

All the articles about a hard schedule so far? To be the best, you have to beat the best. Top 15 programs don't complain about hard schedules.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Interesting article on The B1G proposing that the NCAA lower the age restriction to 20 for freshman.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/11/24_big_ten_legislation_raises.php

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Interesting article on The B1G proposing that the NCAA lower the age restriction to 20 for freshman.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/11/24_big_ten_legislation_raises.php

Good article and thanks for sharing.

I sure hope Lucia gets pounded for this like King Barry did for starting the Big6 hockey conference. The system seems to be working fine right now, other than the Big6 sucks and they want an advantage. This is PR nightmare for the Big 6 by bypassing the normal way of notification to the other hockey schools. Walt Kyle's comments where right on, I thought.

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Seems like everything I read about this past weekend was all positive rah rah, hard schedule, things are looking up...I know the PR machine is going, but we took ONE point out of the weekend, at HOME, and got pounded Saturday night. I agree its looks better than last year, but lets pump the brakes on letting Eaves anywhere near off the hook.

All the articles about a hard schedule so far? To be the best, you have to beat the best. Top 15 programs don't complain about hard schedules.

I hope you aren't talking about me as I am in your camp.

But honestly, I don't see anything happening to MM and assume he will get an extension in May....

 

[NEWI Badger Fan]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

I hope you aren't talking aboout me as I am in your camp.

But honestly, I don't see anything happening to MM and assume he will get an extension in May....

It is difficult to trust a coach will right a hockey program when he has been unable to make good decisions over the course of his tenure; decisions especially since 2006. I have no trust in Eaves because the damage is done and he has gone past the point of no return overall. To make matters worse, we have an AD who cannot make the right decision in making a surgical incision to improve the overall hockey program. This long time season ticket holder has lost trust in him as well. That being said, I watch games on tv and listen on radio as I now live out of state. There is a difference voicing our negativity versus wanting the UW hockey program to be back where it should be.

You are on the right track.