Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

[Yale84]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

Good game tonight, mostly. We need to play for 3 full periods with the energy we brought to the first period. Some breathtaking offensive plays, and some head-shaking ones as well. I thought Connor Wilson played very well (after his first unexplicably long trip out of the net to head off the attacking Russian, when he left the net wide open for what felt like minutes) - particularly his beautiful and athletic overhand save. Great game for Agostino.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

Final 6-4 Yale, a very chippy game with one Russian ejected for fighting and at least three pretty bad Russian injuries. Yale was lucky to have escaped unscathed physically as far as I can tell. The only player that did not dress was Otto. I was surprised to see Allain keep his top players on the ice all night. Last year the top four scorers did not even dress for this game, maybe he had more to lose then. He did allow the goalies to split the three periods and Wilson made some great saves including one highlight reel glove save. Malcolm was steady. Agostino looked healthy and played well.

 

[Stan The Man]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

I was working at Ingalls last night and I happened to be standing in the hallway between the Schley room and the Russians locker room when the Russian that was kicked out of the game came off the ice. He say's to me "Why no fight? Dis Poosy!"

From where I was I didn't see much of the game or any of the Russian injuries although one of the our guys I talked to afterwards had said he thought one of the Russians had a few teeth knocked out. They weren't playing with a full cage, only a eye visor on most of them. Chippy crew, these Commies. After last nights shenanigans, I'd be surprised if Yale brought them back again next year. Good thing there were no injuries on Yale's side.

Thanks LT for the nice comment (#151). I didn't notice it until this morning.

Bentley comes in Sunday afternoon with a 5-8-3 overall record. Wins over Sacred Heart (7-3), Canisius (2-0), AIC (4-1), Army (4-1) and UConn (4-2). Their leading scorers are # 26 Brett Gensler So. F (14 points in 16 games) and # 25 Brett Switzer Fr. F (12 points in 16 games). Freshman defenseman # 2 Matt Maher (6'2', 190 lbs) hails from Avon, CT. Yale is giving away 2 FREE tickets for evey one unwrapped toy donated on Sunday. The toys will go to the kids at the Yale Children's Hospital.

Happy New Year everybody.

 

[Snively65]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

Making my first trip ever to Ingalls on Sunday. Bentley usually wins at least one OOC game each season and Yale is our last chance this year, as we have losses to Michigan (2), UMass, Quinnipiac, and Clarkson, along with a tie against Clarkson. Our sophomore goalie Brendan Komm has been playing great, so hoping for an upset. We need to stay out of the box, as our PK is dreadful.

 

[cornellgradyalefan]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

I think Union and Cornell will be fighting it out for the league this year. Colgate is looking great too and QU has made a nice rebound as well.

I wanted to wrap this in quotation marks but I couldn't find the button. I think we are all understandably spoiled by the success of the past three years. I don't see any team in the ECAC this year who approaches the Yale team of last year in overall excellence. I was very encouraged by the tempo at which Yale played against the Russian Stars. The passing and movement were far crisper than I have seen at any point this year. Each player looked like they knew where their teammate was going to be so the passes were finding the mark far more often than had been the case at the beginning of the season. Now, is that improvement because they are actually improved, or is it because the competition (at least defensively) was weaker? I guess time will tell, but my overall point is that this Yale team has the talent to win the ECAC. What they need to succeed is improved team work which looks like it may be coming along.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

I think Union and Cornell will be fighting it out for the league this year. Colgate is looking great too and QU has made a nice rebound as well.

I wanted to wrap this in quotation marks but I couldn't find the button. I think we are all understandably spoiled by the success of the past three years. I don't see any team in the ECAC this year who approaches the Yale team of last year in overall excellence. I was very encouraged by the tempo at which Yale played against the Russian Stars. The passing and movement were far crisper than I have seen at any point this year. Each player looked like they knew where their teammate was going to be so the passes were finding the mark far more often than had been the case at the beginning of the season. Now, is that improvement because they are actually improved, or is it because the competition (at least defensively) was weaker? I guess time will tell, but my overall point is that this Yale team has the talent to win the ECAC. What they need to succeed is improved team work which looks like it may be coming along.

Watch out for Brown as well, they have awakened from their early season stumbles

 

[tic_tac_toe]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

The US WJHC team is currently in the middle of a massive meltdown - they're out of medal contention after losses to Finland and the Czech Republic. Maybe they could've used Kenny, lol. This really puts last year's Allain-coached third place finish into perspective (people were too hard on him last year - and in general, IMHO).

 

[goblue78]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

The coach always gets too much credit when you win and too much blame when you lose. So you want to blame Tim Taylor instead?

 

[tic_tac_toe]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

The coach always gets too much credit when you win and too much blame when you lose. So you want to blame Tim Taylor instead?

I'm not blaming anyone - I have the utmost respect for both Tim Taylor and Keith Allain. I'm just sad that the US team is out of the medal rounds. Also sad that Kenny didn't have a chance to be on the roster. My comment was aimed at the college hockey media and the fans who complained about Allain's coaching last year (and continue to complain about his 'surly' demeanor, which I don't understand). Happy New Year, everyone!

 

[Yale84]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

Happy New Year to all!
The Bentley game was a great way to start 2012 - O'Neill scored a hat trick plus an extra, and Ruffalo, Laganiere, Agostino, Peltz and Weberg scored as well. 9-3 final. Bentley deserves credit for fighting the whole way. Chippy game. Our offense seems to be gelling.

 

[Snively65]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

Happy New Year to all!
The Bentley game was a great way to start 2012 - O'Neill scored a hat trick plus an extra, and Ruffalo, Laganiere, Agostino, Peltz and Weberg scored as well. 9-3 final. Bentley deserves credit for fighting the whole way. Chippy game. Our offense seems to be gelling.

Bentley had a 3-3 tie more than half way through the second, but then those two laser PPGs that O'Neill blew by Komm from the top of the circle turned the around the game. So much for Komm's GGA, which was fourth best in Div 1 going into the game. Very impressive offensive performance by Yale, better than Bentley faced against Michigan, Clarkson, Quinnipiac, and UMass-Amherst. Best wishes to the Bull Dogs the rest of the way in ECAC.

 

[klumpmypants]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

LTSatch may have gotten his wish as Steve Conn is refusing to credential me at Ingalls Rink. Read below if you want to see the kind of whiny a$%hole that runs the sports media dept...

After the "whiny" remark about Allain, Steve told me that Coach no longer wanted to speak to me, but he would still credential me to cover games. Not being able to talk to Allain is really no big deal, but I felt bad, so I sent him the following note apologizing, as I did here on the board as well:

Coach-

Steve spoke to me back at UMass and told me that you did not want to talk to me anymore or have the players talk to me. I just wanted to write to you and apologize for calling you "whiny" on the message board. I had hoped for a chance to do so after that game, but never saw you to have the chance.

Not that it matters, but my intention was not to be hurtful. Nor was it to antagonize. It was to be humorous. It has been my distinct impression that your media persona (short answers, relative lack of expression) is something that you embrace and are aware of, rather than something that is unconscious. I say this because those I have spoken to who know you more on a personal level say that you are nothing at all like that in private. And I don't have a problem with that at all. As coach, it is obviously your prerogative to utilize the media in the way you see fit. My point is that is is well known among followers of your team and the league that you are a unique media personality, almost to the point of having become a caricature to some degree after three years in the spotlight.

So, I was trying to be a little bit funny and convey the picture of that caricature. But I went over the line. I don't not like you. I respect you and I think you are a great coach and a obviously a great team-builder who gets the most possible out of the players. Nor do I think you are a whiner. In that particular instance, I just did not understand that you thought your team did everything wrong because I thought that despite losing, you had actually played better than in the win against Brown at home two days earlier. I should have either expressed that with a follow-up question asking why you did not agree or more accurately said you were sending a message to your team. But, I took the easy way out by trying to express my point of view in one word instead, which was not at all accurate and was antogonistic towards you personally at the same time. So, I am very sorry for having done so, particularly in a public forum read by Yale's closest followers.

I hope that we can put this in the past and continue to work together. Even if you really do not want to talk to me at all, I hope you will at least let me to continue to speak with players like Brian O'Neill, with whom I have developed a good relationship. While I am not supposed to take sides, it's no secret I enjoy watching your team more than others. You probably don't know this, but I grew up a Yale hockey fan with season tickets behind the visiting bench for 10 years until I graduated high school. When the team won the ECAC in 1998 is when I truly fell in love with college hockey. That is why when I started writing for USCHO, while a grad student at Quinnipiac, I chose to be your arena reporter rather than QU's. USCHO ultimately let me go because the WCHA/HockeyEast people who run it could not handle me saying you were a better team than North Dakota after you beat them 3-2 in the NCAA tournament or telling them that their coverage of the ECAC was subpar. Instead of accepting my offer of help, they decided to just keep not caring about our league. Then CHN asked me to join them, only to fire me when Adam Wodon couldn't handle me saying something bad about Cornell's diving or ECAC officiating. I never apologized to anyone else for anything I have written, but this is different. Not the first dumb mistake I have made and likely won't be the last.

Beneath it all, I am still just a Yale fan (other than when you play my alma mater Wisconsin, which I drove out to see you do two years ago). I am gradually now becoming a truly league-wide fan, but the idea is the same. I am not trying to use this as a stepping stone to be a professional journalist. I just love ECAC Hockey and want to ask the questions that I, as a fan, want to know the answers to. I live to watch this league. That is the impetus behind the creation of the ECAC Hockey Blog. All the other major leagues have tons of media coverage and we want to fill that void. That's probably why many think I go too far at times or that I editorialize too much. But I also think I'm the only good writer covering the whole league that actually cares. I went to over 75 games last season and will break 80 this year, always at least 2 hours from my home and all on my expense and without pay. I don't want this one incident to keep me from doing the best I can to cover the league, which I can only do if I have access to all 12 teams. And I understand that it's a 2-way street and that I'm not helping your program by openly making bull**** critical comments about your personality.

Best of luck as the season resumes. I will be in the stands this Wednesday, wearing my fan hat and just enjoying some hockey. I will be back in the press box when you host Quinnipiac, hopefully again in good standing with both teams. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Best--
Jason Klump
ECAC Hockey Blog
PO Box 936
Brewster, MA 02631

...........................................................................................................................................
Then, yesterday, I sent a routine email to Steve saying I would be coming to the QU game this Friday. The conversation continued from there as follows:

Hi Steve-

I sent a note to Coach Allain about a week or so ago but he never responded, so I'm not sure how that went over. But regardless of whether he will talk to me or not, I would still like to come cover the Quinnipiac game on Friday. Thanks.

--
Jason Klump
ECAC Hockey Blog
.....................................................................
Cover for who?

Sent from Steve conn
......................................................................
Jason,

I can’t credential you at Ingalls Rink. At this point, you are really below borderline media in our book. It’s not fair to other people who like to blog about hockey but are buying tickets. I’m not opening the door to them for credentials, so I’m setting the wrong precedent if I put you on the media list. When you combine that with the fact that coach (and Yale players) is not talking to you, it makes no sense for you to cover games at Yale. When an individual blogger can “demonstrate” a large (at least 100 at this point) following, that’s when we would consider credentialing them.

Steve
..........................................................................
Below borderline media? That's just insulting. This also contradicts what you told me at UMass when you said you were happy to keep credentialing me.

And what do you mean cover for whom? You know who I write for. I sent out an email explaining how I was leaving Inside Hockey and going to the ECAC Hockey Blog. If you really think that lowered the amount of people following me, you don't know what you are talking about. And to imply that I or the blog has less than 100 followers is crazy. I have well over 200 people (and steadily growing) who follow my Twitter alone and many more read the blog and follow its Twitter account.

Where are you getting your information anyway? Why don't you tell me what people who "blog about hockey" buy tickets to Ingalls? Because I know none of them. If you want to squash our blog just as it's getting started, you are doing a disservice to the fans of this league who yearn for legitimate coverage that frankly, is provided NOWHERE else. You need to talk to the other SIDs in the league before you go spouting off woefully incorrect information.

I don't know why you are trying to play it like this, being the only school in the league in addition to Hockey East schools for that matter that refuse to credential me. I have done more to promote Yale than any other school. So, I don't understand what you have always had against me.

I have been coming to Yale hockey games since the early 1990s. Had season tickets in Aisle 10, row H, seats 15-16. Still friends with the gentlemen I always sat next to. Watched Wayne Dean's kids grow up winter after winter running across the ice in their jerseys changing water bottles. You really think me not wanting to buy tickets is the issue? That's negligible compared to the hundreds of dollars in gas I spend every week covering this league.

And what reason could you possibly have for wanting to deny me access? Because I called Allain "whiny" on the USCHO Forum? I apologized for that, publicly and privately, and not in a passing way either. To continue to hold a grudge at this point is, well, whiny.

Like I said, if he doesn't want to talk that's his prerogative. But if getting quotes from coaches and players is the only reason to cover a hockey game, I'm missing something.

Jason
...............................................................................
Good points. College hockey needs your support, but not your personal vendettas. Yale does not want to be part of that.

Steve

 

[klumpmypants]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

To continue...


.................................................................................
What personal vendettas? Against whom? Because I wrote a story about Paul Stewart last season? Because I've asked some tough questions?

So the truth comes out. Allain is so insecure that he thinks I have a personal vendetta against him after I sent him about a 6 paragraph apology note? As if I'm the first one that has commented on his personality. We've all done it.

If you think I have a personal vendetta against anyone at Yale, you are crazy. Yale does not want to be part of supporting college hockey, or more importantly, the ECAC, is the truth.

And if this is all the case, why couldn't you just tell me at UMass? Why tell me first that he doesn't want to talk but you'll still credential me? Then, after I apologize and request simply that which you stated was still fine, you say it's because I'm borderline media and have under 100 followers. Now that we both know that's a laugh, it's because of personal vendettas?

How do you not become a part of what I do by not letting me get quotes from Allain? I can still talk to players. Their phone numbers are public info. I know where they go after games and where they live, Steve. If I want to talk to them bad enough, I will talk to them. You aren't omnipresent.

Clearly, the only personal vendetta here is you against me. That is what needs some truthful explaining. But you are apparently a coward hiding behind bullsh&* explanations.

Jason
..........................................................................



This morning, I sent the following note to Yale's athletic director Tom Beckett and Assoc. AD Wayne Dean:

Gentlemen:

Yesterday, in response to a routine request made by me to be added to the men's hockey media list, Steve Conn informed me that I would no longer be entitled to press credentials at Ingalls Rink. I would like to get some answers as to why Steve has something against me all of a sudden.

You are a private institution and thus able to decide who you do and do not give press access. However, I was given three separate reasons by Steve as to why he would not credential me, all of which are false. He first stated it was because I was "borderline media" with under 100 followers and that he was setting a bad example by credentialing me when he is not doing so for other "bloggers." In reality, the blog has over three-fold that following. All 11 other schools in the ECAC graciously and happily credential us for their games, as has every school in other conferences where ECAC teams have played on the road.

He then stated it was because Keith Allain and Yale players would not speak to me, so there was no point in covering the team. Steve informed me of this on December 11 at UMass, where I was also credentialed. He also said at the time that he would have no problem continuing to credential me to cover the team whether or not I could get quotes. It was due, he said, to Allain being upset about my having referred to his post-game comments at Brown as "particularly whiny." I'm not the first to comment on Coach's unique persona with the media, but nevertheless decided to send him a lengthy apology. I don't know what more I could do.

Finally, on a third try, Steve said that Yale "wanted no part of my personal vendettas." I really would like to know what this is about. How does it show I have a vendetta against someone when I personally apologize to him for my hurtful comments? I will attach the full note I sent Coach Allain.

I don't think it's fair that I am told one thing and then told another. I have been coming to Yale hockey games for over 15 years and covering you for the last three. I think I deserve a little more than to be arbitrarily and capriciously dismissed by Steve. I'm beginning to believe that this never had anything to do with Allain, who has a thick enough skin that he would brush comments like that aside as he has from countless other journalists. I think Steve is taking it upon himself to set the example that no one shall speak ill of his team and then arrogantly trying to set whatever terms he feels necessary to exclude me from press row.

Believe me when I say I am as big a Yale fan as any, but that does not stop me from objectively doing my job. I explained to Allain in my note that I went too far, but I still have to right to do my job as I and my editor see fit. Steve Conn's behavior in this circumstance is highly insulting and unprofessional.

I forgot to mention that Steve also decided to get Ed Krajewski, the league's media relations director, involved in what I can only assume was an effort to get me banned around the league. This was the absolute height of unprofessionalism. Thankfully, Ed didn't think anything of it.

Jason Klump
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As I said to Krajewski, I am going to be around for awhile covering ECACHockey. I just think it benefits us all to work together. Look around at the media that covers any of the other major college conferences. There is hard reporting, opinions. Just look at the popular Western College Hockey Blog by Chris Dilks if you don't believe me. Yale just doesn't get it.

 

[cornellgradyalefan]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

This is very disturbing. Jason's apology to Coach was real and sincere. If he is credentialed by every other school in the ECAC, why not Yale? If what he is saying is true, andI have no reason to believe it isn't, why create several contradictory reasons for excluding him from press credentials at Yale hockey games?

 

[Runninwiththedogs]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

If you're calling other people out on their professionalism, you probably shouldn't be using "bull****" in your letters.

 

[Dirty]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

I don't think I'd want to give credentials to the guy named klumpmypants either. What if he wants to use the media bathroom? Ewww.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

Jason, There is no "my way" on this one. I have no connection to Yale and all I did was criticize about your editorializing on this forum and that is all. I can see by your letter that you are a sincere fan and hope that this works out for you. I will also say that I do not think publishing e-mails between yourself and the Yale Athletic Department will help your cause. Sometimes, even when reporting, discretion is the better part of valor.

 

[klumpmypants]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

I can see by your letter that you are a sincere fan and hope that this works out for you. I will also say that I do not think publishing e-mails between yourself and the Yale Athletic Department will help your cause. Sometimes, even when reporting, discretion is the better part of valor.

It obviously is not going to work out. I am back to just being a fan at Ingalls. They are Yale and will arrogantly define things (borderline media, personal vendettas, etc) however they want to keep me out. Nothing I can do now but expose them and hope others speak up to them like cornellgrad. My cause is not to get back in press row as that's obviously a lost cause, at least until the current regime is out or something else happens that magically makes them think they can't live without me. Since they clearly don't care about coverage other than their own PR, that won't happen. My cause is simply to show the people out there how ridiculous Steve Conn is. So, I think publishing the emails is the best way to do so. Put the truth out and the people can decide however they want.

 

[bothman]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

It obviously is not going to work out. I am back to just being a fan at Ingalls. They are Yale and will arrogantly define things (borderline media, personal vendettas, etc) however they want to keep me out. Nothing I can do now but expose them and hope others speak up to them like cornellgrad. My cause is not to get back in press row as that's obviously a lost cause, at least until the current regime is out or something else happens that magically makes them think they can't live without me. Since they clearly don't care about coverage other than their own PR, that won't happen. My cause is simply to show the people out there how ridiculous Steve Conn is. So, I think publishing the emails is the best way to do so. Put the truth out and the people can decide however they want.

You should seriously consider writing a letter to the editor in the New Haven Register. I grew up on the Shoreline and I believe it's the most widely read local thread that does provide ample coverage of all things Yale. I don't know if they would publish you, but certainly, you would find support from a media institutiuon whose subscriber count dwarfs what you get on a USCHO thread about Yale.

 

[bulldawg21]

Re: Yale Bulldogs Hockey 2011 -2012

How professional can you actually be if you use the description "whiny a$%hole" to describe Yale's sports information director? You lost my sympathy once I read that.