Last year at around this time, I was an emphatic Wisconsin Badger hockey fan. I watched each game with pride and with a sense of passion. I even paid money to watch the away games on my computer. Devoted, I would say.
On a Thursday night, I watched Wisconsin dance their way through the competition and cheered when they won on Friday. I was so thrilled I booked a plane ticket, hotel and rental car to watch their WCHA championship game. The arena was filled, just like every night before. I saw people with jerseys from Boston to Alaska. This truly was the meccha for College Hockey. Then the leagues fractured.
Today I watch with utter disdain as the once proud venue's of Minnesota cannot fill the glass seats much less sell out. It's horrible. I thought about this for a while and came to a grave conclusion: the state of Minnesota is no longer a landing pad for College Hockey's finest. This is a sickening feeling knowing that the best conference in all of hockey is playing in a small arena on the western side of Michigan, with half of their talent from last season.
One this is for sure, St. Paul should remain the home of the WCHA. But the B1G and NCHC need to take a walk.
The B1G conference is a pretty solid group of teams. With Michigan bowing out in the first round, this league needs a bracket buster to advance 3 teams. That probably won't happen if Wisconsin and Minnesota get their way. Which brings me to a point: If WI and MN play each other, the stands will be packed and the crowd will be large. That's because the Xcel Energy Center is down the road from the University of Minnesota and roughly 4 hours away from Madison. The nearest team after that: Ohio State which is a long 12 hour drive from Minneapolis.
But the NCHC isn't off the hook either. Like the B1G, they are a new conference. Unlike the B1G, they don't have money. Take a look at the center ice for the B1G games at the Xcel center. Yeah, that's the B1G logo. Not even Red Baron's WCHA Final Five paid enough to remove the Minnesota Wild logo. So it's easy to think that this year's Frozen Face off, which features no teams from Minnesota, will be a dud played in an arena not set up for hockey. The closest team is North Dakota, which depending on speed can take roughly 4-5 hours. The Fighting Sioux don't have traveling problems. But Western Michigan, Denver, and Miami do. With the Gophers playing in St. Paul, I doubt many fans will want to boo UND in favor of watching the state team wallop on WI and whoever wins tonights game.
So yes, it's going to be ugly.
The worst part is that the NCHC cannot afford to have a bad showing. They don't have the guaranteed money that the B1G has. So unless SCSU or UMD can pull a big crowd next year, change needs to come. Unfortunately that 10 year contract with Target Center is going to weigh heavily.
Here is my proposal: Dump Minnesota, for both the NCHC and the B1G. MN and WI are both heavy weights in college hockey, but they won't fill an arena when they are not playing. Gopher and Badger fans will come to Detroit. It just happens to be that the Motor City is also very close to MSU, MI and a decent drive from Columbus. Factor in PSU being in the same time zone and I wouldn't bet against Detroit being a better destination.
As for the NCHC, they are new. Like anything new, they don't have much money. With UNO downsizing to a smaller campus arena, one could assume that the fan bases should settle within the next 3 years. So why not scrap Minneapolis in favor of the better seeded teams getting home ice? Make changes so that the home arena is required to allot a certain percent to the away team. Just imagine the championship being won at the Ralph or in the historic Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.
Play the NCHC out for a little. Figure out where fans won't travel, and where they will. I can tell you this from my personal experience: Many of the smaller schools don't travel well.
So let's ditch Minnesota entirely.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
College Hockey Unload
This season has been a terrible one for me. I've been a season ticket holder for the Denver Pioneers hockey team. I've never rooted for another team other than WI or CC and from everything I see going on at Magness, I'm shocked that Gwozdecky was fired. Attendance has been minor, with one sellout.....ONE! I mean this is a 7 time national championship team. They sold out against Brown. Needless to say I won't be attending any more games next season as a Pioneer fan.
I'm not impressed with this edition of the Colorado College Tigers. Unless Scott Owens has been taking a few years off the recruiting pipeline, things don't appear to be getting much better. My hope is that after this year, the remaining athletes can take the summer to re-group and come back firing for next season. I don't know that they won't run the NCHC tourney, but this season has been a debacle.
Miami of Ohio is probably the most disappointing team in the NCHC right now. Some might call me clueless, but for a team picked to win the conference this is a very poor showing. Rico Blasi has some work to do, but I have no idea where he needs to pick up. I think a second season in the NCHC will show the league what type of team we get to see on the weekends.
Duluth has become a stronger team one year after having a sub-par performance. They look stronger and I think they are about 2 years away from a solid national championship team. However this is not a set sport, so let's hope they play hard every game.
This is the first time in about 8 years that the University of North Dakota has not had a premier goalie. They don't look horrid, but I think this is the dip in Dave Hakstol's career that he will look back on. Pretty good teams every year. Never the less, I always have faith in the nickname removed Fighting Sioux. They play good in the second half of the year and are always a potential snake bite in the post season.
I'm truly impressed with SCSU. They have been solid for two straight years now. A great showing last year and this year has been nothing short of greatness.
Prior the start of this year, I have been extremely pessimistic about the B1G conference. I was angry with the formation of this conference as it removed Minnesota and Wisconsin from yearly visits to Colorado. It also took the money out of the WCHA, and forced a great conference in the CCHA to fold. However after some time watching, I can say that I am a fan. I've only really picked up on the B1G network games recently, so I'll have more to say next year than now. However I have noticed the rise of Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State in the collegiate level. Aside from Penn State just starting, the B1G gave these three schools a bigger platform than they had before.
Hockey East always seems foreign to people from the western side of the states. That's because roughly 1/4 of their teams play inside of Boston. The addition of Notre Dame has been a disaster in my mind. They are so distant from any other team in hockey east, but their payroll with NBC will always benefit them.
Atlantic Hockey has always been an also ran conference. While I do love these smaller schools competing night in and night out, they just don't command the recruiting that upper echelon conferences do. Unless they pick up a new team with money, I don't see their status changing anytime soon.
Once upon a time, the ECAC was another also ran conference. Then we got this influx of playoff runs from Yale, Quinnipiac, and Union. This year Clarkson has proved better, combined with the return to Lake Placid makes for a stunning conference.
The WCHA will take time. Ferris State is 2 years removed from a title loss, and Minnesota State is not the team they were last year. I think the next two years will prove to be difficult for a conference stretched from Alaska to Alabama. Let's hope that these teams can retain the glory they once basked in prior to the hockey shakeup.
I'm not impressed with this edition of the Colorado College Tigers. Unless Scott Owens has been taking a few years off the recruiting pipeline, things don't appear to be getting much better. My hope is that after this year, the remaining athletes can take the summer to re-group and come back firing for next season. I don't know that they won't run the NCHC tourney, but this season has been a debacle.
Miami of Ohio is probably the most disappointing team in the NCHC right now. Some might call me clueless, but for a team picked to win the conference this is a very poor showing. Rico Blasi has some work to do, but I have no idea where he needs to pick up. I think a second season in the NCHC will show the league what type of team we get to see on the weekends.
Duluth has become a stronger team one year after having a sub-par performance. They look stronger and I think they are about 2 years away from a solid national championship team. However this is not a set sport, so let's hope they play hard every game.
This is the first time in about 8 years that the University of North Dakota has not had a premier goalie. They don't look horrid, but I think this is the dip in Dave Hakstol's career that he will look back on. Pretty good teams every year. Never the less, I always have faith in the nickname removed Fighting Sioux. They play good in the second half of the year and are always a potential snake bite in the post season.
I'm truly impressed with SCSU. They have been solid for two straight years now. A great showing last year and this year has been nothing short of greatness.
Prior the start of this year, I have been extremely pessimistic about the B1G conference. I was angry with the formation of this conference as it removed Minnesota and Wisconsin from yearly visits to Colorado. It also took the money out of the WCHA, and forced a great conference in the CCHA to fold. However after some time watching, I can say that I am a fan. I've only really picked up on the B1G network games recently, so I'll have more to say next year than now. However I have noticed the rise of Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State in the collegiate level. Aside from Penn State just starting, the B1G gave these three schools a bigger platform than they had before.
Hockey East always seems foreign to people from the western side of the states. That's because roughly 1/4 of their teams play inside of Boston. The addition of Notre Dame has been a disaster in my mind. They are so distant from any other team in hockey east, but their payroll with NBC will always benefit them.
Atlantic Hockey has always been an also ran conference. While I do love these smaller schools competing night in and night out, they just don't command the recruiting that upper echelon conferences do. Unless they pick up a new team with money, I don't see their status changing anytime soon.
Once upon a time, the ECAC was another also ran conference. Then we got this influx of playoff runs from Yale, Quinnipiac, and Union. This year Clarkson has proved better, combined with the return to Lake Placid makes for a stunning conference.
The WCHA will take time. Ferris State is 2 years removed from a title loss, and Minnesota State is not the team they were last year. I think the next two years will prove to be difficult for a conference stretched from Alaska to Alabama. Let's hope that these teams can retain the glory they once basked in prior to the hockey shakeup.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Superbowl 48
The air was slightly damp, with a steady beam of sun making for a hot day. The grass was green, and children played. Families rented pavilions and celebrated with reunions, barbeque's and music. Cars drove by on the busy streets while motorcycle clubs roamed the small suburban area.
No this was not a scene or the opening from a book. This was what I experienced on the first day of the Denver Bronco's training camp last August. I remember all of this going on while radio and television news covered every possible angle of what happened the previous season: a double overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Everybody had something to say about that team, with the good and bad times rolling off of slick tongues.
As the season progressed, story lines came into play. The first was why Joe Flacco had been plastered all over Denver. After all, Joe has never been a Bronco and the last time he played in Denver the result didn't end well. Every player who fell under the flag of Bronco Player had just become destined for the golf course. So naturally this gravitation towards pummeling the Ravens was overpowering.
Soon after, the talk was no longer about Denver making the playoffs. The talk was about how Peyton Manning was set to surpass Tom Brady for touchdowns in a season. As the weeks flew off the calender, the nothing seemed to matter except that record.
When the record was set, the feeling was almost one of "well done, Peyton". Not the typical idea one would want to see from a team desperately needing a super bowl.
Which brings us to the big game. All the hype that surrounded the Bronco's couldn't help them. This was after all, the worst the Bronco's had ever played. As it stands, I cannot seem to find a Bronco fan willing to show some Denver pride after that ass kicking.
So I decided to break this game down a little and possibly piss some people off for what I have to say.
Say is where I will begin. You can say what you want about the pregame, but getting a coin toss one way or another is the beginning of a game. This decides who gets what advantage and when. It's the first chance for a team to manage something. It's also the first chance for the other team to display the offense they prepared. So I am not buying into the idea that the league's best offense was set back because they didn't start the game off on defense.
I want to point out something about Denver's special teams. Early this season when the rave about Peyton was flying, praises were coming for Trindon Holliday. After all, he was cut by the Texans and he seemed to be doing well last season. By the time this game started, the best chance Mr. Holliday could get at a game was to hope John Fox forgot that he had fumbled so many footballs.
When the kickoff came, I didn't think anything of the kick. I was questioning why the football didn't clear the endzone considering the new kickoff rules. I remember thinking that either this kicker sucked, or the wind really got a hold of that ball. My next thought was if the ball is 9 yards deep, why didn't a guy stop Holliday from pursuing a run out?
A: Trindon Holliday was not stopped because the Bronco's had planned to attack Seattle's defense in every way possible. The thought was not how to overcome them, but when they could sneak in passes. This kickoff showed that the Bronco's did not have confidence to run their normal scheme.
On the first snap, the noise in the stadium appeared to be so loud that I thought this might have been Centurylink Field. At this point in the game, everyone in the stands is super happy to be at the superbowl. The biggest game in American sports, and what is usually the most watched event of the year. This proposes another question: Why didn't John Fox script the Bronco's offense for the first couple of plays?
A: Denver is not a team set up to take commands from the tower. Peyton knows all of the play calls and can quick snap (Omaha) when he get's the package he wants. Restricting Peyton is not something the Bronco's have done all year. This makes me believe that the Bronco's were coming into this game thinking they were playing for the same result that week 2 of the regular season would bring: a win. Wrong answer in my opinion for the last game of the year.
As the ball entered the endzone, Peyton didn't seem anywhere close and Moreno didn't even try to throw the ball forward for the chance to be outside of the endzone. Why didn't he try to do something with the ball?
A: Take a look at the Bronco's offensive line. They are built to hold for Peyton. Had RGIII, Cam Newton, or even Russel Wilson been under center this line would not prove of any use. They are built to hold for a guy who does not move well. Once they are beat, they hope that their QB can make a play or just accept the sack. In this case, the entire defense came as a force and Moreno decided to take the safety instead of giving up a touchdown.
On the next possession, Denver held Seattle's offense in very good check. They only allowed a field goal. In fact on the next two possessions, Denver only allowed six points. Considering how depleted they were in depth and old they were in presence, this was pretty good. So why were the Bronco's unable to hold an offense no where near the top in any category?
A: The defense on the field is what it is: a bunch of guys going for the best result possible. With Derrick Wolfe, Von Miller, and Chris Harris out, this team was only built for taking what the other team was giving up.
On Denver's next possession, Peyton threw a ball to Demaryious Thomas who ended up getting decked pretty hard. After watching this play, most radio pundits put that play as the game changer. I didn't think so. Which begs the question: Did the DT hit by Earl Campbell seal Denver?
A: No. However this showed how little Denver had spent working on the basic mechanics of the game. Thomas had a good 3 yard box around him to make a move. Normally this would have been enough to break open for some good yards. However, Campbell is incredibly fast and will nose dive against anyone. With the proper mechanics, Thomas could have had a five to seven yard gain instead of the three he got popped for.
Following this significant play, Manning threw his first interception. With a 8-0 lead, Seattle was getting the ball back in a way that Denver has rarely shown this year. I honestly couldn't believe that Manning didn't sharpen that play up. Which makes me wonder: What really went on during that play?
A: Crowd Noise. Manning is a defensive mind game. He calls fake plays to see which player will address his pass and then calls that player out. This is why you hear " X is mike". He's identifying the mike linebacker, or the guy who's going to come after Manning in the first blitz situation. This screws the defense because everyone on offense knows who is coming. Then the lineback backs off and the safety moves. Before the safety get's to his destination, manning throws in an audible followed by the world "Omaha" and then hut. The safety has momentum, just not in the way that he wanted. The receivers can take advantage of this fade and get a good route. On this particular play, Manning didn't get to move the safety. So he threw to the call of the play.
At the start of the second half, Seattle had a 22-0 lead. The superbowl record is a 10 point come from behind win. So this would mean shattering this record. I still do not believe that a 22 point lead was the end for Denver. Not for this offense anyways. So I wondered, did the kick off return for a touchdown seal the game, and why did Prater not kick into the endzone?
First A: Many people felt that the safety on the opening possession of the first half was the end for the Bronco's. I didn't see this game from that perspective. I saw the ultimate failure of an offense AND defense in the first half, and the kickoff assured me that nothing about this team was running at a pro level. I felt that the kickoff return was the nail in the coffin. I felt this way because up to this point, the only thing not to fail was the special teams. I'm sure people will disagree with me, but the reality is Denver had no chance from this point on. They would have had to pull a top 5 comeback in league history to win at this moment.
Second A: Prater was trying to avoid Percy Harvin. He had two options: kick the ball past the endzone or pooch the kick in front of Harvin which would get the kicking team time to get to the ball. The first option was out at the opening kick off. Harvin has more speed than Holliday and a 10 yard take off would be just what he needed to seal this game off. When Prater pooched the kick, the kicking team failed to get good penetration. The fell into zone blocks and allowed Harvin to pick holes. Ultimately he jettisoned the kicking team for the end zone.
The game was a blur at this point to many people not rooting for Seattle. In fact, most people were shocked that this game was so lopsided. Many people felt a good game was in order, but not a blowout. When Manning threw the touchdown pass in the third quarter, he proved he was able to bring this team back. Or did he?
A: No, Hell no. Manning proved that he possessed the ability to score a touchdown. What he didn't prove was that he could get his offense on the same page.
In retrospect, this was the worst superbowl that I have ever watched. I have heard some good predictions and some down right horrible ones about Mannings future. Here is what I believe: Manning has a legacy that won't be remembered until he put's on his HOF jacket. His superbowl win against Chicago is such a distant memory. Right now the only thing that seems to be going through people's mind are his inability to play in this superbowl, and his throw for a pick six in the previous superbowl against the Saints. I like and subscribe to the notion that Manning's arm is going downhill. I think we are about two years away from seeing an offense custom to Peyton's soon to be unpowered and short throws. Denver will be surging on Defense. Unfortunately, before they hit their new prime the guy under center for the offense will be talking about the time he was in superbowl 48.
No this was not a scene or the opening from a book. This was what I experienced on the first day of the Denver Bronco's training camp last August. I remember all of this going on while radio and television news covered every possible angle of what happened the previous season: a double overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Everybody had something to say about that team, with the good and bad times rolling off of slick tongues.
As the season progressed, story lines came into play. The first was why Joe Flacco had been plastered all over Denver. After all, Joe has never been a Bronco and the last time he played in Denver the result didn't end well. Every player who fell under the flag of Bronco Player had just become destined for the golf course. So naturally this gravitation towards pummeling the Ravens was overpowering.
Soon after, the talk was no longer about Denver making the playoffs. The talk was about how Peyton Manning was set to surpass Tom Brady for touchdowns in a season. As the weeks flew off the calender, the nothing seemed to matter except that record.
When the record was set, the feeling was almost one of "well done, Peyton". Not the typical idea one would want to see from a team desperately needing a super bowl.
Which brings us to the big game. All the hype that surrounded the Bronco's couldn't help them. This was after all, the worst the Bronco's had ever played. As it stands, I cannot seem to find a Bronco fan willing to show some Denver pride after that ass kicking.
So I decided to break this game down a little and possibly piss some people off for what I have to say.
Say is where I will begin. You can say what you want about the pregame, but getting a coin toss one way or another is the beginning of a game. This decides who gets what advantage and when. It's the first chance for a team to manage something. It's also the first chance for the other team to display the offense they prepared. So I am not buying into the idea that the league's best offense was set back because they didn't start the game off on defense.
I want to point out something about Denver's special teams. Early this season when the rave about Peyton was flying, praises were coming for Trindon Holliday. After all, he was cut by the Texans and he seemed to be doing well last season. By the time this game started, the best chance Mr. Holliday could get at a game was to hope John Fox forgot that he had fumbled so many footballs.
When the kickoff came, I didn't think anything of the kick. I was questioning why the football didn't clear the endzone considering the new kickoff rules. I remember thinking that either this kicker sucked, or the wind really got a hold of that ball. My next thought was if the ball is 9 yards deep, why didn't a guy stop Holliday from pursuing a run out?
A: Trindon Holliday was not stopped because the Bronco's had planned to attack Seattle's defense in every way possible. The thought was not how to overcome them, but when they could sneak in passes. This kickoff showed that the Bronco's did not have confidence to run their normal scheme.
On the first snap, the noise in the stadium appeared to be so loud that I thought this might have been Centurylink Field. At this point in the game, everyone in the stands is super happy to be at the superbowl. The biggest game in American sports, and what is usually the most watched event of the year. This proposes another question: Why didn't John Fox script the Bronco's offense for the first couple of plays?
A: Denver is not a team set up to take commands from the tower. Peyton knows all of the play calls and can quick snap (Omaha) when he get's the package he wants. Restricting Peyton is not something the Bronco's have done all year. This makes me believe that the Bronco's were coming into this game thinking they were playing for the same result that week 2 of the regular season would bring: a win. Wrong answer in my opinion for the last game of the year.
As the ball entered the endzone, Peyton didn't seem anywhere close and Moreno didn't even try to throw the ball forward for the chance to be outside of the endzone. Why didn't he try to do something with the ball?
A: Take a look at the Bronco's offensive line. They are built to hold for Peyton. Had RGIII, Cam Newton, or even Russel Wilson been under center this line would not prove of any use. They are built to hold for a guy who does not move well. Once they are beat, they hope that their QB can make a play or just accept the sack. In this case, the entire defense came as a force and Moreno decided to take the safety instead of giving up a touchdown.
On the next possession, Denver held Seattle's offense in very good check. They only allowed a field goal. In fact on the next two possessions, Denver only allowed six points. Considering how depleted they were in depth and old they were in presence, this was pretty good. So why were the Bronco's unable to hold an offense no where near the top in any category?
A: The defense on the field is what it is: a bunch of guys going for the best result possible. With Derrick Wolfe, Von Miller, and Chris Harris out, this team was only built for taking what the other team was giving up.
On Denver's next possession, Peyton threw a ball to Demaryious Thomas who ended up getting decked pretty hard. After watching this play, most radio pundits put that play as the game changer. I didn't think so. Which begs the question: Did the DT hit by Earl Campbell seal Denver?
A: No. However this showed how little Denver had spent working on the basic mechanics of the game. Thomas had a good 3 yard box around him to make a move. Normally this would have been enough to break open for some good yards. However, Campbell is incredibly fast and will nose dive against anyone. With the proper mechanics, Thomas could have had a five to seven yard gain instead of the three he got popped for.
Following this significant play, Manning threw his first interception. With a 8-0 lead, Seattle was getting the ball back in a way that Denver has rarely shown this year. I honestly couldn't believe that Manning didn't sharpen that play up. Which makes me wonder: What really went on during that play?
A: Crowd Noise. Manning is a defensive mind game. He calls fake plays to see which player will address his pass and then calls that player out. This is why you hear " X is mike". He's identifying the mike linebacker, or the guy who's going to come after Manning in the first blitz situation. This screws the defense because everyone on offense knows who is coming. Then the lineback backs off and the safety moves. Before the safety get's to his destination, manning throws in an audible followed by the world "Omaha" and then hut. The safety has momentum, just not in the way that he wanted. The receivers can take advantage of this fade and get a good route. On this particular play, Manning didn't get to move the safety. So he threw to the call of the play.
At the start of the second half, Seattle had a 22-0 lead. The superbowl record is a 10 point come from behind win. So this would mean shattering this record. I still do not believe that a 22 point lead was the end for Denver. Not for this offense anyways. So I wondered, did the kick off return for a touchdown seal the game, and why did Prater not kick into the endzone?
First A: Many people felt that the safety on the opening possession of the first half was the end for the Bronco's. I didn't see this game from that perspective. I saw the ultimate failure of an offense AND defense in the first half, and the kickoff assured me that nothing about this team was running at a pro level. I felt that the kickoff return was the nail in the coffin. I felt this way because up to this point, the only thing not to fail was the special teams. I'm sure people will disagree with me, but the reality is Denver had no chance from this point on. They would have had to pull a top 5 comeback in league history to win at this moment.
Second A: Prater was trying to avoid Percy Harvin. He had two options: kick the ball past the endzone or pooch the kick in front of Harvin which would get the kicking team time to get to the ball. The first option was out at the opening kick off. Harvin has more speed than Holliday and a 10 yard take off would be just what he needed to seal this game off. When Prater pooched the kick, the kicking team failed to get good penetration. The fell into zone blocks and allowed Harvin to pick holes. Ultimately he jettisoned the kicking team for the end zone.
The game was a blur at this point to many people not rooting for Seattle. In fact, most people were shocked that this game was so lopsided. Many people felt a good game was in order, but not a blowout. When Manning threw the touchdown pass in the third quarter, he proved he was able to bring this team back. Or did he?
A: No, Hell no. Manning proved that he possessed the ability to score a touchdown. What he didn't prove was that he could get his offense on the same page.
In retrospect, this was the worst superbowl that I have ever watched. I have heard some good predictions and some down right horrible ones about Mannings future. Here is what I believe: Manning has a legacy that won't be remembered until he put's on his HOF jacket. His superbowl win against Chicago is such a distant memory. Right now the only thing that seems to be going through people's mind are his inability to play in this superbowl, and his throw for a pick six in the previous superbowl against the Saints. I like and subscribe to the notion that Manning's arm is going downhill. I think we are about two years away from seeing an offense custom to Peyton's soon to be unpowered and short throws. Denver will be surging on Defense. Unfortunately, before they hit their new prime the guy under center for the offense will be talking about the time he was in superbowl 48.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Pioneers hurting for fans
Few teams can point to their rafters and call themselves great. Only one teach, Michigan, has more banners with North Dakota tied at 7. This goes without saying that DU is a power in college hockey. For the past decade, Denver University has prided itself on national tournament appearances all under the leadership of former head coach George Gwozdecky.
Coach Gwoz built a cult following in Denver with the donors and the fans. He brought special meaning to fan interaction, while having separate meetings with donors to talk about the Pioneers. Every year he garnered huge donations from alumni groups and organizations. The list put DU high in the amount of donations, which helped guide the Pioneers to better days.
With all of this history and team talk, I was surprised to find such good seats at Magness Arena when I got my DU season tickets this year. I was further surprised to find so many open seats. After each game I blew off the open seats as the result of poor competition. So when NCHC play opened up tonight, I was expecting a full crowd. I left disappointed but learned quite a bit.
Magness holds roughly 6,100 spectators for hockey. I've seen the arena hit a max of 3,000 in it's first five games although the attendance was probably higher tonight. Seated all around me was a plethora of alumni who have donated quite a bit. I told them that this was my first year as a season ticket holder, having spent three years holding CC seats. During the intermission they brought me with them to their upstairs meeting area where I met about 20 other donors. At this meeting, I was told the gravity of the seating situation and it doesn't sound good.
Athletic director Peg Bradley-Doppes has been pushing for better post season success. When she didn't get it, her decision was to let the Gwoz leave after 20 years behind the bench. This was a shock to the donors and alumni. This particular group had donated over $3,000,000 in the past 2 years. They were promised a public meeting by Peg regarding the seating, but they didn't get one. Instead, a university official met with them to tell them some horrible news: in the past 3 years, DU has lost or replaced 2,500 season ticket holders. 250 left without being filled in the weeks following Coach Gwozdecky's firing. The all important Crimson club, has hit an all time low for seating with only 65% of the tickets bought by DU fans. This leaves the coveted seats open for CC and UND fans.
Now the donors have a decision to make: less donations or to accept a team which cannot fill it's own arena. Some have said this is the last year they will make significant donations to DU. A significant donation is defined as over $100,000 a season.
The problem here is not that DU has an overly large arena which cannot house it's fan base (Ohio State, UNO). Or a small student section which cannot fill up the entire student area (Colorado College, Minnesota State). Some blame the problem on DU being in Denver with the Avalanche, and Nuggets on competing nights. However, the City of Boston currently holds four division 1 teams and they fill just fine.
The problem is that fans have grown accustomed to not playing well in March, and watching great prospects leave for higher dreams. With a new and unproven coach in town, the fears have grown worse. Jim Montgomery cannot replace 20 years of greatness. He's likely not going to advance the Pioneers to Philadelphia this year. If he get's the Maroon warriors into post season play this year, it will be considered a successful season. With that in mind, the expectations in Denver are the same as last year: lose early on with a talented team. Donors cannot face this, fans have better things to do and as a result one of the top 3 teams in tradition and national championships plays to an empty house.
I was asked by the donors to ask anyone who reads this to share, as they have become unhappy with the problems with the DU administration. So please share wherever you can.
Coach Gwoz built a cult following in Denver with the donors and the fans. He brought special meaning to fan interaction, while having separate meetings with donors to talk about the Pioneers. Every year he garnered huge donations from alumni groups and organizations. The list put DU high in the amount of donations, which helped guide the Pioneers to better days.
With all of this history and team talk, I was surprised to find such good seats at Magness Arena when I got my DU season tickets this year. I was further surprised to find so many open seats. After each game I blew off the open seats as the result of poor competition. So when NCHC play opened up tonight, I was expecting a full crowd. I left disappointed but learned quite a bit.
Magness holds roughly 6,100 spectators for hockey. I've seen the arena hit a max of 3,000 in it's first five games although the attendance was probably higher tonight. Seated all around me was a plethora of alumni who have donated quite a bit. I told them that this was my first year as a season ticket holder, having spent three years holding CC seats. During the intermission they brought me with them to their upstairs meeting area where I met about 20 other donors. At this meeting, I was told the gravity of the seating situation and it doesn't sound good.
Athletic director Peg Bradley-Doppes has been pushing for better post season success. When she didn't get it, her decision was to let the Gwoz leave after 20 years behind the bench. This was a shock to the donors and alumni. This particular group had donated over $3,000,000 in the past 2 years. They were promised a public meeting by Peg regarding the seating, but they didn't get one. Instead, a university official met with them to tell them some horrible news: in the past 3 years, DU has lost or replaced 2,500 season ticket holders. 250 left without being filled in the weeks following Coach Gwozdecky's firing. The all important Crimson club, has hit an all time low for seating with only 65% of the tickets bought by DU fans. This leaves the coveted seats open for CC and UND fans.
Now the donors have a decision to make: less donations or to accept a team which cannot fill it's own arena. Some have said this is the last year they will make significant donations to DU. A significant donation is defined as over $100,000 a season.
The problem here is not that DU has an overly large arena which cannot house it's fan base (Ohio State, UNO). Or a small student section which cannot fill up the entire student area (Colorado College, Minnesota State). Some blame the problem on DU being in Denver with the Avalanche, and Nuggets on competing nights. However, the City of Boston currently holds four division 1 teams and they fill just fine.
The problem is that fans have grown accustomed to not playing well in March, and watching great prospects leave for higher dreams. With a new and unproven coach in town, the fears have grown worse. Jim Montgomery cannot replace 20 years of greatness. He's likely not going to advance the Pioneers to Philadelphia this year. If he get's the Maroon warriors into post season play this year, it will be considered a successful season. With that in mind, the expectations in Denver are the same as last year: lose early on with a talented team. Donors cannot face this, fans have better things to do and as a result one of the top 3 teams in tradition and national championships plays to an empty house.
I was asked by the donors to ask anyone who reads this to share, as they have become unhappy with the problems with the DU administration. So please share wherever you can.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
College Hockey week 3
The wrap ups are here, the games are done and we are a week closer to the end of the season. I guess that's a morbid way to look at this, but so far I'm not impressed with college hockey.
Hockey East - For years it's been BC, BU and everyone else. That's just Hockey East. Now with Lowell coming into the picture, Notre Dame being a possible contender it's just something that most people west of Pennsylvania do not understand. The real problem is that through this entire chaos the B1G caused, the only power conference that remains is Hockey East.
Atlantic Hockey - They didn't see the rip tide effects of the shifting college hockey landscape. They lived through it earlier when major programs dumped their hockey teams to save money. Although they have enough teams to keep the stands full, at some point someone has to say something is not right in AH country.
ECAC - Putting past last year's improbable Frozen Four run, the ECAC has had some good entries over the years. This is not a conference that I would expect to compete at all past the first round. Yet every year that they put a team in the frozen dance, they go pretty far. I don't expect this season to yield anything less than what we've already seen in the past.
WCHA - Rebuilding a team is difficult enough. Rebuilding a conference is even tougher. Most of the teams in this conference lack name recognition which is why I expect to see the Xcel Energy Center lacking in attendance when this league returns the Red Barron Final Five back to the Twin Cities.
B1G - of all the conferences, this one is a joke. To put this into football perspectives, I enjoy watching every team play except Notre Dame. For some reason they get special treatment every year at the BCS table because of their self proclaimed independence from conference play. This is the exact type of mentality that the B1G has taken. They can now pick and choose programs to play, or not to play. I would just like to ask the question, when will Alaska be a destination for ANY B1G team in the next 5 years? Also, contrary to popular belief, I believe that after this season the B1G will have a pretty tough time scheduling non-conference opponents which have any self respect. This league is a joke, and I hope it goes down in flames. Unfortunately money dictates more than anything, so that's not likely to happen.
NCHC - I left this one for last. I am a current DU season ticket holder and I have been pretty upset over the lack of conference play in October. I can remember my days rooting for CC. Always a Canadian team the first week to open up, then a decent team the next week. This was followed by two straight weeks of conference play. This year, I had the benefit of watching three weeks of junk hockey teams coming into Magness. I could care less about the score in these, it wasn't just Denver. Only CC, Duluth, UND and Miami scored conference games in October. This is ridiculous and below the product that I was expecting from the NCHC. This definitely needs to be fixed.
Other news:
DU shows another week of frustration. After a 5-1 win over Niagra, the pioneers fell 4-1 against canisious. Pretty bad considering Niagra beat Canisious 6-4 the previous weekend.
CC splits a series in NY to a team not likely to make the season ending tournament.
Miami nearly get's swept by Providence.
B1G:
The B1G-Hockey East challenge went pretty well. Except for Wisconsin. They allowed 16 goals while scoring 3 in a single weekend. The preseason B1G pick has some work to do.
Minnesota looks good, but their lack of inter squad competition will hurt them come late season. Any team coming from this conference deserves the "over-rated" chant.
Hockey East:
I really like what BC has done over the past 3 years. Win, Win, and Win some more. Time to beef up and win next weekend in the big time.
That's all for now.
Hockey East - For years it's been BC, BU and everyone else. That's just Hockey East. Now with Lowell coming into the picture, Notre Dame being a possible contender it's just something that most people west of Pennsylvania do not understand. The real problem is that through this entire chaos the B1G caused, the only power conference that remains is Hockey East.
Atlantic Hockey - They didn't see the rip tide effects of the shifting college hockey landscape. They lived through it earlier when major programs dumped their hockey teams to save money. Although they have enough teams to keep the stands full, at some point someone has to say something is not right in AH country.
ECAC - Putting past last year's improbable Frozen Four run, the ECAC has had some good entries over the years. This is not a conference that I would expect to compete at all past the first round. Yet every year that they put a team in the frozen dance, they go pretty far. I don't expect this season to yield anything less than what we've already seen in the past.
WCHA - Rebuilding a team is difficult enough. Rebuilding a conference is even tougher. Most of the teams in this conference lack name recognition which is why I expect to see the Xcel Energy Center lacking in attendance when this league returns the Red Barron Final Five back to the Twin Cities.
B1G - of all the conferences, this one is a joke. To put this into football perspectives, I enjoy watching every team play except Notre Dame. For some reason they get special treatment every year at the BCS table because of their self proclaimed independence from conference play. This is the exact type of mentality that the B1G has taken. They can now pick and choose programs to play, or not to play. I would just like to ask the question, when will Alaska be a destination for ANY B1G team in the next 5 years? Also, contrary to popular belief, I believe that after this season the B1G will have a pretty tough time scheduling non-conference opponents which have any self respect. This league is a joke, and I hope it goes down in flames. Unfortunately money dictates more than anything, so that's not likely to happen.
NCHC - I left this one for last. I am a current DU season ticket holder and I have been pretty upset over the lack of conference play in October. I can remember my days rooting for CC. Always a Canadian team the first week to open up, then a decent team the next week. This was followed by two straight weeks of conference play. This year, I had the benefit of watching three weeks of junk hockey teams coming into Magness. I could care less about the score in these, it wasn't just Denver. Only CC, Duluth, UND and Miami scored conference games in October. This is ridiculous and below the product that I was expecting from the NCHC. This definitely needs to be fixed.
Other news:
DU shows another week of frustration. After a 5-1 win over Niagra, the pioneers fell 4-1 against canisious. Pretty bad considering Niagra beat Canisious 6-4 the previous weekend.
CC splits a series in NY to a team not likely to make the season ending tournament.
Miami nearly get's swept by Providence.
B1G:
The B1G-Hockey East challenge went pretty well. Except for Wisconsin. They allowed 16 goals while scoring 3 in a single weekend. The preseason B1G pick has some work to do.
Minnesota looks good, but their lack of inter squad competition will hurt them come late season. Any team coming from this conference deserves the "over-rated" chant.
Hockey East:
I really like what BC has done over the past 3 years. Win, Win, and Win some more. Time to beef up and win next weekend in the big time.
That's all for now.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
New year. New look.
It's that time of year again. New hockey blood, and for me a new team. I guess some explanations along the way too.
Last year I attended the final WCHA final five in it's current format. I watched the Badgers beat the Tigers. I saw fans who hated the idea of the B1G, and I watched an old man cry over the loss of the current WCHA.
I am a life long Badger fan, but I just couldn't bring myself to be a fan of the B1G. I think the league is an atrocity, and will only showcase big money hockey. So I moved back to Denver for other reasons and swept up on an offer for Denver University tickets. This does officially make me switch sides away from CC, but I have always been of the impression to make friends at hockey games.
With that being said, here's my yearly take on the goalie situation for DU and CC.
DU: I read everything about this coming year and found that almost every college hockey writer was against DU. I read a blog which said DU would split the series against Merrimack 1-1 with DU allowing a total of 5 goals. DU actually shut out the series and scored 5 goals.
DU has always had good goalies. It's like a natural pedigree to be a decent goalie and play for DU. Sam Brittain has always been a favorite goalie of mine. He had an awesome freshman year, then snapped his ACL and had two off years. He get's his final chance at redemption this year before graduating and ceding the spot to Evan Cowley. I think Brittain has the chance to be great this year and he could backstop a superb DU team.
CC: I have had a love/hate relationship with CC goalies since Bachman left. Howe did good his first two years coming within one win of a frozen four berth. He lost his touch to Thorimbert his Junior year and competed with him during his senior season. Thorimbert is a very good goalie when he's on target. His somewhat tandem last year landed CC their first losing season in 14 years. However, I think he is a good leader in net. He talks quite a bit, and freshman Tyler Marble can learn something from that. Thorny might not be the best in net, but if he's on target like he was in his sophomore year CC could be a force in net.
Next week I'll target the forwards for both DU and CC. Should be a decent season for both.
Last year I attended the final WCHA final five in it's current format. I watched the Badgers beat the Tigers. I saw fans who hated the idea of the B1G, and I watched an old man cry over the loss of the current WCHA.
I am a life long Badger fan, but I just couldn't bring myself to be a fan of the B1G. I think the league is an atrocity, and will only showcase big money hockey. So I moved back to Denver for other reasons and swept up on an offer for Denver University tickets. This does officially make me switch sides away from CC, but I have always been of the impression to make friends at hockey games.
With that being said, here's my yearly take on the goalie situation for DU and CC.
DU: I read everything about this coming year and found that almost every college hockey writer was against DU. I read a blog which said DU would split the series against Merrimack 1-1 with DU allowing a total of 5 goals. DU actually shut out the series and scored 5 goals.
DU has always had good goalies. It's like a natural pedigree to be a decent goalie and play for DU. Sam Brittain has always been a favorite goalie of mine. He had an awesome freshman year, then snapped his ACL and had two off years. He get's his final chance at redemption this year before graduating and ceding the spot to Evan Cowley. I think Brittain has the chance to be great this year and he could backstop a superb DU team.
CC: I have had a love/hate relationship with CC goalies since Bachman left. Howe did good his first two years coming within one win of a frozen four berth. He lost his touch to Thorimbert his Junior year and competed with him during his senior season. Thorimbert is a very good goalie when he's on target. His somewhat tandem last year landed CC their first losing season in 14 years. However, I think he is a good leader in net. He talks quite a bit, and freshman Tyler Marble can learn something from that. Thorny might not be the best in net, but if he's on target like he was in his sophomore year CC could be a force in net.
Next week I'll target the forwards for both DU and CC. Should be a decent season for both.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Why the NFL is NOT the next step for NCAA coaches
Here's a little food for thought: When was the last time an NCAA football coach won a super bowl? Don't think too hard, the answers are not going to be good. But the thought you have is the same one I am having.
Why is it that NCAA coaches with successful teams leave for the NFL ranks only to be horrible at the next level? Well, not everyone has a concrete answer but I seem to have my own. NCAA coaches are not just coaches, they are also general managers. They give offers to players, manage discipline issues on and off the field all while running a team. This is a hard task, right? Well as it turns out, the job prospects don't transition well in the next level.
To punish this point, I will point to one of the more recent NCAA coaches to find disaster in the NFL: Nick Saban. Mr. Saban did great things in the NCAA leading up to his national championship with LSU. He had a great post there and probably could have been revered as a legend. He parlayed his lucky streak into a job with the Miami Dolphins. One year there and he realized that not being able to control everything, while not doing much at the next level, was not his thing. His luck going back has been epic. He had a great job at LSU, he fell into Alabama and did what he knows best by blowing everything away.
So let's go a little further.
Steve Spurrier. Another coach who led his team to a national championship. His luck in the NFL also ran dry. His return to the NCAA has been off beat to say the least. When he left Florida, no one thought he would do poorly at the next level. When he did, the return party wasn't waiting for him. Instead he found South Carolina for which he has not won anything major.
And another.....
Butch Davis. This selection might be a little controversial given that he never actually won a national championship at the college level. However he did finish with the #3 ranking in his final year, not to mention his recruited players made almost all of the contributions to Miami's 2001 national championship. Somehow, he managed to stay in Cleveland for 3 years. That proved to be a bust, as he only had a winning record the first year. Winning being 9-7. His return was even worse. He now coaches the University of North Carolina, where the only thing anyone can ask is "has basketball started yet?". Not a good slide for his career.
Which brings me to the whole point of this blog.....
Chip Kelly. He ran Oregon like there was nothing to lose. Every game, every play, he made Oregon a contender. He didn't recruit the best at every position, he recruited what he needed to win in his system. Speed and agility were the key. He guided his team to a national championship appearance. Although he lost, he made Oregon a contender again. It could be said that he revitalized the Pac-12 and gave the entire conference motivation to distance itself from just being everyone else and USC.
Now he is the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles where he has racked up a 1-2 record. Not bad right now, but the makings of a fallout are all in place. Just look, so many teams with NFL level talent are failing. The Eagles don't really have anyone who falls into his system, and he has not been able to keep his offense on the field long enough to allow the defense time to rest. It's time to start thinking, where will he go if this NFL gig fails?
Pondering.....
Why is it that NCAA coaches with successful teams leave for the NFL ranks only to be horrible at the next level? Well, not everyone has a concrete answer but I seem to have my own. NCAA coaches are not just coaches, they are also general managers. They give offers to players, manage discipline issues on and off the field all while running a team. This is a hard task, right? Well as it turns out, the job prospects don't transition well in the next level.
To punish this point, I will point to one of the more recent NCAA coaches to find disaster in the NFL: Nick Saban. Mr. Saban did great things in the NCAA leading up to his national championship with LSU. He had a great post there and probably could have been revered as a legend. He parlayed his lucky streak into a job with the Miami Dolphins. One year there and he realized that not being able to control everything, while not doing much at the next level, was not his thing. His luck going back has been epic. He had a great job at LSU, he fell into Alabama and did what he knows best by blowing everything away.
So let's go a little further.
Steve Spurrier. Another coach who led his team to a national championship. His luck in the NFL also ran dry. His return to the NCAA has been off beat to say the least. When he left Florida, no one thought he would do poorly at the next level. When he did, the return party wasn't waiting for him. Instead he found South Carolina for which he has not won anything major.
And another.....
Butch Davis. This selection might be a little controversial given that he never actually won a national championship at the college level. However he did finish with the #3 ranking in his final year, not to mention his recruited players made almost all of the contributions to Miami's 2001 national championship. Somehow, he managed to stay in Cleveland for 3 years. That proved to be a bust, as he only had a winning record the first year. Winning being 9-7. His return was even worse. He now coaches the University of North Carolina, where the only thing anyone can ask is "has basketball started yet?". Not a good slide for his career.
Which brings me to the whole point of this blog.....
Chip Kelly. He ran Oregon like there was nothing to lose. Every game, every play, he made Oregon a contender. He didn't recruit the best at every position, he recruited what he needed to win in his system. Speed and agility were the key. He guided his team to a national championship appearance. Although he lost, he made Oregon a contender again. It could be said that he revitalized the Pac-12 and gave the entire conference motivation to distance itself from just being everyone else and USC.
Now he is the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles where he has racked up a 1-2 record. Not bad right now, but the makings of a fallout are all in place. Just look, so many teams with NFL level talent are failing. The Eagles don't really have anyone who falls into his system, and he has not been able to keep his offense on the field long enough to allow the defense time to rest. It's time to start thinking, where will he go if this NFL gig fails?
Pondering.....
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