RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

[Jasma]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

I'm sure there is at least one poster that has been involved with student union economics. And if you really want to talk about a January swoon, let us not forget that we had our first non-Freakout sellout since 2006 vs. BU. Recall that men's hockey is one of the few profitable ventures for the student union, so that is why ticket sales are so important. Numbers do not lie; both in terms of success rate and viewing. If people are still watching the team, obviously they are satisfied, regardless of the choking.

I will give you the first point. There may be a couple of people on this forum who care about whether or not the hockey program generates revenue for the Union. The reasons for wanting a successful flagship sports program are many, but if your main sport is hockey, revenue generation or profit margin can't be one of the top reasons. There is simply not that much money in college hockey. The main reasons are the benefit to the athletes, the entertainment value for the RPI community and the school spirit it should generate. Where revenue is a major factor is in the uptick in student applications the national and international visibility the school receives from a successful program and the resulting rise in alumni donations and the purchase of team clothing, etc. And what most people will use as a yardstick for a successful program is wins and losses and championships. To a lesser degree most fans will also want to see top talent that moves on to the next level and wins over rivals. This program has won very few championships of any kind since 1995. It's record against Union - the team's chief rival now - has be terrible the past 5-6 years. Some fans will also consider the record against nationally ranked teams and RPI's record against many of those squads the past few years has been OK. Wins over BU, UNH, Denver, Cornell and a few others are significant, especially for a lower echelon team such as RPI. RPI has indeed become a mediocre, middle of the pack program the past 15 years. Numbers do not lie, but they can be interpreted differently. The numbers in terms of wins and losses has been mediocre most of the last 15 years. The attendance figures have not been stellar either. The big crowds we have seen the past few years come against top teams and traditional rivals that bring many of their own fans. Cornell, Clarkson, Union, and others with large alumni bases in this area are the teams that draw well. Attendance against many of the other teams is often well below 3,000. RPI used to be number 1 or 2 in attendance in the ECAC. The past few years we are more like 4 or 5 behind Cornell, Yale and Q'Pac and about the same as Clarkson. Wins generate crowds, just ask Union. Their road crowd jumped dramatically the past two seasons.
I would be very surprised if the majority of RPI fans attending home games would say they are satisfied with the state of the program.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

I will give you the first point. There may be a couple of people on this forum who care about whether or not the hockey program generates revenue for the Union. The reasons for wanting a successful flagship sports program are many, but if your main sport is hockey, revenue generation or profit margin can't be one of the top reasons. There is simply not that much money in college hockey. The main reasons are the benefit to the athletes, the entertainment value for the RPI community and the school spirit it should generate. Where revenue is a major factor is in the uptick in student applications the national and international visibility the school receives from a successful program and the resulting rise in alumni donations and the purchase of team clothing, etc. And what most people will use as a yardstick for a successful program is wins and losses and championships. To a lesser degree most fans will also want to see top talent that moves on to the next level and wins over rivals. This program has won very few championships of any kind since 1995. It's record against Union - the team's chief rival now - has be terrible the past 5-6 years. Some fans will also consider the record against nationally ranked teams and RPI's record against many of those squads the past few years has been OK. Wins over BU, UNH, Denver, Cornell and a few others are significant, especially for a lower echelon team such as RPI. RPI has indeed become a mediocre, middle of the pack program the past 15 years. Numbers do not lie, but they can be interpreted differently. The numbers in terms of wins and losses has been mediocre most of the last 15 years. The attendance figures have not been stellar either. The big crowds we have seen the past few years come against top teams and traditional rivals that bring many of their own fans. Cornell, Clarkson, Union, and others with large alumni bases in this area are the teams that draw well. Attendance against many of the other teams is often well below 3,000. RPI used to be number 1 or 2 in attendance in the ECAC. The past few years we are more like 4 or 5 behind Cornell, Yale and Q'Pac and about the same as Clarkson. Wins generate crowds, just ask Union. Their road crowd jumped dramatically the past two seasons.
I would be very surprised if the majority of RPI fans attending home games would say they are satisfied with the state of the program.

Perhaps it's just me, but the only times I really see attendance figures below 3000 these days is when the students are on break. The last two years of Fridgen, 2500 was commonplace. We've been hitting 3100-3200 quite a bit lately. Sure, it isn't the 4000 that I'm sure certain people whose primary concern was attendance would like to see, but it is relative.

You're not going to get any argument from me about this team's mediocrity. My point is that, assuming no blind faith, support has to be given for some reason.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

I understand, and don't want to be argumentative, but at the end of the day, if the performance isn't there - and by any metric, it isn't - does any of that matter? Hell, I would say all of these players leaving for the NHL went too early by at least a year - and if everything is A-o-K in the room, I don't see them leaving so soon. That part doesn't make sense to me.

The last sentence is ignorant in that it completely ignores today's reality In the NHL -both for teams looking to build rosters in the era of collective bargaining AND for players looking to get their clock ticking toward their first pro free agent contracts where they can cash in, if they've had success in the A. The minors are littered with kids who arguably "left too early" to chase pro money. Anyone seen TJ Fox lately??

[turk181]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Breaking: Princeton head coach Bob Prier has resigned..... https://twitter.com/MikeMcMahonCHN

[turk181]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Bob Prier has resigned as the head coach of Princeton men's hockey team, Ford Family Director of Athletics Gary D. Walters announced..... http://www.goprincetontigers.com/Vie...B_OEM_ID=10600

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Breaking: Princeton head coach Bob Prier has resigned..... https://twitter.com/MikeMcMahonCHN

Third year with no progress. When will we decide to follow suit? Of course, it all depends upon your definition of "progress".

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Today is 13 May 2014. There are 144 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 4 October 2014 for the start of next season.

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Third year with no progress. When will we decide to follow suit? Of course, it all depends upon your definition of "progress".

I think it has more to do with your definition of "resigned".

[johnk]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Perhaps it's just me, but the only times I really see attendance figures below 3000 these days is when the students are on break. The last two years of Fridgen, 2500 was commonplace. We've been hitting 3100-3200 quite a bit lately. Sure, it isn't the 4000 that I'm sure certain people whose primary concern was attendance would like to see, but it is relative.

You're not going to get any argument from me about this team's mediocrity. My point is that, assuming no blind faith, support has to be given for some reason.

Attendance Fridgens last 2 years

2004-2005 3,169
2005-2006 3,128

RPI attendance last 5 years

2009-2010 2,859
2010-2011 3,158
2011-2012 3,435
2012-2013 3,132
2013-2014 3,255

Support is no different now than it has been for basically the last 15 years so I'm not sure what you are trying to say here.

[ServinisScores]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

The last sentence is ignorant in that it completely ignores today's reality In the NHL -both for teams looking to build rosters in the era of collective bargaining AND for players looking to get their clock ticking toward their first pro free agent contracts where they can cash in, if they've had success in the A. The minors are littered with kids who arguably "left too early" to chase pro money. Anyone seen TJ Fox lately??

You start out by claiming my last statement is ignorant, then you agree with me...?

I don't care about the general NHL - I'm talking about why are the high-end recruits Seth gets lauded for landing are leaving so soon? Is D'Amigo well-positioned for an NHL FA contract? Haggerty? Zalewski?

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Today is 14 May 2014. There are 143 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 4 October 2014 for the start of next season.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

You start out by claiming my last statement is ignorant, then you agree with me...?

I don't care about the general NHL - I'm talking about why are the high-end recruits Seth gets lauded for landing are leaving so soon? Is D'Amigo well-positioned for an NHL FA contract? Haggerty? Zalewski?

High-end recruits leaving early is certainly not limited to RPI.

[FreshFish]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

High-end recruits leaving early is certainly not limited to RPI.

Most people go to college in hopes of finding a well-paying job after they graduate. These guys found a well-paying job before they graduated, thanks to going to college. We can be disappointed that we won't have them around, hard to see how "disappointment" morphs into "criticism" however. An injury suffered while remaining in college after an offer has been made might foreclose that future paycheck.

[hockeymascot]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

High-end recruits leaving early is certainly not limited to RPI.

Very few leave after their freshman or sophomore years, especially when they are not ready!

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Offseason Thread: 7 Months of Drivel

Very few leave after their freshman or sophomore years, especially when they are not ready!

"Ready" is a bit of an undefined term. We have had three players leave after either their first or second year. IMHO, D'Amigo wasn't ready, but Pirri was. One can say anything yet about Zalewski.

This happens at all levels of hockey. People want to advance. Alberni Valley wasn't exactly thrilled when Evan Tironese (and SLU recruit Ryan Lough) went to Green Bay in the USHL. I assume that Melanson's HS coach wasn't happy with his leaving after his junior year either.