Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Ship

[joeyv]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

This will be my last post here. It's a small sacrifice for moving up in my career. Normally I wouldn't have said anything, but I just wanted to make one last post in hopes that someone here is willing to step up and take over blogging reigns covering men's hockey at B5Q. If you haven't figured it out by now, the recent job I took is why I stepped away from the blog a few months back. Unfortunately, no one has stepped up and volunteered to take over. As a Wisconsin fan at heart, I'm selfishly disappointed with the lack of coverage of the program this summer (that includes the WSJ). I don't see that improving any time soon unless someone steps up and takes the reigns at B5Q.

If you have any interest, please reach out to me andyjohnsonb5q at gmail.com and I'll be able to put you in touch with the people that can make it happen. Obviously there is a significant writing portion that is a requirement, so please know that going in. With that said, obviously most of you have read my work and know I'm not a grammatical genius, so, as long as you're dedicated, they can make it work.

As for me, I'll still be around. Hell, I'll be at the Kohl Center significantly more than I was in the past because the new job requires a move to Madison. If you see me, say hi. You already have my e-mail address, so feel free to reach out with any questions or comments. I'll also be covering a lot of Capitols games as well, so I'm sure I'll be bumping into many of you in the future.

I may not be in the company of HOF Wisconsin USCHO legends like con1977, joeyv, or Eric Hybert, but I hope I've added something to the discussion over the past decade.

Thank you,

On Wisconsin.

Chuck:

Best of luck in your new endeavor and thank you for the "HOF" poster status. I don't post often as I have been up to my eyeballs with so many things the past few years. However, my passion for UW Hockey has never waned during those times. The past two seasons have been exceptionally difficult to tolerate and I have informed both the UW Hockey staff, AD Alvarez, and the university that UW Hockey is in serious jeopardy and that I view the AD office's handling of the program to be an unmitigated disaster. I cannot tell you how many games I watched with my head in my hands, how sore my neck is from shaking my head repeatedly, and how truly exasperating it was to watch a team that NEVER had a chance all year.

I am expecting the termination of Mike Eaves by Thanksgiving if this club does shows any proclivity to suck as bad as last year. I do not want to become like Ohio State, or Michigan State...I want and demand UW Hockey compete every year for a NC. With our pedigree, our tradition, and our facilities, there is NO reason for the type of ineptitude we witnessed last year and it cannot be tolerated. That's on Eaves, and that's on Alvarez for enabling it to happen. I am worried about UW's perception in recruiting circles and I am also worried about what I perceive to be apathy on the part of some of the fan base.

As I enter my 40th year of watching UW Hockey, I won't ignore what I believe are serious foundational and leadership issue to the finest college hockey program in the country...and I expect something to be done. All college programs have down years...but last year wasn't some blip...it was the byproduct of mismanagement and systemic mismanagement at that.

Regardless, best of luck!

Wisconsin Hockey: Lost But Not Forgotten!

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

I do not want to become like Ohio State, or Michigan State...I want and demand UW Hockey compete every year for a NC. With our pedigree, our tradition, and our facilities, there is NO reason for the type of ineptitude we witnessed last year and it cannot be tolerated. That's on Eaves, and that's on Alvarez for enabling it to happen. I am worried about UW's perception in recruiting circles and I am also worried about what I perceive to be apathy on the part of some of the fan base.

I'm quoting this because I want that text to exist multiple times. We have had an incredibly, incredibly, incredibly special thing going on with hockey at the Kohl Center, and it's slipping away. The program itself may not be on the chopping block, but Wisconsin Badgers Hockey as we know it is on some kind of time-related chopping block. The longer this continues, the less and less relevant the history and tradition is to fans and prospective players/coaches. The core of the program needs a reset, regardless of what improvements other areas of the athletic department try to make (e.g. coverage, getting people to watch games on TV, not losing the students).

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

I am expecting the termination of Mike Eaves by Thanksgiving if this club does shows any proclivity to suck as bad as last year. I do not want to become like Ohio State, or Michigan State...I want and demand UW Hockey compete every year for a NC. With our pedigree, our tradition, and our facilities, there is NO reason for the type of ineptitude we witnessed last year and it cannot be tolerated. That's on Eaves, and that's on Alvarez for enabling it to happen. I am worried about UW's perception in recruiting circles and I am also worried about what I perceive to be apathy on the part of some of the fan base.

As I enter my 40th year of watching UW Hockey, I won't ignore what I believe are serious foundational and leadership issue to the finest college hockey program in the country...and I expect something to be done. All college programs have down years...but last year wasn't some blip...it was the byproduct of mismanagement and systemic mismanagement at that.
!

Wisconsin Hockey: Lost But Not Forgotten!

I'm quoting this because I want that text to exist multiple times. We have had an incredibly, incredibly, incredibly special thing going on with hockey at the Kohl Center, and it's slipping away. The program itself may not be on the chopping block, but Wisconsin Badgers Hockey as we know it is on some kind of time-related chopping block. The longer this continues, the less and less relevant the history and tradition is to fans and prospective players/coaches. The core of the program needs a reset, regardless of what improvements other areas of the athletic department try to make (e.g. coverage, getting people to watch games on TV, not losing the students).

Yep right on on both accounts. Hard to believe it has come to this, but here we are....

[Toe Blake]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Former Badger passes. Good player, great guy.
http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/l...d0ccfd496.html

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Rip

[altazo]

NHL Central Scouting

Cool.

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Schuey lands on his feet in Houghton (well, I know it's Houghton, but at least he has a job ). Via Twitter, Pearson welcomed Gary's wife, daughters and !Alex! to Michigan Tech. Does this mean Alex will be attending Tech and leaving WI? He's stepping into a good spot, I like Pearson and he's one of my fav's for replacing MM if it comes to that, though I doubt he's leave Tech.

[stuckinwi]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Schuey lands on his feet in Houghton (well, I know it's Houghton, but at least he has a job ). Via Twitter, Pearson welcomed Gary's wife, daughters and !Alex! to Michigan Tech. Does this mean Alex will be attending Tech and leaving WI? He's stepping into a good spot, I like Pearson and he's one of my fav's for replacing MM if it comes to that, though I doubt he's leave Tech.

Hey now.... I'm glad to see we've replaced Muckalt with another former NHL'er with a college hockey pedigree. And the fact that his passion may sometimes get him in trouble as well! It'll be tough to look past the red, but I think we'll do. (How the hell is there an ugly sconnie crest on the presser photo?)

Sad to see Andy/Chuck go. Always good to chat with on Twitter and I'll admit I read more about Badger hockey specifically because of him. Hopefully you guys have someone step up to fill his shoes and best of luck to him moving on up!

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Hey now.... I'm glad to see we've replaced Muckalt with another former NHL'er with a college hockey pedigree. And the fact that his passion may sometimes get him in trouble as well! It'll be tough to look past the red, but I think we'll do. (How the hell is there an ugly sconnie crest on the presser photo?)

Sad to see Andy/Chuck go. Always good to chat with on Twitter and I'll admit I read more about Badger hockey specifically because of him. Hopefully you guys have someone step up to fill his shoes and best of luck to him moving on up!

I think you will be sorely dissapointed in the local rink manager. His recruiting was a disaster. I can't believe he got hired by Tech or any other college for that matter......

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

His recruiting was a disaster.

Let's be honest, the appeal to play hockey at WI has taken a major hit since they left the WCHA. What excites a kid to go play for UW where hockey might be the 3rd biggest sport just on their own campus, and you get to look forward to playing the same five teams, four times a season, every season? Other than big rival games with MN, what makes the Bi6 appealing to a recruit? Playing Penn State? Ohio State? Michigan State? Ok, maybe Michigan is a draw, but their program has been headed in the same direction as WI the last few years. Then you top it off with a post season tourney that couldn't even outdraw the ECAC for attendance.

In the WCHA, with the exception of maybe BGSU, when you're on the hockey team, you're the big man on campus and the focus of the school's athletic program. It's all hockey, all the time. Badgers hockey isn't even the biggest program in the Kohl center, much less the rest of campus. Also steady winning in recent history helps, a paper bag with a face drawn on it could get recruits to line up at UND, BC, etc. It doesn't matter who is doing the recruiting for those type of programs.

Ryan J

[Bonin21]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Does this mean Alex will be attending Tech and leaving WI?

Predicted this right when dad was fired, as it's obviously how he got on the team.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Predicted this right when dad was fired, as it's obviously how he got on the team.

If he didn't see the ice with last year's Badgers team, I don't see him getting any playing time with Tech in the near future. I'm sure having your dad as a coach gives you a better than average chance to be a walk-on, but it doesn't get you into a game as he found out last season. Never bad to have another player on the roster as you can't predict where injuries will take your season, but I honestly can't see Alex in a Huskies sweater this season without 3-4 Huskies forwards going down. (Tech has 14 returning forwards plus this year's frosh class added to that number.)
Ryan J

[Greyeagle]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Former Badger passes. Good player, great guy.
http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/l...d0ccfd496.html

That stinks.

Had a chance to meet him a the HS tourney several years ago, probably Eric's Jr. year. My son and I were in the bar at Kincaid's between Thursday sessions and noticed an elderly woman and her (what we thought was) daughter standing and scoping out a seat while waiting for a table. Two of us at a table for four so we asked them to join us so grandma could sit. Started chatting and it was Jim's wife & mother. Blaine was in the tourney so there was a huge family contingent there to watch the team and more family members started to show including Jim. We ended up in the middle of a family reunion as they slowly took over our table. We really had fun with them and they offered to buy us a round for letting their mother sit down, which we politely declined as it was the right thing to do - and would hope someone would do the same for my mom or MIL.

Anyway, I knew the name was familiar and I put it together when Jim showed up and we started to chat about hockey; was fun to talk about old tourneys and college puck. Jim was ten years older than me and I am not from Rochester but I vividly remember those JM teams and him playing for (hated) wisconsin. Being a geek I looked for him in my old programs. My son and I still talk about that chance encounter and how much fun it was.....one of the reasons I love the tourney.

RIP, Jim.

[gwhinwi]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Gwoz is coaching High School hockey this year.

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/high...-bay-lightning

I can still hope for him to get the gig here(not likely, but I can dream.)

[markwojo]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Vol. XXXIII: A Fanbase Gets Smarter When All The Idiots Jump Shi

Gwoz is coaching High School hockey this year.

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/high...-bay-lightning

I can still hope for him to get the gig here(not likely, but I can dream.)

I would hope there would be better options when the time comes then Gwoz. While he has had success in the college game and has a Wisconsin pedigree, I worry about how many miles he has on the odometer from a hunger/energy/relating to 16/17/18 year old kids standpoint. He wouldn't be a terrible option, but I would personally put a pair of Granato's and probably Oz ahead of him in the pecking order. I wouldn't mind someone from outside the Wisconsin circle if we had an AD capable (which I highly doubt Barry is that guy) of identifying a young up and comer to rebuild this thing from the ground up.