UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

My father is a Notre Dame alum. Go Irish!

Well, OK then e.cat...no disrespect intended to your family

[e.cat]

Well, OK then e.cat...no disrespect intended to your family

No worries Scott. You're a stand up guy

[HockeyRef]

"Whitt House down"

"Umile-puss has fallen"

"Gone With The Whitt" (my all time fav film could not resist)

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Ugh. Effing Notre Dame. Sorry, I can't root for them in the FF....I just can't.

I still have this strange recurring nightmare about a Midwestern school once sullying our conference for 3 seasons.

[SteveS.]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

I posted mostly because of cupcake theme that Chuck promised would continue next season, and I am not sure whether we have played them yet. Agree with all of your comments about Air Force, as I get to watch them at the JAR at least every other year.

Also, to revisit posts earlier in this thread, Umile's old UNH teammate Mike McShane coached his Norwich Cadets to their fourth Div 3 NC (2000, 2003, 2010, 2017) with a 4-1 win against Trinity last night. McShane's overall collegiate head coaching record (4 yrs St Lawrence, 9 yrs PC, 22 yrs Norwich) now 722-341-67.

McShane was my coach at the Phillips Exeter Hockey Camp in 1972 or 1973? Always hoped he would coach at UNH.

[Snively65]

McShane was my coach at the Phillips Exeter Hockey Camp in 1972 or 1973? Always hoped he would coach at UNH.

Along with Bill Beany (8 Div 3 NC's in 1995-1999 and 2004-2006 over 28 seasons as HC at Middlebury, overall record 593-241-55, including 5 seasons as HC at New England College; last season at Middlebury 2014-2015, so I guess that the NRN did not mean much to him), UNH cranked out three very successful coaches from the 1971-1973 classes.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Along with Bill Beany (8 Div 3 NC's in 1995-1999 and 2004-2006 over 28 seasons as HC at Middlebury, overall record 593-241-55, including 5 seasons as HC at New England College; last season at Middlebury 2014-2015, so I guess that the NRN did not mean much to him), UNH cranked out three very successful coaches from the 1971-1973 classes.

If my math is correct, the 3 of them combined just attained the NRN at 1,901. Maybe Coach was planning to help McShane get to the NRBRN (Next Really Big Round Number), which explains why he's sticking around.

Now for some shocking NH college hockey coaching news that seems to have flown under the radar recently ...

http://www.uscho.com/2017/03/22/long...hing-different

After 15 seasons as the head coach of the St. Anselm men’s team, Ed Seney announced recently that he will be resigning from his position.

“Thirty-six years is a long time to do something,” Seney said in a news release. “I’m thinking it’s time to try something different. It’s almost like being a kid graduating college, but I’m graduating older. I’ll need something to fill that teaching and coaching void, but it’s kind of exciting, too.”

“I started in 1981 as a 21-year old, getting a room, a meal card and driving the bus,” Seney said of getting into coaching. “I knew I wasn’t good enough to make a living playing, but I wanted to stay in the game somehow because I had a passion for it.”

It's like they're living in an alternate universe over there in Goffstown ...

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Four years ago Denver threw their program into upheaval when the AD refused to give in to their 2 time NCAA champ coach because his recent performance did not warrant an extension. They have now been in the last two Frozen Four.

[chickod]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Four years ago Denver threw their program into upheaval when the AD refused to give in to their 2 time NCAA champ coach because his recent performance did not warrant an extension. They have now been in the last two Frozen Four.

Luckily (maybe I should say "unfortunately") for you he did, because if Maine had actually CALLED Montgomery and hired him, DU might be a few more wins away from the NRN. That might have made the "decision" easier.

[Snively65]

If my math is correct, the 3 of them combined just attained the NRN at 1,901. Maybe Coach was planning to help McShane get to the NRBRN (Next Really Big Round Number), which explains why he's sticking around.

Now for some shocking NH college hockey coaching news that seems to have flown under the radar recently ...

http://www.uscho.com/2017/03/22/long...hing-different

After 15 seasons as the head coach of the St. Anselm men’s team, Ed Seney announced recently that he will be resigning from his position.

“Thirty-six years is a long time to do something,” Seney said in a news release. “I’m thinking it’s time to try something different. It’s almost like being a kid graduating college, but I’m graduating older. I’ll need something to fill that teaching and coaching void, but it’s kind of exciting, too.”

“I started in 1981 as a 21-year old, getting a room, a meal card and driving the bus,” Seney said of getting into coaching. “I knew I wasn’t good enough to make a living playing, but I wanted to stay in the game somehow because I had a passion for it.”

It's like they're living in an alternate universe over there in Goffstown ...

Tough two seasons without Beany at the helm, as Middlebury was dead last in NESCAC this year, with 3-15-0 record (3-19-2 overall).

Will be mostly up to McShane to get the threesome up to the NRBRN, I think.

As for St Anselms, they rejected overtures to join Div 1 AHC when Yukon bolted for HEA, but despite a 7th place finish in the NEHC (7-10-1; 12-12-2 overall) this past season, presumably they remain a candidate to join the Cow Hamsha version of the Bean Pot tournament in Manchvegas, no?

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

As for St Anselms... presumably they remain a candidate to join the Cow Hamsha version of the Bean Pot tournament in Manchvegas, no?

Good Lord, I hope such a hideous concept never sees the light of day.

Didn't think the out of conference schedule could possibly get weaker than this past season, but such a tourney would do so.

At least the in state tournament UNH participates in next season has a couple teams that have won National Championships in recent years....

[Greg Ambrose]

The cupcake theme will continue only if UNH continues to go heavy on scheduling the, er, um ... cupcakes.

Personally, I think there are at least 14 very good reasons why BS35+5 will continue doing so next season.

I just want to echo the comments of Snively65, Dan and many others ... watched the Air Force v. Harvard game last night, and Air Force was hanging in there with the Crimson right to the bitter end. It's efforts like these in elimination games that make a season-ending loss just a little more tolerable. Admirable to say the least, and a great reflection on Coach Serratore, his players, and the whole AF program.

Now if this was the pattern of the last 25+ seasons at UNH, I think folks would be a lot more tolerant about a rare no-show performance here and there. Hey, sometimes it happens (see Union last night). But when a pattern emerges and recurs every couple of seasons, it does lead any knowledgeable hockey fan to say ... "hmmmm ... most of these games are usually white knuckle, down to the final buzzer affairs ... why are ours so different?" Even in the UNH apex years, it was still happening too often. This has had a cumulative effect on the UNH faithful, and while I'm prepared to give Coach Souza a chance in his new duties, his connection with Umile is only going to bring that beast back to life the first time UNH tonks it to the next Niagara/RIT, or the first time they get blown out by an established program.

God, I'm really tired of treading over this tired old ground again and again ... but isn't this going to be the legacy of what Coach is going to leave behind, unless something amazing takes place over the next 12 months?

JHC Chuck. How many FF has Air Force been in? How many regional finals? In fact, how many NCAAs? And in 25 years, what is UNH's answer to those same questions? You can heap all you want on Umile, but he has done most everything that Serratpre and, I might add, Bazin want to do. The last five years have been miserable, and ultimately they are Umile's fault. But the program accomplished a hell of a lot from 1992 to 2012. Something that should not be overlooked.

And to expand on the Bazin theme. He's 1-5 in regional finals I believe. The only time they advanced was when they beat UNH 2-0 in 2013 after Denver gooned it up and Downing and Goumas didn't play in the final. So when do UML fans get tired of the almost misses? Just asking.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Good Lord, I hope such a hideous concept never sees the light of day.

Didn't think the out of conference schedule could possibly get weaker than this past season, but such a tourney would do so.

Hey - sometimes you gotta think outside the box, Felgie. And if we're really committed to getting Coach to the NRN on his way out the door, no cupcake opportunity can be overlooked.

Rack it up at the former Verizon Wireless Arena, let SNHU co-host, invite the Dartmouth folks with their holiday tourney sponsor as the other co-host, and St. A's makes it four. Also, (re)name the trophy after our soon-to-be-retiring coach. Draw the post-holiday returns crowd to beautiful downtown ManchVegas while the spirit of the season is still lingering in the air.

Welcome to the ____ Annual Ledyard Bank "Old Man of the Mountain Riverstone Classic Powered by SNHU, where four in-state NH powers compete for the iconic Umile Cup By George's Apparel - a unique turtleneck-clad trophy to be awarded by the great man himself (subject to availability), honoring the coach most known for the trophy he wasn't able to capture for almost 30 years.

At least the in state tournament UNH participates in next season has a couple teams that have won National Championships in recent years....

Wow - sounds challenging - almost misplaced for next season.

Seriously, though ... do we know why a going-nowhere, never-has-been-close program on the other side of the state, bordering on the bustling metropolis/tourism magnet that is White River Junction VT, can host a holiday tournament that draws two recent D-1 national championship programs, and UNH just looks on, and goes to other program's events? I mean, other than the "Scott Borek Invitational" August showcase that we apparently facilitate for the benefit of the rest of HE and the ECAC, of course? BS35+5?? Buehler???

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Good Lord, I hope such a hideous concept never sees the light of day.

Didn't think the out of conference schedule could possibly get weaker than this past season, but such a tourney would do so.

At least the in state tournament UNH participates in next season has a couple teams that have won National Championships in recent years....

The games against the Div 3 teams would not count in the Div 1 standings, of course, like the pre-season games against the Canadian goon teams, but rather just a test of Div 1 elitism in Cow Hamsha, like the old Riverstone Cup between UNH and Dartmouth.

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Hey - sometimes you gotta think outside the box, Felgie. And if we're really committed to getting Coach to the NRN on his way out the door, no cupcake opportunity can be overlooked.

Rack it up at the former Verizon Wireless Arena, let SNHU co-host, invite the Dartmouth folks with their holiday tourney sponsor as the other co-host, and St. A's makes it four. Also, (re)name the trophy after our soon-to-be-retiring coach. Draw the post-holiday returns crowd to beautiful downtown ManchVegas while the spirit of the season is still lingering in the air.

Welcome to the ____ Annual Ledyard Bank "Old Man of the Mountain Riverstone Classic Powered by SNHU, where four in-state NH powers compete for the iconic Umile Cup By George's Apparel - a unique turtleneck-clad trophy to be awarded by the great man himself (subject to availability), honoring the coach most known for the trophy he wasn't able to capture for almost 30 years.



Wow - sounds challenging - almost misplaced for next season.

Seriously, though ... do we know why a going-nowhere, never-has-been-close program on the other side of the state, bordering on the bustling metropolis/tourism magnet that is White River Junction VT, can host a holiday tournament that draws two recent D-1 national championship programs, and UNH just looks on, and goes to other program's events? I mean, other than the "Scott Borek Invitational" August showcase that we apparently facilitate for the benefit of the rest of HE and the ECAC, of course? BS35+5?? Buehler???

Got distracted in writing my now pre-empted reply to Felger, but two other possible participants in the Annual Ledyard Bank "Old Man of the Mountain" Riverstone Classic Powered by SNHU Cup (I agree, it has a nice ring to it)are PSU (no, not the one in the B1G) and NEC. Plymouth State just completed another very good regular season, leading MASCAC with a 16-1-1 record (19-6-2) overall, although they got bounced in the first round of the MASCAC playoffs. New England College, where McShane began his coaching career, was second in NEHC with a 15-6-0 record (19-8-0) overall (no ties allowed in NEHC?). Perhaps the three Div 3 teams can rotate in every two of three years?

There is another annual thread called something like Bottom Feeders, but this Cow Hamsha cup should not be confused with the Futile Four for the Bottom Feeders.