MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

[Twitch Boy]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

Free Press has it.

Eff it. Bringing it back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q16KpquGsIc

[davyd83]

I want to see a 2 week process with 3 finalists. I do not want Muckalt to be anointed without a national search.

Mike Guentzel comes to mind as a Mel like hire, go get him Tech! If he shows interest.
Ron Rolston, Davis Payne, Greg Brown, Ben Barr will hopefully apply.

Go Tech!

Cam Ellsworth, Gary Shuchuk, Joe Shawhan, Pat Mikesch???

[bose301s]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

Well, that just solidifies my hate for Michigan even more.

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

As crestfallen as I am, I'm just going to point out that the last time the skunks poached a coach from Houghton, the Huskies ended up getting a pretty good replacement.

Here's to a fruitful coaching search.

[oldish husky]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

Remember 5 years ago when we never had to worry about anyone wanting our coaches? I'm not sure I want to go back there.

I get what people are saying about the WCHA handicapping our ability to keep a premier coach, but the other side of that coin is that compared to 5 years ago, we are now in a position where a quality coach can come in long term and lead a perennial tournament team and nationally ranked program. I'm not sure that was the case in the old WCHA. We should be thinking about being a Gonzaga type program and finding a coaching fit for that, unless we think that there is another big conference re-alignment coming. Tech has great alumni support and has proven that they will put money behind the program. That's got to be a great looking position for a high quality coach that wants to build a strong long term program. Those people are out there.

As a side note, is there an easier job in the world than Michigan AD? Step one: find a great coach somewhere. Step two: ask him/her how much they want to get paid. Step three: write a check. I wonder if that role every gets boring?

[UP-Power]

You can stop sipping his Kool-aid now; he's gone! He did a lot for the program but I am not convinced he was a great coach. There are better and if MTU remains committed to the program the trajectory should continue upward.

I repeat, he is gone. No "official" announcement required.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Exactly rustedblades, I am with you!

[bose301s]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

Remember 5 years ago when we never had to worry about anyone wanting our coaches? I'm not sure I want to go back there.

I get what people are saying about the WCHA handicapping our ability to keep a premier coach, but the other side of that coin is that compared to 5 years ago, we are now in a position where a quality coach can come in long term and lead a perennial tournament team and nationally ranked program. I'm not sure that was the case in the old WCHA. We should be thinking about being a Gonzaga type program and finding a coaching fit for that, unless we think that there is another big conference re-alignment coming. Tech has great alumni support and has proven that they will put money behind the program. That's got to be a great looking position for a high quality coach that wants to build a strong long term program. Those people are out there.

As a side note, is there an easier job in the world than Michigan AD? Step one: find a great coach somewhere. Step two: ask him/her how much they want to get paid. Step three: write a check. I wonder if that role every gets boring?

I don't know if it gets boring, but Dave Brandon certainly sucked at it, and I loved every minute of it.

[oldish husky]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

I don't know if it gets boring, but Dave Brandon certainly sucked at it, and I loved every minute of it.

I meant boring for the AD, not us. The Dave Brandon years were great!

[J.D.]

I want to see a 2 week process with 3 finalists. I do not want Muckalt to be anointed without a national search.

Mike Guentzel comes to mind as a Mel like hire, go get him Tech! If he shows interest.
Ron Rolston, Davis Payne, Greg Brown, Ben Barr will hopefully apply.

Go Tech!

Not sure about the other guys but i really don't think Greg Brown would apply.

[J.D.]

As crestfallen as I am, I'm just going to point out that the last time the skunks poached a coach from Houghton, the Huskies ended up getting a pretty good replacement.

Here's to a fruitful coaching search.

You make it seem like Pearson has no ties to Michigan. He was there for over 20 years and was a possible replacement for Berenson even before he left for Tech. You guys should be happy with what he did and hope you find a coach that builds off that foundation.

[bose301s]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

You make it seem like Pearson has no ties to Michigan. He was there for over 20 years and was a possible replacement for Berenson even before he left for Tech. You guys should be happy with what he did and hope you find a coach that builds off that foundation.

I don't think anyone is denying that he has ties to Michigan, but we all thought his ties to Tech would be stronger, played 4 years for Tech under John MacInnes, coached under him for a few years and now head coach at his alma matter, to me that would be a stronger tie than Michigan would be, but we don't know his thinking.

[geezer]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

Thank you Coach Pearson! Great work with the team and program. This will be an interesting offseason after losing half the team, coach, and the University administration being turned over. Hopefully Suzanne is keeping her eye on the ball (if she leaves too we're sunk) and makes a great hire.
Edit: although, Mroz isn't officially out for another year so hopefully he'll want to leave his baby - the hockey program- in good hands.
Edit again: if we can't get a household name, I would be happy with Pat Mikesch. He knows everyone in the 3-county area and would put his heart and soul into the team. He's gotten good results as HC in Green Bay.

[Biddco]

Re: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

Better change the thread title.

[geezer]

Better change the thread title.

A new era about to begin... "We're dusting off the trophy case & keeping Shawhan"?

[JohnsonsJerseys]

TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case and Replacing Peason

RE: MICHIGAN TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case & Keeping Pearson

Since I picked the title for this thread I suppose I better chime in at some point. It is breakfast time what shall I eat? Should I go with a healthy serving of crow or just scrape all the egg off my face and scramble that up?

As many of you did, I sat up last night reading this message board (and several others) as the posts, Tweets and articles poured in, each one poking another hole in the dam of Tech’s coaching staff until eventually it collapsed completely and I resigned myself to the fact that the Pearson era at Tech was all but over. There were a lot of things I wanted to post and write last night, but the wisdom of age got the better of me and I thought I would just sleep on it first. Now we sit awaiting the unavoidable official news that Tech fans have been dreading for the last month or so.

I will be the first to admit that I was wrong with my assessment of the situation. I though Tech had found their next legendary coach. And while he was not likely to surpass MacInnis he certainly could have been a 1A type figure in the storied history of Michigan Tech hockey. Here was a coach who had waited and waited for his shot at Michigan and never got it. Then along came Tech, his alma mater, and gave him that opportunity. In spite of a few early stumbles, most would say his time at Tech was a success. Pearson seemed happy in Houghton and outwardly he conveyed a lot of pride in what he was doing. I don’t think anyone who has been to both cities would argue that the quality of life in Houghton far surpasses that of Ann Arbor. I felt that cruising towards retirement, building a winner out of his alma mater with great institutional support would be a huge draw.

I was convinced that Coach would stay and finish out his coaching years behind the Tech bench, hopefully continuing to grow the status of the program each year, even if that never ultimately led to a national title. In Houghton, Coach Pearson could have built his own legacy with no one’s shadow over him. He could have likely remained another 10+ years having done nothing more than putting up winning records with a sprinkling of titles and NCAA tourney appearances. Tech hockey was at rock bottom before he arrived, only a fool would have pushed him out the door any time in the near future. He had quenched a thirst for winning that was 30+ years in the making. After that drought, who really cared if the water was just drawn out of the Portage Canal and not the champaign of a champion? A simple winning record tasted mighty sweet on such parched lips.

Now at Michigan, he’ll forever be in Red’s shadow, trying to be the guy who followed a legend. If he can’t bring a winning program to the ice year after year and win a title every 4-5 seasons, he’ll be seen as a failure and the fans will be calling for his job before his first class of recruits graduates. If he does happen to win, people won’t give him due credit for his success because “It’s Michigan… they’re a ‘top program…’ anyone could have won there…”

In the last 24 hours, my opinion of Coach Pearson unfortunately has changed significantly. Here was someone who in his youth had worn the silver, black and gold for Tech, stood behind the bench for two different stints as a professional and had taken Huskies hockey from nothing and rebuilt it into a top-20 program. Had Coach Pearson gone to any other program, stayed for a few years and then returned to Michigan, I don’t think I would have even blinked. It has happened many times before and it will happen again. I get the desire to always move on to something that is perceived to be better. However when you kick your alma mater in the teeth and step on your school to raise yourself up, that leaves a very bitter taste behind, far worse than that of eating crow. A taste that will not easily be washed away or forgotten.

If someone wants to take pity on me, feel free to start a new off-season thread for the Huskies. "TECH 2017 OFF-SEASON - We're Adding to the Trophy Case and Replacing Peason" has a nice ring to it. Or I can face Internet justice and reap what I have sewn, having to reread the title of this thread for the rest of the summer, or at least the next 500+ posts. In closing, this is hockey and as they say… “Next man up”. If nothing else, the GLI just got a whole lot more interesting.

Mel who? Go Huskies! Go Tech!

Ryan J