RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

There seems to be a general lack of support for general sites. I would think that the NCAA would be happy if they drew as much as the men's Mayors' Cup.

There's one big thing that needs to be taken into account, and is also why the ECACs in Albany was perceived to not work: Who's there. Obviously the NC$$ has tried to compromise between this and the desire for neutrality by having "host institutions", but unless you can get the fan base to go to the game, especially on a week's notice (remember, the selection happens on Sunday and the first game is the ensuing Friday/Saturday), you're not going to get that sort of attendance. Mayor's Cup is planned well in advance, the fan bases locally travel decently, and the built-up animosity from previous years results in good attendance.

[lugnut92]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

There's one big thing that needs to be taken into account, and is also why the ECACs in Albany was perceived to not work: Who's there.

Which is why so many people want them to go back to having the #1 seeds host the regionals.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Which is why so many people want them to go back to having the #1 seeds host the regionals.

Something that I addressed if you read further, because there are two concerns that must be taken into account with this desire: Neutrality (the reason they went to the setup they had today over the 8-team setup from the 80's), and Hosting ability (A number of institutions are playing in multi-use facilities, and how many are going to want to spend the money to book a facility for 3 days that may just end up going dark and could instead guarantee actual usage by other means; let's also consider how many of the facilities, take Lynah Rink for example seeing how Cornell is near the top of PWR, are able to even host 4 teams and all their fan bases, or perhaps CCT since they're also near the top, their capacity is only around 3000 and the village doesn't have nearly enough hotel capacity).

[lugnut92]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

When you said "host institutions", I thought you were talking about how either Union or RPI "hosts" when a regional is held at the TUC.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

When you said "host institutions", I thought you were talking about how either Union or RPI "hosts" when a regional is held at the TUC.

I was. And one of the rules is, if you make the tournament and you're "hosting", you're placed in that regional regardless of seed. I see it as a compromise between #1 hosting and neutrality.

[25+years]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Let's face reality here. I think the mayor's cup this year drew so well because of the college hockey faithful at both schools and the loss of pro hockey (for some folks it is an opportunity to see some good hockey if they don't go to college games regularly). I have been at the regionals and, way back, the Frozen Four here. The attendance is not very impressive. The bottom line is Albany is not a big hockey town. I agree that there is a small faithful college hockey base in this area. But will they go to college hockey games if their teams are not involved? I know I will. This is a basketball/football area. Rodger Wyland was criticized a few years ago for not covering the two D1 hockey programs here. That has improved, but very little. So the question is how do you get people to want to go to D1 hockey games and regional/national tournaments? Make it worth their while. Try to maximize the attendance of existing hockey fans. Reach out to high school teams, youth hockey leagues, etc. Give them a team rate. Offer some other opportunities- maybe on ice stuff like coaching clinics or something, public skating at the TU, meet former ECAC or NCAA players who went o n to the pros and are now retired, that sort of thing. Lastly, for non regular hockey fans, you have to make them want to come to downtown Albany on a weekend. There really is not much else to do other than drink and eat. They can go to the mall and do that. So use the Convention Center. Get better food either inside the TU or outside vendors. Look at the summer lunch time on the Plaza-- food lines are long, there is music, and vendors of other products. The atrium is enclosed now. Could be done. And improve the concessions in the TU. There is alot they could do. First thing, though, is to admit what has been done up to now doesn't really work. I mean in Minneapolis the high school state championship sells out a 15,000 + seat arena. We should be able to do better than we have.

[RedWrister]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I got one saying that she is a fine person.

I got the email that says that anyone who disagrees with Shirley is a racist and/or misogynist (Professor Chris Bystroff via Graig Eastin VP-Institute Advancement).

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I got the email that says that anyone who disagrees with Shirley is a racist and/or misogynist (Professor Chris Bystroff via Graig Eastin VP-Institute Advancement).

That's the one.

[25+years]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I understand the angst over the future of RPI and who is to blame. From my perspective, lobbing accusations in both directions will not solve anything. True leadership comes from a willingness to listen to opposing views. I would suggest a meeting be held with both sides to try and clear the air. BUT......this is a blog about the men's hockey team. So unless Shirley will don some skates and can bury grade A chances, I would suggest we get back to the game. There are several games, the freakout, and the playoffs we need to get ready for.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I understand the angst over the future of RPI and who is to blame. From my perspective, lobbing accusations in both directions will not solve anything. True leadership comes from a willingness to listen to opposing views. I would suggest a meeting be held with both sides to try and clear the air. BUT......this is a blog about the men's hockey team. So unless Shirley will don some skates and can bury grade A chances, I would suggest we get back to the game. There are several games, the freakout, and the playoffs we need to get ready for.

The reason that there is no meeting to clear the air is because it is well known that it will be in vain. The administration has neither desire nor reason to cease their autocratic ways nor listen to opposing views.

However, regarding hockey, 7 games left, plus at least 2 games in the playoffs. And when in our position, be prepared to take advantage of any weakness by relaxation.

[jmhusker]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I understand the angst over the future of RPI and who is to blame. From my perspective, lobbing accusations in both directions will not solve anything. True leadership comes from a willingness to listen to opposing views. I would suggest a meeting be held with both sides to try and clear the air. BUT......this is a blog about the men's hockey team. So unless Shirley will don some skates and can bury grade A chances, I would suggest we get back to the game. There are several games, the freakout, and the playoffs we need to get ready for.

Since there is so much chatter I'll pipe in with more senseless drivel.... managed to get back to Troy for the last 2 periods of the 1st Maine game this season. No matter what anyone says... HFH is a great barn for me. I miss being able to skate on that ice. What a great sheet it always was.

The team seems to be an enigma under Smith. Fall behind by 2 or 3, catch up and then lose in the end seems to be the MO this year. Really weird. Someone mentioned being young, nervous or whatnot but in the end it is probably a reflection of talent. When everyone is pressing at crunch time, the strongest players tend to rise to the top. So for me... I see the glass as half full in terms of the new coach. My memory of Apperts style, unfair or not, was watching Milos Bubela make stupid play after stupid play with what seemed like no consequences - in between flashes of brilliance that Milos would show. He just seemed uncoached to me. We shall see if Smith can do better.

As far as Shirley goes... she is clearly not a hockey fan and for me, in the words of Ben Affleck's character from Good Will Hunting... "Ya suspect!" I'm not close enough to understand what the atmosphere is like there today but we pushed Dan Berg out for far less back in the day.

Conservative college presidents... Ralph hit on the obvious one... that was too easy. I'll bet BYU and some of the other religious affiliated schools follow suit. I'd imagine West Point, Annapolis, The Citadel, AFA and Norwich all have conservative leaders too. Not sure it really matters... there are competent people of all political bents and I doubt that being conservative or liberal or moderate is correlated with being a good administrator.

On the coaching front... Ted Donato has the easiest job in the ECAC. The richest and arguably best academic school in the world located in Boston. What half way intelligent hockey player wouldn't want to go there. How he doesn't win the ECAC almost every year is a mystery. They should be the Duke of college hockey.

Glad we are whining about something other than the refs at least...

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

pregame interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW1ehGAXR-s

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

#Teamwork #LetsGoRed pic.twitter.com/FilsmcuvBm

— RPI Men's Hockey (@RPI_Hockey) February 2, 2018

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Since there is so much chatter I'll pipe in with more senseless drivel.... managed to get back to Troy for the last 2 periods of the 1st Maine game this season. No matter what anyone says... HFH is a great barn for me. I miss being able to skate on that ice. What a great sheet it always was...

On the coaching front... Ted Donato has the easiest job in the ECAC. The richest and arguably best academic school in the world located in Boston. What half way intelligent hockey player wouldn't want to go there. How he doesn't win the ECAC almost every year is a mystery. They should be the Duke of college hockey...

Tommy Amaker, a Duke grad, is their basketball coach.

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

We have played up to some strong opponents this year. Let's see what happens tonight.