UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Short summary: deferring recruits and then sitting them on pine (plastic) for a year if they do show up = death sentence 1. Borek's email violation = death sentence 2.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Short summary: deferring recruits and then sitting them on pine (plastic) for a year if they do show up = death sentence 1. Borek's email violation = death sentence 2.

Short story. Thinking UNH was an IBM blue chip** that put recruiting on autopilot, so just assign Borek to it, with no investment by Umile or his #2 (Tortorella).

**example chosen for a reason, in hopes the lesson is learned by the new coach

To be honest with you, we haven't talked about it but those are the values that were instilled in me by Coach Umile. I think that's what separates us, Mike, I like to think what separates us, and something I learned from him is, we treat every kid here like they're our own kids. He treated me like that, he treated every kid that's ever played here like that and that is why he has run, arguably one of the best programs in the country for the last 25 years. There's no denying that. I know we've fallen short of winning a National Championship to date but there's no denying that we've been a blue chip company and not a dot.com company for a long time and we owe that, in large part, to Dick. I really believe that. I think that, we've all, you, me, everyone wants to win the National Championship. We get it, everyone gets it. I know we will.

[TheRevengeance]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Complaining about coaches having to take coach flights is pretty bad. I've been on coach flights to regular season games out west with the whole NU team; coaches, players, equipment, and all. I've been on the same flight as a Merrimack assistant going out to the midwest to recruit too. I'm sure some don't have such issues but it isn't a death sentence.

[Greg Ambrose]

The Beanpot is nothing more than a lame Governor's Cup knock-off...

You are being ironic I hope.

[Greg Ambrose]

Short summary: deferring recruits and then sitting them on pine (plastic) for a year if they do show up = death sentence 1. Borek's email violation = death sentence 2.

If I was king I would have fired Borek on the spot. Not only could UNH not talk to any of the players who received the ill timed emails, but Borek was prevented from contacting new recruits for four months. And on top of that Umile’s excuse, which he presented to the entire FOH board, was that NCAA rules can be confusing. That remark, plus the inexcusable and embarrassing decomit from Colin White after his name and profile had been released to the media were the beginning of the end for me and my faith in the program. I really don’t give a hoot what Borek does at Providence; he was a disaster at UNH.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

If I was king I would have fired Borek on the spot. Not only could UNH not talk to any of the players who received the ill timed emails, but Borek was prevented from contacting new recruits for four months. And on top of that Umile’s excuse, which he presented to the entire FOH board, was that NCAA rules can be confusing. That remark, plus the inexcusable and embarrassing decomit from Colin White after his name and profile had been released to the media were the beginning of the end for me and my faith in the program. I really don’t give a hoot what Borek does at Providence; he was a disaster at UNH.

Smh, just smh. You know I got to thinking about this situation and I finally came up with hey, no need to blame the players we've had the past few years since all of this. They've done the best they could. There's so much more I wanna write but I'll save it for arena banter. Go 'Cats Beat Maine!!!!!

[jeteye1717]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Dan, many thanks for your informed insight on my previous questions and the link to the NCAA recruiting guidelines; I'll have to take a look when I have a bit more time/energy to wade through it. But I do have some followup questions prompted by your replies:

The NCAA establishes recruiting restrictions in an effort to level the playing field and take budget concerns out of recruiting (as well as when recruiting can occur). In softball it's 50 recruiting days a year. In hockey and most other sports you're allowed 7 recruiting opportunities per player - this includes evaluations as well as on- and off-campus contacts. So Michigan is not allowed better access because they can afford more trips than UNH.

But isn't that only partially true? Yes, Michigan may only be able to initiate contact with each of their potential recruits just 7 times, same as UNH, but with a larger budget (that BiGTen $$ doesn't just buy shoulder pads) they can target many MORE recruits than UNH, each for the permitted 7 times. Obviously not all of them will end up matriculating in Ann Arbor, but a bigger budget means you can cast a wider net, take in more tournaments, sit in more living rooms, letting that many more players become aware of Michigan's interest in them. Isn't this essentially what Wisconsin now does under Granato et al., OVER-recruiting to the point where talented players begin to suspect that maybe they'd be better off someplace else (xf Gildon, Max) where there isn't such a logjam for playing time? I doubt UNH would ever have the financial resources to emulate what Wisconsin's doing (never mind if that's even a strategy WORTH emulating), but I can't help but think that budget constraints DO hamstring UNH to some extent; less money means fewer trips, fewer kids seen/evaluated in person, a smaller pool of actively recruited kids from which to eventually choose/make offers. Whatever UNH's hockey budget is, I've no doubt it's smaller than EVERY team in the BigTen, yet at the same time likely larger than Merrimac's, or perhaps UConn. Who gets the most bang for their buck is still an open question ...

To Greg's point about bringing kids early - I agree, but early usually means as a true freshmen instead of being deferred or playing extra seasons in JR hockey (or even 19 instead of 20). That's the reality of hockey recruiting these days. So accelerating studies really wouldn't be a factor.

I interpreted Greg's comments to mean minimizing the times a player is deferred enrollment for an extra year in juniors (as was proposed to LaLeggia and Vecchione, prompting both to decommit and take their skills elsewhere), solely because of roster management issues in Durham. C-H-C's recruiting summaries frequently note that incoming players may enroll in one of several years, depending on both their hockey/academic progress and specific need (to replace an unexpected early departure, career-ending injury, etc.) in Durham. Nothing unusual there, but if kids are deferred simply because Coach favors certain less talented seniors and doesn't want to bring in a kid he's unlikely to play much as a raw rookie, well, that's a problem. Get the kids on campus, let 'em compete fairly in practice for playing time, and may the best kid earn his minutes. I think that's all that Greg and I are hoping for, after a decade of upperclassmen favoritism that in reality did no one any favors ...

You are 100% correct that Souza, the new hire, and the entire staff need to communicate with - and be on the same page as - admissions. This will allow them to work through the process long before kids arrive on campus. Not doing this is what kept them unaware of UNH's foreign language requirements and cost them White, Reid, O'Neil and (after already being burned years earlier) Masonious. It was extremely neglectful and they're still paying for it. Every school I've ever been at has established this relationship, which is why the fingers should be pointed at the staff and not admissions. If UNH and UNH hockey have not set up this relationship it is a GLARING oversight. They cannot afford any more mistakes ...

This ... I'm keeping my fingers crossed ...

So worry not - UNH is on an even playing field and controls its own recruiting destiny. It comes down to how hard they work, how skilled they are at recruiting, and their attention to detail. All controllables ...

Well, you may think so, but even 'tho I now live in upstate NY and not Missouri, they'll still have to show me. The bad habits/practices that have brought us to where we are now have gone on for so long it's gonna take a Herculean effort to start turning the Good Ship UNH. So come on Mike, Glenn and [new AHC] - show us what you can do ...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

6-0-3...that's what we are against the Black Bears in the past 9 games; all due to Danny T's dynamic, acrobatic saves (and, some luck I suppose) along with TyK's prowess. What will we do tonight at the annual "White out the Whitt" game? Hopefully hear this ALOT tonight!


SIEVE...YOU (know the rest )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiCIGdgu8yk

Seeing how the game is tonight, on a Wednesday, on VD day (health teacher insider joke), hopefully the students/fans will show up. Apparantly the game was scheduled for January when the students weren't here, so, somehow, it was rescheduled to tonight. DT, and a few other teammates were out in force on campus yesterday giving out tickets so here's hoping UNH shows up (team too) in force, Swayman or no Swayman.

Go 'Cats BEAT MAINE!!!

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Dan, many thanks for your informed insight on my previous questions and the link to the NCAA recruiting guidelines; I'll have to take a look when I have a bit more time/energy to wade through it. But I do have some followup questions prompted by your replies:

But isn't that only partially true? Yes, Michigan may only be able to initiate contact with each of their potential recruits just 7 times, same as UNH, but with a larger budget (that BiGTen $$ doesn't just buy shoulder pads) they can target many MORE recruits than UNH, each for the permitted 7 times. Obviously not all of them will end up matriculating in Ann Arbor, but a bigger budget means you can cast a wider net, take in more tournaments, sit in more living rooms, letting that many more players become aware of Michigan's interest in them. Isn't this essentially what Wisconsin now does under Granato et al., OVER-recruiting to the point where talented players begin to suspect that maybe they'd be better off someplace else (xf Gildon, Max) where there isn't such a logjam for playing time? I doubt UNH would ever have the financial resources to emulate what Wisconsin's doing (never mind if that's even a strategy WORTH emulating), but I can't help but think that budget constraints DO hamstring UNH to some extent; less money means fewer trips, fewer kids seen/evaluated in person, a smaller pool of actively recruited kids from which to eventually choose/make offers. Whatever UNH's hockey budget is, I've no doubt it's smaller than EVERY team in the BigTen, yet at the same time likely larger than Merrimac's, or perhaps UConn. Who gets the most bang for their buck is still an open question ...

Look, in theory the bigger and richer schools are always going to have slight advantages – not just in terms of money, what they can afford and how much easier it fits in their budget to recruit, but also in terms of convenience, brand and awareness. However, the NCAA rules do a good enough job leveling the playing field that there is NOTHING prohibitive to UNH’s recruiting efforts in targeting top players. The easiest way to see that is to understand that nothing has changed in that regard since the 90’s. UNH was always poorer, always a lesser brand and always a slight underdog and it didn’t stop Kullen, Serino or McCloskey from crushing the recruiting trail and putting UNH in a position to compete on a national level. It is only once UNH started losing – through their own recruiting mistakes – that people have begun to put forth ideas of why they’re behind the eight-ball. They don’t deserve the bail out – they’ve beaten themselves…

Evaluations and contact don’t really work the way you laid them out. First, evaluations and contacts are only allowed during specific times of the year and even during allowable contact periods there are quiet and dead periods that prohibit or limit recruiting efforts. It is not a free for all. Additionally, and somewhat contradictorily, evaluations/contacts both add up quickly and teams very rarely will use all seven.

For example, a prospect may end up on a team’s radar through connections, statistical evaluation, personal email and then a recruiter might head West to view the player. They may take in a practice, a couple of games and meet with the player (usually at the rink – the idea of coaches sitting in living rooms is pretty much an antiquated one outside of football and basketball, where recruiting at HS games is still a thing and budgets are truly extravagant) – that’s four right away and likely enough to make a decision.

As a background, evaluations begin to count when a player becomes a prospective student athlete – which essentially means when they become a freshman in HS. Contacts are not allowed until they finish their sophomore year. This is important because we all know how impactful hockey’s early recruiting calendar has become. The best young players often commit before contact is even allowed! So contacts often occur in conjunction with an evaluation (not separate trips) and often young players commit after an eval or two (not seven) and before contact is even allowed. The older players are on the market for everyone to see much longer - and all the coaches know who they are, with their eyes on the players they think might turn into late bloomers...

Most recruiting these days takes place at showcase events – this is another factor that levels the playing field for both the coaches and the student-athletes. There are large numbers of teams and prospects to watch on one trip. It saves a lot of money. Most schools will build their recruiting lists at events like this, through word of mouth (connections) and the emails they receive from prospects. Many will offer at these events, too. If they do not, recruiting really becomes about cross checking or getting extra looks at whomever you really like.

The days of spending weeks on the road, in far off arenas not really knowing who your looking for or discovering a diamond are for the most part long gone. There are SO many ways to discover players these days without even leaving your office. After that you just need to get eyes on the ones you really like.

UNH has no problem getting to the showcases and they have access to scouting services, contacts, coaches and more – just like the bigger schools – and they can absolutely afford to cross-check at the same level in the USHL, BCHL and other Canadian junior leagues. Money has never been an issue for them in recruiting – even if spending it hurts a bit more. If that has changed, I’d love to hear from someone with specifics and I’ll be the first to fire off an email to Scarano that he cannot hamstring the program. I just don’t believe that this is in anyway the case.

For a player like Filip Suchy, who UNH may not be familiar with. It's this simple:

They know they need scoring and they've seen his numbers in the USHL. They can research his history of scoring at every level as I have. They'll reach out to his coach and other contacts around the league. Perhaps they ask Bahn, Verrier or Green (UNH commits who have had to defend him). If it all adds up they go see him. They watch a practice, they meet him, they watch a game or two and they decide whether or not to offer - if it's budget stretching (its not, but hypothetically) then use hotel points or air miles, sleep in the car, pay for your own hotel. Set it up to see Suchy/Valach on one trip - where UM may be able to afford two...

UNH has landed some very good players recently – just not nearly enough. This is where the excuses die on the vine. How come the facilities are good enough for Poturalski and Kelleher but not other top commits? How come UNH can afford to travel to Minnesota to unearth an unknown talent still playing HS but can’t afford to leave New England otherwise? How come UNH can win (initial) battles with big schools for Commesso, but nobody else? How come schools with far less are more successful? The pieces are there for the recruiters to use – they’re just not consistently aggressive enough in targeting or good enough at closing prospects and far too often they have settled for replacement level talents. It’s a recruiter problem – not a financial/facility/location problem…

--

Wisconsin is not maximizing their budget when they reel in huge recruiting classes. They are abandoning recruiting ethics. Here is what Wisconsin is doing – call it the bird in the hand strategy.

Wisconsin throws offers at kids they minute they see something they like. They gobble these kids up and get them into their pipeline. Now these kids are committed to Wisconsin and UW doesn’t have to worry about other schools approaching them with offers – because many coaches will still (rightly) recognize the ‘gentleman’s agreement’.

Now Wisconsin has commitments for future classes – but they don’t view these prospects as their future – they basically view them as investments or perhaps even insurance. They don’t have to go out and watch/evaluate/contact excessively to find these kids – because if they end up not living up to expectations they’re replaced anyway. If the kid pays off great – if not, they’re just a safety net while UW keeps looking. UW continues their search. If they find someone better commit to them and drop one of their initial pick-ups. Then they search for someone better than their newest pick-up. Its not right, no matter what adults want to say about kids having advisors or not developing the way they were expected to (through no fault of their own).

UNH could do this – anyone could. It is not difficult. You simply have to ask yourself how much you are willing to knowingly and aggressively manipulate the lives of 14-20 year olds for your own gain or how easily you can rationalize a couple of kids decommitting into you treating all kids like commodities. Wisconsin is willing to mistreat teenagers and sell its soul to win – F that.

Early recruiting and this sort of strategy are problems in softball too. Everyone is focused on changing early recruiting – while major schools dangle kids futures every summer. I had a kid at one school who was committed to an SEC school for four years – before they dumped her months before her FR year would have began. Luckily she could afford to walk-on. Many cannot.

As far as early recruiting goes – the University of Florida just committed an 11 year old. I don’t have a problem with this (everyone else does, perhaps rightly so), because here’s what I know about UF – they stick with the kids they verbal. Tim Walton won’t renege on this player. He doesn’t stoop to the level of the competition and it’s a big reason why UF is always the favorite (no advisors in softball, FYI – just adults abusing their authority)…

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

I interpreted Greg's comments to mean minimizing the times a player is deferred enrollment for an extra year in juniors (as was proposed to LaLeggia and Vecchione, prompting both to decommit and take their skills elsewhere), solely because of roster management issues in Durham. C-H-C's recruiting summaries frequently note that incoming players may enroll in one of several years, depending on both their hockey/academic progress and specific need (to replace an unexpected early departure, career-ending injury, etc.) in Durham. Nothing unusual there, but if kids are deferred simply because Coach favors certain less talented seniors and doesn't want to bring in a kid he's unlikely to play much as a raw rookie, well, that's a problem. Get the kids on campus, let 'em compete fairly in practice for playing time, and may the best kid earn his minutes. I think that's all that Greg and I are hoping for, after a decade of upperclassmen favoritism that in reality did no one any favors ...

I agree 100% - but once they graduate HS there is no need to worry about accelerating academics. The issue for UNH is making sure that the players are meeting their core requirements for both the NCAA and the University. The players knocked out by admissions were not knocked out for being bad students – UNH committed to these players early in the HS career and paid no attention to whether or not they were meeting those core requirements (in this case a third year of a foreign language). That’s why your next point about being on the same page is so critical – and why it is so completely mind-boggling that they were not.

Yes, I agree – that UNH should not be deferring talent. They haven’t learned this lesson. They deferred Blackburn. They deferred Poturalski. They deferred Crookshank this season. They’re protecting themselves now by utilizing the loophole where the player can sign an NLI and then ‘decide’ to stay in juniors. They ‘decide’ to stay in juniors when UNH tells them too and they have no choice because they’ve already signed their NLI. Now Crookshank is locked in to UNH – because as long as UNH offers the same amount next season than the NLI is enforced and Crookshank can go nowhere else. I mean, what a benefit to the kid – no wonder he’d make such a decision!

Now in all those cases, the player may be happy to do as asked – but its setting them up to be bitten again. So they don’t have to worry about a Mike Vecchione situation – but it puts them at risk for a more acrimonious separation with a player heading to MJ.

What they need is to inject talent into the organization now. So bringing in talent young is absolutely the best strategy until they’re back on track. Sending Crookshank back to juniors so they can bring in Sato and play Cefalu/Miller etc is a mistake. They’re worse as a result, but they’ve been loyal to their upperclassmen. So they got that going for them, which is nice…

MOST IMPORTANTLY, giving kids the opportunity to jump start their college career – and thus potentially get to the next level sooner – is a huge recruiting chip that they have in their pocket as an underperforming program. This would give them an edge in recruiting top talent and they’re not taking advantage of it. Hopefully, Maass and Gildon are just the beginning of doing so. These kids may not make immediate impacts at 18 like those two – but they could be much better off the next three years by the early arrival. A team that is ready to compete, may not want to add or have room for an 18 year old. What does UNH have to lose? Nothing. And plenty to gain. Its time to take some shots on true freshman and get the program some excitement…

Well, you may think so, but even 'tho I now live in upstate NY and not Missouri, they'll still have to show me. The bad habits/practices that have brought us to where we are now have gone on for so long it's gonna take a Herculean effort to start turning the Good Ship UNH. So come on Mike, Glenn and [new AHC] - show us what you can do ...

Yeah, they have to prove it to me too. They haven’t yet. The recruiting under Souza has not been consistent or really that good. It needs to pick up quickly or this drought is going to really stretch out into the future. Take some chances, be aggressive, get to work…

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

6-0-3...that's what we are against the Black Bears in the past 9 games; all due to Danny T's dynamic, acrobatic saves (and, some luck I suppose) along with TyK's prowess. What will we do tonight at the annual "White out the Whitt" game? Hopefully hear this ALOT tonight!


SIEVE...YOU (know the rest )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiCIGdgu8yk

Seeing how the game is tonight, on a Wednesday, on VD day (health teacher insider joke), hopefully the students/fans will show up. Apparantly the game was scheduled for January when the students weren't here, so, somehow, it was rescheduled to tonight. DT, and a few other teammates were out in force on campus yesterday giving out tickets so here's hoping UNH shows up (team too) in force, Swayman or no Swayman.

Go 'Cats BEAT MAINE!!!

Tirone has allowed 2.8 goals per game against Maine in his career - OK, not great. The streak has more to do with UNH scoring 4.4 goals per game in Tirone's starts versus the Black Bears. Either way I look forward to a million White Out the Whitt references on the broadcast tonight - when, ironically no one will be wearing white...

BTW, no one is blaming the players but discussing the coaches' shortcomings will inevitably result in roster and recruiting discussion...

[deltabravo62]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Now in all those cases, the player may be happy to do as asked – but its setting them up to be bitten again. So they don’t have to worry about a Mike Vecchione situation – but it puts them at risk for a more acrimonious separation with a player heading to MJ.

What they need is to inject talent into the organization now. So bringing in talent young is absolutely the best strategy until they’re back on track. Sending Crookshank back to juniors so they can bring in Sato and play Cefalu/Miller etc is a mistake. They’re worse as a result, but they’ve been loyal to their upperclassmen. So they got that going for them, which is nice…

MOST IMPORTANTLY, giving kids the opportunity to jump start their college career – and thus potentially get to the next level sooner – is a huge recruiting chip that they have in their pocket as an underperforming program. This would give them an edge in recruiting top talent and they’re not taking advantage of it. Hopefully, Maass and Gildon are just the beginning of doing so. These kids may not make immediate impacts at 18 like those two – but they could be much better off the next three years by the early arrival. A team that is ready to compete, may not want to add or have room for an 18 year old. What does UNH have to lose? Nothing. And plenty to gain. Its time to take some shots on true freshman and get the program some excitement…

This is exactly how I have been feeling they should be attacking the recruiting game at this stage. Use what you did to get Benton Maass into UNH on more players in the short term to rebuild. Players that you can bring in earlier than the BC/BU/Denver's of the world will. Note: I do not think this should not be a long term focus for recruiting. As Dan said, their impact may not be as great early on but they have nothing to lose here. Sure you may whiff on some of those guys but you have had some pretty big whiffs with the strategy you have got going now. Being willing to take a chance and say "I have a spot for you to arrive and play next year" can really boost a lot of 18/19 year olds to sign with you. How do you think they pulled down Ty Taylor? "We need a goalie for next year and you are our guy." And my guess is that he signed before he got on the plane back to BC even though it was not announced until midweek.

Obviously to return to the top they need to get aggressive in all aspects of recruiting and I agree with what most of what Dan has to say on the subject. The concept of waiting to pick up on the late blooming high school/prep school/overlooked junior prospects is not the only focus they should have but it is a start. Will UNH will get back to the point of competing head to head with the top schools for the top prospects? Hopefully. For now, find your niche and work it to your benefit until you get the program back on the rise.

[HockeyRef]

Tirone has allowed 2.8 goals per game against Maine in his career - OK, not great. The streak has more to do with UNH scoring 4.4 goals per game in Tirone's starts versus the Black Bears. Either way I look forward to a million White Out the Whitt references on the broadcast tonight - when, ironically no one will be wearing white...

BTW, no one is blaming the players but discussing the coaches' shortcomings will inevitably result in roster and recruiting discussion...

Not sure what the reference to players is in your last paragraph? Maybe my comment to Gregs posts about the recruiting stuff. If that is what you mean think I wasn't singling out your discussions rather how these kids do what they can given their innate abilities. The mistakes of the past led to who we have been able to fill the roster with....missing out on the potential "Johnny Hockeys of the world" was my thought. Regardless that's our team and like I said..they do what they can. Not a reference to the bigger picture of UNH hockey. Anyway I was just thinking out loud...mostly meaningless stuff. I should stick to cheerleading.

But I will say It's frustrating that so little attention to big details led us to disarray and miscalculations on players that would've kept us moving along the path. Welp gotta find my white jersey and head to Durham!

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

plus the inexcusable and embarrassing decomit from Colin White after his name

Jeez guys you got him to "commit" unofficially to UNH too? Admissions again?

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

In another fitting moment of incredible irony, the UNH Hockey program spent last weekend feting the man who has steered them through the better part of the last three decades, hand-picking a late season weekend homestand against very beatable conference opposition ... and somehow managed to (barely) eke out a late tie in the second game to avoid total embarrassment (Umile-ation, perhaps?). There's no party like a "Marty Party", eh? Anyway, this epic Shakespearian tragedy in the making goes from dismay to disaster, and now with the Black Bears knocking at the door, WIS stumbles out of hibernation in a punch-drunk stupor, waiting for this really bad movie to mercifully end, as we present our latest prognostications in this latest "Is It (Officially) Over Yet?" edition of "Umile's Last Stand - The _____ for 600".

"Umile's Last Stand - The Chase for 600"

Coach Umile's current career wins total: 596
Wins Remaining to NRN (Next Round Number): 4
Games Remaining (plus 2 min. MBPBEGAM games): 6
Win Pct. Required to Hit Target: 66.7%
WIS Estimated Likelihood of Success: 25%
2017/2018 Cupcake Conversion Ratio (CCR): 6/17 (35.3%)

A winless home weekend against *powerhouse* UVM tells you all you need to know about The State of the (Wildcat) Nation right now, as things are looking mighty grim for Coach's chances to get to the NRN, and a last place finish is seemingly more likely than what is now a virtually necessary series win in the MBPBEGAM round of the HE Tourney. And even that might not be enough, unless the 'Cats can make some hay tonight and later this week(end). Two winnable games for sure ... but you gotta think the view of the Mildcats from the perspectives of Orono and North Andover is looking mighty sugary right now. You'd like to think there's no way - NO WAY - UNH can't find at least one win in these two upcoming games. But somehow I see another loss and another tie, and the Quest - which is now a Chase - could soon turn into an out-and-out Desperate Scramble by Friday night ...

Predictions:

Wednesday: @ UNH 1 UMaine 1
Friday: @ Merrimack 4 UNH 2

NEXT (LAST?) CUPCAKE ON THE SHELF: TBD in the MBPBEGAM round of the "playoffs"

COMING ATTRACTIONS - THE GRASSO REDSHIRT NUMBER (GRSN)

Once we're done with the regular season, we'll turn our attention to the MBPBEGAM round of the HE "playoffs", and the GRSN - not to be confused with the NRN. This was brought to the fore by Dan regarding the prospects of Patrick Grasso's potentially lost season, and the chances he'll be allowed a "medical redshirt". A minimum of six (6) post-season games will be necessary for Grasso's 2017/2018 season not to become a total loss. So the Grasso Red Shirt Number sits at a 40 game UNH slate. The WIS panel has again slightly downgraded Grasso's chances of following in the career path of the great Tommy Nolan to be Slim to None, and Slim Just Finished Packing After Saturday Night's Scoreless OT. We'll revisit this assessment periodically as things progress.

FOXHOLE CHALLENGE - US AGAINST THE WORLD (in honor of Felger's dopey penguin)

Us 1
The World 10


To seek the man whose pointing hand
The giant step unfolds
With guidance from the curving path
That churns up into stone

If one bell should ring
In celebration for a king
So fast the heart should beat
As proud the head with heavy feet