UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Doesn't sound like a very happy bus ride home yesterday....

http://www.unionleader.com/article/2...TS22/180119566

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Doesn't sound like a very happy bus ride home yesterday....

http://www.unionleader.com/article/2...TS22/180119566

“I told the team we’ll talk when we get home because I don’t want to say something but right now we’re not playing very well as a team,” said Umile
Asked about the recent slide, Umile was even more concise.

“You don’t have to remind me of that. Everybody’s contributing. We’re finding new ways not to win games. It seems everybody takes a turn.”

Oooh, tough guy.

I hope a real leader would speak up and say "what the hell are you contributing? Is it your stellar recruiting and hiring decisions that has led to this crap talent level that everyone outside the UNH bubble has seen, or is it your stellar coaching that has gotten us into a nosedive every year since 2013? If you're just hanging on for your own selfish personal reasons, that's on you. Nobody wanted you to come back last March, but here we are."

“It’s really frustrating. But everyone in that locker room holds himself responsible. We hold each other accountable.”

Not everyone. There's a whole leadership group that keeps his job even though they screw up decision after decision, after decision.

“That’s sort of how it was presented to me,” Souza said. “It had to be pretty persuasive for me to leave UConn. Hopefully, if things go well and we continue to win, I’ll get that opportunity when Coach does retire. Obviously, that weighed into my decision. I had a lot of responsibilities at Connecticut in terms of coaching, and if I came back I had to have the same opportunity.”

So, how's that accountability for hitting the defined standards going????? Oh right, it's only the kids who are held accountable for results.

"We are fortunate to have Mike Souza here already changing the culture in recruiting, and he will hit the ground running at the conclusion of next year.” said Scarano

You're just trolling us on your own incompetence now, aren't you?

“We’ve just been on the wrong side of it in the last few years.” said Chanter

You're getting warmer to speaking the truth. Out of the mouth of babes.

[J.D.]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Does Souza have his staff lined up? Right now Mike Ayers is an assistant at BC but not under the Associate Head Coach title. Would he be a candidate to join Souza's staff in that role?

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Does Souza have his staff lined up? Right now Mike Ayers is an assistant at BC but not under the Associate Head Coach title. Would he be a candidate to join Souza's staff in that role?

Does he have recruiting responsibilities at BC? (I am sorry I know little/nothing about how they do things there) I pointed him out yesterday to someone at the game and said that it would be cool to have him join us; he's a D guy...he's an alum (seems to be fitting to add another UNH alum although others here might debate that). Regardless of whom is being considered they absolutely must have those traits I mentioned: a defensive coach, and, a recruiter. Maybe not in that order either! As far as I've heard there hasn't been any public info about what UNH hockey is doing in this regard at this time, but, I would imagine this is in the works (the new Asst. coach that is).

Another UNH alum that has come to mind for some is Brown's Josh Ciocco...

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Does Souza have his staff lined up? Right now Mike Ayers is an assistant at BC but not under the Associate Head Coach title. Would he be a candidate to join Souza's staff in that role?

Not sure why Ayers would want to leave the Heights for Durham right now, even for a bump in title. Of course as a UNH fan I hope he does, because to listen to some on here he is one of those who has that "special status" that can help lead the 'Cats back to the top.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Not sure why Ayers would want to leave the Heights for Durham right now, even for a bump in title. Of course as a UNH fan I hope he does, because to listen to some on here he is one of those who has that "special status" that can help lead the 'Cats back to the top.

Curious...what is the 'special status' he seems to have? I doubt he'd come to be honest; I think it would be a pay cut?

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Will Clark get another chance this coming weekend?

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Curious...what is the 'special status' he seems to have? I doubt he'd come to be honest; I think it would be a pay cut?

Sorry HR....I was being snarky/sarcastic. (Perhaps there needs to be a button for that?) Anyway you mentioned it in your post. He is an alum. I remember reading on one of these threads a while back that as alums, Mike and Glenn had unique characteristics that would give them an edge over some of the other coaches in the league. So I was poking fun at that mindset.

On a more serious note, and as a veteran follower of the program, it seems to me that many of the successful recruiters have NOT been alums. The most obvious that come to mind is the McCloskey/Lassonde duo. Kullen recruited some pretty decent players during the Holt years. Going back even further was Bob Norton an alum? I don't know. And I'm sure I am missing some others.

At this point I wonder if being an alum is a liability. The program is so stuck in the mud right now that perhaps a fresh set of eyes from outside is what is needed....

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

I was gonna to come on here and vent about leadership this morning, but 'Watcher beat me to it.

FWIW I agree with Felger ("you're absolutely right, Mike!"), no way Ayers comes back. Definitely not as second banana to Souza, which can't look like a promising prospect in light of not only this season, but the barren pipeline bereft of top level talent that's lined up for the foreseeable future. If you're Ayers, and you're going to hitch your wagon to Souza ... well, with Brown, that's Souza's first D-1 job, and a challenging one at that. But UConn ... well, they're still mediocre, to say the least (I guess Luce's "coaching tree" isn't exactly ripe with fruit yet). And now UNH is going steadily backwards. If Ayers wants to spend the next 5-10 years of his career being lead recruiter, he might as well stay at BC. Becoming the "McCloskey" to Souza's "Umile" won't get Ayers the HC job at his alma mater any time soon.

Over/under on the national search for the next HC: Spring 2021 or when BS35+? leaves, whichever comes first

Five more years under the national search guy takes us to the 2026/2027 season, and if he tanks, Ayers may be next.

And of course, if Souza turns it around and succeeds (and I've been wrong on this before; e.cat will gleefully remind you I was ready to dump Coach McDonnell after his first 5 mediocre at best seasons at UNH) OR the national search guy comes up with the goods, then any chance of Ayers coming to UNH virtually disappears. He has his own ambitions, as well he should.

In reality, the designation of Souza as the "Chosen One" almost 3 years ago now ended any realistic chance of Ayers becoming UNH HC before he turns 50 (he turns 38 tomorrow - happy b-day Mike!), and closed off a lot of other options as well. Which makes it so important that UNH got this decision right. But unless he's a slam dunk awesome bench coach and instructor (and he may well be?), AND can bring in a top notch recruiter(s) to replace the current recruiting team (and let's face it, neither Souza nor Stewart have the top talent lining up to come to Durham), it's looking like it's going to be a LONG rest of the decade (and likely beyond) for the UNH faithful ...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Sorry HR....I was being snarky/sarcastic. (Perhaps there needs to be a button for that?) Anyway you mentioned it in your post. He is an alum. I remember reading on one of these threads a while back that as alums, Mike and Glenn had unique characteristics that would give them an edge over some of the other coaches in the league. So I was poking fun at that mindset.

On a more serious note, and as a veteran follower of the program, it seems to me that many of the successful recruiters have NOT been alums. The most obvious that come to mind is the McCloskey/Lassonde duo. Kullen recruited some pretty decent players during the Holt years. Going back even further was Bob Norton an alum? I don't know. And I'm sure I am missing some others.

At this point I wonder if being an alum is a liability. The program is so stuck in the mud right now that perhaps a fresh set of eyes from outside is what is needed....

Honestly I don't think an alum is the answer either; unless they have proven themselves in what I believe is most important; get us playing decent, shut down DEFENSE and recruiting. Going the safe route for UNH hockey is just that; the safe route. I wonder just how much pull MS has in this decision...does he get to 'pick his staff'? I have no idea how any of that goes down. I'll bet we won't find out til well after the season anyway. (like the schedule, you know?) I don't think I've ever advocated for an alum. Just get the job done, get this program moving back in the right direction. I recognize this is going to take time, and this selection is critical to that end.

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

"Mike and Mike at the 'Whitt"!!!

[Snively65]

Will Clark get another chance this coming weekend?

I think that Clark and Robinson should each get a start in Orono. Tirone can come in as relief tender when either/both give up five goals in the first two periods, I know that is what I would do ....... if I were the HC. Also, I would give Fregina ice time in both games. And, Nick Nonis (who?), too!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

Will Clark get another chance this coming weekend?

Do you think he should play (Clark) Something tells me maybe they split the weekend, but it's all depending on Friday's results and this week in practice. DT seems to stand up pretty well against Maine (in the past, which also had UMaine nemesis Tyler Kelleher to haunt them) but this is a different Maine team right now. We're going to be battling THEIR goalie Swayman and they have some sharp shooters getting the job done (maybe not this past weekend). Not to mention the fact we are playing up there. So my real guess? Tirone gets the start both nights. Of course if you had told me that Clarky was going to get the start against BU I wouldn't have believed you. My real feelings? Split the duties. What the heck.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

On a more serious note, and as a veteran follower of the program, it seems to me that many of the successful recruiters have NOT been alums. The most obvious that come to mind is the McCloskey/Lassonde duo. Kullen recruited some pretty decent players during the Holt years. Going back even further was Bob Norton an alum? I don't know. And I'm sure I am missing some others.

I think Bob Norton was a Rutgers guy, Felger. Here's a link to his NESN bio (check out his "Pets" answer):

http://graphics.boston.com/sports/ne...bobnorton.html

I've also seen him a few times at seminars around the State of NH. I think he was doing work as a compensation commissioner on the Board of Appeals a few years ago. His son Pat is the head coach at Tufts now, I believe.

Neither Borek nor Tortorella were UNH alums, to follow your point further ...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017-2018 Season - The Quest Continues

I think that Clark and Robinson should each get a start in Orono. Tirone can come in as relief tender when either/both give up five goals in the first two periods, I know that is what I would do ....... if I were the HC. Also, I would give Fregina ice time in both games. And, Nick Nonis (who?), too!

Not sure Mike R's ankle is healed? But that doesn't mean Fregona doesn't deserve a shot. ho hum...