Brown Women's hockey coaching problems

irishbridie49 · 11-07-2009, 08:37 PM

Long time reader, first time writer - just got posting privileges. I wanted to write sooner but was not activated.
First off, Brown lost again today and they played like their hearts weren't in it. I looked up past stats and saw that Quinnipiac used to be an automatic win for Brown. Last year, Princeton won one and lost one with Brown. This year, it looked like no contest. Today's game, they played like the team was regressing, not moving forward. I know there's a huge pro-coach lobby on this site, but sometimes you gotta ask some tough questions. Someone posted in another thread that the coaches got rid of all the weeds - I'm thinking the coaches got rid of all the flowers. These games should've been easy. So, what happened to Asay, Cedorchuk, Crabtree, Hunter, Small, Suprey, Winship? Hunter was the captain - for God's sakes, and the leading scorer on the team. These kids came from private prep schools and/or Canada. They obviously had talent and the results this season show that the team needed them. If this were the corporate world, there'd be a massive shakeup from top to bottom, not just bottom. So, staying on topic and without bashing me for having an unpopular (by site standards) opinion, someone please explain how the coaches didn't commit major errors in judgment with this year's team? Who cuts seniors and juniors from a team - or forces them to quit? Something's seriously wrong on this team.

Bergey1 · 11-07-2009, 08:49 PM

I have no insider information, but it might not have been the coach cutting people rather than these people wanting to move on with their lives?

And Brown may not be regressing, but rather staying horizontal (not that that is a good thing either). All teams seem to be improving. We've seen that more than ever this year. There won't be easy wins for anyone anymore.

To be noted, I am not choosing a side in this matter, just adding my own 2 cents on some of the points you touched on.

But we're really rehashing this again?

fan007 · 11-07-2009, 09:18 PM

Welcome aboard IrishBridie. You're right - there is a pro-coaching dominance in the responses when it comes to Brown's coaching staff. It's no secret - I'm not a big Digit Murphy fan. I've seen her in action and she's always miserable - yelling at the players, the refs, and anyone in her way. I think she's just not a happy person and it projects in all she does. That being said, I think her best days are gone. Obviously, we're all sports fans here and everyone knows if you're a coach and you have a record like Digit's had for the past 5 years, you're gone. At Brown, they fire the kids. That doesn't make sense. Nobody's gonna tell me these kids just walked away to pursue other interests. I don't know about sunny California but I do know in the northeast and Canada, hockey is an obsession. These kids lived to play college D-1 hockey, especially in an Ivy League. They didn't just walk away. I've seen some of the kids that IrishBridie mentioned. They were excellent players and I cannot buy into the "pursuing other interests" theory. There's something going on.....

Bergey1 · 11-07-2009, 09:28 PM

actually I'm from Massachusetts myself and have a rather large hockey obsession

If everyone has such a problem at Brown, why not contact the AD or something as opposed to keep bringing it up on a forum where no results can come out of?

fan007 · 11-07-2009, 09:37 PM

Bergey (sorry for location confusion): If the AD doesn't know what's going on - and he needs to hear it from me - then he has bigger problems than his women's hockey team.

irishbridie49 · 11-07-2009, 10:02 PM

Oh, I forgot to mention Bishop. She's number 7 - gone! That's a third of your team - all pursuing other interests? PLEASE!!!!!

Brown Parent · 11-07-2009, 11:21 PM

The other player not mentioned is goalie, Donelle Latimer. She was on the roster last season but not this year.

PrincetonFan · 11-08-2009, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fan007

Bergey (sorry for location confusion): If the AD doesn't know what's going on - and he needs to hear it from me - then he has bigger problems than his women's hockey team.

Isn't the Brown AD position vacant right now? Maybe that's part of the problem.

Trillium · 11-08-2009, 09:59 AM

What is unclear from this "lobby" is whether all this dissension is coming from those no longer with the team, and unhappy with the impact on them (probable, and not unexpected under any circumstances)....or is coming from those still within the team unhappy with the impact of change.

Hopefully it's not the latter, or its going to be a longer year than usual at Brown.

papulaisle · 11-08-2009, 10:27 AM

I wouldn't agree with the writer above that all the blogging on this web site regarding the Women's hockey situation at Brown has no or little effect. Word gets around; there are no secrets. Raised my consciousness. Out of curiosity, I 'googled' Coach Murphy. And herein such has been raised again by someone with current first hand information (this thread.) And I'm also referring to a previous long 'plaint' of a Brown player's parent which currently has faded perhaps to page two (see below.)

I went to the Brown site- brown.edu and they show Michael Goldberger as A D since 2005 - former Dean of Admissions.

michael_goldberger@brown.edu

ccookie79 initially challenged us on Oct.11 @ 9:45 PM, beginning..."Anyone know anything about D1 women's hockey? My daughter just got recruited for D1 spot at Brown." and it continues!

papulaisle · 11-08-2009, 10:44 AM

Here is a profile of Coach Murphy from Brown University- 'The Official Site of Brown Athletics':
http://www.brownbears.com/sports/w-h...y_digit00.html

irishbridie49 · 11-08-2009, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brown Parent

The other player not mentioned is goalie, Donelle Latimer. She was on the roster last season but not this year.

Sorry, BrownParent, Latimer is indeed another name missing from the roster. To me, that is very concerning as the turnover rate, especially among the upper classmen, is generally low. I'm concerned more about the effect that has on team morale more than I am about what this forum MIGHT do to it. Many of thes current kids selected Brown because of the quality players already on the roster only to get blindsided by their absence once they committed. That's got to be disheartening and it doesn't speak well of the powers at the top.

irishbridie49 · 11-08-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trillium

What is unclear from this "lobby" is whether all this dissension is coming from those no longer with the team, and unhappy with the impact on them (probable, and not unexpected under any circumstances)....or is coming from those still within the team unhappy with the impact of change.

Hopefully it's not the latter, or its going to be a longer year than usual at Brown.

Trillium, my guess is there's a bit of both going on here and there's nothing wrong with that. A player cannot bring these issues to the attention of the coaches without suffering the dearth of consequences that will inevitably follow. Players are supposed to shut up and play and they know that they'll be exiled if they express discontent. That happens in any organization, whether it be ivy league hockey or a fortune 500 company. I am happy that this situation is getting some attention as it is giving voice to the voiceless.

irishbridie49 · 11-08-2009, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papulaisle

I wouldn't agree with the writer above that all the blogging on this web site regarding the Women's hockey situation at Brown has no or little effect. Word gets around; there are no secrets. Raised my consciousness. Out of curiosity, I 'googled' Coach Murphy. And herein such has been raised again by someone with current first hand information (this thread.) And I'm also referring to a previous long 'plaint' of a Brown player's parent which currently has faded perhaps to page two (see below.)

I went to the Brown site- brown.edu and they show Michael Goldberger as A D since 2005 - former Dean of Admissions.

michael_goldberger@brown.edu

ccookie79 initially challenged us on Oct.11 @ 9:45 PM, beginning..."Anyone know anything about D1 women's hockey? My daughter just got recruited for D1 spot at Brown." and it continues!

I'm not really sure if there's a point to your post - if there is, I am missing it and respectfully request that you elaborate.
As for your pointing out the current AD, yes Michael Goldberger is indeed in that position. In fact, I believe Digit Murphy sat on the Nationwide Search committee that put him in the AD's post. I suspect that fact alone might deter current players from bringing any substantive coaching issues to the AD as his opinion might be a bit "tainted" by allegiance.

Pops Ryan · 11-08-2009, 02:58 PM

Last season I was slammed royally on this site for suggesting that Coach Murphy was no longer a good fit behind the bench. Now players are leaving in droves and clearly there are issues. Apparently, Brown just doesn't get 'hockey'. ( remember Coach Grillo ? ) The real problem is that few good coaches can find their way through a Search Committee charade. Too bad, because even when Digit goes you guys are going to wind up with someone who played at one Ivy school, was an assistant for a few years at another one, knows all the hockey lyrics but can't write the music.

irishbridie49 · 11-08-2009, 05:30 PM

Well said, PopsRyan. I doubt Brown officials need to logon to this site to learn that there are internal problems with the coaching staff. It's a shame that when you try to express those feelings in a public forum you get lambasted. Imagine what would happen if the kids tried to do that? There are no championship teams when coaches have stayed well passed their prime and Brown doesn't seem any different. I doubt they'd keep a coach of a men's team if performance was consistentlly off the mark.

Trillium · 11-08-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishbridie49

I'm not really sure if there's a point to your post - if there is, I am missing it and respectfully request that you elaborate.
.

Don't worry, you're in good company. I'm not sure anyone on this forum understands the points Papulaisle tries to make. Its a rare talent.

RStarr · 11-08-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papulaisle

I wouldn't agree with the writer above that all the blogging on this web site regarding the Women's hockey situation at Brown has no or little effect. Word gets around; there are no secrets. Raised my consciousness. Out of curiosity, I 'googled' Coach Murphy. And herein such has been raised again by someone with current first hand information (this thread.) And I'm also referring to a previous long 'plaint' of a Brown player's parent which currently has faded perhaps to page two (see below.)

I went to the Brown site- brown.edu and they show Michael Goldberger as A D since 2005 - former Dean of Admissions.

michael_goldberger@brown.edu

ccookie79 initially challenged us on Oct.11 @ 9:45 PM, beginning..."Anyone know anything about D1 women's hockey? My daughter just got recruited for D1 spot at Brown." and it continues!

WOW. this is rather composed for you papulaisle....good effort!!

scrambledlegs · 11-08-2009, 05:38 PM

Out of curiousity, how many of the girls that are no longer on the team have moved on to other teams (something you would expect to see if they were still interested in hockey)?

Trillium · 11-08-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrambledlegs

Out of curiousity, how many of the girls that are no longer on the team have moved on to other teams (something you would expect to see if they were still interested in hockey)?

It's my understanding most, if not all, are still at Brown. That may be telling.