>>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

The question is not whether RIT is recognizable to the casual fan (an oxymoron by the way), but whether RIT is recognized as the good hockey school to real bona fide recruits.

This is more what I was referring to. Some seem to have gone on a huge tangent about fan interest, casual fans, and elite level recruits. What I meant was that certain players, be they from Canada or the US, are interested in playing US College Hockey but know they are likely to be 4th liners or not even suit up for top programs like North Dakota or BC. When they were looking at programs they'd be more likely to land serious playing time for prior to 2010, RIT (and many other AHA teams for that matter) was an unknown that the coaches would have to sell to them from scratch. At least in 2010 and 2011, some of these players had heard of RIT already because they were a national story (hockey-wise, that is), however briefly. It doesn't mean that the elite level recruits are suddenly going to flood the AHA because RIT upset DU and UNH, but it should make it an easier sell to AHA-level players because they don't need to be convinced that RIT is actually a D-I program.
Based on on-ice performance, it seems like RIT has not benefitted from this potential uptick in recruiting while much of the rest of the AHA (notably boosted by two new strong programs as well) has improved, for various reasons. If the theorized recruiting advantage actually happenned for RIT, I'd hate to see how bad they would have been last year without it

[XCTiger]

This is more what I was referring to. Some seem to have gone on a huge tangent about fan interest, casual fans, and elite level recruits. What I meant was that certain players, be they from Canada or the US, are interested in playing US College Hockey but know they are likely to be 4th liners or not even suit up for top programs like North Dakota or BC.

Agree with what your saying. In simpler words, Penn State is already having a lot of success attracting top end recuits not because of their new arena or because of their long hockey tradition. They have a leg up because they are Penn State so they must be big time. It has more to do with Joe Pa and football than with anything else. "NAME RECOGNITION"

[lmg6841]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

Not to mention that they're in the B1G conference. For most sports fans that draws more respect than Hockey East.

Agree with what your saying. In simpler words, Penn State is already having a lot of success attracting top end recuits not because of their new arena or because of their long hockey tradition. They have a leg up because they are Penn State so they must be big time. It has more to do with Joe Pa and football than with anything else. "NAME RECOGNITION"

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

Agree with what your saying. In simpler words, Penn State is already having a lot of success attracting top end recuits not because of their new arena or because of their long hockey tradition. They have a leg up because they are Penn State so they must be big time. It has more to do with Joe Pa and football than with anything else. "NAME RECOGNITION"

Scholarships and the new barn (which is 3x as expensive as ours, mind you) certainly help this as well.

[RITProf]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

Yay ... a tie at PSU ... and a pseudo-win.

And with no scholarships!

[lmg6841]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

We got a tie against a mediocre team with no scholarships. Rejoice.

I hope Nolan is okay.

Yay ... a tie at PSU ... and a pseudo-win.

And with no scholarships!

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

We got a tie against a mediocre team with no scholarships. Rejoice.

I hope Nolan is okay.

Penn State is pretty stacked with a full legit recruiting class this year, not to mention the guys returning from last year's surprisingly good team.

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

We got a tie against a mediocre team with no scholarships. Rejoice.

Penn State has a full compliment of 18 scholarships.

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

RIT was hoping that the 2010 Frozen Four appearance would mean an improvement in its fan base. However, it seems that the fan bases of other AHA teams have improved, much to the detriment of RIT. We should have the top one or two fan bases in Atlantic Hockey, especially since it's the worst league in college hockey. Yet we seem OK with being a middle of the pack fan base in Atlantic Hockey. We should not be happy with this. Maybe it's Wilson's fault. I don't know. But it seems like the whole Frozen Four experience was a waste when it comes to recruiting fans.

</sarcasm>

[komey1]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

Penn State has a full compliment of 18 scholarships.

Not to mention 4 NHL draft picks.

[RITProf]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

Long trip home for the team (bus breakdown ... arrived after 7am). Good thing there's not a game tonight.




(Ed ... +1, maybe 2)

[blazer777]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

RIT was hoping that the 2010 Frozen Four appearance would mean an improvement in its fan base. However, it seems that the fan bases of other AHA teams have improved, much to the detriment of RIT. We should have the top one or two fan bases in Atlantic Hockey, especially since it's the worst league in college hockey. Yet we seem OK with being a middle of the pack fan base in Atlantic Hockey. We should not be happy with this. Maybe it's Wilson's fault. I don't know. But it seems like the whole Frozen Four experience was a waste when it comes to recruiting fans.

Well, you can blame the NCAA for this. Their rule disallowing 'Fan Scholarships' for schools that played up from DIII to DI is the root cause. Wilson and Destler also seem more focused on recruiting players and building a new arena than getting the NCAA to change their ways so the fan base will continue to suffer.

Sarcasm continued.

[Ivan Lennon]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

Ivies plus Union manage nicely sans grants in aid
Moving from need based to grants arguably didnt improve SLU competitively

No reason for NCAA to reconsider grants as was done previously for "historical" D3/D1 programs
at CCT, SLU, Hopkins, CC etc

Greater visibility for RIT would have been ECAC membership.
That day is gone beyond idle speculation that Ivies bolt adding Penn, Columbia and a NYS League
results comprised of 4 Liberties, Gate w/ RIT as a travel partner
and 2 Buffalo schools. Other possibility is an ECAC opening w/ Q Pac leaving for Hockey East
which is probably a better fit for them. That raises travel partner issue

[RIT Winters]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

I don't think that RIT or ECAC was ready for RIT to join when they had their last opening, but I believe pretty strongly that if another opening were to come we would be the natural fit. It's likely years down the road, and RIT can't focus on that now, they have to focus on being the best team in the AHA.

[dxk3355]

Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS 2013-2014 - Rocking The Ritter One Last Time <<<<<

Man that was somewhat confusing, I listened the game not closely, so I thought RIT won in a shootout. But that whole part didn't count. Even the writeup didn't mention the shootout. Must of sucked to be PSU and go from a tie to knowing you'd lose.