Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

[Driftryder]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Well that pretty much officially kills MN's season, unless they pull some sort of miracle out of their *** in the remaining weeks. Given their inability to finish, I don't see that happening.

agreed.

Hopefully sharp objects are safely away from Scooby.

[The Rube]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

agreed.

Hopefully sharp objects are safely away from Scooby.

And me.

[Bakunin]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Time to start talking about freshmen coming in that will disappoint, and players that need to step up but won't.

Don't forget this key loss: Fischer.

[Diggs]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Anyone else pumped for the end of Fischer's eligibility? I sure am.

Yes, along with Flynn and the under-achieving Carman, who I keep waiting for to do anything (or something).

[Bakunin]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Yes, along with Flynn and the under-achieving Carman, who I keep waiting for to do anything (or something).

He was set up perfectly in the 3rd and failed to score - which makes him no different from every other Gopher forward in that game.

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

"[The players] are doing the things we are asking them to do," Don Lucia said. "You can see the hurt in the locker room. There is no reward."

So Coach Lucia believes his players are responding and giving a solid 100%. Okay I can respect that. There is still not enough scoring talent and the players don't know their roles on the team.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Time for the benediction. There's still a lot of hockey left, but for all practical purposes the Gophers have all but locked up 7th place. FWIW, I don't think it's even realistic to think this team will do anything significant this year. A F5 win or an NCAA bid is basically out of reach. Statistically, the probability is low for either. Watching these guys as a team from week to week doesn't cast any doubt on that either.

For those who still hold out hope for a F5 win, more power to ya.

I venture to predict that Lucia will stay on for a few reasons (mostly financial) until the end of his contract in 2012. That means potentially more of the same unless significant changes in recruiting, coaching, systems, and discipline are installed. There is no excuse for a program of this caliber to see this kind of consistent ineptitude. I'd like to see Hill go and Grant needs more training to coach at this level, but who knows how that will play out, if any change happens at all.

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Time for the benediction. There's still a lot of hockey left, but for all practical purposes the Gophers have all but locked up 7th place. FWIW, I don't think it's even realistic to think this team will do anything significant this year. A F5 win or an NCAA bid is basically out of reach. Statistically, the probability is low for either. Watching these guys as a team from week to week doesn't cast any doubt on that either.

For those who still hold out hope for a F5 win, more power to ya.

I venture to predict that Lucia will stay on for a few reasons (mostly financial) until the end of his contract in 2012. That means potentially more of the same unless significant changes in recruiting, coaching, systems, and discipline are installed. There is no excuse for a program of this caliber to see this kind of consistent ineptitude. I'd like to see Hill go and Grant needs more training to coach at this level, but who knows how that will play out, if any change happens at all.

I don't think it is the assistant coaching. They need to recruit different players who can score goals.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

I don't think it is the assistant coaching. They need to recruit different players who can score goals.

IMHO the entire coaching staff not just asst. is partially to blame for this mess. Changes in recruiting strategy is only one area where change is needed. Moreover, we have premium recruits as it is (Mr. Hockeys, NHL draft choices) who were brought in to score goals (i.e. Hansen, Carmen, Budish, Birkholz, etc.) and have failed to live up to expectations. No one in this league has more NHL draft choices.

Please let's not sugarcoat this disaster. If this was football, the clamor for change at the coaching level would be deafening. I suspect as they cruise through the rest of the season with a loss here and a tie there, the voice of disdain will get louder.

It's one thing to say the players are doing what we ask them to do and it's another to have the charisma and vision to inspire a team to a championship. I question now whether Lucia still has that ability based upon this and previous underachieving seasons. I'm not about to pick each asst. and Lucia apart here, but there are several seasons now of poor results, defections and disconnects between the coaches and players. Coaches must be held accountable and not be allowed to cruise on the laurels of past successes.

This program needs to be revamped top to bottom if they want to be a contender for an NCAA championship, period. If money was not a problem, this might be Lucia's last season.

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

IMHO the entire coaching staff not just asst. is partially to blame for this mess. Changes in recruiting strategy is only one area where change is needed. Moreover, we have premium recruits as it is (Mr. Hockeys, NHL draft choices) who were brought in to score goals (i.e. Hansen, Carmen, Budish, Birkholz, etc.) and have failed to live up to expectations. No one in this league has more NHL draft choices.

Please let's not sugarcoat this disaster. If this was football, the clamor for change at the coaching level would be deafening. I suspect as they cruise through the rest of the season with a loss here and a tie there, the voice of disdain will get louder.

It's one thing to say the players are doing what we ask them to do and it's another to have the charisma and vision to inspire a team to a championship. I question now whether Lucia still has that ability based upon this and previous underachieving seasons. I'm not about to pick each asst. and Lucia apart here, but there are several seasons now of poor results, defections and disconnects between the coaches and players. Coaches must be held accountable and not be allowed to cruise on the laurels of past successes.

This program needs to be revamped top to bottom if they want to be a contender for an NCAA championship, period. If money was not a problem, this might be Lucia's last season.

I will not disagree. The thing here is the Don Lucia has multi years left on this deal. Unless the boosters pony up and pay off the rest of the deal only then will coach Lucia be asked for the door. Otherwise we are stuck with him and his staff.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

I will not disagree. The thing here is the Don Lucia has multi years left on this deal. Unless the boosters pony up and pay off the rest of the deal only then will coach Lucia be asked for the door. Otherwise we are stuck with him and his staff.

Yeah that's the bad news. I've held off passing judgment until now, but I would really like to see a coach come in with some fire in his belly with something to prove, make some major changes in their archaic systems, recruit smart and turn this program around. This program needs to continue be held to a high standard. Gopher constituencies and fans expect nothing less.

EDIT:

I'm going to guess and say that unless they get this program on track, the UMN stands to loose cash at the gate next year anyway.

[The Rube]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Yeah that's the bad news. I've held off passing judgment until now, but I would really like to see a coach come in with some fire in his belly with something to prove, make some major changes in their archaic systems, recruit smart and turn this program around. This program needs to continue be held to a high standard. Gopher constituencies and fans expect nothing less.

I thought he was starting to bring in more grinders, and less one-and-dones, but maybe I was wrong.

Honestly, if half the team were tDon2s, and the other half were Cepis's.....we'd be in 4th about now. Maybe higher. The hustle, heart, and scoring would all improve. As well as the D, but that's not saying much on that angle.

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

Yeah that's the bad news. I've held off passing judgment until now, but I would really like to see a coach come in with some fire in his belly with something to prove, make some major changes in their archaic systems, recruit smart and turn this program around. This program needs to continue be held to a high standard. Gopher constituencies and fans expect nothing less.

The last few years reminds me of when Woog became tired of coaching the Gophers. Well he never did actually coach at practice his assistants did all that work. Back to Lucia he needs to find guys who can put the pcuk in the net.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

I thought he was starting to bring in more grinders, and less one-and-dones, but maybe I was wrong.

Honestly, if half the team were tDon2s, and the other half were Cepis's.....we'd be in 4th about now. Maybe higher. The hustle, heart, and scoring would all improve. As well as the D, but that's not saying much on that angle.

The thing I admire about you Brent, is your a loyal Gopher fan to the bitter end. But let's face it, recruiting the right players is a bit if a science today and right formula is tough to find thanks in part to the NHLPA. However, I look at guys like Hansen, if you look at what he did as a top 5 goal scorer in the USHL, it's shocking compared to what he has done as a Gopher--zilch! Same with Carmen, White, even Miller for that matter was a good captain and scored consistently in the USHL. What happened?

[The Rube]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010: Calmly Step Away from the Ledge

The thing I admire about you Brent, is your a loyal Gopher fan to the bitter end. But let's face it, recruiting the right players is a bit if a science today and right formula is tough to find thanks in part to the NHLPA. However, I look at guys like Hansen, if you look at what he did as a top 5 goal scorer in the USHL, it's shocking compared to what he has done as a Gopher--zilch! Same with Carmen, White, even Miller for that matter was a good captain and scored consistently in the USHL. What happened?

IMO? Chemisty is the main reason (there are other reasons, obviously). In the past, we got the best players, and they learned to meld into their role. Now? No one knows what their role is, either they try and do it all, or they all make that extra pass to each other trying to be the setup man or whatever, and end up not finishing.

It's discombulated. Last week, they did little wrong. They showed what they can be. This week? I'd have a better chance of scoring with Eliza Dushku.

Edit: I'm a Bills, Devils, Twins fan. I know the bitter end, for the most part.