RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

[rpihockeyfan13]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

http://www.timesunion.com/sports/art...pe-1047062.php

Appert has scheduled light practices for the week.

[AspyDad]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

Wow no one here can take criticism of a program that hasn't accomplished ANYTHING for a decade unless you are all happy with being a mediocre middle of the pack ECAC team. Appert is growing as a bench coach but as of today is not able to match up with many of the more veteran coaches in the league. What makes this harder is that there is program that is 15 miles down the road who has a coach that does more with less. And for you dopes that think Union is a trapping team, you haven't seen them play. This isn't the same old Union and I respect what they have done. D'Amigo & Pirri aside this team had enough talent and the best goaltender in the league and could not beat the last place team in a 2 out of 3 series on home ice. Last year, same story with different excuses. Maybe my expectations are too high but with the facilities and resources RPI has compared to others in the ECAC, I expect this team to be a consistent top 4 ECAC team and an NCAA bid 2 or 3 times a decade. We are not even close to that and I go back and forth wondering if this team is going to take a step backwards or forwards with what they have returning plus a very good freshman class. After next year we will be looking at replacing the best goaltender RPI as had since Darren Puppa (no offense to Marsters or Laing). All that said, I thing the program has potential to reach their goals with Seth and obviously not calling for his head but I hope, and I'm sure he does to, to see some growth from him as far as having this team ready on a consistant basis. I am sick of watching less talented teams come in and out play and out hustle us. And if anyone hear doesnt think RPI played tentative hockey in their overtime opportunities this year, I stronly disagree. Colgate took it to us in those overtimes and hit two posts before the game winning goal.

As far as you two nitwits obsession with Ken Schott, you have all summer to play big spoon and little spoon so enjoy yourselves. The crew that I sit with ( we are all at the top of Sec 14 if you ever want to find us ) was wondering if we could get you to wear matching diapers over your stretchy pants so you are easily identifiable at next years games. Sorry to you loyal and faithful RPI posters and thank you for your contributions on this board but I've had just about enough whining about ref's and Ken from these two jack*****es.

You're a tough guy. I'm a little sick of guys like you going after Coach after he has done so much for the program. That's how guys like you work, with the left handed compliments when you really want to blast SA. You're also the kinda of guy that likes to have the refs stick it in our ear and ask for another. You want to talk about "growth" from SA... how about a 20 win season, top 20 all year. BTW- if you and your buddies in Sec 14 talk about me and my brother's post during the game then you should get a life or thank us for having something to talk about instead of whining about your wives running your lives.

[AspyDad]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

http://www.timesunion.com/sports/art...pe-1047062.php

Appert has scheduled light practices for the week.

"After not sleeping and thinking about things and looking at the computer, it's still an outside chance, but there are things that can happen," Appert said. "It's realistic that we can get in."

I'm sure coach was looking at the always informative WaP and Tom's take on the whole scenario.

[johnk]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

You're a tough guy. I'm a little sick of guys like you going after Coach after he has done so much for the program. That's how guys like you work, with the left handed compliments when you really want to blast SA. You're also the kinda of guy that likes to have the refs stick it in our ear and ask for another. You want to talk about "growth" from SA... how about a 20 win season, top 20 all year. BTW- if you and your buddies in Sec 14 talk about me and my brother's post during the game then you should get a life or thank us for having something to talk about instead of whining about your wives running your lives.

What exactly has he done for the program compared to Fridgen, Powers or Adessa in their 1st 5 years? Just give me the facts. If you don't think there is alot of room for growth as a bench coach then continue to be happy with your 20 win season, barely over .500 ECAC record and 1st round playoff exit that got them nowhere! Good one about the wives! Someday if you choose to like women maybe you can get one! Or move to Vermont and you will be all set!

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

What exactly has he done for the program compared to Fridgen, Powers or Adessa in their 1st 5 years? Just give me the facts. If you don't think there is alot of room for growth as a bench coach then continue to be happy with your 20 win season, barely over .500 ECAC record and 1st round playoff exit that got them nowhere! Good one about the wives! Someday if you choose to like women maybe you can get one! Or move to Vermont and you will be all set!

By my count it is only the 12th time that we have had 20 or more wins, and the 6th of those when we have had exactly 20. Of course, for many years our schedule was much shorter.

[johnk]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

You are absolutely right. I hope AspyDad and his crowd don't negrep you too bad.


Whoever sent this, I could care less about the negative rep. I know alot more about this program than these two ********s will ever forget. And believe me I wish only the best for Appert and the team but enough with all the stroking with no results! RPI should never, and I mean never have an 9 year hiatus from the top 4 in the ECAC. Period. And as long as were talking about thhe last 5 years, if anyone out there doesn't think that there is a higher "commitment" towards hockey from the admin than there was for past regimes, they are mistaken!

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

By my count it is only the 12th time that we have had 20 or more wins, and the 6th of those when we have had exactly 20. Of course, for many years our schedule was much shorter.

OK, let's extrapolate it for the season length. Our record this year was a .608 (which remains as the highest record I have even seen RPI at to finish a year). How many times were we at or above that mark?

[johnk]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

Ok Ralph and what is your point? Buddy did it 3 times and only had 5 years here and Fridgen had 20 wins 3 times in his first 5 years. I think the bedwetters want to think that I am anti-Appert. Not true but being a realist he has alot to learn as far as his abilities behind the bench and game management. He is young! Hopefully it will improve. I know the coach in Schenectady sure has improved in his last 3 years so I can only hope the same for ours.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

OK, let's extrapolate it for the season length. Our record this year was a .608 (which remains as the highest record I have even seen RPI at to finish a year). How many times were we at or above that mark?

Much better measurement-winning percentage. It realy was unfair to characterize a season as successful just because we won 20 games-back in the old days we barely played 20 games

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

Ok Ralph and what is your point? Buddy did it 3 times and only had 5 years here and Fridgen had 20 wins 3 times in his first 5 years. I think the bedwetters want to think that I am anti-Appert. Not true but being a realist he has alot to learn as far as his abilities behind the bench and game management. He is young! Hopefully it will improve. I know the coach in Schenectady sure has improved in his last 3 years so I can only hope the same for ours.

My point is that it isn't something that has happened all that often.

FD08, you can count them http://www.augenblick.org/rpi/h_ryy.html. The last time was 99-00. Garry Kearns just made the Ring of Honor without ever reaching .600 record as coach.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

Ok Ralph and what is your point? Buddy did it 3 times and only had 5 years here and Fridgen had 20 wins 3 times in his first 5 years. I think the bedwetters want to think that I am anti-Appert. Not true but being a realist he has alot to learn as far as his abilities behind the bench and game management. He is young! Hopefully it will improve. I know the coach in Schenectady sure has improved in his last 3 years so I can only hope the same for ours.

I believe another point is that too much emphasis was being placed on the playoffs by certain people. Also, I like how people are tearing their hair out about February without giving any regards to what we did in October, November, December, or January.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

Also, to the Fridgen lover: Yes, he did OK in his first 5 years. Where did he go after that?

Appert has been going uphill since he got most of his boys in (I realize the sample size is 3 years). Fridgen and Powers were replacing the old coach. Appert is bringing in a style he believes will work.

[irishfan85]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

I believe another point is that too much emphasis was being placed on the playoffs by certain people. Also, I like how people are tearing their hair out about February without giving any regards to what we did in October, November, December, or January.

Well, most teams want to be winning in February, March and April. That is why. I'm not an RPI fan so I apologize for my intrusion. I've been to RPI twice when my team (Merrimack) played in the holiday tournament. I've always rooted for the little guys (like Merrimack is) such as RPI, Union, St. Lawrence, Duluth, Ferris State, etc. I liked the Houston Field House a lot. Great place to watch a game and cool set up.

I try to be as positive as possible about my program as it is a way to enjoy good college hockey. Obviously, I would rather see my team win than lose, but at the end of the day, one must realize that the game is over and move on. However, for a program to succeed, it must have expectations and the fan base must want to win and expect to win. Why? Fundraising and ticket sales are much better when the team is winning.

And, I'll tell you one other thing. I'd bet the house Coach Appert privately could care less about the good start if it doesn't mean post season success. Publicly, he'll say we still won 20 games, great senior class, etc, but that's all for PR.

[pensfan08]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

I think johnk has a good point about how we should realistically finish in the top 4 more often than not. There are either 4 or 5 (not sure if Colgate does athletic scholarships for hockey or not) schools that can technically give "athletic" scholarships, and we have better hockey facilities than at least 3 of those (Colgate, SLU, and Clarkson). I'm a Steelers fan and I prefer the attitude of that team where anything less than a Super Bowl win is considered a bad season. I think that for RPI anything less than a trip to the ECAC championship weekend should be considered a bad season.

And FlagDude the reason that people get irritated about losses in Feb versus the beginning of the season is that wins down the stretch generally setup teams for a playoff run. These last 2 years RPI has coasted/been on a slide into the playoffs and run into hot teams that smacked RPI around and sent them home.

[Red Cloud]

Re: RPI 2010-2011 V: The "Chase" to AC & Beyond

What exactly has he done for the program compared to Fridgen, Powers or Adessa in their 1st 5 years? Just give me the facts. If you don't think there is alot of room for growth as a bench coach then continue to be happy with your 20 win season, barely over .500 ECAC record and 1st round playoff exit that got them nowhere! Good one about the wives! Someday if you choose to like women maybe you can get one! Or move to Vermont and you will be all set!

I can't believe I ever wasted my time respecting you.

Has college hockey not changed one iota since Adessa's first five years? Since Powers or Fridgen's? The comparisons are bunk. Gee, did any of those guys have a Union, Dartmouth, Princeton, or Yale team that was worth a darn to recruit against or play against? Hang on, let me answer that one for you - no. They only had to recruit and play well against SLU, Clarkson, Cornell, Harvard, and occasionally Colgate when it came to the ECACs. Those four teams were so hideously bad back then on a year in, year out basis that you could skate your reserve players and still win. Today the league, top to bottom, is far more competitive than it ever was under the three men you mentioned, not to mention that Appert is the first of those four to be coaching in the ECAC when it was not generally on par with the other three major conferences during his first five years. Did you think about that? No, of course you didn't. So he's starting off right there with a bit of a handicap.

You want to know what Appert has done for the program? Try this on for size.
* We have increased our win totals in both of the last two seasons.
* We have put ourselves into the discussion for the NCAA tournament for the first time in over a decade.
* We have landed recruits good enough to have the NHL come calling after just one season. That's bringing in the talent.
* We have been in a position to compete for the first round bye for consecutive seasons for the first time since the ECAC adopted its current playoff system.
* We have seen the hockey program return to its position of prominence within the athletic department and the Institute.
* We've seen the Field House undergo renovations, including brand new locker rooms and the most state-of-the-art scoreboard in the league.

I'm sorry, John, am I boring you yet?

* We've watched as a freshman who was passed over by practically everyone grew into what should be a two-time ECAC Player of the Year (only two others have ever done that) and a two-time Hobey Baker Finalist. Was that just magic?
* We've watched as a highly touted young goaltender grew into one of the best backstops in the entire country.
* We watched expectations take a serious beating at the start of the year thanks to unexpected departures with no time to adjust for them, and still finished with a better record than last season.

No one here is suggesting that everything is running exactly as we'd like it to go. No, of course it isn't. We are all disappointed in the playoff results of the past two seasons and we all want the team to do better. The problem is, you see what happened in the past and you can't get by the negatives that exist. You simply can't see the forest for the trees, can you? What are the answers, John? Is it just to continue to bay and moan like a dog in heat? That seems to be your gameplan.

Pensfan08, I think, has done the right analysis of the situation. He/she sees that there are two areas of coaching in which Mr. Appert very obviously excels, and one that he clearly is growing at. You are willing to ignore the first two because they haven't resulted in championships to date (in spite of the items I discussed at the top, of course). He is the youngest coach in the ECAC. He spent years learning from one of the best in the business. His trendline on being a bench coach has been one of improvement, but that's not nearly fast enough for you. He has to shoulder the burden of those years before him when the team was struggling as well, doesn't he? Those years made him responsible for giving YOU a trophy NOW.

If you want instant gratification, I suggest you go elsewhere, John. You're in Niskayuna, it wouldn't be so far fetched for you to turn your car around and head the other way. Go root for Union, they're winning right now. That's all you need, isn't it? Winning right now? Go. Get your instant gratification. You know what, even better, why don't you just start rooting for Cornell? Their fans don't care how they win either, they just want to win. Whether the game is exciting or interesting is no item.

And now, when someone calls you out for being a whiner, your response is to call him gay. You're a big man, aren't you?

You have joined the ranks of those who only show up around here to whine and kvetch when things don't go our way. I hope you're proud. When we celebrate a championship in the near future, I hope you're just as invisible then as you were this season when we were lighting it up.

Now go ahead, John. Turn your guns on me. Let's go, tough guy. Call me a scumbag. Tell me I'm wrong for being upset when the referees screw up for the millionth time and make it harder for RPI to pick up points. Tell me Jacob Laliberte and Matt Neal are dog****. Oh, I'm sorry, you don't even know who those names are yet, do you? You want to pick on AspyDad for having opinions, you'd better come strong, and you haven't got jack.