RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

[AspyDad]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

can we stop with the player-oriented titles?

Would like to blame Ralph but this one is on me.

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

I hate to change such a happy subject, but I got an answer from my "ask the AD" question.
The answer came from Kevin Beattie. I will quote the last ten words of his very straight answer.
"and have no desire to look at any other league".
I thanked him and told him that I agree with this as long as the ECACHL stays in tact. JMO

[Red Cloud]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

Don't what? Hope RPI succeeds?

Look, speaking personally, I get kind of annoyed when fans of other teams come here and heap pity upon my team. It's like pouring salt in the wound. I don't want my team to be pitied, I want it to be feared. Spoken of in the hushed whispers previously reserved for some crusty Old Testament god or something, lest one incurs their mighty wrath.

When I see other teams down, even teams I tolerate, I don't pity them. It's one less team to worry about on the road to glory. So all I'm asking is that you just enjoy watching your team beat the **** out of my team and allow me to suffer in peace.

At least you're consistent with it, though. I was a bit harsher with sshablak because over the last two years all he could do was talk smack.

[jmhusker]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

Finally got to see a game and meet some folks yesterday. Met Babo and she is as AD advertises, just a warm and gracious person. Also met flag dude who drove all the way out from Syracuse to see the game. Now that's a fan.

As for the game,.... yes we got smoked but that was a very good team we played - they will be in the hunt for the HE title this year. The boys just look like they are tight and are over thinking it - especially the defencemen. Every mistake we made seemed to result in a goal. We need to start making the simple plays instead of trying to find the clever ones. Since there are enough negative vibes out there, I'll toss out a few positives that I saw:

• Haggarty has it. He skates, plays with an edge and can finish.
• Thought playing the freshmen on O was the right move. Someone mentioned that we wouldn't have lost so badly if the upperclassmen played. I'm not so sure as most of the mistakes I saw were on the D (and not the freshmen D)
• Luke Curardi looks fine to me. A stay at home type who keeps it simple. Big reach helps break up plays. Might not be the best skater out there but seems to think the game well.
• Higgs, Haggerty Laliberte line is going to score a lot of goals at some point. Hopefully it stats this year.
• Thought our PP was pretty good. Lots of good looks but a coulple of tough bounces after some side to side passes down low prevented us from finishing a couple of good setups.

Let's hope this is the nadir of the season. I'm heading back tonight and we'll see if some of my first impressions are reinforced. Actually leaving right now with the entire family for a fun filled day at Old Sturbridge Village followed by what I hope will be a win.

[redhead18]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

I hate to change such a happy subject, but I got an answer from my "ask the AD" question.
The answer came from Kevin Beattie. I will quote the last ten words of his very straight answer.
"and have no desire to look at any other league".
I thanked him and told him that I agree with this as long as the ECACHL stays in tact. JMO

Not surprised at all based on what he and Appert told Ken Schott back in September:


http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/...hockey-with-v/

"We're absolutely confident that the ECAC is a superb league," Knowlton said. "Academically, it's the same kind of institutions that we want to be surrounded by, and we feel very, very comfortable at where we are. I've talked to many folks in the league, and our concern is we want to be members and partners with those teams on our league. I'm very confident that everyone feels good about our league and wants to be part of that league."

"We're happy with ECAC Hockey," Knowlton said. "We do not want to be making decisions because of what someone else is doing. I feel very confident that we're in a good spot. We're where we like to be, where we want to be and we have a lot of great rivalries in our league that I would not want to lose by going some place else."

"I have tremendous respect for our league," said Appert, who guided the Engineers to their first NCAA tournament last season, their first appearance in it since 1995. "In the five years I've been here, I've seen the league continue to grow and get better, with three teams in the national tournament last year. We were one percentage point from a fourth team going. I see our league getting stronger.
"With all the changes to the different conferences, our league has gained strength because we've stayed together, and we're getting stronger as individual members, which makes our league collectively stronger. I really enjoy competing in this league. One through 12, it's the most competitive league in college hockey. You can see by what was accomplished last year, with so many teams being ranked in the top 20 in the country and by three teams making the national tournament, that we can, once again, make ECAC Hockey one of, if not the premier league in college hockey."

I fully believe Hockey East will stay with 11 teams as long as they want to and if UConn is indeed serious about upgrading its program then I think theres a good chance they will be team #12. We just have to trust these guys that the league will remain strong and in tact after all the realignment in 2013.

[ServinisScores]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

I covered the team for the Poly during the forgettable 1981-1982 season (9-18-2) and even though they were woefully outgunned, there was a sense that things were going to get better. We had just enrolled our first scholarship class that included the senior heart of the '85 team's defense (Friday, Hammond and Langevin) and heard stories about some of the great talent that was coming in the following year. I remember being in the lobby of the team hotel near Northeastern while the coaches were sitting with a young kid talking and reviewing some papers. I asked who it was and was told, "That's John Carter. He's one of the top recruits in Mass and he's coming on a scholarship. Just wait until you see him play." There were also rumors of some top notch recruits coming from Ontario. As we all know, that '82 entering class was one of the greatest in the history of college hockey.

I had a similar sense about this coaching staff in recent years, but with a couple of key exceptions. While the talent level seemed to be improving (albeit nothing like that '82 class), the team hasn't displayed the discipline and consistency that Mike demanded of his players. While I'm not sure he could get away with his drill sergeant/highly regimented approach (Mike was a football player) today, he would not have accepted the poorly timed penalties and breakdowns that have haunted this team. I want to keep my "I believe in Seth Appert" poster, but my fear is that we may have the Steve Lavin of college hockey - a guy who looks/sounds good and can recruit well but is dependent on others (JFK, CP, Monty, ?) to provide the leadership and structure for success. When those people aren't around or performing well the team too often seems rudderless.

Hopefully the team will bring me in from the ledge with a solid two-way performance against Army that leads to a much stronger second half. Then I'll gladly take the abuse I deserve for having been weak of faith. Please boys, make me look bad.

Great post, I remember quite a few beat downs that year (Colgate!) but I really think its a testament to Coach Mike and how good he was.

[REDaero91]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

The boys just look like they are tight and are over thinking it - especially the defencemen. Every mistake we made seemed to result in a goal. We need to start making the simple plays instead of trying to find the clever ones.

I wasn't watching, but that seems to have become a theme this season. I think at this point it might help (certainly couldn't hurt) for someone to say to the team, "Look. Throw the record, throw the season out the window. This is hockey. It's supposed to be fun. Stop stressing about how you've done so far, how you're going to do in the future. Focus on the game you're playing in RIGHT NOW, and enjoy it. Have fun out there." I think that might help our scoring (and maybe even defense) more than drills and bag skates. I know several NHL teams who struggled early in the season have mentioned that they switched their focus to taking their game back to basics, and that has helped them tremendously. Additionally, lots of the NHL teams who're winning right now are remarking on how much fun their players are having while they're on the ice-keeping loose is definitely helping them out.

[hockeyplayer1015]

I wasn't watching, but that seems to have become a theme this season. I think at this point it might help (certainly couldn't hurt) for someone to say to the team, "Look. Throw the record, throw the season out the window. This is hockey. It's supposed to be fun. Stop stressing about how you've done so far, how you're going to do in the future. Focus on the game you're playing in RIGHT NOW, and enjoy it. Have fun out there." I think that might help our scoring (and maybe even defense) more than drills and bag skates. I know several NHL teams who struggled early in the season have mentioned that they switched their focus to taking their game back to basics, and that has helped them tremendously. Additionally, lots of the NHL teams who're winning right now are remarking on how much fun their players are having while they're on the ice-keeping loose is definitely helping them out.

See: Baltimore Orioles every September. Oh, we won the April Pennant, sucked until August, then started just playing the game and winning?

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

On offense, Schroeder and Laliberte appear to be playing better than at the start of the season, probably also McGowen. Haggerty has played quite consistantly, and Neal hasn't played enough to say. Can't comment on the Ds and Diebold except to say that Curadi is getting more ice time. So they have been getting better.

I think I was trying to indicate improvement from year to year as they moved on to upper classes. I agree though, this freshman group looks solid and we should expect far better in the future.

[Senna]

I wasn't watching, but that seems to have become a theme this season. I think at this point it might help (certainly couldn't hurt) for someone to say to the team, "Look. Throw the record, throw the season out the window. This is hockey. It's supposed to be fun. Stop stressing about how you've done so far, how you're going to do in the future. Focus on the game you're playing in RIGHT NOW, and enjoy it. Have fun out there." I think that might help our scoring (and maybe even defense) more than drills and bag skates. I know several NHL teams who struggled early in the season have mentioned that they switched their focus to taking their game back to basics, and that has helped them tremendously. Additionally, lots of the NHL teams who're winning right now are remarking on how much fun their players are having while they're on the ice-keeping loose is definitely helping them out.

Exactly. Every one of these kids has won / succeeded at every level they have played at. Turn them loose and let them open it up. We might have breakdowns and miscues, but I'm sensing that the kids are playing as if afraid to make mistakes rather than to strive and be great. Let's just start having some fun and using the speed and skill that we have.

[Senna]

Finally got to see a game and meet some folks yesterday. Met Babo and she is as AD advertises, just a warm and gracious person. Also met flag dude who drove all the way out from Syracuse to see the game. Now that's a fan.

As for the game,.... yes we got smoked but that was a very good team we played - they will be in the hunt for the HE title this year. The boys just look like they are tight and are over thinking it - especially the defencemen. Every mistake we made seemed to result in a goal. We need to start making the simple plays instead of trying to find the clever ones. Since there are enough negative vibes out there, I'll toss out a few positives that I saw:

• Haggarty has it. He skates, plays with an edge and can finish.
• Thought playing the freshmen on O was the right move. Someone mentioned that we wouldn't have lost so badly if the upperclassmen played. I'm not so sure as most of the mistakes I saw were on the D (and not the freshmen D)
• Luke Curardi looks fine to me. A stay at home type who keeps it simple. Big reach helps break up plays. Might not be the best skater out there but seems to think the game well.
• Higgs, Haggerty Laliberte line is going to score a lot of goals at some point. Hopefully it stats this year.
• Thought our PP was pretty good. Lots of good looks but a coulple of tough bounces after some side to side passes down low prevented us from finishing a couple of good setups.

Let's hope this is the nadir of the season. I'm heading back tonight and we'll see if some of my first impressions are reinforced. Actually leaving right now with the entire family for a fun filled day at Old Sturbridge Village followed by what I hope will be a win.

Again, a +1 here. Babo is awesome, and extremely gracious. She has been fantastic with me and my boys, and I'll always appreciate that. I agree that we need to make simple and do what has been advertised that we do best - skate. I have loved the way that Haggerty has played all year, and think that Neal is right there too (to bad that is was out injured for so long). The BRO is going to be just fine. Recall that Koudys and LeBoeuf both didn't dress quite a bit last year and are regulars this year. JL is rally starting to look as billed, confident and reding the game. We are going to be fine and agree that at this point we are just over thinking, over strategizing, over everything. Let them loose. Challenge them to be great, and not worry about making mistakes. They always happen anyway. If this team loosens up, I still wouldn't want to be playing them regardless of our record.

[hockeymascot]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

In looking at UMass Lowell yesterday, and comparing the youth of both teams......here is a breakdown of the lineup by class/position:

UMass Lowell

Fwds......4 Fr......4 Soph.......1 Jr......3 Sr

Def........2 Fr......2 Soph.......1 Jr......1 Sr

Goal......2 So



RPI

Fwds.......5 Fr........3 Soph.....2 Jr......1 Sr........1 Gr

Def..........2 Fr........2 Soph.....1 Jr......1 Sr

Goal.........1 Fr.......1 Soph

Youth of both teams are equal in my opinion!

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

For those who plan in advance, next year's non-travel-partner ECAC schedule http://elf.elynah.com/file.php/1/508...s_Schedule.pdf.

[Red Cloud]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

Link fail.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2011 - 12 Part IV: We ain't Bailen on this season yet, Go Red!!

Link fail.

it works for me. i got it from this thread http://elf.elynah.com/read.php?1,173021. Does that work?

Conceivably, one has to be a member of eLynah. I'll post RPI's games in a few minutes.