Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winning

[gwhinwi]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

Yeah, I won't chant 'Sieve' at Jurusik this weekend. Nothing against him. This really seems like a situation where a kid got stuck in a situation where a program changed a players got stuck. Glad he found somewhere else to play and got his education taken care of.

[MadCityRich]

Yeah, I'm not with you here at all. It looks to me like Jurusik very likely got his scholarship pulled or drastically reduced. Since he's an out of state student, that meant he went from a full ride to having to pay $30-50k out of pocket to stay and "work harder". I have no problem with a kid doing what is in his best interest as an athelete and a student. He had Junior eligibility and a chance to find an opportunity and a scholarship which he did work hard for and received from Tech. Good kid that has nothing to apologize for here.

No apology needed to us fans and he can do what he wants, but he quit. We dont know the scholly situation so it's speculation; would the UW totally pull a scholly from a "starter'? He took his ball and went home for more playing time.

His words, "I had an idea that I was going to have to find elsewhere to find the playing time that I was looking for," Jurusik said. "I had it in my mind for a little bit but it came to the surface these past couple of weeks".

I just didn't agree with Tim hoping for a 1 - 0 win.

Back to current Badger hockey..........

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

I guess my problem is that I'd be fine if you wanted to characterize what Keegan Ford did as 'quitting'. Leaving a losing team in the lurch mid season, one that you were seeing plenty of ice time on is drastically different then Jurusik leaving in the summer knowing the Badgers had 4 roster goalies for the upcoming season. It's not like he left the team short, as if that were the case he undoubtedly wouldn't have left. He had an opportunity to get more playing time in Juniors and find a spot to play for his remaining two years of eligibility. That's all he gets in his entire lifetime -- two more years to play college hockey. Suggesting he's a quitter puts him in the same category with guys that actually quit. Don't like it.

So Keegan, who obviously had some maturity issues a few years back but has worked things out and is doing just fine for Tech, will also be returning to the Kohl Center along with Jurusik. Add in Trenton Bliss who was a Badger commit that apparently was spurned by the staff after a sub par year in Juniors, and you have 3 guys with some extra motivation to show up on Friday. Plus a couple more WI natives in Cooper Watson, (Appleton, Mad Caps) T.J. Polglaze, (Beloit, Janesville Jets) Alec Broetzman (Hudson, Mad Caps) So seems all that should spread around the team pretty easily and I expect the Techies to be flying from the puck drop. Should be a challenging weekend for the Badgers, who really need to nail down a couple more wins heading into this next 8-game murderous stretch vs. Sue, Goofs, OSU, and the Blue Weasels.

[KaMiGo]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

We dont know the scholly situation so it's speculation

All that any of us can offer is speculation. The only people who know exactly what happened are the people who were in the room for that conversation, probably the player and the coach.

For all we know the coaches may have suggested that he go somewhere else. I've seen these coaches take the stance of "we will tell a kid to go pro if we think he is ready, even to the detriment of our team". I honestly think that if the better option for a player is to find ice time with another team that the coaches will be honest and explain that.

I think the most likely situation is that the coaches sat him down and outlined the situation:
We have this guy coming in and expect him to be a stud this year
We have these other guys that we think are going to be good in the years after that
You are welcome to stay and contribute in any way that you can or you are free to pursue other options

The kid did what was best for him. There is only so much value to be had sitting on the bench (or being a healthy scratch) at UW. If he can find a situation where he is playing every game that is really the only option if he wants to get some playing time on film in hopes of playing after college.

[sunprairie]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

I’m with Tim (and others, well, apparently everyone but MCR.) I liked Jurusik a lot, think he was given a raw deal (especially once it was clear Hayton wasn’t going to be the stud we were promised), and am pretty sure the coaches laid out a scenario that walked Jurusik out the door for his own benefit. To use any of the media quotes after the fact when all parties were taking the high road they needed to take as “proof” that Jurusik is a quitter is laughable. The guy got brought in too early by Eaves and put into an unenviable position his freshman year and held his own. Then, after coming back from two injuries to play decently as the Badgers went to the playoffs, and starts to see the realization of helping carry a basement team into the light he finds out he’ll be riding the pine the next year? Yeah, not really presented with the best of options there for him personally. So just as Granato was completely justified in pursuing Hayton, Jurisik was justified to be frustrated and find the best path for himself to play college hockey. You can’t expect loyalty when none is offered in return. (And in hindsight, with the caveat of having as much (none) knowledge as anyone on this board, it seems that pushing Jurusik out for Hayton likely played a pretty big role in the locker room upheaval last year. I imagine Granato learned an important lesson in the importance of chemistry in a college locker room through the experience vs. the pros where you can more easily slide pieces in and out. These kids are elite athletes who understand competition, but they are also college kids who live together and study together. Taking out a well-liked (and decently performing) part of that group can lead to what we saw last year.)

So I also won’t be sieving him this weekend. I’ll be pulling for the Badgers to win, but agree that a 1-0 goalie clinic between Matt and Jack could be fun to watch.

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

I'm not going to yell anything specific about his transfer, but just like all the other college hockey goalies I have nothing against, normal treatment of a visiting goalie involves reminding him that he is a sieve. Nothing wrong with that in this context.

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

The opposing goalie is a sieve. Always was, always will be!

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

I wasn't brought up to quit when times got tough or I got beat out. I'd work harder. I've seen it more and more in college athletics.

You never know how things might work out, had he stayed. He certainly would have got a shot in goal, UW may have won more games and maybe even made the ncaa's. That's why staying the course is important, things tend to turn out differently than the way you predict they will. That's only if it was his call 100% to leave.

No one has talked about the season ticket drop this year, not surprising considering the results from last year. I may actually fulfill a lifelong dream and get a pair for Friday's next year, I can probably get a pretty choice location. I only would have to wait to the age of 51 to pull this off, it's never too late. Do season tickets include any deal on parking or not?

Very excited to watch the game tonight, I love watching Badger hockey.

[gwhinwi]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

You never know how things might work out, had he stayed. He certainly would have got a shot in goal, UW may have won more games and maybe even made the ncaa's. That's why staying the course is important, things tend to turn out differently than the way you predict they will. That's only if it was his call 100% to leave.

No one has talked about the season ticket drop this year, not surprising considering the results from last year. I may actually fulfill a lifelong dream and get a pair for Friday's next year, I can probably get a pretty choice location. I only would have to wait to the age of 51 to pull this off, it's never too late. Do season tickets include any deal on parking or not?

Very excited to watch the game tonight, I love watching Badger hockey.

If I would have driven to South Carolina, I would have won the lottery, and then I would have bought a place up there to come up for Friday and Saturday games. Oh, well. As it is, I'll be watching on the computer.

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

You never know how things might work out, had he stayed. He certainly would have got a shot in goal, UW may have won more games and maybe even made the ncaa's. That's why staying the course is important, things tend to turn out differently than the way you predict they will. That's only if it was his call 100% to leave.

No one has talked about the season ticket drop this year, not surprising considering the results from last year. I may actually fulfill a lifelong dream and get a pair for Friday's next year, I can probably get a pretty choice location. I only would have to wait to the age of 51 to pull this off, it's never too late. Do season tickets include any deal on parking or not?

Very excited to watch the game tonight, I love watching Badger hockey.

Parking is extra and no deal. $15/spot / game. You can park in city ramps for $8 on "special" game days, unless you need to be closer to the Kohl Center. Most times I can get creative and pay $0, but you do have to walk a little more.

[WiscDC]

No one has talked about the season ticket drop this year, not surprising considering the results from last year. I may actually fulfill a lifelong dream and get a pair for Friday's next year, I can probably get a pretty choice location. I only would have to wait to the age of 51 to pull this off, it's never too late. Do season tickets include any deal on parking or not?

I could (and do) talk about it until I get sick of my own talking, because there's such a disconnect between how the athletic department approaches the program and reality.

As much as they've ramped up the marketing in the last few years, that's going up from virtually zero to what should be the baseline for a team that sells out a Friday October game against Sacred Heart. Not even being at that baseline is what caused the crash early in this decade.

I've gotten to the point where I get a little agitated every time I hear anyone talk about the fans "coming back" because I get the sense they mean it literally. Barring a run to the national championship game (volleyball gives me hope on that front, winning won't bring people in the way they think. (Also, there's a huge difference in this program's context between having people attend games and having a fan base. You need a strong fan base.) This isn't like the Maple Leafs fans sitting and waiting for the team to stop sucking. If you don't have the fans in the first place, it doesn't matter. Winning WILL get a nonzero amount of people on board, but for the most part, people who don't care about college hockey will have absolutely no problem not caring about college hockey.

Just look at the student section. Only a smattering of students across the first level...because of a road football game? When I was a freshman, they were shoving football down our throats like we didn't already know what college football was, yet there were still more than a few Wisconsin hockey fans. If you have a healthy fan base, they won't even give a second thought to attending a hockey game versus watching the football team on TV. It was a no-brainer. You see it ALL THE TIME in pro sports, when seemingly random cheering happens at one team's game because another local team is in the playoffs.

They need to recognize that UW hockey is the biggest minor sport now, not the smallest/niche major sport here. Just like most soccer fans on campus never really become active diehard fans of UW soccer, UW hockey is seen as this thing you can go do, not a team to really get into. (It is for some, but it's not like 500 freshmen are rushing to get tickets, which is what you need at a minimum.)

Basically, what I'm saying is they're morons for not making the "upper reserved" tickets 10 dollars or less. The fans who understand that 20 bucks is a good deal for big time college hockey (sidenote: the more people in the building, the note valuable the experience of attending a game) are either back already or gone. That's what happens when you let more than a full cycle of students go through UW without prompting the one (that reasonably should be a) major program on campus that doesn't have inherent backing in US culture and sports media. Promote the history, but other than that, they have to treat it like a new program (e.g. Penn State) or a situation where they're bringing an existing decent program to unprecedented heights (e.g. UW volleyball) -- NOT just getting the people "back."

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

FYI the US sled hockey team is playing exhibitions against Norway at Madison Ice Arena next week (Nov 2-3). Both UW hockey teams (and the Capitols) are on the road.

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

Basically, what I'm saying is they're morons for not making the "upper reserved" tickets 10 dollars or less. The fans who understand that 20 bucks is a good deal for big time college hockey (sidenote: the more people in the building, the note valuable the experience of attending a game) are either back already or gone. "

Yep. At least I may buck the trend and be a 51 yr season ticket virgin.

[KaMiGo]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

Basically, what I'm saying is they're morons for not making the "upper reserved" tickets 10 dollars or less.

I've seen this talking point come up a lot, and I mean a lot, over the years.

I brought this topic to some people in the Athletic Department a few years ago and they recognized that there is a certain draw to having cheap tickets. They they also brought up a fair point along the lines of of "would it really matter?"

I can see both sides of the argument. I can also clearly admit that I'm not a social scientist, I have no education in live event marketing and production, I don't know what the answers are.
Point #1 - Lower costs will prompt more people to come...but are the people that aren't coming to the games really going to make a decision based on a $20 ticket vs a $10 ticket? Is that really the deciding factor?
Point #2 - Lower ticket prices will get more people in the door, and more people at the game means more concession sales, so you make more money...but if a person is in a situation where $10 vs $20 is the deal-breaker on even coming to the game, are they really going to spend money on concessions?

And please don't act like the Administration is blind to this. They haven't found the magic formula that gets nightly sellouts, but that doesn't mean that they don't recognize the problem or aren't taking steps to improve.
Every year they try a new marketing trick to see what they can do to get people in the stands.
Last year it was something about "buy tickets and get a sub from Cousins", I don't recall the exact details.
This year it is "Seats and Treats" where you buy 4 tickets in the 300 level for $60. So already the ticket price is down to $15 per ticket. You then get a $10 concession voucher WITH EACH TICKET, so that essentially drops the price of a ticket down to $5.

If the $20 ticket price is what is keeping people away, look for this promotion to sell out the 300 level at every game. I took at look at the ticket availability for tonight's game, I see roughly 45 tickets purchased out of this allotment...

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey 2018-2019: We can have a witty thread title when we start winnin

This year it is "Seats and Treats" where you buy 4 tickets in the 300 level for $60. So already the ticket price is down to $15 per ticket. You then get a $10 concession voucher WITH EACH TICKET, so that essentially drops the price of a ticket down to $5.

.

Ok... I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that seems like a pretty good deal.


Friday's were mostly a disaster last year and last Friday wasn't good. Time to change that is right now!

Projected lines:

Max Zimmer - Seamus Malone - Will Johnson

Linus Weissbach - Tarek Baker - Sean Dhooghe

Matthew Freytag - Mick Messner - Jack Gorniak

Roman Ahcan - Dominick Mersch - Brock Caufield

Wyatt Kalynuk - Tyler Inamoto

Josh Ess - Peter Tischke

K'Andre Miller - Ty Emberson

Extra defenseman: Jesper Peltonen

Jack Berry

Tischke and Ess are back together again as are Miller and Emberson who logged a lot of minutes on Team USA together last year. I thought Miller wasn't sharp last Friday and was very good last Saturday when reunited with his old linemate, so sounds good to me. Hoping Tischke is good to go all night after missing time with a foot injury this week. Looking forward to watching a good game.

Let's Go RED!!