Realization!/Rationalization?

[bc ziggy 58]

Saturday morning - checking scores - another disappointing loss.
Saturday morning - checking the standings - next to last.
Saturday morning - considering going back to bed - maybe after I finish.

Realization - our hockey program is in trouble.

PLEASE, before everyone ignites their flame throwers - I rank my passion for BGSU sports equal with anyone on this board. Lived in BG from the age of 2, season tickets for football, basketball, hockey for 18+ years, remember the days of Rick Allen, hockey cheerleaders Walt Piatkowski, Jeff, "the monk" Montgomery playing against Dean "the dream" Memminger in AA, Paul Myles, Dave Dudley's record-setting 99 yard TD catch, and I can go on and on. However, I must be honest and question the direction we find ourselves in at this point.

Rationalizations:
-Facilities - middle of the pack. Much better than some, need improvements compared to others.
-Tradition - UM far superior/ MSU & LSSU equal/ all others woefully behind.
-Name recognition (and there is little we can do about this) OSU/MSU/UM/ND command much more respect nation-wide than we could ever hope for. All others - equal except for maybe AF/NO.
-Rebuilding - I took the time to examine where our competition is in regard to prospects for the future. # of seniors found in the top 7 point producers for each team:
AF-0
FS-1
LSSU-3
MU-2
UM-1
MSU-2
N/O-0
NMU-4
ND-1
OSU-1
WMU-3
BGSU-3
-Atmosphere - "when" we can "pack the place" I can't imagine a more daunting venue for a visiting team to experience. Remembering the days of the late 70's and early to mid 80's, I know this for a fact. The recent game against UM brought back very fond memories.
Passion - from a player perspective - ??? From a coaching perspective - second to none. Pooch and his staff bleed orange and brown!
-Leadership - from a player perspective - ??? From a coaching perspective - ???

My ONLY goal with this post is to hopefully begin a lively discussion with the hopes of somehow/some way determining how to get this program back to the glory days I mentioned before. For all of my younger Falcon brothers and sisters, I have got to tell ya - if/when we return to those days, you will never be the same and that is exactly why I posted this!! We MUST return!!

[Rightupinthere]

I agree with many of your points. I found it interesting that the team finally came alive in the third after the second intermission.

The players seem to think that "it's the points, stupid" when should actually be playing better D in front of Horrell and Splatt (nothing person against the kid, this is just funny).

Horrell leaving the ice after the second gave them a reminder. UAF scored with under 10 seconds left to play. As soon as the horn sounded, John just took off for the door storming right by the bench. Good for him...and ultimately good for the team. The third period (what I was able to stay awake for, at least) showed this team can and should play good D and move the puck.

To add: the refs were a big help...to the Nanoos.

To facilities, I don't put much weight on this and I do expect some big announcements in the fairly near future. Gut reaction, but I have a feeling.

Good post but I do believe we have the coaches who will take BG back to the top. They just have to return BG's tradition of winning with defense and goaltending first. I believe they have the goaltender(s) to do that, they just need to get their heads into playing D.

Let's play some POOCH PUCK!

[Puckhead]

Wow, bc ziggy 58, you remember Rick Allen and Jack Hoogeveen.
Personally I still think that Roger Archer is one of the best d-men that we have ever had. You sound like you have a serious case of BG hockey induced heart break. I know the symptoms.

I agree with too much of your assessment. Pooch and Ron are doing a great job and are getting very good recruits.
Allow me to throw out for discussion, allow me to blaspheme:
I have heard from people that have played more hockey than myself that the coaches do not manage a game properly. I have heard that they do not use their bench well and do not match up with the opposing lines well.
I question the pre-game motivation. Why can we play well against Michigan and lose to Ferris? How do we come out and kick ass in the 3rd period after giving up 3 goals in the 2nd period?
Someone said that we will never get back to the gory days until we have a coach that has played in the NHL ie Red Berensen, I disagree with that.

Do we need a new arena, no! The U of M game proved that. We do need to massively refurbish the arena. We need to show the team, the coaches and the potential recruits that the University is committed to improve the program. Dr. Ribeau, now is the time to show leadership, put the full weight
of the President into reviving this program. BGSU deserves it, The City of Bowling Green deserves it.

Yes I have once again blasphemed toward the Arena, the coaches and the President. Llike bc ziggy58 I do this to provoke discussion;
then you can find a stake and and some old wooden hockey stickes.

[svillefalcon]

i am in just utter disbelief that we are second to last now in the conference...isnt this a team that we saw win 6 straight games? isnt this a team that was after the six game win streak 2 points out of 2 in teh conference? isnt this a team that just two weeks ago, blew out Michigan?what has happened? i really hope pooch knows what hes doing because we do not look like a very good hockey team right now, we just barely beat RIT! RIT! for god sakes. what is wrong with our guys! hopefully horrell storming off the ice was a nice kick in the pants for the defense because im starting to get fed up with us underachieving like this. thank you, i needed to vent a little bit

[Falconfreak90]

I was very diappointed when I saw the score. This has been a frustrating 3 weeks....3-6 in the last 9 games after the 6 game win streak.



C'MON ICERS!!! BEAT UAF!

[svillefalcon]

and one of those wins was against a non-conference powerpuff that we barely beat in RIT...very disappointing stretch...hopefully we can get on a nice roll going into the tournament!


get a a split tonight and then sweet those loser irish!

[bgsufalcon24]

Yeah, clearly we have lost our way a bit. We can't win on the road, having gotten blown out against Michigan and Lake Superior, and then losing to a sucky Fairbanks team last night. With our defense playing the way it is right now, we are going to be a one-and-done in the CCHA tournament. This is weird, like Svillefalcon said, this team was on the brink of contention for a first round bye, now it looks like we will be going on the road in round 1.

[TG1996]

this team was on the brink of contention for a first round bye, now it looks like we will be going on the road in round 1.

In fairness, that was with three or four games in hand over teams behind them, and 2nd-9th was about four points apart at the time. However, it IS a bit disappointing to see a team that has proven they CAN play with anyone in the conference give up goals in bunches like they have the past couple weeks.

[pdt1081]

i am in just utter disbelief that we are second to last now in the conference...isnt this a team that we saw win 6 straight games? isnt this a team that was after the six game win streak 2 points out of 2 in teh conference? isnt this a team that just two weeks ago, blew out Michigan?what has happened? i really hope pooch knows what hes doing because we do not look like a very good hockey team right now, we just barely beat RIT! RIT! for god sakes. what is wrong with our guys! hopefully horrell storming off the ice was a nice kick in the pants for the defense because im starting to get fed up with us underachieving like this. thank you, i needed to vent a little bit

Funny thing about those 6 straight wins is they occurred while class was not in session. :shrug:

[TG1996]

Funny thing about those 6 straight wins is they occurred while class was not in session. :shrug:

That's it!!! No more classes for the hockey team!!!

[bgsufalcon24]

Funny thing about those 6 straight wins is they occurred while class was not in session. :shrug:

That's it!!! No more classes for the hockey team!!!

Yeah seriously, where are our priorities?!

[BGDrew]

Ok, there's a few things that have been missing from the team all year. The biggest is "that guy" who you can go to for leadership. I see a leader in guys like Svendson and Matsy. Pooch has never been an in your face type of coach. He guides the team and expects his seniors to lead the team. There were just HUGE shoes to fill for this years Seniors and they haven't played consistent hockey since our streak. We've beat some of the best teams in the nation so the talent's there.

Just something to remember, we were only picked 8th in the CCHA.

[bc ziggy 58]

Ok, there's a few things that have been missing from the team all year. The biggest is "that guy" who you can go to for leadership. I see a leader in guys like Svendson and Matsy. Pooch has never been an in your face type of coach. He guides the team and expects his seniors to lead the team. There were just HUGE shoes to fill for this years Seniors and they haven't played consistent hockey since our streak. We've beat some of the best teams in the nation so the talent's there.

Just something to remember, we were only picked 8th in the CCHA.

BGD - I think you hit the "nail on the head". "Leadership" is the only area found in my post above where there were nothing but ???. I don't see "that young man" who can take this team to where it needs to be. Pooch's make up is not that way, at least from what we can see, nor have I seen a player who has just gotten pissed off when things don't go our way. A position of leadership must be earned. Maybe one of our current sophs can step up next year and become this person we desperately need. (and yes, unless the good Lord intervenes, too late for this season. Sorry )

[The Niz]

The leadership thing is a problem. Even off the ice when I see them together in the dining hall there isn't the one guy they all have that special respect the captain always gets.

[dannyk]

I think that leadership may be somewhat of a problem, but more inportant is the fact that this team will never be in the top 3 or 4 of the ccha with avg goaltending. This goes for ferris, western, as well. We barely got home ice last year with the best goaile in the nation. I just think that some of you guys might have too high of expextations. (not that it is a bad thing) We are never going to be able to recruit evenly against UM, MSU, OSU etc. I think that we should have maybe a win or two more in conference, but at the same time we have stolen a few games, so it all evens out.

If you look at recruiting many of the top players come out of the US under 17 and 18 teams. I dont think we have ever gotten one of these players in the 10 or so years this program has existed. While Michigan, Minnesota's rosters are littered with these players as well as many other teams.

Im not saying you cant be successful if you dont get any of these kids it just is a barometer to measure top recruting.

Last rant and Im done- We keep saying Pooch is a great recruiter.Which I think he is. If this is true I guess every other ccha coach is better than great, which on a traditional rating system leaves us at below average