Disturbing letter to editor

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ShaneFalco
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Post by ShaneFalco »

Warthog wrote: First, is that the most important thing about a program? Yes, winning a national championship would be great, but is that how you judge the success of the program? What about academic standing? Graduation rates?
Yes, winning a National Championship is the most important thing.

The hockey team has a much higher academic standing and graduation rate than the football and basketball teams year after year.
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Post by DWhite21 »

ShaneFalco wrote:
The hockey team has a much higher academic standing and graduation rate than the football and basketball teams year after year.
Big surprise there, eh? I've been in class with more than a few boneheaded football players over the last 4 years. Not to mention the fact that the hockey players stay out of trouble off the ice, something that a lot of basketball and football players have had trouble with over the years.
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Post by Freddie »

My hands tremble at the very thought of BGSU without varsity hockey.

A rumor like this (even if baseless) can spell catastrophy for our recruiting.

That said, I'm thinking it's about time that this 'dirty little secret' came out in the open.

With regard to the question of "why our beloved program is no longer nationally competitive", there seem to be two seperate trains of thought:
1. SP is a rotten coach
2. Our facility has fallen behind the curve

I suggest that BOTH of these issues really have their roots in the same soil, and that soil is the failure of sucessive administrations to recognize the value of hockey (both to the school and to the community). Miami and Notre Dame have each recently turned their programs around...one by building a great facility, the other by hiring a top notch coach. Neither of these schools could have possibly taken these actions without first making the tough decision..."sh*t, or get off the pot!"

The time is NOW. DECIDE!

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Post by BGFan »

Warthog wrote:puckster,

Yes, the hockey program plays against some biggies, but ask many students about Lake Superior St, Ferrris St, Nebraska-Omaha and they probably will say 'who the hell is that?' They play those schools, big and small, because there are so few teams that play Div I hockey, that they have play each other. You think OSU, UM, MSU, ND would be coming to BG to play if they had other options?
That's a baseless argument because hockey fans know the schools that they play. The University of Maine, Denver, and other small schools unknown outside of hockey are national powers. LSSU had their heyday shortly after BGs and won the national championship a couple of times. Inside the hockey circle's these teams are known.

I would invite you to come to a game, WH. I knew nothing about the sport before I came here...I was hooked after the first game.
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Post by rood »

Freddie wrote:Miami and Notre Dame have each recently turned their programs around...one by building a great facility, the other by hiring a top notch coach.
Damn, then what's going to happen when Notre Dame opens their new arena?
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Re: Warthog

Post by Falconboy »

bgpuckster wrote:So what sport do you love? If that were rumored to be dropped how would you feel? Name me the last major college sport that has won a national championship here at BG. What current sport brings Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Michigan State on campus to play? What other sport competes in a league with those teams? Football will never get any of those schools to come on campus and will never get a chance to compete for a national championship, ever! Basketball may have a slightly better shot at a national championship, but it still doesn't compete with the schools the hockey team does nor can bring them on campus. Further, the hockey team outdraws the basketball team pretty regularly still.

Bechstein has it right, the former players are waiting for the University to actually make an investment into the program before they will. How can Miami afford to field all three sports while having fewer students and BG can't? It's called priorities. It's time for this university to once again give the hockey program the priority it deserves!
I'm sorta with Warthog with this one , although I have gone to several hockey games in my day. Yeah, it is great that we do go up against top notch competition week in and week out with the likes of OSU, Mich, MSU, ND but we haven't been at that level for eons. We probably have passed the threshold for being able to compete in highly in Div.1 college hockey here with our funds being split with more nationally popular sports in basketball and football. I do wish we could keep the hockey program alive but where are we gonna get the funds to keep it at the high level , ie higher pay for better coaches and assistants and better facilities to bring in the recruits we need to compete? The OSU's , ND's, MSU's and Michigans are huge universities with tons of rich alums making donations every year. How else can some of those schools pay close to a million dollars a year for their coaches? We just can't compete financially with them in this sport.

Warthog said it, what big alum has donated a large sum of money to hockey lately. How about all of our former players in the NHL? Where are they? We haven't heard squat from any of em that I gather. You say we need a commitment from the university first , well why wait for them? How about all the alums with money that care so much about the program donate so the university has the money to buy out Paluch and start anew? BGSU is apparently going threw so hard times financially (as other schools are) and maybe are looking to cut the apparently least favored sport by the masses. I know you hockey fans here are die-hards like no other and you passion unmatched but there doesn't appear to be enough of you to make the difference that the university can see as a whole , and thats rather unfortunate. Personally , I'd love for BG to become a great basketball power like a Gonzaga. College basketball also gives us a legitimate chance competing for a NC via the Tourney. I'd almost prefer giving more resources to men's and women's basketball because of it. Cutting hockey at BG would be demoralizing to some of us yes, but other side is , we could sure bring up the level of our other main sports big time with the extra money which cost less anyway. Having said that though, I still hope hockey here can be saved if it is up for the chopping block like some believe , I just hope we can find the funds to do it right.
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Re: Warthog

Post by NWLB »

Falconboy wrote:
bgpuckster wrote:So what sport do you love? If that were rumored to be dropped how would you feel? Name me the last major college sport that has won a national championship here at BG. What current sport brings Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Michigan State on campus to play? What other sport competes in a league with those teams? Football will never get any of those schools to come on campus and will never get a chance to compete for a national championship, ever! Basketball may have a slightly better shot at a national championship, but it still doesn't compete with the schools the hockey team does nor can bring them on campus. Further, the hockey team outdraws the basketball team pretty regularly still.

Bechstein has it right, the former players are waiting for the University to actually make an investment into the program before they will. How can Miami afford to field all three sports while having fewer students and BG can't? It's called priorities. It's time for this university to once again give the hockey program the priority it deserves!
I'm sorta with Warthog with this one , although I have gone to several hockey games in my day. Yeah, it is great that we do go up against top notch competition week in and week out with the likes of OSU, Mich, MSU, ND but we haven't been at that level for eons. We probably have passed the threshold for being able to compete in highly in Div.1 college hockey here with our funds being split with more nationally popular sports in basketball and football. I do wish we could keep the hockey program alive but where are we gonna get the funds to keep it at the high level , ie higher pay for better coaches and assistants and better facilities to bring in the recruits we need to compete? The OSU's , ND's, MSU's and Michigans are huge universities with tons of rich alums making donations every year. How else can some of those schools pay close to a million dollars a year for their coaches? We just can't compete financially with them in this sport.

Warthog said it, what big alum has donated a large sum of money to hockey lately. How about all of our former players in the NHL? Where are they? We haven't heard squat from any of em that I gather. You say we need a commitment from the university first , well why wait for them? How about all the alums with money that care so much about the program donate so the university has the money to buy out Paluch and start anew? BGSU is apparently going threw so hard times financially (as other schools are) and maybe are looking to cut the apparently least favored sport by the masses. I know you hockey fans here are die-hards like no other and you passion unmatched but there doesn't appear to be enough of you to make the difference that the university can see as a whole , and thats rather unfortunate. Personally , I'd love for BG to become a great basketball power like a Gonzaga. College basketball also gives us a legitimate chance competing for a NC via the Tourney. I'd almost prefer giving more resources to men's and women's basketball because of it. Cutting hockey at BG would be demoralizing to some of us yes, but other side is , we could sure bring up the level of our other main sports big time with the extra money which cost less anyway. Having said that though, I still hope hockey here can be saved if it is up for the chopping block like some believe , I just hope we can find the funds to do it right.
Fboy are you trying to make a friend of Wart, or a point?

I'd bet that cutting hockey sees no major influx of money into any other sport. Oh, you can say "gee whize, but we'd have such an improved basketball team!" but it won't work that way.

People don't show to Anderson in part because the venue is a royal pain in the ass to get in and out of. I love the place, and have attended more games there than most anybody younger than my 34 years, even having been gone the last few. Yet I think the old dog needs to go, and I'm glad it is going in as far as improving the program is concerned.

If they are serious about this, they'll invest in a major building on campus, get a better coach, and get going with Hockey. A hockey program doing well will sell more Falcon Club memberships than cutting it will cost the University in goodwill.

Bottom line, I think people who believe no hockey will result in more money for other sports is smoking something.
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Re: Warthog

Post by BGFan »

Falconboy wrote:
bgpuckster wrote:So what sport do you love? If that were rumored to be dropped how would you feel? Name me the last major college sport that has won a national championship here at BG. What current sport brings Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Michigan State on campus to play? What other sport competes in a league with those teams? Football will never get any of those schools to come on campus and will never get a chance to compete for a national championship, ever! Basketball may have a slightly better shot at a national championship, but it still doesn't compete with the schools the hockey team does nor can bring them on campus. Further, the hockey team outdraws the basketball team pretty regularly still.

Bechstein has it right, the former players are waiting for the University to actually make an investment into the program before they will. How can Miami afford to field all three sports while having fewer students and BG can't? It's called priorities. It's time for this university to once again give the hockey program the priority it deserves!
I'm sorta with Warthog with this one , although I have gone to several hockey games in my day. Yeah, it is great that we do go up against top notch competition week in and week out with the likes of OSU, Mich, MSU, ND but we haven't been at that level for eons. We probably have passed the threshold for being able to compete in highly in Div.1 college hockey here with our funds being split with more nationally popular sports in basketball and football. I do wish we could keep the hockey program alive but where are we gonna get the funds to keep it at the high level , ie higher pay for better coaches and assistants and better facilities to bring in the recruits we need to compete? The OSU's , ND's, MSU's and Michigans are huge universities with tons of rich alums making donations every year. How else can some of those schools pay close to a million dollars a year for their coaches? We just can't compete financially with them in this sport.

Warthog said it, what big alum has donated a large sum of money to hockey lately. How about all of our former players in the NHL? Where are they? We haven't heard squat from any of em that I gather. You say we need a commitment from the university first , well why wait for them? How about all the alums with money that care so much about the program donate so the university has the money to buy out Paluch and start anew? BGSU is apparently going threw so hard times financially (as other schools are) and maybe are looking to cut the apparently least favored sport by the masses. I know you hockey fans here are die-hards like no other and you passion unmatched but there doesn't appear to be enough of you to make the difference that the university can see as a whole , and thats rather unfortunate. Personally , I'd love for BG to become a great basketball power like a Gonzaga. College basketball also gives us a legitimate chance competing for a NC via the Tourney. I'd almost prefer giving more resources to men's and women's basketball because of it. Cutting hockey at BG would be demoralizing to some of us yes, but other side is , we could sure bring up the level of our other main sports big time with the extra money which cost less anyway. Having said that though, I still hope hockey here can be saved if it is up for the chopping block like some believe , I just hope we can find the funds to do it right.
The coach's offices and lounge area as well as the locker room renovations were funded in large part be hockey alums. They matched what was raised in private donations. Go into the lounge and look around, you'll find their names there.

They will give....they've said it, but the university has to show that they will support the program as they did in the past. This program put the university on the map. I still run into people who, when they find out that I went to BG, mention that it has a great hockey program. Yes, even 20+ years later. People outside of the program are in denial when it comes to that fact. BG will NEVER be a football or basketball power outside of its league. It can, however, once again become a hockey power.

As for the other sports mentioned as possibilities to support...lacrosse? It and they are not money sports, hockey is. People pay to see hockey at BG and if we put a good product on the ice once again, people will pay more to see it.
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Post by BG84 »

BGDrew wrote:If our AD is that blind to the fact that hockey outdraws basketball from a wide margin and has a much better pipeline to the NHL, I don't want anything to do with BGSU athletics anymore.
Yeah. Weird how hockey is a better pipeline to the NHL than basketball is.

[:-D Hey, hey, take it easy. Just trying to lighten the mood.]
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Post by Falconboy »

Another thing to remember is that BG was real good in hockey way back when the nation was following hockey more. The '84 Olympics were huge for US hockey when we won. Basketball and football are much more popular sports and easier to grab fans with than hockey at this point in time I think. LSSU being good at one time or another means nothing to most casual fans. Outside the small circle of hockey fans , no one knows jack about these other small teams that are really good. I bet more people know about out women's basketball dynasty than know that BG won a NC in hockey 24 years ago. I guess what I'm saying more or less is , building up really good programs in football or basketball brings more notoriety and potentially more money to the university than success in hockey. If BG this year , somehow got on a ridiculous run and got the Frozen Four and won nobody would know anything about it except the huge college hockey fans. Hockey just isn't covered like other sports cuz more people in more areas are attracted to sports they have a chance of being able to play themselves. Its sucks but its the truth. I know its a baseless argument to most of you but it's just a thought.
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Post by NWLB »

FB, do you have nothing constructive to add, or are you betting the sport gets cut so you can crow about how it is for the best?

You or another has made the same damned argument about a dozen times. We know already. The key point is that this has been allowed to fester and remain, not that
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Post by TG1996 »

Falconboy wrote:The '84 Olympics were huge for US hockey when we won.
Now taking bids for who wants to handle this one... starting at $50. Do I hear $50? Can I get a $75?
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Re: Warthog

Post by Altoid_storm »

Falconboy wrote: I'm sorta with Warthog with this one , although I have gone to several hockey games in my day. Yeah, it is great that we do go up against top notch competition week in and week out with the likes of OSU, Mich, MSU, ND but we haven't been at that level for eons.
I don't really want to get in on this because I know things would just continue to spin out of control, but I don't think that really supports an argument to close a program. It does support making it better, doing something about it, but closing it seems nearly ludicrous from what you just said. Not trying to be undermining or anything, but even though the hockey team is still not doing as well as we want it to, people continue to go because of the love of the game. I'm not saying that other people are wrong in the financial reasons, but in my point of view I would be completely crushed. I am a student and have never missed a hockey game since I arrived three years ago. My plans get scheduled around hockey. That may sound weird to most people, but I always get new eyes on the game and I've met some amazing friends through the game.

I also agree that people within the hockey family know all about Northern and Western Michigan and Lake Superior...there are a lot of football teams that I don't know about but that doesn't make me want to cut football.

Anyway...continue....
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Post by It's the Journey... »

BGSU IS NOT CUTTING VARSITY HOCKEY!
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Post by Rightupinthere »

TG1996 wrote:
Falconboy wrote:The '84 Olympics were huge for US hockey when we won.
Now taking bids for who wants to handle this one... starting at $50. Do I hear $50? Can I get a $75?
:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:
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