New Assistant Hockey Coach.............

[Falcon Fanatic]

Bought and pay for by a man I used to sleep with.

......wow......just wow.....

[Bleeding Orange]

Bought and pay for by a man I used to sleep with.

......wow......just wow.....

I chose to constructively ignore that comment, but you people just have to keep talking about it! How the heck is a boy supposed to remain sane around here?

[Rightupinthere]

Before this gets out of control and I get censured by the webmaster, AyZiggyZooma, Goose, and VA SqueekStick were all roommates in Haven House back in 91-92.

I thought that was common knowledge on this board....which is why my comment was more humorous.

I guess most things are funnier in my head. Like right now, I'm imagining assorted vine fruits wearing thong underwear. Funny, funny stuff.

[BGFan]

Dannyk has an opinion so do her juvenile detractors, or are they Adults who hide behind their anger when their opinion differs from someone like Dannyk.

DANNYK express your views, in the USA it's still a RIGHT.

Come on boy's abuse me for disagreeing with your views about Dannyk (not necessarily about your hockey views).

Anger is hardly the word I would use to describe it. Humor perhaps, but hardly anger. His/her or whatever, comments literally invited reprisal. How could they not? Comments on our program, coaching staff, etc., etc. We bring someone in to the program of a high caliber and it's questioned as to why he would want to be here? Isn't the challenge of bringing a program that was once at the top of the NCAA back to prominence enough? The school is currently making some improvements to the facility which tells me that they're now on the same track and mindset to bring our program back. Therefore let's get the best people we can to help do that. The primary job of an assistant coach is recruiting, and Danny, you're right when you say that bringing Coach Cole here will help that immensely. He has the pedigree we need in a recruiter to bring in the best players. He also has the experience he needs to quickly move into the number one assistant's spot without a hiccup when Coach Fogerty decides to move on.

From the outside looking in, there have been problems on this team. Nobody can look at it and say otherwise. But to say that Coach Paluch shouldn't be the head coach or that Danton Cole should replace him as a head coach is plain asinine. Paluch has been working with somebody else’s recruits for the last four years, some of who didn't appreciate his stance on discipline, to say the least, and fought it every step of the way. To have a former player recently refer to the actions of a couple of players as a "cancer" on the team speaks volumes about what this coaching staff dealt with this year. Paluch and company are now working with all of their own recruits. Players that they have hand picked with the attitude and drive that they're looking for. If no improvement is seen in the next couple of years then, perhaps, we can question his ability to move this team in the right direction. My gut feeling, though, is that a coach of the year award will soon be on his mantle due to the type of people and caliber of players he's been bringing into the program

[FalconBlue]

Some fans live in a dream world and some are closer to the trenches, some see “pie in the sky” others see reality. I wish Pooch luck; he’s going to need it because the players do not respect Scott Paluch. The last few hockey banquets are proof enough. As a person he’s Mr. Nice Guy and as the expression goes “Nice Guy’s Finish Last”. (Note the humor BGFan).

Danton Cole will be an asset to the team, but even he may not be able to overcome the negatives. Rob Blake et al in a recent confrontation (circa 2005/2006) with the coaching staff had it right (I hear) but I’m sure you know all about that incident because I assume you are closer to the coaching staff than most of us. If not, research it and get back to us here on the forum.

I hope constructive abuse from the regular “gang” will be informative to the rest of the forum. We all want this program to achieve its former glory and not to be the doormat of the CCHA. I cannot pretend to “know it all” but unless the new AD has a passion for getting this program on track, it will languish in the cellar.

Heard on the Northern Michigan web cast was the comment that they (NMU) should no be loseing to a program like Bowling Green because BG was just not in the same class as Northern Michigan and have not been for a long time. Where’s the respect? Do you think the players are oblivious of the disrespect they get in the CCHA?

It takes commitment, chemistry and hard work to turn a program around and less compliance with the demands of “family advisors” as is the case today. All College sport is subject to outside influences, it takes balls to run your own show.

Go ahead, ABUSE me…

[TG1996]

FalconBlue.... don't you have a Red Wings article to post or something?

Seriously, though, I know nothing about the inner workings of this program, but I tend to think that the situation sits pretty firmly in the middle of the two sides of the "argument" here. Or at least 70/30. Toward the "dream world".

[ZiggyZoomba]

Before this gets out of control and I get censured by the webmaster, AyZiggyZooma, Goose, and VA SqueekStick were all roommates in Haven House back in 91-92.

I thought that was common knowledge on this board....which is why my comment was more humorous.

I guess most things are funnier in my head. Like right now, I'm imagining assorted vine fruits wearing thong underwear. Funny, funny stuff.

You never really slept with me though.... except that one time... at band camp....

[BGFan]

This is the last post I'm going to make on this subject, after which we can agree to disagree if you wish.

IMO, and this comes from personal experience, the members of this hockey team that caused the greatest amount of strife through the rest of the team are now gone. How this team plays depends a great deal on the leadership within the team....not the coaches, but the seniors and the captains. The '04-'05 team had good leadership within the team and were able to stifle the problems coming from a few of the other members that caused the most problems. Once those leaders left there was no one with the leadership qualities needed to keep in check the "cancer" on the team. (A cancer that should have been forceably cut out a while back.) The result was self evident.

Can this team rebound now that the cancer is gone? Or is it too late because the cancer has spread? We'll find out next season.

One last thing, four years isn't long enough to access a hockey coach's abilities. I don't deny that some coaches have come into other sports and have made an immediate impact, but that rarely happens in hockey. Even Berenson didn't do it right away. He had 3 losing seasons before turning in a winning record and it took him 8 years to win the regular season title. Give Pooch another couple of years before giving up on him.

[Dublin Falcon]

Very interesting posts. I am curious about the Blake situation - what exactly happened?

As far as Scott and Ron...there seems to be a fair number of posts stating negatively about the Senior class's attitudes - but now they are gone and much of how well BG does is predicated on their recruting. It looks better than in years past based on some recruiting services but if CSB rankings mean anything, only Kantola and Matso are rated. McIlrath was last year.

I think the reality as stated by the NMU fans is accurate as I indicated in another thread I staretd - less than a 6th place average finish for past 16 years.

That all being said - a new President and AD who support hockey, a few top 6 finishes versus bottom 6 and evidence Scott can do it and BG could right the ship, there is no doubt about it in my mind. However, IMO BG has really lost their competitive edge versus not only the 3 Big 10 schools but also Miami, NMU and maybe even Neb-O meaning we are boarderline upper division. I think the CCHA has gotten more balanced the last 10 years meaing wide swings in finishes from year to year are possible but IMO, the WCHA and Hockey East put out more talent and overall more real top teams.

That is why I have advocated that we need to be a bit more paniced (not meaning to put the heat on Scott and Ron yet) but when President, AD and facilities are concerned, BG needs EVERY advantage to get a sinking ship turned around. If it can't be dome in the next 2-3 years I could not see if it ever would.

Just some thoughts..

[FalconBlue]

BGFan and Dublin Falcon, thanks for you calm logical thinking. Progress at last!!
Even TG1996 made a valuable point.

Go Red Wings!!!!

[TG1996]

Even TG1996 made a valuable point.

Dear God... help us all!!!

[McConvey]

That all being said - a new President and AD who support hockey, a few top 6 finishes versus bottom 6 and evidence Scott can do it and BG could right the ship, there is no doubt about it in my mind. However, IMO BG has really lost their competitive edge versus not only the 3 Big 10 schools but also Miami, NMU and maybe even Neb-O meaning we are boarderline upper division. I think the CCHA has gotten more balanced the last 10 years meaing wide swings in finishes from year to year are possible but IMO, the WCHA and Hockey East put out more talent and overall more real top teams.

Just some observations regarding your last comment up there.

Hockey East is four teams: BC, BU, Maine, and UNH. Don't think that even for a moment anyone of the othe six teams are anywhere near that sort of calibre. We like to pretend we are because on any given night we can knock off one of the top four, but then the same can be said of anybody in any league. Proof: Alaska-Fairbanks seemed to take that to a whole new level this past season, knocking off #1s like it was going out of style.

A couple of months ago I decided to see how many different teams from the CCHA, Hockey East and the WCHA had made it to the NCAA tournament since 2000. If you subtract out the 'Big guns' (for the CCHA I used Michigan and Michigan State, for Hockey East BC, BU, Maine and UNH) then Hockey East has only sent one team to the tournament, Providence in 2000. They lost. The CCHA has sent (in no particular order) Ferris State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami and Nebraska-Omaha. FSU even won a game. Being that Hockey East has more 'Big guns' than the CCHA, but the CCHA sends a variety of teams, I'd put the two leagues on par with one another. Also, if you look at the regular season records of Hockey East schools vs. CCHA schools, HE is below .500 in the last two years (and maybe the last four, I forget exactly and I'm too lazy to go to HE's site and look it up).
As for the WCHA, they're far and away the best of the best right now: aside from winning the last five national championships, every team in the league except Michigan Tech, Alaska-Anchorage and Mankato has been to the tourney in that same span.

Talent-wise, do you mean teams as a whole or specific individual players? If you're talking about individuals, then I'd agree with your assessment that the WCHA and Hockey East turn out more raw talent. But I feel that a lot of that is proximity: although they're facing some threats that weren't present 15-20 years ago, I'd still argue that Minnesota churns out the most talented players because of the youth systems that are in place. Something like 50% of all NCAA players are from Minnesota (I forget the exact numbers, I apologize. It might only be 40%). Most kids in Minnesota grow up dreaming of playing for the Gophers. And if that ends up not happening, they still have four NCAA schools to choose from right there in state.
The next state for churning out kids is Massachusetts. Mass. likes to think its the best but sorry, you're second to Minnesota in this regard. Mass kids also grow up playing right around home and have nine schools to choose from (I don't think I'm forgetting any Atlantic Hockey schools in that count).

My long-winded point is that the WCHA and Hockey East have the advantage of recruiting their local talent. Ohio on the other hand, doesn't churn out too many players to begin with and those that are from Ohio go off to play juniors somewhere else. And they leave home at a much earlier age than kids from Minnesota or Massachusetts that do go play juniors before going to the NCAA.

FWIW -- Michigan is state #3. And where do the cream of the crop that hail from Michigan end up? Usually Michigan or Michigan State.

[bgbill]

McConvey, I agree completely, and would like to add that Minnesota has the advantage of growing players who don't necessarily have to come from middle and upper middle class backgrounds in order to participate. I've seen too many kids who are just plain spoiled, and aren't as willing to be a team player and follow team rules. I feel a lot better about every class going in to the '06-'07 season at BG now. I think the little princes are finally out of the system.

[Dublin Falcon]

Please elaborate about the Blake situation.

[jussi1]

With the addition of Danton Cole to the program it brings someone that can turn this program around. He will be the future head coach of this program after scott paulch is let go after this up coming season. (Only a prediction). Danton cole has proven him self where ever he has been. Scott paulch has just lived he coaching days on the coat tails of Jerry york and him being part of the early success of bg in the 80's. It is unfortunate that Jamie Dumont left the program he seemed like he was a up and coming coach that could relate to these players.