Hockey at Miami has been a great success (eons ago) and is now a waste of athletic dept funds. We are not close to competitive with anybody. These weekends disasters have been occurring much too regularly. Like entire seasons.
And now, Berg says the team quit? In the second period? At home? I’ve said many times over the year in other sports that we might not be good but at least there was no quit/played hard. We might not have had great teams, but seldom did we fade or, G-d forbid, quit. This is a serious indictment of and by Bergeron. Several years ago, Michigan State’s fball coach, after a loss, was asked if he had “lost” the team. His answer–“I don’t know.” The AD, the former successful hockey coach, fired him the next day. He said that if the coach didn’t know if he had lost them, then he could no longer be an effective coach. Are we there?
The budget for hockey is $3.9 million (or so). I am at the point where I am questioning keeping hockey at anything other than at club level. But that would be a waste of an expensive facility to build, run and maintain. And b/c of Title 9, we must give women’s sports an equal number of 'ships and funds. (No, I support women’s sports and they have been the only bright light on campus).So, do we continue to get our asses handed to us? Do we tolerate a team that is well funded and has a great facility that has failed miserably and now–quit? Do we spend the time and energy to transfer to a new/MAC league, which would require a great deal of planning and probably cost a bunch to accomplish?
Time for a serious discussion about dropping hockey and making the facility our new Millett. Keep the second ice surface for women’s syncro skating and hockey and intramurals, community, etc. Yes, hockey appears to pay for itself, but the losses and insulting efforts are unacceptable and can not be tolerated.
Sorry, Bonk. It brings me no joy to write this. I have many fond memories of hockey at Old and New Goggin. But at some point, reality smacks us in the face.
My theory that I’m starting to think could be fact is that the locker room is bugged and someone sells our game plans to opposing coaches or maybe they tap a hidden feed. Prove me wrong!!
Just kidding. Sorta?
Team simply does not have the talent to compete in the NCHC. Out manned most of the time.
8-0 at home?
Need to change conference.
…but past info shared by Bonk and others details a huge exit clause from NCHC…would we be able to squirm out of it if we dropped hockey altogether? If we did, it would be intriguing to convert arena to hoops but maintain the practice ice for recreational uses.
Now it appears to me the only way to reasonably compete and have hockey survive is a mandated NCAA rule that could force us into a nice regional “MAC plus” kind of league.
Will a new conference logo change the quality of recruits or ability of the staff to build a team that improves over 4 years and competes against an opponent? We are allegedly in the best league in the world. So, what has it benefited us? If we can’t recruit to a “P5” school, what makes you think we can recruit at a lower level? Or will we simply accept less talented players to play against a weaker conference opponents?
Sounds like we may be willing to eat day old bread.
I eat day old sushi. Just sayin’
We have to remember that hockey became popular with students when we player Mich, OSU, ND, Mich State, etc at home. We lost for years, but the support was there. When we were a power and ranked #1, they came.Will students and others support playing in a MAC league? Probably about as much as students support our home games versus MAC teams in bball and fball. Maybe marginally better.
Is it easier being a competitive PAC or B12 school to recruit versus being a bottom feeder in the SEC or B1G. I would say yes. Playing in the NCHC is definitely a plus if your program is winning or at least competing, but I can’t see top recruits wanting to be part of what Miami is offering them right now. Here’s the last 8 seasons.
22/23 7-17-2 and counting Almost certain to finish last
21/22 7-27-2 Last
20/21 5-18-2 Last
19/20 8-21-5 7th
18/19 11-23 7th
17/18 12-20-5 Last
16/17 9-20-7 7th
15/16 15-18-3 5th
Rico couldn’t win in the NCHC, and Bergeron can’t win in the NCHC. What’s the definition of insanity again? People will get interested again if there’s competitive hockey that’s competing for tourney bids at least half the time. Sure it would be nice to see a steady rotation of Big Ten schools coming in, but that ship has sailed.
Only one of the mythical “Mac Plus” teams is ranked below Miami
In the current Pairwise.
See College Hockey news.
Another question: Is NIL $ affecting college hockey recruiting/transfers?
Hockey was very popular at Miami since its inception in the mid 70’s, albeit on a smaller scale w Goggin seating just 2,000.
I don’t even know what conference we were in then but going to home games on weekend nights was popular w students and the place used to rock…those were the days of stars like Gary DeLonge. Eventually we got on the schedule of B10 schools and it was a kick (esp beating the Buckeyes routinely).
I don’t know what the answer is today but finishing last (or near it) year after year after year is not a recipe for success, nor much good drawing and keeping fans. Gotta win to do that…if not doable in the NCHC than maybe elsewhere…I dunno.
If Omaha and Western Mich. can ( and are) win in the NCHC
Miami can.period.
With better players. Recruited and developed properly.
We were an independent for the first two years before getting into the CCHA and were there until the NCHC.
Here’s Miami’s season-by-season records. By and large, we were mediocre with a few bright periods mixed in. Rico turned the corner in 203-2004 and then we had an amazing 12 year run.
Here’s the all time record against OSU. They dominated the 80s. We got real in the 90s, though they had some good streaks mixedin. Rico’s glory years were complete domination. Overall, Miami didn’t take the series lead until 2007 if I counted correctly. But since they won’t schedule Miami, I guess that’s scoreboard forever.