December 29th, 2021 at 11:48 AM ^
https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2021/12/28_Commentary-College-Hockey.php
It's pretty much a smear piece, alleging the UM is ducking WSU and that there's no other plausible conclusion since UM isn't talking. It also suggests that Michigan will do it again during the home stretch later in the season with UM having players away in the Olympics. It is silent as to what actual gamesmanship is at play here, and the only implication arises from the fact that the game against WMU was cancelled whereas the game the night before is not, all to protect the "fallout" in the pairwise rankings from one potential loss.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:28 PM ^
Can you honestly say if a rival cancelled a game with M 1 day AFTER another scheduled game which is NOT cancelled you’d be OK with that? Puleeaase!
In case you missed it, Michigan announced it could not play its Dec. 30 game against Western Michigan. Its reason? "(D)ue to health and welfare protocols." A phrase so vague as to be meaningless. Michigan has denied repeated attempts to elaborate.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:27 PM ^
Could it be it's not an issue with Michigan's health and welfare... but that they have an issue with Western's health and welfare protocols? And maybe aren't wanting to get into what their issues are publicly. Seems far more plausible than ducking games to me.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:24 PM ^
I'll say that in this case the silence is deafening and since UofM has given no further explanation, I'm unsurprised people are reaching the conclusion we ducked Western.
December 29th, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
I get it and UM is going to have to live with the accusations as a consequence of its decision. But journalists crying foul on people and institutions not wanting to talk to them has never landed well with me. Keep digging.
December 29th, 2021 at 11:50 AM ^
And rightly so IMHO:
Mean time, Michigan is still scheduled to play Michigan Tech on Dec. 29 — the day before — in the other GLI showcase game.
It begged — and still begs — the immediate question: If Michigan is in such bad shape, how is it able to play Dec. 29 and not Dec. 30?
December 29th, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
I could understand the reasoning being not wanting to play a back-to-back when you are missing several players for the World Juniors and have others out due to injury
December 29th, 2021 at 12:30 PM ^
BS. The juniors didn’t just happen out of the blue. The scedule is what it is. How is this in any way: “Due to health and welfare protocols”?
December 29th, 2021 at 1:00 PM ^
What does the juniors happening out of the blue or not have to do with anything? Michigan would be fine if they were only missing the guys at the WJC. But missing those guys AND having the injuries that they do, leaves behind a very short bench. And playing back to back is less than ideal under the circumstances.
Personally, I think moving the second game to Friday or Saturday would have been fine. Or call up a couple bodies from the club team.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:22 PM ^
Well, the rosters were just set about 2 weeks ago. I think the more important note is Holtz and Ciccolini had both been out as had Bordeleau I believe. Michigan had enough guys to field a team but they're missing something close to half their usual skaters
I wish we'd cancelled or forfeited both, rather than cancelling 1 of 2 which just looks bad
December 29th, 2021 at 1:54 PM ^
It begged — and still begs — the immediate question
Is there anyone left who remembers what the expression "beg the question" actually means?
December 29th, 2021 at 2:57 PM ^
I am convinced I am the only living person who knows what "begs the question" means, and now you make me think there are two. Easily one of the most misused phrases in our language. It's one of those things that gets misused so much that the actual meaning will be changed as a reflection, to anyone who isn't a college logic professor.
December 30th, 2021 at 1:09 AM ^
“Irregardless” the other? There is no such word.
Or “it’s like deja vous all over again”? Which would be a reference to a second re-experience, or re-experiencing the re-experience. Love John Fogerty, curse that atrocious lyric.
December 29th, 2021 at 2:58 PM ^
Yep. Encounter it regularly.
December 29th, 2021 at 11:52 AM ^
Don't know if it's true or not, but it's a bad look.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:41 PM ^
What ever is the reason it is a bad look. They should’ve just pulled out of both games
December 29th, 2021 at 11:52 AM ^
Really awful look, and what's worse is OSU can point to this when they argue Michigan ducked them in football last season.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
The OSU cancellation was kind of weird, but more weird was how the men's hoops program - uh - handled COVID last year during Big Ten play. Add in this hockey situation and it's just a really sketchy look for athletic program.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:03 PM ^
Point to where we ducked yo Juggernaut All-world offense in 2021!!! Quit bringing up old stuff! You all had the Flu, before, during, and after the GAME! GTFOH
December 29th, 2021 at 1:14 PM ^
OSU cleared the B1G requirements to play Illinois last year, but cancelled anyway. Michigan did not clear B1G requirements and cancelled. Only OSU fit the criteria for “ducking” anyone last year.
December 29th, 2021 at 11:54 AM ^
There have been several cases of this in college athletics. Last year Duke basketball quit their season to save themselves the embarrassment of not making the tournament. Now that Ohio State isn't competing for a playoff and having their NFL guys sit out, they seem pretty content if the Rose Bowl was cancelled.
There needs to be updated protocols and rules taking over the outdated ones from 2020. Teams are going to keep finding advantages for themselves and falling back on COVID as their cushion.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:10 PM ^
Leaders and Best.
The Michigan Difference.
LGB!!
Beat Georgia!!
December 29th, 2021 at 11:55 AM ^
I'd say he's got a good point. The GLI should be re-scheduled to avoid the holidays/WJIHC. Other than that, I've got a good smoked Gouda for his whine.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:01 PM ^
Mmmmmmm, smoked Gouda.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:25 PM ^
+1 unless you pronounce it "Goo-duh". As a descendant of Nederlanders, please learn to pronounce it properly. It is similar to the ch in the Scottish "loch". Use the soft "g" sound that even the Scottish were able to attain, and then add "ow", as in "Ow, that hurts," and then add "duh", as in "Duh, that was really stupid."
All together now: "ch" + "ow" + "duh"
The American pronunciation of one of the most staple of cheeses should be below any Michigan man/woman.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:55 PM ^
I'll just keep pronouncing it wrong in honor of your holier-than-thou rant.
December 29th, 2021 at 3:44 PM ^
Let him have this one. He’s been waiting over 13 years for someone to make a post with “Gouda” in it. Such patience should have some reward…
December 29th, 2021 at 12:57 PM ^
That's no gouda.
I hate chowda.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:29 PM ^
Google says its more like Howda. Anyway, Gouda is in that zone of words that are short enough and spelled simply enough for non-native speakers to get it easily into English. For example, almost all Americans pronounce Paris wrong but Marseilles correctly. How is that possible unless we just never asked how to pronounce the easy looking ones?
December 29th, 2021 at 4:03 PM ^
That's fine for a trivia contest. Now trying ordering it that way and 99.9% of people will have no idea what you are talking about and you will have to resort to pronouncing it like the rest of us heathens. But at least you will have put the poor server on notice that you are better than them.
December 30th, 2021 at 5:08 AM ^
I’m sure they won’t do anything unsavory to the food either
December 29th, 2021 at 12:01 PM ^
The precedent of cancelling games needs to be erased. All the healthy players should show up and play. If they only have 10 guys and they are at such a clear disadvantage and lose 10-0, then the people making the rankings should look at that and take it for what it is.
These bowl games are being canceled because a team is missing a few players and they don't think it is good for the brand to risk losing. This is crap, play the games! If you lose come out and say you had however many guys out. Just play the games!
December 29th, 2021 at 12:13 PM ^
agree 100%
December 29th, 2021 at 1:03 PM ^
The problem with that in hockey, is that the NCAA tournament at-large bids and seedings are determined by a computer ranking. There’s no way for the computers to adjust for Michigan being so severely shorthanded.
December 29th, 2021 at 2:41 PM ^
The committee has always taken the top 16 teams in the pwr after autobids, but last year because of covid, they added the eye test (hence UM was a 2-seed), but have never done it for the juniors taking players away. They may need to do that this year for covid again.
Also the pwr only uses one analytic, the RPI, which does not differentiate between 10-0 and 1-0.
December 29th, 2021 at 3:13 PM ^
They only added the eye test for last year because there wasn’t a non-conference schedule, making the PWR completely useless with nothing to counter differing strengths of schedule. CoVid hasn’t had an impact this year for that to be the case.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:05 PM ^
The problem with that in hockey is it's not a selected field by a committee, so the analytics just see it as a 10-0 loss and there's no allowance for missing players. The rankings could reflect it, but when it comes down to what matters when making the tournament it will not matter.
Edit: I see I have been beaten to the point.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:53 PM ^
You never played hockey, did you? Never mind, just suggesting to play 10 guys gives my answer.
December 29th, 2021 at 3:43 PM ^
Did you see where I said they would lose 10-0 because of it? You missed the entire point of my post.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:15 PM ^
From an MTU alum's perspective: UM is quickly turning into our most hated team. The way Mel Pearson left already had us grumbling (although I'll admit it's nothing compared to Brian Kelly's shenanigans). Then the GLI stuff this year: It's our tournament, gets turned into a de facto home series for UM and MSU, then our band isn't allowed at our own tournament, and now Michigan pulls this stunt with WMU. I know there are financial, logistical, and probably contractual factors that prevent this, but calls are growing within the Tech fanbase to boot Michigan from the GLI on principle. I could go on and get into more details about Pearson, etc., but you get the gist.
As a side note, it's sometimes very confusing to despise the Michigan hockey team as much as I do right now and still be a die hard Michigan football and basketball fan.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:23 PM ^
but calls are growing within the Tech fanbase to boot Michigan from the GLI on principle
I would refer you to your username on this one. Good luck, and sorry for your frustration.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:56 PM ^
He left for a way, way better job. Would you not do the same if you had the option?
December 29th, 2021 at 1:13 PM ^
I get why MTU would hate UM, but maybe take a step back on this? The tournament has always been hosted in Detroit, so not sure how it "gets turned into" a defacto home series. Also UM has been a co-host since the 70s, I'm told, so good luck booting them out. Mel had always been assumed to be Red's successors, so his departure couldn't really have been a shock. Maybe the clear recruiting advantage he now has at UM hurts a little?
December 29th, 2021 at 1:18 PM ^
It's our tournament, gets turned into a de facto home series for UM and MSU, then our band isn't allowed at our own tournament
Sounds like it isn't really Tech's tournament
December 29th, 2021 at 3:59 PM ^
The tournament's purpose has always been to showcase college hockey to young hockey players in the Detroit area, and from Tech's perspective, to showcase our own program. Obviously including Michigan and Michigan State brings vastly more eyeballs, so for the purposes of showcasing MTU hockey, it's completely impractical to boot either UM or MSU. With consistent scheduling issues at LCA and declining attendance, hosting at LCA may become untenable. No other venue will create any kind of buzz, and the only alternative to boost attendance is home sites. Therefore, to fulfill the tournament's intention of showcasing college (and Tech) hockey to Detroit-area (or even just downstate) young hockey players, it must become an away series for Tech.
With those factors affecting all the decision-making surrounding the GLI, it's really hard for Tech to make any kind of decision without deferring to UM and MSU completely. So yeah, it's very frustrating that we're the host but have very little functional control over the thing.
December 29th, 2021 at 1:31 PM ^
Two very horrible takes.
You guys have got nothing to grumble about him coming back to Michigan. Yes, he graduated and played hockey for Michigan Tech. In total he spent 10 years there before he came to Ann Arbor where he then spent the next... 18 years; the heavy majority of his adult life. He had a house here, raised his kids here (whom I believe also went to UM), and was probably just as critical to building our program back up as Red was.
Its not like he was some unknown for those years either, everybody knew what a good coach he was. That MTU didn't hire him away sooner than they did either means they were too foolish to do so or Mel loved Michigan enough that he preferred to stay here and wait his turn. Whichever it is, you can't look at his career and life in Ann Arbor and honestly say you were surprised he came back when Red retired. The only way that wasn't going to happen, indeed perhaps the reason he left for a time at all, was if Dave Brandon screwed it up. Hard to fault him for going back to what had become home for him where he's also going to get paid more to lead a stronger program that he had a huge hand in building himself for nearly two decades.
Not saying you can't be a little upset he left, but you should be happy you ever had him at all and enjoy the ride for what it was. He finally brought you a GLI, took you to the tournament, and completely turned the program around from rock bottom. He even left the program stable enough that you guys have been at least respectable and even pretty good since then.
As far as the comment on the tournament goes, how exactly is this Michigan's fault? The GLI had been tapering off for years and the move to LCA and the scheduling problems that came with it and moved it to worse days accelerated it badly. I would have loved to seen it moved to Grand Rapids personally, but assuming that wasn't possible, it was nobodies choice but yours to make the GLI what it is this year, for the sake of having something instead of nothing. Insinuating that we're somehow trying to intentionally steal your tournament from you and that you better kick us out before its too late is laughable.
As far as the Pep Band goes, it would have been a nice gesture I suppose, but let's not pretend that it is some kind of moral obligation. This is still a home game for us, and letting the opposing team's band come is very much a football-only thing, which if you haven't noticed, was also seriously curtailed this year. Add in the fact that Yost is much smaller than LCA and this situation is a direct result of not selling enough tickets as it is, it's pretty understandable why we're sticking to just our band.
Hell, do we even know that UM/MSU are prohibiting the band? From what I remember of my Tech friends explaining how Pep Band works, you have to show up to X events to get credit for it and the GLI was essentially the people that happened to live in the Detroit area and could make it to the Joe. In other words, they were there on their dime. Can't imagine the local students-who-are-also-in-band numbers are high enough in Lansing and Ann Arbor, so its down to whoever wants to eat the cost of travelling to both venues on back to back nights.
December 29th, 2021 at 2:05 PM ^
LOL. Look, you're a reasonable dude and knows the sport. But you're obvs. diving waaay too deep into the MTU hockey online community and need to take a step back.
- Mel is the best coach the program had and brought MTU from a 3-6 win team to the tourney. He left. Could have been cleaner, but that wasn't really on Mel as I recall. The pay and the gig is better in A2.
- If the GLI is your tourney, then do what you want with it. Host in Houghton and invite whoever you want. No one in A2 will shed a tear.
- This isn't a stunt. M has 8-10 skaters out and short of taking a goalie to skate or pulling dudes from the club team, they deemed it unsafe to play 2 in a row. Had they cancelled the Tech game instead of Western, would you feel better?
- Who gives a shite about the bands lol. You want your band there? Host at your place or a neutral place. It sounds like
- You could go on and get into more details about Pearson, etc? Oh, please. Please do. Let's just see how deep the rabbit hole goes in Houghton.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:17 PM ^
Seems reasonable that Michigan should explain it. Between this and letting women's bball play right after the shutdown but not men's, it's hard not to conclude that Michigan is taking factors other than health into these decisions. It's a big business and money is at stake so I kind of get it, but they should be honest about it.
I assume the language in the new B1G cancellation policy allowing the B1G to call a forfeit if a team can't explain why they can't play is aimed at UM after last year.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:35 PM ^
Definitely a bad look, just cancel both games and it would have been fine.