Hockey CC

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Name your candidates or choice.

This has to stop. Enough is enough. 

Mine-

  1. Mel Pearson
  2. Rick Bennett 
  3. Mike Babcock (because I like to believe crazy rumors)

Go.

MGoBender

November 22nd, 2014 at 8:58 AM ^

You know what?  Your "fire everyone, this is UNACCEPTABLE" shtick is getting old.

You're a great fan, but you're turning into "that fan" who lacks perspective.  That fan that ignores that players are kids, coaches are people.  That fan that is all about what they want (winning) and not about the community, the players, the coaches.

Red Berenson is a Michigan icon.  If you've lived in Ann Arbor, gone to UM you know that.  The time may come for Red to step down and a change to be made.  But he's earned the ability to make that choice on his terms.  He doesn't need unappreciative people, who weren't even alive when he was building dynasties, to tell him he needs to win more.  You act like Red is actively trying to lose.  You ignore the fact that college hockey is growing and with growth comes more parity.  

I know nothing about hockey.  Most of us know nothing about the inside of the Michigan hockey program.  But even if I did, even if I had actual details and thought Red should move on, I wouldn't go on an Internet message board and make demands for a Michigan icon's career to be ended.

EDIT: I didn't realize this was the first game of the season.  It's one thing to post a reactionary thread to a loss.  It's quite another to post a reactionary thread calling for a coach's head after the first game of the season.  Come on.  

Wolverine Devotee

November 21st, 2014 at 10:42 PM ^

That's kind of just adding more fuel to the fire, for me.

Michigan has meandered through the regular season only to realize they need to win in the regular season to get to the tournament for the past 6 years now (save one) and it's looking it will be a 7th.

I've seen literally no improvement whatsoever from last season. PP is bad, goalies aren't getting it done, and of course, the PSU monkey is back. 

Just making it into the NCAA Tournament isn't good enough. I don't think Red would say that's good enough either.

I hate having to discuss this because he took Michigan Hockey from rags to riches. But he needs to step down. 

saveferris

November 21st, 2014 at 10:37 PM ^

While I do agree that it probably time for Red to step down, he DOES get to step down. Titling a thread with the "CC" gives the tone that the situation with the hockey team and the football team are the same. Please let's not suggest firing or forcing out one of the most accomplished coaches in Michigan history.

Bagheera

November 21st, 2014 at 10:41 PM ^

I've never understood this sentiment.  Why does a coach get to decide when he leaves just because he's been successful at a program for a while?  Red is a legend, but if he's underperforming and won't step down on his own, he should be let go.  Anything else is unfair to the players and the fans.

Wolverine Devotee

November 21st, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^

I don't think he should be fired. I think that he knows that 3 years in a row of no tournament is not acceptable.

He's even said himself that he'll walk away if he feels he's getting in the way of Michigan Hockey being successful.

I really had hope for this season with the.....ahem.....locker room issue(s), being gone. 

Wolverine Devotee

November 21st, 2014 at 10:58 PM ^

I think he will, that's why I posted this thread. 

This is not an OMG FIRE RED thread. I just wanted to get the consensus on candidates for his successor. 

I hope Michigan turns this around, but losing to PSU and making the same dumb mistakes is not really giving me much hope. 

justingoblue

November 21st, 2014 at 11:11 PM ^

  • I believe Red will make the right choice for Michigan.
  • I'm unsure any part of Red's performance will be easily replicable by not-Red, especially if he feels wronged with the way a transition is handled.
  • If you're talking about actually firing him, underperforming for another two seasons sounds more palatable than axing Red.

justingoblue

November 21st, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^

Maybe the wording wasn't the best, but I thought it flowed enough with the second point. I don't think it's automatic that the next coach is an upgrade over Red. I wouldn't say "no, I'd rather keep Red and go .500 than win the conference and go to two Frozen Fours with a new guy". Underperforming would be relative to Red's standard of performance.

That said, if there was a binary choice between firing Red and winning a couple more games or not firing him and losing a couple more, the equation is more than wins per season and should include more intangible variables like what he's meant and what it would mean to have a happy Red around after he retires.

Bagheera

November 21st, 2014 at 11:30 PM ^

Fair enough.  I guess the question is: why would we expect Red's replacement to do any better after delaying for a couple of years? Unless Red completely tanks, it's going to be the same issue in 2016.  I don't think you can delay firing a mediocre coach because you're worried that his successor might also be medicore.

justingoblue

November 21st, 2014 at 11:35 PM ^

I think that ties back in with dealing with a legend coach. Red being Red makes me very risk averse about the coaching situation because I believe he's still a net asset and I trust that he'll make the right call about his departure.

I agree with your premise above and think this stretch of comments is all philosophical. I don't think Red will be coaching in 2016.

gwkrlghl

November 22nd, 2014 at 12:42 AM ^

For the levels of talent Michigan has, this is like Alabama football getting beaten by Sun Belt teams fairly often. If the hockey team had as much visibility as the football team did, Red probably wouldn't have been back this year.

There's a lot of coaches that I think could do better with the talent on this team

saveferris

November 24th, 2014 at 8:32 AM ^

I would suggest that neither you nor I get to decide what the threshold is for a coach officially underperforming.  I would also suggest that Red Berenson is more than just a coach that's "been successful at a program for a while".  He's an elite level coach and easily one of the 4 or 5 top coaches in the history of Michigan athletics and, yes, that kind of excellence equity does earn him a certain amount of leeway in terms of how he finally decides to step down from his job.  We shouldn't let our overdeveloped sense of entitlement as fans lead us to an embarrassing lynch mob mentality against who may be the greatest college hockey coach of the last 30 years simply because the last couple of seasons have been subpar.

There's a difference between making a coaching change when it comes to a Brady Hoke or even a Lloyd Carr versus a Red Berenson.  Let's not be THAT program.

cheesheadwolverine

November 22nd, 2014 at 12:07 AM ^

A month after VE day, Winston Churchill got wrecked in the first election after the war.

There is nothing wrong with saying "you are the best thing that's ever happend to us, please let us know where you want your statue(s)" while simultaneously saying it's time to move on.

robpollard

November 22nd, 2014 at 2:50 AM ^

Bobby Bowden was a more successful coach (in his sport) than even Red (seriously, go look at his record from 1987-2000 -- it is unbelievable). But FSU was high-class medicore for a decade b/c he was allowed to hang on to long. They finally eased him out and are back to a dominant program (and if you think that's just because of the Tallhassee police, I'm sure they were lenient on the players in the 2000s just like they are in the 2010s. They difference now is they have good coaching).

The program is floundering. This will very likely be the 3rd straight year w/o a NCAA tourney. It's time to move on.

acnumber1

November 21st, 2014 at 10:47 PM ^

There was a college hockey coach who moved into my neighborhood about 30 years ago.  He seemed pretty good.  Maybe he is...oh, wait.  That was Red.  

 

I say if we are doing a hockey CC Red gets to decide.