JustGoBlue

January 26th, 2013 at 10:38 PM ^

The last time Western swept Michigan was 1986. I think that was the year before Red, maybe his first year. That was the bar before Red. The bar before Red was routine 7+ goal losses to State and really anyone, at home. And I promise Western was less good back then. It's nice to say we should always be the best because we're Michigan, but that's not the way it works. Red is mostly beyond criticism, because for 22 years, come Hell or high water, he's had the team in the conversation at the end of the year. Every time. For 22 years. 12 team tournaments, 16, he's been in them. Nobody else has done that anywhere, or even been particularly close. Not Ron Mason, not Jerry York, not Jack Parker. But Red has done it. That's why we're loyal. I'd take an underperforming team that makes the tourney than an over performing one that doesn't every time.

And my second question stands. Who does more with this team than the guy with a Jack Adams?

TheGhostofYost

January 26th, 2013 at 10:59 PM ^

Yes, and you know what?  Joe Paterno was a really great coach for a long time.  Coaches fade.  They lose the ability to lead a successful team.  Given Red's age, I think we're getting to that point.

CleverMichigan…

January 27th, 2013 at 12:15 AM ^

Unlike Joe Paterno, who went down in flames (mostly due to the Sandusky scandal, of course) Red should have the dignity of stepping down on his own terms and helping make sure his successor will be able to transition as smoothly as possible. There is a right and a wrong way of going about things, and I believe that firing him outright at this point is absolutely wrong. 

Also, he chose to extend his contract through 2016. This gives him ample time to get his coaching affairs in order, lead Michigan into B1G conference play, and hopefully ride off into the Saskatchewan sunset with some more impressive seasons than this one, which is a clear outlier. If you can't acknowledge that the man has at least earned that, I don't know what else I can tell you. 

CleverMichigan…

January 27th, 2013 at 12:26 AM ^

Weird, I didn't know the SEC had hockey. Maybe we should just fire the old curmudgeon, somehow drag in a better coach, somehow oversign some fresh meat to our totally uprooted program (we can even sweeten the deal and slip them more money than they'd get in the OHL!) and then make room by yanking scholies from all the useless upperclassmen who aren't winning!

TheGhostofYost

January 27th, 2013 at 12:09 AM ^

This is the problem with this blog.  I'm not a troll because I honestly believe that a Michigan coach is underperforming.  Ever since the teens from Mlive joined, this has became little more than a worshipping of Michigan coaches and players.  Criticism?  NEGGED!  YOU MUST NOT CHALLENGE ANYTHING MICHIGAN!   It's absolutely absurd.  Honestly, grow up and learn to deal with differing opinions.  

SCS100

January 27th, 2013 at 12:15 AM ^

Except Red has had consistently good seasons while Charlie Weis only had one. Also, unless you can inexplicably pry Jerry York from BC, you won't find a better coach in the country. Is this team underperforming? Yes. Is it a consistent pattern? At this point, no.

TheGhostofYost

January 27th, 2013 at 12:25 AM ^

You're right.  Things are going great right now. And how have I been a dick about it?  I'm expressing an opinion that I think a coaching change is needed.  This is a sports blog.  People put opinions abouts sports here.

SCS100

January 27th, 2013 at 12:29 AM ^

Stating an opinion is fine. Stating an opinion that has been countered by at least three different posters and then continuing to harp on it even though it's been proven to be idiotic is just wrong. Seriously, why fire a guy who has brought 22+ years of consistency, 2 championships, and another finals appearance for one bad season? You aren't getting York out of BC and no one else has been able to do what Red has at a program.

TheGhostofYost

January 27th, 2013 at 12:36 AM ^

I'm not disputing that he's been a great coach.  I just think he's past his prime, and it's time to start looking elsewhere.  Maybe we can't get York, but I think with our money we could at least sway Lucia.  How long do we give Red?  Until he's 80?

SCS100

January 27th, 2013 at 2:18 AM ^

Hate to tell you, but you're attacking one of the people who is directly responsible for a lot of the things that happen in the student section at Yost now. Nice try with the WCC jab, but way off the mark.

CleverMichigan…

January 27th, 2013 at 2:40 AM ^

So, go fuck your assumptions. Just because I own a motorcycle does not mean I do not have a Michigan aerospace engineering degree. I also own a car, and I'm rather gainfully employed in LA right after graduating at age 21. Still missing Ann Arbor and my buddies at Yost. I won, bonsoir. [picture deleted. JGB]

TheGhostofYost

January 27th, 2013 at 2:45 AM ^

Wow, this might be one of the most embarassing posts ever typed on a blog.  The name covered up, the note, the helmet.  Just wow.  [mod redacted. JGB]

But seriously, I am really impressed that you own a car and live in a city of several million people.  That is so rare these days.

Seth9

January 27th, 2013 at 3:54 AM ^

First of all, your initial post was a short statement saying the Red should be fired and presented no supporting arguments. You knew that would be inflammatory and provoke a number of people to respond negatively. That is the definition of trolling.

Secondly, if you are going to roll around in the mud and issue personal attacks including unflattering comments about another's appearance, then you do not hold the moral high ground.

Finally, your argument that Red should be replaced with Don Lucia is ridiculous and further shows that you do not deserve to be taken seriously. For one thing, Don Lucia wouldn't come here. He's been at Minnesota for over a decade and has his roots in the state, having been born and raised there. For another, Minnesota will match whatever we give him because hockey is more important at Minnesota than here. At Michigan, we have an elite football program and our basketball program is, at the least, approaching its pre-Ellerbe status as a national player. Thus hockey is relegated to number 3 status on campus and it is inflexible. In contrast, Minnesota's football and basketball programs are mediocre to poor on the aggregate, whereas Minnesota hockey ranks among the nation's elite and thus commands more attention from their fanbase and athletic department. This is further augmented by Minnesota high school hockey being something that people actually care about. But most importantly, prior to last season, Lucia missed three NCAA tournaments in a row and barely made the tournament in 07-08. So it's not like his resume is perfect either.

There are valid, thoughtful critiques one can make about Red's recent performance as head coach. For example, there are valid complaints about the recent recruiting of goaltenders and, to a lesser extent, forwards. Another example concerns our middling power play in recent years, especially considering that used to be a strength year in and year out. But you did not make these points. Instead, you whined alot and put out vague platitudes as reasons Red should be fired..

JustGoBlue

January 27th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^

You can complain about goalie recruiting very much. He had Campbell, who was considered at that time to be a player an NHL team could be built on, lost him to the OHL, in the course of about a month, in a sport where recruiting happens about 2 years in advance, go the #1 goalie for the next year, only to lose him to te OHL too. Maybe he should have been able to keep them, but they can offer things he can't. I don't think it's fair to expect him to keep recruiting goalies when he has one in the fold already. The PP you certainly have a point, that's been bad for a while. Forwards and recruiting in general has been down the last few years. Merrill and Trouba, probably Brown and maybe Nieves are really the only high-profile people to come in the last few years. Several others (Moffatt, Clare etc.) were rated highly when they committed, but less so when they got here. The few years in advance thing hurt the team pretty bad in there and I blame Miami and Notre Dame being good now, too. But next year's class should be the most talented in the last 5 or so years.

Seth9

January 27th, 2013 at 1:17 PM ^

I won't pretend to know whether there was anything Red could do about getting Campbell or Gibson on campus. That said, I do know that before this year, at which point we were desperate, the last scholarship goalie that made it to campus was Bryan Hogan. We lucked out big time with Hunwick, but Hogan's injury three years ago could have just as easily been disastrous. Furthermore, I would argue that we should have taken another goalie when Gibson committed. Yes, hindsight is 20/20, but we'd lost our only goalie recruit the year before and we knew we had no other scholarship guys starting this season, so we should have gotten insurance.

But this is all I'm going to say on the matter because firing Red is insane.

Maize Judicata

January 27th, 2013 at 9:12 AM ^

Here is the thing, if Brian wrote an article about the hockey team and called for Red's head, all the lackeys around here would change their minds immediately. Until that happens, you're going to be called a troll and have your Michigan fandom challenged.

stephenrjking

January 26th, 2013 at 11:08 PM ^

I would firmly rebut this, but you appear to know very little about college hockey, so I won't bother. Unless you have a plan to hire Jerry York, you're not going to find a coach with a clearly superior record over the last five years, to say nothing of the last 25.

Edit: reply fail, posted the reply to the wrong post. I am responding to GhostOfYost's assertion that the last five years have been substandard. 

Wolverine Devotee

January 26th, 2013 at 10:50 PM ^

Hmm, let's see here-

  • Winningest coach in program history at 760-367-79
  • 2 National Championships
  • 11 CCHA Championship
  • 9 CCHA Playoff Championships
  • 22 straight NCAA Tournament appearances
  • 11 Frozen Fours
  • 2 Hobey Baker winners

I bet you were one of those nutjobs that wanted Bo fired after the 6-6 season in 1984 or wanted Fisher fired after missing the tournament in 1996-97. 

Seriously. We are the most spoiled fan base there is. You don't realize how many programs would kill for that kind of success over a 20 year period. 

TheGhostofYost

January 26th, 2013 at 11:14 PM ^

I'm not arguing that success that he has had.  I'm arguing about the success he can have moving forward, which makes your point irrelevant.   He's 73 years old, and he has lost this team.  I think it's time for someone else to step in.

Wolverine Devotee

January 26th, 2013 at 11:24 PM ^

That's great. Have you seen the class Michigan has coming in next year? You should have, because two of the commits scored goals in the US U-18 team's win over Michigan. 

It's one bad year. Quit overreacting.