Mel Pearson is why Michigan Hockey was great
Red's done great things for this program and no doubt he has universal respect in the hockey world, but as Michigan just shot themselves in the foot for the 3rd straight year I thought I'd look at the numbers to see the impact Mel has had.
Mel has been at either Tech or Michigan since the 1985-1986 season. Darker lines are with Mel (2014 is projected based on current win%)
(Apologies for the hastily assembled, hard to read chart)
Red is a great guy, but I think it's his time. Retire with all appropriate fanfare and respect, but Hackett needs to call Mel and ask what he needs to come back to Ann Arbor.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:05 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 20th, 2015 at 10:18 PM ^
No kidding, I thought hockey would be the bright spot but with this recent tank I think we might be looking at the worst year for the Big 3 in...decades? (Calling WD. Calling WD) It looks like none will make the post-season at this point
Go lax and softball?
February 20th, 2015 at 10:26 PM ^
A superstition I have now acquired is NEVER saying "at least we have (insert sport) season!" when a big 3 sport is doing bad.
We all said it during Football season in regards to MBB. Then we all said it when MBB started to tank and Hockey was getting hot.
And honestly, I don't give two shits and a holler about the 2014 football season. What happened then is completely irrelevant with what he have going on now.
JIM HARBAUGH. THAT win right there trumps anything that could have happened or didn't happen or did happen in 2014. 2014 Football is completely void to me. It's another category.
Also: the last time Football, MBB and Hockey did not make the postseason was 1972-73.
MAJOR asterisk there. Football won the Big Ten that year but couldn't go to a bowl because they lost to OSU and only the tiebreaker-winning Big Ten Champion got to go to the Rose Bowl. Which was bullshit.
If you had to go back to the last horrific seasons for all 3 sports, 1967-68.
February 21st, 2015 at 12:05 AM ^
are saying that since 2014 is void to you, you won't be including any of the stats or records in your encyclopedias?
February 21st, 2015 at 9:41 AM ^
My God, when will this squealing like a little school girl (HARBAUGH) stop???
I, too, am hopeful that he can get the program turned around and back in the upper echelon, but let's see...
Last I saw, he can't walk on water and coached a .500 team last season. No doubt he has an overall record of success, but the proof is in the pudding.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:05 PM ^
Maybe with the board calling for Red's head again, the team will turn around. Like it did when we did this three months ago.
Personally, I prefer to blame Dave Brandon for allowing a schedule with one game at Yost in the last like 90 calendar days.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:13 PM ^
I wish we were back in the CCHA ...
There's still hope though. We can finish undefeated and get in no? Then there's the B1G tourney where only the Gophers would be problematic...
February 20th, 2015 at 10:15 PM ^
February 20th, 2015 at 10:16 PM ^
They're at 21 in the PWR. The cutoff right now is 15, so they would need to get to 12 to avoid being last out with any other autobids. Winning the BTT is the only way of getting in.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:18 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 20th, 2015 at 10:20 PM ^
Every Michigan Hockey Loss = Calls for Red to retire Yada Yada Yada
February 20th, 2015 at 10:37 PM ^
I've watched pretty much every Michigan hockey game available to me since I became a fan back in...2008? 2009? and my reaction is not "Argh we lost tonight fire everyone". It's "argh we've been generally bad and absolutely terrible when you consider talent level for almost 3 complete seasons"
When the offense got blazing hot and we just started outgunning everyone I got my hopes up a bit, but now we're back to the same old same old. This team has been really bad compared to talent level for 3 seasons. When Tech took off this year it sealed it for me that Mel was more important to this team than Red was. When is it ok to start to question Red?
February 20th, 2015 at 10:46 PM ^
Question Red all you want, but I'm not sure I follow how Pearson was more important to the team than Red, especially when you dial time back and Red's age isn't as big a factor. Red is responsible for every facet of the program and every facet was very good or better for a lot of years.
I don't deny we're getting validation that Pearson was more important than a lot of people believed, but I don't get how you're going from there to calling him more important than Red for all these years.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^
I'm starting to wonder if Red ever builds an elite program without Pearson. It's curious that all of Michigan's and Michigan Tech's greatest seasons of the last 30 years line up suspiciously well with Pearson being a coach there.
I'm wondering if Red is a good coach, but Pearson is the elite coach. I'll give you Red is old, but it's interesting that Red's success trailed off immediately after Mel left and Tech went from a team hoping to win double-digit games to being ranked in the top 10 most of the season - and #1 briefly - that hasn't happened in Houghton in decades. A monstrously impressive coaching job
Red's a great guy I'm sure, but I'm starting to wonder exactly how much credit he should get for the last 25 years. I think more goes to Mel than any of us ever thought possible
February 20th, 2015 at 11:13 PM ^
I definitely agree with "more [credit] goes to Mel than any of us ever thought possible" but I still don't see the jump from there to being more important to Michigan hockey than Red.
Another thought on the recent dropoff in Ann Arbor, I don't think it's much of a stretch to think that Red had been delegating more responsibility to Pearson before Brandon got into town and demanded head coaching experience. Michigan and Red might have been left to fill a bigger hole than anyone could have expected and Red just hasn't been up for it or found a replacement.
Hopefully we all get to see some salvaging of this season and then maybe hope for the best next year before getting to acknowledge Red at Yost while Pearson starts winning championships again.
February 21st, 2015 at 3:14 PM ^
It makes a lot of sense given the circumstances. Perhaps Red had been grooming Mel to take over for him for years and he'd been turning over power and responsibility more and more each year in preparation for that. Mel suddenly leaving would leave quite a power vacuum there and if Red was trailing out by then, it would be even more damaging.
February 21st, 2015 at 5:44 AM ^
February 21st, 2015 at 9:37 AM ^
Enough said
February 21st, 2015 at 4:22 AM ^
February 20th, 2015 at 10:22 PM ^
There's been a lot of talk for a few years now that Mel was the driving force towards the end of his Michigan tenure, and that Red in his age isn't as active anymore.
There is no viable gameplan, they just put the best talent on the ice and let them go and it seems like the past three years this team hasn't been able to win when it counts.
I think we can all see what's going on here. Whether you accept it or default to "Red is a Legend" is up to you.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:32 PM ^
Do you honestly think Red picks his best players, throws them on the ice and says "figure it out"?
February 20th, 2015 at 10:42 PM ^
I watch the game. The offensive gameplan is about as basic as it can get and when it doesn't work, there's never an adjustment. They never slow pace against tempo teams, they never work possessions and the terrible umbrella power play is always the same. Zone entry never changes to attack the forecheck.
Don't even get me started on the blueline. Our transition defense has been terrible for years because the backside defenseman stares a hole in the puck carrier. This is all coaching.
February 21st, 2015 at 12:52 AM ^
I've been going to Michigan hockey games since 1994. I saw just about every home game between 1996 and 2009. And went to three NCAA regionals and a Frozen Four. Since about 2005 or so, it's been clear that Red's been toning down his in-game coaching. You watch him behind the bench, and it's amazing how passive he's gotten.
I don't doubt that Red is still a complete hardass in practice, as best as he can be at his age (and he's extraordinarily active for his age), and that he has a good grasp of the locker room, but he's not the coach he was when we won in 1996 and 1998.
Bottom line: I don't think you can point to a college hockey program that's done less with more talent than Michigan has since 2000. You look at the talent on some of those rosters, and you look at how many national championship banners we don't have... And it always seems to boil down to chemistry, composure, and coaching.
Like I said, I love Red. I think he's done a fantastic job bringing this program from the basement to the pinnacle. I just wonder why the last fifteen years have looked like they have. And why we're so content to chase the dragon as if 1996 is going to happen again.
February 21st, 2015 at 2:33 AM ^
February 21st, 2015 at 6:05 AM ^
February 21st, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
February 20th, 2015 at 11:35 PM ^
February 21st, 2015 at 12:28 AM ^
You don't have to be an insider to see that things are different, just go to a practice. This started to show 3 years ago with the fighting in practice. The guys who walked all over the program. Underperforming against advanced scouting.
I'm not saying that Mel Pearson is responsible for Red success. What I'm saying is that Red is not the same guy he was 5 years ago.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:29 PM ^
As for Mel... He's done a great job at Tech but he is not why Michigan was/is great. Red deserves that credit.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^
February 21st, 2015 at 12:10 AM ^
February 20th, 2015 at 10:39 PM ^
It's just pathetic trying to force Red out now when he's already set to retire. Then taking away the credit for what he's accomplished here too. Maybe the team would be better next season if you could bring Mel Pearson back. That doesn't justify treating people like shit.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
Who is missing from this team? Trouba?...Connor Carrick? John Gibson?
Red has everyone he recruited right now. This is as un-decimated as Michigan has been since I've been following
February 21st, 2015 at 7:34 AM ^
February 21st, 2015 at 7:49 AM ^
Max Domi was always a huge longshot, never even committed to Michigan, and it was apparent aterward he was only using Michigan as a bargaining chip so he'd be drafted by the right OHL team. This team is missing no one right now
February 20th, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
I have never seen a defense this bad. They are allowing 4.6 goals per game against OHIO STATE.
It was awesome when they were scoring a million goals, but that wasn't sustainable as we have found out. And the defense was just as bad back then as it is now.
This isn't the 50s.
Kinda strange how turnover fest starting showing its ugly head in 2011-12. The first year Mel was not on the staff. It only got worse from there as the last reliable goalie we had graduated.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:45 PM ^
You could field 2 All-Star teams with the players we have on the roster. The talent is on par with the top teams in the country, but the product is far below average.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:31 PM ^
February 20th, 2015 at 10:31 PM ^
To me, this is more of an indictment against the B1G. This conference fucking sucks. One team will get into the NCAAs, and that will be the B1G Tournament Champion.
The B1G can loosely be compared the CWPA in Water Polo, which is the conference Michigan plays in.
The conference is full of weaklings, but Michigan is in it because there are no other options unless they want to play in a West coast league and max out their flight miles.
Therefore, unless you win the CWPA Tournament, you will not make the NCAAs. Not even a remote chance at an at-large bid.
February 20th, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
February 20th, 2015 at 10:52 PM ^
*pours one out*
I have no emotional connections with said-Michigan vs Minnesota or Michigan vs Wisconsin rivalry. Those are just two teams Michigan played as a conference opponent way before my time. Yeah, they played them once a year for awhile in Showcase games, but even then, I had no rivalry-type hatred. They were just some schools we played in other sports.
I have hatred for Notre Dame and Miami. And all the little pesky runts that are the D2 in-state schools.
It SUCKS having 9pm games at Minn and UW. Why? Because there is no novelty behind it.
I miss staying up until 2am listening to Michigan play at Alaska-Fairbanks on the radio. It happened once every other year and was a novelty.
I miss watching games on Comcast TV, the channel that still hasn't discovered HD yet. Games against in-state schools. And that occasional extra game or two that were added to the TV schedule on CBS Sports.
I miss going to the dumpy rinks of the small in-state schools. I have friends at Northern and Lake State, so it would've been fun to go up there for a series.
It's really, really sad knowing we most likely will never play at LSSU, NMU, WMU, BGSU, Miami or ND again. Or play them period unless it's in a GLI or the NCAAs.
February 20th, 2015 at 11:08 PM ^
except for those fucking refs
and the league office
February 20th, 2015 at 11:26 PM ^
Funny how the refs turned into shit when the move to the B1G was announced.
That and the snubbing of various Michigan players on All-Conference teams. Take your pick. Hunwick deserved First Team in 2011-12, but yeah....the coaches of the small schools held it against the B1G teams, I'm sure of it.
What choice did Michigan and the other two have, really?
At the end of the day, the B1G was a money-grab. The B1G Tournament in Saint Paul was a debacle in more ways than one, including attendance because the delusional blokes in Chicago think college hockey is on the level of basketball.
I'm not even sure if 9 out of 10 OSU fans know they have a hockey team, or even know what hockey is. And MSU has neglected their program, hence their hiring of a conference commissioner as their coach (BTW, they just gave Wisconsin their 2nd conference win of the year).
The conference tournament format is one of my many issues with this idiotic league.
February 20th, 2015 at 11:22 PM ^
It sucks playing at 9eastern a couple times a year compared to 11:00 Eastern?? This is fucking ridiculous. I have memories listening to those games too but I don't want them anymore.
Not everyone gets comcast so I wish none of the games are on that channel.
February 20th, 2015 at 11:34 PM ^
It does suck, when the coverage is half-assed by a network where hockey is 3rd on their totem pole and playing against teams that are just kind of there to me. I'm not old enough to remember when Michigan-Minnesota was a fierce conference rivalry.
That was quite a long time ago.
As demonstrated tonight, I'd rather listen to the radio broadcast than watch a shitty video stream where no effort is put in whatsoever by BTN to make it watchable. It was the fucking videoboard feed at OSU with the arena audio mixed with their PBP guy. I lasted 5 minutes before turning it off and turning on the radio.
Cumong man. Did you know the PSU road series is exclusively on BTN Plus? A pretty big series is not even on TV. Not one game.
Nice one, BTN. I'm sure they have programming they consider more important on at that time like Rutgers-Nebraska basketball. Even then, they could just allow other networks like FSN or CBS Sports to do it, but it's the B1G. Why should they lose a sliver of subscription revenue for the enjoyment of the fans?
February 21st, 2015 at 4:06 AM ^
That's great that you'd rather listen to the radio and I get it. I used to listen to every game but I'd much rather be able to watch and actually see what's going on and not just trust what the PBP guy is telling me. I love our radio guys but even our guys are biased in their call.
Yes I'm aware the PSU series is not on tv and I dont think BTN is preventing espnu or fox sports from showin the games I just think they have other programming that will get higher ratings. CBS sports is showing NCHC games, which feature top teams in the country.
February 21st, 2015 at 12:11 AM ^
Are you being sarcastic? One down year =/= weakling programs.
The BTHC has the number one and two winningest programs all time, the T1, T3, T7, T9 and T30 most Frozen Four appearances. 69/242 teams in the Frozen Four have been Big Ten teams. In other words, the BTHC averages a Frozen Four appearance (29%), and the Big Ten accounts for 22 national titles, or 33%(!) of all championships.
There have been 258 draft picks out of the Big Ten, including the #1 (Michigan) #2 (Minnesota), T4 (MSU), T4 (Wisconsin) and T26 (OSU) most drafted schools.
The odds that the Big Ten will be this bad for any significant length of time seem astronomicaly low listening to any historical evidence at all.
February 21st, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
February 21st, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^
Again, a down year doesn't change the fact that the conference has four of the most storied programs in the game, plus PSU building what appears to be one of the nicest facilities anywhere. OSU sucks, I think everyone can agree with that, but the BTHC will be a nationally relevant, elite league the vast majority of the time (with a better median level of competition than the CCHA).
February 21st, 2015 at 12:56 AM ^
Ding ding ding.
I miss the CCHA and all, don't get me wrong. But when you look at the Big Ten hockey conference on paper, and you see UM, MSU, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and take into account OSU hasn't always been particularly terrible over the last decade or so, this should be a much better conference. We all took into account that putting all of those teams together would mean they'd beat each other up in terms of wins and losses, to a certain extent, but still. It's been underwhelming. This is the perfect storm, unfortunately.