OT- Western hockey dodges bullet, gets good new coach
According to new source, Western Michigan has hired former NHL coach Andy Murray as their new head coach, replacing Jeff Blashill who became a Red Wings ass't:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110725/SPORTS0203/107250413/1361/Repor…
Murray has a respectable background and rep as a young players coach in the NHL, so he probably will take to the college game. On a plus for Western is that they get a coach with some real coaching experience who has a fighting chance to keep the momentum from Blashill's break-through season going into whatevver new conference they end up in.
Plus, compare this hire to MSU's pirating of the ever-in-demand Tom Anastos, and you can see what a great hire MSU made... /s
if Mich St doesn't improve with Anastos, WMU could become the #2 choice in the state for hockey talent especially with Northern self-exiling themselves to the WCHA with Mich Tech and Western having the chance to be the big dog in a revamped but smaller CCHA. WMU could carve themselves out a niche like a Bemidji St or Quinnipiac being a consistent national tourney appearance team from a smaller conference.
this was a great hire on the broncos part. Theyre a program gaining some good momentum over the last few years, culminating in an NCAA tourney appearance this past year (that appearance was no joke either, they beat us fair and square for that bid). What they lack in pure offensive flair and talent they make up for with smart, all-round strong skating and toughness. I definitely see the spartans taking a back seat to them, which is a shame since we all like to see close and exciting UM MSU games.
And another Michigan school hires a better coach than Michigan State.
Make that 3.
Andy Murray is new to me, but he seems like an excellent hire for a middle-of-the-pack CCHA team so it makes me wonder whether WMU may have an "in" with the NCHC that they could sell him on. It may be far-fetched but "Come coach a team in a conference of really good no-name schools" sound a lot better than "Come coach a team in a lame-duck conference"
Apparently an excellent hire for western though. I'm happy for them
That's a pretty huge hire! I doubt he'll have quite as much success his first year as did Blashill, things like that just don't happen very often. But it should still be a pretty good season for Western and a ton of potential for growth. He has very, very solid credentials and while he may or may not be a great recruiter in and of himself, his background will attract some recruits just for that and if he has good assistants... Definitely didn't expect Western to find someone like that. Murray wasn't the greatest NHL head coach of all time, but he was still an NHL head coach. Like a few people have said, this makes State's Anastos hire look even worse. A directional school with really no tradition in hockey hires a former NHL head coach and State, gets Tom Anastos. Ouch.
and I agree with the recruting thing. almost regardless of how good of a recruiter he is, he is still a former-NHL coach which may not put them above the given prestige of M, MSU, Notre Dame, etc. but I think it puts them well above of similar Michigan teams like Ferris, Northern, etc. They're a solid #3 (maybe even #2, again Anastos #HALOL) in Michigan as far as recruiting goes in my eyes
Murray is from Manitoba and used to coach the Minnesota North Stars, so I wonder how well he'll be recruiting MN and the dakotas? Western has never had first pick for the cream of the crop in Michigan, that always been UM and MSU, but now they dont need to. Murray adds a unique national recruiting dimension to WMU hockey, giving them a huge advantage over similar programs in the CCHA and putting them in a strong position to transition well through this realignment. Im shocked they havent been picked up by the WCHA yet.
Always liked his work with the Kings. Can't be easy to work with that ass hat Lombardi
I want a division 1 hockey team :(
when the MAC uncovers the next trove of 6 or 7 NFL QB's to bring some money to the league.
Say... never? What is LeFevour up to anyway? Apart from Roethlisberger, and kinda-sorta Gradkowski, the era of MAC NFL QB's seems to be drawing to a close.
LeFevour is in Cincinnati, so very much in limbo with what happens with Palmer. I've heard everything from he'll be given a shot to be the starter, to he's going to be the qb they cut due to roster limits. Still think he has a NFL career in him hopefully he's able to catch on in Cincy or somewhere