If STU crashes like that, if this season continues into next season, can St. Thomas do what has to be done? Does STU have the resources to do it even if it wanted to?STU is limited in courses it can offer a recruit. It is waiting for a new rink not knowing when or if the city will get it done and have to compete with the 400-pound gorilla up at the Aitken Centre when trying to land a prize recruit.
And this is about more than a coach. It's bigger than one guy. This is about the AUS world moving and STU being slow to keep up. It's a culture of the program and school thing.
STU is fast approaching the time when it has to decide for hockey. Does it want to be Mount A and admit it can't do it?
Tuesday 13 January 2009
Wide disparity between haves and have-nots in university hockey
Mike Power's article in today's Gleaner. Likely just the beginning of many questions being asked after this past weekend:
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STU's limited program offerings, while real, are often overstated. With a well-planned course load including offerings from UNB, a student can get a solid taste of several other disciplines with their degree. Factor in the niche programs like Journalism, Gerontology, Criminology etc and the supposed academic disadvantages are not as severe as usually assumed.
ReplyDeleteThe rink issue is a non-issue. If the rink were an issue, no one would ever play for Saint Mary's with their Alumni Arena. Nor would anyone choose UNB. Acadia, UPEI and St. F-X all have FAR superior facilities.
It is true that the coach is not the issue. Coach Eagles is as good, or better, a coach as any. Mr. Power is correct. This is an organizational problem. STU, from the top down, needs to decide if it is going to commit the resources necessary to compete for the high quality players needed to put together a successful program.
I agree with all with the exception of Coach Eagles.
ReplyDeleteWhy do so many players leave & say never to play again for Eagles?
Why don't the players help with recruting, Eagles knows it all?
Why the turnover of assistant coaches is like a musical chairs?
Why are so many turned off the team's leadership & direction?
A Marketing/Promotion person, similar to all the other AUS teams will assist in generating revenue, to offset the operating/recruiting cost.
A turned off STU fan
I think what Mike Power is conviently forgetting to touch on is that STU is a VERY young team. They are like the Oilers pretty much. Look at the number of above 2nd years we have
ReplyDeleteJustin Roy, Matt Davis, Ryan Murphy, Guy Miszaczak. Then look at UNB and you cant count on one hand how many 3rd, 4th, 5th year guys they have. If I was Mike Eagles and Mark Hegarty doing recriting, the first thing i would pitch is that coming to STU would be beneficial because of the age so that in 2/3 years, we will be in the top 2. You cant really think in the now, gotta look a few years down the road.
~Tommies Video Guy~
The problem at STU is Eagles... A lot of people thinks he's a good coach only because he played in the NHL... In reality, he's a terrible recruiter and has limited social skills. What we see right now is the result of a team trying to send a message to the school .. Get rid of him !
ReplyDeleteSomeone wrote that STU will be in the top 2 in a couple years... Just look at how many players quit the team or graduated earlier in the last 4 years. I can name at least 15 players... Just last year : Butera(3) Card(3) Gialonardo(3) Gailey(quit) Leitner(quit). The same thing will happen again this year and the year after...
I give 3 years to the program with Eagles in charge .... The school needs to hire a new coach and a great marketing/promotion person to increase attendance.