What a great way to.cap off the first half.......Better days ahead!
The TOMMIES et al are to be CONGRATULATED BIG TIME, there were some breakdowns in team play BUT determination prevailed and a positive results occurred.
I believe that the team is better than their record and the COACHES are to.be commended for keeping everybody's eye on the ball.
That is what is supposed to.happen and my congratulations to Michael are forwarded.
During his time as a Tommie is was part of a line dubbed as the WILD WEST line as all had played in the WHL and for a season was one of the most legitimate AUS lines we had until the wisdom of the day dismantled it.
Michael has a strong degree and undoubtetly will succeed as in my eyes he certainly produced as much as he could under circumstances beyond his control.
CONGRATULATIONS Michael and your time as a Tommie will, I am.sure,aid you in your business endeavors.
What a great way to.cap off the first half.......Better days ahead!
The TOMMIES et al are to be CONGRATULATED BIG TIME, there were some breakdowns in team play BUT determination prevailed and a positive results occurred.
I believe that the team is better than their record and the COACHES are to.be commended for keeping everybody's eye on the ball.
GO TOMMIES GO,
RANTFATHER
Great game. There were certainly some breakdowns but overall they pulled through. Too bad the Xmas break followed as it would have been nice to see how they carried it to the next game.
I don't think they're actively looking. Think they're resigned to finishing this season with what they have and Ryan will look at the two gaps as an opportunity to add two more players of his own in the off season.
I don't think they're actively looking. Think they're resigned to finishing this season with what they have and Ryan will look at the two gaps as an opportunity to add two more players of his own in the off season.
I believe Gleanerguy to be on the money with this statement.
If a top 6 forward were to come along and want to play at STU I think Troy would take him but otherwise he isn't interested in getting into a bidding war with other schools for the services of a mediocre player.
Believe it or not, Troy actually has a plan and will systematically go about rebuilding things at STU. As a fan it sucks to be patient but I would rather have someone who is looking ahead to get better than someone looking behind trying not to be any worse.
I agree. Ryan has a plan. Hopefully fans stick through the tough nights this season as he rebuilds the program. He has made no bones that there are veterans on the team, tying up scholarship money, who are not "his guys". You can't really cut them so you wait for them to finish their four years (well you could invite them not to come back, but few coaches are that ruthless in the CIS - Leduc is a special case) which means Ryan has to wait until next season to bring in new players that fit his vision. Ryan wants committed players, not one-year wonders.
Agree. His plan all along has been to build a program that will compete over the long term, not just peak for a year and scrape along for three. Given time and resources, you'll see this team contend, perhaps not for 1-2, but certainly with the Monctons and UPEIs and Xs, etc. for 3-6, and compete every night
Agree. His plan all along has been to build a program that will compete over the long term, not just peak for a year and scrape along for three. Given time and resources, you'll see this team contend, perhaps not for 1-2, but certainly with the Monctons and UPEIs and Xs, etc. for 3-6, and compete every night
Coach Ryan et al after 9 +.years of inadequate leadership is slowly putting aspects of a competitive/playoff bound team in place and is resisting the temptations of just adding players.
I have every confidence that his 3rd year of the rebuilding plan will have the Mens Tommies in contention and respectability once again.
This turnaround has been accomplished under very difficult circumstances as the author of "that.mess" for.9 1/2 years still occupies the A/D position.
Imagine,if you will,what the addition of some top 6 snipers will do for this team of dedicated, all in soldiers(Tommies).
Top goalie Groenhyde has shone under fire and next year's version of Tommies will shine and good bye to all those who think otherwise.
Agree. His plan all along has been to build a program that will compete over the long term, not just peak for a year and scrape along for three. Given time and resources, you'll see this team contend, perhaps not for 1-2, but certainly with the Monctons and UPEIs and Xs, etc. for 3-6, and compete every night
Coach Ryan has rightfully resisted the temptation of the "short fix" as he rebuilds the flag ship of men's hockey for a run at the AUS championship,MEDIOCRACY is not his plan.
He (Ryan's EXPRESS ) has been wisely rebuilding under" many" handicaps and has used none of it as an excuse, a tribute to a fine man who is doing a fine job.
Recruiting student athletes with FULL eligibility in tact speaks to his understanding and integrity with respect to University Athletics,very,very laudable. His handling of some delicate situations has demonstrated this in spades.
The eventual additions of some top six snipers will complete his rebuilding plan and have the Tommies where they belong ie competing strongly for an AUS championship.
Coach Ryan has rightfully resisted the temptation of the "short fix" as he rebuilds the flag ship of men's hockey for a run at the AUS championship,MEDIOCRACY is not his plan.
He (Ryan's EXPRESS ) has been wisely rebuilding under" many" handicaps and has used none of it as an excuse, a tribute to a fine man who is doing a fine job.
Recruiting student athletes with FULL eligibility in tact speaks to his understanding and integrity with respect to University Athletics,very,very laudable. His handling of some delicate situations has demonstrated this in spades.
The eventual additions of some top six snipers will complete his rebuilding plan and have the Tommies where they belong ie competing strongly for an AUS championship.
ALL ABOARD the" RYAN's EXPRESS",
GO TOMMIES GO
RANTFATHER
I would like to echo Rantfather's sentiment here. Coach Ryan has put a ton of effort into turning around the Tommies and considering the mess the program seemed to be in, is doing a good job. I don't know what people expected of Troy but it seems to be a tad unreasonable to expect him to have a contender after 1 season, 2 seasons, or even 3 seasons. It would be one thing if he only had to fix the on ice product but he has had to reach out to the community, fans, supporters, alumni, and a host of other people to correct things that were completely ignored for far too long. Was every fan upset? No. Was every alumni upset? No. But there was a ground swell of discontentment that hasn't completely been fixed. Ryan has said publicly that he has had to resist the temptation of trying the "fast fixes" for a slow and consistent rebuild. I can't image the pressure that is being heaped on him from every angle. Kudos to him for sticking to his guns and doing the rebuild the way he wants to do it and probably the way it needs to be done.
I expect results and feel that Coach Ryan will deliver them. For the record, I am completely ready to stick my neck out and say I believe in what Coach Ryan is doing and will be patient for expected positive outcomes.
Most winning teams look to make a solid foundation of players and then go look for the guy or two that can put you over the top. The Tommies are not there yet, so recruiting for second term would mean adding players who may not help the situation over a four year span of their playing time.
As a hockey fan, I am not certain what all the hype is about UNB playing up the Canada Russia series being revisited in this fashion. The 72 series was all about everything...this is much ado about nothing. At least Saint John feels the same as I do. They drew about the same number of fans as the Millrats basketball team...which is a number that hardly pays for the concession popcorn!
People are telling me that Fredericton is a great hockey town and I should not criticize this series???? Tell that to two pro hockey teams who folded in this town and a university that canned it's female hockey team!
As a hockey fan, I am not certain what all the hype is about UNB playing up the Canada Russia series being revisited in this fashion. The 72 series was all about everything...this is much ado about nothing. At least Saint John feels the same as I do. They drew about the same number of fans as the Millrats basketball team...which is a number that hardly pays for the concession popcorn!
Agree there was some hype involved, but there's always some intrigue-curiosity involved when a Russian team plays a Canadian team, regardless of the stakes. It was the 40th anniversary of the Summit Series and Esposito was involved -- although he bailed back to T-Bay on New Year's Eve rather than attend the Fredericton game. But I think the curiosity is the reason the game sold out 10 days in advance -- which NEVER happens in Fredericton.
The team is not to blame for the overhype it's the media spindoctors that make their living filling newspaper pages, radio and TV airwaves, twitters, blogs, et al. Sometimes there is too much information but that is how the media earns a living. It would be great if they could return to good old fashioned sports reporting instead of just being talking parrots with employer approved opinions.
The team is not to blame for the overhype it's the media spindoctors that make their living filling newspaper pages, radio and TV airwaves, twitters, blogs, et al. Sometimes there is too much information but that is how the media earns a living. It would be great if they could return to good old fashioned sports reporting instead of just being talking parrots with employer approved opinions.
Gleaner Guy and predecessors are one of the reasons why AUS/CIS hockey is on the map here in the East and a sell out is BIG news as well as the Memorial event itself.
Keep your negativity to yourself,a piece of advice that I do not observe myself but I ALWAYS have a point, LOL.
Gleaner Guy and predecessors are one of the reasons why AUS/CIS hockey is on the map here in the East and a sell out is BIG news as well as the Memorial event itself.
Keep your negativity to yourself,a piece of advice that I do not observe myself but I ALWAYS have a point, LOL.
GO TOMMIES GO
Hearing the news the first time is great, it's the repetitiveness that comes across like fingernails on a chalkboard. Are there no more sportsbeat reporters like the Toronto Stars Milt Dunnell or the Montreal Gazette's Red Fisher.
Hearing the news the first time is great, it's the repetitiveness that comes across like fingernails on a chalkboard. Are there no more sportsbeat reporters like the Toronto Stars Milt Dunnell or the Montreal Gazette's Red Fisher.
That BOTH of these esteemed gentlemen have passed away......HAVE YOU CHECKED YOURSELF RECENTLY for signs of life?
Red Fisher actually is alive,but retired...and thanks for the testimonial, Rantfather. The "repetitiveness" leading up to the game all had a news angle: Phil Esposito, the results of the Russian team games in earlier stops on the tour, the return of Dion Campbell to the UNB lineup, the fact that Tim Priamo, a new defenceman was joining the UNB team...all newsworthy items in their own right. We certainly don't apologize for reporting that information...perhaps not as well as Milt or Red might have, but we do our best with the skills we have...
Red Fisher actually is alive,but retired...and thanks for the testimonial, Rantfather. The "repetitiveness" leading up to the game all had a news angle: Phil Esposito, the results of the Russian team games in earlier stops on the tour, the return of Dion Campbell to the UNB lineup, the fact that Tim Priamo, a new defenceman was joining the UNB team...all newsworthy items in their own right. We certainly don't apologize for reporting that information...perhaps not as well as Milt or Red might have, but we do our best with the skills we have...
OMG my apologies to Red and family for my flippant report on the state of Red's being,at 86 he hopefully has many years of good health in retirement.
I am.young/old enough to have enjoyed many of his hockey reports.
They played Sat. night in Antigonish with 13 players then lost Zandbeek halfway thru. Down to 12. I believe they were at 2 D pairings and 2 2/3 lines. They actually played well and were close, they could have won the game if they had a couple of bounces.
They played Sat. night in Antigonish with 13 players then lost Zandbeek halfway thru. Down to 12. I believe they were at 2 D pairings and 2 2/3 lines. They actually played well and were close, they could have won the game if they had a couple of bounces.
wow thats crazy as a coach I would be worried enough if my roster was down to 12 forwards in total, but 12 players including D is nuts for this level of hockey
So,
Even though I am willing to give Ryan three years to turn it around. Do people think he can do it? I have watched ex Tommies play in various leagues in the city and they are usually very talented dudes that are well above local guys who did not play University hockey, but if the team is down in players, seldom winning, and drawing very few fans, should we have a team in the CIS. AT STU we can offer the same as far as any other university re scolarships, etc but we can not offer the same number of courses or the recent history of winning? The volleyball and other non cis sports are great...just saying.
