ELynah Forum

General Category => Hockey => Topic started by: billhoward on June 13, 2024, 05:00:22 PM

Title: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: billhoward on June 13, 2024, 05:00:22 PM
Mike Schafer retiring at the end of 2024-25 season. Hiring Casey Jones to be associate HC, and future head coach. AD Nicki Moore says "We will have one head coach this year." Still, an unusual, probably good, model, transitioning to a new HC over the course of the year.  
-- 6/13/2024 via Zoom meeting with friends, sponsors, hockey boosters.

Schafer's record:
Overall 542–289–111 (.634)
ECAC    337–174–83  (.637)
6 ECAC championships (96 97 03 05 10 24)
1 NCAA Frozen Four, no title games

In his 28 seasons behind the Big Red bench, Schafer has led the program to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the 2003 Frozen Four – its first appearance in the NCAA semifinals since 1980. The 2002-03 Big Red established a school record for wins (30), one more than the 1969-70 national championship squad (29-0-0), which remains the lone Division I men's program to win a national title while finishing undefeated and untied.

14 seasons with 20 wins
17 with at least a .600 winning percentage
13 Ivy League titles
 6 ECAC tournament championships (Whitelaw Cup)
 6 Cleary Cups (best ECAC RS record) (established 2001)

 1 Spencer Penrose Award, top coach, 2019-20
 5 ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year five 5X (2002, 2003, 2005, 2018, 2020)
 4 Ivy League Coach of the Year (2018, 2019, 2020, 2024) out of 9 tries (award began 2016)

Under Schafer, Cornell has claimed six Whitelaw Cups (ECAC Hockey tournament titles), surpassing the legendary Ned Harkness for most in Big Red history. He has also guided Cornell to six Cleary Cups as the conference's regular-season champion, including three over the past seven years, and 13 Ivy League titles.


Casey Jones:
1991–1993 Cornell (assistant)
1993–1995 Clarkson (assistant)
1995–2008 Ohio State (assistant)
2008–2011 Cornell (assistant)
2011–present Clarkson
Head coaching record:
Overall 234–185–56 (.552)
ECAC    116– 88–35 (.559)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer announcement
Post by: chimpfood on June 13, 2024, 05:01:06 PM
Wow, comes as a surprise but I'm glad to know before the season so we can really appreciate him. Let's make this a special one.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Scersk '97 on June 13, 2024, 05:19:33 PM
Quote from: billhowardSchafer's record:
3 ECAC championships

Ummmmm, 6 ECAC Championships.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: billhoward on June 13, 2024, 05:24:27 PM
Quote from: AD NIcki Moore"I wanted you to be among the first to know of Head Men's Ice Hockey Coach Mike Schafer's planned retirement following the 2024-2025 season.  Simultaneously, we are excited to announce the hiring of Casey Jones, '90 as Associate Head Coach and the new Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey following the 2024-25 season.  

Since taking over as head coach at his alma mater during the summer of 1995, Schafer has led Cornell to great heights. His career record of 542-229-111 ranks in the top 25 in college hockey history and top six among active head coaches entering the 2024-25 campaign in both victories and winning percentage. His teams have collected 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including advancing to the 2003 Frozen Four — the program's first appearance in the national semifinals since the 1979-80 campaign. Schafer's teams have won six ECAC Hockey regu"lar season and tournament titles and have been crowned Ivy League champions on 13 occasions.

As both Coach Schafer and Coach Jones, along with the staff, are fully focused on coaching and supporting the 2024-25 team and recruiting future Cornellians, there will be no immediate public recognition of Coach Schafer's planned May 2025 retirement, or of Coach Jones' projected succession. At the appropriate times, both of these momentous events will be aptly celebrated with Lynah Faithful and all who love Big Red Hockey.

The return of Coach Jones after a successful 13-year run as head coach at Clarkson is a unique opportunity to pair two of the nation's top collegiate coaches for the upcoming season. The two coaches have worked together on the bench, are friends going back more than three decades and are philosophically aligned about running a hockey program and how to treat student-athletes in their care. We couldn't be more excited for the upcoming season!"

Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 13, 2024, 05:26:31 PM
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: billhowardSchafer's record:
3 ECAC championships

Ummmmm, 6 ECAC Championships.

The database isn't working, so I can't check which one of you is right. But I suspect Scersk is. So, I'll add this:

And we're returning a team that's loaded, with two coaches that have both proven they can coach at the highest level. Let's hope 7 is a lucky number for us, which will translate into #3.

BTW, if any potential recruits need convincing about Cornell, consider that both the Head and Associate Head coaches had many other opportunities, but both chose to come back to Cornell to coach because the love the school.

I'll also add that this situation has a family resemblance to our current men's lacrosse coaching situation. And that's working out pretty well.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: kingpin248 on June 13, 2024, 05:29:23 PM
Quote from: Swampy
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: billhowardSchafer's record:
3 ECAC championships

Ummmmm, 6 ECAC Championships.

The database isn't working, so I can't check which one of you is right. But I suspect Scersk is.

1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2024.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 13, 2024, 05:37:54 PM
CHN: "Clarkson Head Coach Casey Jones Moving to Cornell as Head Coach in Waiting. (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/13_Clarkson-Head-Coach-Casey.php)"

P.S. If Mike was going to retire, it's hard to think of a better scenario.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 13, 2024, 05:51:45 PM
I'm not sure what to make of this situation. Casey is only 5 years younger than Mike, so it's not like this change is infusing the program with young blood. Casey was successful at Clarkson with few resources. But not wildly successful. I think the most important thing at this point is retaining our excellent rising sophomore class and recruits through Mike's retirement and beyond. From that perspective, the one-year succession plan is very welcome news. Though, the alternative of promoting Syer would have likely ensured nobody leaves after next year, or at any point before graduating/turning pro.

I guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left? I still think he's the most likely next-next head coach (after Jones, who, again, is 56).

At the end of the day, this is Cornell we're talking about. They weren't going to make a flashy hire. It was always going to be an alum or an internal promotion. From that perspective, Casey and Syer were the two best options. And Casey comes with 13 years of head coaching experience. So I think this is the best we could have hoped for.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 13, 2024, 05:57:06 PM
Quote from: billhowardMike Schafer retiring at the end of 2024-25 season. Hiring Casey Jones to be associate HC, and future head coach. AD Nicki Moore says "We will have one head coach this year." Still, an unusual, probably good, model, transitioning to a new HC over the course of the year.  
-- 6/13/2024 via Zoom meeting with friends, sponsors, hockey boosters.

Schafer's record:
Overall 542–289–111 (.634)
ECAC    337–174–83  (.637)
3 ECAC championships
1 NCAA Frozen Four

Casey Jones:
1991–1993 Cornell (assistant)
1993–1995 Clarkson (assistant)
1995–2008 Ohio State (assistant)
2008–2011 Cornell (assistant)
2011–present Clarkson
Head coaching record:
Overall 234–185–56 (.552)
ECAC    116– 88–35 (.559)
C'mon, man. 3 ECAC titles?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Ben Rocky '04 on June 13, 2024, 05:58:26 PM
Quote from: BearLoverSo I think this is the best we could have hoped for.

Absolutely correct.  This seems very cautious, well-considered and yet again I continue to be optimistic about our new AD.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 13, 2024, 06:03:37 PM
Quote from: Ben Rocky '04
Quote from: BearLoverSo I think this is the best we could have hoped for.

Absolutely correct.  This seems very cautious, well-considered and yet again I continue to be optimistic about our new AD.
To clarify one thing—this is the best we could have hoped for *given Mike retiring*. The true best we could have hoped for was Mike not retiring. But I'm still content with this, overall. It is what it is. And like you, I'm pleased with the money and effort the new AD committed here.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Ben Rocky '04 on June 13, 2024, 06:21:07 PM
Yea absolutely with you.  Beyond sad that he's retiring.  I am really trying to be as optimistic as I can be, and this is the best we could have asked for.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: ugarte on June 13, 2024, 06:36:32 PM
Quote from: BearLoverI'm not sure what to make of this situation. Casey is only 5 years younger than Mike, so it's not like this change is infusing the program with young blood...
It's not like either of them are all the old! Schafer is barely in his 60's, but he's had health problems and has been at the helm for decades of success. Good combination of reasons to hang it up. Jones hasn't had the same success but then again he wasn't recruiting for us! And as far as I know, he's had none of the health problems.
QuoteI guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left?
He wasn't the only one who understood this!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 13, 2024, 06:37:12 PM
Quote from: BearLover...

I guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left? I still think he's the most likely next-next head coach (after Jones, who, again, is 56).

I believe Mike is 62 and will be 63 when he retires. He's also had some serious health issues. If Casey coaches until he's 63, he'll be HC for 7 years; 9 if he retires at 65. Regarding recruiting, I think Cornell is far more attractive to prospective recruits than Clarkson, and we have every reason to believe Casey should be very successful here. If so, I'll be very happy with 7-9 more years of the excellence to which we have become accustomed.

I also doubt few, if any, current Cornell players or recruits will defect, given how the transition is being handled. OTOH, there may be some Clarkson players or recruits who decide to jump ship -- maybe to Cornell, if they can get in.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Iceberg on June 13, 2024, 06:38:00 PM
You know, this is funny because I was thinking about this the past weekend at reunion. I happened to walk by a restaurant at the Commons and saw him outside at a table with a few other people. Well, now here's the answer
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: billhoward on June 13, 2024, 06:39:08 PM
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: billhowardSchafer's record:
3 ECAC championships

Ummmmm, 6 ECAC Championships.
Correct.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 13, 2024, 06:42:08 PM
Quote from: ugarte
Quote from: BearLoverI guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left?
He wasn't the only one who understood this!
This hypothetical person you're thinking of who posted Syer wouldn't be the next head coach—such a person would have more credibility if he didn't, in that very same post, also say Casey wouldn't be the next head coach!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Dafatone on June 13, 2024, 06:54:16 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: ugarte
Quote from: BearLoverI guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left?
He wasn't the only one who understood this!
This hypothetical person you're thinking of who posted Syer wouldn't be the next head coach—such a person would have more credibility if he didn't, in that very same post, also say Casey wouldn't be the next head coach!

He also never denied my suggestion that he was actually the coach in waiting.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: imafrshmn on June 13, 2024, 07:58:27 PM
I for one am happy for Coach Schafer. Selfishly I'd like him to stay another decade but he's earned his retirement, and that's a very personal decision that we must honor.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Dafatone on June 13, 2024, 08:16:18 PM
Casey's done a lot with a team that I can't imagine is easy to recruit for.

And good for Coach Schafer.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: billhoward on June 13, 2024, 08:29:49 PM
When Cornell played in the Las Vegas tournament, ah, 3-4-5 years ago, at a pre-game reception for Cornell fans, he joked about liking the Xmas holiday trips to Vegas and Phoenix tournaments because it also game him a chance to look at places to look at for retirement years. It was a joke and I also thought it was on his mind.

Phoenix, also Vegas, are  places that are nice for retirement. The more money you have, the nicer the places are for retiring. If you were Casey, you'd love to have Mike sitting up in the press box as a sign of continuity. But you might not 100% love him there every night. Because when Casey loses a game, we'll all be yapping about how Schafer would've played that team.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: pfibiger on June 13, 2024, 08:33:55 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: ugarte
Quote from: BearLoverI guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left?
He wasn't the only one who understood this!
This hypothetical person you're thinking of who posted Syer wouldn't be the next head coach—such a person would have more credibility if he didn't, in that very same post, also say Casey wouldn't be the next head coach!

https://twitter.com/CHN_AdamWodon/status/1801359099487207457
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: abmarks on June 13, 2024, 11:52:29 PM
here's some more insight on the process from AD Moore, via the Cornell Chronicle.   Clearly Syer knew he wasn't the answer.

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/06/mike-schafer-86-retire-hockey-coach-after-next-season

"When Coach Schafer approached me this past spring about his desire to retire, his focus was to support the current student-athletes and to make sure he left the program in the best possible position," Moore said. "I think, in every way, we are doing that. After agreeing to stay on as head coach for one more season, and with the understanding of my commitment that Mike's successor would be a successful sitting Division I head coach with an uncommon passion for Cornell hockey, Mike and I worked together to develop an impressive list of candidates."

"Casey emerged as the right successor for this esteemed program," Moore said. "This creative succession solution allows us to seamlessly compete to win in the present and plan for the future with our current and future student-athletes top of mind. To have a coach of Casey's caliber be supportive of this approach, and to have a person with his character and deep ties to Cornell be fully enthusiastic about the unique opportunity our plan offers is extraordinary. I am so excited for Mike, for Casey and for our student-athletes and staff."
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: David Harding on June 14, 2024, 12:34:46 AM
Quote from: abmarkshere's some more insight on the process from AD Moore, via the Cornell Chronicle.   Clearly Syer knew he wasn't the answer.

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/06/mike-schafer-86-retire-hockey-coach-after-next-season

"When Coach Schafer approached me this past spring about his desire to retire, his focus was to support the current student-athletes and to make sure he left the program in the best possible position," Moore said. "I think, in every way, we are doing that. After agreeing to stay on as head coach for one more season, and with the understanding of my commitment that Mike's successor would be a successful sitting Division I head coach with an uncommon passion for Cornell hockey, Mike and I worked together to develop an impressive list of candidates."

"Casey emerged as the right successor for this esteemed program," Moore said. "This creative succession solution allows us to seamlessly compete to win in the present and plan for the future with our current and future student-athletes top of mind. To have a coach of Casey's caliber be supportive of this approach, and to have a person with his character and deep ties to Cornell be fully enthusiastic about the unique opportunity our plan offers is extraordinary. I am so excited for Mike, for Casey and for our student-athletes and staff."

Can someone help me come up with"an impressive list" of "successful sitting Division I head coach[es] with an uncommon passion for Cornell hockey"?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Old Red on June 14, 2024, 05:56:11 AM
Quote from: David HardingCan someone help me come up with"an impressive list" of "successful sitting Division I head coach[es] with an uncommon passion for Cornell hockey"?

Brent Brekke.
Doug Derraugh.

I guess Cornell is correcting an error from some 50 years ago.  Back when Harkness left everyone said it should have been Len Ceglarski, then of Clarkson, over Bertrand.  Let's hope it works out better than this episode of Car 54 (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0536363/?ref_=ttep_ep20).
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: ithacat on June 14, 2024, 06:45:38 AM
Quote from: David HardingCan someone help me come up with"an impressive list" of "successful sitting Division I head coach[es] with an uncommon passion for Cornell hockey"?

Ted Donato and Rand Pecknold may fit that definition, though their passion may be a bit more twisted toward/against Cornell. If I think of it as a deeply understood respect for and recognition of the passion that is Cornell hockey then it opens up a bit. Still, it's a pretty short list. Is one even a list?

Should make for a smooth transition and I'm excited to see Casey get some recruiting mojo back. I think when he was last here we were really plugged into St. Mike's, and his top (?) recruit for Clarkson in 25 is a St. Mike's kid. It'll be interesting to see what happens with Jonathan Morello. I think it was also the last time we picked up an Ithaca prospect and started to dip into the USNTDP pool. Of course, things change and Casey may have had very little to do with those things. For now, I just want to enjoy Mike's last ride behind the bench. Should be fun.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 14, 2024, 11:40:08 AM
The burning question on my mind is: what happened the last two years at Clarkson? The program was on a very nice run under Casey, until the past two years. The talent was there, but the wins were not. Many players transferred into and out of the school during this time (though, maybe that's just the reality for all the non-Ivies). Hiring Casey would have been a slam dunk in 2022. Two years later, his success at Clarkson looks quite a bit more modest.

Does Cornell have more/better resources than Clarkson? Probably, but without being able to offer scholarships, it's hard to say by how much. I think the quality of recruit at Clarkson under Casey wasn't materially different from at Cornell under Schafer. Was that in spite of Clarkson's disadvantages, or is it a sign Clarkson didn't have that many disadvantages after all?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Chousnake on June 14, 2024, 12:33:50 PM
I'm sure an ice hockey recruit would prefer Cornell to Clarkson for numerous reasons both from a hockey standpoint and a college/education standpoint.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 14, 2024, 12:35:57 PM
I thought of making this a new thread, but decided against it to prevent thread glut.

With Casey coming in after having been Clarkson's head coach for 13 years, I'd like to know what mistakes he thinks he made at Clarkson and what he would do at Cornell to avoid repeating them.

Similarly, with Mike, I'd like to know the most important things he wants to make sure Casey learns and masters this coming year.

At the end of the season, I'd like Casey to tell us what he learned from working alongside Mike this year. And vice versa.

During this upcoming year, I'd like both coaches to evaluate every aspect of Cornell Men's Hockey -- including recruiting, training, tactics, scheduling, ticketing, etc. -- and come up with a plan to improve it in coming years under Casey.

Perhaps part of the above, they should identify the next Associate Head Coach, after Mike steps down from HC and Casey ascends to be HC.

The university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.

What other ways of using the knowledge of both men while we have both of them, and of honoring Mike, would you like to see?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: ugarte on June 14, 2024, 12:41:09 PM
Quote from: pfibiger
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: ugarte
Quote from: BearLoverI guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left?
He wasn't the only one who understood this!
This hypothetical person you're thinking of who posted Syer wouldn't be the next head coach—such a person would have more credibility if he didn't, in that very same post, also say Casey wouldn't be the next head coach!

https://twitter.com/CHN_AdamWodon/status/1801359099487207457
I thank Adam for using the nickname and keeping our Strategic Lowercase R Reserve well-stocked.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 14, 2024, 01:39:56 PM
Quote from: SwampyI thought of making this a new thread, but decided against it to prevent thread glut.

With Casey coming in after having been Clarkson's head coach for 13 years, I'd like to know what mistakes he thinks he made at Clarkson and what he would do at Cornell to avoid repeating them.

Similarly, with Mike, I'd like to know the most important things he wants to make sure Casey learns and masters this coming year.

At the end of the season, I'd like Casey to tell us what he learned from working alongside Mike this year. And vice versa.

During this upcoming year, I'd like both coaches to evaluate every aspect of Cornell Men's Hockey -- including recruiting, training, tactics, scheduling, ticketing, etc. -- and come up with a plan to improve it in coming years under Casey.

Perhaps part of the above, they should identify the next Associate Head Coach, after Mike steps down from HC and Casey ascends to be HC.

The university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.

What other ways of using the knowledge of both men while we have both of them, and of honoring Mike, would you like to see?
I think Sean Flanagan will be the next associate head coach. He will have been assistant coach for nine years by that point.

I agree they should retire Mike's number.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: George64 on June 14, 2024, 01:51:18 PM
Should be a memorable Senior Night on February 22 against SLU, coached by Schaefer protégé, Brent Brekke.  Clarkson, of course, will be Friday's opponent.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: upprdeck on June 14, 2024, 03:01:17 PM
if you get Casey to coach until 62 and then thinks about retiring then we have been successful.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Troyfan on June 14, 2024, 04:38:23 PM
Quote from: DafatoneCasey's done a lot with a team that I can't imagine is easy to recruit for.

And good for Coach Schafer.

When Jones went to Clarkson some kids he had recruited for Cornell must have gone with him.  The following year, maybe 2, must have Mike's worst.  I saw them play RIT, I believe, in a Christmas tournament in Albany and get shut out, 4-0.  They were awful.

Clarkson's had good players.  I think Jones is a good recruiter,too.  Clarkson academics are up there with RPI.  Hockey there fights the same academic headwinds Cornell does, if not stronger ones.

Some words from Mike on the situation. I don't know another like it in all the college hockey coaching changes I've ever heard about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va1gNWMzLsE
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: David Harding on June 14, 2024, 05:46:15 PM
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.


Totally agree on retiring his jersey number.  They probably ought to let Jack O'Brien play his last two years trying to live up to the Schafer standard, then retire #3.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: adamw on June 14, 2024, 05:57:00 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: ugarte
Quote from: BearLoverI guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left?
He wasn't the only one who understood this!
This hypothetical person you're thinking of who posted Syer wouldn't be the next head coach—such a person would have more credibility if he didn't, in that very same post, also say Casey wouldn't be the next head coach!

This hypothetical person only said that about Casey because I wasn't expecting Schafer to retire this quickly, and because Casey is only 5 years behind him. So - I figured if Coach retired in 5 years - they wouldn't give it to Casey in that scenario.

I realize you're trying hard to cling to your narrative that I didn't know what I was talking about - but hey ...

Casey Jones is a home run in this scenario - everyone knows it - and I assure you, I would never say or think otherwise. Casey is the best candidate for the job by a factor of 10 million.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: RichH on June 14, 2024, 07:04:35 PM
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.


Totally agree on retiring his jersey number.  They probably ought to let Jack O'Brien play his last two years trying to live up to the Schafer standard, then retire #3.


Un-retire the numbers and create a "Ring of Honor" (Wall of Honor? Rafter of Honor?) instead.  Then we'd be able to honor people like Ned and Teet.  

I'll die on this hill.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: RichH on June 14, 2024, 07:08:46 PM
Quote from: Troyfan
Quote from: DafatoneCasey's done a lot with a team that I can't imagine is easy to recruit for.

And good for Coach Schafer.

When Jones went to Clarkson some kids he had recruited for Cornell must have gone with him.  The following year, maybe 2, must have Mike's worst.  I saw them play RIT, I believe, in a Christmas tournament in Albany and get shut out, 4-0.  They were awful.

Clarkson's had good players.  I think Jones is a good recruiter,too.  Clarkson academics are up there with RPI.  Hockey there fights the same academic headwinds Cornell does, if not stronger ones.

Some words from Mike on the situation. I don't know another like it in all the college hockey coaching changes I've ever heard about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va1gNWMzLsE

He looks rested and happy.  It should be a fun year, and I hope we all enjoy it.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 14, 2024, 07:18:10 PM
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.


Totally agree on retiring his jersey number.  They probably ought to let Jack O'Brien play his last two years trying to live up to the Schafer standard, then retire #3.

With the team & coaches we have coming back, we have good reason to hope that #3 has a double meaning this year. ::banana::
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 14, 2024, 08:11:52 PM
Quote from: TroyfanClarkson academics are up there with RPI.  

This is almost as silly a what used to be thrown about in Troy. "RPI is right up there with MIT."

I don't buy Clarkson being overall near RPI academically - even after Shirley Jackson jacked off and pissed off the majority of the RPI faculty.

I can't say there aren't excellent programs at Clarkson and there are some clinkers at RPI.  I could be wrong.   Yet I think they aren't really close in academic stature.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on June 14, 2024, 10:08:38 PM
The first thing my youngster asked me after I told him the news was, "what song will they play after a win?".

I still hope Topher factors into this at some point.

Was Jones still under contract at Clarkson?  I have only read the email so I didn't know if Cornell had to compensate them in any way?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: abmarks on June 14, 2024, 10:22:43 PM
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.


Totally agree on retiring his jersey number.  They probably ought to let Jack O'Brien play his last two years trying to live up to the Schafer standard, then retire #3.


Un-retire the numbers and create a "Ring of Honor" (Wall of Honor? Rafter of Honor?) instead.  Then we'd be able to honor people like Ned and Teet.  

I'll die on this hill.

I'll die on that hill with you
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: abmarks on June 14, 2024, 10:25:55 PM
Quote from: BearLoverI think Sean Flanagan will be the next associate head coach. He will have been assistant coach for nine years by that point.

I agree they should retire Mike's number.

I wouldn't assume so  quickly on next assoc. HC.   That's ultimately up to Casey, not Mike.   Who knows how Casey and Flanagan get along or what Casey thinks of him.  Plus Casey may have someone from outside that he decides to bring in this time next year.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: ithacat on June 15, 2024, 01:17:28 AM
Quote from: abmarksI wouldn't assume so  quickly on next assoc. HC.   That's ultimately up to Casey, not Mike.   Who knows how Casey and Flanagan get along or what Casey thinks of him.  Plus Casey may have someone from outside that he decides to bring in this time next year.

I'm curious if we see Joe Palmer back in Ithaca as an assistant. I believe Casey recruited him to OSU. He had a nice stint with Mike at Cornell and now is on the Providence staff. Plus he's a Utica native. I have no idea what kind of recruiter he is.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Troyfan on June 15, 2024, 06:28:54 AM
Quote from: marty
Quote from: TroyfanClarkson academics are up there with RPI.  

This is almost as silly a what used to be thrown about in Troy. "RPI is right up there with MIT."

I don't buy Clarkson being overall near RPI academically - even after Shirley Jackson jacked off and pissed off the majority of the RPI faculty.

I can't say there aren't excellent programs at Clarkson and there are some clinkers at RPI.  I could be wrong.   Yet I think they aren't really close in academic stature.

My comments are based on a small sample:  my own work experience, which doesn't include any lawyering or doctoring.  But the Clarkson engineers were as good as any, Which included RPI and Cornell products. Included is experience before Shirley wrought her woe.

Anyway, the point is that Casey has dealt with academic constraints of the most stringent kind successfully.  Constraints not only on recruiting, but on hockey budgets and the conflict for time between school work and athletics.  He is much better prepared for Cornell than a candidate from one of hockey factory schools.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Al DeFlorio on June 15, 2024, 06:45:00 AM
Quote from: Troyfan
Quote from: marty
Quote from: TroyfanClarkson academics are up there with RPI.  

This is almost as silly a what used to be thrown about in Troy. "RPI is right up there with MIT."

I don't buy Clarkson being overall near RPI academically - even after Shirley Jackson jacked off and pissed off the majority of the RPI faculty.

I can't say there aren't excellent programs at Clarkson and there are some clinkers at RPI.  I could be wrong.   Yet I think they aren't really close in academic stature.

My comments are based on a small sample:  my own work experience, which doesn't include any lawyering or doctoring.  But the Clarkson engineers were as good as any, Which included RPI and Cornell products. Included is experience before Shirley wrought her woe.

Anyway, the point is that Casey has dealt with academic constraints of the most stringent kind successfully.  Constraints not only on recruiting, but on hockey budgets and the conflict for time between school work and athletics.  He is much better prepared for Cornell than a candidate from one of hockey factory schools.
RPI admits 65%, Clarkson 78%.  Some difference.  SAT score range is higher at RPI.  Key factor for hockey coach is how supportive are admissions office and administration.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 15, 2024, 09:35:22 AM
Quote from: Troyfan
Quote from: marty
Quote from: TroyfanClarkson academics are up there with RPI.  

This is almost as silly a what used to be thrown about in Troy. "RPI is right up there with MIT."

I don't buy Clarkson being overall near RPI academically - even after Shirley Jackson jacked off and pissed off the majority of the RPI faculty.

I can't say there aren't excellent programs at Clarkson and there are some clinkers at RPI.  I could be wrong.   Yet I think they aren't really close in academic stature.

My comments are based on a small sample:  my own work experience, which doesn't include any lawyering or doctoring.  But the Clarkson engineers were as good as any, Which included RPI and Cornell products. Included is experience before Shirley wrought her woe.

Anyway, the point is that Casey has dealt with academic constraints of the most stringent kind successfully.  Constraints not only on recruiting, but on hockey budgets and the conflict for time between school work and athletics.  He is much better prepared for Cornell than a candidate from one of hockey factory schools.

Agree.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on June 15, 2024, 10:09:46 AM
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.


Totally agree on retiring his jersey number.  They probably ought to let Jack O'Brien play his last two years trying to live up to the Schafer standard, then retire #3.


Un-retire the numbers and create a "Ring of Honor" (Wall of Honor? Rafter of Honor?) instead.  Then we'd be able to honor people like Ned and Teet.  

I'll die on this hill.

You won't be alone.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on June 15, 2024, 10:12:13 AM
I wonder if any of Casey's recruits will move with him?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 15, 2024, 10:29:07 AM
Quote from: VIEWfromKThe first thing my youngster asked me after I told him the news was, "what song will they play after a win?".

Two possibilies:
Only problem is they're both somewhat pessimistic. Then there's this takeoff, which uses the toon, but with the wrong name.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 15, 2024, 10:33:33 AM
Quote from: Al DeFlorio
Quote from: Troyfan
Quote from: marty
Quote from: TroyfanClarkson academics are up there with RPI.  

This is almost as silly a what used to be thrown about in Troy. "RPI is right up there with MIT."

I don't buy Clarkson being overall near RPI academically - even after Shirley Jackson jacked off and pissed off the majority of the RPI faculty.

I can't say there aren't excellent programs at Clarkson and there are some clinkers at RPI.  I could be wrong.   Yet I think they aren't really close in academic stature.

My comments are based on a small sample:  my own work experience, which doesn't include any lawyering or doctoring.  But the Clarkson engineers were as good as any, Which included RPI and Cornell products. Included is experience before Shirley wrought her woe.

Anyway, the point is that Casey has dealt with academic constraints of the most stringent kind successfully.  Constraints not only on recruiting, but on hockey budgets and the conflict for time between school work and athletics.  He is much better prepared for Cornell than a candidate from one of hockey factory schools.
RPI admits 65%, Clarkson 78%.  Some difference.  SAT score range is higher at RPI.  Key factor for hockey coach is how supportive are admissions office and administration.
ECAC admissions rates (based on last available data via quick googling):
Harvard—4%
Yale—4%
Princeton—5%
Brown—5%
Dartmouth—5%
Cornell—7%
Colgate—12%
Union—47%
St. Lawrence—63%
RPI—65%
Clarkson—78%
Quinnipiac—84%

Most hockey recruits don't care about academic prestige, though. Frankly, I personally don't even care. While it has been cool to attend academically prestigious schools, I have to say, having now been ten years removed, it doesn't affect my life much if at all. (And that's assuming admit rate even correlates with prestige in the first place.) I doubt most college hockey recruits care either.

With that said, academic prestige is obviously a major recruiting selling point for all the Ivies, and probably not for the other ECAC schools. Admissions standards are surely also more relevant in the Ivies. Couple the academic aspects with the lack of scholarships, and I'd say Casey will now be recruiting into a completely different world than at Clarkson.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on June 15, 2024, 10:51:41 AM
Quote from: Swampy
Quote from: VIEWfromKThe first thing my youngster asked me after I told him the news was, "what song will they play after a win?".

Two possibilies:
  • Johnny Cash (https://youtu.be/T_XUV3HJajQ?si=r-fu0hu45GQCrKhP)
  • Grateful Dead (Cornell 77, if we can find it) (https://youtu.be/CxCfnq7A56M?si=EoY-FvADcZgJhFeI)
Only problem is they're both somewhat pessimistic. Then there's this takeoff, which uses the toon, but with the wrong name.
  • Engineer Charlie (https://youtu.be/UQyS7a6WY4I?si=BcQyuIINDKKoHYSf)

This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chDaKuHBnUY&ab_channel=MississippiJohnHurt-Topic) is the only version worth considering.

Adjacent, and more upbeat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TugDh1FgwJg&ab_channel=mollielaRue).

But I vote we enshrine Mike and play the Scha(e)fer song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRecWSp4VFg&ab_channel=xniteranger) for the next hundred years.  As with "Screw BU," some things transcend the moment and become immortal.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: upprdeck on June 15, 2024, 11:38:24 AM
the problem with admission rates now is that for many its artificial.

Back in the day you applied to the schools you thought you might get into and it cost real money to apply so you kept choices low

Now it's a rite of passage to apply to all the ivies and try to get accepted to all of them even if the intentions is to go to one single school.  That rarely happens with other types of schools in such high numbers.  if 75% of ivy kids over apply it totally skews numbers
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: The Rancor on June 15, 2024, 12:43:37 PM
Quote from: Trotsky
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.


Totally agree on retiring his jersey number.  They probably ought to let Jack O'Brien play his last two years trying to live up to the Schafer standard, then retire #3.


Un-retire the numbers and create a "Ring of Honor" (Wall of Honor? Rafter of Honor?) instead.  Then we'd be able to honor people like Ned and Teet.  

I'll die on this hill.

You won't be alone.

I'm on this too. I don't like retired numbers (maybe in a unique and unprecedented career or circumstance)  Bring on the circle of honor.

Also, Casey Jones by the Dead is perfect (and still room for the Schafer's Beer Song forever)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: pfibiger on June 15, 2024, 12:53:51 PM
Quote from: adamwCasey Jones is a home run in this scenario - everyone knows it - and I assure you, I would never say or think otherwise. Casey is the best candidate for the job by a factor of 10 million.

I'm thrilled that Casey is an alum and a successful coach and a demonstrated great recruiter and coached here previously — he feels like the perfect choice to me.

My visibility to what a really wide candidate pool could look like isn't anywhere like Adam's — so this statement means a lot to me. I'm super excited about next year and the future!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 15, 2024, 01:49:43 PM
Quote from: The RancorAlso, Casey Jones by the Dead is perfect (and still room for the Schafer's Beer Song forever)

I agree, but I also like Trotsky's idea of using Mississippi John Hurt's version. Perhaps recruiters for Cornell's Band can get some alums to establish a few special scholarships for recruiting delta blues guitar players. They could even start recruiting this summer at the Grassroots Festival (https://www.grassrootsfest.org/) in Trumansburg next month. ::drunk::
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Troyfan on June 16, 2024, 06:52:16 AM
Leaving Mike and Casey aside for the moment, all I can say is it's straight out of Bizzaro World that Clarkson and RPI admit well over half of their applicants.  Things have obviously progressed much worse than I ever could have imagined!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: George64 on June 16, 2024, 08:39:48 AM
Posted on X by Topher Scott —

"A true legend of the game. I owe so much of what I have in my life to Schafe. Gave me a chance as a college hockey player. Gave me a chance as a college hockey coach.

Getting the chance to work with him and be a part of what goes on behind the scenes...it's not an accident Cornell has been a top team in the country for the last 3 decades.

When I think  about Cornell Hockey, I know exactly what that means. It's tough to play against. It's a collective group of players bought in to the front of the jersey. It's a culture of accountability and excellence.

It's identity.

Congrats to one of the best.

On top of that, I'm really excited for Casey too. What an awesome person to pass the torch to. Cornell Hockey will continue to thrive.

Go Big Red."
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Chris H82 on June 16, 2024, 01:03:56 PM
Side note on this - some Deadhead friends went to see Dead & Co at the Sphere in Vegas yesterday.  Evidently they project the inside of Barton Hall on the inside of the Sphere at one point in the show.

And here's the obligatory Youtube link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m_aDY_nmS0) - see the first 30 seconds or so.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: dag14 on June 16, 2024, 02:01:39 PM
My son sent me the video and it completely freaked me out because it was almost exactly my perspective from the bleachers in the back of Barton in 1977!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: billhoward on June 16, 2024, 04:13:00 PM
>>> With Casey coming in after having been Clarkson's head coach for 13 years, I'd like to know what mistakes he thinks he made at Clarkson and what he would do at Cornell to avoid repeating them.

This is attack journalism. Works good on TV if you don't plan to ask the person on again.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 16, 2024, 09:43:21 PM
Quote from: billhoward>>> With Casey coming in after having been Clarkson's head coach for 13 years, I'd like to know what mistakes he thinks he made at Clarkson and what he would do at Cornell to avoid repeating them.

This is attack journalism. Works good on TV if you don't plan to ask the person on again.

Too bad no one asked him in the tunnel after Clarkson's season ending loss during the ECAC playoffs.  All you would need is a hidden camera or a buddy with a cell phone to produce a viral video.  Though you might also need an ambulance.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 16, 2024, 09:50:05 PM
Quote from: marty
Quote from: billhoward>>> With Casey coming in after having been Clarkson's head coach for 13 years, I'd like to know what mistakes he thinks he made at Clarkson and what he would do at Cornell to avoid repeating them.

This is attack journalism. Works good on TV if you don't plan to ask the person on again.

Too bad no one asked him in the tunnel after Clarkson's season ending loss during the ECAC playoffs.  All you would need is a hidden camera or a buddy with a cell phone to produce a viral video.  Though you might also need an ambulance.

Would it be less of an attack if he were asked what he thinks he can do differently at Cornell?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 16, 2024, 09:50:41 PM
Quote from: TroyfanLeaving Mike and Casey aside for the moment, all I can say is it's straight out of Bizzaro World that Clarkson and RPI admit well over half of their applicants.  Things have obviously progressed much worse than I ever could have imagined!

One issue at RPI is that like many financially successful schools -including Cornell- class size increased over the past 30 years to boost revenue. I guess that the number of applicants hasn't increased in proportion to the incoming class size.

I don't know if Clarkson bulked up their incoming class size.

In an attempt to drift this thread even further I'll note there was a recent article in the Albany Times Union regarding Union College.  Their finances have been recognized as negative because the financial aid doled out to support their students has caused years of deficit spending.  The school has stated they aren't the next Wells College yet are going to attempt to improve finances by changing the mix of students.  If successful the change will decrease the percentage of financial support across the tuition budget. One aim is to keep total faculty size at the current level. For this their legacy might better be served by Houdini than Edison.

Times Union on UC - hopefully with no paywall (https://www.timesunion.com/education/article/union-college-facing-hard-choices-looks-19496701.php)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 16, 2024, 09:55:11 PM
Double post in error because the eLynah interface told me it rejected the first because I was deemed a bot.  At least it doesn't think I'm AI.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Troyfan on June 17, 2024, 06:49:53 AM
Quote from: marty
Quote from: TroyfanLeaving Mike and Casey aside for the moment, all I can say is it's straight out of Bizzaro World that Clarkson and RPI admit well over half of their applicants.  Things have obviously progressed much worse than I ever could have imagined!

One issue at RPI is that like many financially successful schools -including Cornell- class size increased over the past 30 years to boost revenue. I guess that the number of applicants hasn't increased in proportion to the incoming class size.

I don't know if Clarkson bulked up their incoming class size.

In an attempt to drift this thread even further I'll note there was a recent article in the Albany Times Union regarding Union College.  Their finances have been recognized as negative because the financial aid doled out to support their students has caused years of deficit spending.  The school has stated they aren't the next Wells College yet are going to attempt to improve finances by changing the mix of students.  If successful the change will decrease the percentage of financial support across the tuition budget. One aim is to keep total faculty size at the current level. For this their legacy might better be served by Houdini than Edison.

Times Union on UC - hopefully with no paywall (https://www.timesunion.com/education/article/union-college-facing-hard-choices-looks-19496701.php)

Funny how they never mention cutting administrators to save money even though almost every college has more of them than of faculty.  Some in CA have more admins than students.  In my 4 years before the mast you could go a whole year without seeing an admin.

That's my last puff in thread drift's sails.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Jim Hyla on June 17, 2024, 08:12:08 AM
Quote from: TroyFanthe point is that Casey has dealt with academic constraints of the most stringent kind successfully.

But let's drop the idea that this was a problem at Clarkson.

The way he showed that he could deal with this was that he recruited for Cornell.

I find it hard to believe that he didn't find it much easier when he went to Clarkson.

Quote from: BearLoverMost hockey recruits don't care about academic prestige,

Then in the same post you said

Quote from: BearLoverWith that said, academic prestige is obviously a major recruiting selling point for all the Ivies

Tough to say both of those at the same time.

I'll agree with the second. Almost every recruit says it. You can say it's what they have to say, but I think they believe it.

And from discussions I've heard, certainly their parents believe it.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on June 17, 2024, 09:13:40 AM
Quote from: marty
Quote from: billhoward>>> With Casey coming in after having been Clarkson's head coach for 13 years, I'd like to know what mistakes he thinks he made at Clarkson and what he would do at Cornell to avoid repeating them.

This is attack journalism. Works good on TV if you don't plan to ask the person on again.

Too bad no one asked him in the tunnel after Clarkson's season ending loss during the ECAC playoffs.  All you would need is a hidden camera or a buddy with a cell phone to produce a viral video.  Though you might also need an ambulance.
One word.  Drones.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 17, 2024, 09:22:27 AM
Quote from: BearLoverMost hockey recruits don't care about academic prestige,

Then in the same post you said

Quote from: BearLoverWith that said, academic prestige is obviously a major recruiting selling point for all the Ivies

Tough to say both of those at the same time.
[/quote]
The first statement applies to the full universe of college hockey recruits.

The second applies to the Ivies and how they market themselves to the smaller subset of potential recruits who (or whose parents) do care about academic prestige.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on June 17, 2024, 09:29:48 AM
In Bear's defense, that was how I read his statements.  And I agree with him.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: jtwcornell91 on June 18, 2024, 10:13:03 AM
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.


Totally agree on retiring his jersey number.  They probably ought to let Jack O'Brien play his last two years trying to live up to the Schafer standard, then retire #3.


Un-retire the numbers and create a "Ring of Honor" (Wall of Honor? Rafter of Honor?) instead.  Then we'd be able to honor people like Ned and Teet.  

I'll die on this hill.

+1

Barring that, I hope retired numbers ends up like honorary degrees: something Cornell did one time and then thought better of.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: ursusminor on June 18, 2024, 04:10:21 PM
Since I am not a Cornell alum/fan, I did not realize that when Schafer retires in a year, he will have been Cornell's head coach for 30 years counting the COVID year. What surprised me was that I recall reading here posts showing that people were dissatisfied with Brian McCutcheon. That means that I must have been reading this forum before that. So I checked my profile which shows I have been a member since 2004. Many others have that year at about the same date as me. Was the board reset back then? I do recall having taken the user name ursaminor first and someone pointed out that was the female form. They don't teach Latin at RPI although I did know that alumnus is the male form and alumna the female form. I can hear my mother saying that not requiring eight years of Latin is what is wrong about the American school system. :-D

Sorry about the thread drift.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 18, 2024, 04:53:34 PM
Quote from: ursusminorSince I am not a Cornell alum/fan, I did not realize that when Schafer retires in a year, he will have been Cornell's head coach for 30 years counting the COVID year. What surprised me was that I recall reading here posts showing that people were dissatisfied with Brian McCutcheon. That means the I must have been reading this forum before that. So I checked my profile which shows I have been a member since 2004. Many others have that year at about the same date as me. Was the board reset back then? I do recall having taken the user name ursaminor first and someone pointed out that was the female form. They don't teach Latin at RPI although I did know that alumnus is the male form and alumna the female form. I can hear my mother saying that not requiring eight years of Latin is what is wrong about the American school system. :-D

Sorry about the thread drift.

It was transitioned from another client.  I lost my original name at the time because Macs can't deal with apostrophes or some such thing.  (Actually Cowbell Guy was very polite and apologetic when my board name changed.)

I am too old to remember the history but maybe Age will make his yearly post to recap the past.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: cbuckser on June 19, 2024, 01:05:18 AM
I recall first finding this forum's predecessor during the 1996-97 season. Ryle Rose started it. Several years later, Age succeeded him.

Thanks to everyone who made this forum a great place to spend time during almost the entire Schafer Era.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 19, 2024, 01:22:39 PM
I didn't want to start a new thread, but this article (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/19_For-Jones-Leaving-Clarkson.php) probably should be on a thread entitled, "Casey Jones: Cornell Men's Hockey's next coach."
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: adamw on June 19, 2024, 01:59:55 PM
Quote from: SwampyI didn't want to start a new thread, but this article (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/19_For-Jones-Leaving-Clarkson.php) probably should be on a thread entitled, "Casey Jones: Cornell Men's Hockey's next coach."

No love for my Coach Schafer hagiography?

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/14_Not-Goodbye-Yet-But-.php
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on June 19, 2024, 02:01:10 PM
QuoteCornell players return to campus at the end of July, because on Aug. 2, the team leaves for a European tour, five exhibition games against foreign teams.

Huh.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on June 19, 2024, 02:07:41 PM
Quote from: adamw
Quote from: SwampyI didn't want to start a new thread, but this article (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/19_For-Jones-Leaving-Clarkson.php) probably should be on a thread entitled, "Casey Jones: Cornell Men's Hockey's next coach."

No love for my Coach Schafer hagiography?

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/14_Not-Goodbye-Yet-But-.php
Excellent job, Adam. I loved it.

I did enjoy the fact that you managed to slip in a superfluous and utterly wrong opinion, just as a gift to me.

QuoteAnd while that may be good for some individuals, it won't be for most.

That's my Adam!  ::drunk::
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on June 19, 2024, 03:33:28 PM
Cornell vs Clarkson in PWR since Casey has coached Clarkson:
2012: Cornell-13, Clarkson-40
2013: Cornell-24, Clarkson-51
2014: Cornell-17, Clarkson-25
2015: Cornell-36, Clarkson-44
2016: Cornell-15, Clarkson-23
2017: Cornell-11, Clarkson-24
2018: Cornell-3, Clarkson-10
2019: Cornell-11, Clarkson-5
2020: Cornell-3, Clarkson-9
2021: Cornell-DNP, Clarkson-16 [tiny ECAC and no OOC games, so fairly irrelevant]
2022: Cornell-24, Clarkson-16
2023: Cornell-13, Clarkson-32
2024: Cornell-12, Clarkson-37

So, only twice in the twelve seasons in which both Cornell and Clarkson played did Clarkson finish ahead of Cornell. The question of whether Casey is a step down from Schafer seems to depend on the relative situations between the two schools. Is Clarkson a much more difficult place to win at? If so, this hire looks solid. Is Clarkson only minorly disadvantaged (if at all)? In that case, the hire doesn't look so great.

Cornell has been very, very good under Schafer. We will soon find out how much of that was Schafer himself.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: scoop85 on June 19, 2024, 04:33:00 PM
Quote from: adamw
Quote from: SwampyI didn't want to start a new thread, but this article (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/19_For-Jones-Leaving-Clarkson.php) probably should be on a thread entitled, "Casey Jones: Cornell Men's Hockey's next coach."

No love for my Coach Schafer hagiography?

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/14_Not-Goodbye-Yet-But-.php

I finally got to read it. Superb work! And the Jones article today was also a delightful read.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: jeff '84 on June 19, 2024, 05:19:00 PM
What he said - great job!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: cbuckser on June 19, 2024, 06:17:52 PM
Quote from: adamw
Quote from: SwampyI didn't want to start a new thread, but this article (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/19_For-Jones-Leaving-Clarkson.php) probably should be on a thread entitled, "Casey Jones: Cornell Men's Hockey's next coach."

No love for my Coach Schafer hagiography?

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/14_Not-Goodbye-Yet-But-.php
I did love it. Tremendously. But I didn't read it until Monday, so I thought it was a little late to provide kudos. But I guess it's never too late.

Thank you, Adam.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: cbuckser on June 19, 2024, 06:26:18 PM
Quote from: Trotsky
QuoteCornell players return to campus at the end of July, because on Aug. 2, the team leaves for a European tour, five exhibition games against foreign teams.

Huh.
The men's hockey team made a trip like this in 2014. One of the opponents was Mike Knoepfli's pro team in Switzerland.

It appears that Nicki Moore is a big supporter of varsity teams making quadrennial international trips, I think they're great.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 19, 2024, 07:30:03 PM
Quote from: Trotsky
QuoteCornell players return to campus at the end of July, because on Aug. 2, the team leaves for a European tour, five exhibition games against foreign teams.

Huh.

Yes.  What is this?  When did this touring begin?   Perhaps it was back in August of 2024.

Has anyone else here ever heard of an every four year European tour allowance?

CBuckster seems to have answered the question.

Is there a schedule for this year?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: dbilmes on June 19, 2024, 08:02:17 PM
Quote from: martyYes.  What is this?  When did this touring begin?   Perhaps it was back in August of 2024.

Has anyone else here ever heard of an every four year European tour allowance?


NCAA teams have been allowed to go on one foreign tour every four years for a long time (they can go anywhere overseas). Last year, for example, 61 men's basketball teams went on foreign tours. The UConn women's basketball team has done so on multiple occasions.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: David Harding on June 19, 2024, 11:02:37 PM
Quote from: dbilmes
Quote from: martyYes.  What is this?  When did this touring begin?   Perhaps it was back in August of 2024.

Has anyone else here ever heard of an every four year European tour allowance?


NCAA teams have been allowed to go on one foreign tour every four years for a long time (they can go anywhere overseas). Last year, for example, 61 men's basketball teams went on foreign tours. The UConn women's basketball team has done so on multiple occasions.

 Join the party! (https://www.europeansportstravel.com/cornell)  Registration has been open since January 1.  

 Here's an account of the 2014 tour. (https://cornellbigred.com/news/2014/8/13/MICE_0811145717.aspx)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 20, 2024, 12:20:41 AM
Quote from: adamw
Quote from: SwampyI didn't want to start a new thread, but this article (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/19_For-Jones-Leaving-Clarkson.php) probably should be on a thread entitled, "Casey Jones: Cornell Men's Hockey's next coach."

No love for my Coach Schafer hagiography?

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/14_Not-Goodbye-Yet-But-.php

I didn't know it existed, even though I've been checking collegehockeynews every few days. I have to be more attentive.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention. Terrific job!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on June 20, 2024, 12:30:01 AM
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: dbilmes
Quote from: martyYes.  What is this?  When did this touring begin?   Perhaps it was back in August of 2024.

Has anyone else here ever heard of an every four year European tour allowance?


NCAA teams have been allowed to go on one foreign tour every four years for a long time (they can go anywhere overseas). Last year, for example, 61 men's basketball teams went on foreign tours. The UConn women's basketball team has done so on multiple occasions.

 Join the party! (https://www.europeansportstravel.com/cornell)  Registration has been open since January 1.  

 Here's an account of the 2014 tour. (https://cornellbigred.com/news/2014/8/13/MICE_0811145717.aspx)

This is great news. I was very worried about us opening the season against UND, even though we did pretty well against them the last time we played them. It just seemed unfair opening against a really good team that had 3 or 4 extra games under its belt. This tour evens things up. Hopefully, nobody gets injured or eats too much strudel. ::popcorn::
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: adamw on June 20, 2024, 01:44:14 AM
Quote from: Trotsky
Quote from: adamw
Quote from: SwampyI didn't want to start a new thread, but this article (https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/19_For-Jones-Leaving-Clarkson.php) probably should be on a thread entitled, "Casey Jones: Cornell Men's Hockey's next coach."

No love for my Coach Schafer hagiography?

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2024/06/14_Not-Goodbye-Yet-But-.php
Excellent job, Adam. I loved it.

I did enjoy the fact that you managed to slip in a superfluous and utterly wrong opinion, just as a gift to me.

QuoteAnd while that may be good for some individuals, it won't be for most.

That's my Adam!  ::drunk::

Check back with me in 5 years. What shall we wager on this one over who is right?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: adamw on June 20, 2024, 01:49:16 AM
Quote from: Trotsky
QuoteCornell players return to campus at the end of July, because on Aug. 2, the team leaves for a European tour, five exhibition games against foreign teams.

Huh.

BTW - I just made some updates to the paragraph with a correction and additional info.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Beeeej on June 23, 2024, 11:27:25 AM
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: dbilmes
Quote from: martyYes.  What is this?  When did this touring begin?   Perhaps it was back in August of 2024.

Has anyone else here ever heard of an every four year European tour allowance?


NCAA teams have been allowed to go on one foreign tour every four years for a long time (they can go anywhere overseas). Last year, for example, 61 men's basketball teams went on foreign tours. The UConn women's basketball team has done so on multiple occasions.

 Join the party! (https://www.europeansportstravel.com/cornell)  Registration has been open since January 1.  

 Here's an account of the 2014 tour. (https://cornellbigred.com/news/2014/8/13/MICE_0811145717.aspx)

Anybody yet go deep enough into the process to share a rough price estimate?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on June 23, 2024, 01:33:25 PM
Quote from: Beeeej
Quote from: David Harding
Quote from: dbilmes
Quote from: martyYes.  What is this?  When did this touring begin?   Perhaps it was back in August of 2024.

Has anyone else here ever heard of an every four year European tour allowance?


NCAA teams have been allowed to go on one foreign tour every four years for a long time (they can go anywhere overseas). Last year, for example, 61 men's basketball teams went on foreign tours. The UConn women's basketball team has done so on multiple occasions.

 Join the party! (https://www.europeansportstravel.com/cornell)  Registration has been open since January 1.  

 Here's an account of the 2014 tour. (https://cornellbigred.com/news/2014/8/13/MICE_0811145717.aspx)

Anybody yet go deep enough into the process to share a rough price estimate?

$2750 plus tax,  airfare,  and nominal tour guide and/or bus driver gratuity - there are some tours of the locations included - per person.

I think there is still time to book.  I'm leaning toward passing on this guessing there might not be that many alums or parents - but that is speculation based on a message from someone who was on the 2014 tour.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on November 02, 2024, 02:11:09 PM
Did anybody catch the clip during the second intermission on ESPN+ where Pierre McGuire asked Schafer how they ended up hiring CJ? Schafer said a lot of stuff in response but it's still unclear to me what the search process was like and how Syer factored in. Was the an opportunity for Syer to take over the job? Did the AD actually speak with other candidates? It sounded like they hired CJ in part because his contract didn't require a buyout, and also maybe he was less expensive than some other options? Was CJ's contract really up at Clarkson, as Schafer said? If so, what was going on where CJ was still performing head coaching duties at Clarkson in June without a new contract?

For me, that clip provided more questions than answers.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on November 02, 2024, 04:43:06 PM
Quote from: BearLoverDid anybody catch the clip during the second intermission on ESPN+ where Pierre McGuire asked Schafer how they ended up hiring CJ? Schafer said a lot of stuff in response but it's still unclear to me what the search process was like and how Syer factored in. Was the an opportunity for Syer to take over the job? Did the AD actually speak with other candidates? It sounded like they hired CJ in part because his contract didn't require a buyout, and also maybe he was less expensive than some other options? Was CJ's contract really up at Clarkson, as Schafer said? If so, what was going on where CJ was still performing head coaching duties at Clarkson in June without a new contract?

For me, that clip provided more questions than answers.

Maybe watch it again.  He explained what happened in sequence. Ben was offered the position,  then b then c.  He was as clear as he could be without airing the laundry.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on November 02, 2024, 04:50:34 PM
Quote from: marty
Quote from: BearLoverDid anybody catch the clip during the second intermission on ESPN+ where Pierre McGuire asked Schafer how they ended up hiring CJ? Schafer said a lot of stuff in response but it's still unclear to me what the search process was like and how Syer factored in. Was the an opportunity for Syer to take over the job? Did the AD actually speak with other candidates? It sounded like they hired CJ in part because his contract didn't require a buyout, and also maybe he was less expensive than some other options? Was CJ's contract really up at Clarkson, as Schafer said? If so, what was going on where CJ was still performing head coaching duties at Clarkson in June without a new contract?

For me, that clip provided more questions than answers.

Maybe watch it again.  He explained what happened in sequence. Ben was offered the position,  then b then c.  He was as clear as he could be without airing the laundry.
He did not say Ben was offered the position. I watched it multiple times. Where does he say that? Maybe I couldn't make it out.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on November 02, 2024, 05:30:53 PM
Watched it again. Here's what he said:
"I was thinking of retiring last spring. I confided in some people...Brekke, CJ, Don Vaughan...at the end of the season, I was pretty much retired. I was thinking about it, I was on my way out probably. And then Benny Syer got the job at Princeton. And I think he kind of hesitated a little bit, wondering what Cornell was gonna do. ***Knowing at that particular moment that it wasn't just going to be a handoff to Ben, I advised Ben, I said 'you've wanted this your whole life, go for it, go get the job.'*** And he did. But then I was like, 'now what am I gonna do?' I didn't wanna leave our team in a lurch. Ben has been such a big part of our program..."

Having now watched this again, I think the implication is that Syer was NOT offered the job. Rather, Schafer told him to take the Princeton job because he would not be handing the Cornell job off to Ben.

The part at the end about not wanting to leave the team in a lurch was a reference to not wanting the team to lose both its head coach and top assistant at the same time.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: ugarte on November 02, 2024, 06:12:24 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: marty
Quote from: BearLoverDid anybody catch the clip during the second intermission on ESPN+ where Pierre McGuire asked Schafer how they ended up hiring CJ? Schafer said a lot of stuff in response but it's still unclear to me what the search process was like and how Syer factored in. Was the an opportunity for Syer to take over the job? Did the AD actually speak with other candidates? It sounded like they hired CJ in part because his contract didn't require a buyout, and also maybe he was less expensive than some other options? Was CJ's contract really up at Clarkson, as Schafer said? If so, what was going on where CJ was still performing head coaching duties at Clarkson in June without a new contract?

For me, that clip provided more questions than answers.

Maybe watch it again.  He explained what happened in sequence. Ben was offered the position,  then b then c.  He was as clear as he could be without airing the laundry.
He did not say Ben was offered the position. I watched it multiple times. Where does he say that? Maybe I couldn't make it out.
i think marty was saying Syer was offered the Princeton job not the Cornell job and he would agree with your longer summary
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on November 02, 2024, 06:12:58 PM
Quote from: BearLoverWatched it again. Here's what he said:
"I was thinking of retiring last spring. I confided in some people...Brekke, CJ, Don Vaughan...at the end of the season, I was pretty much retired. I was thinking about it, I was on my way out probably. And then Benny Syer got the job at Princeton. And I think he kind of hesitated a little bit, wondering what Cornell was gonna do. ***Knowing at that particular moment that it wasn't just going to be a handoff to Ben, I advised Ben, I said 'you've wanted this your whole life, go for it, go get the job.'*** And he did. But then I was like, 'now what am I gonna do?' I didn't wanna leave our team in a lurch. Ben has been such a big part of our program..."

Having now watched this again, I think the implication is that Syer was NOT offered the job. Rather, Schafer told him to take the Princeton job because he would not be handing the Cornell job off to Ben.

The part at the end about not wanting to leave the team in a lurch was a reference to not wanting the team to lose both its head coach and top assistant at the same time.

Sorry I didn't read your note as carefully as I listened to Coach Mike. What I meant was that Ben was offerred the Princeton job not the Cornell has coaching position.  That along with the decision to retire is what began the process.  Always a process in this sport.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on November 02, 2024, 06:43:09 PM
Quote from: marty
Quote from: BearLoverWatched it again. Here's what he said:
"I was thinking of retiring last spring. I confided in some people...Brekke, CJ, Don Vaughan...at the end of the season, I was pretty much retired. I was thinking about it, I was on my way out probably. And then Benny Syer got the job at Princeton. And I think he kind of hesitated a little bit, wondering what Cornell was gonna do. ***Knowing at that particular moment that it wasn't just going to be a handoff to Ben, I advised Ben, I said 'you've wanted this your whole life, go for it, go get the job.'*** And he did. But then I was like, 'now what am I gonna do?' I didn't wanna leave our team in a lurch. Ben has been such a big part of our program..."

Having now watched this again, I think the implication is that Syer was NOT offered the job. Rather, Schafer told him to take the Princeton job because he would not be handing the Cornell job off to Ben.

The part at the end about not wanting to leave the team in a lurch was a reference to not wanting the team to lose both its head coach and top assistant at the same time.

Sorry I didn't read your note as carefully as I listened to Coach Mike. What I meant was that Ben was offerred the Princeton job not the Cornell has coaching position.  That along with the decision to retire is what began the process.  Always a process in this sport.
Well then we are in agreement!

Still a lot of questions though...
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tcl123 on November 02, 2024, 10:52:17 PM
I'm actually surprised Schafer is retiring given the state of the team. I respect how he's handled it in regards to trying to make a smooth transition with CJ, but this team has the potential to be serious national contenders for at least two more years. The only thing not on his resume. Yet.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Cop at Lynah on November 03, 2024, 01:54:49 AM
He's a grand parent now, it makes perfect sense for him to retire
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on November 03, 2024, 08:37:52 AM
How long have people referred to him as "CJ"?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on November 03, 2024, 09:05:00 AM
Quote from: Cop at LynahHe's a grand parent now, it makes perfect sense for him to retire

He has also mentioned his health issues.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: upprdeck on November 03, 2024, 09:15:15 AM
several things went into the decision.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Scersk '97 on November 03, 2024, 09:43:21 AM
Quote from: VIEWfromKHow long have people referred to him as "CJ"?

Exactly never.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: abmarks on November 03, 2024, 10:15:53 AM
Quote from: toddloseI'm actually surprised Schafer is retiring given the state of the team. I respect how he's handled it in regards to trying to make a smooth transition with CJ, but this team has the potential to be serious national contenders for at least two more years. The only thing not on his resume. Yet.

Read his remarks again. He was basically retired Last Year.  The lounge chair was ready.  This is a one off transition year...he wasn't signing up for a generational run.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tcl123 on November 03, 2024, 09:01:39 PM
Quote from: abmarks
Quote from: toddloseI'm actually surprised Schafer is retiring given the state of the team. I respect how he's handled it in regards to trying to make a smooth transition with CJ, but this team has the potential to be serious national contenders for at least two more years. The only thing not on his resume. Yet.

Read his remarks again. He was basically retired Last Year.  The lounge chair was ready.  This is a one off transition year...he wasn't signing up for a generational run.

I'm not disagreeing completely. I'm just remarking how can you walk away from probably the best team since the frozen four team as someone who has literally been apart the program for the better part of 40 years? The lounge chair could be warm and ready, but we all know how competitive Mike is. Hopefully the players realize what they have and are motivated enough to get him over the top once and for all.


I worked as the manager alongside ray barile  in 93/94 (dark days im aware) when Casey was assistant to McCutcheon. He was the hard ass of the group. He was the one that expected players to work hard and go deep into corners. Casey is a solid hire. Maybe not the best. But let's see what happens.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on November 03, 2024, 10:18:09 PM
Quote from: toddlose
Quote from: abmarks
Quote from: toddloseI'm actually surprised Schafer is retiring given the state of the team. I respect how he's handled it in regards to trying to make a smooth transition with CJ, but this team has the potential to be serious national contenders for at least two more years. The only thing not on his resume. Yet.

Read his remarks again. He was basically retired Last Year.  The lounge chair was ready.  This is a one off transition year...he wasn't signing up for a generational run.

I'm not disagreeing completely. I'm just remarking how can you walk away from probably the best team since the frozen four team as someone who has literally been apart the program for the better part of 40 years? The lounge chair could be warm and ready, but we all know how competitive Mike is. Hopefully the players realize what they have and are motivated enough to get him over the top once and for all.


I worked as the manager alongside ray barile  in 93/94 (dark days im aware) when Casey was assistant to McChutcheon. He was the hard ass of the group. He was the one that expected players to work hard and go deep into corners. Casey is a solid hire. Maybe not the best. But let's see what happens.
I'm skeptical of Casey. I mean, he wasn't that successful at Clarkson. He was just okay. It was not even remotely close to how good Cornell has been under Schafer. It comes down to: how much more difficult is it to win at Clarkson than at Cornell? And: can Casey keep cooking with Schafer's secret sauce? I'm not saying he wasn't the best option available given the constraints (financial limitations, interest in the job, etc.), but he's far from a slam dunk.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on November 03, 2024, 11:07:05 PM
It felt like a couple of years there with Clarkson he was beating us at our own game.  And those were some really good Cornell teams that he did it to.  Replacing Schafer was always going to be tough but this still appears to me like the best option to continue the lineage.  Maybe thinking that the next coach is supposed to carry on is a bad idea but it's still comforting to me nonetheless.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on November 04, 2024, 02:26:10 AM
Quote from: VIEWfromKIt felt like a couple of years there with Clarkson he was beating us at our own game.

The 2019 ECAC final was like watching a scrimmage. Casey built that Clarkson team to Mike's exact specifications.  We are going to see a continuation of the same philosophy, and I'm fine with that.  Casey is a 5-year +/- bridge.  We should be aware Mike was a generational talent as a coach.  It took us 26 years to find an ideal successor to Ned, so I don't think we can just assume the next Perfect Coach will swing by in the 20's or 30's; it is actuarially likely I won't be here for Mike's true successor.  We will most probably see a succession of good coaches in 4 to 8-year tenures.  Maybe there will be some Extra Special Something New to push us to new heights, but to keep up Schafer's level of excellence is the reach goal.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: billhoward on November 04, 2024, 01:06:11 PM
Better to walk away on an up note. Plus, somewhere on the high side of 60, a lot of people think about when is the right time to step back from work. Schafer is ~62. Sometimes you think about whether you'd rather enjoy a slower pace of life and you factor in your health, how long your ancestors lived, do you have enough to retire early, etcetera. Sometimes you get tired of being in a place where it snows. Sometimes a job you love isn't one you love so much three decades in.

Yes, the 2024-25 Big Red is a talented team, has the ability to win it all, but still there's no guarantee they'd win this year or they'd have a better chance next year.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tom Lento on November 04, 2024, 03:58:37 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: toddlose
Quote from: abmarks
Quote from: toddloseI'm actually surprised Schafer is retiring given the state of the team. I respect how he's handled it in regards to trying to make a smooth transition with CJ, but this team has the potential to be serious national contenders for at least two more years. The only thing not on his resume. Yet.

Read his remarks again. He was basically retired Last Year.  The lounge chair was ready.  This is a one off transition year...he wasn't signing up for a generational run.

I'm not disagreeing completely. I'm just remarking how can you walk away from probably the best team since the frozen four team as someone who has literally been apart the program for the better part of 40 years? The lounge chair could be warm and ready, but we all know how competitive Mike is. Hopefully the players realize what they have and are motivated enough to get him over the top once and for all.


I worked as the manager alongside ray barile  in 93/94 (dark days im aware) when Casey was assistant to McChutcheon. He was the hard ass of the group. He was the one that expected players to work hard and go deep into corners. Casey is a solid hire. Maybe not the best. But let's see what happens.
I'm skeptical of Casey. I mean, he wasn't that successful at Clarkson. He was just okay. It was not even remotely close to how good Cornell has been under Schafer. It comes down to: how much more difficult is it to win at Clarkson than at Cornell? And: can Casey keep cooking with Schafer's secret sauce? I'm not saying he wasn't the best option available given the constraints (financial limitations, interest in the job, etc.), but he's far from a slam dunk.


I think if you're setting the standard of "is he going to be as good as Mike Schafer" you should be skeptical of Casey Jones because the answer is almost certainly no. Nothing against Jones, but Schafer is a hall of fame college hockey coach so replacing him was always going to be an exercise in finding a guy who could hopefully match up if things go well.

On the upside, my impression is Jones took over a Clarkson program in sharp decline after the Mark Morris scandal and the mostly ineffective tenure of George Roll, stabilized it, and put together a strong 3-season run before COVID screwed everything up. I think one way to look at his record is he's a coach who'll have a lot of ups and downs but every now and again he'll put together a strong run like his teams did pre-COVID - think Don Vaughn at Colgate but with better institutional support. Another way to look at it is he took some time to really get the program re-established during a number of up and down seasons, and was on his way before COVID derailed the process - think Schafer but with a longer ramp-up time (possibly caused by a weaker starting point in terms of talent) and maybe less consistent strength at the level of conference title contention.

So that's a big range, but honestly we'll never get a slam dunk replacement for a coach like Schafer, and given the constraints on Cornell's program I suspect this is about the best we can hope for. By all accounts Jones is at least a solid coach and should be an excellent steward of the program, and as fans we're just left to hope that "at least solid" turns out to be another all time great.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on November 04, 2024, 04:14:20 PM
Quote from: Tom Lento
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: toddlose
Quote from: abmarks
Quote from: toddloseI'm actually surprised Schafer is retiring given the state of the team. I respect how he's handled it in regards to trying to make a smooth transition with CJ, but this team has the potential to be serious national contenders for at least two more years. The only thing not on his resume. Yet.

Read his remarks again. He was basically retired Last Year.  The lounge chair was ready.  This is a one off transition year...he wasn't signing up for a generational run.

I'm not disagreeing completely. I'm just remarking how can you walk away from probably the best team since the frozen four team as someone who has literally been apart the program for the better part of 40 years? The lounge chair could be warm and ready, but we all know how competitive Mike is. Hopefully the players realize what they have and are motivated enough to get him over the top once and for all.


I worked as the manager alongside ray barile  in 93/94 (dark days im aware) when Casey was assistant to McChutcheon. He was the hard ass of the group. He was the one that expected players to work hard and go deep into corners. Casey is a solid hire. Maybe not the best. But let's see what happens.
I'm skeptical of Casey. I mean, he wasn't that successful at Clarkson. He was just okay. It was not even remotely close to how good Cornell has been under Schafer. It comes down to: how much more difficult is it to win at Clarkson than at Cornell? And: can Casey keep cooking with Schafer's secret sauce? I'm not saying he wasn't the best option available given the constraints (financial limitations, interest in the job, etc.), but he's far from a slam dunk.


I think if you're setting the standard of "is he going to be as good as Mike Schafer" you should be skeptical of Casey Jones because the answer is almost certainly no. Nothing against Jones, but Schafer is a hall of fame college hockey coach so replacing him was always going to be an exercise in finding a guy who could hopefully match up if things go well.

On the upside, my impression is Jones took over a Clarkson program in sharp decline after the Mark Morris scandal and the mostly ineffective tenure of George Roll, stabilized it, and put together a strong 3-season run before COVID screwed everything up. I think one way to look at his record is he's a coach who'll have a lot of ups and downs but every now and again he'll put together a strong run like his teams did pre-COVID - think Don Vaughn at Colgate but with better institutional support. Another way to look at it is he took some time to really get the program re-established during a number of up and down seasons, and was on his way before COVID derailed the process - think Schafer but with a longer ramp-up time (possibly caused by a weaker starting point in terms of talent) and maybe less consistent strength at the level of conference title contention.

So that's a big range, but honestly we'll never get a slam dunk replacement for a coach like Schafer, and given the constraints on Cornell's program I suspect this is about the best we can hope for. By all accounts Jones is at least a solid coach and should be an excellent steward of the program, and as fans we're just left to hope that "at least solid" turns out to be another all time great.
Well, I would definitely not consider Don Vaughn a successful coach, so hopefully we don't end up anywhere close to that outcome.

I think the upside case is that Cornell's success is due to assistant coaches, institutional support, and the quirks of Cornell (academics, Lynah crowd, historic success) as much as it's due to Schafer. I.e. another good coach could step in and see similar levels of success.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tom Lento on November 04, 2024, 05:02:06 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: Tom Lento
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: toddlose
Quote from: abmarks
Quote from: toddloseI'm actually surprised Schafer is retiring given the state of the team. I respect how he's handled it in regards to trying to make a smooth transition with CJ, but this team has the potential to be serious national contenders for at least two more years. The only thing not on his resume. Yet.

Read his remarks again. He was basically retired Last Year.  The lounge chair was ready.  This is a one off transition year...he wasn't signing up for a generational run.

I'm not disagreeing completely. I'm just remarking how can you walk away from probably the best team since the frozen four team as someone who has literally been apart the program for the better part of 40 years? The lounge chair could be warm and ready, but we all know how competitive Mike is. Hopefully the players realize what they have and are motivated enough to get him over the top once and for all.


I worked as the manager alongside ray barile  in 93/94 (dark days im aware) when Casey was assistant to McChutcheon. He was the hard ass of the group. He was the one that expected players to work hard and go deep into corners. Casey is a solid hire. Maybe not the best. But let's see what happens.
I'm skeptical of Casey. I mean, he wasn't that successful at Clarkson. He was just okay. It was not even remotely close to how good Cornell has been under Schafer. It comes down to: how much more difficult is it to win at Clarkson than at Cornell? And: can Casey keep cooking with Schafer's secret sauce? I'm not saying he wasn't the best option available given the constraints (financial limitations, interest in the job, etc.), but he's far from a slam dunk.


I think if you're setting the standard of "is he going to be as good as Mike Schafer" you should be skeptical of Casey Jones because the answer is almost certainly no. Nothing against Jones, but Schafer is a hall of fame college hockey coach so replacing him was always going to be an exercise in finding a guy who could hopefully match up if things go well.

On the upside, my impression is Jones took over a Clarkson program in sharp decline after the Mark Morris scandal and the mostly ineffective tenure of George Roll, stabilized it, and put together a strong 3-season run before COVID screwed everything up. I think one way to look at his record is he's a coach who'll have a lot of ups and downs but every now and again he'll put together a strong run like his teams did pre-COVID - think Don Vaughn at Colgate but with better institutional support. Another way to look at it is he took some time to really get the program re-established during a number of up and down seasons, and was on his way before COVID derailed the process - think Schafer but with a longer ramp-up time (possibly caused by a weaker starting point in terms of talent) and maybe less consistent strength at the level of conference title contention.

So that's a big range, but honestly we'll never get a slam dunk replacement for a coach like Schafer, and given the constraints on Cornell's program I suspect this is about the best we can hope for. By all accounts Jones is at least a solid coach and should be an excellent steward of the program, and as fans we're just left to hope that "at least solid" turns out to be another all time great.
Well, I would definitely not consider Don Vaughn a successful coach, so hopefully we don't end up anywhere close to that outcome.

I think the upside case is that Cornell's success is due to assistant coaches, institutional support, and the quirks of Cornell (academics, Lynah crowd, historic success) as much as it's due to Schafer. I.e. another good coach could step in and see similar levels of success.

Oh I'm with you on Vaughn, although I'm talking more about ebb and flow than final results - Cornell would win proportionately more games than Colgate under those coaching circumstances - but I think that's kind of the worst case here. As for the upside case, I really think it is that Jones has grown into as good - or nearly as good - a coach as Schafer AND the strengths of the program propel him to more consistent success than he found at Clarkson. It's easy to forget because it was 30 years ago, but Schafer took over a program underperforming its talent, won 2 ECAC titles in his first two seasons, and then had 4 mediocre years before getting back to the NCAA tournament. If you didn't follow the program closely at that point and just looked at Schafer's record at the end of the disappointing 2003-2004 season you might reasonably wonder if he was really good or just a decent coach who rode a couple of great recruiting classes for one push. Due to the COVID mayhem Jones is kind of in that same space in his career.

From what I've been reading, and from looking at Clarkson's record progression, I think he's far more likely to end up like Schafer but not as consistently competitive at the national level than he is to be Don Vaughn with a better record, but time will tell.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on November 23, 2024, 10:00:18 PM
In the 3 seasons prior to Mike Schafer becoming head coach, we had zero shut outs.

With tonight's 5-0 win against Princeton, Cornell has at least one shut out in every season of his tenure.

Thank you, Schafer.

Shut outs (http://www.tbrw.info/?/games/cornell_Shutouts.html) during Schafer tenure, by goaltender:

Pelletier (1)
Elliott (4)
Burt (1)
Underhill (6)
LeNeveu (11)
McKee (18)
Davenport (2)
Scrivens (19)
Garman (1)
Iles (9)
Gillam (11)
Stewart (3)
Galajda (19)
Howe (1)
McDonald (1)
Shane (12)

Total: 119
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: chimpfood on November 23, 2024, 10:16:23 PM
Never forget the Joe Howe and Justin Ertel era
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on November 24, 2024, 12:19:22 AM
Quote from: chimpfoodNever forget the Joe Howe and Justin Ertel era

Do you rank that above or below the Tony Romano and Justin Milo era?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: arugula on November 24, 2024, 01:20:20 AM
Joe Howe had one of those shutouts.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: sah67 on November 24, 2024, 08:45:49 AM
Quote from: VIEWfromK
Quote from: chimpfoodNever forget the Joe Howe and Justin Ertel era

Do you rank that above or below the Tony Romano and Justin Milo era?

Careful: if you say Milo's name three times, his dad will show up again to shit-post.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on December 07, 2024, 09:27:35 PM
I am dying to know what went into the decision to not give the head coaching job to Syer. Right now it looks like a colossal blunder, with Princeton and Clarkson vastly improving on last year with Cornell horribly underperforming. Here is how Cornell, Clarkson, and Princeton rank in RPI as compared to last season after Princeton hired Syer and Casey left Clarkson:

Cornell: 13—>25
Clarkson: 37—>22
Princeton: 55—>24
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on December 07, 2024, 09:31:46 PM
(https://i.imgflip.com/4ppqqi.png)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on December 07, 2024, 09:33:50 PM
Maybe adamw can tell us, since he kept posting cryptically that Syer would never be the next HC.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on December 07, 2024, 09:35:54 PM
On a completely unrelated subject, https://new.reddit.com/r/LynahFaithful/ is a moderated forum with Block User.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on December 07, 2024, 09:37:21 PM
Quote from: TrotskyOn a completely unrelated subject, https://new.reddit.com/r/LynahFaithful/ is a moderated forum with Block User.
Maybe you should stay over there, then? It's a highly relevant question to ask, why Cornell passed on Syer, who is an early frontrunner for coach of the year.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Redpucks1! on December 07, 2024, 10:13:01 PM
Bearlover - the absolute king of hindsight!!!
Adam W. knows a little something about college hockey - you, not so much!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on December 07, 2024, 10:34:14 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: TrotskyOn a completely unrelated subject, https://new.reddit.com/r/LynahFaithful/ is a moderated forum with Block User.
Maybe you should stay over there, then? It's a highly relevant question to ask, why Cornell passed on Syer, who is an early frontrunner for coach of the year.
You're "only asking questions," right?

No. You're a snail dragging its sludge across this forum.  That's been your MO for your whole tenure as many here have hinted, directly stated, or pointed at you and laughed.  I have no idea what motivates the perma-children who react to their disappointment by public flagellation, but it's as boring as it is pedestrian.  Maybe if you STFU and watched the way other folks here discuss the same issues you might learn a thing about interacting with people you missed out in IRL.

I know it's already losing to interact with trolls like you but, meh, the game sucked enough that your presence in the thread didn't actually significantly make it worse.  For once.  Grow up or go away.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Dafatone on December 07, 2024, 10:54:24 PM
Quote from: BearLoverMaybe adamw can tell us, since he kept posting cryptically that Syer would never be the next HC.

I mean he probably knew that Casey was the pick but couldn't say it.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on December 07, 2024, 11:12:51 PM
Quote from: Dafatone
Quote from: BearLoverMaybe adamw can tell us, since he kept posting cryptically that Syer would never be the next HC.

I mean he probably knew that Casey was the pick but couldn't say it.
In the same post where he said it wouldn't be Syer, he also specifically said it wouldn't be Casey either.

Anyway, I remain extremely curious about my question, even though it seems to have taken Trotsky to a bad place. It was a relevant question at the time Schafer retired, and it's even more relevant given what has transpired since. I'll disconnect from this forum for a few days and let all the other wonderful posters discuss.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Al DeFlorio on December 08, 2024, 10:40:13 AM
Didn't the team welcome the proposed coach of the year back with a 5-0 pasting?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: stereax on December 08, 2024, 12:39:03 PM
Quote from: Al DeFlorioDidn't the team welcome the proposed coach of the year back with a 5-0 pasting?
Shhh, that doesn't fit the agenda...
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on December 09, 2024, 06:31:13 PM
Maybe the numbers don't show it and maybe it's not fair under the circumstances, but I never thought they played very well when Syer had to take over during some of Schafer's medical absences.  Off of that sample size I didn't think he should have been the successor.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: sah67 on December 09, 2024, 08:12:49 PM
Quote from: VIEWfromKMaybe the numbers don't show it and maybe it's not fair under the circumstances, but I never thought they played very well when Syer had to take over during some of Schafer's medical absences.  Off of that sample size I didn't think he should have been the successor.

On the contrary, I seem to recall some extended winning streaks under Syer in recent seasons when Schafer was out. This pregame write-up from January 2019 cites Syer having (at the time) a 7-0-4 all-time record when filling in as head coach: https://cornellbigred.com/news/2019/1/18/mens-ice-hockey-14-15-mens-hockey-clashes-with-rival-harvard-tonight.aspx
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Dafatone on December 09, 2024, 09:06:54 PM
Quote from: sah67
Quote from: VIEWfromKMaybe the numbers don't show it and maybe it's not fair under the circumstances, but I never thought they played very well when Syer had to take over during some of Schafer's medical absences.  Off of that sample size I didn't think he should have been the successor.

On the contrary, I seem to recall some extended winning streaks under Syer in recent seasons when Schafer was out. This pregame write-up from January 2019 cites Syer having (at the time) a 7-0-4 all-time record when filling in as head coach: https://cornellbigred.com/news/2019/1/18/mens-ice-hockey-14-15-mens-hockey-clashes-with-rival-harvard-tonight.aspx

Syer was undefeated as a substitute coach for a long while, but that didn't last through his more extended terms (terms? Term?) when Schafer was out with health issues.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: sah67 on December 09, 2024, 09:08:08 PM
Quote from: Dafatone
Quote from: sah67
Quote from: VIEWfromKMaybe the numbers don't show it and maybe it's not fair under the circumstances, but I never thought they played very well when Syer had to take over during some of Schafer's medical absences.  Off of that sample size I didn't think he should have been the successor.

On the contrary, I seem to recall some extended winning streaks under Syer in recent seasons when Schafer was out. This pregame write-up from January 2019 cites Syer having (at the time) a 7-0-4 all-time record when filling in as head coach: https://cornellbigred.com/news/2019/1/18/mens-ice-hockey-14-15-mens-hockey-clashes-with-rival-harvard-tonight.aspx

Syer was undefeated as a substitute coach for a long while, but that didn't last through his more extended terms (terms? Term?) when Schafer was out with health issues.

I thought so but I couldn't find any stats from the more recent seasons.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on December 10, 2024, 08:19:14 AM
I thought he finally lost after 12 or 13 games.  IIRC he finished with an extremely good winning percentage, though officially all those decisions are credited to Mike.

During every short sample of not great play in the last 30 years casual fans have beaten their chests and bemoaned the drop from the level of play they think we simply are entitled to, ignoring the fact that the only reason the standard is that high is Schafer.  If you remember McCutcheon and Reycroft and TBH even Bertrand, you aren't fantasizing about getting rid of Schafer as an impediment to what Cornell hockey "ought" to be.  There is no ought.  There is only is, and the is of the last 30 years has been a fucking miracle.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Scersk '97 on December 10, 2024, 05:34:09 PM
Quote from: TrotskyDuring every short sample of not great play in the last 30 years casual fans have beaten their chests and bemoaned the drop from the level of play they think we simply are entitled to, ignoring the fact that the only reason the standard is that high is Schafer.  If you remember McCutcheon and Reycroft and TBH even Bertrand, you aren't fantasizing about getting rid of Schafer as an impediment to what Cornell hockey "ought" to be.  There is no ought.  There is only is, and the is of the last 30 years has been a fucking miracle.

"McCutcheon must go! McCutcheon must go!"

Just not right for the college game.

I'm glad we weren't so tough on him as to sour him on the institution and turn away Mark, who was a fine player.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: adamw on December 10, 2024, 05:49:11 PM
I can't even with this nonsense - so - not gonna feed the troll.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: arugula on December 11, 2024, 12:41:59 PM
Quote from: VIEWfromKMaybe the numbers don't show it and maybe it's not fair under the circumstances, but I never thought they played very well when Syer had to take over during some of Schafer's medical absences.  Off of that sample size I didn't think he should have been the successor.

This is true.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: arugula on December 11, 2024, 12:44:10 PM
Quote from: arugula
Quote from: VIEWfromKMaybe the numbers don't show it and maybe it's not fair under the circumstances, but I never thought they played very well when Syer had to take over during some of Schafer's medical absences.  Off of that sample size I didn't think he should have been the successor.

This is true.


At least in the last few years after Mike had his health issues.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on December 15, 2024, 05:44:19 PM
Others have mentioned this already but Syer had a great record taking over for Mike in his absences, until he took over for an extended period when Mike was out with a health issue in 2021-22. During this period the team struggled. I do wonder if that's when Mike made the determination that Syer wasn't ready.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Swampy on December 17, 2024, 12:28:05 AM
Quote from: BearLoverOthers have mentioned this already but Syer had a great record taking over for Mike in his absences, until he took over for an extended period when Mike was out with a health issue in 2021-22. During this period the team struggled. I do wonder if that's when Mike made the determination that Syer wasn't ready.

How did Casey do during this stretch?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: George64 on December 29, 2024, 12:53:30 PM
Quote from: SwampyThe university should consider retiring Mike's jersey number, not because of his HOF achievements in the NHL but because of his extraordinary, lifelong contribution to Cornell Hockey.

Mike should also be honored as the Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach, Emeritus, upon his retirement.
.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tcl123 on December 29, 2024, 08:33:10 PM
Maybe a bronze bust at the entrance of rink for players to touch prior to getting on the ice.

Or give him a statue outside (that should be for harkness or Dryden in my mind however)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: RichH on December 29, 2024, 10:19:52 PM
Quote from: toddloseMaybe a bronze bust at the entrance of rink for players to touch prior to getting on the ice.

Or give him a statue outside (that should be for harkness or Dryden in my mind however)

Ring (or Wall, given the building geometry) of Honor isn't a difficult concept, folks.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Jeff Hopkins '82 on December 29, 2024, 11:23:21 PM
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: toddloseMaybe a bronze bust at the entrance of rink for players to touch prior to getting on the ice.

Or give him a statue outside (that should be for harkness or Dryden in my mind however)

Ring (or Wall, given the building geometry) of Honor isn't a difficult concept, folks.

Given the amount of displays in the hallways, I think adding one for Schafer should be a piece of cake.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on December 30, 2024, 12:01:14 AM
How about The Mike Schafer Ice Surface at Lynah Rink?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Roy 82 on January 02, 2025, 04:56:17 PM
Quote from: Jeff Hopkins '82
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: toddloseMaybe a bronze bust at the entrance of rink for players to touch prior to getting on the ice.

Or give him a statue outside (that should be for harkness or Dryden in my mind however)

Ring (or Wall, given the building geometry) of Honor isn't a difficult concept, folks.

Given the amount of displays in the hallways, I think adding one for Schafer should be a piece of cake.

Maybe Schafer has gained a few pounds, but I don't think the display should be a piece of cake :-D
Rather it should be a statue of him breaking a stick over his head. Or if it is just a bust then perhaps and interactive one where players can break things over the head for luck.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tcl123 on January 02, 2025, 08:59:47 PM
Quote from: Roy 82
Quote from: Jeff Hopkins '82
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: toddloseMaybe a bronze bust at the entrance of rink for players to touch prior to getting on the ice.

Or give him a statue outside (that should be for harkness or Dryden in my mind however)

Ring (or Wall, given the building geometry) of Honor isn't a difficult concept, folks.

Given the amount of displays in the hallways, I think adding one for Schafer should be a piece of cake.

Maybe Schafer has gained a few pounds, but I don't think the display should be a piece of cake :-D
Rather it should be a statue of him breaking a stick over his head. Or if it is just a bust then perhaps and interactive one where players can break things over the head for luck.

I really like the last idea.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Jeff Hopkins '82 on January 03, 2025, 07:01:12 AM
Quote from: toddlose
Quote from: Roy 82
Quote from: Jeff Hopkins '82
Quote from: RichH
Quote from: toddloseMaybe a bronze bust at the entrance of rink for players to touch prior to getting on the ice.

Or give him a statue outside (that should be for harkness or Dryden in my mind however)

Ring (or Wall, given the building geometry) of Honor isn't a difficult concept, folks.

Given the amount of displays in the hallways, I think adding one for Schafer should be a piece of cake.

Maybe Schafer has gained a few pounds, but I don't think the display should be a piece of cake :-D
Rather it should be a statue of him breaking a stick over his head. Or if it is just a bust then perhaps and interactive one where players can break things over the head for luck.

I really like the last idea.

I like the way you think, Roy.  

And knowing you for as long as I do, that scares me.::cry::
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on March 15, 2025, 10:01:01 PM
One of Schafer's most remarkable statistics.

In playoff games on the road (http://www.tbrw.info/?/games/cornell_Road_Playoff_Games.html), which, by definition, were all games in which we were the underdog, Schafer's career record is now complete at 10-6-1.  Out of 7 series we advanced 4 times, and took national #1 Q to game 3 in both our Hamden series, coming within 64 seconds of beating them in 2013.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on March 30, 2025, 12:29:48 AM
Some perspective on how Schafer kept us in the mix (http://www.tbrw.info/?/ecac_History/ecac_PWR.html) for his tenure.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 12:37:14 AM
If Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:
—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

Stretch goal:
—NIL funding.
This might sound nuts, but if NIL is actually becoming a thing in college hockey (I'm somewhat skeptical), there is no reason why Cornell can't be involved. This school has too many rich alumni who care about the hockey program. It makes no sense why a place like BU, Denver, or Quinnipiac should spend more money on hockey than us, these schools have no revenues and way fewer rich alumni. Schafer didn't like the fundraising part of the job, but Casey can make real headway here if he wants.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 01:10:19 AM
Quote from: TrotskyThe dude [BearLover] is toxic, just leave him to die in the cold alone. Right now he's using the Thank You Schafer thread to trash Mike. He's a POS; it took 2 seasons for me to learn to not engage.
Moving this to the correct thread (Trotsky posted it in the lacrosse forum). Given that just today I said I love Mike and called him a HOF coach, I'm very curious in what way I am using this thread to trash him. VERY curious. Is it when I said Schafer didn't like fundraising (direct quote of Schafer from his Ken Schott interview this week) or when I said he didn't use the portal (one player acquired through the portal in four years)?

Your posts are 100% bluster and shitty self-absorbed opinions, 0% substance. You can complain all you want about the tone of my posts—but today I never said a single bad thing about Schafer, and you're completely delusional if you think that. It's an absolute clown show dealing with you, I usually try not to but you're just making shit up now.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on March 30, 2025, 02:32:23 AM
(removed for The Public Good)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 02:48:01 AM
Quote from: TrotskyThe correct thread is Ad Hom under JSID.  That's what it's for.   Please remove your shit from here and put it there; I have done the same from the lax thread.  That way nobody else has to look at either.
Maybe you should have put your post calling me a POS there, or actually maybe you should put all your moronic posts there. You totally invented things I said and then called me names like a child. Maybe you should spend a few days in time-out.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on March 30, 2025, 08:36:01 AM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: TrotskyThe correct thread is Ad Hom under JSID.  That's what it's for.   Please remove your shit from here and put it there; I have done the same from the lax thread.  That way nobody else has to look at either.
Maybe you should have put your post calling me a POS there, or actually maybe you should put all your moronic posts there. You totally invented things I said and then called me names like a child. Maybe you should spend a few days in time-out.

I did, and now I encourage you to do the same so the rest of the Chat doesn't have to scroll by this garbage.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: jtwcornell91 on March 30, 2025, 10:59:05 AM
Quote from: BearLover—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

I've only been to one game at Lynah in the last five years, and that one a playoff game, but what shocked me was the blaring piped-in music.  I feel that's taken away something that was special about the Lynah atmosphere, relying on the crowd and the pep band(s) for energy.  I have seen places where the piped-in music fits in with the atmosphere, like RIT, and pro games in Germany and Switzerland (where there are no pep bands, just fan clubs with drums), but at Lynah it just felt like they were piping in the music to fill space.

Note that filling Lynah was one of Schafer's three goals when he took over in 1995, along with beating Harvard and making it to Lake Placid.  So it's not like he didn't understand the value of the atmosphere.  IIRC it was a big selling point in recruiting, so Casey presumably already understands it.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on March 30, 2025, 11:01:58 AM
The piped-in noise, the defacement of the ice and boards, and the scoreboard garbage are endemic problems of our age.  Consumerism delenda est.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 11:38:22 AM
Quote from: jtwcornell91
Quote from: BearLover—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

I've only been to one game at Lynah in the last five years, and that one a playoff game, but what shocked me was the blaring piped-in music.  I feel that's taken away something that was special about the Lynah atmosphere, relying on the crowd and the pep band(s) for energy.  I have seen places where the piped-in music fits in with the atmosphere, like RIT, and pro games in Germany and Switzerland (where there are no pep bands, just fan clubs with drums), but at Lynah it just felt like they were piping in the music to fill space.

Note that filling Lynah was one of Schafer's three goals when he took over in 1995, along with beating Harvard and making it to Lake Placid.  So it's not like he didn't understand the value of the atmosphere.  IIRC it was a big selling point in recruiting, so Casey presumably already understands it.
Schafer totally gets the value of a packed and loud Lynah, I just think his attention was directed elsewhere. Which is fine, he was a hockey coach, not head of ticket sales. But I am hopeful that Casey will come in with a fresh perspective on this aspect.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Jim Hyla on March 30, 2025, 11:47:25 AM
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:
—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

Check your stats before posting. According to USCHO (https://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/) Lynah attendance this year was 97.9% of capacity. Considering that we don't have standing room, that's about as good as you can get.

Also Sec B and generally A stand. Sec D & E were never great at standing. That's exactly why I started to hand out papers. I started only in D & E to increase enthusiasm. Then it just morphed into the entire rink.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 12:05:59 PM
Quote from: Jim Hyla
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:
—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

Check your stats before posting. According to USCHO (https://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/) Lynah attendance this year was 97.9% of capacity. Considering that we don't have standing room, that's about as good as you can get.

Also Sec B and generally A stand. Sec D & E were never great at standing. That's exactly why I started to hand out papers. I started only in D & E to increase enthusiasm. Then it just morphed into the entire rink.
I've attended 4+ home games each of the last 17 years (including 4 years of season tickets as a student). I watch almost every other game on television. I have an idea of what I'm talking about. It's a much different atmosphere, the students don't know the cheers. A is often mostly empty. D never stands (it stood all four years I was there). C mostly sits too. Even if ticket sales aren't much below capacity, the students aren't showing up enough and they aren't getting loud.

Anyway, I sincerely appreciate your service of handing out newspapers etc.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: dag14 on March 30, 2025, 12:11:18 PM
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

I wish all our programs could utilize this alternative to supplement the recruiting of young players who may or may not succeed academically and athletically at Cornell.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a transfer student to get admitted because of the graduation requirements in the various colleges.  I was a faculty member for a number of years, now retired, so some details may have changed but the bar faced by coaches going after transfer recruits is college admissions.  The Arts College, for instance, mandates that a transfer student must spend at least four semesters in residence and complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell.  An Arts student entering as a freshman must take 100 of the 120 credits required to graduate in the Arts College. I presume that the same requirement applies to transfers so 50 credits in Arts.  That does not address fulfilling major requirements. CALS requires that 55 of 120 credits be CALS courses, pro-rata for transfers.  But, unlike Arts, courses taken elsewhere can fill this requirement [like transferring in Bio courses].  I don't believe any Cornel college accepts transfers who have completed 3 years of study elsewhere.

And these hurdles do not include any thrown up by the Ivy League with regard to eligibility.

Add to all of this the lack of athletic scholarships and uncertainty about NIL payments in the Ivy League and relying on the transfer portal for talent is most likely wishful thinking at this point.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Weder on March 30, 2025, 12:16:40 PM
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

I wish all our programs could utilize this alternative to supplement the recruiting of young players who may or may not succeed academically and athletically at Cornell.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a transfer student to get admitted because of the graduation requirements in the various colleges.  I was a faculty member for a number of years, now retired, so some details may have changed but the bar faced by coaches going after transfer recruits is college admissions.  The Arts College, for instance, mandates that a transfer student must spend at least four semesters in residence and complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell.  An Arts student entering as a freshman must take 100 of the 120 credits required to graduate in the Arts College. I presume that the same requirement applies to transfers so 50 credits in Arts.  That does not address fulfilling major requirements. CALS requires that 55 of 120 credits be CALS courses, pro-rata for transfers.  But, unlike Arts, courses taken elsewhere can fill this requirement [like transferring in Bio courses].  I don't believe any Cornel college accepts transfers who have completed 3 years of study elsewhere.

And these hurdles do not include any thrown up by the Ivy League with regard to eligibility.

Add to all of this the lack of athletic scholarships and uncertainty about NIL payments in the Ivy League and relying on the transfer portal for talent is most likely wishful thinking at this point.

Something I've always wondered, and maybe you know dag14: Do recruited athletes who don't make the cut for admissions get offered guaranteed transfers to enter as sophomores? I'm not sure how much Cornell overall still offers this path to applicants, but it was somewhat common back in my day (1990s).
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on March 30, 2025, 12:22:45 PM
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:
—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

Stretch goal:
—NIL funding.
This might sound nuts, but if NIL is actually becoming a thing in college hockey (I'm somewhat skeptical), there is no reason why Cornell can't be involved. This school has too many rich alumni who care about the hockey program. It makes no sense why a place like BU, Denver, or Quinnipiac should spend more money on hockey than us, these schools have no revenues and way fewer rich alumni. Schafer didn't like the fundraising part of the job, but Casey can make real headway here if he wants.

I don't have the energy this morning to read a too long blathering post about coaching giving advice to the guy he thought had screwed up the Big Red because he was the wrong choice to succeed Mike.  I've tried to ignore you for a couple of weeks but consider how insane this is.

You all but brought the readers of the forum to Hockey 101 telling, asking and surmising what the eff was wrong with the team while pointing to the coaching ad nauseum.

Well Brian where have you gained this insight?  I'm sure pee-wee programs wouldn't put up with your glass 7/8 empty routine.

Did you learn anything from listening to Schafer talk about no one outside the team understanding what a team like Cornell goes through - especially in a season like the one we just watched? I'll answer - YOU DID NOT.

Furthermore what brand and size skates do you wear?  I'm going out on a limb and posting odds in response to your demented 30% chance bull.  Odds are you couldn't even lace 'em up.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 12:24:00 PM
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

I wish all our programs could utilize this alternative to supplement the recruiting of young players who may or may not succeed academically and athletically at Cornell.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a transfer student to get admitted because of the graduation requirements in the various colleges.  I was a faculty member for a number of years, now retired, so some details may have changed but the bar faced by coaches going after transfer recruits is college admissions.  The Arts College, for instance, mandates that a transfer student must spend at least four semesters in residence and complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell.  An Arts student entering as a freshman must take 100 of the 120 credits required to graduate in the Arts College. I presume that the same requirement applies to transfers so 50 credits in Arts.  That does not address fulfilling major requirements. CALS requires that 55 of 120 credits be CALS courses, pro-rata for transfers.  But, unlike Arts, courses taken elsewhere can fill this requirement [like transferring in Bio courses].  I don't believe any Cornel college accepts transfers who have completed 3 years of study elsewhere.

And these hurdles do not include any thrown up by the Ivy League with regard to eligibility.

Add to all of this the lack of athletic scholarships and uncertainty about NIL payments in the Ivy League and relying on the transfer portal for talent is most likely wishful thinking at this point.
While this is all true and highly relevant, I'm pretty sure I've read about quite a few transfers on other Cornell sports teams over the past year or two: women's hockey, lacrosse, football, for example. More than on the men's hockey team at least.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 12:26:41 PM
Quote from: marty
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:
—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

Stretch goal:
—NIL funding.
This might sound nuts, but if NIL is actually becoming a thing in college hockey (I'm somewhat skeptical), there is no reason why Cornell can't be involved. This school has too many rich alumni who care about the hockey program. It makes no sense why a place like BU, Denver, or Quinnipiac should spend more money on hockey than us, these schools have no revenues and way fewer rich alumni. Schafer didn't like the fundraising part of the job, but Casey can make real headway here if he wants.

I don't have the energy this morning to read a too long blathering post about coaching giving advice to the guy he thought had screwed up the Big Red because he was the wrong choice to succeed Mike.  I've tried to ignore you for a couple of weeks but consider how insane this is.

You all but brought the readers of the forum to Hockey 101 telling, asking and surmising what the eff was wrong with the team while pointing to the coaching ad nauseum.

Well Brian where have you gained this insight?  I'm sure pee-wee programs wouldn't put up with your glass 7/8 empty routine.

Did you learn anything from listening to Schafer talk about no one outside the team understanding what a team like Cornell goes through - especially in a season like the one we just watched? I'll answer - YOU DID NOT.

Furthermore what brand and size skates do you wear?  I'm going out on a limb and posting odds in response to your demented 30% chance bull.  Odds are you couldn't even lace 'em up.
How many drinks deep were you when you wrote this lol
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Weder on March 30, 2025, 12:32:09 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

I wish all our programs could utilize this alternative to supplement the recruiting of young players who may or may not succeed academically and athletically at Cornell.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a transfer student to get admitted because of the graduation requirements in the various colleges.  I was a faculty member for a number of years, now retired, so some details may have changed but the bar faced by coaches going after transfer recruits is college admissions.  The Arts College, for instance, mandates that a transfer student must spend at least four semesters in residence and complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell.  An Arts student entering as a freshman must take 100 of the 120 credits required to graduate in the Arts College. I presume that the same requirement applies to transfers so 50 credits in Arts.  That does not address fulfilling major requirements. CALS requires that 55 of 120 credits be CALS courses, pro-rata for transfers.  But, unlike Arts, courses taken elsewhere can fill this requirement [like transferring in Bio courses].  I don't believe any Cornel college accepts transfers who have completed 3 years of study elsewhere.

And these hurdles do not include any thrown up by the Ivy League with regard to eligibility.

Add to all of this the lack of athletic scholarships and uncertainty about NIL payments in the Ivy League and relying on the transfer portal for talent is most likely wishful thinking at this point.
While this is all true and highly relevant, I'm pretty sure I've read about quite a few transfers on other Cornell sports teams over the past year or two: women's hockey, lacrosse, football, for example. More than on the men's hockey team at least.

Derraugh has only ever brought in like 3 transfers, it just happens that there were two in the past two years. Maybe that signals a shift in strategy, but we'll see. Schafer brought in a few here and there to provide depth or warm bodies -- outside of Seger, not sure if any of them had huge impact.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: stereax on March 30, 2025, 12:32:36 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: Jim Hyla
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:
—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

Check your stats before posting. According to USCHO (https://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/) Lynah attendance this year was 97.9% of capacity. Considering that we don't have standing room, that's about as good as you can get.

Also Sec B and generally A stand. Sec D & E were never great at standing. That's exactly why I started to hand out papers. I started only in D & E to increase enthusiasm. Then it just morphed into the entire rink.
I've attended 4+ home games each of the last 17 years (including 4 years of season tickets as a student). I watch almost every other game on television. I have an idea of what I'm talking about. It's a much different atmosphere, the students don't know the cheers. A is often mostly empty. D never stands (it stood all four years I was there). C mostly sits too. Even if ticket sales aren't much below capacity, the students aren't showing up enough and they aren't getting loud.

Anyway, I sincerely appreciate your service of handing out newspapers etc.
As a Section C denizen, we generally stand on the B side of the section up until around the tunnel (hi! I stand!). To the right of the tunnel people generally sit because they take cues from D, which also sits.

A is marketed towards grad students, iirc. When they released tickets this year, the front half of A was supposed to be for grad season ticket holders. Not many bit. I didn't either, because I figured watching from an end of the rink would kind of suck.

I think a big part of "not knowing the cheers" is because, as far as I'm aware, there's no student hockey organization. The Cornell Hockey Association, from my understanding, skews primarily older. Not to bring up BU here, but my BU friend (boo tomato tomato) is one of the leaders of the "Dog Pound", the BU hockey student organization, and as part of that, he helps promote the team, create signs and pins and such, and distribute what he calls "dirty laundry lists", which are, from my understanding, a sheet of paper with information about the current opponent, chants, and so forth. You expect Cornell hockey fans to come out of the womb knowing the chants. Even the resources online (https://www.cornellhockeyassociation.com/hockey/lynah-faithful/) are significantly outdated. Someone, or someones, need(s) to make the information more easily accessible and up-to-date. Word of mouth spreading of chants doesn't work well anymore; people look things up on their cell phones now. Either you need to give them the information (maybe with the newspapers, just a suggestion) or make it easy to find.

(Plus, chants like the Telephone Cheer are fucking impossible to hear...)

Also - thanks for all the papers, Jim! Much appreciated.

(For those asking "how are you friends with a BU fan", the answer is we met on a Devils discord server, haha. Known him and listened to him tell me about BU hockey since before I got accepted to Cornell, so I have an annoying soft spot for their team.)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Weder on March 30, 2025, 12:39:00 PM
Quote from: stereax
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: Jim Hyla
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:
—Improve the Lynah atmosphere.
The Lynah atmosphere has steadily declined the past two decades. Empty seats, students who sit all game and don't know any of the cheers. Casey needs to talk to the athletics department or whoever makes these decisions about doing anything possible to bring in more fans, particularly students. Season tickets should be way cheaper per game than individual tickets, special packages of multiple games should be good deals too. More giveaways/promotional night if those have been shown to improve attendance. The goal should be maximizing attendance/atmosphere, not maximizing revenue. I doubt Schafer focused any time on this, but I think there is some low hanging fruit here.

Check your stats before posting. According to USCHO (https://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/) Lynah attendance this year was 97.9% of capacity. Considering that we don't have standing room, that's about as good as you can get.

Also Sec B and generally A stand. Sec D & E were never great at standing. That's exactly why I started to hand out papers. I started only in D & E to increase enthusiasm. Then it just morphed into the entire rink.
I've attended 4+ home games each of the last 17 years (including 4 years of season tickets as a student). I watch almost every other game on television. I have an idea of what I'm talking about. It's a much different atmosphere, the students don't know the cheers. A is often mostly empty. D never stands (it stood all four years I was there). C mostly sits too. Even if ticket sales aren't much below capacity, the students aren't showing up enough and they aren't getting loud.

Anyway, I sincerely appreciate your service of handing out newspapers etc.
As a Section C denizen, we generally stand on the B side of the section up until around the tunnel (hi! I stand!). To the right of the tunnel people generally sit because they take cues from D, which also sits.

A is marketed towards grad students, iirc. When they released tickets this year, the front half of A was supposed to be for grad season ticket holders. Not many bit. I didn't either, because I figured watching from an end of the rink would kind of suck.

I think a big part of "not knowing the cheers" is because, as far as I'm aware, there's no student hockey organization. The Cornell Hockey Association, from my understanding, skews primarily older. Not to bring up BU here, but my BU friend (boo tomato tomato) is one of the leaders of the "Dog Pound", the BU hockey student organization, and as part of that, he helps promote the team, create signs and pins and such, and distribute what he calls "dirty laundry lists", which are, from my understanding, a sheet of paper with information about the current opponent, chants, and so forth. You expect Cornell hockey fans to come out of the womb knowing the chants. Even the resources online (https://www.cornellhockeyassociation.com/hockey/lynah-faithful/) are significantly outdated. Someone, or someones, need(s) to make the information more easily accessible and up-to-date. Word of mouth spreading of chants doesn't work well anymore; people look things up on their cell phones now. Either you need to give them the information (maybe with the newspapers, just a suggestion) or make it easy to find.

(Plus, chants like the Telephone Cheer are fucking impossible to hear...)

Also - thanks for all the papers, Jim! Much appreciated.

(For those asking "how are you friends with a BU fan", the answer is we met on a Devils discord server, haha. Known him and listened to him tell me about BU hockey since before I got accepted to Cornell, so I have an annoying soft spot for their team.)

One caveat: The Faithful has always (in my lifetime as a CU fan) been meant to evolve, with each generation creating its own chants and traditions. That evolution seems to have slowed significantly in the 2000s, IMO. (The main one that came out of my era was echoing the player names during the goal scorer announcements.) Create your own chants!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: dag14 on March 30, 2025, 12:40:55 PM
Quote from: Weder
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

I wish all our programs could utilize this alternative to supplement the recruiting of young players who may or may not succeed academically and athletically at Cornell.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a transfer student to get admitted because of the graduation requirements in the various colleges.  I was a faculty member for a number of years, now retired, so some details may have changed but the bar faced by coaches going after transfer recruits is college admissions.  The Arts College, for instance, mandates that a transfer student must spend at least four semesters in residence and complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell.  An Arts student entering as a freshman must take 100 of the 120 credits required to graduate in the Arts College. I presume that the same requirement applies to transfers so 50 credits in Arts.  That does not address fulfilling major requirements. CALS requires that 55 of 120 credits be CALS courses, pro-rata for transfers.  But, unlike Arts, courses taken elsewhere can fill this requirement [like transferring in Bio courses].  I don't believe any Cornel college accepts transfers who have completed 3 years of study elsewhere.

And these hurdles do not include any thrown up by the Ivy League with regard to eligibility.

Add to all of this the lack of athletic scholarships and uncertainty about NIL payments in the Ivy League and relying on the transfer portal for talent is most likely wishful thinking at this point.

Something I've always wondered, and maybe you know dag14: Do recruited athletes who don't make the cut for admissions get offered guaranteed transfers to enter as sophomores? I'm not sure how much Cornell overall still offers this path to applicants, but it was somewhat common back in my day (1990s).

Guaranteed transfer "criteria" differ depending on the college, since each college admits its own students, rather than having a central, University admissions office.  [Coaches wish this were different, needless to say].  In my experience in CALS and Dyson, the guaranteed transfer is used less than in the past because admissions offices don't like to commit a spot to an applicant when a better one might come along the following year.  I think it is still used to benefit athletes by coaches who can make it attractive to a student.  The best example is the wrestling "grey shirt" program where guys spend a year at TC3 taking courses toward a CALS major.  If they do it right, they come to Cornell with less than a full year of transfer credit so they retain eligibility to compete for 4 years and they can take a lighter courseload to make life easier.   The Spartan Wrestling Club gives them a way to train and compete in this "off year."
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: stereax on March 30, 2025, 12:44:54 PM
Quote from: WederOne caveat: The Faithful has always (in my lifetime as a CU fan) been meant to evolve, with each generation creating its own chants and traditions. That evolution seems to have slowed significantly in the 2000s, IMO. (The main one that came out of my era was echoing the player names during the goal scorer announcements.) Create your own chants!
I don't disagree... but this also involves some level of coordination, so as not to be the One Idiot Screaming At The Team.

Next year when Yale comes to town, I'm gonna yell at them to challenge every Cornell goal, though ;)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: dag14 on March 30, 2025, 12:51:05 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

I wish all our programs could utilize this alternative to supplement the recruiting of young players who may or may not succeed academically and athletically at Cornell.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a transfer student to get admitted because of the graduation requirements in the various colleges.  I was a faculty member for a number of years, now retired, so some details may have changed but the bar faced by coaches going after transfer recruits is college admissions.  The Arts College, for instance, mandates that a transfer student must spend at least four semesters in residence and complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell.  An Arts student entering as a freshman must take 100 of the 120 credits required to graduate in the Arts College. I presume that the same requirement applies to transfers so 50 credits in Arts.  That does not address fulfilling major requirements. CALS requires that 55 of 120 credits be CALS courses, pro-rata for transfers.  But, unlike Arts, courses taken elsewhere can fill this requirement [like transferring in Bio courses].  I don't believe any Cornel college accepts transfers who have completed 3 years of study elsewhere.

And these hurdles do not include any thrown up by the Ivy League with regard to eligibility.

Add to all of this the lack of athletic scholarships and uncertainty about NIL payments in the Ivy League and relying on the transfer portal for talent is most likely wishful thinking at this point.
While this is all true and highly relevant, I'm pretty sure I've read about quite a few transfers on other Cornell sports teams over the past year or two: women's hockey, lacrosse, football, for example. More than on the men's hockey team at least.

I think COVID loosened some criteria and that might explain the appearance of more transfers recently.  That being said, there are always a couple of transfer athletes on campus but they are not high-profile unless they join a high-profile program like women's hockey or they turn out to be a stud.  There are roughly 1200 student athletes on campus and I bet less than 20 transferred to Cornell.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on March 30, 2025, 12:55:36 PM
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLoverIf Cornell wants to get over the hump and start competing for national championships in earnest, here is what Casey needs to do:

Realistic short term goals:

—Utilize the transfer portal more.
Casey used the portal all the time at Clarkson.  Schafer has been either unwilling or unable to. I think the team could find a great goalie in the portal if they wanted. The question is, do they want to upset team chemistry? I wouldn't want to overdo it, but I'm pretty sure Cornell could grab one or two good players a year to plug holes. The program has been too successful lately and kids will give it a hard look.

I wish all our programs could utilize this alternative to supplement the recruiting of young players who may or may not succeed academically and athletically at Cornell.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult for a transfer student to get admitted because of the graduation requirements in the various colleges.  I was a faculty member for a number of years, now retired, so some details may have changed but the bar faced by coaches going after transfer recruits is college admissions.  The Arts College, for instance, mandates that a transfer student must spend at least four semesters in residence and complete at least 60 academic credits at Cornell.  An Arts student entering as a freshman must take 100 of the 120 credits required to graduate in the Arts College. I presume that the same requirement applies to transfers so 50 credits in Arts.  That does not address fulfilling major requirements. CALS requires that 55 of 120 credits be CALS courses, pro-rata for transfers.  But, unlike Arts, courses taken elsewhere can fill this requirement [like transferring in Bio courses].  I don't believe any Cornel college accepts transfers who have completed 3 years of study elsewhere.

And these hurdles do not include any thrown up by the Ivy League with regard to eligibility.

Add to all of this the lack of athletic scholarships and uncertainty about NIL payments in the Ivy League and relying on the transfer portal for talent is most likely wishful thinking at this point.
While this is all true and highly relevant, I'm pretty sure I've read about quite a few transfers on other Cornell sports teams over the past year or two: women's hockey, lacrosse, football, for example. More than on the men's hockey team at least.

I think COVID loosened some criteria and that might explain the appearance of more transfers recently.  That being said, there are always a couple of transfer athletes on campus but they are not high-profile unless they join a high-profile program like women's hockey or they turn out to be a stud.  There are roughly 1200 student athletes on campus and I bet less than 20 transferred to Cornell.
FWIW, I count at least three transfers on the men's soccer team.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: dag14 on March 30, 2025, 01:03:38 PM
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLover
Quote from: dag14
Quote from: BearLoverI think COVID loosened some criteria and that might explain the appearance of more transfers recently.  That being said, there are always a couple of transfer athletes on campus but they are not high-profile unless they join a high-profile program like women's hockey or they turn out to be a stud.  There are roughly 1200 student athletes on campus and I bet less than 20 transferred to Cornell.
FWIW, I count at least three transfers on the men's soccer team.

I don't follow soccer closely, but I just looked at their roster.  One of the transfers came from a community college -- that is brilliant recruiting by the coach because CC's are set up specifically to prepare students to transfer to 4-year colleges if they choose.  The player is in ILR -- one of the NYS colleges that is set up to welcome CC transfers.  A perfect academic match!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Scersk '97 on March 30, 2025, 01:04:50 PM
Quote from: WederDerraugh has only ever brought in like 3 transfers, it just happens that there were two in the past two years. Maybe that signals a shift in strategy, but we'll see. Schafer brought in a few here and there to provide depth or warm bodies -- outside of Seger, not sure if any of them had huge impact.

This is Tymchyshyn erasure.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tom Lento on March 30, 2025, 02:04:24 PM
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: WederDerraugh has only ever brought in like 3 transfers, it just happens that there were two in the past two years. Maybe that signals a shift in strategy, but we'll see. Schafer brought in a few here and there to provide depth or warm bodies -- outside of Seger, not sure if any of them had huge impact.

This is Tymchyshyn erasure.


Tymchyshyn! I missed the Sancimino era so he's my all-time favorite goal scorer name.

That was super special though, he came through from a disbanded program.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Tom Lento on March 30, 2025, 02:08:38 PM
Quote from: stereax
Quote from: WederOne caveat: The Faithful has always (in my lifetime as a CU fan) been meant to evolve, with each generation creating its own chants and traditions. That evolution seems to have slowed significantly in the 2000s, IMO. (The main one that came out of my era was echoing the player names during the goal scorer announcements.) Create your own chants!
I don't disagree... but this also involves some level of coordination, so as not to be the One Idiot Screaming At The Team.

Next year when Yale comes to town, I'm gonna yell at them to challenge every Cornell goal, though ;)

I don't know if the Lynah crowd still does it but the old grade inflation chant at Harvard was started in the early 2000s and it was definitely a coordinated effort, but only in a very local sense. The group of 6 or so students who started it was either a bunch of trained singers or else worked really hard on it because their enunciation was impeccable.

It took them a couple of tries before it caught on but that cheer became a thing for years. It helps that it was hilarious and timely - this was very shortly after the news story dropped about the median grade at Harvard being an A-.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: stereax on March 30, 2025, 02:43:36 PM
Quote from: Tom Lento
Quote from: stereax
Quote from: WederOne caveat: The Faithful has always (in my lifetime as a CU fan) been meant to evolve, with each generation creating its own chants and traditions. That evolution seems to have slowed significantly in the 2000s, IMO. (The main one that came out of my era was echoing the player names during the goal scorer announcements.) Create your own chants!
I don't disagree... but this also involves some level of coordination, so as not to be the One Idiot Screaming At The Team.

Next year when Yale comes to town, I'm gonna yell at them to challenge every Cornell goal, though ;)

I don't know if the Lynah crowd still does it but the old grade inflation chant at Harvard was started in the early 2000s and it was definitely a coordinated effort, but only in a very local sense. The group of 6 or so students who started it was either a bunch of trained singers or else worked really hard on it because their enunciation was impeccable.

It took them a couple of tries before it caught on but that cheer became a thing for years. It helps that it was hilarious and timely - this was very shortly after the news story dropped about the median grade at Harvard being an A-.
I think we did Grade Inflation at the Harvard game this year. And maybe the Yale one too? We definitely gave Yale a nice big Safety School, though. Ditto every women's team for a big game (the ECAC championship vs Colgate and the regional final vs UMD).
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: chimpfood on March 30, 2025, 03:46:21 PM
The demise of lynah is greatly overstated. Just like every generation claims to be more motivated and useful that the one behind them, everyone thinks their college days were the best. There was plenty of noise and plenty of unique cheers this year, i don't have a good sense for how much that comes through on the broadcast though. Frankly it was a good crowd for how bad the team was at some points this year and I think it will be even better next year after this playoff run. The only valid gripe IMO is the stuff that we could actually fix, such as decreasing the piped in music.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on March 30, 2025, 05:14:54 PM
Quote from: chimpfoodThe demise of lynah is greatly overstated.
I wish we could tag posts and create reports, because "Lynah is Dead" has been posted at least once in every season since the Jacquard loom.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Weder on March 30, 2025, 07:58:06 PM
Quote from: Tom Lento
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: WederDerraugh has only ever brought in like 3 transfers, it just happens that there were two in the past two years. Maybe that signals a shift in strategy, but we'll see. Schafer brought in a few here and there to provide depth or warm bodies -- outside of Seger, not sure if any of them had huge impact.

This is Tymchyshyn erasure.


Tymchyshyn! I missed the Sancimino era so he's my all-time favorite goal scorer name.

That was super special though, he came through from a disbanded program.

Haha, I debated whether to include him. I think I might have had a class with him at some point? I definitely had a summer session class with a guy who transferred (from another disbanded team, maybe?) and was a third-string goalie for a year or maybe two.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Scersk '97 on March 30, 2025, 08:40:54 PM
Quote from: Weder
Quote from: Tom Lento
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: WederDerraugh has only ever brought in like 3 transfers, it just happens that there were two in the past two years. Maybe that signals a shift in strategy, but we'll see. Schafer brought in a few here and there to provide depth or warm bodies -- outside of Seger, not sure if any of them had huge impact.

This is Tymchyshyn erasure.


Tymchyshyn! I missed the Sancimino era so he's my all-time favorite goal scorer name.

That was super special though, he came through from a disbanded program.

Haha, I debated whether to include him. I think I might have had a class with him at some point? I definitely had a summer session class with a guy who transferred (from another disbanded team, maybe?) and was a third-string goalie for a year or maybe two.

It was, after all, a long time ago now. That being said, I'm pretty sure that we wouldn't have won a championship in 1997 without him. Indeed, I'm not all that sure how, looking back on our stats, we won a championship in the first place. Schafer's first coach-of-the-year season, as far as I'm concerned.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: jtwcornell91 on April 02, 2025, 01:20:40 PM
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: Weder
Quote from: Tom Lento
Quote from: Scersk '97
Quote from: WederDerraugh has only ever brought in like 3 transfers, it just happens that there were two in the past two years. Maybe that signals a shift in strategy, but we'll see. Schafer brought in a few here and there to provide depth or warm bodies -- outside of Seger, not sure if any of them had huge impact.

This is Tymchyshyn erasure.


Tymchyshyn! I missed the Sancimino era so he's my all-time favorite goal scorer name.

That was super special though, he came through from a disbanded program.

Haha, I debated whether to include him. I think I might have had a class with him at some point? I definitely had a summer session class with a guy who transferred (from another disbanded team, maybe?) and was a third-string goalie for a year or maybe two.

It was, after all, a long time ago now. That being said, I'm pretty sure that we wouldn't have won a championship in 1997 without him. Indeed, I'm not all that sure how, looking back on our stats, we won a championship in the first place. Schafer's first coach-of-the-year season, as far as I'm concerned.

IIRC, we finished second that season, four points behind Clarkson, who swept us in the RS.  So it's especially impressive that we won that title by beating Clarkson (one icing at a time!) in the final.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on April 03, 2025, 07:04:16 AM
Quote from: stereaxI figured watching from an end of the rink would kind of suck.


You take that back!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: stereax on April 03, 2025, 09:24:45 AM
Quote from: VIEWfromK
Quote from: stereaxI figured watching from an end of the rink would kind of suck.


You take that back!

IT DOES THOUGH!
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: fastforward on April 03, 2025, 09:26:15 AM
Wondering when they will retire Jersey #3 to honor Schaf
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: VIEWfromK on April 03, 2025, 09:39:08 AM
Do you think they would consider a banner with his win total instead?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: The Rancor on April 03, 2025, 09:54:13 AM
Quote from: VIEWfromKDo you think they would consider a banner with his win total instead?

Much better idea.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Weder on April 03, 2025, 10:03:28 AM
Quote from: The Rancor
Quote from: VIEWfromKDo you think they would consider a banner with his win total instead?

Much better idea.

They have a lot of banners to add before next season! Will be interested to see how they adjust the spacing to fit them in.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on April 04, 2025, 08:40:59 AM
Quote from: fastforwardWondering when they will retire Jersey #3 to honor Schaf
I hate retired numbers.  We need a statue inside Lynah of Mike holding an unbroken (if you know, you know) stick with the wins total on the shaft and 7 red stripes on the blade.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Jim Hyla on April 04, 2025, 11:09:31 AM
My thoughts were to have a statue of Harkness near the walkway to Lynah that the students use.

Put a copy (Or the original if he wants to give it up) of Ben Scrivens' helmet where the students check in

(They can rub that if so inclined)(Anyone too young to know the helmet can read this) (https://www.syracuse.com/sports/2010/01/cornell_hockeys_ben_scrivens_w.html)

And name the ice after Coach Schafer, putting his name in the ice.

I think a statue of Coach Schafer is also reasonable. I just think waiting a while is appropriate.

Having the statue outside, followed by the helmet as they check in, will give those inquisitive enough something to look up and learn about Lynah traditions.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: scoop85 on April 04, 2025, 12:04:53 PM
Quote from: Trotsky
Quote from: fastforwardWondering when they will retire Jersey #3 to honor Schaf
I hate retied numbers.  We need a statue inside LYnah of holding an unbroken (if you know, you know) stick with the wins total on the shaft and 7 red stripes on the blade.

I agree. Many better ways to honor him and others (statue and name on ice have been suggested, and I'm good with either).
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: arugula on April 04, 2025, 12:45:35 PM
Quote from: Jim HylaMy thoughts were to have a statue of Harkness near the walkway to Lynah that the students use.

Put a copy (Or the original if he wants to give it up) of Ben Scrivens' helmet where the students check in

(They can rub that if so inclined)(Anyone too young to know the helmet can read this) (https://www.syracuse.com/sports/2010/01/cornell_hockeys_ben_scrivens_w.html)

And name the ice after Coach Schafer, putting his name in the ice.

I think a statue of Coach Schafer is also reasonable. I just think waiting a while is appropriate.

Having the statue outside, followed by the helmet as they check in, will give those inquisitive enough something to look up and learn about Lynah traditions.

Like the naming the ice.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: underskill on April 04, 2025, 12:57:50 PM
I forgot Scrivens was a Hip fan. Extra points for being a good Canadian
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: Trotsky on April 04, 2025, 03:13:47 PM
Actually, 8 stripes.

(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdjvdhmvVRZozaIw9PYSR5TrtyJBkktEdQCw&s)
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: George64 on April 04, 2025, 04:05:12 PM
At the very least, Mike should be named The Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach Emeritus.  We do it for faculty who haven't been associated with Cornell nearly as long, or who have never touched nearly so many lives.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: dbilmes on April 24, 2025, 09:13:46 PM
Schafer gave his "Last Lecture" (https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2025/04/in-his-last-lecture-schafer-reflects-on-30-years-of-coaching-and-what-makes-a-legacy) before a packed auditorium. Reading the story, I wondered why they didn't hold it in Bailey Hall or another larger venue. Kudos to Jane McNally for another excellent story.
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: abmarks on April 26, 2025, 12:16:37 AM
Quote from: dbilmesSchafer gave his "Last Lecture" (https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2025/04/in-his-last-lecture-schafer-reflects-on-30-years-of-coaching-and-what-makes-a-legacy) before a packed auditorium. Reading the story, I wondered why they didn't hold it in Bailey Hall or another larger venue. Kudos to Jane McNally for another excellent story.

Did they record this so the video is available somewhere?
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: billhoward on April 26, 2025, 06:44:57 PM
On Instagram at the least:  https://www.instagram.com/lastlectureatcornell/
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: marty on April 29, 2025, 07:17:38 PM
Sorry
Title: Re: Mike Schafer retiring 2025
Post by: BearLover on April 29, 2025, 07:57:31 PM
Quote from: martySorry
No problem