An early look at 2019-2020

[marty]

As Trotsky is fond of saying, I'd also like a pony.

My quote is actually "I'd also like a redhead."

They are over-rated

Between a pony and a redhead?

[marty]

Good breakdown of yesterday, just a bit rosy for me.   As I said elsewhere, I wish the OOC schedule were stronger.  How do we not play HE teams, except BU every other year.  No NCHC.  Rarely Big 10.  And when we do, it's Merrimack or Michigan State, and not stronger teams.  We should drop the Atlantic hockey teams and avoid WCHA.  Losses to top teams are better that beating Niagara.  We pay for that in PWR and, more important, not being ready in the tournament.  Providence isn't that good that we should've been so stymied.  Other than perhaps the team was finally just plain spent.  But hat doesn't explain past years. No problem losing to demonstrably better teams, but Providence is not 4-0 better than us.  Frustrates the hell out me, all the NC$$ losses-UNH, Ferris, Bemidji--those are games you need to win.  Wisconsin makes my head hurt, but that was Wisconsin, no shame there

It's demonstrably untrue that losing to top teams is better than beating Niagara. Entirely false. There is no magic formula. Win games, that's it.

If Cornell didn't have a crazy home tie to QU, a crazy home OT loss to Colgate and RPI, a crazy tie at Brown, and two bad home losses to Michigan State - they'd have been a No. 1 seed.

And this year, at least in two regions, being a #1 seed didn't get you a patsy. There's parity.

But the ones playing next weekend are a bit above the rest, at least this time of year.

Remember we were missing three key players, when going into the finals at LP we were almost back to full strength. This takes its toll as others have to play harder.

Looking ahead, we're losing some great senior leadership and esp. three strong defensemen. But we've a strong class coming in, one that's larger than what we're losing. If there's one position I'd trust Shaffer to bring along, it's D. If the incoming frosh can develop the way the current sophomores have, we should more than reload.

We can shoulda, woulda, coulda all we want.  Our record was not appreciably different than any other team in the middle of the pairwise.  Sure if we won a couple of the games that we tied, we'd have been higher, but of course, if we won those games, we would have deserved to be higher.

My point in making that remark, was to demonstrate that winning a few more games that slipped away - against bottom-rung teams - would've moved Cornell up considerably. It was to counterpoint the assertion that Cornell needs to schedule top-run teams, and lose to them, and that that will somehow improve their Pairwise. That was my only point there.

It's interesting that we are talking about seeding.  I thought the original point was that we were ill prepared and playing more Hockey East teams would prepare us better for the tournament.  It wouldn't have been better to come into Providence (as a #1) and lose to Providence College (as a #4) on day one of the tourney.

My belief is that the injury bug finally bit us to a point of no recovery.  I could see having Malott, Haiskanen, and either healthy goalie bringing a result more like last year which I look at as a winnable game.

[Jim Hyla]

Good breakdown of yesterday, just a bit rosy for me.   As I said elsewhere, I wish the OOC schedule were stronger.  How do we not play HE teams, except BU every other year.  No NCHC.  Rarely Big 10.  And when we do, it's Merrimack or Michigan State, and not stronger teams.  We should drop the Atlantic hockey teams and avoid WCHA.  Losses to top teams are better that beating Niagara.  We pay for that in PWR and, more important, not being ready in the tournament.  Providence isn't that good that we should've been so stymied.  Other than perhaps the team was finally just plain spent.  But hat doesn't explain past years. No problem losing to demonstrably better teams, but Providence is not 4-0 better than us.  Frustrates the hell out me, all the NC$$ losses-UNH, Ferris, Bemidji--those are games you need to win.  Wisconsin makes my head hurt, but that was Wisconsin, no shame there

It's demonstrably untrue that losing to top teams is better than beating Niagara. Entirely false. There is no magic formula. Win games, that's it.

If Cornell didn't have a crazy home tie to QU, a crazy home OT loss to Colgate and RPI, a crazy tie at Brown, and two bad home losses to Michigan State - they'd have been a No. 1 seed.

And this year, at least in two regions, being a #1 seed didn't get you a patsy. There's parity.

But the ones playing next weekend are a bit above the rest, at least this time of year.

Remember we were missing three key players, when going into the finals at LP we were almost back to full strength. This takes its toll as others have to play harder.

Looking ahead, we're losing some great senior leadership and esp. three strong defensemen. But we've a strong class coming in, one that's larger than what we're losing. If there's one position I'd trust Shaffer to bring along, it's D. If the incoming frosh can develop the way the current sophomores have, we should more than reload.

We can shoulda, woulda, coulda all we want.  Our record was not appreciably different than any other team in the middle of the pairwise.  Sure if we won a couple of the games that we tied, we'd have been higher, but of course, if we won those games, we would have deserved to be higher.

My point in making that remark, was to demonstrate that winning a few more games that slipped away - against bottom-rung teams - would've moved Cornell up considerably. It was to counterpoint the assertion that Cornell needs to schedule top-run teams, and lose to them, and that that will somehow improve their Pairwise. That was my only point there.

It's interesting that we are talking about seeding.  I thought the original point was that we were ill prepared and playing more Hockey East teams would prepare us better for the tournament.  It wouldn't have been better to come into Providence (as a #1) and lose to Providence College (as a #4) on day one of the tourney.

My belief is that the injury bug finally bit us to a point of no recovery.  I could see having Malott, Haiskanen, and either healthy goalie bringing a result more like last year which I look at as a winnable game.

I also remember somewhere Schafer was quoted that a couple of guys came down with the flu. If that's true, a few more could have been infected without major symptoms. That could certainly slow them down.

Who knows, we just didn't play as well as we could have and I suspect there were multiple reasons, most of which we'll never know. I mean whoever expected that McGrath was needing surgery?

[Jim Hyla]

Good breakdown of yesterday, just a bit rosy for me.   As I said elsewhere, I wish the OOC schedule were stronger.  How do we not play HE teams, except BU every other year.  No NCHC.  Rarely Big 10.  And when we do, it's Merrimack or Michigan State, and not stronger teams.  We should drop the Atlantic hockey teams and avoid WCHA.  Losses to top teams are better that beating Niagara.  We pay for that in PWR and, more important, not being ready in the tournament.  Providence isn't that good that we should've been so stymied.  Other than perhaps the team was finally just plain spent.  But hat doesn't explain past years. No problem losing to demonstrably better teams, but Providence is not 4-0 better than us.  Frustrates the hell out me, all the NC$$ losses-UNH, Ferris, Bemidji--those are games you need to win.  Wisconsin makes my head hurt, but that was Wisconsin, no shame there

It's demonstrably untrue that losing to top teams is better than beating Niagara. Entirely false. There is no magic formula. Win games, that's it.

If Cornell didn't have a crazy home tie to QU, a crazy home OT loss to Colgate and RPI, a crazy tie at Brown, and two bad home losses to Michigan State - they'd have been a No. 1 seed.

And this year, at least in two regions, being a #1 seed didn't get you a patsy. There's parity.

But the ones playing next weekend are a bit above the rest, at least this time of year.

Remember we were missing three key players, when going into the finals at LP we were almost back to full strength. This takes its toll as others have to play harder.

Looking ahead, we're losing some great senior leadership and esp. three strong defensemen. But we've a strong class coming in, one that's larger than what we're losing. If there's one position I'd trust Shaffer to bring along, it's D. If the incoming frosh can develop the way the current sophomores have, we should more than reload.

We can shoulda, woulda, coulda all we want.  Our record was not appreciably different than any other team in the middle of the pairwise.  Sure if we won a couple of the games that we tied, we'd have been higher, but of course, if we won those games, we would have deserved to be higher.

As to match-ups for next year, we know there's MSU in Lansing, NMU at Lynah, BU at the Garden (I believe), and then the Vegas tournament.  Anybody know who's in that tournament next year besides us?

Do we know for sure about those OOC games and that the tourney is next year? There is also ASU. All that I heard was that in the next 2 years we're going to ASU and Las Vegas.

[upprdeck]

I have not heard it confirmed if either is next yr.. ASU gets their new arena in 2 yrs could be waiting for that.

[Trotsky]

All that I heard was that in the next 2 years we're going to ASU and Las Vegas.

This is great news.  I assumed Tempe but didn't know about Vegas (or had forgotten).  Is the latter part of a new tournament?

If I were ASU I would so host a Christmas tournament in Vegas.  I'll bet they could get anybody there.

[Beeeej]

All that I heard was that in the next 2 years we're going to ASU and Las Vegas.

This is great news.  I assumed Tempe but didn't know about Vegas (or had forgotten).  Is the latter part of a new tournament?

If I were ASU I would so host a Christmas tournament in Vegas.  I'll bet they could get anybody there.

http://icevegasinvitational.com

[Swampy]

All that I heard was that in the next 2 years we're going to ASU and Las Vegas.

This is great news.  I assumed Tempe but didn't know about Vegas (or had forgotten).  Is the latter part of a new tournament?

If I were ASU I would so host a Christmas tournament in Vegas.  I'll bet they could get anybody there.

http://icevegasinvitational.com

Where is Cornell on the 2019 schedule? What am I missing?

Do they still have nickel slots in Vegas? ::wank::

[Beeeej]

All that I heard was that in the next 2 years we're going to ASU and Las Vegas.

This is great news.  I assumed Tempe but didn't know about Vegas (or had forgotten).  Is the latter part of a new tournament?

If I were ASU I would so host a Christmas tournament in Vegas.  I'll bet they could get anybody there.

http://icevegasinvitational.com

Where is Cornell on the 2019 schedule? What am I missing?

The part where Trotsky asked if this was part of a new tournament, and I responded. The 2019 tournament has already passed, as it was in January; we may or may not be in the 2020 or 2021.

[Swampy]

As Trotsky is fond of saying, I'd also like a pony.

My quote is actually "I'd also like a redhead."

They are over-rated

Between a pony and a redhead?

A red-haired pony?

::deadhorse::

[marty]

As Trotsky is fond of saying, I'd also like a pony.

My quote is actually "I'd also like a redhead."

They are over-rated

Between a pony and a redhead?

A red-haired pony?

::deadhorse::

There's always Steinbeck but not my choice in red.

[Trotsky]

All that I heard was that in the next 2 years we're going to ASU and Las Vegas.

This is great news.  I assumed Tempe but didn't know about Vegas (or had forgotten).  Is the latter part of a new tournament?

If I were ASU I would so host a Christmas tournament in Vegas.  I'll bet they could get anybody there.

http://icevegasinvitational.com

Thank you.

[arugula]

Good breakdown of yesterday, just a bit rosy for me.   As I said elsewhere, I wish the OOC schedule were stronger.  How do we not play HE teams, except BU every other year.  No NCHC.  Rarely Big 10.  And when we do, it's Merrimack or Michigan State, and not stronger teams.  We should drop the Atlantic hockey teams and avoid WCHA.  Losses to top teams are better that beating Niagara.  We pay for that in PWR and, more important, not being ready in the tournament.  Providence isn't that good that we should've been so stymied.  Other than perhaps the team was finally just plain spent.  But hat doesn't explain past years. No problem losing to demonstrably better teams, but Providence is not 4-0 better than us.  Frustrates the hell out me, all the NC$$ losses-UNH, Ferris, Bemidji--those are games you need to win.  Wisconsin makes my head hurt, but that was Wisconsin, no shame there

It's demonstrably untrue that losing to top teams is better than beating Niagara. Entirely false. There is no magic formula. Win games, that's it.

If Cornell didn't have a crazy home tie to QU, a crazy home OT loss to Colgate and RPI, a crazy tie at Brown, and two bad home losses to Michigan State - they'd have been a No. 1 seed.

My point wasn't that losing to a UMass would be better than beating Canisius for PWR purposes (although it may), just that it should make you a better team.

[arugula]

I know those were home and homes, that was my point, though I may have been less than clear.  I still don't get the lack of HE teams.

How would I do it?  Now, it's my job?  How I would do it is irrelevant, aside from the fact that I'm not in that business, that's for the program to figure out.  My job is to drive 8 hours round trip in the rain (well the rain was only about 5 hours) to see lousy hockey.  

However they managed to get it done the previous times sounds like a good template.  Other Ivies manage it, we've managed it, so why can't it be done?

I didn't say it was your job, either, but you're asking for a better OOC schedule seemingly without much conception of what's involved. If you think there's something Coach Schafer hasn't tried, I'd love to hear it, that's all. If not, all you're basically saying is, "I wish things were better." You're certainly entitled to that feeling, and I even understand and relate to it.

As Trotsky is fond of saying, I'd also like a pony.

Honestly have no idea what Schafer or the school has or hasn't tried.  I'm not a college sports administrator or coach so i do not know what goes into scheduling and how it gets done.  But isn't it possible that for many reasons-expense, won-lost, travel-Cornell may prefer not doing home and homes with more difficult opponents.  So, yes, I wish Cornell played a tougher schedule but I'd love to know why it doesn't.

[adamw]

Good breakdown of yesterday, just a bit rosy for me.   As I said elsewhere, I wish the OOC schedule were stronger.  How do we not play HE teams, except BU every other year.  No NCHC.  Rarely Big 10.  And when we do, it's Merrimack or Michigan State, and not stronger teams.  We should drop the Atlantic hockey teams and avoid WCHA.  Losses to top teams are better that beating Niagara.  We pay for that in PWR and, more important, not being ready in the tournament.  Providence isn't that good that we should've been so stymied.  Other than perhaps the team was finally just plain spent.  But hat doesn't explain past years. No problem losing to demonstrably better teams, but Providence is not 4-0 better than us.  Frustrates the hell out me, all the NC$$ losses-UNH, Ferris, Bemidji--those are games you need to win.  Wisconsin makes my head hurt, but that was Wisconsin, no shame there

It's demonstrably untrue that losing to top teams is better than beating Niagara. Entirely false. There is no magic formula. Win games, that's it.

If Cornell didn't have a crazy home tie to QU, a crazy home OT loss to Colgate and RPI, a crazy tie at Brown, and two bad home losses to Michigan State - they'd have been a No. 1 seed.

My point wasn't that losing to a UMass would be better than beating Canisius for PWR purposes (although it may), just that it should make you a better team.

You specifically wrote: "We pay for that in PWR"
That's what I was replying to