Irish

And it's only the end of January -

Looking at Hockey, Football, Men's and Women's basketball and volleyball can you think of a worse overall time for Sioux sports? Only Women's basketball is on the upswing and they spent years floundering and are not yet close to a conference championship. The overall state of our athletics is not good.

You are correct that coaches at the college level have much more in-depth knowledge and expertise than those of us here on this board. However, it is very possible for a coach to be so enamored and committed to their philosophy and systems that they are slow to adapt or change with the times. It can be very difficult to do an self evaluation. In addition, coaches are 100% responsible for the roster - evaluating talent and intangibles and selling the program. If everyone on this board is wrong about all of the line-up and game items it still doesn't explain why we have the worst goaltending in the nation. That's squarely on the coaches.

You are correct about draft picks - however it would matter if we lose many of our good young recruits so we can continue playing like we have been in this cluster of a season.

But what about our Culture that Berry talks about and recruits for?

Not trying to put you on the spot - just asking because of your hockey knowledge

Any theories on why a team with our experience and at this point in the year can't understand basic defensive positioning, assignments, and coverage. Game after Game. This is the big mystery of this team.

I am seriously concerned about our Hockey program. No way we should miss the tournament 3 out of 5 years. No way we should have the worst goaltending in the nation. Our defense (especially returnees) has regressed. We don't have the mental discipline to hold leads, play where you should be position-wise, or not take stupid penalties - to say nothing about our first and last 2 minutes of each period lapses. We seem gassed late in the game. I hope this turns around next year but I am worried - most of our rivals have had much more success lately and seem to move forward and adapt. Interestingly, the person in charge of goalie development and recruitment is mentioned as a possible successor. I don't look for any help or changes from the Athletic Department. Chaves is presiding over probably the lowest overall point that I can remember in Sioux athletics - look at Football, Hockey, Men's and Women's Basketball, and Volleyball and tell me how successful we are. Only Women's Basketball seems to be improving. When we look at the St. Cloud series and expect to get hammered changes need to be made. I just don't think we will make them.

Which exactly illustrates the second part of this problem - the Coaches have recruited and assembled this team. There is absolutely no reason a program of our stature should be 60th in the nation in Goalie stats - none, nada, zip. Add in our defense and here we are. Coaches are 100% responsible for this season.

I have absolutely no confidence in this staff - we are repeating the same mistakes especially on defense over and over and if anything getting worse. One of the Worst teams in over 40 years.

We are a team that needs every win possible to make the tourney. Absolutely no excuse for coming out like we did for both first periods. None. There is something missing from this team (besides a goalie).

I am stunned at our goalie situation - we have among the worst goalie stats in the nation. Absolutely no way this should ever happen to our program.

New coaching strategy - instead of waiting until the end of the first - just chew their asses before the game.

A portal goalie last year and now this in the current year. What is going on? We should be able to recruit and develop goalies.

Would you believe stubborn?

A very accurate summary of what should happen in a successful program. Most of the upset regarding this program is about evaluation and change. Since we are not privy to the inner workings all we can judge by is the results. Many, including myself, see change here as glacial. Imagine how Rudy's evaluations and goal setting went. All we saw was the exact same Rudy year after year and the program hung on to him for how long with no change. There are also questions as to schemes (3-4 for example), game philosophy, and player development - especially strength and conditioning - not saying they are all wrong, just wondering if there is any serious discussion about change. There very well might be a lot of discussion being done but the product is by and large the same. On the positive side I was glad to see us try address some weaknesses in the recruiting and portal. In addition, Bubba had a much better season as a game coach. The question remains - are we really doing serious self assessment and are we open to change or are we committed to doing the same thing again this time trying harder. It's been 9 years now.

Exactly this - NDSU fired Bob Babich who was 44-14 before his one losing season and brought in Bohl who gave them championships. We had Muss for 6 years and are now on our 9th year of Bubba Ball (6 with Rudy as OC), and extended him after a 5-6 year. See the difference. I give as much as I can to UND athletics and have season tickets, but I would be hard pressed to shell in more money for more Bubba Ball. Yet people wonder why we can't beat Moo U.

Never led to my knowledge - except maybe that one game they won

I'm trying hard to think of a team on any level that has pissed away more leads than this team.

I haven't seen them snarly all season - puking up leads right and left.

I've seen some poor teams in my many years as a Sioux fan but I've never seen play like this. The funny thing is - with the talent we have every week I expect them to come out with some fire and play a whole game. I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick a football. Sadly, I am not optimistic that any changes will be made - either on the team level or from the AD. When Clown can put 6 and 7 unanswered goals on us in one weekend it is a sad sad time for Sioux hockey.

Yes - because we have such a great culture going on now.

And yet we have an AD who extends a 5-6 football coach. Don't expect any change.

For all of Berry's talk about "our culture" and recruiting "culture guys" I have never seen a team roll over and take it with a lead like we do. Berry has lost control and doesn't know how to fix things. And the recruiting - this goalie by portal thing makes no sense -and if we were good at it we would have St. Cloud's goalie. We have Karl as a goalie coach and there is something seriously wrong with our program if we can't get a good frosh and develop him into a multi-year starter.

And it's not getting better - I don't think I have seen a team on any level, let alone the Sioux, collapse so hard in the second half of games.