Hak vs Blais

[cberkas]

So since it's the off week, If anyone wants a good laugh, head over to USCHO and read a UNO fan whine/rant for 7 paragraphs about various topics:

 

http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?110749-UNO-14-15-season-thread-Will-the-sleeper-awaken/page13

 

Red Cows or RBTGT, as his other name he goes by, he's been whining about everything this year from their new arena being too small to how Dean Blais should have been Coach of the Year. He said the same thing they announcers that call UNO games said on the final game of the year. "We're (Omaha) are the only team that can beat North Dakota in the NCHC playoffs." We all saw how well that prediction went, swept at home by St. Cloud.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Red Cows or RBTGT, as his other name he goes by, he's been whining about everything this year from their new arena being too small to how Dean Blais should have been Coach of the Year. He said the same thing they announcers that call UNO games said on the final game of the year. "We're (Omaha) are the only team that can beat North Dakota in the NCHC playoffs." We all say how well that prediction went, swept at home by St. Cloud.

 

Zane, Hakstol, and myself couldn't care less about the individual awards.  It's all about the game on April 11th, that's all that matters.

[Blackheart]

So since it's the off week, If anyone wants a good laugh, head over to USCHO and read a UNO fan whine/rant for 7 paragraphs about various topics:

 

http://board.uscho.com/showthread.php?110749-UNO-14-15-season-thread-Will-the-sleeper-awaken/page13

Sounds like somebody has hurt feelings.

[Goon]

 

I don't think Providence can beat them. I KNOW UNO can, we essentially did so, twice (despite what they think). Any North Dakota fan that doesn't think this is so can tell us about all the goals (zero) that they scored in that shootout in Grand Forks. In this, the only real goalie vs. goalie comparison that exists, Massa won that contest hands down. Dean Blais said this week, publicly, that Massa wants a UNO/North Dakota final so bad he can taste it for getting jobbed on NCHC Goalie of the Year honors as it is.

And, Zane McIntyre is a Hobey Baker finalist and Ryan Massa isn't. If North Dakota's 2nd string goalie this year plays all season they might still be in this spot. If Kirk Thompson is UNO's goalie this entire season, UNO doesn't even get a sniff of the NCAA tourney.

It's just as nutty as Hakstol getting NCHC Coach of the Year honors with a team picked to finish first both by the coaches and the media before the season started, one that went to the Frozen Four last season, too. As opposed to a coach that started the season picked 6th in the conference by the coaches, and 7th by the media, while fielding a team that started the season with 11 freshmen and 18 underclassmen, total, and then finishing 3rd in the "SEC of college hockey", 8th in Pairwise, and taking his team to the Frozen Four. Yeah, Dave Hakstol really has the better credentials for the award. Frankly, he ought to be ashamed to accept it. I mean, this a guy that has a certain element of his own fanbase screaming for his hide because he has YET to win a title there. I would not want to be him if UNO prevailed in a UNO/ND final.

That would almost, but not quite, be the functional equivalent of the Husker football team getting to the NCAA title game against Ohio University and having Frank Solich beat them.

And, let us not forget that North Dakota has to get by Boston University to make this happen, to say nothing of UNO also having to get by Providence. One and done formats can and do breed all sorts of weirdness.

Cue the insulted and irate North Dakota fans with ruffled feathers, now.

 

If you want a good laugh, read this.

[mizzou/sioux]

This is such a stupid thread these are both great coaches no matter what the guys who played Pee Wee hockey think. They are both going to still be great coaches at the end of the month no matter who wins the F4. Doesn't make them a better coach. These guys were and are both respected by the UND players, the NHL scouts and the so called experts. Simple as that. They have proved themselves to those that matter and have nothing more to prove. I like them both and have found both easy to talk to. They are both part of the Sioux family. Go Sioux.

I like them both as well.  Nothing that happens in the Frozen Four will change that.  Talk of firing Hak is patently absurd.  Parity in college hockey is here to stay.  A UND-UNO championship game with all its side drama regarding the head coaches would be a dream come true for many of us regardless of the outcome, unless, unfortuntely, the game would turn into a blowout one way or the other.  Which I don't think would happen.  The NCHC in its short tenure has really turned into a tiger, hasn't it?  Let's enjoy this while we can.

[dagies]

I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a former player.  This player had played for Blais on the 2000 championship team and was there while while Hak was an assistant.   I'd gotten to know this player a bit when our professional paths crossed after he was done with his playing career. 

Anyway, as we all know, many of Hak's teams have started the year slowly and finished very strong.   In one of these early years, early in the season, I reached out and asked this player what he thought the issues were, and why the team wasn't performing better.  He went Aaron Rodgers on the bit, and essentially told me to R E L A X.

 

Later in that season, as the team was dominating, I reached back and asked him what he knew that had made him so confident.   His simple response (and this is pretty much a quote):

 

"Because I know how good a coach Hak is."

[hrkac]

I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a former player.  This player had played for Blais on the 2000 championship team and was there while while Hak was an assistant.   I'd gotten to know this player a bit when our professional paths crossed after he was done with his playing career. 

Anyway, as we all know, many of Hak's teams have started the year slowly and finished very strong.   In one of these early years, early in the season, I reached out and asked this player what he thought the issues were, and why the team wasn't performing better.  He went Aaron Rodgers on the bit, and essentially told me to R E L A X.

 

Later in that season, as the team was dominating, I reached back and asked him what he knew that had made him so confident.   His simple response (and this is pretty much a quote):

 

"Because I know how good a coach Hak is."

cool story

[GDPritch]

Not exactly Hak vs Blais thread subject matter but partially is at least.  A certain coach's team has not won a natty since 2000, has appeared in consecutive double digit NCAA tourneys,  while he's taken that team to 7 NCAA tourney semi-final/final appearances.  Fire Hak....., wait, it's the very successful Tom Izzo (who ain't going no where for the moment, at least if not on his own accord)! 

[Irish]

Not exactly Hak vs Blais thread subject matter but partially is at least.  A certain coach's team has not won a natty since 2000, has appeared in consecutive double digit NCAA tourneys,  while he's taken that team to 7 NCAA tourney semi-final/final appearances.  Fire Hak....., wait, it's the very successful Tom Izzo (who ain't going no where for the moment, at least if not on his own accord)! 

A variation on the Blah Blah Blah Red argument.  

[Cratter]

You cant have your cake and eat it too.

[fightingsioux4life]

Not exactly Hak vs Blais thread subject matter but partially is at least.  A certain coach's team has not won a natty since 2000, has appeared in consecutive double digit NCAA tourneys,  while he's taken that team to 7 NCAA tourney semi-final/final appearances.  Fire Hak....., wait, it's the very successful Tom Izzo (who ain't going no where for the moment, at least if not on his own accord)! 

I would say that Izzo has done more with less, while Hakstol has done less with more.  Flame away if you wish, but that is the truth.

[burd]

I would say that Izzo has done more with less, while Hakstol has done less with more.  Flame away if you wish, but that is the truth.

Nothing wrong with criticism.   Anyone who accepts a head coaching job of a top program and all the money and prestige that comes with it must expect to be criticized.   But what exactly about his on-ice or off-ice coaching to you think has been below par?   We can all count to one (banner), but understanding the game well enough to identify what will work better is more difficult.  I'm sure there are a lot of people who know the game well who don't like Hak's coaching, but all I ever hear on here is the banner shortfall.  That might be the result of inferior coaching, but it is not the cause of it. 

[DamStrait]

I would say that Izzo has done more with less, while Hakstol has done less with more.  Flame away if you wish, but that is the truth.

One of the many that confuse their OPINION with the truth.

[bigskyvikes]

One of the many that confuse their OPINION with the truth.

Exactly!

[stoneySIOUX]

I would say that Izzo has done more with less, while Hakstol has done less with more. Flame away if you wish, but that is the truth.

Please elaborate. This sounds like unequivocal BS to me. I can think of loads of talent Izzo has had.

[MafiaMan]

At least in 04 they lost to eventual champions in DU.

For all these NCAA tournys and Frozen Four appearances Hakstol has, hes only lost to the eventual champs twice IIRC.

Uh, they lost to DU in the title game in 2005 so that's 2 right off the bat in terms of losing to the eventual champs. Yale's a third one in 2013 and there was a BC or two in there as well.

[Cratter]

Yeah you're right. Its been three times.

[GDPritch]

Please elaborate. This sounds like unequivocal BS to me. I can think of loads of talent Izzo has had.

Agree stoneySIOUX.  As a Big10 hoops power, he's had talent at Mich State just like admittedly Hak has had at UND.  Both coache's admittedly have had seasons with lesser talent than in some others and that's when they've shown their mettle and carried the team further than most anticipated/expecte.

[Cratter]

Yeah you're right. Its been three times.

Combined goal differential for those three games. 14-3.

[.357]

One of the many that confuse their OPINION with the truth.

You can argue the relative talent level each coach has had, but D1 BB teams have to win more games during the playoffs in order to win the title: bracket of 64 teams vs. 16 teams; must win 6 games in playoffs vs. 4 in D1 hockey. So yes, Izzo does have a much tougher road, but he's also won the Big Dance, too.

 

He confuses his opinion with the truth too much for you? If I go to Google Translate, I think that comes out as: "You're a dink because you don't worship our hockey coach at all times." Close?  : ) ....My take is that there's a time to praise & a time to be critical; if one is always stuck exclusively in one emotional state he's either a perpetual homer or is wound too tightly, respectively. I'm thinking Coach Hakstol will give us plenty of reasons to praise him after this year. : )

 

And besides, fightingsioux4life & I share the same stomping grounds. An attack against him is an attack against me. lol

[MafiaMan]

Yeah you're right. Its been three times.

2005: Denver (title game)

2008: BC (semi-final game)

2013: Yale (regional final)

[Cratter]

Wasnt Hakstols first year as coach on that 05 Denver title game?

[MafiaMan]

Wasnt Hakstols first year as coach on that 05 Denver title game?

Yes, you're correct. Considering all those losses to BC in the tournament, it's quite stunning to actually look back and realize that the Eagles only won ONE title in years when they beat ND in the tourney.

[DamStrait]

You can argue the relative talent level each coach has had, but D1 BB teams have to win more games during the playoffs in order to win the title: bracket of 64 teams vs. 16 teams; must win 6 games in playoffs vs. 4 in D1 hockey. So yes, Izzo does have a much tougher road, but he's also won the Big Dance, too.

He confuses his opinion with the truth too much for you? If I go to Google Translate, I think that comes out as: "You're a dink because you don't worship our hockey coach at all times." Close? : ) ....My take is that there's a time to praise & a time to be critical; if one is always stuck exclusively in one emotional state he's either a perpetual homer or is wound too tightly, respectively. I'm thinking Coach Hakstol will give us plenty of reasons to praise him after this year. : )

And besides, fightingsioux4life & I share the same stomping grounds. An attack against him is an attack against me. lol

I said what I meant and meant what I said. Opinion is opinion and truth is truth - didn't say or mean to say anything more or anything less.

[.357]

I said what I meant and meant what I said. Opinion is opinion and truth is truth - didn't say or mean to say anything more or anything less.

I hear you. But I think now is the time that Sioux fans stop cannibalizing each other & unite for #8. At least for this week anyway. After the playoffs are over, I think it's perfectly normal & expected that we return to a cut-throat mentality towards each other; it's that kind of viciousness that has endeared SS to me. If not about the coach, then maybe about current recruits or the ice conditions at the TC in March. You know, uber important issues like that while an unchecked Fukushima radiates the Pacific & depleted uranium continues to be dropped on less desirable people half a world away.