Time to Boo Berry?

[nodakvindy]

12 hours ago, Snake said:

To me the answer is simple.  The program really took off with Hak consistently winning conference tournaments, winning regionals, and winning destination games.  Every time this team hit the road, the fans followed because you knew they always had a shot to win.  There’s nothing better than going on the road with the team. 
 

Regular season conference championships are nice, but performing well in the conference and national tournaments is a hell of a lot more fun!

This is revisionist history. The program regained prominence under Blais and even he had great teams that bowed out of the NCAAs early. Getting to the Frozen Four is fun, but ultimately the Hak era is the Buffalo Bill's period in terms of NCAA performance with plenty of heartbreaking losses and a Red Sox like cursed feeling. And i might be in the minority but I definitely value regular season titles higher the final five/frozen faceoff  the fact that we hang banners for them would indicate the program does as well. This year has been a disappointing one but to ignore and diminish the success of the previous 3 seasons is pretty short sighted. 

[1966guy]

3 hours ago, nodakvindy said:

This is revisionist history. The program regained prominence under Blais and even he had great teams that bowed out of the NCAAs early. Getting to the Frozen Four is fun, but ultimately the Hak era is the Buffalo Bill's period in terms of NCAA performance with plenty of heartbreaking losses and a Red Sox like cursed feeling. And i might be in the minority but I definitely value regular season titles higher the final five/frozen faceoff  the fact that we hang banners for them would indicate the program does as well. This year has been a disappointing one but to ignore and diminish the success of the previous 3 seasons is pretty short sighted. 

I am totally on board with your view.  The first goal is to win the regular season league title and go from there.  League titles are important like it or not.

 

Winning the league title will get you into the national tournament in the league North Dakota plays in and after that as we all know it's a crap shoot.  It's one and done and anything can happen.  That's what people need to get a grip on.  

 

You can be totally prepared and that still does not guarantee a victory.  Many times we have seen North Dakota outplay an opponent and come up short.  Happens more than one would like.

 

There are many top end programs in the country and North Dakota has great facilities but if you compare Grand Forks to other locations, that may present a challenge depending on what is important to a potential recruit.  

 

For the most part this program has been solid at the least and high end alot of that time the last 25 to 30 years.  The fan base is very spoiled and fails to appreciate the accomplishments of the program in my opinion.  Many people think you just open the doors and the program will run itself.  That's not the case.

 

As we see there are no easy wins and many teams come out with their best effort against teams like North Dakota.  Do I like missing the national tournament?  No.  But it happens and it will happen again no matter who's in charge.  

 

Just one man's opinion here.  Take is for what it's worth. 

[Snake]

5 hours ago, nodakvindy said:

This is revisionist history. The program regained prominence under Blais and even he had great teams that bowed out of the NCAAs early. Getting to the Frozen Four is fun, but ultimately the Hak era is the Buffalo Bill's period in terms of NCAA performance with plenty of heartbreaking losses and a Red Sox like cursed feeling. And i might be in the minority but I definitely value regular season titles higher the final five/frozen faceoff  the fact that we hang banners for them would indicate the program does as well. This year has been a disappointing one but to ignore and diminish the success of the previous 3 seasons is pretty short sighted. 

Where did I revise history?  I answered the question posed and gave an opinion about what I thought was more exciting to the fan base…conference championships or regular season titles.  Did the program not ascend to another level with the fan base under Hakstol?
 

 I was at most of the games at the end of the Gino years thanks to free tickets people had trouble giving away so I’m fully aware of what Blais did to resurrect the program.  He’s a legend.  Untouchable.  I eventually forgave him for the horrible drive home from Madison in 1999. 

[Vegas_Sioux]

On 2/12/2023 at 3:32 PM, Sweethockey said:

At what point will Chaves review Berry? There must be some type of an MBO for the highest paid state employee. I know there are incentives for certain achievements, but there’s got to be some minimum benchmarks too. The team’s stock  for entertainment is dropping as fast as crypto!

I didn’t know the athletic director oversaw the head of the medical school. 

[Sweethockey]

1 hour ago, Vegas_Sioux said:

I didn’t know the athletic director oversaw the head of the medical school. 

I stand corrected, Wynne is the highest paid at UND. Berry is #4 on the list at UND. 

[90siouxfan]

a person often hears about how bonuses are structured, as in xxx for natty, etc...   is there or should there be "penalties" for non performance?

[Blackheart]

Just now, 90siouxfan said:

a person often hears about how bonuses are structured, as in xxx for natty, etc...   is there or should there be "penalties" for non performance?

They should have to come on this board and deal with all us experts here.  Not sure if that would be a bonus or a penalty.

[Brett0909]

Just one perspective…

1) I’m frustrated, scratching my head at this season, and wondering where the blame should be. Like most.

2) I’m disappointed we’re not winning more of the big recruiting battles. Like everyone. Add a Fantilli or a Cooley to this team and look out.

3) This team loses games they should win and while they’ve looked bad at times and inconsistent, they’ve looked electric at times. Part of my frustration is I (and they) know they’re better than their record.

4) Goaltending. If it was even average, this team would still be locked into the NCAAs and have a chance against anyone. They’d likely have confidence they can hold leads and not be holding the sticks so tight, playing to not lose instead of win. Has to be frustrating and demoralizing playing knowing your backbone is unlikely to bail you out when you need a big save.

5) “Who’s better than Berry then, huh?” Lots of coaches based on what I prefer to see (elite recruiting, speed, exciting style). Refer to NHL, AHL, those picked for WJCs over him, and top NCAA coaches (I’d say Motzko, Carlisle, Pat…WMU’s(not going to try to spell from memory right now) etc). I’m sure Berry doesn’t think he’s the best at everything, but he does epitomize what UND coaching is about. Both good and bad. And with a proven track record of great regular seasons and disappointing exits. Are there better fits for what UND needs that they could feasibly land? I’m not sure, have to weigh the trade-offs. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised for Berry to have a great rebound season next year. He’s earned the right to prove this season and the early tourney exits are the anomaly’s in my book (and no doubt in the AD’s). 

6) There’s usually been something to elite forwards hesitating to come to UND because of their “hard skill” style vs speed/creativity. Personally, I think it sucks. I hope they can change it because the game has changed and those players are elite at the NCAA AND NHL levels these days. Our slower/systems/accountability style has merit but there’s a reason our elite players don’t win Hobey’s, many other teams let their players “cook” while UND values control and when we buzz we can look amazing but we’re otherwise playing at an average speed. 

7) Berry’s not going anywhere soon, not taking advice from any of us, cares more about this program than all of us, and has had an awful season, personally and professionally. Maybe we can give him a break? I still enjoyed last night’s win and who knows? I’m holding out a sliver of hope they can make things interesting here. Besides, a not-so-great team’s season ending might hurt less than the recent heartbreakers, right? Trying to stay optimistic about the future for my favorite team. 

Hope everyone on here is doing well - times are tough and there’s more common ground then it may feel like. After all, we all love UND/SIOUX hockey right? 

[zonadub]

On 2/15/2023 at 7:36 AM, nodak651 said:

All I know is I don't want Chaves hiring the next coach. 

He hasn’t done too bad with the women’s basketball and volleyball coaches. Don’t know who hired the tennis coach.

[scpa0305]

9 hours ago, Brett0909 said:

Just one perspective…

1) I’m frustrated, scratching my head at this season, and wondering where the blame should be. Like most.

2) I’m disappointed we’re not winning more of the big recruiting battles. Like everyone. Add a Fantilli or a Cooley to this team and look out.

3) This team loses games they should win and while they’ve looked bad at times and inconsistent, they’ve looked electric at times. Part of my frustration is I (and they) know they’re better than their record.

4) Goaltending. If it was even average, this team would still be locked into the NCAAs and have a chance against anyone. They’d likely have confidence they can hold leads and not be holding the sticks so tight, playing to not lose instead of win. Has to be frustrating and demoralizing playing knowing your backbone is unlikely to bail you out when you need a big save.

5) “Who’s better than Berry then, huh?” Lots of coaches based on what I prefer to see (elite recruiting, speed, exciting style). Refer to NHL, AHL, those picked for WJCs over him, and top NCAA coaches (I’d say Motzko, Carlisle, Pat…WMU’s(not going to try to spell from memory right now) etc). I’m sure Berry doesn’t think he’s the best at everything, but he does epitomize what UND coaching is about. Both good and bad. And with a proven track record of great regular seasons and disappointing exits. Are there better fits for what UND needs that they could feasibly land? I’m not sure, have to weigh the trade-offs. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised for Berry to have a great rebound season next year. He’s earned the right to prove this season and the early tourney exits are the anomaly’s in my book (and no doubt in the AD’s). 

6) There’s usually been something to elite forwards hesitating to come to UND because of their “hard skill” style vs speed/creativity. Personally, I think it sucks. I hope they can change it because the game has changed and those players are elite at the NCAA AND NHL levels these days. Our slower/systems/accountability style has merit but there’s a reason our elite players don’t win Hobey’s, many other teams let their players “cook” while UND values control and when we buzz we can look amazing but we’re otherwise playing at an average speed. 

7) Berry’s not going anywhere soon, not taking advice from any of us, cares more about this program than all of us, and has had an awful season, personally and professionally. Maybe we can give him a break? I still enjoyed last night’s win and who knows? I’m holding out a sliver of hope they can make things interesting here. Besides, a not-so-great team’s season ending might hurt less than the recent heartbreakers, right? Trying to stay optimistic about the future for my favorite team. 

Hope everyone on here is doing well - times are tough and there’s more common ground then it may feel like. After all, we all love UND/SIOUX hockey right? 

Good post…I too hope they go more towards the skill route. The grinder game is quickly disappearing

[Oldguy]

9 hours ago, Brett0909 said:

Just one perspective…

1) I’m frustrated, scratching my head at this season, and wondering where the blame should be. Like most.

2) I’m disappointed we’re not winning more of the big recruiting battles. Like everyone. Add a Fantilli or a Cooley to this team and look out.

3) This team loses games they should win and while they’ve looked bad at times and inconsistent, they’ve looked electric at times. Part of my frustration is I (and they) know they’re better than their record.

4) Goaltending. If it was even average, this team would still be locked into the NCAAs and have a chance against anyone. They’d likely have confidence they can hold leads and not be holding the sticks so tight, playing to not lose instead of win. Has to be frustrating and demoralizing playing knowing your backbone is unlikely to bail you out when you need a big save.

5) “Who’s better than Berry then, huh?” Lots of coaches based on what I prefer to see (elite recruiting, speed, exciting style). Refer to NHL, AHL, those picked for WJCs over him, and top NCAA coaches (I’d say Motzko, Carlisle, Pat…WMU’s(not going to try to spell from memory right now) etc). I’m sure Berry doesn’t think he’s the best at everything, but he does epitomize what UND coaching is about. Both good and bad. And with a proven track record of great regular seasons and disappointing exits. Are there better fits for what UND needs that they could feasibly land? I’m not sure, have to weigh the trade-offs. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised for Berry to have a great rebound season next year. He’s earned the right to prove this season and the early tourney exits are the anomaly’s in my book (and no doubt in the AD’s). 

6) There’s usually been something to elite forwards hesitating to come to UND because of their “hard skill” style vs speed/creativity. Personally, I think it sucks. I hope they can change it because the game has changed and those players are elite at the NCAA AND NHL levels these days. Our slower/systems/accountability style has merit but there’s a reason our elite players don’t win Hobey’s, many other teams let their players “cook” while UND values control and when we buzz we can look amazing but we’re otherwise playing at an average speed. 

7) Berry’s not going anywhere soon, not taking advice from any of us, cares more about this program than all of us, and has had an awful season, personally and professionally. Maybe we can give him a break? I still enjoyed last night’s win and who knows? I’m holding out a sliver of hope they can make things interesting here. Besides, a not-so-great team’s season ending might hurt less than the recent heartbreakers, right? Trying to stay optimistic about the future for my favorite team. 

Hope everyone on here is doing well - times are tough and there’s more common ground then it may feel like. After all, we all love UND/SIOUX hockey right? 

Very well said.  In game threads this year, I have been guilty of venting big time, but in other threads I at least try to keep a longer term, less emotional perspective.  

This season has been a strange outlier for everyone involved, for sure.  Players, coaches, fans are all at a loss about how poorly they have performed versus expectations, given the number of draftees and general talent/advantages they have as a team.  I know these kind of seasons happen, but this is one of the most pronounced I've ever seen, and I'm not young to say the least!

I would expect that Berry has basically one more shot to right the ship, but honestly, another season like this one, and the numbers have to speak for themselves at some point.

 

[jdub27]

On 2/18/2023 at 6:41 PM, zonadub said:

He hasn’t done too bad with the women’s basketball and volleyball coaches. Don’t know who hired the tennis coach.

Chaves.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

I’m hoping Berry can learn from this season , but his history he runs status quo so he probably figures it’s not broken why fix. 

[Big A HG]

4 hours ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

I’m hoping Berry can learn from this season , but his history he runs status quo so he probably figures it’s not broken why fix. 

 

What's there to learn from this season that he shouldn't have already learned from the other missed NCAA tourney seasons?  People aren't throwing Berry under the bus for having his first bad season.  He's had multiple bad seasons already and now we're throwing another one onto the pile.  He won a national championship 7 years ago.  Assuming we don't win the NCHC tournament, he'll have a 50% NCAA tourney participation rate with only one NCAA win against lowly AIC since then.  He should have been learning way before now, instead it's just more of the same.  That 2019-20 team was a good team, but wasn't a surefire Frozen Four team and Berry's probably lucky the team didn't get a chance to get bounced early again.  None of these performance conversations are even factoring in the shady dealings with the Nodak trademark which got quickly swept under the rug.  

[siouxweet]

I would love to see Schlossman ask Berry in a presser why they don't recruit first round pick caliber NHL forwards anymore.  Again I remember when there were 3-4 on the roster at the same time.  Been 5 or 6 years since we had 1.

[brianvf]

44 minutes ago, siouxweet said:

I would love to see Schlossman ask Berry in a presser why they don't recruit first round pick caliber NHL forwards anymore.  Again I remember when there were 3-4 on the roster at the same time.  Been 5 or 6 years since we had 1.

They've certainly been recruited.  Just haven't landed any recently, unfortunately.

Cooley said it came down to UND and UMN.
Eiserman was down to UND, UMN, and BU.
Kent Johnson was down to UND and UM.

Hopefully he can change that soon.

[siouxforce19]

27 minutes ago, brianvf said:

They've certainly been recruited.  Just haven't landed any recently, unfortunately.

Cooley said it came down to UND and UMN.
Eiserman was down to UND, UMN, and BU.
Kent Johnson was down to UND and UM.

Hopefully he can change that soon.

I mean I’d also say it’s hard to project where 16 year olds will end up being drafted, which is when the high end kids usually commit. Sometimes it’s obvious that they’ll be a 1st round pick , but you never really know until draft year. 

[SIOUXELEVENS]

Norte dame last year , penn state and this year Arizona  team laid an egg when they should have been ready , this whole season it’s just been out of sync and nothing gets changed just wash, rinse and repeat. 

[zonadub]

8 hours ago, jdub27 said:

Chaves.

Thanks jdub. Seems like not all of Chaves’ hires have been bad.

I will get flamed for this, but even men’s basketball (Sather) is showing signs of promise.

[fightingsioux4life]

1 hour ago, zonadub said:

I will get flamed for this, but even men’s basketball (Sather) is showing signs of promise.

I won't flame you for it. I am pleasantly surprised by MBB's recent success. Now we need to figure out this dysfunctional MH team.

[siouxweet]

2 hours ago, brianvf said:

They've certainly been recruited.  Just haven't landed any recently, unfortunately.

Cooley said it came down to UND and UMN.
Eiserman was down to UND, UMN, and BU.
Kent Johnson was down to UND and UM.

Hopefully he can change that soon.

0 for 3, even a broken clock is right twice a day

[Cratter]

2 hours ago, brianvf said:

They've certainly been recruited.  Just haven't landed any recently, unfortunately.

Cooley said it came down to UND and UMN.
Eiserman was down to UND, UMN, and BU.
Kent Johnson was down to UND and UM.

Hopefully he can change that soon.

Maybe UND can't afford high end recruits anymore?

The days of winning a recruiting battle with a nice arena are long behind us.

[fightingsioux4life]

33 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Maybe UND can't afford high end recruits anymore?

The days of winning a recruiting battle with a nice arena are long behind us.

Not buying that. Not for one second.

[Cratter]

13 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Not buying that. Not for one second.

I mean but its true. You don't win with arenas anymore. 

You win by buying talent.

[Irish]

9 hours ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

I’m hoping Berry can learn from this season , but his history he runs status quo so he probably figures it’s not broken why fix. 

It's the rare coach who can self reflect and make changes.  They are blind to their own weaknesses and in love with their "system".  Strange behavior among very knowledgeable people.