For all of the Gopher fans calling for Don Lucia head, it doesn't appear that it's going to happen this season. I don't know how the University of Minnesota could pay for another coach’s contract buy out? The UMN is already paying for an ex-football coach and ex-basketball coaches’ buyouts. The only way I could see a Donny Lucia firing happening is if a big time Alumni with pockets full of money came up with said big money to buy out that huge contract that Donny Lucia has floating on the books. I have to give kudos to Jess Meyers for a asking the Minnesota athletic director the question though.
While admitting that the Golden Gopher men’s hockey results have been less than expected, University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi gave his coach a vote of confidence on Monday.
“I can tell you that Don Lucia will be coaching Gopher hockey next year unless he chooses not to,” Maturi told InsideCollegeHockey.com.
The Gophers currently stand in seventh place in the 10-team WCHA and are looking likely to miss the NCAA playoffs for the second consecutive year. The non-typical on-ice results, coupled with health problems that led to Lucia missing a few games last season, have led to many questions raised by fans and others in college hockey media circles regarding Lucia’s future. Some have gone as far as to speculate that Nebraska-Omaha coach Dean Blais, a Minnesota alum, would coach the Gophers next season. Maturi acknowledged disappointment with the on-ice results, but said that Lucia has the athletic director’s full confidence.
“I think we’ve got to just take a deep breath and stay the course,” Maturi said. “Nobody’s happy that we’re not winning more. I’m concerned and we’re all concerned. But I’m not concerned about the competencies and talents of Don Lucia.” [INCH]
So is it fair to say that Minnesota is the worst team in the WCHA and possibly all of Division 1 considering all their "top" recruits, fanbase, expectations and history?
ReplyDeleteAmerican International and Huntsville are bad teams but they have almost no expectations and nothing close the recruits Minnesota has. I would also throw Michigan, Notre Dame and Boston Universtiy in this mix as just awful teams and not at the level they should be at, it has to be more than just disappointing for these programs.
I am looking forward to probably seeing some newer blood in the tournament, but as much as most people hate to admit, powerhouses like Minnesota and Michigan are good for college hockey as a whole just from the national attention and revenue they generate. Not having them or Boston University in the tournament and possibly not BC is going to hurt this sport. But I also don't want to see these teams make it in on reputation and to sell tickets, you have to earn your way there.
I would rather see someone other than Michigan and Minnesota in the tourney personally, but if my team doesn't kick it in the Sioux might not make it either. IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that you or anyone else wants them in the tourney, but it is better for Division 1 hockey if they are there because they get a lot of attention and generate a lot of money which in then gives more exposure to the teams they are playing and other teams at their regional.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily agree that the NCAA tourney needs them to be successfully because the NCAA tourney didn't include them last season and I thought it was successful, there wasn't even a WCHA team and it was still successfully.
ReplyDeleteI think Miami and BSU probably made it interesting regardless of who was in the tourney but that is just me.
I am not convinced the Final Five needs Minnesota to be successful.
From a financial stance, I am willing to bet that last year's tourney while interesting with BSU and other new teams, did not fair as well without Minnesota at all and Michigan not advancing. I am not saying I am a fan of either of these programs but they earn a lot of money and exposure which helps grow this sport.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't kid yourself about the final five, there is a reason it is in St. Paul and a reason that almost always the gophers find a way to be in the tournament. When they had to play mankato a few years back in the first round at mankato they got plenty of calls their way to ensure they would be in St. Paul the following weekend.
People seem to forget Michigan's down years, frankly it was terrible and did not help the game of college hockey.
ReplyDeleteIf by chance Minnesota or Michigan do not make the NCAA the tv exposure and money from ticket sales from the gate go down.
Lets not kid ourselves the more BCS Division one teams playing in the college hockey tourney generates more money for all of college hockey.
This is a good thread you guys have going. I think Lucia will be the head coach there until he decides to quit, whenever that may be. I think it is also indeed fair to label the Gophers as one of the worst teams in all of D-1 considering the NHL draft picks and the standards they set every season. What you also must realize is that the WCHA is dominant and there are 9 other really good teams. If there's three teams I wouldn't mind NOT seeing in the NCAA tournament its definately Michigan, Minnesota, and UND. Not very often do you see 3 of the perhaps the top 5 programs in the country all in down years in the same season.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Final 5, obviously Goldy is a huge selling point, but so are other local teams like UMD, SCSU, Mankato, and UND. Goldy got knocked out in the play in game last season and the tournament still was a success. Now if Anchorage, Tech, Denver, CC, and Wisconsin made it, then there would be a problem selling tickets.