Reusse's Article: Unfortunate Shift In Priorities

[breakout]

BS...........you either commit for the season or you don't

When they committ for college, it should be for a full 4-years, unless they are failing in school. That goes for ALL collegiate sports.

OK, I'll buy into that IF the player is also guaranteed a spot for those 4 years. I know of a couple of situations where coaches have either flat-out sent a player packing, or worked to get that player to leave.

It has to go both ways! It goes to my point above, if a team can release (cut) a player, then the player should be able to leave when they want. If a marginal player can be cut, then a good player can leave.

Kyle's move was class-less, but we're into times that we'll see it again.

You bring up good points.

[jackstraw]

blu-gold, you offer many good points, but here you have been left in the dust. NHL organizations don't like the U of M's current way's of doing things. They want draft choices out of there.

[Pucknutz69]

[quote="jackstraw"]blu-gold, you offer many good points, but here you have been left in the dust. NHL organizations don't like the U of M's current way's of doing things. They want draft choices out of there.[/quote]

Nice article by Bruce Brothers, glad to see Lucia has more class then Snow. http://www.twincities.com/gophers/ci_7783764

Seen as mr Snow is blasting the Gophers lets look at his resume.

Grew up in Woonsockett, RI = Jealeous that he didn't get to play in the greatest High school sports tournament ever. Let alone play youth hockey in the State of Hockey.

Play college at the UofM = The wrong UofM, he played at Maine which again is safe to say he is...................JEALEOUS. He didn't get asked to play for the real UofM in the State of Hockey.

Pro Career = is dotted with many busstops where he amassed a whopping 135-147 record which and now has to listen to his childhood friend, Keith Carney, talk about how great it is to play in the State Of Hockey. He is out in NY managing the Islanders into the ground.

Wayne Gretzky seems to think the Uof Minnesota does an great job with thier draft picks.

[jackstraw]

Yeah, Mueller was awesome on FSN.

[Pucknutz69]

Yeah, Mueller was awesome on FSN.

Did Mueller ever suit up for the U??? He left the NDTP early to play for the Everett Silvertips and turned down the scholarship. He also will tell you he didn't want to do the school thing. He just wanted to play hockey, no grades, no attendance he wouldn't have to answer to any of that.

[jackstraw]

Pretty smart kid, eh? No advice from anyone either.

[Ram Hockey]

I read Reusse's article today about priority shifts in hockey. Frankly, I see and hear about Hockey Development blah, blah, blah all of the time. I watch selfish play for the sake of points.

Some kids play for Shattuck or Fire for the sake of development instead of playing with their buddies and hometown team. If they are talented, wouldn't they get to their destination anyway?

Are high school players playing to get noticed or help their team get to the State Tournament?

I will give Edina kudos. Except for a player or two, their team is focused and unselfish. They are focused on getting it done. I would argue that Roseau is on the same level.



Your thoughts and observations

Article:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/12757177.html

I agree with everything that you said but where does the Roseau part come into play? You haven't a clue!

[stanryckman]

good for kyle for advancing his career. he just took a better job opportunity with better pay. people do it all the time. he's looking out for himself and all of you have probably done the same some time in your life. i don't agree with leaving in the middle of the season, but he did what he felt was right. now he has to live with the consequences, good or bad. if he quits on his future teammates, he'll be out of a job or working at the chrysler plant in a few years.

[falcons30]

if he quits on his future teammates, he'll be out of a job or working at the chrysler plant in a few years.

He'd be lucky to get a job at Chrysler!!


Associated Press
updated 2:34 p.m. CT, Sun., Dec. 23, 2007

"Chrysler in November announced plans to cut up to 12,000 jobs, just after employees represented by the United Auto Workers ratified a new four-year contract with the company. The cuts include 8,500 to 10,000 hourly jobs and 2,100 salaried jobs through 2008, or about 15 percent of the company's work force. The cuts came on top of 13,000 Chrysler job reductions that were announced in February."

[zippitydoda]

Who would blame the kid for leaving? Sure it's classless and selfish, but it's the Islanders organization that put him in this position and then criticized Lucia for his coaching. How convenient.

I am no Gopher fan, but Garth Snow was an idiot when he played and he's a bigger idiot running the organization. No wonder they are at the bottom of their division. They suck, and Kyle is unlikely to make a difference for some time to come, if ever. They could have waited three more months.

As to Blue and Gold's post, who told you St. Cloud Tech cut a senior? Didn't happen. Two goalies were cut, neither were seniors. It's a tough call, though, and every school is different. Some schools flat out cut seniors regardless of loyalty. I'm not saying it's right, but winning is part of high school hockey. Easy to criticize from the bleachers. That's why neither you nor I coach high school.

[Blue&Gold]

Who would blame the kid for leaving? Sure it's classless and selfish, but it's the Islanders organization that put him in this position and then criticized Lucia for his coaching. How convenient.

I am no Gopher fan, but Garth Snow was an idiot when he played and he's a bigger idiot running the organization. No wonder they are at the bottom of their division. They suck, and Kyle is unlikely to make a difference for some time to come, if ever. They could have waited three more months.

As to Blue and Gold's post, who told you St. Cloud Tech cut a senior? Didn't happen. Two goalies were cut, neither were seniors. It's a tough call, though, and every school is different. Some schools flat out cut seniors regardless of loyalty. I'm not saying it's right, but winning is part of high school hockey. Easy to criticize from the bleachers. That's why neither you nor I coach high school.

Not this season, but I do know that seniors have been released from Tech in years past. Pretty sure it was two seasons ago (but could have been last season) when Hummerdingaling released a senior who had been there busting his butt for every year he was available, and he brought up a freshman who still had bantam eligibility. I can picture him, and for some reason his name just won't come to my fingers... (Tech would NEVER do that?? yeah, they have and do)

My point being, don't hold the better players to having to stay in a program that will release other players. It has to go both ways.. Loyalty is a two-way street, not just for the top players who help programs. I don't see anything being posted about the middle-to-bottom player no longer on the team. We can't complain if it's not absolute.

Kyle pulled a class-less move, but it's his choice, and he'll probably do just fine where he's going. He's already made more money that many on this forum will see in 10 years of work. (maybe not, but he will before the end of the season)

[hipcheck]

This article just points out the obvious that has been happening to high school and college hockey the past 10 years.

There is not a better accomplishment for a team than winning a championship with players selected(college) or having grown up together(high school) for that pupose.

Some, not all players, fail to recognize that and are truly just playing the sport as an individual. Hockey is designed to be played as a team and certainly players must accept their role for the team.

In high school is not as difficult to accept the role, as most teams have limited highly skilled players. In college, it becomes more difficult to accept that you are no longer the "go to guy' on your team and thus must play a "role" for team success. Hard for some to go from 1st line star, captain, powerplay, and late in the game player on the ice, to watching the coach put others in that situation.

Accepting your role amongst a team of stars is a life learning process. Teams that have players willing to "play for the team" and not themselves will win championships.

[zippitydoda]

Loyalty is a two way street. However, it's part of life to get cut and then cope. It happens in all other aspects of life, including on the job. And it happens in sports. I don't know enough about Tech. You might be right, but I do know that it's a double-edged sword in high school. You get criticized if you don't win......so if you take steps to try to play your best players, perhaps cutting some and you get slammed for that. I quit in high school because I wouldn't have made varsity and knew it. I flat out wasn't good enough and played again at club level in college. I still love the sport and have no lasting scars (except one on my face). Most high school kids will have bigger mountains to scale in terms of adversity than getting cut or quitting as a senior. If that's the worst they experience in their life................I want their life.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Agree with BIAFP you commit for the season...simple as that. Okposo move is selfish but will become more common.
A lot of the mindset starts at the dinner table when the kid is a mite....how much smoke you blow up the backside has residual effect on character both on and off the ice.

[Blue&Gold]

Loyalty is a two way street. However, it's part of life to get cut and then cope. It happens in all other aspects of life, including on the job. And it happens in sports. I don't know enough about Tech. You might be right, but I do know that it's a double-edged sword in high school. You get criticized if you don't win......so if you take steps to try to play your best players, perhaps cutting some and you get slammed for that. I quit in high school because I wouldn't have made varsity and knew it. I flat out wasn't good enough and played again at club level in college. I still love the sport and have no lasting scars (except one on my face). Most high school kids will have bigger mountains to scale in terms of adversity than getting cut or quitting as a senior. If that's the worst they experience in their life................I want their life.

But Zippy.. how many people complained that you quit before you graduated? That's my point.. it only matters if you can help the team win, otherwise it's "good riddance".. If a player leaves, then they leave. If a player is cut, he's cut. One should not say it's OK for one, but not the other,,,,, IMHO of course...

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

[zippitydoda]

I echo Blue and Gold

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.

Let's all be thankful that we have the great game of hockey -- whether we play it, coach it, ref it or just watch it. Cheers to all of you and your passion for the game.

[tomASS]

Agree with BIAFP you commit for the season...simple as that. Okposo move is selfish but will become more common.
A lot of the mindset starts at the dinner table when the kid is a mite....how much smoke you blow up the backside has residual effect on character both on and off the ice.

Love It!

[HOFam'r]

I love this subject...I think it is the parents fault even at 19 years old...Kids are just by products of their adult role models and no matter how hard coaches try and get them to see the light...the kid 99% of the time listens to their Parents...Blame the parents and not the kid...as the kid gets older hopefully he will realize his mistake.

However, many coaches can be at fault for playing favorites or stunting player growth...especially at the HS level. Coaches at this level if endeared by the HS Athletic Director can pretty much create any scenario they want...they can juggle lines so some kids in the doghouse dont succeed and everyone involved with the kid is frustrated. Give credit to Giles for creating a team enviroment and all coaches who do...kids understand roles and feel important even though many of them understand they will not be advancing to the next level.

It's just time for parents to wake up and understand that playing at HS level is a major accomplishment.

[Observer85]

BS...........you either commit for the season or you don't

When they committ for college, it should be for a full 4-years, unless they are failing in school. That goes for ALL collegiate sports.

OK, I'll buy into that IF the player is also guaranteed a spot for those 4 years. I know of a couple of situations where coaches have either flat-out sent a player packing, or worked to get that player to leave.

It has to go both ways! It goes to my point above, if a team can release (cut) a player, then the player should be able to leave when they want. If a marginal player can be cut, then a good player can leave.

Kyle's move was class-less, but we're into times that we'll see it again.

I have to agree with Blue and Gold. Here are some current examples of roster purging going on. At Alaska Fairbanks, new coach Doc DelCastillo right now has 10 incoming freshmen listed on the Heisenberg web site. Yet when you look at his current roster, he has only 5 seniors. I think someone is being told they are not welcome back.

Last year, after RPI coach Seth Appert was brought in, he also went out and got a big incoming class. The RPI college message board indicated 3-5 kids were asked to leave the program.

In both cases, these were new coaches brought in that most likely wanted "their" kind of recruit. But was it or is it fair for the players who have to leave?

[packerboy]

If he was going to another college, I would agree with the criticism. But he is going to a USA team and then to the NHL where he will be a loyal team mate until he gets traded or cut or gets more money from someone else.

Nobody cares about Kyle Okposo except that he is someone they use to sell a ticket, make a coach look good, or promote a product.

I was at the mega Mall shopping for Christmas. They have those little booths called Kiosks that are in the hallways between stores. One of them has Viking stuff. Guess who was working it when I was there? Carl Eller.

If Kyle doesnt take care of himself, you think Don Lucia and the U of M will? Right.

Good luck to Kyle and I hope he makes a lot of money playing hockey so he doesnt have to work a booth at the Mall when he is 60 something.

[spin-o-rama]

If he was going to another college, I would agree with the criticism. But he is going to a USA team and then to the NHL where he will be a loyal team mate until he gets traded or cut or gets more money from someone else.

Nobody cares about Kyle Okposo except that he is someone they use to sell a ticket, make a coach look good, or promote a product.

I was at the mega Mall shopping for Christmas. They have those little booths called Kiosks that are in the hallways between stores. One of them has Viking stuff. Guess who was working it when I was there? Carl Eller.

If Kyle doesnt take care of himself, you think Don Lucia and the U of M will? Right.

Good luck to Kyle and I hope he makes a lot of money playing hockey so he doesnt have to work a booth at the Mall when he is 60 something.

I hope he makes a lot of money playing hockey because now he won't have the safeguard of a college degree that Don Lucia and the U of M were helping him to get.

[packerboy]

I hope he makes a lot of money playing hockey because now he won't have the safeguard of a college degree that Don Lucia and the U of M were helping him to get.

Now, thats a good one

Yup, just like Carl Eller got.

[spin-o-rama]

I hope he makes a lot of money playing hockey because now he won't have the safeguard of a college degree that Don Lucia and the U of M were helping him to get.

Now, thats a good one

Yup, just like Carl Eller got.

Now I know your beef. Public schools are no good at the university level either!

I'm sure Eller is being paid a lot more than the other kiosk operators at the MOA. How do you know he needed the money?

[packerboy]

Now I know your beef. Public schools are no good at the university level either!

I'm sure Eller is being paid a lot more than the other kiosk operators at the MOA. How do you know he needed the money?

Precisely!

I guess I dont know he needed the money, but what in heck else would he be doing that for? Meet chicks I suppose.

But I am sure ole Donny's first reaction to Okposo leaving was " Oh no, now he wont get his degree"

[spin-o-rama]

But I am sure ole Donny's first reaction to Okposo leaving was " Oh no, now he wont get his degree"

And that further proves Snow's argument about poor development. We all thought he was talking about hockey. He really wants Okposo to get a degree. Now he can fast track him at University of Phoenix.