Gopher's recruiting the wrong kids???

fiveforfighting · Post by **fiveforfighting** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:01 am

whats wrong with Ness, Youso, and Schroder?

goldy313 · Post by **goldy313** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:10 pm

Youso is to small, he may not even be the best player on his own team (at least he wasn't the 3 games I saw him play). He can skate like the wind but I don't think he'll make an impact at the U.

RLStars, the name on the back of the jersey is all that matters to most now. It sad but true. Look at the kids who leave high school or college early for whatever reason, it's all about self promotion, what about me. I think that's part of the problem at the U, too many kids are vagabonds with no loyalty to anything. If you were hiring and had an applicant who had been through 4 companies in 4 years would you hire him even if he were the best applicant?

Gopher Blog · Post by **Gopher Blog** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:09 pm

goldy313 wrote:Youso is to small, he may not even be the best player on his own team (at least he wasn't the 3 games I saw him play). He can skate like the wind but I don't think he'll make an impact at the U

Youso is "too small"? Since when is 6', 185 lbs. (officially measured by NHL Central Scouting) as a high school senior considered "small?

Youso will be bigger/better by the time he hits the U with a full year of USHL under his belt next year (as that looks like the plan for him). I think you underestimate him quite a bit. He was called "electric" by one scout last summer against the nation's best players of his age group. Pretty high praise.

As for kids who leave early, it is a fact or life for every school now. A big part of the problem is the power that NHL teams wield and the fact they can sign these kids for much cheaper entry level deals than they used to. Not to mention, it has to be tough for a young kid to risk disappointing a future employer by going against their wishes on when to sign. It may happen but it has to be a very stressful decision with all that money on the line. I don't think it is as much a loyalty issue with most of these players (it may be for a percentage but I don't think we can so easily generalize about all of them).

Lopresti · Post by **Lopresti** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:06 am

So why not bring them to college right out of high school and let them develop while they're with you? Isn't letting a kid struggle a bit their freshman year-then excel their soph. and junior year better than have them live in a basement in Waterloo Iowa for a year, have them play 1 or 2 years in college and they're gone to the nhl? I'd like to see the USHL be a league for kids who can't make a college team develop to give them a chance to advance.

goldy313 · Post by **goldy313** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:34 pm

GopherBlog, you don't understand my point; why do the Gophers go out and get the greatest individual players they can? I liken it to Herb Brooks, he went out and built a team based on his needs not overall talent. Lucia seems to be focusing on individual talent not building a winning team. Okposo was going to leave, so was Johnson, etc. He (Lucia) made the bed the Gophers are wallowing in. Given the lack of scholarships mens sports have available I'd think building a team on needs would be more important than getting 20-25 stars.

Gopher Blog · Post by **Gopher Blog** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:11 pm

goldy313 wrote:GopherBlog, you don't understand my point; why do the Gophers go out and get the greatest individual players they can? I liken it to Herb Brooks, he went out and built a team based on his needs not overall talent. Lucia seems to be focusing on individual talent not building a winning team.

Did you have that opinion just a year ago when they were on their way to regular season and post-season championships in the WCHA? Only a loss to a quality UND team in OT kept them from the Frozen Four. I'd say that team accomplished quite a bit.

Do you use the same kind of criticism for a school such an UND? They haven't won a title since 2000 and they haven't had near the overall team success of Lucia's teams since 2001-2002. Check the trophy case the last seven years for further evidence.

What about Wisconsin? Other than the 2006 national title, they have won no other regular season or post-season titles since 2000.

Shall I continue?

Given the big picture of tangible success, I have a tough time being too critical of how Lucia has built his teams. I am not saying he is above criticism and he can make a mistake like anybody else. But let's look at the big picture before we go off on a tangent that the guy doesn't know how to build a team.

During a two week span in which he lands great players like Schmidt and Budish, I have a tough time being upset about the personnel decisions.

grindiangrad-80 · Post by **grindiangrad-80** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:53 pm

I agree. The Gophs have had a pretty good run for the last 7 or 8 years. I don't think a .500 season with a very young team is cause for alarm.
Go Gophers.