Roseville at WBL - Aldrich Thursday

[Goldfishdude]

I suspect that a win over Hill or a section championship will cool the heels of many in WBL Land. I personally hope it doesn't happen anytime soon, but it's amazing what winning will solve.

PPG, as you and I have shared in a couple PMs is that if/when WBL does eventually beat H-M (which I think will be next year for sure, as Birki and Wahlin will be seniors and among the best in the metro area) it will solely because they played a perfect game, not because they are a better team.

The law of averages will happen at some point, and WBL will win. I am sure you can remind us the overall series.. Doesn't H-M lead the series like 547-6-2?? No, seriously, isn't it like 90-30-2 or something?

I am the first one to preach that a coach shouldn't lose his job, because of not being able to get past H-M and advancing to state. When H-M as a whole has 1,000 victories, that's a testament to the history.

But when we have this great pride of WBL, we should have a better record than we have now. Don't forget our two gimme wins versus East Ridge this year. Last year, those two extra games were losses.

I look at WBL's reccord as 13-9, not 15-9. In fact, if it weren't for East Ridge, and the trip to Moorhead and Fargo was still in place, WBL very well could be 13-11. Fighting for their lives in a 4-3 Stillwater game and 6-5 Forest Lake game. It's the games such as 7-5 to Park, 6-5 to Mounds View, 6-5 to Roseville, a loss in OT to MV.

These performances are unacceptable. And other than this year's AHA win, last year's Centennial game and an occasional split with Woodbury and CDH, this team rarely wins against teams like Moorhead, East, H-M, etc... Those teams are capable of winning the tougher games consistently. WBL, under the current program has not.

[Goldfishdude]

WBL hasn't had top end talent now for about 5 years. Sure, they've had some nice players year in and year out (Wahlin, Birkinbine, Grun, Hansen, etc..), but they haven't been really solid since '05 with overall depth and goaltending. The program in my mind has been on the decline, and there run of being a legitimate top 10 team year in and year out maybe done....

With the names you listed, you must be too young to know about the past. Try looking at the success the "A" Bantams and "A" Peewees have had over the last 10+ years. All the District championships, Region's success and advancement to State. Was it 2003 that both the "A" Bantams and "A" Peewees won state in the same year. Did either of those groups of kids make it to State?

I agree the program is in decline, and top 10 will not be even a thought in the coming years.

Body... I ONLY will disagree with you on the fact that next year, unless if Birki and Wahlin can find somewhere that will take them, they have a "chance" to be a top 10, because of those two players. I mean, Blaine is Blaine because of mainly Bjugstad. Andover mainly because of Decowski. Birki and Wahlin are Elite I players.

But yes, Body...if they can't do it next year, any success WBL will have in the next 10 years will be predicated if Jake Wahlin can carry the team within the next 3 years.

My goal?? I want Jake Wahlin, who is a first-year A Bantam despite pee-wee eligible, to skate on a line as an 8th-grader with his brother and Birki next year. I don't care how small he is. From what I hear, he has over 40 goals and 40 assists at A Bantams. Give me a reason to watch.

[buzzershot]

A coach is a coach and in the end as a coach you are responsible for the team you are coaching wheather it is a Varsity , JV or C squirt team. Your job as a coach is to have each player be a better player at the end of the season than when they started and if that means you teach a player how to pass a puck to a team mate skating down the ice then that is what you should be doing as a coach. That does not mean as a coach you make a joke about the quality of players you have been given by an idiot head coach. Take some pride in what you are doing or get out because as a coach you are not doing any good.

[Goldfishdude]

A coach is a coach and in the end as a coach you are responsible for the team you are coaching wheather it is a Varsity , JV or C squirt team. Your job as a coach is to have each player be a better player at the end of the season than when they started and if that means you teach a player how to pass a puck to a team mate skating down the ice then that is what you should be doing as a coach. That does not mean as a coach you make a joke about the quality of players you have been given by an idiot head coach. Take some pride in what you are doing or get out because as a coach you are not doing any good.

Buzzie.... I don't know where anyone said he "jokes" about the quality of players he has. He jokes around with the players and tries to make it fun along with teaching. He DOES care about the success of the program, and I said he does fundamental drills. But if the kids have some difficulty executing, is that the coach's fault or are the players not the most skilled?

[Edwardo]

A coach is a coach and in the end as a coach you are responsible for the team you are coaching wheather it is a Varsity , JV or C squirt team. Your job as a coach is to have each player be a better player at the end of the season than when they started and if that means you teach a player how to pass a puck to a team mate skating down the ice then that is what you should be doing as a coach. That does not mean as a coach you make a joke about the quality of players you have been given by an idiot head coach. Take some pride in what you are doing or get out because as a coach you are not doing any good.

Buzzie.... I don't know where anyone said he "jokes" about the quality of players he has. He jokes around with the players and tries to make it fun along with teaching. He DOES care about the success of the program, and I said he does fundamental drills. But if the kids have some difficulty executing, is that the coach's fault or are the players not the most skilled?

GFD - Bottom line is kids are ultimately responsible for improving there skills, but I would also put the blame on previous coaches IF, let me repeat IF, they did not spend enough correcting the inadequacies of there individual skills properly. At this level these boys should be able to hit the tape even on a rink wide pass pretty consistently, they should be able to catch a pass no matter how hard it may be, they should be able to stick handle with out looking at the puck, for the most part, and they should be able to shoot HARD and Accurate. Now with that said the coaches from the bottom up are responsible for teaching proper technique and embedding it into the athletes head so it is second nature. On the other hand it is the players responsibility to improve these skills on there own time. So I put the blame at all levels and the responsibility on the players. Anyone can coach any sport, all you have to do is look on line for drills and systems, but a great coach teaches the game, and the game doesn't always include systems, bottom line is that there are very few of these boys at the V & JV that have the skills to execute the game.

[Goldfishdude]

A coach is a coach and in the end as a coach you are responsible for the team you are coaching wheather it is a Varsity , JV or C squirt team. Your job as a coach is to have each player be a better player at the end of the season than when they started and if that means you teach a player how to pass a puck to a team mate skating down the ice then that is what you should be doing as a coach. That does not mean as a coach you make a joke about the quality of players you have been given by an idiot head coach. Take some pride in what you are doing or get out because as a coach you are not doing any good.

Buzzie.... I don't know where anyone said he "jokes" about the quality of players he has. He jokes around with the players and tries to make it fun along with teaching. He DOES care about the success of the program, and I said he does fundamental drills. But if the kids have some difficulty executing, is that the coach's fault or are the players not the most skilled?

GFD - Bottom line is kids are ultimately responsible for improving there skills, but I would also put the blame on previous coaches IF, let me repeat IF, they did not spend enough correcting the inadequacies of there individual skills properly. At this level these boys should be able to hit the tape even on a rink wide pass pretty consistently, they should be able to catch a pass no matter how hard it may be, they should be able to stick handle with out looking at the puck, for the most part, and they should be able to shoot HARD and Accurate. Now with that said the coaches from the bottom up are responsible for teaching proper technique and embedding it into the athletes head so it is second nature. On the other hand it is the players responsibility to improve these skills on there own time. So I put the blame at all levels and the responsibility on the players. Anyone can coach any sport, all you have to do is look on line for drills and systems, but a great coach teaches the game, and the game doesn't always include systems, bottom line is that there are very few of these boys at the V & JV that have the skills to execute the game.

Eddie..... your point is kinda what I was trying to say in terms of Butters and his personality, and how he coaches. It is what it is. And the parents that watch see the same things.