Roseville at WBL - Aldrich Thursday

[Goldfishdude]

let's get the smack rolling.........

WBL 8-1. YES.. I said WBL would win....

[Hockeyfan#8]

WBL will be going for double digits tonight!

[2darink10]

Da Bears 6
Roseville 1

[wblhockeyfan8]

6-5 Final with a win for the Bears.

Not a good game at all...

went down 2-0 in the first, then it was always coming from behind till the end.

Pretty cheap head-shot on WBL's Mac Jansen, then the Roseville fans proceeded to yell things at him, and chant 'Lets Play Hockey' during an injury break.

[mnpuckster]

6-5 win????
Oh my.............
What is wrong with the Bears?
I was thinking they were looking good in the 2 spot for 4AA, but if they play like they did tonight, they will get rolled in the semi's.
All I can say is WOW,
and Sager has to go

[BodyShots]

The Bears have a lot to work on before sections start.

1. I'd start with De zone break out.
2. De zone coverage. I don't know about you, but I think they were taught at a very young age that you don't leave guys alone in the slot.
3. Back checking. Wahlin, there is a defensive side of the game too!
4. Odd man rushes. Wholly smokes does this team give up too many.
5. Skate, skate, skate. When you get the puck, don't just stand there. HM will eat you up if you stand flat footed.

On the plus side. Mac Jansen is a sniper. His two goals tonight couldn't have been placed any better into the upper corners.

[wblhockeyfan8]

6-5 win????
Oh my.............
What is wrong with the Bears?
I was thinking they were looking good in the 2 spot for 4AA, but if they play like they did tonight, they will get rolled in the semi's.
All I can say is WOW,
and Sager has to go

shhhh... lets not get it locked just yet.

Yeah, It was not what you wanna see going into sections.

I have faith in my Bears! They'll pick it up.

[mnpuckster]

Why is Butters coaching the J.V, and now former WBL player, Chris Anderson (who has zero coaching experience) coaching the D-men for the varsity?
I havent seen a WBL defensive core and the team as a whole play so poorly in their own zone. I mean, AWFUL. Im not neccesarily blaming Anderson, but why the change??? Im kind of thinking that its not a coincidence that they have played so lackluster this year, and its Anderson's Core, not Butters.

[BodyShots]

Why is Butters coaching the J.V, and now former WBL player, Chris Anderson (who has zero coaching experience) coaching the D-men for the varsity?
I havent seen a WBL defensive core and the team as a whole play so poorly in their own zone. I mean, AWFUL. Im not neccesarily blaming Anderson, but why the change??? Im kind of thinking that its not a coincidence that they have played so lackluster this year, and its Anderson's Core, not Butters.

The change was due to Butter's ability to get to the Varsity practices. I guess the JV practices were easier for him to get too from work.

[mnpuckster]

I see, well, just give Butters or Hambly the job NOW, and let whats his name take a walk.....has had many talented teams, with no results.
13 straight losses to HM, yes 13!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Goldfishdude]

Goldfishdude was :22 seconds and a WBL Max Birkinbine breakaway goal away from going bonkers. This was my first game watching them since the last Roseville game, when the JV team laced up the skates.

I hope this game makes people stop questioning me about my allegiance to WBL? For the most part, I really like most the kids and their parents.. I just feel so sorry for them. It is so hard to watch them play, as misguided as they are.

On an opposing note, I am happy to see Roseville's #24 DeBace have a solid game. I know it's been a pretty tough season for the kid. He is a bonefide Elite I player that just has had a tough year. He had a solid game and played well, then got his knee whipped, but eventually came back.

It's possible there could be a section rematch with these two teams.

[Goldfishdude]

I see, well, just give Butters or Hambly the job NOW, and let whats his name take a walk.....has had many talented teams, with no results.
13 straight losses to HM, yes 13!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Butters doesn't want the job. I already asked him. He is a very spiritual man that enjoys coaching JV hockey in the manner his personality suits him, and his family life is a bigger priority. His teaching job requires him to be at school until 3:45 or something, and can't make 3:10 practices.

Let Goldfishdude add this too.. Butters takes coaching JV for what it's worth. Half the kids will never make varsity, because of the lack of talent, so he does what he can with what he has to deal with, but doesn't go overboard on coaching.

He is as good of a man as there is.... sometimes innocently naive, with a pretty solid personality. My son has really liked him and Steve Collova for their humor. Butters has about as much respect from me as a PERSON as I can give someone. He's a teacher, because he enjoys trying to shape young people, with hopes of a principal job in time.

[mnpuckster]

ATTENTION A.D. OF WHITE BEAR LAKE, MR. BOB JACKSON
-Wake up and do something about this "misguided team," PLEASE!

[Goldfishdude]

ATTENTION A.D. OF WHITE BEAR LAKE, MR. BOB JACKSON
-Wake up and do something about this "misguided team," PLEASE!

Well, Puckie..... good news/bad news is that the rumor I am hearing is that Jackson is retiring. If that's the case, he doesn't care what's happening now, and he won't do anything, even replace himself as football coach. That means that if he does retire, it would be up to the new administration to make changes for all sports, which could be the good news.

[wblhockeyfan8]

Butters is a teacher at the local middle school (or is it elementary? he's been both)

That explains his after school scheduling.

[buzzershot]

The Bears JV practices are a joke. Butters does not even try to better his players. Nice guy aside Butters should not even be mentioned in the same sentence as Hambley as far as coaching ability.

[mnpuckster]

I know Butters isnt exactly top notch coaching talent, but anything must be better than the current situatioin. Hambly would be a great move, if he wanted the job.

On another note, I have also heard from numerous people that Butters and Collova kind of make a mockery of the JV practices and games. Joking, laughing, playing around, and never serious about the game. I have heard they make it a "show", but Id like to hear from others

[Goldfishdude]

I know Butters isnt exactly top notch coaching talent, but anything must be better than the current situatioin. Hambly would be a great move, if he wanted the job.

On another note, I have also heard from numerous people that Butters and Collova kind of make a mockery of the JV practices and games. Joking, laughing, playing around, and never serious about the game. I have heard they make it a "show", but Id like to hear from others

If you read my comments from above, because of Butters personality and the with the players he is given, he doesn't go overboard in his coaching in practices.

He goes over the systems. He talks about positioning. He tells them what they need to do.

It boils down to execution. Let me put it this way. He DOESN'T share many of the same philosophies as Sager, which is another reason he stepped away from the varsity bench. Don't think for a moment he couldn't adjust his schedule, if it were that important to him. His dad, Bill, played for the Gophers, Fighting Saints and cup of coffee with North Stars, was an assistant coach for the Gophers and also coached at WBL. Ben has a lot of the same coaching philosohpy as his father.

So, if you watch games, whether varsity or JV, what are some of the biggest complaints you hear or observe? Read what Body Shots says above.

If I complain it's hard to watch varsity games and the structure or misguidedeness I see there, try watching a JV practice.

These guys struggle, virtually to a man, in running the drills. Catching passes. MAKING passes, skating with head down.... issues in trying to do the break outs in execution when not even being defended!!!!!!!

Butters just doesn't scream or yell. It's like... "Oh well. I have got what I have got." As I mentioned, many kids that play JV won't make varsity ever as a permanent player (this year the exception due to suspensions).

It's hard to make practices more intense and structured when the drills he does are basic, fundamental drills that have problems in execution.

God Bless, Scott Hambly, who is probably one of the best coaches in the state - no matter what level, but, it's clear, he too, probably "gave up" in terms of some of the basics of passes, etc, because, many of his former players are guilty of these issues, too.

I scream inside on how we have 2 on 1 breaks, and the skaters are side by side into the attacking zone, and then one tries to pass and it ends up on the d-man's stick..... end of scoring chance. Kids don't have a clue about creating depth, creating passing lanes and thus, creating scoring chances.

I know that has been covered. But if not executed, a coach can only do so much.

But let's also keep one more thing in mind. If the VARSITY coach, who stated at the beginning of the year, he was personally going to take a more active role in JV (maybe saw him 5 times this year), required tougher practices, certain drills, etc, then it would be done.

Last time I checked, it's the varsity coach's program. Don't point fingers at Butters if practices are a joke.

[formerlybackofnet]

I know Butters isnt exactly top notch coaching talent, but anything must be better than the current situatioin. Hambly would be a great move, if he wanted the job.

On another note, I have also heard from numerous people that Butters and Collova kind of make a mockery of the JV practices and games. Joking, laughing, playing around, and never serious about the game. I have heard they make it a "show", but Id like to hear from others

Have you ever watched them on the bench during a game? They
are nothing but paid spectators. WBL needs a total change in coaching, top to bottom. The biggest problem is, WBL has a rule that you have to teach or work in the school district to be a head coach.

[Pioneerprideguy]

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.

[BodyShots]

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.

Your right there PPG. But doesn't good coaching help with winning? What I saw last night, WBL has no chance to beat HM, and might not even get that far.

If you can't win with the top notch talent WBL has had over the past 10 years, I can't wait to see how they perform in the next few years with very little talent and success at the youth level now a days.

[WBLHockeyfan04]

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....

[Pioneerprideguy]

No question coaching plays a part of winning, but from an outsider's perspective, I think Sager takes too much heat for losing & not enough credit when they win. I don't know the guy at all, but I don't hear the negative comments about him from people outside of WBL like I do other coaches.

As for the Bears, the Pioneers path to the Tourney still runs through them. They still posses enough talent to pull the upset & as long as they are still alive, HM fans are concerned.

[BodyShots]

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.

[WBLHockeyfan04]

I'm talking about success at the Varsity level. Isn't that the ultimate level for success for most of these kids as hockey players? As a graduate in 2004 I do know about the success this team has had over the last decade or so. But you pretty made my argument for me by stating that the program is on the decline, and it's not looking to promising in the number of years to come. The success they've had in bantams, and peewees just hasn't been translating over to the varsity level.