Michigan HockeyCast 5.22: Brushed and FlossedBlueBarronMarch 29th, 2023 at 7:00 AM
With David Nasternak and Alex Drain
This Podcast Has a Sponsor: Michigan Law Grad Jonathan Paul is the guy with the C you want skating next to the ref and pleading your case. He's also a good guy to sit next to at the hockey games.
Segment 1: A Stomp and a Snipe
Opener
Short talk about a lot of goals
A long talk about not many goals
The Crescendo
Segment 2: Michigan Takes and The Rest of the Tournament
Feelingsball and Hawttakes
Regional Rundown
What the Tech Coach Said
The Big Ten and the Future
[Player after THE JUMP]
MUSIC
NHL on ESPN Theme
"Good Feeling" -- Flo Rida
Ice Hockey (NES) theme
THE USUAL LINKS
Helpful iTunes subscribe link
General podcast feed link
Direct Download Link
NCAA Tournament Scores:
Michigan - 11(!!!), Colgate 1
Michigan 2 (OT), Penn State 1
Ice Hockey Video Game (1988) - Nintendo (NES) console:
I, admittedly, am not the biggest hockey guy on the planet but I just realized looking at the front page HockeyCast graphic that in the bottom right corner are 2 of the 3 players available in the always fun 1988 Nintendo Ice Hockey video game in Michigan colors.
If I recall correctly, you have 3 choices for players:
Regular guy: Has standard speed/handling and is not prone to get knocked down easily but not the toughest guy either (Useless in my opinion).
Skinny guy: Super fast and almost uncatchable if you play a team with mostly regular or fat guys. They do get knocked down easily but the speed is undeniable and with the right amount of them, they can create chaos.
Fat guys: Welp, they're slow as hell and will make the game extremely boring but they can really only be knocked down by other fat guys. They also have some power in their shooting, so get them in front of the net and the goals will be plentiful.
My best strategy was either 2 or 3 Fat guys and 1 or 2 Skinny guys. I would play each team as if I were in a tournament style bracket and always played the USSR last as they had 3 fat guys and a regular. The game was about as simple as sports games could be in 1988 and have fun little quirks like very cartoonish fights, a zamboni intermission and fun midi-style music.
Hab
March 29th, 2023 at 10:23 AM
^
Blades of Steel was better. But I don't remember the music like I do for Ice Hockey.
schizontastic
March 29th, 2023 at 2:31 PM
^
I feel the (Sega?) NHLPA scene in the move Swingers really captured next era (1990s) of console hockey.
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 9:14 AM
^
I had asked on an earlier thread why college hockey seemed to be tilted against prominent schools, and got a good answer. But this discussion answers it more fully.
Do I have this right?
• it's not a big money sport so the "big" schools don't have the same sway,
• AND the sport overall is trying to replicate March Madness-like upsets,
• But with many fewer schools, the effect is to create more randomness.
Blinkin
March 29th, 2023 at 9:52 AM
^
You'd also have to talk about the effect of lower pro leagues in Hockey. The AHL/OHL/etc. effectively of flatten the talent pool of available college players, since players who are good enough for the NHL are likely to just be in the NHL. A flatter talent pool generally benefits smaller or non-marquee programs more than heavyweights.
We see the reverse of that effect in CFB, where the talent has nowhere else to go, and that leads to reduced talent parity across the sport.
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 10:16 AM
^
Blinkin,
Thanks. Your added point makes sense too.
Nod
enlightenedbum
March 29th, 2023 at 11:45 AM
^
Add to that the prevalence of junior hockey means that guys are coming to school at 20/21 instead of 18 so you end up with 25 year old seniors playing against 18/19 year old incredibly talented but physically weaker freshmen and you get a lot of weird results against the more talented teams recruited by the couple teams who usually get them (us, Minny, BU, BC, North Dakota).
Because of the COVID year, I think that same phenomenon happened in the basketball tournament this year. The really experienced teams that were seeded lower had a lot of success.
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 11:54 AM
^
Really good point. Thanks.
lhglrkwg
March 29th, 2023 at 11:22 AM
^
While the sport is DI, the vast majority of the schools are anywhere from smaller DI athletic departments (like BU, North Dakota) to DIII schools. The number of schools playing FBS football for example are a small portion of the 62 teams in D1. I count 15, and several of them would be mid-majors
P5 schools: 6 Big Ten teams, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Boston College, UConn(eh)
Mid-majors: BGSU, Miami, Western, Army, Air Force
And 47 schools that are small DI to DIII and hockey is their biggest sport generally. In hockey they might be bigger names, but in DI athletics broadly even the big names are relatively small fish
The number of teams that have Michigan level resources and recruiting cache across the athletic department is probably like 5. I don't think the sport is intentionally trying to replicate upsets, but I do think they're basically trying to hold the line vs big schools where they fear stuff like home site regionals will further tilt the sport toward major schools
Historically, all of the conferences have been viewed as 'power' conferences except for Atlantic Hockey and maybe the ECAC which is view as a half step down in most years. I think schools are especially afraid now that the enormous resources of the Big Ten will lead there to being a dominant conference and allowing things like home site regionals only exacerbates that
ShadowStorm33
March 29th, 2023 at 11:41 AM
^
UCONN is back to being a DI independent in football, so I'd probably classify them as a mid-major...
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 11:56 AM
^
Because MGoBlog covers hockey extensively, it's easy to forget that college hockey has many fewer schools than football or basketball.
And it's easy to forget that the big programs like Michigan's may have more cachet but that doesn't automatically mean more clout.
lhglrkwg
March 29th, 2023 at 12:18 PM
^
Michigan is one of the oddest ducks in college hockey too because we enjoy national football and basketball success (off and on) and the enormous budget and national profile that comes with that. The only other schools that can really proclaim to have periodic national success in all 3 sports would be Wisconsin, MSU, and Notre Dame (OSU isn't there in hockey)
Even Minnesota - which is a major power in college hockey - isn't making a final four in football or basketball anytime soon. I'd guess Michigan will have the lowest percentage of their fanbase travel to Tampa just because making a final four of a sport isn't a major, major event for us like it is for most of the rest of D1 hockey. Michigan's got a baseball, two basketball, two football, and three hockey final fours in the last decade
..and zero national titles :(
ShadowStorm33
March 29th, 2023 at 1:08 PM
^
Michigan's got a baseball, two basketball, two football, and three hockey final fours in the last decade
Don't forget three softball WCWS's (including a championship game loss) and a field hockey championship game loss in the last decade, too.
..and zero national titles :(
Don't remind me. Softball won the WCWS in summer 2005, right before I started my freshman year at U of M. I was super stoked, thought this was a great omen and the start of a great four years of athletics. And then we didn't win another team national championship until women's gymnastics won in 2021. Over that span, we lost in the championship games of hockey (2011), basketball (2013, 2018), softball (2015), baseball (2019) and field hockey (2020). 0-6 in the deciding games over that span, and 2-8 overall when considering that baseball and softball are best of three. Just gut wrenching...
EDIT: It looks like we might have won team titles men's gymnastics and/or swimming in the 2010s, but the larger point still stands (and we haven't won a national championship in a "team sport" since softball in 2005; the NCAA defines gymnastics and swimming as "individual sports")...
outsidethebox
March 29th, 2023 at 9:18 AM
^
Coach Naurato's interview, from I believe yesterday, as reported by Maize and Blue Review is outstanding material. All evidence from this season point to his walk reflecting his talk. And he acquits himself quite well in both regards. He and his staff have directed this very young team very well on this year's journey. There is a measure of luck in this game that is maddening...may the "post-gods" be with this team-and bring home an NC.
Michigan hockey
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Blau
March 29th, 2023 at 9:13 AM ^
Ice Hockey Video Game (1988) - Nintendo (NES) console:
I, admittedly, am not the biggest hockey guy on the planet but I just realized looking at the front page HockeyCast graphic that in the bottom right corner are 2 of the 3 players available in the always fun 1988 Nintendo Ice Hockey video game in Michigan colors.
If I recall correctly, you have 3 choices for players:
Regular guy: Has standard speed/handling and is not prone to get knocked down easily but not the toughest guy either (Useless in my opinion).
Skinny guy: Super fast and almost uncatchable if you play a team with mostly regular or fat guys. They do get knocked down easily but the speed is undeniable and with the right amount of them, they can create chaos.
Fat guys: Welp, they're slow as hell and will make the game extremely boring but they can really only be knocked down by other fat guys. They also have some power in their shooting, so get them in front of the net and the goals will be plentiful.
My best strategy was either 2 or 3 Fat guys and 1 or 2 Skinny guys. I would play each team as if I were in a tournament style bracket and always played the USSR last as they had 3 fat guys and a regular. The game was about as simple as sports games could be in 1988 and have fun little quirks like very cartoonish fights, a zamboni intermission and fun midi-style music.
Joined: 01/23/2014
MGoPoints: 24945
Hab
March 29th, 2023 at 10:23 AM ^
Blades of Steel was better. But I don't remember the music like I do for Ice Hockey.
Joined: 01/02/2015
MGoPoints: 33826
schizontastic
March 29th, 2023 at 2:31 PM ^
I feel the (Sega?) NHLPA scene in the move Swingers really captured next era (1990s) of console hockey.
Joined: 02/08/2015
MGoPoints: 2533
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 9:14 AM ^
I had asked on an earlier thread why college hockey seemed to be tilted against prominent schools, and got a good answer. But this discussion answers it more fully.
Do I have this right?
• it's not a big money sport so the "big" schools don't have the same sway,
• AND the sport overall is trying to replicate March Madness-like upsets,
• But with many fewer schools, the effect is to create more randomness.
Joined: 05/08/2012
MGoPoints: 54569
Blinkin
March 29th, 2023 at 9:52 AM ^
You'd also have to talk about the effect of lower pro leagues in Hockey. The AHL/OHL/etc. effectively of flatten the talent pool of available college players, since players who are good enough for the NHL are likely to just be in the NHL. A flatter talent pool generally benefits smaller or non-marquee programs more than heavyweights.
We see the reverse of that effect in CFB, where the talent has nowhere else to go, and that leads to reduced talent parity across the sport.
Joined: 08/17/2022
MGoPoints: 6530
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 10:16 AM ^
Blinkin,
Thanks. Your added point makes sense too.
Nod
Joined: 05/08/2012
MGoPoints: 54569
enlightenedbum
March 29th, 2023 at 11:45 AM ^
Add to that the prevalence of junior hockey means that guys are coming to school at 20/21 instead of 18 so you end up with 25 year old seniors playing against 18/19 year old incredibly talented but physically weaker freshmen and you get a lot of weird results against the more talented teams recruited by the couple teams who usually get them (us, Minny, BU, BC, North Dakota).
Because of the COVID year, I think that same phenomenon happened in the basketball tournament this year. The really experienced teams that were seeded lower had a lot of success.
Joined: 06/06/2009
MGoPoints: 48853
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
Really good point. Thanks.
Joined: 05/08/2012
MGoPoints: 54569
lhglrkwg
March 29th, 2023 at 11:22 AM ^
While the sport is DI, the vast majority of the schools are anywhere from smaller DI athletic departments (like BU, North Dakota) to DIII schools. The number of schools playing FBS football for example are a small portion of the 62 teams in D1. I count 15, and several of them would be mid-majors
The number of teams that have Michigan level resources and recruiting cache across the athletic department is probably like 5. I don't think the sport is intentionally trying to replicate upsets, but I do think they're basically trying to hold the line vs big schools where they fear stuff like home site regionals will further tilt the sport toward major schools
Historically, all of the conferences have been viewed as 'power' conferences except for Atlantic Hockey and maybe the ECAC which is view as a half step down in most years. I think schools are especially afraid now that the enormous resources of the Big Ten will lead there to being a dominant conference and allowing things like home site regionals only exacerbates that
Joined: 07/03/2008
MGoPoints: 66334
ShadowStorm33
March 29th, 2023 at 11:41 AM ^
UCONN is back to being a DI independent in football, so I'd probably classify them as a mid-major...
Joined: 07/22/2008
MGoPoints: 16705
Blue Vet
March 29th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
Because MGoBlog covers hockey extensively, it's easy to forget that college hockey has many fewer schools than football or basketball.
And it's easy to forget that the big programs like Michigan's may have more cachet but that doesn't automatically mean more clout.
Joined: 05/08/2012
MGoPoints: 54569
lhglrkwg
March 29th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
Michigan is one of the oddest ducks in college hockey too because we enjoy national football and basketball success (off and on) and the enormous budget and national profile that comes with that. The only other schools that can really proclaim to have periodic national success in all 3 sports would be Wisconsin, MSU, and Notre Dame (OSU isn't there in hockey)
Even Minnesota - which is a major power in college hockey - isn't making a final four in football or basketball anytime soon. I'd guess Michigan will have the lowest percentage of their fanbase travel to Tampa just because making a final four of a sport isn't a major, major event for us like it is for most of the rest of D1 hockey. Michigan's got a baseball, two basketball, two football, and three hockey final fours in the last decade
..and zero national titles :(
Joined: 07/03/2008
MGoPoints: 66334
ShadowStorm33
March 29th, 2023 at 1:08 PM ^
Don't forget three softball WCWS's (including a championship game loss) and a field hockey championship game loss in the last decade, too.
Don't remind me. Softball won the WCWS in summer 2005, right before I started my freshman year at U of M. I was super stoked, thought this was a great omen and the start of a great four years of athletics. And then we didn't win another team national championship until women's gymnastics won in 2021. Over that span, we lost in the championship games of hockey (2011), basketball (2013, 2018), softball (2015), baseball (2019) and field hockey (2020). 0-6 in the deciding games over that span, and 2-8 overall when considering that baseball and softball are best of three. Just gut wrenching...
EDIT: It looks like we might have won team titles men's gymnastics and/or swimming in the 2010s, but the larger point still stands (and we haven't won a national championship in a "team sport" since softball in 2005; the NCAA defines gymnastics and swimming as "individual sports")...
Joined: 07/22/2008
MGoPoints: 16705
outsidethebox
March 29th, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
Coach Naurato's interview, from I believe yesterday, as reported by Maize and Blue Review is outstanding material. All evidence from this season point to his walk reflecting his talk. And he acquits himself quite well in both regards. He and his staff have directed this very young team very well on this year's journey. There is a measure of luck in this game that is maddening...may the "post-gods" be with this team-and bring home an NC.
Joined: 01/23/2017
MGoPoints: 16321