"I think Maine's performance in 2002 when they almost won it, and the fast
start of this year, has allowed for an extended honeymoon for Tim Whitehead
as Maine coach".


I think this is where some of the lack of leadership stemmed from.  I don't think Tim is as tough as Shawn.  I don't want to start the "Shawn" screamings again, but I believe they have very different styles, one of which we, and the players are not used to.

If you have a quieter coach and go to a fireball, as a player, your going to go like hell.  If you have a fireball and go to a quieter coach, the opposite occurs, conditioning, leadership, motivation, desire all slips away.  The beginning of the season seemed to be left overs from the one prior.  The inability to get out of whatever you want to call that "effort" for the last weeks of the season was, was the effect of what was missing.  I mean no disrespect to Tim at all.  He's a great guy and great coach.  Just not what we are used to.  Umile is a great coach as well.  He just has limited big picture success.  Whether that's because he only gets great goalies, (I never thought Krog should have won the Hobey so you can scratch that from the unh arsenal), or because he's only good for coaching to the level of unh success.

Shawn, Parker (yuk),  York, they have successful finishes at all levels, and with that comes an even better ability to build better teams.  Maine recruits players.  Some greats, some walk ons, some that meet the ability.  The coach's ability to transform that into a team by making everyone better is one ingredient of what builds the power.

Shawn built a program from practically nothing.  He had the ability to do it, and that's what made me a Maine fan.  The only other HE school to do that was (yuk) bu, but look at the similarities in coaching styles.  What has kept Maine above bu the last several years has been the rest of the ingredients.  Recruiting, schedule, Coach's ability to be a mentor and guide as well as disciplinarian, etc.

>>> [log in to unmask] 04/22/03 12:04PM >>>
> In the next couple of years, who will have a better record: UNH or Maine?
> Coach Umile has the track record; Coach Whitehead must build it, IMHO.

Excellent point, Wayne.

Maine has a lot of questions next year and beyond and one of those questions
is Whitehead, as Wayne suggests.

I think Maine's performance in 2002 when they almost won it, and the fast
start of this year, has allowed for an extended honeymoon for Tim Whitehead
as Maine coach.

But as we've discussed here before, Maine fans expect to compete for the
national championship each year.  Those are lofty expectations, built by
Shawn Walsh, but they don't necessarily change because Tim Whitehead is the
coach.  It will be interesting to see.

---
Deron Treadwell - [log in to unmask]
http://www.blackbears.net