There is one positive out of this thread so far that is high and above the others...we are a better team this season than last. The biggest negative though is it isn't enough to step up the ladder another couple of notches. We have improved enough just to stay at the lower level. Very disheartening in one way and exciting in another.

In my eyes this means the league is getting better which is good, but while the team is improving it is not enough, which is very depressing. I am glad to see the talent of the league and the play of the league get better, but why not us? That is the million dollar question I guess. I sure don't know the answer.

John mentioned the program at TCU improving so much and creating excitment. Well the reasons behind that were many, but if we look at just football, then they are not quite so many. First it started with a new coaching staff that was allowed to come in and change things. This started the players getting excited and wanting to do better. Then it had to do with an athletic director that bought into the new system and what the vision for th future was. This allowed marketing, spending, alumni donations, and recruiting to take place on a much larger productive scale. Then the winning came after two years. The biggest difference in college and minor league is recruiting for 4 years compared to recruiting for a year.

If I could sit down and talk to Coach Inglis about anything about minor league hockey, it wouldn't be plays, motivation, scoring vs defense, etc. It would be about how to put a team together and what goes into that. When I sit and think about how a team is formed it amazes me. It is so much different than high school, college or the majors. In each of those areas you are given players, recruiting for 4-5 year committments, or at the top and dealing with a different of committment. Minor league hockey is not an organized structure like baseball, so guys play where they can until they can get a better shot. This leaves coaches trying to find guys that will stick around for a few years or guys that know they aren't going higher and can play at the top on that level (Parsons/Burton/Lawrence).

One last thing before I listen so more...Rshooter1 said somethign that I was thinking about also. I don't believe this club doesn't bend the rules, example is Brandimore. There is something allowing him to do what he does (as I have stated I am glad he is here and I admire is dedication to this team). I just don't believe they are kicking him out of the apartment one day and letting him back in the next, I would think there are rules to allowing a cut player to live in team housing for more than a day or so.

Drew