I noticed something very interesting early this season. I've been holding my water about it. But tonight I finally got around to working some random comparisons that leave me to draw no other conclusion than UAF's roster weights are complete bullshit.
I've taken three other D1 rosters at random and noted the average weight gains from freshman to senior years. Surprisingly, the percentage is quite low. For example, Merrimack had just one senior this season with any weight gain from his freshman year and that was 10lbs over the 3 year period. Not unreasonable at all for a hockey player to put on 10lbs in 3 years. If you look around you'll see some variance in both directions with some players. For example, Anthony Maiani at DU weighs 5lbs less as a junior than when he showed up as a freshman.
However, when you look deeper at UAF's roster you see something amazing. Shall I expound? As a freshman Brandon Knelsen's weight was reported as 190lbs. Now in his senior year he weighs 199. Not out of the ordinary for a guy to gain 9 pounds in 3 years. Let's go a little further shall we? Dion Knelsen was listed at 180lbs as a freshman. This season he is 187. Ok. As a freshman Dustin Molle tipped the scales at 214lbs. This year he weighs 222. Ok so ... 8lbs more. Cody Rymut hit the UAF campus weighing in at 195lbs. This season he is 200lbs. All in all, that's a bit of a statistical variation from the norm but nothing to jump up and down about.
Well ... so far there's no jumping anyway. But, I've got a little more data.
Bryant Molle has gone from 185lbs as a freshman to 210lbs as a junior. Wow Bryant ... way to pack on the pounds. 25lbs in just two years for an athlete sure shows a dedication to the weight room. Kevin Petovelo has gone from 180lbs as a freshman to 193lbs as a junior. Another guy clearly dedicated to the weight room. Dustin Sather appears equally engrossed by lifting weights as he's gone from 160lbs as a freshman to 175lbs as a junior.
But those guys clearly don't hit the gym as often as their sophomore counterparts. Cody Butcher went from 205lbs as a freshman to 218 as a sophomore. Nice! 13lbs in just a year. Justin Filzen outdid him in the weight room though going from 180lbs as a freshman to 194lbs as a sophomore. As seniors, Butcher should top 240lbs and Filzen should weigh near 225lbs.
So do I believe any of that weight-room spew I just laid down? Hells no. Am I saying there's something nefarious afoot? Hells no. Then what? Are they following Jim Schoenfeld's advice to Don Koharski and everyone is just going to "have another donut"? Well maybe, over-eating is a well-known psychological response to the ever-present darkness that is the reality of winter in Squarebanks. But I don't think it's any of that ...
I recognize that a couple of years ago UAF was one of the shortest and lightest teams in the entire NCAA. It wasn't a pleasant identity to have. Other teams knew just by looking that they would be able to employ a physical strategy to beat up on the little guys. So Coach Ferguson took matters into his own hands, or should I say roster pen and rectified the situation. Fudging weights on rosters is nothing new in hockey-land. However, being so blatant about it is. The Nanooks this season are the 46th shortest team in Division 1. But suddenly they are the 4th heaviest team in Division 1? Puhlease. That's just nonsense.
So regardless of what the roster's say; UAA is still much bigger overall than UAF and can still go out and push the (now fat) little hobbits around.
21 comments:
someone's got too much time on his hands. Looking forward to a good series this weekend. Should be a couple of close games. I hope you enjoy them.
Camilo,
Yeah, I really wish I could get back the 25 minutes this post took.
Oh Donald, I love it. We all know how much UA_ likes donuts. Their players ate a LOT of them last season, that must be what did it.
Too funny. I still remember McMillan spitting nails when his team was beat at the Sully, saying UAA pushed his guys around all night long. Man that was priceless.
What's a Tavis?
Some of your numbers are inaccurate but most of these do nothing other than demonstrate the dedication of these athletes to their off-ice training, pure and simple.
Anon @ 10:16, you better stop drinking the blue Koolaid. LOL
So then hockey athletes at other schools aren't dedicated? Only UAF players are dedicated to their off-ice training? Gee, no wonder the other statistics didn't show these sorts of gains at the schools I looked at.
Anyway, my numbers come directly from official rosters. And I'd bet dollars to those donuts (that UA_ players love so much) that Dion Knelsen weighs no where near 187lbs. At 5'9" such a musculature would basically make him a freak.
And if Bryant Molle put on 25 pounds of muscle from the age of 19 to 21 then he should be writing a weightlifting book instead of playing hockey.
The obvious fact here is that Dallas fudged the numbers. No big deal. Just a little car wreck for the fans to look at and move on. I'm not indicting anyone or anything. I'm not expressing any serious outrage. It's a little puff/humor piece. It's a dig at an opponent and nothing more.
They are my numbers, I weigh all the athletes not Dallas and I train them. I don't care what other programs do or what their successes are in or out of the weight room. I will say that if you look at the way most hockey programs train their athletes they fall into the category of whatever is the newest latest marketing craze. Here we focus on basic weightlifting, sound science and teaching the athletes how to eat. The Molle brothers train like few athletes I've worked with and Bryant isn't done growing (look at his dad). Dion K. is no freak he just trains hard and is solid.
Mike Curtin
And oh yes I forgot to say I enjoy your blog. Very entertaining and creative and I do have a sense of humor most of the time.
Mike Curtin
Mike,
But just not today eh my friend? That's ok. It's understandable considering the the fun is being poked directly at you.
I don't think you'd argue that 46th tallest and 4th heaviest is a pretty interesting dichotomy. By the way ... the "tallest"/"heaviest" stats come from the College Hockey News "Almanac" section.
For comparison, UAA is the #1 tallest team in Division 1 hockey and the #5 heaviest team (right behind #4 UAF). Coincidence is a lovely thing isn't it?
:) All I can say is I am glad Donald is a UAA fan and not an _airbanks fan!
Wasn't this the case with last years Nanook team as well? I remember them being very short and very heavy, at least on paper.
They have started to weigh in, with their equipment on. Don't you know that is the latest fad?
Donald, I think the numbers are correct. I've seen most of the athletes out of pads as they've progressed from freshman to senior and what Mike Curtin does to them is incredible. You say Dion must be a freak to weigh as much as he does at such a short height.
The dude looks almost like a mini-hulk. The whole team is heavily into strength training because Mike Curtin and the coaches have successfully instilled a culture of equating that dedication to fitness, to success on the ice.
Many players stay over the summer and work out, and it pays dividends. that enthusiasm for those results spreads to other players.
For example, Chad Johnson. Gained 20 pounds. 16 pounds his senior year. Thats training. And it paid off hugely.
Hahahahahahahahahah....this article still has me laughing and I finished reading it 15 minutes ago!! So funny!
anon 6:59 pm regarding the weigh ins with equipment on - My daughter plays college volleyball and when she was being recruited -to add a little height- a coach told us to measure her with her shoes on. Her reasoning? Because volleyball players don't play barefoot!! Maybe that coach now coaches UA_ hockey????????
Since UA_, and it's trainer(Mike Curtin), seem to be the penultimate college hockey training/trainer in the entire NCAA of college hockey, maybe every program should have an independent entity measure and weigh ALL athletes? I, personally, have a hard time believing 15lbs in 1 year, without some (cough) help.
And they stay in FBX after school and hockey to TRAIN!! What person in their right mind would stay there on purpose?
Had I known there'd be such a conflagration about this subject I certainly would have approached it differently.
I would have titled it something like .... "The Geographic Influences of Central Alaska On The Effectiveness of Weight Training" or "All NCAA's Lift Weights But Only Fairbanks Athletes Truly Progress".
Donald, you could have at least taken the time to compare to your own roster and changes. You want to see crazy weight numbers? seapuppies roster from 05 to 06, ONE season weight gains:
Beagle, 10 pounds!
Beaverson gained 18 pounds!
Luvdahl went from 185 to 210 IN ONE SEASON. A whopping and/or alarming 25 pounds!
Waldrop, 13 pounds.
etc etc. Look at the rosters. Much the same story in recent years except the team seems to be trending to lighter weight as a whole, with minimal year over year gains in recent years... coinciding with declining win percentages and seawolf complaints of getting outworked.
Somebody needs to make a sigh for the Friday game that says "Hit a Hobbit". Unfortunately, not many would understand it's meaning.
We'll chant that Suze ...
Hit a Hobbit ... clap clap ... clap clap clap
Nuck the Fanooks ... clap clap ... clap clap clap
We need some good chants ...
Think of em ...
I'll start em ..
I'm with you with all the chants. Sounds perfect. I'll be listening!
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