Guidelines for posting on bangordailynews.com

The Bangor Daily News encourages comments about stories, but you must follow our terms of service.

In brief:

1. Keep it civil and stay on topic
2. No vulgarity, racial slurs, name-calling or personal attacks.
3. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.

The primary rule here is pretty simple: Treat others with the same respect you'd want for yourself. Here are some guidelines (see more):

It should be noted this is not a comprehensive list.

• Don't insult one another or the subjects of BDN stories. You may be ticked off at what someone did or said, but you can explain that without resorting to name-calling or obscenity. Remember that young people are on this site too.
• That nasty line that makes your buddies go "haw, haw"? You're better than that.
• Comments should be your own work, not copied and pasted from elsewhere, though brief quoted passages to make your point are fine. And please don't use all capital letters. There's no need to shout.
• Stay focused on the issue in the article. Off-topic posts will be deleted.
• This isn't a forum to chat about your personal life.
• Some ideas — the fate of the earth, abortion, gun control, the nature of God — aren't going to be resolved in a reader forum, so no need to get frustrated if others don't see your point of view. State your position once and leave it at that.
• If you mouse over each comment you will see a "Flag" button. Please use it if you feel comments on the site are out of line. Quite often, we won't see a comment until it's reported.
• Questions about why a comment was — or wasn't — deleted? E-mail us at web@bangordailynews.com and let us know your username and where you posted or saw the comment.

That's about it: Stick to writing about the stories; be civil; be kind; enlighten your neighbors. And we'll keep moderating posts to try to ensure everyone meets those standards.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LRZSCFK3I5KVD4VRU44V6HNMHY Mike S

  Team rolled right over just like their coach.

• Anonymous

  Here come the excuses!!!!

  Only 3 more years with Whitehead to go………..wow.

• Anonymous

  What a slap in the face to Shawn Walsh. Shawn created a powerhouse and now it’s a joke. All due to TIMMAY who doesn’t care. It’s all about the paycheck to him.

• Anonymous

  What a disappointing season. The past few weeks gave me hope that this team could finally realize its potential and make a run, but inconsistent goaltending and defense was always going to catch up to them – it was only a matter of time. Maine was one of the most talented teams in the country up top, and when they put things together as they did in the early season series against N.D., and the home games against B.C. and Merrimack they could beat the best in the country.

  Certainly, the coaching staff deserves credit for recruiting players like Nyquist, Abbott, and Diamond, and we can’t blame all the losses on them without acknowledging their role in the solid all around efforts that helped Maine go on a 6-0-1 run these past few weeks. But the numerous ties, close-game losses and blown leads over the course of the season (not to mention yet another terrible post winter-break stretch) seem to reflect a lack of discipline and/or a tightness under pressure that at the end of the day is a product of the culture the head coach creates.

  To his credit, Tim Whitehead has always seemed like he genuinely cares about his players and their academics, and in spite of what his harshest critics might say, he’s got plenty of hockey sense. Even if it was Walsh who brought in most of the players who led the pushes to the Frozen Four appearances in the early 00′s, you don’t make it that far without coaching know-how.

  But a culture of mediocrity and excuse making has set in, and I think it’s time that Maine thank Whitehead for doing the thankless job of taking over for Walsh, and hire Montgomery (who looks to have had a great season in the USHL as head coach of the Dubuque, to go along with recruiting experience at RPI) as his replacement. Unfortunately, the process of rebuilding this team (yet again) after losing this year’s seniors and probably Nyquist as well will probably be a long one.

• Anonymous

  Larry, When Pete Warner did an end of season review on Womens BBall he called Blodgett out on the carpet and rightfully so. Are you going to tell the truth and call Tim out??

  This team once again underachieved, coughed up leads all season long, wasn’t prepared physically or mentally. Its interesting that the downhill slide of this team corresponds to Grant being kicked to the curb and Campbell Blair leaving. Grant, goalies, Campbell, defense, the 2 areas where this team is clearly inadequate.

• Anonymous

  This is a GREAT way to sum up all that is of Maine Hockey…when the NEW AD is named this coming summer…PLEASE send this to him…really…you HIT THE NAIL right on… and it more or less say’s the story….Congratulations on a well put and straight forward Statement…good job blackbear1555.

• Anonymous

  We are all passionate about Maine Hockey as the success of the program has always been because of the competitive spirit of the team. The best hockey teams have the best goal tending. Maine seems to be having problems with having a confident goal tender. The Coaches should provide better goal tending coaches. We also all remember the fire and passion Shawn Walsh’s team showed especially the second night you played Maine teams. You were so worn down you almost couldn’t compete. We don’t see that same passion in today’s team. There are some excellent players here at Maine right now and recruitment may become more difficult in the future for Maine as Maine becomes less of a contender for the post season. Maine has a lot to improve upon. They need to play sixty minutes of hockey and be more disciplined especially in their own end. Goal tending needs to get much better before Maine will be considered a post season team. Hockey East is the strongest conference in the Nation and Maine will need to continue to recruit better players and players who coaches who can motivate them to play 60 minutes!

• Anonymous

  We are all passionate about Maine Hockey as the success of the program has always been because of the competitive spirit of the team. The best hockey teams have the best goal tending. Maine seems to be having problems with their goaltenders they lack consistency and confidence. There should be better goal tender coaches to help these young players. We also remember the fire and passion Shawn Walsh’s teams showed especially the second night you played them. Teams were so worn down they almost couldn’t compete with Maine. We don’t see that same passion for the game today. There are some excellent players here at Maine right now and if they are going to stay there needs to be some positive energy added to this team. Recruitment will become more difficult for Maine if they continue to do poorly in the post season if they continue to make it that far. Hockey East is the best conference in the Nation and getting competitive players here will only be possible if Maine continues to be productive. Maine players need to play 60 minutes with solid goal tending. They also need to be more disciplined especially in their own end. Coaches need to instill more passion for the players and they will respond. No one likes to be considered am middle of the pack team! What better fans than Maine Hockey fans and where can you find a better arena to play in than the Alfond.

• Anonymous

  Thanks flyingfrenchmen – I went on a bit longer than I planned (still upset from the game) so I’m glad someone appreciated it. I definitely plan to send something to the new A.D., whoever that may be. (Hopefully, an upgrade from Blake James, though that shouldn’t be too hard!)

• Anonymous

  Thanks flyingfrenchmen – I went on a bit longer than I planned (still upset from the game) so I’m glad someone appreciated it. I definitely plan to send something to the new A.D., whoever that may be. (Hopefully, an upgrade from Blake James, though that shouldn’t be too hard!)

• Anonymous

  I love Black Bear hockey and was hoping we’d have a great year, but this year’s team seemed to have a dual personality and you never knew which team was going to show up. We have a bunch of great players returning next year. Go Black Bears!

• Anonymous

  All great comments, as usual they commonly focus on a mediocre coaching staff, which is fully agreed with. TW has good hockey knowledge and seems to truly care for the program and the players, a nice guy. It is going to take more than this to beat BC, UNH, BU on the road consistently, which has to be the results.

  I believe some equal blame for the recent results needs to fall on the University AD and Univ Mgmnt of the hockey program. If the Univ wants a top tier program like we used to have then this is what needs to be done. Have they forgotten how to do that? The new AD should have the primarily goal be the hockey program!

  It seems like all the excuses after losses and the shallow comments by the coach like ” we were pleased with that aspect of our game and look to build on that” are just prepared statements from the office higher up. Blodgett also used many similar statements. What is this?

  If we want to rebuild the program won’t it take a new refreshed coaching staff. This group seems to be in the doldrums and doesn’t know how to get out, a sure sign of change is needed. A new staff needs energy, no excuses, demanding discipline from the players, and a few tricks. Go after coaches like Merrimacks or Miami of Ohio’s – these are staffs who can build something out of a group of good players.

• Anonymous

  All great comments, as usual they commonly focus on a mediocre coaching staff, which is fully agreed with. TW has good hockey knowledge and seems to truly care for the program and the players, a nice guy. It is going to take more than this to beat BC, UNH, BU on the road consistently, which has to be the results.

  I believe some equal blame for the recent results needs to fall on the University AD and Univ Mgmnt of the hockey program. If the Univ wants a top tier program like we used to have then this is what needs to be done. Have they forgotten how to do that? The new AD should have the primarily goal be the hockey program!

  It seems like all the excuses after losses and the shallow comments by the coach like ” we were pleased with that aspect of our game and look to build on that” are just prepared statements from the office higher up. Blodgett also used many similar statements. What is this?

  If we want to rebuild the program won’t it take a new refreshed coaching staff. This group seems to be in the doldrums and doesn’t know how to get out, a sure sign of change is needed. A new staff needs energy, no excuses, demanding discipline from the players, and a few tricks. Go after coaches like Merrimacks or Miami of Ohio’s – these are staffs who can build something out of a group of good players.

• Anonymous

  I am copying your note to the BDNews and will be adding it to a article that was in the PPH 2 yrs ago when Maine Hockey played BU in the QF’s…that along with some other facts,not garbage talk or abusive stuff,like your NOTE…straight forward talk by Passionate,long time Maine Black Bear Hockey fan..since the Program began..AGAIN Thanks for your post today….

• Anonymous

  **sad face**

• Anonymous

  it is odd that people seem to want to include “good hockey sense” in sentences about Tim. Sorry, he does not have good D1 hockey sense and he does not know how to use the talents of the players that he has. Keenan Hopson at defense. Rob Bellamy not forechecking and not hitting “because it takes you out of the play” , Mangene playing D and giving away he crease against BC, defensemen poke checking and never hitting or clearing out a crease. NO SET PLAYS, even when his videographer offered one of the best playbooks in the history of college hockey. Overloading loose pucks. Goalies who are not coached and allow 5 goals from over 25 feet out and not playing out a little to cut down on the angles (and not correcting it).
  He has little hockey sense, no ability to listen to input from others, no ability to keep people involved in the booster’s program (not a single past president will have anything to do with him, most past board members have also had terrible run ins with the dictator.) Former players collecting money to buy out his contract and refusing to include him in alumni events. Get a clue people.

• Anonymous

  For the folks on here who think Maine has a lot of talent coming back, better not count your chickens yet. Gus is history, the guy needs to move on, he’s getting killed out there with no chance of retribution. He’s learned all he can learn here and has been a joy to watch.
  Spencer Abbot is undrafted, Is his stock going to be any higher? I doubt and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him gone. Brian Flynn, is his stock going to be any higher? same answer.

• Anonymous

  Frankly, this team has just never recovered from the loss of Grant Standbrook and Blair Campbell and Maine has not returned to the NCAA’s since they left. Just as with the team itself, the coaching staff is the sum of its parts and these issues need to be addressed. It is not Whitehead’s fault alone for the team’s demise.

  To have a volunteer assistant as the goalies coach at this level of play is unacceptable and it shows.

• Anonymous

  Quote from Larry Mahoney after the 7-6 loss to BC last season in the hockey east final :

  “I’m looking forward to next year already.”

  ……….that’s all I’ve got

• Anonymous

  Shawn Walsh was one in a million. There will never be another Shawn Walsh.

• Anonymous

  And hopefully, there will never be another Tim Whitehead!

• Anonymous

  Too bad he didn’t have the nerve to say today what he thinks of this season and what has gone on here for the better part of 6-7 seasons…and not behind closed doors..but in PRINT…never/ever happen…and with that another Too Bad.

• Anonymous

  There are more Tim Whitehead’s than Shawn Walsh’s. Coaches of Walsh’s skills are very far and very few between.

• Anonymous

  The Black and Blue Bears….Terrible defense and goaltending….the story of the season…don’t think renewing season tickets is worth the 4 hour ride and expense….sad but very true.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QYOBB7GDZSEQ2WMLQXXNFJYD6E JG

  You really should write this as a proper letter to the editor to the BDN

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FAFPBUNT45MDVT46IWVGOEDQLQ Thomas

  Do not expect anything approaching objective reporting from the BDN Sports Staff. UMaine sports are the only game in town for Mahoney and the rest of the homers; he will never bite the hand that feeds him. I fear years of hard work by Walsh and JPM are lost for a long time. Had the homers not sat back and watched the downward spiral of Maine athletics for the last 6 years without even a whimper I might have some hope for the future, but I do not. Now Larry and his fellow homers can continue write articles about Hockey and BB programs playing D1 schedules as if they were reporting on high schoolers.

• Anonymous

  We deserve better than the dope Tim Whitehead behind the bench.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3WAJCRN2BIMYOVKTP3CXNOQZVQ Matthew

  Remember when Shawn Walsh was always asked to interview for coaching vacancies. Has Tim interviewed anywhere else? That tells you something…

• Anonymous

  Well said…I would stay away from coach Denney staff in Merrimac though, a one hit wonder doesn’t translate into long term success…Coach Enrico Blasi of Miami would be a dream come true!!! But unfortunately he would never leave the program he’s built from scratch to take a pay cut at Maine.

• Anonymous

  Good point. None of the UM coaches seem to be getting interviews these days…….I wonder why???

• Anonymous

  Are there any that are better than Tim Whitehead but not as good as Shawn Walsh??? I’ll settle for one of them………..

• Anonymous

  I will but think that everyone who plans to send something will have the most impact by waiting til right after they hire a new AD – like the great Pete Warner article on Blodgett said, they’re probably not making any serious moves (esp. on a long contract like Whitehead’s) until they have someone permanent. Here’s hoping whoever the new AD is generally cares about the state and university athletics and doesn’t just want to use the job as a stepping stone to something elsewhere.

• Anonymous

  how many leads did Maine blow this year? They blew a lead at home to BU, they blew a lead at home vs UNH. Nyquist missed an empty net during a tie game and Maine gave up a goal seconds later. There is 6 points right there – enough to easily get home ice, and would have put them a lot closer to an at large bid.

• Anonymous

  yeah, I don’t think anyone is expecting Maine to rival BC as the premiere team in hockey east (it would take another Shawn Walsh at Maine for any chance for that to happen, and York is clearly an elite coach). But I don’t think it is unreasonable to expect to make the NCAAs more often than we miss them and to be a legitimate contender for the championship every 3 years or so. It is also not unreasonable to expect to be in the running for the regular season title once in a while rather than struggling for home ice every year.

• Anonymous

  Just smile blandly and say the correct cliches and platitudes and you can coach at Maine forever

• Anonymous

  Don’t forget the 2-1 lead at BU they blew and settled for a tie………and the short handed goal at Providence that turned a win into a tie……..and the late goal at Northeastern that turned a win into a tie………am I forgetting any?

• Anonymous

  I think there are even more blown leads than that… Whitehead’s head-to-head records vs BU, BC, and UNH have all taken a nosedive in the last 5 years (I think they are all under 30% for the last 5 years). With Walsh’s recruits Whitehead had a winning record against all 3 I think. That tells you everything you need to know about where the program is going. Walsh was one in a million, I don’t think we’ll ever be back at the same level as we were in the 90s, but we should at least be able to challenge BC for the hockey east championship once in a while and have a legitimate shot at the national championship once in a while (I don’t think anyone is expecting a BC-like complete dominance for a decade, but we do expect to be in the running)

• Anonymous

  giving Whitehead the full-time job without conducting a national search was a big mistake, and there were people arguing that fact seconds after Maine’s overtime loss to Minnesota in the title game. He was outcoached in that game and did not even take a time-out before the most important face off of his career which was in the Maine zone with less than a minute to go in regulation with a one-goal lead and the opposing goalie on the bench.

• Anonymous

  rip whithead all you want but he was not out coached in that game…The team played the ultimated game road in front of 20,000 plus Minn fans…Maine had 3-2 lead with under a minute and Yeats let a softy go right in between his wickets…Maine had no business hanging with a loaded Gopher sqaud that included the likes of (Jordan Leopold, who won the Hobey that yr, Paul Martin, Keith Ballard, Grant potulny a future Hobey runner -up, Johny Pohl another NHLer..Whitehead did call a timeout, I encourage everyone to check out youtube, a minn fan has posted a musical montage to the that game…It’s tough to watch but makes you proud to see our boys battle against all odds to almost pull off the unthinkable….PS the call against Maine that put the Gophers on PP in over-time worst ever.

• Anonymous

  Tim did NOT take a time out. Minnesota took a time out. Tim SHOULD
  have also used up his time out to let his best players rest and have a solid plan for the face off, but he did not. That face off was a cluster f***. Poorly executed, and out coached.

• Anonymous

  Ya the 1st game @Michigan State….we 1 goal lead with 2 min left…ended up as a tie…The last game of the regular season @Umass Amherst we had 3-0 lead going into the 2nd period and ended up as 4-4 tie.

• Anonymous

  Timeout, Shimeout, I think were just splitting hairs here!….The point is a time was called!!..So Maine’s players weren’t resting during the timeout ??…His best face off man and defensive unit were on the ice!!!…It was a broken play, a scramble between the circles…Its called sports, ameture athletics with 18,19,20 KIDS…Clearly you don’t understand what kind of team Maine was facing and what they were fighting against…Maine WAY overachieved all tourney long, and was remarkable they made it as far as they did….But If you want hang it on the coach and Yeats go ahead.

• Anonymous

  it is standard practice for both coaches to use their time outs in
  this situation. Yes, Maine’s players rested during the time out, but
  almost any other coach would have used his time out there too. You
  can bet that Jerry York would have called a time out before that puck
  was dropped. Tim is not a top-tier D1 coach.

• Anonymous

  Well done, I had forgotten those……..the point is, though, as I have said on here before, this team couldn’t hold a lead if it came with two handles and a table to sit it on

• Anonymous

  Look Im gonna aurgue X’s and O’s with you here…But back to back timeouts is hardly a “standard practice”…Most of your post here have been civil and thoughtful, much better then the other yahoos….But do you really think spending another timeout when you have the lead is what cost Maine the game???…Coaching didn’t decide the fate of that game, the players did!!!… when the national championship is on the line and you have the lead with under a minute left, its all about HEART,WILL AND DETERMINATION! …Newsflash Jerry York or any other big time coach isn’t walking through that door.!

• Anonymous

  I don’t think anyone is expecting Jerry York, but Whitehead clearly
  is not progressing. It is time to give someone else a shot.

• Anonymous

  With what this program offers financialy and you look at the Big picture starting 01/02 through the ten years he’s been here until now 10/11….And you break every year down…It’s tough to think anyone would do much better…I know people don’t want to hear that but that just the reality….He’s the lowest paid coach in Hockey East as well as his staff which consist of 2 full timers(Assc. Head Coach Cokum, Lead recruiter Kerluke)….Tough to compete with big boys BC, BU, and UNH…I’m not dicounting a change in the coaching ranks…Its just people need to realize that Maine isn’t going to attract any coach with any type of pedigree.

• Anonymous

  Maine plays a great 40 minutes of hockey. To bad the game is 60 minutes long. On paper this team should have been in St. Paul playing their hearts outs in the championship game on April 9th, instead they didn’t even get home ice for the hockey east playoffs.

  It’s time for some real change at UMaine…starting with the departure of Whitehead, and lets see if we can’t get Montgomery to take his place. That was a player who knew how to lead his team to victory and leave it all on the ice for 60 solid minutes of play.

  Maybe the University should review the National Championship game of the 42-1-2 season to remember what it’s like to have a program that makes money for the school. I remember when being down didn’t mean Maine was out… it just made for better t.v. coverage!

• Anonymous

  Guidelines for posting on bangordailynews.com

  The Bangor Daily News encourages comments about stories, but you must follow our terms of service.

  In brief:

  1. Keep it civil and stay on topic
  2. No vulgarity, racial slurs, name-calling or personal attacks.
  3. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.

  The primary rule here is pretty simple: Treat others with the same respect you’d want for yourself.

  BDN should shut this thread down – far too many comments under here are (anonymous) personal attacks.

  Have an opinion, folks – it is your right – but much of this stuff is way too personal.

• Anonymous

  Well again I dont disagree that maybe a change is needed….I would caution people here about hiring Jim Montgomery who happens to be one of my all time favorite black bears!!!…You do realize he hasn’t even finished 1st full head coaching exp…Though his team is doing great and is ontop of the USHL standings, I’m not sure thats warrants the keys to the program…I know he has worked at RIT and Notre Dame as assistant but thats like going from the worst division in baseball to the AL east….And were now competing against the likes (Sox,Yankees, even Rays) see BC, BU, and UNH…Besides do you think he would move his family across the country to take a lateral pay/or cut???…Smells to much like the Blodgett situation….making a hire purely on name basis only to appease the fan base?

• Anonymous

  Correct…and do send your post to the BDNews AND to Steve Solloway of the Portland Press Herald…and for what it’s worth,MOST New AD’s at Maine are using it to further there career….but to do that they have to do the present job right…well I guess not in the case of Blake James,but that is another issue and not the time to beat to a pulp new.

• Anonymous

  Jim MONTGOMERY….played at Maine,played in the AHL,NHL,Over Seas…Volunteer Coach for 1 year at Notre Dame under Jeff Jackson,3 yrs. Assistant Coach and Recruiter for RPI…which are reaping the Beneifits this season and now he has the job of Coach/General Manager of the Expansion Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL and in 1st place…this Man someday wants to Coach College Hockey and make it his program…he is going about it the right way,getting experience from all levels and even listening to others..uh like Grant Standbook…who has gone to Dubuque twice as a advisor and welcomed by Montgomery in aiding him and his players….Maine may never get this talented and passionate man as there is no way that a Div.1 Hockey Program will not look at him as the Person who can change a Program around with hard work/dedication…and a love for the game…..he’ll be behind someone’s Bench in 2 yrs or less…..and he will be Successful and yes he’ll have his bumps also/but he will learn and be better for it…can you say that about Mr. Whitehead..? NO.

• Anonymous

  Another fluff piece from mahoney….I don’t think he wants to get timmy mad at him..

• Anonymous

  He makes 92K @ Dubuque…RPI not RIT…and he knows and loves the area and the State of Maine…I hear you on Blodgett/BUT Montgomery is and would be a different story.