Danner27 Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 54 minutes ago, dazedandconfused said: Okay, I'll take the bait. You let me know the first time that you hear of any of their teams actually playing a game under the PPE name. Not scheduling a game, but actually playing a game. It’s not bait, our family has some friends on the current 18U team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner27 Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 2 hours ago, Danner27 said: Well, I can point you to a 2003 player who was on the 4th line at esmark this past season. This year, he’s on PPE. He’s attended excel for 3 years. He’s on because the family has been paying into the excel program. The kid just isn’t very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockey2020 Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Right. I am aware of the player and It is my understanding that they needed someone who would be up there anyway to fill that spot. It does happen I just don’t think it happens as often as people like to think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner27 Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 23 minutes ago, hockey2020 said: Right. I am aware of the player and It is my understanding that they needed someone who would be up there anyway to fill that spot. It does happen I just don’t think it happens as often as people like to think They needed someone who would be up there anyway to fill the spot ? what you are really saying is they took a AA skilled player at best, for a forward spot, due to the players family sending him to the excel / NC program for 3 years. It’s like politicians paying their donors back. If you want to know more about PPE behind closed door deals, i was told he quit esmark right before the district playoffs because he was already given the spot on PPE for this coming season. He was the bottom forward on the the esmark team, how can you remotely justify this player making a top 10 18U AAA team ? I can give you more examples of this with 02s, 01s and 00s through the past few seasons. When PPE introduced excel, that’s when they left the locals behind, unless of course they have plenty of money to pull out of their pockets. I’m glad you did recognize this situation and didn’t try to run from it or say it wasn’t true. Kudos for that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anomaly556 Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 I have definite and passionate thoughts about the entire PPE experience. The issue is, when you are inside that bubble, you assume that because you are very loosely affiliated with an NHL franchise, that the quality and breadth of hockey instruction will be elevated. After spending 3 years there, I can tell you that it is one of the largest mythologies that PPE perpetuates. The politics and favoritism is pretty well hidden but it certainly exists, especially at the younger age groups. That’s mainly because PPE doesn’t think “hockey matters” at ages 8 to 13 up there. They aren’t interested in actually developing young players. They merely need those age groups (8-13) to fund the machine. Every parent of a younger player thinks their kid is going to be drafted, so they are EXCITED to shell out a boatload of cash to pursue those dreams. The “doesn’t matter” is in quotation marks because they were a direct quote from the executive director to me during a meeting. I was also asked point blank if the excel program was on the table for my son, to which I chuckled because you truly need your head examined if you think spending 25-30K a year for a youth hockey prep school is going to get your kid any closer to playing hockey at substantially higher levels in college or the pros. Its 1 in 5000 to make it that far. Good luck with that. PPE is nothing but an annuity program that needs to pay the six figure salaries of the people in power. They want your 1000 dollar check (substantially more if you get hoodwinked into excel) monthly to fund their own lifestyle. It’s their job to sell the appearance of a wholesome and innovative hockey program with Sid plastered all over the facility. I’m sure the directors and skill coaches laugh nightly at how many naive and overly monied idiots are lined up to plunk tens of thousands of dollars down for their kids to be severely underdeveloped for the price you pay vis a vis other local options. The instruction level for my last two years was worse that almost every PAHL team out there. The coach could barely skate and wasted 10-20 minutes of every practice trying to figure out a drill that he himself couldn’t model or demonstrate. But no worries, we also had a medical sales rep as an assistant (dad coach) that was only there to ensure his kids spot on the team was secure for three straight years. Absolutely top of the line instruction, let me testify. After leaving that organization, I felt like an anchor was lifted off of my back. My son is having fun again playing the sport. And he’s getting superb instruction and more ice time than we can honestly handle. The biggest difference is that his coach and the directors of his new team actually care deeply about him. They interact with him on a totally different paradigm than what he received in this sterile and corporate PPE environment they have created. At the end of the day, if my son is happy and enjoying the sport again and becoming a better athlete, that is all that should matter to any hockey parent. If it isn’t, then you are truly lost. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaaahockey Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 Anomaly, I'm assuming your kid played on one of the black teams and they are one of my chief complaints about Pens. Actually I've not experienced it personally but heard others who have and it's been atrocious. My biggest beef is they siphon away players who would be great AA or A Major 1 PAHL players and let us be more competitive especially at the peewee and up ages. I'm glad to see they are not going to have those joke teams anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazedandconfused Posted August 19, 2020 Author Share Posted August 19, 2020 Anomaly, that truly is a perfectly written assessment and certainly NOT an anomaly in experience I'm sure. And it's certainly not limited to the 2nd teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazedandconfused Posted August 19, 2020 Author Share Posted August 19, 2020 17 hours ago, Danner27 said: It’s not bait, our family has some friends on the current 18U team. Okay, but I'll say it again, let me know when they actually play a game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaaahockey Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 @Danner27 have you heard more updates about this ? I've heard 3-4 times this week no games for PPE now. Not sure if it's a limited time thing, a just at UPMC thing, or if they are just done. If there really aren't games, are they talking about refunds and/or are the parents furious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner27 Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 12 minutes ago, aaaahockey said: @Danner27 have you heard more updates about this ? I've heard 3-4 times this week no games for PPE now. Not sure if it's a limited time thing, a just at UPMC thing, or if they are just done. If there really aren't games, are they talking about refunds and/or are the parents furious? “Steady ship” practice through out September. That’s all I’m told right now about their midget teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnostic Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 Why isn't anyone talking about the Vengeance team that is bankrolled by one player's parent, and how that parent gets to call the shots for that team? Or how the coach's biggest accomplishment is being a third line goon? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyisgreat Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 16 minutes ago, agnostic said: Why isn't anyone talking about the Vengeance team that is bankrolled by one player's parent, and how that parent gets to call the shots for that team? Or how the coach's biggest accomplishment is being a third line goon? Sounds like you have a bone to pick with the Vengeance. Don't know enough about their teams to make an evaluation of the situation. I only heard that they were practicing all spring. Did your kid not make the team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnostic Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 2 hours ago, hockeyisgreat said: Sounds like you have a bone to pick with the Vengeance. Don't know enough about their teams to make an evaluation of the situation. I only heard that they were practicing all spring. Did your kid not make the team? Nah, didn't even try out. Just common knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner27 Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 3 hours ago, agnostic said: Why isn't anyone talking about the Vengeance team that is bankrolled by one player's parent, and how that parent gets to call the shots for that team? Or how the coach's biggest accomplishment is being a third line goon? It’s the reverse people, his kid is probably on the vengeance. He’s trying to draw attention to his squirt team, could be a little salty how things are run. Every “AAA” midget team the vengeance have tried to sell has been a complete joke, they had an 18u team two years that finished only a handful of spots above dead last is the rankings. Losing games 13-1 etc. For multiple reasons - I hate them, you hate them, even current parents hate them but PPE is the only real tier 1 program in western pa. Esmark can enter the conversation at midget, after that, the rest are glorified aa / a major teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnostic Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 I'm not a him, nor is my kid on the Vengeance. Just good ole PAHL for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazedandconfused Posted August 30, 2020 Author Share Posted August 30, 2020 Major update!!! They can start playing AWAY games in October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaaahockey Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 8 minutes ago, dazedandconfused said: Major update!!! They can start playing AWAY games in October. In Ohio only? Canada? Nope. New York? Nope. Pennsylvania? Nope. Michigan? Nope. Illinois? Nope. Maybe they will play a European schedule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazedandconfused Posted August 31, 2020 Author Share Posted August 31, 2020 I mean I'm just the messenger............. In the good old days, before a certain person had to make a members only playground for his kid, the Hornets used to play a majority of their "home games" in Ohio through an arrangement with the Barons. But that was before making money on youth hockey became the biggest racket in Pittsburgh. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazedandconfused Posted August 31, 2020 Author Share Posted August 31, 2020 4 hours ago, agnostic said: Why isn't anyone talking about the Vengeance team that is bankrolled by one player's parent, and how that parent gets to call the shots for that team? Or how the coach's biggest accomplishment is being a third line goon? You know, there are a lot of a-holes on here but there are also a lot of people who can see through a post like this and if you actually think anyone on here believes that you are a PAHL parent that carries this much disdain for that team.................... well, I'm afraid that I've got some bad news for you. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaaahockey Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 14 minutes ago, dazedandconfused said: I mean I'm just the messenger............. In the good old days, before a certain person had to make a members only playground for his kid, the Hornets used to play a majority of their "home games" in Ohio through an arrangement with the Barons. But that was before making money on youth hockey became the biggest racket in Pittsburgh. Yeah I'm sorry if that sounded targeted towards you it wasn't. Just curious where they are playing away games. Up to peewee maybe Ohio would work for a few but above that level where are they going to find real competition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duster19 Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 1 hour ago, dazedandconfused said: You know, there are a lot of a-holes on here but there are also a lot of people who can see through a post like this and if you actually think anyone on here believes that you are a PAHL parent that carries this much disdain for that team.................... well, I'm afraid that I've got some bad news for you. I agree. Sounds like a rejected parent of a 2010 kid that got cut by vengeance to me. The squirt parents are always the most ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner27 Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 1 hour ago, aaaahockey said: Yeah I'm sorry if that sounded targeted towards you it wasn't. Just curious where they are playing away games. Up to peewee maybe Ohio would work for a few but above that level where are they going to find real competition? They probably won’t, Esmark is in Cleveland next weekend at the midget levels to play the barons, there is also a tournament going on hosted by team Ohio that has the icemen along with the predators. Sounds like Pittsburgh teams going to Cleveland just to play each other. Curious - would anyone share the icemen or predators midget schedule ? I genuinely would like to know who and where they are going to get any decent games. Those two teams rely heavy chicago, Michigan & buffalo tournaments. Erie Cathedral varsity is also in this the Cleveland tournament along with some teams that play on the Ohio version of Pahl, sounds like junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner27 Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 3 minutes ago, Duster19 said: I agree. Sounds like a rejected parent of a 2010 kid that got cut by vengeance to me. The squirt parents are always the most ridiculous. Yes - see @Quinlan2020 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fafa fohi Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 27 minutes ago, Danner27 said: They probably won’t, Esmark is in Cleveland next weekend at the midget levels to play the barons, there is also a tournament going on hosted by team Ohio that has the icemen along with the predators. Sounds like Pittsburgh teams going to Cleveland just to play each other. Curious - would anyone share the icemen or predators midget schedule ? I genuinely would like to know who and where they are going to get any decent games. Those two teams rely heavy chicago, Michigan & buffalo tournaments. Erie Cathedral varsity is also in this the Cleveland tournament along with some teams that play on the Ohio version of Pahl, sounds like junk. https://www.yetisicemen.com/schedule/team_instance/5458661?subseason=675372 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PUCKCOVID19 Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Danner27 said: They probably won’t, Esmark is in Cleveland next weekend at the midget levels to play the barons, there is also a tournament going on hosted by team Ohio that has the icemen along with the predators. Sounds like Pittsburgh teams going to Cleveland just to play each other. Curious - would anyone share the icemen or predators midget schedule ? I genuinely would like to know who and where they are going to get any decent games. Those two teams rely heavy chicago, Michigan & buffalo tournaments. Erie Cathedral varsity is also in this the Cleveland tournament along with some teams that play on the Ohio version of Pahl, sounds like junk. U15 Preds AAa lost to the Barons 4-2 and 6-2 U15 Hornets Aaa beat Team Ohio twice today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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