Director Sergio Leone had no inclination that his 1966 movie, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and it’s incredible score by Ennio Morricone, would be used in sports commentary going forward. But yesterday, we can honestly say a few Ohio schools and their games fit this title perfectly over the October weekend!
Have this song play as you read!
The Good
Miami University’s hockey program has been a shambles of what it once was. Former players dot the NHL landscape with the likes of Blake Coleman, Dan Boyle, Austin Czarnik, Sean Kuraly…just to name a few!
Seven former Miami University hockey players are listed on opening-night NHL rosters in 2023:
Blake Coleman – CGY
Sean Kuraly – CBJ
Alec Martinez – VGK
Jack Roslovic – CBJ
Kiefer Sherwood – NSH
Reilly Smith – PIT
Chris Wideman – MTL— Jack Schmelzinger (@jackschmelznger) October 11, 2023
But since the move to college hockey’s arguably toughest division, the NCHC, Miami has struggled.
NCHC Woes!
In the past seven seasons, the NCHC has a member crowned as National Champion five times, with one runner-up. Miami has languished in last place three of the past four years under coach and former player, Chris Bergeron.
But in year five, Miami has cruised to a 3-1 record to open the 2023-24 campaign. They could be undefeated if the defense hadn’t allowed three goals in the third period in their first game with Ferris State.
This weekend, Miami took both games from Canisius, 4-1 and 4-2. Matt Barbolini, John Waldron, Artur Turansky and Raymonds Vitolins have led the Redhawks in this early part of the season, scoring in nine of the Hawks 17 goals scored and assisting in 11. And their play this weekend has given the students and alumni some excitement around campus!
Saturday Sweep Song!
(Game recap: https://t.co/9sriepQOl3)#RiseUpRedHawks pic.twitter.com/dD17Wn27rm
— Miami Hockey (@MiamiOH_Hockey) October 15, 2023
Sing, the fight song, alumni!
Miami will battle Arizona State next weekend. Arizona State will make their debut in the NCHC next school year.
It’s a GOOD start for Miami and coach Bergeron! #LoveAndHonor
The Bad
The University of Cincinnati made a “stealth” hire in Scott Satterfield in December after Luke Fickell left for Wisconsin. By grabbing the former University of Louisville head coach before their bowl game against UC, it put Satterfield in a strange position: coach UC or Louisville? He did neither. And the hire suddenly has alumni wondering “What the heck is going on?”
Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer
Yesterday, UC lost to Iowa State, 30-10, on homecoming weekend. Let’s check on the UC program since Satterfield was hired:
#1 – Win over Eastern Kentucky (H), 1-0
#2 – Win over Pitt (A), 2-0
#3 – Loss to Miami University, 31-27 (OT) (H)(First loss to their northern foes since before the iPhone was invented! 2005!), 2-1
#4 – Loss to Oklahoma (H), 2-2
#5 – Loss to BYU (A), 2-3
#6 – Loss to Iowa State (H), 2-4
UC Fan Reactions
And now, the fans have their say!
I also gotta say this and then I’ll be done:
Only Scott Satterfield could come into a fanbase that has one of the best home field advantages in all of college football and effectively neutralize it in 6 games.
— Tyler Samples (@tsampys25) October 14, 2023
I’d have more UC fan input but this is a family blog! Seriously!
Every day, I wake up and praise the football gods for convincing Cincinnati to hire Scott Satterfield away from Louisville. https://t.co/CXwrGCzYxJ
— Kyle Smith (@Kyle_Smith1087) October 14, 2023
My son, a Louisville grad, was ecstatic for Satterfield leaving U of L. This is not a direct quote, but he inferred that Satterfield leaving for UC was the best thing for Louisville. So it made me wonder…Since when? Since the birth of Cassius Clay! (Emphasis MINE!)
Boom! How BAD is this start for the Bearcats?
The Ugly
76-0. Yes, Mount Union blew the doors off Capital, 76-0. But the Purple Raiders are doing that to basically every one of the Ohio schools on their schedule.
Courtesy of ESPN.com
For those stat geeks, that’s 299-16! MU is averaging 49.8 points per game while giving up roughly less than a field goal per game.
Geoff Dartt was hired after Vince Kehres left the incredible program he and his father perfected. Maybe it’s the loss in the National Championship game for D3 (The Alonzo Stagg Bowl) last year that has this squad dominating their OAC foes.
Or, maybe it’s just they are THAT good!
Here’s Dartt’s post-game interview.
Cameron Palmer with Mount Union coach Geoff Dartt after their 76-0 win over Capital@MountUnionFB @purpleraiders @CoachGeoffDartt @cam_palmer55 pic.twitter.com/BAo3WHjUHJ
— BelieveLAND Media LLC (@BlievelandMedia) October 14, 2023
Notice how Dartt was talking about the run. Last year’s loss in the final saw MU only gather 60 yards on 35 attempts! If John Carroll University can do the unthinkable like in 2016, ending the undefeated streak for the Purple Raiders, then the rest of Ohio’s D3 squads can thank the Blue Streaks for avenging these blowouts!
But until then, Wilmington, Otterbein, and Baldwin Wallace better be prepared. This could get UGLY in a hurry!
Stay tuned for next week’s Good, Bad and Ugly. It could be from the Browns game versus the 49ers!
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