The Sicatoka

Snake said the "arm of the STATE university system." St. Cloud State is part of the MnSCU System, not to be confused with the U of Minnesota System. So, Snake is right. SCSU is a Minnesota state university. They had the choice to go by "Minnesota State University - St. Cloud" but didn't. Having to explain to a Minnesotan their own system of colleges and universities reminds me of ten years ago on USCHO when I had to explain to a Boston College graduate that they were a Catholic university (and the other person kept saying, "No, BC is a Jesuit university" and I'd keep saying, "But who are the Jesuits?").

<ding!> Winner.

I'm wondering if Hak let loose the reins and let the horses run.

$15 for a ticket? That's Robert Morris or Holy Cross at UND.

You noticed that too, eh? I was really surprised when it was Simpson. He took quite a few pucks this weekend and yet he still went down in front of what would be a meaningless shot (goal) late in a blow-out. Note on that same play that three other guys were looking to get in front of that shot also. That's madness. But that's playing as a team.

So that Penn State loss took Wisconsin from "win two and be pretty safe, a 70% chance" to "win two to even have a chance, and just a 7% chance". Now, with that data point in hand, I heretofore retain the unabridged right complain about any loss to any team at any point in any future season. Ha-rumph .... </crabby old guy>

Xenophobia?

I suspect Jim had a transcription problem. If you go to his main article things seem to add up to 1 (or to at least "rounding tenth" of it). http://blog.siouxspo...013/03/18/2143/ 3 2.4% 4 6.5% 5 9.5% 6 13.4% 7 22.4% 8 18.9% 9 15.7% 10 9.0% 11 2.2% 12 0.1% Tournament invites: 393216 (100.0%) 5 2.4% 6 7.5% 7 22.3% 8 22.8% 9 25.0% 10 15.9% 11 3.9% 12 0.1% 3 19.0% 4 46.3% 5 32.8% 6 1.9%

I'm just a guy who sits in the attic at REA for home games, but I've figured out that little red light at the scorer's table comes on at the first stop in play under 15, under 10, and under 5 minutes remaining in a period. That red light signals a TV timeout. Maris came in with 4:40 left in the third. That'd be the first stop in play under 5 minutes to play. That's the normal TV timeout. Midco was going to take their normal break even if Jesus Christ* was coming out to play the last 4:40. *He's a goalie. Jesus Saves.

I suspect it'll also take a couple "surprise" (not currently in top 16 PWR) conference tournament winners.

After three games in three days, and now the information that UND seems to be a lock for the NCAA tournament, I guess I'd have no problem with UND taking the "Duluth path" to a title. PS - Jim, what scenario would keep Denver out? Not wishing ill, but wishin'.

Slot 16 is not safe. That'll go to an autobid team not in the top 16.

Uh, even if all you did is warm up and wear the gear to run the gate, if that's the gear you wore all week in practice, you shower. #hockeygearstink

He did sign with them. What if the guy wants to stay close to home?

What's the old adage? It's tough to beat a team three four five six times in a season.

Me? I'd like to see Caggiula get out of the slump. And then something like ... Knight centering Kristo and (O'Donnell / Caggiula) Rowney centering Grimaldi and Parks MarkMac centering MitchMac and (Caggiula / O'Donnell) Pattyn centering Rodwell and (Gaarder, St. Clair, or "Jim" in that order) If Caggiula came alive, put him with Rowney and Parks and put Rocco with the Macs (that group would fly).

There are only two possible scenarios: Scenario 1. UND plays and wins three games. Scenario 2. Scenario 1 does not happen.

Do tell. My guess: Kevin Gorg. (He has to have some claim to fame because he's got a face for radio and a voice for print media.)

Cooperstown (NY) High School Redskins? Gone. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_COOPERSTOWN_SCHOOL_NICKNAME?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-03-07-10-22-11

Rule 1. Get out in front of good news. Rule 1a. Get way out in front of bad news. Summary of Rules 1 and 1a: Control the message.

My copy of the plan has the monorail terminal stopping at the Schleussner gate entrance to Fennell Field. They worried about congestion (extra foot traffic) if they'd have put the monorail at Kleinsasser gate.

The NFL's Redskins back in the news. http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/03/07/fight-on-battle-over-redskins-name-heads-to-court/

A reappearance of the convenient excuse of the Big Ten's by-law that says if "six play the sport you play as the Big Ten". Ah yes. That old saw. Keep selling, but no sale here. Dare I ask: 1. Who created that by-law? 2. Who can change that by-law? The answer to each is: The Big Ten. The "we were forced" is disingenuous at best. Yes, you were "forced", by the existing Big Ten by-law, that the Big Ten wrote, that the Big Ten could change. The Big Ten acted in self-interest. Don't be silly enough to say others can't follow suit. Final thought: There are whispers that the B1G is looking to play lacrosse, and that they'd add Johns Hopkins. What's that? Hopkins? A non-full B1G member playing in B1G play? That's against the B1G by-laws! Yet, it's a persistent rumor out in the lax and conference aligment forums on the internet. (Full disclosure: Yes, until it happens it's not real.)

With the departure of Buckie and Goldie courtesy Jim Delany and the BTN, the balance of power had shifted in the WCHA. With UM and UW the teams looking to stay at max scholarships had the majority voting bloc; without them the schools that would favor scaling back expenditures would be in the majority. For schools that depend on hockey to be a fiscal driver, not being top tier nationally (due to scaled back spending, especially on scholarships) is not an option. Rather than face a conference looking to downgrade from 18 scholarships, the schools that have made the big investments in hockey decided to band together and ensure that scale-backs would not happen. The only way to ensure that would be to go on their own. So what you see is this: UND - hockey is the fiscal engine for Athletics DU - hockey is the fiscal engine for Athletics CC - hockey is the fiscal engine for Athletics UNO - dropped FB and wrestling to commit to hockey WMU - just look at their coach, a former pro coach, they've committed Miami - they're committed to top-level hockey based on their performance record UMD and SCSU have rinks (new or improved) and say they are committed (and if not, they'd be in a minority) The teams in the WCHA (and CCHA for that matter) that have been "riding along" (not improving but benefitting when UND or UM came to town) got a rude awakening. However, that awakening is also opportunity if used correctly.