The Sicatoka

All Puffy cares is if you pay attention to anything he says. Now you'll listen all week. He accomplished his task: not college hockey, ... ratings.

Outshot 36-13 (16-3 in the second). At one point in the second I asked the guy next to me why Hakstol allowed Idalski's team to come out for the second period. That's how bad the mismatch looked. LaPoint, Bina, Genoway, and Chorney looked completely out of sorts. And for Chorney to get "Fabian-ed" ... and when the wake-up call had just come in no less. I'll tell you what I didn't see Saturday that I did see at home against Tech: I didn't see snow flying off of UND skates. Against Tech the guys were stopping and starting hard. You could hear the cuts, turns, stops, and starts. Snow flew when they skated. Against UAA they were taking long slow turns and gliding. I just don't get that.

Jean Phillippe Lamoureux should have been all three 3-Stars on Saturday.

The iron behind the UAA goalie was a 3-Star selection. It kept them in the game. Ping!

Johnson is a UND graduate also. Regarding JQ Paulsen: On this point I am firmly in the camp of "iramurphy".

Stand by for righteous indignation from the Fargo Forum in three, two, ....

Elbert sits down with the Grand Forks Herald: http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=64980

What if the paraplegic midget was coached by Mike Ditka and played on a team called "Da Bearz"?

Top 100. That doesn't sound too bad. Sounds pretty good actually.

What's that again? Oh, that's right .... "Lakota" means "friends". Sioux-cia: What you describe sounds like Myles Brand's kind of place.

Hennessy talked with someone from the USHL during an intermission during the Mankato series. The USHL official commented on how officials there are in "trying to move up" mode and they know they are being graded at all times for promotion potential. That is not the case in the WCHA. Too many WCHA officials see this as an end job, not a stepping stone to "the show". That's really a shame because many WCHA players are in "trying to move up" mode and really could use that same type of official.

US Agriculture Secretary designee. Former Governor of North Dakota. University of North Dakota graduate. Given that it's Congressional hearing day to approve the nomination it deserved a thread all of its own: Congratulations Ed Schafer. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=64792 http://public.cq.com/docs/cqm/cqmidday110-000002654503.html

Are we sure he doesn't change it based on who he's visiting that week?

Thank you to Rick Red Eagle, Antoine American Horse Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gates, Rita Loon, Neal Two Bears, Bill Mutcher, John Luke Flying Horse Sr., Richard Fiddler, and Archie D. Fool Bear for stepping up and expressing their point of view on this matter. Well done.

Didn't I hear Tim O'Keefe say UND is trying to target states who are in the western tuition reciprocity agreement? Didn't I hear him say Colorado, California, and Washington are key targets. Then look at normal areas for UND interest like the Twin Cities and Milwaukee and Chicago. Gee, interesting maps .... Western Canada has always been a target. I'd love to see a map of Canadian high school programs.

It's one of those abbreviations like Xmas: You love it or hate it.

I just have one not show-stopping, but significant, concern in what I've read* so far about Smith. Would Tom Clifford ever have been as unsubtle as: That could be read as a significant slight to Kupchella's consigliere. Didn't Phil Harmeson get inserted (not step into, get inserted) into the chain by Kupchella? Didn't he get stuck with the job of fixing the "Buning problem", including reworking Hakstol's contract? That seems somewhat forgotten. In a similar situation, Clifford would have thought it, planned it, done it when it was his to do, but not said it publicly before it was even in his power. That's a very un-presidential faux pas in an otherwise quite presidential appearance. It makes me wonder for which eyes and ears Smith intended that for, and why. * Yes, I'm in the process of reading all of the GF Herald articles, resumes, cover letters, and personal statements. They are on the GF Herald or UND website.

No, no, he's Barry's cousin. He's this guy's brother.

Now ya go and steal my shtick and try to pass it off as original. Not cool.

The trial balloons have been out there for quite a while for those paying attention.

Let's just take this down to the real issue: The notion of a such a recruiting tool anywhere, anywhere, in UND's future is just so terrifying to some that they need something, anything, to help them sleep at night. My advice: Those folks should cuddle up with their ThUNDar the Bison plushies, count sheep, and think of all of the interceptions Steve Walker didn't throw and they'll be fine.

That's one way to spin that information. The others are: A. Minnesota believes they shouldn't have to travel for non-conference games. They deserve the home ice advantage because "they are who we thought they are" (thank you Denny Green for the quote). B. They can't afford to travel from an overall Athletic Department revenues point of view. They have to have those home hockey gates to pay the overall expenses. No non-conference travel is mandated by their accountants. Honestly, I believe "B" is behind the "mandated" that Cardinal mentions.

And you've never been talking about something exciting in your life, that you're looking forward to, like starting college and playing football at that level, and had something come out not as clearly as you may have wanted or intended. I say we start over-analyzing all of your posts because you're "DI" now too (albeit as a fan). Shall we?

Sadly, the late Gino-era of hockey only half filled the old (6067 capacity) REA most nights. Given that .... Why would anyone be dumb enough to build UND a state-of-the-art hockey facility with twice the seats?

Ya'know, I had a long and logical answer typed out for this. Instead I highlighted it and then hit "delete". I choose to respond this way: If it's a good strategy, recommend it to Gene Taylor.