The Sicatoka

I'll guess (and lose at the game I created): Three: Long Johnson Elbert

It comes down to integrity ... from all directions. - coaches holding to commitments made out to kids - kids making sound decisions they know they can back up before saying anything - opposing coaches respecting the kids and their coaching peers If you go to your grave with just one thing left in this world and it's your integrity you've led a good life.

OK folks, the search committee owes "n" names as finalists for the UND president's job to the State Board of Higher Education so the Board can name someone on February 5. The five semi-finalists can be found at http://www.und.edu/presidentialsearch Here's the game: - You must pick the number of finalists the committee will recommend (1 to 5) - You must pick the names of the finalists Scoring: - 5 points added for picking the correct number of finalists - 3 points added for each correct name in your finalists list - 2 points deducted for each incorrect name in your finalists list

Brad Schlossman writes a great follow-up piece to his disappearing goals article from the end of last season in Sunday's Herald. He goes into greater depth in his blog (and also links to the article). And it's not a UND but a league-wide issue (hello Commissioner McLeod). My opinion: I'm not into watching soccer, and I hate bad bounces deciding games. I prefer the more talented team show it on the scoreboard, by scoring. I miss Tony Hrkac: Tony's 1986-87 season is the first two and a half years of TJ Oshie's career. Hrkac in 1986-87: 46-70-116, 48 games Oshie's career: 51-68-119, 109 games Duncan's career: 57-59-116, 112 games

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.