The Sicatoka

Not dressing up special at all, eh?

Holy Cross wasn't in their bracket, eh?

Crap. Now I bet the rest go too.

Holy Cross! Holy Cross! Ye-e-e-ea-a-a-ah Crusaders!

With deep, sincere apologies to Tracy Byrd: Yeah we know how to work and we know how to play. We're from North Dakota and we're here to win today!

I thought you told me there's no such thing. Or was that beer we were talking about?

I sure hope Tony, Bobby, Ian, and Eddie stay.

I always seem to end up wanting to call him .... never mind.

The only real risk is the bus ramp. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/reg-viii/jurnys23.pdf So, according to FEMA, just one fan is needed, as long as their name isn't "Briggs". (You need someone who knows how to "close the gate".)

I'm not the one repeating (highly questionable) rumors.

Did we get this rumor from a reputable source like your neighbor's cousin's best friend whose sister dates a player on the team?

Every numbers argument has holes in it. (I was trying to illustrate that, and probably failed.) When I think Hobey Baker I think "which guy this year gave his team the best chance to win" or better, "which guy don't I want to see on the other squad because he can take over a game." Under my own criteria Carle and Elliott pop to the top.

The point wasn't about the competition. The point was yes he has big numbers, but are they coming in the key games? Did his big goal total come when his team needed it? In his last three outings (sadly for Minnesota fans) the answers are: Yes, No, and No.

Hey, if Goldie gets into an OT game or two this year, with all of the heart and drive they show, and with the tight to the pipe goaltending of Frazee and Briggs, don't pick against them.

I just needed to lay in the warm glow of this one more time. PS - I didn't just "make a pick," I saw Tony Quesada's numbers and realized they were nearly identical to Bobby Goepfert's, plus four of their top six forwards and half their defense played against UND in 2004. That, and Goldie seemed ripe for the pickin'.

Not about North Dakota, but a quote from a weekend to remember: http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/9NCAA/2006/west1_0427.htm Minnesota Hockey: Mercyhurst of the Midwest

This state really needs to take a hard, honest look at Bottineau, Mayville, Valley City, Williston, and Lake Region. With outreach and distance education capabilities already in place it's hard to justify keeping those. And I wonder how Dickinson State would come through (enrollment-wise) BSC becoming BSU.

Robbie's lucky his attempts to help his team win didn't cost his team the game (like when he couldn't skate and cover a man).

They were that this year (and arguably last year), but that was on paper just like what you're saying now. "On paper" doesn't matter. On ice (performance when it matters) does.

Ryan's stats will hurt him because of the significant number of goals coming against sub-par competition. (Look at the fraction of his goals that came against UAA.) Carle led the nation in assists. Not for defensemen, all scorers. Stats indeed.

Carle controlled the game, offensively and defensively, from the defenseman position. Rare, very rare, is the individual that can do that. That's why Carle would get my nod.

Well, you earned another game of hockey. What are you going to do with it?

Please wear the Sioux jersey to church in correct church seasonal color scheme: Christmas, Easter, holy days: white jersey Ordinary time: green jersey Funerals: black jersey Thank you. That is all.

(clears throat) (puts crap-eating smirk on face) (clears throat) "No comment."