The Sicatoka

The most boring thing in the world to watch is two poorly-skilled teams on Olympic ice. The next most was the first 54:00 of last year's National Championship game (DU v. Maine). Call the obstruction (teams will adjust) and North American ice is a faster game.

Stafford carried Team USA. Why not the Sioux? Remember: Goren and Panzer couldn't get it done, until they got it done. We remember them (Goren, Panzer) fondly because they got it done; but, they were just raw potential and raw capability until they used it for success, not unlike the position Mr. Stafford is in right now.

The box scores say about 3300 for the women and 3600 for the mens game. Both of those would have been cozy in The Betty. Well, "cozy" for the home team; down right cramped for the visitors. Big congrats to the men on the win. But only enjoy it until noon today because it won't mean squat if you don't take care of business against SCSU.

From "Fight on Sioux" by Virg Foss/GF Herald, page 98. If PCM's 49-19-7 is accurate that is 0.700 (sorry, PCM, not 0.720).

(Since jk has gone a little, how shall we say it, "out there" on us, I figure I can hop on the same bus for a while too since it's warmed up anyway.) The gods of Sioux hockey are confused. It happened when UND "switched ends" in moving to the new Ralph. - Before we defended the south twice; now we defend the north twice. - Before students were east; now they're west. - Before the home team bench was SW of the ice; now it's NE. - Before the Sioux goalie was left of the press box twice; now it's right. We turned everything around on them, and the logo changed too. Clearly, cause for confusion. You have to remember: the gods of Sioux hockey really don't venture much beyond about a stick-length or two from the blue paint in their home arena, although their power has a much greater reach. (Anyone in Albany in 2001 remembers the great thunderstorm they unleashed after the overtime period. Thunderstorms that powerful in Albany in April are as common as SCSU post-season banners.) They've barely found the new arena. When they did it's all backwards (north-south-wise) to them. To them, no late goals go into the south net because that is how it was at old REA. However, the gods of Sioux hockey still recognize their mark. The gods of Sioux hockey are with Lammy. Why? Look at his mask. They recognize the old logo. They know he is one of their own and "brush away" some pucks for him. He shows signs of the Jensen/Casey/Belfour/Goehring karma and that comes from the gods of Sioux hockey (plus great skills and preparation, who am I kidding). But just the same, the gods of Sioux hockey just don't want to let a late goal into a south net at home. Clearly, they are thinking "no late south goal goals" more than watching who is shooting at it. (And they don't recognize the new logo on the jerseys.) They need to be shown that it is now acceptable, needed, to have late goals go in the south net, that this is not the old REA but the new REA, where their own are now the "defenders of the north" at crunch time. Why they haven't accepted that yet I do not understand. But, the gods of Sioux hockey do recognize their mark as evidenced by Lammy. And I have a way to help them understand. I say have the team wear undershirts with the old logo for a home series, maybe even for that whole week before in practice. Maybe even have the blackhawk and the geometric logos on the undershirt. Let the gods of Sioux hockey understand that the (blackhawk) logo is the (geometric) logo is the (new) logo. The gods of Sioux hockey will recognize that and respond accordingly and the magic will return. And then all will be well. (OK, I'm done now. But I'm left to wonder what kind of smoke that was in jk's bus.)

When it comes to finding a leader, I don't care how much a guy scores. I care that he can lead, and does it. This team hasn't had someone step up into that realm (a leader) yet either. I picked Stafford because he showed, by his actions and play in the WJCs, that he can lead. (He also happened to get quite a few points along the way.) Hey, if Mike Prpich takes the job that's fine with me too. A leader would start doing the little things that matter, taking the abuse in front, going to the net, never taking a shift off, going back in the room and challenging guys who aren't gettin' it done every shift. Leaders aren't always on the top of the scoresheet. Someone, anyone, willing to lead. Maybe not on the ice in scoring, but definitely in other areas that matter like "the room". (Look at DU's Caldwell or Minnesota's Grant Potulny.) Don't believe my assessment on needing someone to step up and lead? Fine, but go and read what Brad Berry is saying: "We

No senior has stepped up to tote the load yet. It's too late to expect it. There aren't many juniors to look to either. That means it has to come from one of the other classes. There's this guy who led the US WJC team in scoring. He looked really good out there on the ice at The Ralph. I wish he was playing for The Sioux. Oh, .... that's right .... Paging Mr. Stafford. Mr. Drew Stafford ....

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm...&section=sports

At the risk of repeating myself from another thread: The Herald speculates on possible replacements in here.

Tell me you all haven't heard that line, in pieces or composite, on a hockey broadcast.

(on a PA system somewhere in the Great Plains) ... No-o-orth Dakota goal scored by PCM with the assist going to dagies. PCM from dagies at 4:25 ... (on a corresponding radio broadcast) Oh was that a thing of beauty. PCM came out of nowhere, gave the ol' "How she goin'" move as he came in, and buried it past WPoS for the goal. Great set-up by dagies to get WPoS to commit and go down so PCM could move in and bury it.

In light of that, let's revisit my discussion of offense and where it isn't coming from, as first posted here: PCM said: How about even anywhere near 3.5 goals per game (like the above says they should be able to produce)?

If Wisconsin moved up one and Anchorage moved to where they normally are in PIM/game (the bottom), you could almost see that proximity to Minneapolis increases PIM/game! Maybe Goldie truly is evil!

In this thread, star2city poses a solution to that very issue.

But the discussions are happening at all levels. And when it comes to the NCAA who knows what will come out of it.

Clearly it's being discussed by the NCAA and at the DI level: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/foo...ternative_x.htm

Under the idea from star2city I'd think that that you'd need: - an REA operations manager to handle the mundane day-to-day stuff (call it assistant AD for facilities operations) - the existing assistant AD structure (with modifications if appropriate) in athletics Under that notion you'd have one leader setting the direction for both operations. There've been too many times in the recent past where too many have wondered if UND Athletics and REA really were going for a common cause. A common leader, if the right person, could cure that.

From today's Herald: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/10677552.htm

With college athletics needing to worry more and more about budgets and finances (the "business of sport" if you will), it'd make sense to look at people with proven sports administration track-records moreso than a former coaches. PS - Here's another thread on topic with some interesting thoughts in it also.

I'd attribute funding issues at those two (and Duluth) to the Minnesota state general budgetary woes. Hey, even Goldie isn't getting all of their legislative funding requests (and that's almost unheard of).

Comparing the final two candidates, you'd think RT'd win easily in the "familiar with the conference" category.