The Sicatoka

They've convinced themselves that they can't score. I'm not sure if that's from practicing against their own defensemen (very formidable) or against their goaltending (again, very formidable). But in practicing against that I'm sure they've convinced themselves they can't score. They need to realize everybody doesn't have that level defense and goaltending. They need to stop telling themselves they can't score (because it's become a self-fulfilling prophecy). They can score. Now go prove it.

From the last paragraph of http://www.uscho.com/news/2005/01/11_009596.php If they eliminate the 15000 rule, wouldn't that entice even more schools to leave DI-AA for DI-A? Didn't they just institute the 15000 rule back in August?

I'd try to make a case for Spirko and Lamoureux and after that probably Zajac. Beyond that I have trouble even trying to apply "exceeds expectations" to anyone. There are a few "meeting expectations" and way too many "not meeting expectations".

Sounds like you guys are like me and expect Greene to be gone next season. That means we need Smaby, Radke, and Bina ready. Will they be? As far as the team, is there anyone that "exceeds expectations" for this season right now?

Tell me about Curtis Murphy. Tell me about Curtis Murphy when he was a freshman.

Since I went on a mini-rant above, let me add one more item addressed to the team: Quit whining about "no Parise, no Bochenski." If you're going to do that why not add "no Hrkac, no Joyce, no Greg Johnson, no Curtis Murphy, etc." They're all gone too. If you want to be known as a bunch of guys who couldn't do it on their own, so be it.

Don't forget about Sparky. He's one of the few guys that showed up both nights this weekend (and what a sweet one-timer Friday).

Amen. Imagine what Blaiser would have said about Mankato's third goal on Saturday. He'd have called it out by name and play. The cliche that gets me is "we're getting chances". So what. Get goals.

The crowd feeds off the team. The team feeds off the crowd. The crowd showed the same level of intensity that the team did.

Smaby needs to stop reaching for the puck (move your feet!) and start being decisive, even if the decision is "high off the glass" (which is way better than standing and getting picked clean at the blueline). Bina and Radke each had their bonehead plays on the weekend too.

As a team, Saturday was one of the least inspired performances I've ever seen from a Sioux team. I'm wondering where the passion for the game is from these guys. Jordan Parise needs to be held accountable. Any mite defenseman knows you don't move the puck up the slot in your own zone, and he's an NCAA calibre goaltender so he has no excuse. He's been told to let his defensemen handle the puck. In that situation he should have covered it or put it into the corner (so his defensemen could handle it). He needs to answer to himself, the coaches, and his teammates for that play. Remember those two points when home ice is assigned in March. Someone was quoted post-game as saying they were playing for OT. Too bad Mankato wasn't. But also in that statement is something that really bothers me: PASSIVITY. It sounds like they believe they can just turn it on at will whenever they feel like it and get what they need. Welcome to a harsh reality check courtesy David Backes. Also, if they think they can turn it on at will, how does that mesh with .... I believe this team has convinced itself that it can't score. There are three forwards with a combined five WJC tournaments of experience (and two gold medals) on that team. And it can't score? No, they've convinced themselves that they can't score. They soothe it with "but we're still getting chances." Chances don't go under the "W" on the stat sheet. If you are generating chances, why aren't you scoring? I'll answer that: They're going for "pretty"; they aren't going to the net. I saw more guys go to the net in one period by CC (against Minnesota) Sunday night than I did for UND all weekend. Not going to the net says passive and no passion for the game. That "turn it on" attitude and undercurrent of passivity smells like a lack of maturity to me. That should be the last problem on a team with this many seniors. Mentioning seniors .... Remember when this group of seniors were freshman and I preached "patience"? Forget that. This is the home stretch for that group. Last call boys. What do you want to be remembered as?

Hey, we're old, but not old like PCM!

Get Massen and Fabian back and now Kaip goes down.

I'm saying get the 'staches out of 309 and 307-310 might, might, have a chance against 302 and 306.

No contest: 302 and 306 win. All the Schneider fan trucker mustaches worn in 309 muffles the sound.

My comment.

Since someone invoked my name here (and I've been just waiting to post this somewhere, and up to now I thought it'd be in) "noise makers at the ralph" ... ? Aren't those supposed to be the students? Oh yeah, it's hard to cheer with a bloody blinkin' cell phone in your hand or worse, you don't even show up! It's pretty bad when the old coots in 302 and 306 are louder than 307-310.

Did someone say "parking ramp"? I'd like to see it go somewhere north of the Memorial Union and south of REA (kind of like the story says, "behind Tabula coffee shop") and then connect it to both via skyways. Then again, what I'd like to see isn't what is most likely.

I'm pretty sure it sits empty right now. They sold the boards and the ice making system. I'd heard of talk of putting in an indoor passing facility for football at one time. But I'd also heard that it might be cheaper to tear it down and start from scratch.

I thought Crue was doing the casino circuit.

There already is a replacement for tempo/rhythm of "U-S-A": "Let's go Sioux!"

Wisthoff is a good choice. So is Hermes' speed. Roland's power will be missed too. Good cover guys are tough to find. Manke on the corner has to get some consideration. Then again, there's this guy named Bowenkamp ....

If I heard correctly, South got "Ferris Bueller"-ed last night. Moorhead scored ni-i-i-i-ine times.

I didn't think they used the right light filters on the camera. The ice seemed too white or too reflective on television.

I believe your answer is in today's [url="http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=79708