The Sicatoka

Was Jake playing a bad game? No. Was the defense giving him any help? No. But was the team doing anything up to and at that point? No. Yes, something had to be done to "light a fire" under those guys. Before the third period I thought the guys in green should have been charged admission because they were watching a game. The goal Siembida let in? Let's look back on it. He stopped the first shot and it was a shot that should have never come because the defenseman there should have never allowed it. The defense takes the rebound (which was directed properly toward the corner) and does what with it? They try some drop-pass tricky-ticky-tacky crap ten feet off the right pipe of their own net at the goal line with FSU guys in on the forecheck. What happens next? An FSU player kicks it back up the slot on the backhand and no one covers the next FSU guys crashing down the slot. Shot. Goal. The second shot only happened because the defense got cutesy didn't maintain control of the puck in its zone. Josh Siembida made the initial save and put his defense in position to control the puck. (That is his job description, yes?) The defense failed at that point. Don't blame Josh for that second goal going in. The blame goes to the defenders who (a) didn't maintain possession and (b) didn't keep the trailer from crashing down to get the second shot off. I've harangued Josh throughout the season; however, this is one time that he does not deserve it. Look at the tape. Look at the total defensive zone breakdown leading up to that goal. Josh did his job on the first shot and gave the puck to his team. The second shot should have never happened and the blame for the second shot does not belong to Josh.

Fargo? Let's see .... Gary Kaiser (North) played on the 1987 team at UND. Pat O'Leary (North) played on the 2001 team at UND. Dan Irmen (going to Minnesota) is really from North as well although he used open enrollment and played his sophomore year at GFRR before going to the USHL. Believe it or not, the next big DI hockey recruits out of Fargo just might be playing for .... Shantell Rivard.

OK, roll the calendar back about a year. UND at that time: 16-19-2, 11-15-2 WCHA Regular Season: T6 WCHA Playoff Seed: 8 Season ended: OT loss, WCHA 1st round UND currently: 26-12-5, 14-9-5 WCHA Regular Season: 4 WCHA Playoff Seed: 4 Season ended: NCAA 1st round Coming into this season, what were the expectations? A winning record at home? Home ice? Maaaaybe an NCAA bid? Winning record at home? Check. Home ice? Check. NCAA bid? Maybe surprisingly, check. The fast start (21-2-3) may have deluded many of us. But where is the team right now? About where many of us were predicting (back in August) they'd be. Do I like the way the second half played out? Not really. But I'm also hopeful that it's not sitting well with some of the guys. I know a couple guys that I'm expecting to, and if I was in position to I'd be demanding that they, stand up and say "Follow me!" next year. This team seemed to lack the ability to deliver the blow that would put an opponent down for good. They could get the opponent down, but not finish them off (for example, not getting the goal to go up three, or a late one in a one goal game to make it two). I saw one "death blow," a "you're not coming back, you're done" blow, delivered to an opponent, when it was needed, all season. (Hint: Start of a 3rd period at Wisconsin.) You need goals like those. Those come from leaders who plain old refuse to lose, and who can do something about it. I liked that flash. This season is in the books. These guys now need to go and use the mirrors and decide if they are happy with the outcome and what they are going to do about it. The time for patience is now officially over.

As has been stated many times already, that is a new DI ACHA league, not NCAA. NDSU played in the ACHA before they dropped club hockey.

Congratulations to the Jacks. They only lost five times all year. Twice in exhibitions (to Drake and Minnesota) so they don't count on the record. At Vermillion (to USD) At Grand Forks (to UND) And their only home loss was in the NCC Tourney (to UND). Hey, it's a Sioux board, I had to point out who gave them two of their three official losses.

Some of us are still stuck with "game in progress" coverage from Fox Sports North. Game in progress abbreviated is "GIP" and pronounced with the "gi" making a "j" sound. Fox Sports North is hooked on phonics.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches named Beasley a first-team All-American.

I'd check UNDAlumni.org, then WCHA.com, for 'net feeds. I think both use RealAudio player so you should be OK.

By the strict definition of the Cambridge dictionary (castrate: to remove the testicles of a male animal or human), that would be most impossible based on recent photographic evidence. Apparently an equivalent, or possibly more harsh, penalty would be withhold said alcoholic beverages.

(whistling merrily and strolling nonchalantly down the boulevard past flatspin's house .... ) Fl-l-l-l-i-i-i-p! (this is tossed into flatspin's front yard by the passer-by) http://www.gfparks.org/ndaha/grandforksredriver.html (the passer-by continues on with few noticing what he has left)

Saturday at 7 is fine, but Friday at 7 is too early if you have to drive. What do you answer? I found that problem on a couple of questions.

Before we all get too down on REA, remember, REA has to show a profit by State law before it can be transferred to UND or a UND foundation. Next, remember, profits from REA (anything at REA) are funnelled back into UND Athletics. (Does $500k to fund womens hockey this season ring a bell?) Yeah, they're after a buck, but there are far worse causes in my opinion.

Why listen to them when you can get it from the source? Minneapolis National Weather Service Office By the way: Grand Forks National Weather Service Office

Don't you enjoy his profile pages.

This should put The 'Bad1 over the edge: http://www.ncaasports.com/icehockey/mens/story/6263459 They'll be watching it in Big Rapids, Michigan, home of Ferris State.

The team has 21 skaters. You can only dress 18 of them. When I heard Connelly is unavailable I figured the three to sit was easy: Connelly, Palmiscno, and Leinweber. Connelly is obvious and the other two haven't played in at least a month. Not knowing how David Hale would be in a game situation I figured you have to play both Ryan Hale and Marvin (because both can play either forward or D). Marvin played forward for a while at Mankato (after Canady's DQ) and looked more than capable. I figured Ryan Hale would move back up front and Marvin stay back. Either way gets the desired effect. They'll probably be down to four D and three lines by the middle of the second anyway. (Hey, it's the playoffs.)

Paddling through the link Jim provided above, the closest thing to D-IAA minimums that I found was the general DI minimums:

Other college football programs dropped this off-season: DII: UMass-Lowell DIAA: Fairfield, Canisius, St. John's

KFGO laid-off: - Afternoon host Steve Poitras - News reporter Jim Monk - Sports reporter Mick Farkas The first two are inconsequential from a UND broadcast contract perspective. Farkas was doing Sioux mens (?) basketball so they'll have to be some work done there.

- The Tech position is open. - A DIII job just opened up out east because that coach just took over Clarkson. - Some others will probably open around the country soon as well. Could one of the UND assistants be looking to become a head coach somewhere? Steve Johnson filling an assistant's role in Dean Blais' staff would set him up to become the head coach come the day that Dean does retire. (Blais' is currently negotiating for beyond his current contract which ends at the end of the 2004 season.)

jeffj: This is an NCAA tourney meaning the on-ice officials will be from a conference outside the CCHA or the WCHA. Most likely neither team will be familiar with the referee.

From The Herald: And on a completely unrelated note, David Hale recently returned to practices with the team. No, I don't know how it happened, but it sounds like the intensity is up. Too bad about Connelly. The speed would have been good on the glacier in Mariucci.

Handy, To capture her heart, you have to go through The Wookie! You just can't compete.

Oh great waffle-speak detector What I said was, it's becoming a choice of the less of two evils. The choice is this: Go into a situation where you know you'll have money and conference (and probationary period) issues or stay in a situation where you can see it's starting to melt down and be taken down with it. Great choices, eh? Still, I'd choose to not melt down, not fade away. I'd rather die trying (meaning not be able to do the budget) if it comes to that. Budget still is the primary concern, as well as those others mentioned. Concerns don't go away by me changing my opinion on the situation. They must be in the open and addressed, even if folks don't want to keep hearing them mentioned. But if you insist that (and my other post) was waffle speak, have at it.

Greyeagle look like this? Oh no, here's a shot of Greyeagle out of hockey gear. Note the faded maroon (almost orange appearing) shirt and gold undershirt and shoes. Dead giveaways. I'm not sure which letter of the M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A cheer he's attempting to form in that photo.