The Sicatoka

As hockey fans, we think we know strong and tough. That, ladies and gentlemen, is strong and tough.

Isn't that the job of the captain of a ship (especially when the women and children being loaded onto the lifeboats)? On the other subject: There's more than enough "poor form" in the history of each side. If each would only stick to cheering for their team (and not against the other). And I mean that to cut both ways.

Read how the selection process works. All of the fan votes in the FINAL round (this is round 2 of 3) of voting count for ONE vote amongst the "college hockey personnel, pro scouts and media." I don't mean to be a downer here, but it's not like you are selecting the Hobey Baker winner directly. Some NHL scout is going to pull out his "NCAA top scorers" list and his "NHL CSB rankings" list and fill out his ballot without a second thought. (I hope not, but I'm pretty sure it'll happen.) Their vote equals all of the fans.

Why not just use the What If tool?

Quit satisfying yourself in public. You'll get arrested.

JBB: I'm not sure how a larger conference membership will guarantee the BSC anything. Could you explain more on that front? If you are talking basketball, the tournament looks at RPIs and other analytic rankings. Adding teams guarantees nothing. Football? Don't they look at power rankings as well? More teams doesn't seem to guarantee them anything on that front. Anyone waiting for Wyoming to move down is in for a long wait. Idaho? Who knows. They're probably due to be hurt with the NCAA IA committee changing the rules on "guarantee games" and "required home games" in FB. That won't be good for their finances. At least Ogden (Weber State) has a decent airport near by being a suburb of SLC. In terms of time you both could be right. Every try to get from MSP airport to Brooklyn Park? It can be anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. A unanimous vote? Personally, I'd put the same money down on 'yea' as 'nay'. I'm thinking Portland State and Sac State aren't going to like the travel that far east. Who knows where the rest of them are on the issue. I guess that'll become apparent in a few weeks.

Sadly, I can't be there; however, seeing who will be I feel a sudden urge to warn the Colorado Springs authorities. ;)

I thought you meant radio.

Time Zones: Imagine a BSC with current members plus NDSU/SDSU: Central, Mountain, and Pacific. That's a bummer for media. West coast game endings may push midnight in the Midwest. Friday games at 7 in the Midwest start when people are still at work on the west coast (if they actually work on Friday afternoon out there ). Mentioning logistics, doesn't Brookings have the same "bummer" (hour bus ride to/from airport) that Greeley has if you have to fly in? What city is Southern Utah located in? I've only heard of the school.

Too late Handy. There's already media there and I'm sure they'll have to limit the number of press passes to the event.

Baby-faced (Gopher) assassin.

I think BSC is happy at eight, for now, unless something really changes. Honestly, I believe their first choices, if they did choose to expand, would be schools that would be easier to bring in in terms of geographics/logistics. My guesses: Idaho - they went IA recently but are drowning in red ink, would they come back UC Davis - Sacramento State's neighbor Northern Colorado - easy geography Southern Utah - easy geography also NDSU and SDSU are literally a time zone away from the nearest BSC neighbor. That's not a plus in this case. One more thought: Why are they meeting on 02/20/03 in Salt Lake City when SLC isn't a Big Sky city? Well, Spokane, Pocatello, Missoula, Boseman, Portland, and Sacramento are all direct flights on Delta to SLC, Delta's western hub. (Ogden is a short drive away. Flagstaff is the only one that's not.) Remember where I mentioned "logistics"? Delta doesn't fly to Fargo or Sioux Falls (closest to Brookings). Who loves airport connections?

I wonder if SSM won't be playing this team yet to be formed. http://www.gfparks.org/ndaha/

I kinda felt like I needed a shower after I wrote that.

JBB: How's it feel to know that you, the GF Herald, and I (because I believe in NDSBoHE control) all agree on this one?

When Jake Brandt is in "The Wanderer" mode I cringe. When Jake Brandt listens to the advice given by his father and plays a simplified game there's nothing better.

Rep. Wald is a co-sponsor, I'll give you that. There's the first sponsor because he gets the mention in his representative's bio.

I read the article and what caught my eye is this: Why is Northern Colorado (right there in the Big Sky geography) not making a play to get into the Big Sky? I guess the same question would apply to Southern Utah as well.

Uh, JBB, doesn't it concern you that the bill in question was offered by an NDSU alumnus (as shown previously in this thread) and that the state legislators didn't know that?

You must have missed this "attempt to derail."

Yup.

Get it right 'star2city' or we'll take your membership card away. It's The Vast Fighting Sioux Conspiracy

(I posted this in the equivalent thread on USCHO.) With the Sioux off this weekend I have to watch something. It'll be this series. My thoughts: As much as Goldie likes getting Potulny back, I think they are really going to miss Koalska this weekend. The problems at hand are Stevenson, Joseph, and the Mav power play. Potulny isn't the solution to any of those where I believe Koalska would be. However, if the Mavs start taking penalties they make create a problem for themselves called Potulny. Mankato just took three points at DU. Don't think Goldie's fuzzy little ears didn't perk up when he heard that. Mankato isn't sneaking up on them. Mankato is 9-4-5 on the wide ice and 2-5-3 on the road. Minnesota is 7-4-2 at home and 10-6-4 on the wide stuff. I bring that up because power plays seem to be better on the wide stuff and Mankato has a decent power play. Power plays are probably going to decide this one. I don't see either sweeping; I'm expecting a war of a split.

I guess Roberg is the current Gopher equivalent to former Sioux forward Tom Philion in the late 1990s.