The Sicatoka

I'm not a 'gram-er, promise. Am I right or wrong? EDIT: Dang. Found it. Makes sense given the in-and-out and roles.

Depends on how the conference closes the doors. If they vote to dissolve (takes like 3/4 vote) the assets are divided. If teams just leave the assets stay with "last man standing" as does the name. I'd bet that WasSU and OrSU are not left alone as last two at the table full of money. I'd guess the remaining other eight will "just happen" to vote to dissolve and allocate the day before the "surprise" mail* from the B1G or BXII shows up. My guess is some coming Monday UW/UO/Cali-Stan and the Four Corners vote to dissolve (8-2) vote. The following day are eight "surprise" pressers announcing new conference homes for each. *PAC bylaws do not allow a school to vote on dissolution after they announce departure.

Don't forget Michigan.

These are my guesses; I'll save y'all from the rationale behind them until we're REALLY bored in June. 16 Berg 24 Johannes 18 Perron 28 Emerson 7 Pyke 20 Pehrson 6 Britt 25 Zmolek 4 Wiebe 15 Benoit 3 Livanavage 2 Komzak 32 Persson 30 Hedquist

Seriously? Washington State University can't track and document its revenues and expenses? That screams "big time". And they were overpaid by media during Covid and media want that money back. Whups. And there has to be a good joke in there about the PAC12 leaving San Fran. I still do believe they (WasSU) and OrSU will be left with only MWC chairs when the PAC12 fire sale music stops. (The MWC might inherit the "PAC" name with them.) https://from.wsu.edu/president/2023/athletics-budget-update/email.html?fbclid=IwAR0oBIZ12NRADBpImnZ5kci5XQ_Ok3kVY6vyz_LdLNWfO8qB5HnzMWwWc2A

Uniform talk: I agree the green with green is too busy. And I've never been a fan of the shoulder on the green jersey (again, too busy). The green pants with the white jersey (green hats) could be acceptable. The green jersey with white pants could work. New hat option? We don't have uniforms to go with silver "buckets" so I'd say blacks or whites. https://undfootball360.com/summer-camps-are-upon-us/

Seems we have a 15F/8D/3G roster defined, and it's quickly becoming "slow season" around here. In 2021-22 they announced newcomer jersey numbers in July. I have no idea when that is coming this off-season. With that disclaimer ... Guess the Jersey Number for each of the 2023-24 newcomers: Berg Johannes Perron Emerson Pyke Pehrson Britt Zmolek Wiebe Benoit Livanavage Komzak Persson Hedquist Winner gets a free ride on the UND Monorail with @Blackheart as conductor. Entries open until UND issues a press release announcing. If they add 16F that name/number need not be entered.

Molding Rodents, Purple Cows, at Rat Dogs, at Duluth. Not a lot of mercy in that stretch.

The official schedule has dropped for 2023-24. https://fightinghawks.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule

Are the top five centers Schmaltz, Berg, McLaughlin, Jamernik, and Ness? Or is Perron ready to step in to the center spot as a freshman? I look at that list of possible centers and it gives me hope that the plan is to move from the top six/bottom six mindset into a more modern three scoring lines, one grind-energy line, world. I really only see two "grind" centers (Jamernik, Ness).

He's not perfect, and far from great on many days, but it's a start and willing to focus on Grand Forks.

One of my favorite UND profs was a Bobcat.

Demand better of KNOX. Where's the weekly hour with "Mayor Bo"? Support Neil Carlson; he's the closest there is to north Valley local right now. https://inewz.tv/about-us/ Reach out to BEK out of Bismarck. Yeah, they show political bias, but they still cover local. https://www.bek.tv/ There are great examples to build or follow. And yeah, "fishwrap" or "dead trees" is history in a digital world.

To your point, three of the four incoming 2023 freshmen defensemen are DOB-older than Brent Johnson. Heck, Jubenvill, coming in 2024(!) is only three months younger than Johnson.

Mr Davis made the decision he believes is best for him. I wish him well ... ... except against UND should they meet, where he should fumble no fewer than four times and at least two need to be scoop-and-scores for UND.

And Florida really didn't look sharp (compared to games one and two) last night and was without Barkov most of the game.

Development or fit? Moore and Johnson (and Bast at times) just didn't adapt to the style of defensive play. They would make poor puck management decisions (i.e. "up the middle" instead of "high off the glass"). They seemed to be playing a USHL style in an NCHC (next stop: pros) world. Did they get outstanding support from mature defensive forwards? Undoubtedly no. But when you are a defenseman, your job is defense and smart puck decisions and coverage and positioning first. Can you say that's how they consistently played. As far as next year (roster fall 2024), I'll finally say the roster seems to be stabilizing: At defense we'll lose the three Portals but we have Strathmann, Jubenvill, and either Ausmus or McInnis, or who knows if Berry-winkle has another recruit-rabbit in his hat. The defense names that don't come '24 will be fall '25s (as I won't be surprised if Zmolek and/or Wiebe are just two year guys with UND). At forward we'll only "time out" one guy (Portal Johannes), and I'm not sure who'll stay or go beyond that. I doubt Albrecht stays for fall '24 but even he has eligibility. Ness, Jamernik, Gaber all have Covid seasons they could use in fall '24. Could one or more leave early? I could see needing 2 up to 8 forwards fall of '24. The pipeline, including Singleton (questionable) and Pilgrim (projected fall '25) is presently eight. I'd say that's finally getting back to "normal". At goalie, it's goalie. Let's hope Persson and Hedquist are the two year and four year solutions. That means they need a backup to Hobie fall of '25 (plus a third G to replace Johnson). That's more than manageable. Has it been a ugly "scramble to the Portal for needs" run? Undoubtedly. But to my eye things are returning to stability and there are no glaring "blanks" in recruiting classes, the pipeline, for fall 2024 and what's needed for fall 2025 seems to be a D, a couple F, and a starting G.

No disrespect intended, but worst case (say if Monty can't go, has a setback, in August) in a Portal world finding a 4th/5th liner is not "find" but "pick" the one you want and can get enrolled for fall. Harsh? Yes. Truthful? Yes.

1. Q bled numbers at D nearly as bad as UND; and he's moving home to CT (probably a cheap* get). 2. UMD had issues on the back end last year too. 3. And he just may be a better fit in the OSU system (more down the middle; less along the wall). And given what's coming in, those guys are now small, even compared to the freshmen (save for Livanavage). Methinks part of the defensive overhaul was to bulk up yet stay mobile. *Never forgot about scholarships and dollars.

I worried exactly that about DeRidder. ( @stoneySIOUX can attest.) He was seeing about 35 shots at MSU. UND goalies tend to only see 25.

Sounds like "Head of HR" to me.

If it's so easy, why in the dozen years since 2011 hasn't "drop N" happened. Clearly they can pick and choose any time they want (USC/UCLA).

If the B1G were going to drop N for losing AAU status it would've happened years ago. Nebraska entered the B1G in 2011 and lost AAU later that same year.

Why are you assuming anyone will be? I just stated the "how it would happen." No one leaves willingly.

" ... a little like the mule with the spinning wheel. No one knows how he got it and danged if he knows how to use it."