The Sicatoka

The best solution involves fixing the Gary Bettman problem. After this year's rating debacle you have to think NBC (who has Olympic and NHL rights) will be begging to get the pros to Beijing. And this probably exactly what Bettman and the owners wanted.

So who'll get to 30 first? The New York Yankees or Grand Forks Central.

We've been too short on the bench to institute "skate or sit". It needs to be.

Grand Forks Central hung number 27 last night. Redskins. Maroon and Grey. Knights. Central wins because they are Central. North Dakota should take note win because they are North Dakota. It ain't the nickname; it's the effort.

I'll say it again: I never believed Rhett Gardner was such a key to the team. They are winless when he's out of the lineup.

Oh that silly old Section 20.02.5.2(b) requirement: 20.02.5 "Multisport Conference" of the DI manual is an interesting read.

Central wins with any nickname because they are Central.

It's a $60 million endowment to restore WIH. So, ... What are gold medals going for on eBay these days? Talk is cheap; takes money to play hockey.

SIU did it over the course of 5 years. See link.

Isn’t that the slogan of this Olympics?

I’m sure I could pick a team of all Minnesotans to play for the Goldy Goophies.

That’s right. Those buildings, they’re history.

Dear Mr. Kawaguchi, It’s almost March. Please feel free to score at an insane pace like last spring.

They are an eyesore and right on the main path (University) through campus from 42nd to Columbia. Not a great welcome mat. Clean it up. Come off I-29, go past the tech incubator and the CAS complex to see that mess: not a good impression. Clean it up; put in better.

I have my moments.

And with Fetch’s final edict ... locked.

Not good news coming out of MVFC member Southern Illinois. Seems they could use someone to make some tough calls to manage their finances. https://dailyegyptian.com/79417/sports/siu-athletics-running-on-cumulative-deficit-of-26-million/

One more reason why ratings are down: The self-loving self-ingratiating “look at my hair and make-up and clothes” high-maintenance diva below ... and the blonde in the photo too. https://goo.gl/images/6dNqir

Kinda hip kinda now kinda cool kinda wow. IALTO.

Hey, ... take a knee.

The coverage is, well, not watchable: Too much sniff-sniff feel good stuff and "with the athletes" stuff, no medal ceremonies, and not enough actual sport. Toss in a little fawning over a dictator's little sister and ... VOILA! Ratings. Crapper. < harrumph, harrumph, harrumph >

I have no insights, just a peek at stats, but, what if Huber is instead of Keane? We need scoring and Keane hasn't been "offensively dynamic" in quite a while.

Wait a dadgummed minute here ... Norway > Slovenia > USA? Ludwig Hoff > Troy Terry?

I'm pretty sure I see my monorail in there!

My plan: April 15, 2017 (post NCAA Championship game) The six NCAA conferences, in conjunction with USA Hockey, take their teams' active rosters, subtract any seniors, add in any admitted freshmen (for fall 2017). Then they eliminate all non-US players from the list. Then the conference (by coaches consensus) create the Americans-Only All < conference name here > team. The conference's team is coached by selection of a coach by whatever mechanism the conference chooses (reigning champ, vote of coaches, vote of media, draw straws, this); however, the chosen coach must be American (obviously). Additionally, the leagues are ordered 1-6 by league-wide 2016-17 KRACH finish. July 2017: The start of single elimination play. Yup, no round-robin; one game, save costs. At site chosen by USA Hockey (assume bid process): Thursday -- 1 and 2 seed get byes Afternoon session: 3 plays 6 Night session: 4 plays 5 (winners advance to ...) Friday -- Afternoon session: if 6 won, plays 1; if 3 won plays 2 Night session: 4/5 winner against 1 or 2 (based on winner of Thu afternoon game) Sunday afternoon -- Friday's winners play for a trip to South Korea to be "Team USA". League adjusts its conference schedules for 2017-18 schedule to account for stars gone to Olympics.