The Sicatoka

Guys. Seriously? Quit invoking that name. It's like saying "Biggie Smalls" three times into a mirror.

That %$^& freshman Janatuinen tipped Stecher's goal! Just for that he owes me a goal every game for the rest of the season.

Crazy as this sounds, could Bubba and his staff have a long-range plan to rebuild the program? 1. Rebuild defense. 2. Establish offensive identity (run) and build to that goal by re-establishing an offensive line. 3. Add some skill players (with big play potential) around the core offense after it's established to keep opponents "honest" (not selling out to stop the run). To the casual, untrained eye, it would seem that's the "big picture" that Bubba sees. I know, I know, crazy talk.

SDSU has a defense? Where was it?

Honestly, the result in Brookings. I thought SDSU would make a run at knocking NDSU off. Silly me. Normally home field advantage is worth about 3.5 points. Toss that in and SDSU and UND played about the same against NDSU. That surprises me. The Jacks were top ten ranked going in and were a no-show.

They did their best to get that crippling early season non-conf loss on Friday (going down 2-0 early).

(DISCLAIMER: Score comparisons are terrible. Too many "other" factors involved. I get that.) I guess I'm surprised that SDSU lost at home by 21 to NDSU when NDSU (at home) beat UND by 25.

UNDoubtedly, this group meets at GroUND RoUND. I find their belief unfoUNDed as well.

Why do people think I threw ScoUNDrels in there? Just cause I'm dirty and rotten?

And now we go live to the former mayor of Bismarck's home:

With all the turnover I just realized I'm going to have to buy a game program ...

ESPN math. (I wondered the same. My guess: NYY hadn't secured first WC yet so they were part of it, then TEX, CLE et al.)

Chance of winning second wild card (per ESPN this morning): HOU 53% ANA 35% MIN 6%

Robbing banks is dumb unless you really know you can get away with it. It's not the locals but the Feds who come after you.

We're all expecting the defense to tend to the business at hand until the forwards acclimate and the goaltending establishes itself (see: 43:19). This means we'll have freshman scoring in droves, lights-out goaltending, and shaky defense, to start the season.

Wow ... The Forum has created an interactive map to keep track of all the activity. Interactive map: Rash of robberies not unusual, Fargo police say http://www.inforum.com/news/3850122-interactive-map-rash-robberies-not-unusual-fargo-police-say

Connectivity improvements. Cell phone charging. And beer. http://undhockey.areavoices.com/?p=100867

That "hawk in a headdress" logo going around has already been litigated in court. It belongs to someone (not of UND) and they've already gone to court to protect their ownership rights once. (Someone had linked to the news reports here once already.)

You are wise, Grasshopper.

WPG v. MIN would sell. MAN v. IOWA ... not so much. There may be a better game on that same ice the next night ...

So they've moved up from gas stations to liquor stores.

Stecher.

Be happy. Maybe this is the "flip" from the by-gone days. The Montanas went FCS (DI-AA) and the Dakotas stayed DII. Now the Dakotas appear to be the ones making the forward move this time around. But there are a lot of other shoes to drop I suspect before all this sorts out.

Oh, I'm well aware of the benefits of Coaches Club level. And no, I'm not selling you the parking pass for 1/3 of face.