The Sicatoka

IALTO!

Those poor, poor Bismarck High School kids.

The members of this committee would be well served to read some history. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/18/sports/ncaabasketball/18marquette.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 A "Sundogs" category* nickname would retrace these (mis)steps that should never be followed again. *Pick your favorite duckies and bunnies, rainbows and unicorns, name. That's the category I speak of. I'd say "Golden Eagles" and "Lightning" are one level above that.

"The Last Committee 2.0" meets later today for the first time. http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/3695105-und-nickname-committee-faces-time-crunch

Didn't you hear him? Four.

I'd go with the bigger, stronger, meaner one down on the blocks. Poor Jim.

More geography: We've already seen Chicago and Boston. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ

Mafia likes to take it to a more easy listening feel every now and then. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo6aKnRnBxM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lFxGBB4UGU

Today's Top 16 PWR are: 1. NCHC 2. WCHA 3. NCHC 4. NCHC 5. WCHA 6. HEA 7. NCHC 8. NCHC 9. HEA 10. HEA 11. WCHA 12. ECAC 13. ECAC 14. B1G 15. HEA 16. NCHC I don't see AHA in that list. They take 16. I only see one B1G in that list of 16; reasonable to assume they are a one-bid at 15. With just two ECAC teams, it's reasonable to assume slot 14 won't be safe for an at-large either. Allow for one "surprise" from NCHC, WCHA, or HEA, and slot 13 isn't safe for an at-large as well. I'm thinking you want to be holding PWR12 or better come selection Sunday.

Jim Kelly and Andre Reed can probably identify pretty closely.

With a 16 team tournament and 6 automatic bids, and the parity in college hockey today, the only safe zones are PWR10 and higher or holding a conference tournament trophy. How can I say this? Would anyone really be shocked beyond belief at SCSU or WMU winning the NCHC tournament title? How about Penn State winning the B1G?

I'd like to see a return to "home sites" for the top 4 in PWR with one additional requirement: "Home" has to have a minimum of 8000 (10000?) seats so visiting fans have some hope for tickets. Too big you say? Well, in my idea, before the season each team would have to declare where they'll host if they finish top 4 and if that means a facility other than their home rink, so be it. You'd have to have some strategic alignment between certain schools. For example, DU, CC, and USAFA would all have to approach Pepsi Center in Denver. MSU-Mankato, SCSU, and UMD would all probably have to approach Target Center or The X. Quinnipiac and Yale would probably pair up. What if say UMD and MSU-Mankato both declared "The X" before the season and both are top seeds? Well, in a word, logistics. And a ton of bucks for that rink.

I feel confident in saying, with a new coaching staff for football, the focus is now on MBB. I'd say the coaching staff has burned up any margin they may have had.

Maine and Vermont headed to OT.

Maine ties it with 4:41 left in regulation.

Maine is 0-7 on the powerplay. Same score; 10 minutes to play.

Uh ... that's a job for Mafia or Blackheart ...

And Maine scores. Vermont 2 Maine 1 (3rd)

Rangers / Blackhawks (NBCSN) is much more watchable.

You have that RPI/Clarkson score backwards. http://www.collegehockeynews.com/schedules/scoreboard.php

IF no MarkMac and IF no Nick Schmaltz, does Luke Johnson move to center?

I have Maine at Vermont, Game 3, on FCSA: The General's brother vs. the Black Bears in blue.

My guess is we'll hear nothing until the standard Tuesday press conference.

I'm torn on which Edgar Winter song to put here: Free Ride or Frankenstein

"Your black cards can make you money so you hide them when you're able; In the land of milk and honey you must put them on the table. ... You go back, jack, do it again."