Wilbur

I've been to two Nickel games in my lifetime and you could just feel the energy in the building. First time was UND-NDSU at the Fargo Dome, where UND and NDSU were both bad, and with a pretty good defensive effort (and backup QB) UND won the game 12-6. Last one I saw would have been the last time the teams ever played. 4th and 1....quick pitch right to Malone.....digger....... I don't care whats been said or done. The schools need to play each other every year again. That year that UND won 12-6 both teams weren't going anywhere, but beating NDSU made the sting of losing Klosterman go away. And the sting of getting murdered at home that year to Central Washington or whatever it was Potato bowl weekend go away. I'm glad that other sports have resumed the rivalry, its time for football to figure out a way.

I've heard that its in the UND football facility somewhere. I'm kind of hoping it gets stolen again, just for old time sake. Some of my favorite times with the rivalry was the trophy disappearing only to reappear the week of the game. Not that the two teams will play again for some time. But it does create some creativity in getting the trophy back.

Back then there was no Gretzky. The first time I got kind of introduced to the sidekick was when I was in school at UND. I had no idea this other ultra UND uber fan existed.

Should be put in a museum somewhere with the scores of every official meeting between the schools. That would be pretty cool. My dads old frat stole the trophy a while back and I got some pictures taken with the trophy. Pretty cool. Heavier than it looks.

Whoops...four pages later....yep... Valpo...

That may have been the post of the year Brian.....jerk.... My dad worked for the NBC affiliate in North Dakota that aired the high school hockey tournament. Every year he worked the tournament I got to go down in the locker room area (never saw the Sioux locker room open though...grrr..). Sometimes we would just walk around the rink after everyone had left as well either Friday after the semis or the championship on Saturday. Lots of memories in that place. One time we swore we were being followed....and we were.....Kauker.....

Don't apologize. This is a message board where opinions are shared. Some are mature enough to agree to disagree on some points and then move on. Others hold a personal vendetta and never let it go. I was just giving Brian some crap....we go way back....well kind of way back. Quick favorite old Ralph deano moment: After they sweep the gophs there is a skirmish on the ice, and somehow someway Dean gets a stick on the bench while the officials are trying to get players off the ice and gives the crowd a stick salute. Classic Deano.

Hey troll, I was hoping to read your favorite old Ralph moment, but I guess when you're too busy trolling memories aren't the first thing that come to mind.

Note, I said several different reasons were probably to blame. Like the ones you listed.

My belief is that the Alerus center is to blame as well. There are probably several other reasons, but that is number one in my opinion. Bring in field turf, renovate it however you want, its just not the place I want to be on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the fall. Heck, a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon would be fine at an outdoor stadium.

Unfortunately many of them will probably be gone by halftime in a game that UND should win by at least 50. The biggest thing for me will be how many people are in the stadium when the shoe hits the leather, and what the atmosphere is like in the first quarter. Attendance wise, I'll say over 10,000....I hope....

Only years later do I realize how lucky I was to play games in the old Ralph. From Pee Wee games to high school select tryouts and games, it was surreal at the time, but I have so much more respect for the building now then I ever did then. I also feel pretty lucky to have played intramural hockey in the new building. When my son grows up I'll tell him about my game winning goal with under two minutes left in the game to beat the eventual league champion (jerks got us in the playoffs). It was the same end where Kellen Briggs gave up kind of a big goal....

Guess I had never seen a picture of the Sioux locker room. I'd been in the visitors locker room, but never got to see the Sioux room. Thanks.

Sad day today as the old building comes down. Lots of great memories, and very thankful that a lot of you shared them.

I'm most interested in how the QB situation plays itself out. All sorts of weapons out there, need to find the right guy to get them the football. My guess is Joe from Detroit Lakes, but would not be surprised if Joe is #2 for Vanderbilt.

I'll check with him on that one, but being the child of a former Lambda Chi frat boy still gets me the Tabula lot....guess I should've been a frat boy.

Ahh yes...Lambda Chi, right across the street from the new Ralph. My dad loves the fact that he gets to park in their lot for games he gets too. Funny you mention the Rahjahs....my dad has a story or two about them. I'll throw in another Old Ralph memory.....As a seventh grader we played a post season pee wee tournament in the old Ralph. I was a goalie and stayed in the net a few moments after the end of the period to kind of collect my thoughts. After the end of a period the zam doors open behind me and a guy comes and takes the net off the moorings, and says "nice period buddy, I used to coach in Minot, good luck!" I turn and look, and its none other than Dean Blais. Made the entire tournament for me. My dad taped the entire tournament from the old press box. And I watch it from time to time just to get a look at the rink.

It never pays off to be a goaltender with a two syllable last name like "WAGGGGGGGNER......WAGGGGNNNNNER....." Pretty sure I saw Pateman from Mankato State cry one time.....literally the whole game they students were on him.....wow. I'm pretty sure my mom left a game between the Sioux and Mankato feeling horrible for him and his mother....and girlfriend.....and sisters.....and so on....

I should have titled this thread, "Best memories from the old Ralph." I have so many its stupid. When I was a Pee Wee hockey player my team got the opportunity to see the Sioux play when we had a weekend of games in Grand Forks. Quinn Fylling just so happened to be on my team and I remember all of us thinking that he'd play for the Sioux some day with the way he dominated back in those days. Anyways, back to the story....I was a huge Toby Kvalevog fan and our team got to sit right by the UND net for the game against Duluth. The Sioux lost, but getting to be so close to one of many Sioux heroes as a kid was pretty special.

Love reading some of the great moments so far. Keep them coming! Loudest I've ever heard the Ralph was when the Sioux were playing BU in the 96-97 season. Chris Drury and company rolled out to a 3-1 lead after the first period, but UND scored in the third period to take a 5-4 lead and the place went nuts. Also remember Central grad Tim O'Connell getting a fighting major after a BU guy got a little too close to Aaron Schweitzer. Memories....

Bismarck Sacred Cross

Your memory is good, but not exactly correct. A couple of Bismarck/former WCHA players have said they will never get over that game. One is former UND defenseman Mitch Vig, the other is former UMD bulldog and current BHS coach/Bismarck Bobcat assistant Mike Peluso. But I'm sure that the entire Bismarck team would say that as they were the overwhelming favorite that year. As for the game, Minot led basically the entire game. Bismarck tied the game 6-6 late in the third, only to have Phillion give Minot the 7-6 lead. Then Bismarck tied it up basically the next shift, only to have Phillion score the game winner on an extremely weak shot glove side on the Bismarck goaltender. Phillion didn't leave the ice for the last 5 minutes of the game, and was a crossbar away in the final seconds from breaking the tournament record for points. He tied a former GFC player with 15 points in three games. Can't remember the GFC player's name.

I was always under the impression the visiting team had a locker room at Memorial Stadium. I was at a UNO-UND game with my dad and was shocked when I saw them walking into the Ralph at half time. I remember UND fans yelling at those players telling them "Take your cleats off so you don't mess up our rink". Or, "Why don't you just change outside, that rink is for champions!"

Not usually one to start a thread, but I think Brad created a nice talking point on his blog. I'd love to hear what your favorite Old Ralph Engelstad arena moment is before the wrecking ball rolls Monday. It can be Sioux related, or it can pertain to high school games that took place. There probably has been a thread before, but I'm too lazy to look it up. I have a couple: 1. Minot High 8....Bismarck High 7. 1991 State High School championship game for the ages. Future Fighting Sioux role guy Tom Phillion was amazing. Ohh, and goaltending optional. 2. When I was a kid sitting next to the pep band with my dad, and hearing the whole arena, I mean literally the whole arena sing the beer song after the school song when the Sioux scored the go ahead goal in the third period. My old man got tears in his eyes. Great moment. One of the first Sioux games I really remember going to. 3. 2000. I was in high school at a select tryout at the Old Ralph. They changed our practice times around the Sioux game against Boston College. Getting to see the team come back to the arena Sunday morning and getting to talk to some of the players after that was awesome. I couldn't believe how young Karl Goehring looked. I guess he still looks like he's twelve. Anybody else for a stroll down memory lane?

If Maris got to hit at the current Yankee stadium think of the home runs he'd have hit with the short porch in right.