shep

Perhaps this was more of a critique of Virg than the players, but I think it's realistic to say that these guys have been underachievers and simply pointing that out in any way doesn't make me less of a fan anymore than being blind to the team's faults makes a person a better "fan" for never saying anything but Candyland drivel that everything is nice and sugary here. But in order to be cheerleader of the board for awhile let me say I wish Brady Murray was fully healthy cause he's wicked good.

I think it's important to be aware of the women's team being in a building phase for a few more years and that it takes time to develop a winner. That said, I am skeptical as to how significant a place women's hockey will ever have at UND and I will only point to the fact that this weekend, the place will likely not be sold out for a men's playoff game. I haven't been to a women's game and I doubt I ever will be at one (until my nieces start playing for the Sioux in 15 years.)

Unwary Sioux fans who have to watch these three get way too much icetime.

According to the post game show, Colby Genoway was on crutches after suffering a "back injury." I can't recall seeing when he got hurt. Anyone have an update on this?

I think it's JPar till the end and I hope his performance this weekend ends any further notions about Brandt coming back.

Thank you!

Does anyone have the brackets. I know who plays today, but do the afternoon winners play early tomorrow night or do they get the late game? Thanks

I guess I understand your desire for a "spark" and I've seen a goalie be that spark in games, but this team needs a healthy Brady Murray to be the spark if you ask me. On a side note, I see the AZ in your name and I loved my time in Phoenix a couple weeks ago golfing and watching the FBR. Just a beautiful, great time.

GO GPR!! Our goalie is playing well and we have The Line; we just need the D to step up in the tourny and get some contribution from the 2nd and 3rd lines. Years ago we had the Brodeur, French, Pederson line that set the record in scoring, but we got trounced by a very good Central team in the final. I'm not sure I've seen a team more motivated than South who must be saying "Remember last year."

I'm not making any negative comments about his accident nor his decision to ride a snowmobile but the truth is, he's the third goalie on a team with two pretty good goalies and I see no reason to bring him in to end the year. He is not the magic elixir that will end the Sioux skid. In my humble opinion.

Oops. I forgot that part. Actually wouldn't it have been better if we could have kept the top two scorers from going early??

Let me see if I get this straight. We aren't scoring goals so the natural reaction is to replace the goalies with one who hasn't played all year, broke a collarbone snowmobiling over Christmas break and he's supposed to give the team a "spark." Hmm... Can't say I would do that, but to each his own. Also, I recall his performance in the "clutch" last year and he didn't really impress me.

Who am I, Nostradamus?? I took a shot. I just have a bad feeling about this team against "lesser" teams right now (see Bemidji State) and frankly last weekend didn't turn out so well either. That's my story and I'm...uh...well there's a clever saying here, but I can't remember it.

I'll take the under on the 4.5 We get swept at AA, split with SC and sweep WI for some much needed mo going into the playoffs. But what do I know?? We really need the "Denver syndrome" to come into play two years in a row. Use great goaltending with some D (that stays out of the box) to offset a weak O. I'm not confident it will happen. The good news...pitchers and catchers report in two weeks.

The way they are playing now doesn't convince me they will sweep AA. That's always tough and two points seems more likely. Anything can happen in the playoffs and I have confidence in our goalie(s) standing out and stealing a win for us somewhere along the line. There is no real O to speak of, so staying out of the box (not likely) and playing a more disciplined game will be necessary to imitate the Denver scenario from last year. IMO

You're absolutely correct about this being an opinion, and you're very much entitled to it, but you seem to suggest that you have personal knowledge about this, and I'm just wondering if that is true. Has a player told you that he reads this board and that it hurts him when he sees bad things about him? If that is true, how does it affect him? Is a guy going out there thinking "Geez, I better not mess up or Shep will be all over me on the Sioux board" or anything like that?

Are you serious? I think of all the things the players have to concern themselves with, what a bunch of slackers (like me) say on a message board has to be way down there with "taking advice from the guy at the bar". If this affects them negatively, then perhaps playing hockey on a national stage like UND wasn't for them in the first place, but if they ever expect to make the leap to the NHL, do you have any idea what is said about Pro players in the NEWSPAPER??? Or on TV???

Goon, I see the Bruin logo and the Bob Stanley reference. Per chance do we share favorite baseball teams too? HINT: They beat the dastardly Yankees in the greatest comeback in sports history to win the ALCS and then won the WS

One thing about expectations involves a post on this very board where the recruits stats are shown and I think that fills our heads with too much hope when the reality is that even the all time Sioux greats have had Freshmen struggles. I may be trying to have it both ways here, but I think the D has been disappointing at times, and yet, when you give the best team in the country 4 goals in a weekend, you can't say D is the problem. Can you?

One other thing. If I thought for a second that Greene could remedy his tendency to take stupid penalties, I'd love to see him come back, but when the same thing is happening in the middle of Jan that occurred back in October you have to be concerned about his learning curve. Goon indicated that Greene commented after the game about the penalty (I didn't hear it) and suggested it was a referee issue. NEWSFLASH: If you take your right hand, place it near the bottom of the stick, place your left near the top then hold the stick parallel to the ground and with bond hands slam it into the back of the opposition player standing in front of you while the ref stands nearby watching, YOU ARE GOING TO BE CALLED FOR A PENALTY EVEN IN THE NHL!!

My thanks to Redwing for the apology re: me being an idiot, though in many cases the term will apply to me anyway (just not this time) and congrats to Ruffian for very sage comments. Go Sioux!

If this is just a head-in-the-sand, rose colored glasses, cheerleader board, then this should be locked, but I'm just sick of watching this guy play so undisciplined, and I don't care how big he is. If he's so big why does he need to blatantly crosscheck a guy when he's standing in front of a ref while killing a penalty. This guy is not helping the team when he does that and if we're here to be Sioux Cheerleaders, then we should all be upset by that. And I don't care what any scouting reports say.

So that Matt Greene can turn pro and find that even in the NHL, you can't whack a guy in the back with both hands on your stick and not be called for a penalty!!! I bet this thug has done that now at least 4 or 5 times a. while killing a penalty and b. with the referee standing there watching him. I expect his defenders will not even be able to give the "he isn't used to how the refs are calling it" reply as it's the middle of January and if he is that incapable of figuring things out he shouldn't be playing. And again, it occurs when the Sioux dominate a period and if they kill the penalty get to go back on the attack but this thug has to screw that up. Please NHL come back so he can go!!!