shep

Exactly. Btw, if a team is in such desperate need for a goalie, why would they take a college goalie and not say...uh, Goehring whom I think most agree is a better goalie. Well maybe not most here.

Maybe this could work for some limited reason, but the ONLY opinions that count here are the NCAA's and the Tribes. If we don't have the Tribes support the NCAA will make it painful to keep the name.

Will the Engelstad Channel have it on Midco???

My tix show tomorrow's game to be at 1:30 but I'm hearing it's a night game. Who can tell me for sure? Thanks

Good points. He made some tough ones, too, but ... It just bugs me when he doesn't make the ones we expect. Yeah, I wonder about the draft picks alot this year. I'm not saying it's over for this season, but assuming everyone comes back (where else would they go?) next year could be special.

Parise let in two soft goals. PERIOD. The second one was soft and for sure the last one was soft, and though the Parise apologists don't see it that way, I'm glad there are some here who did and the Coach noted that on the OT goal "Jordan missed it". Toby Kvaalevag would have made that save. Just noting that an avg goalie could have got the job done. I can't believe this is a "refs fault" game, but when you don't want to blame the team for less than stellar play, I guess you have to look to blame someone else.

Seriously, what are the odds of making the playoffs if the following occurs: Get swept: Any real chance??? Win one game but lose the series: Win the series 2-1 Sweep. I always thought it was based on winning or losing the series, but I sense some feel that a game won even though the series is lost could still get them in. Is that possible???

Anyone know when (and who) GPr will play on Thursday?? Or does it depend on the outcome of the Central-North game for seeding?

How do you all feel that the state hockey tourny will not have two of these four teams: G-PR, North, West Fargo or Central? I still wish they would cross regionalize them with the top two seeds on each side guaranteed spots in the State tourny with the others playing off for a spot.

Red As usual we will have to agree to disagree. Compared to your sunny optimism that I find overly exuberant ("Chorney as Lidstrom" may have set me over the edge) I sound like I'm always dim on the Sioux, but I just don't automatically think they are all doing great now and that they all will be NHL all stars later that's all. I don't think that Smaby has the speed to keep up in the new no touch NHL, but time will tell. I also don't have a definintion for leadership but you are right, I am pining for the Dave Tippett days, and to answer someone above, no I didn't get upset when that team lost because I knew they were playing hard every game and didn't take shifts off.

As for leadership, I mentioned Dave Tippett a while back. That was leadership. The player that got the job done on both ends of the ice and simply willed his team to W's. I know Smaby is a D man, and it's not his fault that Stafford sleeps through shifts, but I've seen too many dumb penalties or defensive lapses by Smaby to make me believe that counts as leadership. You use Greene Chara and Boogaard in supporting Smaby's quest to play in the NHL. Thus far Greene has played 16 (out of 56) games and Chara is really the only regular on your list. Beyond that, even suggesting that Smaby is in their company due to his size is like saying that Manute Bol and Shaq are in the same company because they are both over 7 feet tall. You know I jumped all over what I thought were Greeen's stupid penalties last year, but even I concede that he has greater potential to stick in the NHL if only b/c I can't remember Smaby's defensive play being as strong as Greene's. You would agree with that wouldn't you? I haven't looked at the TBay prospect list, but as a big baseball fan, I'm suspicious of such lists as they are fun to look but sometimes are unable to accurately predict future value.

Very good points. Many NHL'ers are still trying to figure that out. Plus, I'm not sure what evidence exists about leadership. Not that long ago, many people chimed in that the Frosh were doing their part but the upper classmen weren't. It starts with the C doesn't it? That said, I hope he stays as we need all the experience we can get next year.

I do not agree with it either and I'm sooooooooo tired of reading that "the team" plays worse in front of Phil so that's the reason to put Parise in. I just can't see how that's a justification to bench a goalie. I can't figure out the cause-effect of that issue (why the team plays worse OFFENSIVELY in front of Phil) but to say that's the reason to play Parise over him implies that it isn't based on who the better goalie is-it's all based on the team performance in front of that goalie. Nor do I agree that Parise is Karl Goehring. When Parise leads us to a title I'll be reconsidering it.

I agree with most of what you wrote but I am not sure that this year's version of Parise is the same as last year's. I've been a bit sour on Parise since the soft goals he gave up during the Gopher series, but even I haven't come on to attack people's views about it like the guy who started this post has. You say you've been here, but "lost" your old tagline, but I can't recall anyone coming on with the same fervor about your views as you have. Who were you???

I go to the games hoping. I really do. In fact I EXPECT them to win. But, I've been so disappointed at times by the play on the ice, I can't watch. I go the bar to drown the pain. I just can't watch it sometimes. I felt so pis*ed after the second Goofer game that I couldn't stand it especially watching all the smug bastard Goofer fans celebrating. Yes, sometimes I bring that anger/hostility/disappointment here and I may share more of my gut wrenching disappointment than some want to hear, but this is SIOUX HOCKEY and I just expect more.

White Stripes-Seven Nation Army should be played in full. Occasionally you hear the bassline but then they have to cut it when the puck drops. I do love the band's frequent renditions of In Heaven There is No Beer. Good stuff.

I just can't see how last year's team and this year's can be compared in a meaningful way. Half the apologists on here say that this year's team is full of freshmen and they need time to get better etc. True they are freshmen and last year's team, especially on D, was senior laden or experienced. As far as I can tell, the only way the two teams are similar is that they both donned a Sioux uniform. Red, you never fail to surprise me with your unbridled (and sometimes virtually unrealistic) hope, but do you really think this team will go 8-2 over the last ten??? I don't know what the bookies have those odds at, but I'd love to buy into some of that action.

Other than the first game against Mankato, I have not seen them come out for a game with a really good jump. They seem to wait for the opposition to take it to them and somewhere around the third period they seem to get it and begin playing SIOUX HOCKEY! That to me is the biggest and weirdest thing. When you read the comments in the paper it seems they all know it but they can't seem to change it. As skilled as they may be, they sometimes seem to want to make the extra, pretty pass or something when shooting should be the option. I keep thinking about Dave Tippett. This team has plenty of skilled players but no Dave Tippett type who would have clenched the puck in his teeth to kill a PP or gone through the boards to send the opponent a message. It needs a leader like that in my opinion.

I couldn't have said it better myself. The thing that grates on me is that many will say that I'm not a "good fan" because I see how they are playing and I don't like it and I say it so they say I have a dim attitude or that I can't lose hope or it's important to keep the faith, blah, blah, blah. But if you are a long time Sioux fan you EXPECT more than this. You EXPECT SIOUX HOCKEY TO BE GREAT NOT MEDIOCRE!!!!! PERIOD.

You know, I like how the Fabian, Prpich, Kaip line will bang people around. However, when they are on the ice I get the feeling that there is almost no chance that they will score. Even checking lines should be able to chip in with a goal now and then. Goaltending has not been the problem. This team has two very good goalies that both deserve to play.

This is my first BB thread and though I respect what Glas has accomplished it appears it may be time to move on. Plus I love this type of speculation and c'mon, you gotta have some what-might-have-beens when you see what Mac is doing at UNI.

I prefer to be hopeful about things that offer HOPE. For example, that stock I own that has lost money for the last two quarters is probably not gonna turn into a goldmine just because I hope it will. Same with this team, but it doesn't trouble me if you want to keep the hope in your heart, I'm just going to live with reality, thank you.

Forgive me, but I thought (expected) this was one of the "easier" home series. If they go 5-3 you think that's gonna be good enough or that it's a win-or-go-home first round proposition.

I expected the rah-rah replies, but c'mon...two goals at HOME against SCSU??? C'mon!!!! We have to CHEER about that??? I may be heading to AZ to golf in March, and I can't wait.

You're right. You did say "potential." I just get turned off about even naming pros that college freshmen may be like some day as there is really no way to make a valid comparison because they are freshmen and so many things would have to go exactly right to become that great player.