DamStrait

I got mine with my men's tix.

Pot to Kettle: You're black!

What do you mean? All a Sioux player needs to win it is just to set the (still standing) single season record for points What, you think the bar is too high? I also find it interesting to note that Bo didn't make cstv's list.

Believe me, I wish I could say that there is no way that UMN will 3-peat and mean it, but I can't. Truth is they'll be one of the 10 (maybe even as low as 6) or so teams that have a legit shot at the title. I include, hopefully not because of Kelly green tinted glasses, the Sioux in this elite group as well. UMN has won the last two with slightly better than crap goaltending. That's more than a bit unsettling to me. As Sagard points out, sure UMN got some good luck the last couple of years, but they had a lot of bad luck the previous 22.

I would love REA to do something about this along the lines of the game webcasts. I know I'd pay a few bucks to be able to listen to archived coaches' shows. Maybe another angle for Sioux Illustrated to work?

Ever hear of a guy by the name of Schweitzer?

Lucia definitely belongs. B-to-b NCs are a rare thing. I've lost a lot of respect for him recently as a person, for lack of a better word (since I don't know him personally), but as a coach, the results speak for themselves.

Nothing personal against either Brandt or Ranfranz, and without considering their stats, the fact is, I'm just not confident with either of them in the net. In tough games, it seems like they play just well enough to let one more in than the opposition. I'm looking for a 'tender that makes all the saves he should, makes a few he shouldn't, and exudes confidence for all. That's my opinion, I claim no special knowledge, it's just coming from a die-hard Sioux fan callin' 'em as he sees 'em.

This one's gonna be long. I love the owner's argument: "Keep me from spending too much of my money!" "Well gee Mr. Owner, I'd love to take your offer, but it's really just too much. Why don't we settle on half that amount and sit down together for a nice lemonade." When have any of the owners turned down what somebody's offered them? "I appreciate the public's willingness to supply me a new arena, but this old one's really just fine with a few renovations that'd cost only a quarter of what a new one will." Spend within your means, do the hard work of developing home-grown talent (through drafts and trades for diamonds-in-the-rough), hire smart hockey people, and you'll be fine. In my opinion, there isn't any 'New York Yankees' of the NHL with revenue sources that dwarf those of any other team in the league, so if everyone spends within their means, there will be de facto revenue sharing without any need to renegotiate the labor agreement (or thus have a lockout/strike). If the NHL does go on strike, does that mean ESPN?/ABC will partially fill the vacancies in the broadcast shedule with NCAA hockey? Nevermind.. I already know the answer to that...

To heck with the name change crowd, they'll whine anyway, short of total capitulation on the issue. Make 'em the sharpest sweaters period. Aim to please those that pay the bills and vote by putting their butts in seats.

I'd like a sweater change, but not from light at home and dark on the road. I'd like the boys to go to a more 'old school' style. Have the road sweaters a non-shiny green with a bigger new Sioux logo and no 'Sioux' lettering on the front. Horizontal not diagonal stripes. An interlocking 'UND' on one shoulder and a 'S' or maybe an outline of the state with crossed tomahawks or maybe one tomahawk and one arrow crossing. Laced collars. Home would be the same except on white. Uni's like that would be like spotting the Sioux two goals each game.

McFeely's got it all wrong here. The average 'SUer hates UND much more than the average UNDer hates 'SU, IMHO. Also, what's the sudden badmouthing of UND's schedule all about? It's not like 'SU hasn't frequently scheduled that powerhouse Moorhead State. McFeely is right about one thing though. The game is more important to 'SU than it is to UND. Thomas is just trying to find out how much more important. He'll sign, but only after he feels he's gotten all he can out of 'SU. That's just looking out for #1.

It's never a good idea to have a Sioux goaltender as a captain. He can't communicate with his team because play is always in the other end.

What do the boys need? Confidence. If they have that, they have enough of everything else to be a very special team. Preseason progostication is a very iffy thing, however. I think both the '97 and Hrkac Circus (if you can believe it!) title teams were picked to finish 5th in the WCHA in preseason polls. But nonetheless, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

No problem Speez. FWIW, your boy is one of the unsung heroes of the Fighting Sioux hockey program. I love guys that give it their all, and although I won't prentend to speak for him, I think Coach Blais feels the same way. Physical errors are understandable, mental errors are inexcusable. If anything could sum up University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey, I think that'd be it.

And what the heck is the 'Ho, chopped liver?

Speez, That was my comment, and it was totally tongue-in-cheek. That's why I put '(jk)', meaning just kidding, immediately after it. Maybe I should have used a smiley to make it more clear. There are some kids that leave school to play in the minors while they still have plenty to learn in the college game, IMHO. I think that it is a shame for some of these kids to miss out on their last years of the college experience just to play buried in the minors, but if the money's right, it's hard to justify staying. It only made sense for David Hale to go. He had nothing left to learn at the NCAA level. He has a realistic shot of making the NHL in his first year of pro hockey. Also, with his health issues the last couple of years, there was the chance that he may never be given the opportunity to sign a pro contract again. I would have loved to have David playing for the Sioux again this year, but he definitely made the right choice. I thought he would be back with UND next year just because I thought that the Devils would want him to prove that his health problems were behind him before signing him.

Go here http://www.fightingsioux.com/info/broadcast/ and then click on the page where this appears: Click here to listen to football broadcast. Do not click on the Teamline link.

This is exactly why I would pick Zach to wear the 'C'. It started out that he was the only one hitting the REA ice everyday between classes, then a bunch followed his example. I think this had a lot to do with their hot start. Hale, on the other hand, couldn't even talk his brother into staying for his senior year (jk). Actually, I think Ryan did a great job last year, especially last off-season, when he helped convince most of the team to stay in GF and work out together. This too, I think, had lots to do with their hot start last season. I'm really torn on who I think ought to be captain. I like Ryan, He's a great worker and the fact that he's not a big scorer is not a consideration in my 'vote'. I do not like at all the way last season ended, however, and I think the captains have to shoulder most of the blame for that. That's why I think it'd be good to have some new blood in the leadership positions this year. I really like Prpich for a leadship position. He has some skills, which again don't enter into my choice, but what I really like about him is his hockey smarts, toughness and tenacity. At Mankato last year, he was the best player on the ice, due mostly to grit and playing smart hockey. This means that two of my three choices would be underclassmen (see below), but so be it. I think generally (meaning all teams at all levels of hockey) the choices made for captains is too conventional and unimaginative, like following a recipe.

Seniors Notermann and Spiewak were great leaders, especially by example, IMHO.

OK tony, time to grow up. Nothing but congratulations to a team most people here love to hate and you respond with this tripe. Get the chip off your shoulder or take it elsewhere.

My $0.02: C: Z. Parise A: Schneider A: Prpich

I agree jk, it's a great idea. Should be simple to do too, since virtually all the games will be webcast.

No harm in his family pointing him in the right direction!

I have always found UMN disgusting, but never entertaining.