iramurphy

Any truth to the rumor that he won't be able to go there because his ACT score is above 20???

Great kid, great player, team leader. Bright kid, so I hope he will get his degree no matter when he leaves. He is mentally tough enough to make the jump. Getting bigger physically will help. He will benefit from an extra year at UND in that he will get bigger physically and continue to improve his skills. The Blues know what he can do. The drop in scoring because of his thumb injury won't bother the Blues. I think he is one of the most impressive kids to come on the college hockey scene in the 35 years I have watched college hockey. Great hands, great vision, great team player and physically tough as hell. His dad seems like a bright guy and I am sure they will sit down and weigh the pros and cons. Best wishes to him whereever he goes (especially if he returns). There are some great kids coming into the program in the next couple of years and it would help them to be able to skate with him. He is a great example of how the game should be played. He is worth the price of your season tickets to watch him play if you are a hockey purist (whatever the hell that is).

UND has an excellent group of kids already commited (10). That is the same number listed in the Forum today that the AC has. This is the earliest I can remember we have had 10 kids committed and it looks like all ten kids are quality recruits. Word is this is looking like a banner year. Don't forget UND has typically not used the media to release this info by "leaking it" . I have read that both schools are looking to get about 15 kids.

Detroit lakes forward Joe Schiller has 10 goals and 14 assists in the first 6 games on a mediocore DL team this year. His has grown about 4 inches in the last year and added 10 lbs and is still growing. He is 6' tall and 176 lbs. He will need a year of Jr hockey, but has great hands and I think he had a good year this fall in the Elite league. So far only Alaska Anchorage of the WCHA is showing interest. UND may want to take a look at him and see what they think.

Because he can flat out coach. I said he would be a great candidate. I don't think he will be a candidate because he hasn't coached at the D1 level. He is one of the most highly respected coaches in the upper midwest and is also a great recruiter. His players love him and he simply wins. His 3-4 defense against the veer was a factor in how NDSU got from being the dominant D-2 team in the 1980's to going 3-10 against UND in their last 13 games and struggling before their resurection the last 2 years. That is also why Bohl would be a good candidate for the Gophers.

Johnson from Navy has done a great job in a program where many of the top players can't meet the physical and academic requirements. Chryst from Wisconsin because of his success and his ties to Maturi. Has He been a head coach? Walker from UCLA because of his Gopher background. That would be a gamble because he is young and I am not sure he has any head coaching experience? They certainly need to look at him though. Bohl fits in with these guys. He is a viable candidate. They know about him and he has been successful as a head coach. Solich, if he is interested, would also be a great candidate. He has proven he can win at the big time level. Isn't he the guy who fired Bohl at Nebraska? Obviously this will cause some pause for potential NDSU recruits as they wait to see if Bohl goes and if so who does he take with him? The official stance will be they haven't contacted him and he is happy where he is.

Bohl has done a good job at NDSU, has D1 experience, and received a number of positive comments from the Twin cities media after the game there. He would be a very viable candidate. I don't believe he is tied to NDSU's program and their fans. I think he appreciates their support and the good thing he has going their but don't kid yourselves. If he believes in himself and can get a 7 figure contract with the Gophers for 5 years he is gone. There are a lot of Minnesota kids that the Gophers have missed during the Mason years. Take the best Minnesota and N.Dak. kids that UND and NDSU get each year and you are going to move into the top half of the Big Ten. Take 1/2 of the kids they lose to other D1 schools and you win 9 games per year. The linebacker for Ohio State that won the Butkus award is a twin cities kid. The Wisconsin QB's after Bollinger are Minn kids. You could certainly add the kids at UND and NDSU who would have started for the Gophers and for $1,000,000 it is an attractive job. If Bohl turns them around he puts himself in a position for one of the better D1 jobs. Right now, the Gophers are his best bet to move up. I believe that has been his goal all along with all due respects to his fans in Fargo. Lennon would also be a great candidate but doesn't have the D1 background that Bohl has. Doesnt' mean he will be hired but he is a great candidates. Unless Bohl gets some inside info that he doesn't have a shot at the job I think he will be a candidate. How they handle it with the media is something else. Until they have a list of finalists Minnesota is supposed to keep the list confidential and I think Bohl will ask them to do that. What ever they are saying on their blog about fans wanting him or not wanting him will won't have any influence on the decision unless those fans are either former players or write checks for >six figures on a regular basis. The opinion on this web site has never influenced hiring or firing at UND and similar opinions on Gopher web sites will have the same influence..... none.

I count 10 verbals. The Minnesota kids look like Blue chippers and the Wisconsin kids look good. I don't know enough about the N.Dak kids out west but the West Fargo kid looks good. I would say They are ahead of most years and would be very happy with the results so far. They had some Jr. College kids in. One was a safety and I am not sure about the other. Anything on the RB from International Falls? (If his team host would have paid more attention to him and less to the Blonde Mom of one of the other recruits I think he would have committed).

Hockey has not always been the most popular sport at UND. Hasn't even always been the most popular winter sport at UND. There were many years when you would have better attendence at a MBB than the hockey game. When UND MBB was at its best and UND hockey was rebuilding, the attendence was different. Having said that, UND hockey gets more non-UND support than any other sport and you could certainly crown hockey as king based on that. When UND hockey is winning, the Ralph will be full. When UND MBB improves, it will increase attendence for MBB and WBB. WBB should compete well in D1 from day one based on the quaility of young kids they have in the program already. Crowds should improve with better competition as UND 92,96 pointed out. UND wouldn't drop Football any more than the AC would. It would hurt the overall experience of attending UND. No reason to even waste time discussing it. There is enough $$$ from UND alumni to support whatever UND decides to do in athletics. UND will have to work hard to get it but it will certainly be there for FB and should be there for any of the D1 sports that can be successful. The community of GF-EGF does not have the same ability to support UND as our Fargo pals can support the AC, simply based on the size and economic abilities of the two communities. GF-EGF however must remember the economic impact of UND and be willing to continue to support UND and help its transition to D1.

I wonder if the Lanser kid isn't Mike Lanser's son. Mike (Lurch) Lanser was a D-lineman who played for UND in the late 1970's.

I think that is a former Social Studies teacher from Red River HS that I knew. He ran a Mammogram clinic behind the Italian Moon for a couple of years in the late 1980's.

Goodpost. Also, don't be fooled if some guy in a white coat, with a beer in each pocket, with Dr. Redwing or Dr. Goon on his nametag offers to do those exams. (even if they claim to have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night). You are better off calling SiouxMD. He is legit.

Didn't you do that guys procto with a hockey stick when you were in Iraq?

No one is saying "you can't say anything about it" I am just disagreeing with the personal attacks and the nastiness of the criticism. We all expect this team to compete for the title year in and year out but don't forget, to get the best players here, we are going to lose kids some years sooner than we expected. Losing Parise, and Spirko was unexpected and makes a difference. Losing Zajac wasn't a sure loss either. I think we expected to lose Stafford and Smaby. Parise in goal and Spirko and Zajac would definitely have helped, but they are gone and we play with the kids who are here. I am not saying that those who want to fire the coach and cut the players aren't true fans. Just trying to put this in perspective. I don't think anyone is saying this team is a great team. It has potential, but I don't know if they will be able to right the ship in time for this year or be able to make the playoffs. I don't think it is a privilage to cheer for the Sioux. It is a privilage to wear the uniform. Anyone who thinks these guys don't want to win worse than we as fans do, have never worn a Sioux sweater or jersey. I don't think sticking up for the kids character and potential is sticking my head in the sand. I wouldn't normally think they can recover, but Hakstol and the coaches got them turned around before and these guys are very young with a good upside. I think they can win with the same kids and same coach but have to play smarter. It may not come this year though. The talent at this level even for Michigan Tech and Alaska is pretty good. I am glad you got out and rang the bell. If you actually did that and don't feel better I will buy you a beer. (maybe even two).

I met that guy in the parking lot before the game. He is huge. He has some sort of thick metal wire holding the bolts to his neck. It looked like the wire that is used to make Christmas wreaths. He also has extra pockets in his jacket and they were all filled with beers. Reminded me of a guy named Wes Hanson who used to wear a Racoon Coat to the hockey games in the old barn (the unheated quonset, not the old Ralph) and had multiple pockets sewn inside the coat to hold the beers he used to chase the Mad Dog 20-20 wine he drank.

Cancer of the testicle is a young man's cancer. If you are a man between 16 and 45 the next time you decide to "choke the bishop" (please pardon the phrase) check you testicles for lumps and if you think you find something unusual go get it checked out. Cancer of the testicle if found early can be cured by the surgery alone without going through chemotherapy or radiation therapy. If you are taking more than a few minutes to do this, then you are no longer doing something medical and might go blind. ( I learned that from the nuns at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck many years ago).

Your favorite hockey team doesn't suck, they aren't playing very well right now. There is a difference. I don't think those of us who don't want to fire the coaches, Buning, Kupchella and send the goalies, and everyone but Oshie and Toews down the road are unrealistic or blind. For crying out loud, put it in perspective. Sioux MD took his little girls to the game last week and we got beat by the Badgers but they had their cheerleading outfits on and the Sioux cheerleaders talked to them and they had the time of their lives. More importantly their Daddy is home for Christmas and he is in one piece. That in a nutshell is why I can't get so upset about getting swept by MT. We have two of the best forwards in college hockey. Oshie is one of the most creatvie hard working kids I ahve seen in a Sioux uniform since 1970 when I started watching Sioux hockey. He is a bright kid, a great leader and has been playing with a broken thumb. I think he, more than anyone, will pick the team up when he gets healthy. Duncan is is also a very good forward and works his butt off. I am not going to pretend the team is playing well, but I won't abandon the coaches or the kids, many of whom were an important part of the Frozen Four team last year and some from the year before when noone expected us to get there. Many of the others are freshman. We are very young Some are wishing for Smaby who was not very good as a Freshman, OK as a Soph and pretty darn good as a junior. Give Finley the same time and I bet he will be pretty good by next year. Watch how he moves his feet which I think is pretty good for a big guy. Our forwards have good speed and quickness. It is reasonable to criticize their play but I don't think it makes any sense to want a new coach or dump the goalies or rest of the team just yet. I think what Bobby Knight lectured to his kids when ESPN filmed his prctice session applies. We have to play smarter. We have plenty of talent, we have to play smarter. That should come with experience. I also find amusing to think that those who still support the kids and the coaches are thought to be living in a fantasy world. This team is younger than the last two years and we were young then. It took until the last half of the year to come around. We may not make it back to the Frozen Four this year, but don't forget how many times recruits talk about how impressed they are with the Sioux fans and the atmosphere when they talk about why they choose to come here. They won't want to play for fans who abandon the team so quickly. They won't want to play for fair weather fans. Don't make everything so personal. We can disagree as to how upset you want to get about the teams poor play, but I am amazed at how personal some people get over a website about a college hockey team. If you are that frustrated get out and ring the bell for the Salvation Army. You will feel better, I guarantee it!

Red, You are right but if you turn the bass up on your right speaker and the down on your left speaker, I am pretty sure the refs hear us so I usually will yell at them. I have no idea how to make it work if you have surround sound. It doesn't work on TV. Ira

That is exactly what I was trying to say. What we say on this thread is reviewed Sunday after church by the coaches, communicated to the team when they watch film and the adjustments are then made. We really need to step up the criticism. It obviously makes someone feel better. Fans don't skate, shoot or play defense, but they can improve the atmosphere and the envoronment in which the game is played. The guys we have are the guys who will be here the rest of the year and have to improve their play and the coaches we have are going to be here. We will not continue to be one of the best teams in college hockey if we were to dump a very successful coach because a team this young is struggling. As a former coach and college athlete, I can tell you the fans that abandon you when times get tough are not the ones the players and coaches want anything to do with. Any rube can jump on the band wagon when we win. There are valid criticisms of the teams play on these threads but some of it is way out of line. There is no one kid who is responsible for giving up a goal. There is no one element that explains the teams poor play. I will take my chances with these kids and these coaches.

Hakstol has a great group of kids committed for the next two years. This team will be OK. Oshie when healthy is one of the top forwards in the country as is Toews. Amazing how a coach can be good enough to develop two young teams and get them to the frozen four both years he coaches and all of a sudden he knows nothing. I would hate to go to war with some of the fans who have jumped ship. Not saying they are playing well but we are younger this year than the last two years. Finley is a huge kid who moves his feet pretty well and is getting better. If he was already as good as some expect him to be he would be in the NHL. We have some rubes who want to cut him. There aren't many college teams in the country who wouldn't love to have him on their team and bring him along. Give Oshie time to heal and the defensemen time to mature and these guys will be OK. For a self proclaimed bunch of "best fans in college hockey" we aren't sticking with our team and coaches in tough times. I am not blind I can see they aren't playing well but you fans who abandon these kids when things are tough are not the fans who the players talk about when they talk about the great fans at UND. The fans haven't done their job either. I have been going to UND games for 36 years and our fans are less creative and quieter than I have seen in many years. As fans get to the games and cheer and make the atmosphere as good as you can. That is what the fans can do. Do that first and if the team doesn't respond then come back and complain. UND fans lately need the team to do something first and then respond to the team. If UND fans want to be a factor they need to step it up a bit too.

Sioux got a commitment from Drew Daggett of Frazee, Mn. this week. He is a 6'5" 205 lb receiver with a great upside. Also plays BB and went to the state track meet in the high jump and the hurdles. He has very good speed esp for his size and is an excellent student with very good ACT score. Great work ethic. Stayed under the radar of many colleges because Frazee wasn't very good in FB and they didn't have a QB who could get him the ball. He was at UND's summer camp and did very well. Played last year with a cast on his wrist and missed last game this year in Fargodome with sprained knee. Will be much stronger with college strength program. He was offered a 1/2 scholarship in track by NDSU. Both parents went there but were impressed with the coaches, the quality of the players, and College of Business. First blue chipper from Mn for this years group.

No. Not to say he wouldn't have listened if they called, but he is a Sioux hockey guy. Very few coaches won't listen to a great job offer. The Mn college job is one of the best.

Dale doesn't want to play night games. We need to at least try it during the hunting season to see if it makes a difference. The AC does a much better job of maketing their athletics as well as the school. They simply declare themselves better and in the sports that they are they focus on thsoe and in the areas they aren't they sell the public on the idea that they are and enough people buy into it. Their attendence figures this year certainly was boosted by their success and the increased visiblilty of playing the Gophers and winning their conference. They beat a couple of pretty good team in Cal Davis and Cal Poly. They beat Ball State which was a decent mid-major and with comparitive scores were able to back some of their crowing with good performance. Their mens BB team has helped sell the FB team and vice-versa and they have done a nice job of using that success to sell the college and other sports. Chapman has done a good job of selling himself to the Alumni and the state and has performed well for them. UND doesn't have the same community fan base and needs GF, EGF to support the teams and University if for no other reason than it is so improtant to the area economy. The kids from our area who go there love the school yet UND does very little to publicize that and get the word out to the public. UND also fails to capitalize by recruiting the areas where they have done well in the past. Detroit Lakes sent 27 kids to UND 5 years ago from that graduating class. (>10% of the class). This past year it was around 8. I have offered to help the recruiters when they come to DL and also take them to lunch and the answer is they don't recruit here any more. The group the AC uses to do their marketing, uses the athletic success and D1 issue to sell kids on the school and to sell the state and Fargo Moorhead community on the school, and athletics and they do it very effectively. UND has gotten a little better but needs to pick up the pace.

For what it is worth, Manke played with a broken collarbone. The injury kept him from having the best year statistically in UND history in almost every passing category. His 19 TD passes, 2198 yds, 193 completions and 281 attempts were very impressive considering he missed 4 games. Most of those numbers place him in the top 10 in the UND record books. Despite only starting less than one season, he will also finish in the top ten in most UND passing lists for a career and at the top of the lists for post season statistics. I have watched UND FB since the mid 1960's and he is as good as we have had. He ranks with Kelby Klosterman (won a national championship), Todd Kovash, Kevin Klancher and Corey Colehauer. Reed made a huge difference with his leadership. It would have been fun to have watched him start for 3 years. What is also impressive is that Belmore will also finish in almost every top 10 list for career and season passing categories. If you put their numbers together for this year they would have shattered most of the season passing records. Manke handled playing behind Belmore with a lot of class and once he was given a chance he showed why he was the QB the so many schools wanted badly 5 yrs ago. Belmore handled playing behind Manke this year with a lot of class. Both of these guys did what they did on good teams with good RB's so their stats weren't padded by being forced to throw all of the time. They also led this class of players to the most wins by any group in UND history. They were throwing to some of the best receivers UND has ever had including Dressler who thus far is the best I have seen and benefitted from great defenses and O-lines who gave them good protection. Congrats to both of these QB's. They are also both excellent students and from now on will only be better with time, stories and talk over beers.

I would play U of Mary if we can't get anyone else for that reason. I would also use the game to get other kids playing time. If it is a matter of a bye week vs playing them I would play them. We also need to develop depth on defense and will need to get kids experience.