mksioux

Sorry...no goalie pads. The only goalie I know down here is a Gopher fan...so that is not an option.

If the Sioux don't make it and someone bails on you, I can be a replacement. I live in the Twin Cities and have no plans that day.

Despite the downward spiral of the team, I'll be in Madison cheering on the Sioux and hoping for the best. Any other Sioux fans making the trip? Is there a bar where most fans go to before a game (preferably within walking distance to the Kohl)?

Obviously Moreland is good goalie, but he isn't going to be playing at any college next year. Some seasoning in the USHL is a given. RE: Ziggy. I may be in the minority here, but if a goalie with his credentials has the cocky/confident attitude to turn down a scholarship and walk-on and become "the man" for the Sioux, then I want him on the team.

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet. But one aspect of the game that was TERRIBLE was how many times the Bulldogs blocked shots. At one point in the 3rd period, I counted 5 in one shift. The Sioux players (particularly the defensemen) were not waiting for openings, they were simply shooting it into opposing players. Some of the credit must go to the Bulldogs (and their coaching staff), but much of the blame must lie with the Sioux shooters. I didn't see the 2nd Bulldog goal (I too was watching Prpich cross-check the Bulldog player's head into the ice), but the 1st and 3rd were terrible plays by Siembeda. I haven't been one of those guys constantly ripping on Josh. I've tried to reserve judgment. But after today's game, I think it would best for everyone if Josh and the Sioux parted ways after the season. The guy is athletic and can make some amazing saves, but he consistently gets himself out of position. And not just a little. I know he was good in juniors and was recruited by some top programs, but in Juniors I think his athletic ability masked his goaltending inadequacies. At this level, his athletic ability can't bail him out of the positions he gets himself into. Of course the entire loss doesn't rest on his shoulders, but his performance was -- again -- quite bad.

I hate the dirty rodents as much as anyone, but to be honest, I've never been given too much crap by Gopher fans when I visit Mariucci. It's actually pretty tame there. And I highly doubt the Gopher fans would be stupid enough to throw a puck on the ice during play. They may be arrogant, but they respect the game. ...wow, i can't believe i just stuck up for gopher fans. what's the temperature down there?

Take offense if you like kiork. I've had this argument before and I didn't feel like getting into the details. It's a tired argument and I don't much care about the issue. But since you bring it up... My point...mostly said out of frustration...was that Mankato is trying to self-appoint themselves as THE Minnesota State University. Yes, their official name still has Mankato in it, but you might never know it by talking with their fans or looking at their logos. MSU-M's official athletic logo simply says "MSU Mavericks" (see uscho home page) You can barely see the "Mankato" on their offical logo on their official website. Also "MSU" is used everywhere and I never see "MSUM". They have worn an alternate yellow jersey that simply says "Minnesota State" As far as their fans...go on to any thread on uscho involving Mankato and see how many Mavs fans use "Minnesota State" as opposed to anything regarding Mankato. Do I really care? No. Like I said, I made the post after a frustrating loss. But my point stands. Don't think for a second that Mankato is not trying to be known simply as "Minnesota State University" The difference between Mankato calling themselves "Minnesota State" and U of Minnesota - TC calling themselves "University of Minnesota" is obvious. UofM-TC is the undisputed flagship institution in the UofM system and is about four times as large as the next largest institution in the system (Duluth). Mankato is not the flagship institution in MnSCU and is no bigger than St. Cloud State. It's bigger than the MSU-Moorhead, but only by about a 12 to 7 ratio. Not to mention the UofM has over 100 years of tradition being called "University of Minnesota." Mankato has about 4.

Wow, UND outshot them 52-21 and you say the better team won? That's a strong statement...not wrong, but strong. I didn't go to either game and didn't listen to Saturday's game, so I'll take your word for it. It's just very strange. I watched both Mankato games earlier in the season and -- in my mind -- there was no question that UND was the better team. It just goes to show how fast things can change in this league. It's quite difficult to come to grips with it though. I don't think any of us can successfully diagnose what went wrong with this team.

I just don't think the Sioux can reach the NCAA's at this point. The way they are playing, not much can be expected next weekend against a pretty good Duluth team. And Wisconsin is so bad that the Sioux will probably fall a couple of spots even if they sweep them. I think the Sioux need to somehow reach the Final 5 and then make a deep run to get an NCAA-bid (or win the F5 and get the auto-bid). It just seems very unlikely at this point. As I've said many times before, I truly hope they prove me an idiot. Assuming the Sioux don't make the tounament, I will definitely pull for CC. I used to be a Sioux-first, WCHA-second kind of fan, but a few things have completely changed my outlook. First, the advent of uscho and the constant bickering and ripping by fans makes me hate most WCHA teams. Second, the Frozen Four last year solidified these feelings when all non-Gopher WCHA jersies shown on the jumbotron were promptly and loudly booed by the Gopher faithful. But I still like CC. But if they go out, I'll be rooting for a non-WCHA team.

Hey there idiot...I was just blowing off some steam after a frustrating loss. Take it up on your team's forum...if you have one.

And I don't want to hear about how at least we're doing better than last year. If things continue in this direction...guess what folks...another 6th place finish is in store. I predict that if the Sioux don't win tomorrow night, home-ice (and any reasonable expectation of an NCAA bid) will be lost.

And by the way, THEY ARE STILL MANKATO. They can't simply self-appoint themselves as THE Minnesota State University. They are no more prestigious than St. Cloud State or Moorhead State. (did that make me feel better? maybe a little...but not really).

And the downward spiral continues... If the Sioux don't turn things around this could end up being the biggest collapse in Sioux hockey history. I don't care how "hot" everyone thinks Mankato is...to only score one goal against them is a disgrace.

From the Herald: "[Twins President Dave] St. Peter also said the Twins are eyeing a new regional sports network to televise Twins games, as an alternative to the Fox Network's regional offering. It would be called Victory Sports Network, and St. Peter says he wants to talk to UND officials about possibly televising Fighting Sioux road games." What a great idea!

I agree that 1) the players probably haven't made up their minds yet, 2) the outcome of the CBA will play a big role, and 3) the drafting team (in Zach's case) will play a big role. So it's all speculation at this point...which is what I was simply doing. I'm speculating that all 3 of the aforementioned players will suit up in Sioux uniforms next year and that 1 or 2 of the 3 might not in '04-'05. Of course, I'm basing that opinion in large part on the fact that the line will produce such great offensive numbers that the NCAA will pass a resolution eliminating their eligibility so the rest of the teams have a chance of competing.

Best line in Sioux history? Talk about pressure. This is a tired subject, but I personally think that both Parise and BB will back next year. I wouldn't hold my breath for '04-'05 though.

You can't blame these losses on the absence of D. Hale. I know he's an important player on this team, but every team has played without some important players. Comparatively speaking, the Sioux have been one of the healthier teams in the league this year. Good teams find a way to win when they are less than full strength. 3 terrible series in a row...this team is sinking.

I was going to ask the same question, that's why I put the link to the internet broadcast in my post. I like the score update threads because if I can't be by my computer when the game is taking place, I like to come back later that night and check the update thread...rather than simply looking at a boxscore. It gives me a better feel for the game.

I too appreciate the game update threads on evenings I can't be by my computer to listen to the internet radio broadcast

Since the Friday game is on DirecTV, you should be able to pick it up at almost any sports bar. Joe Senser's in Bloomington is a common place for Sioux fans to gather and watch the game. I don't know whether it is even possible to watch Saturday night's game anywhere.

Here's the insidecollegehockey.com list: Providence: 1. Boston College 2. New Hampshire 3. Ferris State 4. Denver Worcester: 1. Maine 2. Cornell 3. Boston University 4. Mercyhurst Ann Arbor: 1. North Dakota 2. Michigan 3. MSU-Mankato 4. Michigan State Minneapolis: 1. Colorado College 2. Minnesota 3. Ohio State 4. Alabama-Huntsville

If they want the rule, why can't they grandfather in leagues like the WCHA? That would seem to be the common-sense approach.

While the WCHA tournament winner would almost always qualify as an at-large bid, that may not always be the case. The WCHA has only one auto-bid, and it uses it on the Final Five champ. I think it's nice for the teams that finish 6-10 to think that they could make the NCAA tournament by getting on a hot streak and winning the tournament. If the WCHA loses it's auto-bid, a 6-10 team that wins the tournament probably would not qualify, even under a 16-team format.

As I said in an earlier post, I'm not writing off the season. I'm not a bandwagon fan. I'll be in GF next weekend to watch the games and I'll continue to watch/listen to the team as much as always. I was simply making the point that making the tournament is far from a certainty at this point. CC will win the league. We're in a dead heat with Minnesota. Mankato, St. Cloud, and Denver are easily within striking distance. Only 3 or 4 teams from the WCHA will make the tournament. Certainly if the Sioux regroup and play well, there's a good chance they'll make it, but I'm not as confident as I was before this weekend. I agree that the 2000 Sioux had a tough stretch, but if my memory serves me, I personally didn't have the same feeling then as I do now. Then, I felt the Sioux were not playing up to their potential and were simply in a funk. Even after some of the losses, I never felt like any of those teams were "better" than UND (I felt Wisconsin was on par with UND, but not head and shoulders better). This weekend I felt that CC was head and shoulders better than UND. I realize not having D. Hale was a detriment, but I don't think having him play would have changed the results. Hopefully I'll be proved an idiot later in the season.