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LOL, I hear ya. I just think he's quite good at manipulating people here; & that he continues doing it cuz most people still fall into the trap of playing his games. Some people feel alive & get a sense of purpose by performing altruistic acts for others, he gets the same feelings from playing people. I don't have concrete proof, but I think he's actually pretty sharp. Emotionally-stunted, yes, but nonetheless sharp. : )

LOL, that seems to be the pattern with most Sioux hockey teams. Possible scenario with BU: Have a 2-goal lead with 3:58 to go, get a double-minor because a BU player was barely bleeding after a Sioux player inadvertently slashes him in the neck, lose that lead with :32 remaining, almost lose the game with 2 seconds remaining after a mad scramble in front of Zane & a BU ripper off the Sioux crossbar, & win it with 2 minutes left in 2OT.....then go & rest up for a UNO team that won by 5 goals in the earlier game....When they could have just spared us all the aforementioned grief & blown them out by 5 or so goals. Not to mention all the marriages & relationships which were destroyed in ND because of some vitriol which was spewed at a wife/gf while all this drama was unfolding : )

These guys will have only one chance in their lives for the college hockey experience: at the best program in the nation with the most passionate fanbase, all the while being treated like rock stars. And to give up this once-in-a-lifetime experience so you can have a remotely small chance at playing on a consistent basis on a NHL team at some point in the future seems shortsighted. Is it for the money? Well, if one is going to pass on cultivating deeper friendships in his youth for a meme like money which has no intrinsic value, then maybe it would behoove one to reexamine what's really important in his life. And unless they're mega-talented like Toews, they're going to be treated like a pawn by some corporate franchise & basically owned like a slave: they report to certain destinations & do certain things & fulfill meaningless contractual obligations on the orders of their owner (that's the definition of being a slave when you don't control your own movements)...You're going to Hershey..You're coming back up..You're being traded...We're putting you on waivers..We're releasing you..You're going to Chucky Cheese at 2 PM next Tuesday for a photo-op..etc.." It's even coded into their language what they think of these professional athletes, ie, "trading one's rights". They're a commodity, plain and simple. I call it free-range slavery (chickens may think they're free because they're strutting around on a range outside of cages; but they're still owned & will end up as a garlic-seasoned rotisserie one day at your local Piggly Wiggly). lol. Similar to millionaire athletes: they may drive around in Porsches & live in fancy mansions, but they still have owners. : ) ... And though it's voluntary, it technically is a form of human-trafficking what these players go through at the professional level. These players "play the game" & jump through hoops so they have a shot at doing something they love. They may not be like a slave on a plantation; but they're owned like a commodity nonetheless. They take the fun right out of the game. And then when you can no longer serve the goals of the corporation, you're ruthlessly terminated & discarded by this sociopathic entity. But this is okay for most people, after all it's not them getting cut & they did get to see their favorite player rush for a few touchdowns before he was shown the backdoor, don'tcha know. I've lost all passion & respect for professional sports & what a mockery they make of the human experience. Is this what these kids are so excited to do? I understand if it's an intense desire to prove one's self at the highest level. I understand the injury aspect also & wanting to be healthy when it comes time for the NHL, but it just seems like a rush to get to a level where only a select few ever play at that level on a consistent basis. If I had a kid on this or any team, I would highly encourage him to enjoy his youth & have fun being a kid before he has to go corporate. That's all ....

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/03/28_bobcats_buried_in_fargo.php Doesn't sound like Pecknold was upset about the venue to me, unless I'm missing something. Sounds like people are just looking for an excuse to complain about & pick apart an opposing coach: Much has been made recently about whether Regionals should remain at neutral sites, given the small crowds in some years and some venues. Despite technically being a neutral site, Fargo was no such thing, with North Dakota fans packed into Scheels Arena. But Quinnipiac didn't seem to mind. “I didn’t think it was intimidating," Pecknold said. "I really thought it was a great atmosphere. I’ve got to give it to North Dakota, they have some of the best fans in the country. Obviously the arena is great, it’s really a good venue.” “Having been on the committee before, it is a battle to keep neutral sites and obviously this was not a neutral site but we were the 14 seed so you have to go on the road and take your lumps," Pecknold said. "If we had had a better regular season we wouldn’t have to come here and play, but I thought it was great.”

Yes, would be nice to meet up with some other Sioux fans next week. If anyone will be at a public viewing party in metro Phoenix, please post the details here. Thanks.

The Sioux are 8 days out from making a run at # 8, but I find myself talking about & psychoanalyzing gfhockey. Maybe it's just so I forget about the stress of next week & focus on something more light-hearted. And Blackheart, like I said, his schtick is acting like he's challenged. If he were to consistently write & act sensibly (which I've seen him do a couple times when he let down his guard & forgot about his act momentarily), his leash would be a lot shorter here & people wouldn't put up with him as much. ..... He'll keep acting the way he does, & people will still continue to try & talk seriously to him; people either don't get him & his motivations or they enjoy going around & around in cul-de-sacs with him .... his dialogues tell as much about the people who perpetually get sucked into his web as they do about him ....takes two to tango, as they say. : )

As do I, it's priceless when others engage him & try to talk sense with him. People here get distracted & bent out of shape with his antics & that there's the comedic value. : )

Yeah, I was just trying to make the point that it's good to find a medium in things, without getting too extreme in one direction or the other.

Well, it was a post about the kid, I've never replied personally to him. I learned many years ago not to engage attention-seeking behaviors directly. As opposed to others here who get sucked in & baited by him all the time. He is good at his art & I think it's hilarious how well he plays people like a fiddle here.

I may be stating the obvious to some here, but do people not realize that gfhockey's sole purpose here is to get under people's skin & derail threads? Yet people still engage him in this cat & mouse, back-&-forth talk like they're going to get somewhere with him, year after year after year. And it's usually the same people who keep trying to put him in his place & talk sense to him. Played! I know I'm pouring fuel on the situation as he thrives on attention & I won't address it anymore, but I thought it funny how some guy is able to toy & tick people off around here like a maestro; using otherwise very smart people like a tool. Which he enjoys doing immensely, obviously; his schtick is to come off as a dumb one, but he's clearly getting the last laugh on each one who replies to his posts. Anyway, it's funny to read, it's like he serves as a subconscious release valve & bull's-eye for Sioux fan's latent angst....Personally, I find him funny & refreshing to read sometimes; yet find it hilarious how he plays with people's heads all the time. If he can get away with it & people still bite at this posts, no need for him to stop.

If she does, it's without my knowledge & it was nice knowing you guys. She ain't physical, but she's a guru though at destroying me emotionally (like all women who toy with guys' heads; not out of hate, just following their biological programming). But seriously, I really feel that both Hakstol & even Zane are feeling the weight of a whole state & program on their shoulders. Zane will be lauded as one of the greatest players in program history if he can be the most focused he's ever been for 120 minutes next week. But once #8 happens, I really think we can have as much success as York has had the last 10-15 years.

We all have our personal demons or dragons to slay. his is Jerry York & mine is my wife.

I used to be at the front of the line in criticizing him; but I've come to realize that his personal success is dependent on how well some college kids execute, so I've mellowed out quite a bit in this regard. But I also acknowledge that he does have an obligation in his field as a coach to succeed at the highest level. I've just filed down my fangs a bit & tried to find a happy medium between "the sky is always blue" apologists & those who think he needs to win a natty every year.. But that won't stop me from spewing venom at the tv on 04/09 if it warrants it ... : )

That's how I see it. It stands to reason that anyone in any field tends to do better once they get over their major obstacles. I'm not implying he's been a HOF coach to this point, but I see this program going even higher after #8 is earned .... What's this Fast Eddy allegory?

Why do you think LaDue will be gone? Are the scouts wanting to sign him already? We've had defensemen in the past who were more talented all-around than him & they stayed 3 or 4 years. Stecher is quite dynamic, has the potential for big-game plays & he's always moving his feet.. But he's on the small side & I've seen forwards go right around or through him him a few times this year. I would have thought he'd be here at least 3 years.

Agreed. I think once he gets #8, #s 9 & 10 could very well be right around the corner, what with the confidence & sense of accomplishment it will give him. Not to mention that ugly 800 lg gorilla being taken off his shoulders. I really feel that UND can have similar success to the 80s in that timespan after he wins his first title bc it'll avalanche after that ....

I think it shows just how much this team wants it all & how far they're willing to go to get it. If they can get in the shooting lanes & block 25 shouts against BU, that's 25 less potential saves that Zane needs to make. Eichel has a great shot, but I think he's more dangerous going wide on defenders with his speed to get in alone with the goalie.

Old Time Hockey: If ss ever has a contest for best sig, you'll win in a landslide. Too funny.

You and I can talk about a Hakstol-Blais match-up until we're blue in the face, and it will have zero impact on how UND does in the BU game. Unless we're both simpletons and believe that our personal conversations can somehow affect the players' team result. Or if we step on a crack in the sidewalk we'll break our mama's back. Fed up with people who have the emotional maturity of a 5 yo.

It seems like a Hakstol-Blais match-up is supposed to happen. I mean, what are the odds of the two winding up in separate brackets at the FF? One could call it a coincidence, but are there coincidences of this nature between two people who go back so far together? It would make a great storyline if it happens & one I would want to see; I want to see the student grab the pebble from the master's hand. I want UND to earn this title with no shortcuts, face all their demons, slay them & hang #8 ....

Haha ... right on. Hak & Blais in opposite brackets of the FF...Couldn't have scripted this any better...

Zombo sure plays like his dad, kid likes to hit at every chance

Dave Starman? Why's that?

A hundred hockey aficionados could look at that same play, with 50 absolutely positive it was a major & 50 absolutely positive it was 2:00....And they could argue about it aaaaaaaalll summer if it cost their team in the tournament....

The Midwest Regional: otherwise known as The Twilight Zone Bracket. First RIT knocks off #1 Mankato, then they handle Omaha's PP like it was being run by a j.v. girl's squad. Planes may slip into another dimension if they fly directly over that arena.