tnt

Would be nice to have a schedule like the gophers have this year just to help get the freshmen's feet wet and build up some confidence early. Might be a bad year to have to train in four freshman defensemen. Would rather play the gophers at home later in the season so they are already adjusted to the league. Would hate to see Phil Kessel take advantage of their early season tentativeness--because many would base how good the team is on that, just like they did when the gophers spanked the Sioux the second night in GF early last year.

I don't want to be a gopher apologist, but the gophers were kind of stuck with playing freshmen defensemen last year, and you are going to get inconsistency on the defensive end. It just didn't show up as much until late in the season when goals become a premium, and any mistake is magnified. Look no further than Kyle Radke for an example on the Sioux. To tell you the truth I think that Lucia realizes that they need a few more Jake Taylors on his defense, and I think the Sioux realize they need a few more Paul Martin type defensemen. It took Jordan Leopold and Paul Martin a year or two to adjust defensively to the league, but after that adjustment was made, their upside was a difference in the Gophers winning championships. I think both squads are looking to balance their defense, and I think the gophers are doing that by getting Erik Johnson and going after a Finley or Dowzak. On the other hand the Sioux are getting more players like Jake Marto and Brian Lee who have offensive talent.

I try not to worry too much about things that far into the future. We are supposed to be hit by asteroids and California is going to break off into the ocean too. With all the things that supposedly cause cancer these days, we have more things to worry about on a day to day basis, nevermind the fact that we eat too much to begin with.

Pentaxman, Are you still working at the same minimum wage job you always have? It would be nice if you would be loyal and stay at McDonalds. But I guess greed is always a factor. A person has to look out for himself first and foremost and worry about his own future, because goodness knows, nobody else is going to look out for him.

True, but if it worked for his dad becoming an All-American defenseman, maybe the coaches wouldn't have a problem with it. There seems to be a lot of #'s that seem strange for the position around these days.

Wonder if Chorney would be interested in his dad's old # 16.

If there is a possibility that Oshie might leave early at some point, then I hope they take him ASAP. On the other hand if that isn't likely to happen, then an extra year of development would be great. I know Ryan Potulny basically gave up a year of eligibility to play in the playoffs for the gophers, probably in anticipation that he wouldn't be there for five years. Don't know how high the NHL is on him, but it does say his stock is rising.

Bottom line is that it was an arbitrary process in which they picked Red River, just like they have to pick someone to put on the cover. As far as I know, it isn't someone who had an axe to grind against anyone, including Fargo South. I just hope Sports Illustrated doesn't rank youth hockey programs in the state and pick Grand Forks. Imagine the outcry.

That's quite alright Larry... Larry was a great player on a great team. He was on the 1978 Spoilers, the first team other than GF Central to win the state title. He should be very, very proud of his memories...I envy him for it, especially when that team gets together to celebrate that monumental achievement. He's not quite correct about my hockey career. I did not quit. I'm not ashamed to state this: I was not allowed to play my senior year since I did not make the Varsity squad. I played because I loved to play, not because I was good at it. I was much better at other sports... I came back and deleted the rest of this boring story...In the light of day, it's just not that big a deal and doesn't come off the way I intended... <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NDSU has as much chance to win a DI-AA title as they did a Division II title. There is not much difference in the upper echelon teams. NDSU proved that by beating a highly ranked (3rd at the time I believe) Montana team in Billings. Let's not forget, they didn't make the playoffs in Division II that year. Once again, you only need to look to the Bison fan's that come on this board as proof positive that they will always measure themselves against the Sioux programs, and if they continue to do that, they will always come up short because they will never be able to say they were the best college team in the country in any sport.

I find it laughable when Bohl talks about NDSU and the Gophers turning into a good rivalry for each other in the future, like they would ever be on par with Wisconsin and Michigan etc. etc. If anything it would be a one-sided rivalry, which when you think about it, isn't really a rivalry at all. Just be thankful if you can get a game or two with Minnesota because next they'll be dreaming of a Big Ten invitation.

Skateshattrick, Don't like the sound of my post concerning "what don't you understand". I guess I could have found a better way to defend Marto's ability. Even though I didn't mean it to be a slight on Ammerman's ability, I guess I can see how it could come off that way. Hopefully Sioux fans will be able to enjoy watching both of them playing together in a year or so.

What about "I would love to have him" don't you understand. I was giving a plausible retort to those who were expressing concern over taking Marto over Ammerman and Hardwick. You have to admit that Marto's upside could be greater because he hasn't devoted himself to hockey all summer like many of the other recruits we constantly talk about.

Think I'm going to trust a bunch of coaches on Marto. When you hear phrases like "the best I've ever coached" and "great leader and lockerroom guy" from coaches who have coached top WCHA talent, I guess I'll take their word for it. Nevermind the fact that Hakstol and company have done a good job recruiting. Even if Marto were a hair behind Ammerman and Hardwick right now, which I don't believe he is, his upside is so much bigger. First of all, his skating is great, you can't teach that. Secondly, he has only played the equivalent of 2 years of high school hockey. He'll have to adjust, no doubt, but he is heading in the right direction. Nothing against Ammerman, but 2 years ago he was the name I heard most when talking about great defensemen. I don't want to say he has leveled off, but he obviously hasn't made the same strides as others because he wasn't at the forefront of recruiting talk like he was in the past. That said, I would love to have him after a year in the USHL. If you're talking about whose more ready to play this very moment it is probably not Marto, but if you can get a potential impact player with some development, I'll take him.

Please do not presume to speak for everyone, as I am interested to see how we stack up with other leagues draftwise. If he was writing to flame, I could understand, but it was informative, not a flame.

I think the stigma of wearing a full shield mask in major and minor league hockey is such that players would be a target of other players for being different and could be in for more punishment along the boards, such as checking from behind. There is even still a stigma for having half-shields, although not to the same degree as it was before. It was more of a European thing in the past, but more and more players are starting to wise up. You never see an enforcer wear a visor of any sort unless they are nursing an injury already. Unless the leagues started to require them, many would shy away because they don't want to be perceived as soft.

I would rather have an average player who would go through the wall for you, than a skilled player who won't push himself to the limit. Of course there are a few exceptions, Thomas Vanek being one. Having said that, I have never seen Les Reaney play, so I can't make a judgement on him, only to the extent that it is odd the leading scorer in a good league hasn't been scooped up.

Let's let Minnesota put all the pressure on Kessel, and we can just sit back and enjoy watching Toews without expectations that may be hard to live up to. I will be willing to bet that once the beginning of next season starts, Minnesota fans will try to downplay their previous expectations so he isn't looked at as an underachiever if he doesn't reach a certain point total. I think Toews will be good, I just am not going to have expectations that he is going to rip up the league as a 17 year old. I think people, including myself expected too much of Kyle Radke. I don't believe that people can be upset that he didn't put up the numbers we expected, because each rookie adjusts differently. We don't know how Toews willl adjust, we can only hope he makes the adjustment as well as Travis Zajac. If he does put up nice numbers, we can then look at it as a bonus rather than an "oh well, that it what he was supposed to put up" type situation like Kessel will inevitably have to deal with.

Based on what I've seen from local talent, I would go with Jake Marto and Jon Ammerman over Hardwick, but that may be a bit biased based on the fact that most impressions of Hardwick came from the few times I saw him live over a year ago. I know he had a great state tournament, but his skating and foot speed concern me a bit for a college defenseman. Of course the other two have questions for the college level as well, so I guess I'll have to trust that the coaches know a lot better anyway. I would think that all three are a year away regardless.

Actually, it was a caller who asked Greene and McMahon to name a gopher who was overrated and underrated. If Harrington has his best game of the year against us, you can thank the caller.

Heard some guy on the Fan from Fargo today lying through his teeth about how UND players thought they had it in the bag and that they thought Potulny and Irmen were overrated. I don't know why a Sioux fan would ask that question on the coaches show to begin with knowing how it would be bulletin board material, but I wouldn't have answered the overrated player, only the underrated. The same person that asked that question is the same one who always asks the coaches about recruits--he just doesn't get it. It is pretty lame however to be a gopher fan in Fargo and make up stuff from the coaches show and pass it off as fact in order to get a rise out of Dubay and get his team pumped up on outright lies. I honestly believe he has become a Bison fan and can't stand playing second fiddle to the Sioux again despite being Division 1.

I think we'll see if Lucia puts his money where his mouth is. Remember how he ripped into Sandelin for playing Hagemo in the World Junior tourney. Well, somehow I don't think you get rid of mental issues in one week. I would expect him to be done for the year if Lucia practices what he preaches.

Actually people who complain about paying high ticket prices can complain about bringing in events like the Elite Eight, because it is going to be us that pay for the losses incurred when 100 fans show up. If you are going to take a loss on an event, why not take it on hockey regionals. I think we should bid on the hockey regionals every year because then we can hear gopher fans saying how we have the home ice advantage every year. Let's face it, a traditional hockey power will be in the NCAA most years, and being able to play at home every year would be a major advantage in getting to the Final Four and the exposure all programs desire. Rather than take a loss on a sport that UND hasn't reached prominence in ages, why not outbid others for hockey regionals that, with UND in it will draw very well. I think Ralph would rather give the hockey team an advantage anyway, and it is a lot less risky than a sport that isn't the cash cow in town.

Question for gopher fans: Why is it that joking about Tyler Hirsch is in bad taste but continually ripping Jake Brandt and Brandon Bochenski isn't? All had problems, and most would consider them all mental to some degree. If anything Bochenski should have more of a pass since he was in high school and obviously was less mature. I'm not saying that Hirsch's problems should be exploited, but I don't think a double standard should be used for what is in good taste as seems to be the case.

Agree with you that things are the way they are and there is no use whining about it except to the people who can change it, but how is this any different than you whining about the Grand Forks bias in high school hockey and your petty hatred of them.