mikejm

Is it really a discount? Have to pay $x million? Says who? The citizens of Fargo were asked twice if they "wanted" to spend $x million to build new ice. Twice they said "no". Emphatically.

I'm surprised this has laid here for 17 hours without someone jumping on it.

In my own slanted view, the building is being paid for, primarily, with "public" funds: school district rents, park district funds, etc. Deeding the building into the park district's name also took it off the property tax rolls, which while not putting money into the building, eliminates a large, annual expense that a "privately owned" facility would have to pay. So there is a lot of public money in the deal. And yes, the whole thing was played out very sloppily. It was half-baked to begin with and now is half-complete. I hope like heck they can raise the rest of the money to finish what they promised. There are many other little things that smell about the project, but airing my tin-foil hat theories would merely push this further off-topic.

I pity the poor fool...

^As I said, I hope I am pleasantly surprised and the Force succeeds wildly. And to get completely off-topic, I'm still more than mildly upset how the whole UP Center thing happened. The voters in Fargo have not once but twice decided NOT to build such a facility with public financing. When Brandt, Berning, et al proposed the UPC it was to be privately built, owned, maintained and paid for. That clearly has not transpired. /rant

I've heard the 2000 figure before, and as a Fargo-based season ticket holder I think it is inflated. Fargo is having a little bit of a love affair with the Force right now, but at $17 a head, I wonder how many tickets they'll sell next year when the "newness" of the UP Center wears off? I think I read they had over 3000 for a Sunday afternoon game last weekend. I don't even want to try to figure out how much my seats at The Ralph cost me per game, but I have a feeling it isn't that much more than what the Force is getting and it certainly is a better on-ice product. I kind of think Ace, Blaser and Berning have over-reached with the Force. I wish them luck, and hope to be pleasantly surprised, but I can't see them making this work here. However, I don't think it is an automatic "no-way" on NDSU and hockey. You need to remember that associate AD Lynn Dorn is of the hockey heavy Dorn family from Thief River Falls. I've had conversations with her on a couple occasions regarding hockey and one of her first comments is always some variation of "hockey has been a big part of my life for my entire life...". Once NDSU starts seeing some money coming in from qualifying for basketball's March Madness they might be a little more interested in re-visiting the subject.

Wait. We got outshot 40-37 and won the game 10-1?

Well this helps the goals-per-game average

At least we can beat them at something...

Oddly, that is precisely the tone of one of the voices in my head when I typed that.

Four? If my math is correct, this team is scoring just over 2.5 goals per. I'd be happy to see them average 3.

Why would we start now?

Yeah, how 'bout that guy?

Hak made the comment to me personally. And he was not talking about Frattin. Think shorter, faster.

I've voiced my opinion about this year's team. But this is particularly vile. BTW, I lived through the Bjorkman years, and there was some pretty good talent on a couple of those teams, too. After awhile I think the players just quit believing in poor ole Rube and it clearly showed (or didn't show, more accurately) on the ice. I think there is talent on this team; I just think they are being plugged into a pattern that the rest of college hockey has figured out and can easily defend. Time for Hakstol to look into a run-and-gun offense. Call Jerry York and ask for his handbook or something.

You like the leotards?

I haven't seen this team get the puck in front of the goal very often. That is excessive cycling, perhaps cycling-for-cycling-sake, to me.

You are absolutely correct. I didn't see Friday's game, even on television, but was at Saturday's and I'm having a hard time seeing how this team managed to score 7 times the previous night. What changed? I saw the same old cycling below the goal line, the "clear-the-blue-line-and-dump-it-in-the-corner" b.s. that's frustrated me for over a year now. Surely there is offensive talent on this team, but has Hakstol buried it all under this cycling crap? It seems like there is noone on the team willing (or able) to carry the puck into the zone, move to the middle and attempt a shot. I just don't get it.

I'm not sure he did. I didn't notice any tummy swelling, anyway.

What, scoring? Then the song is exactly what this team needs right now.

You say this like there is something wrong with that scene...

Maybe the pasta salad juice helped.

It does, however, make for a bright future. I think Trupp will come around and start scoring. I don't hold out a lot of hope that Kozek will re-find his touch. If Evan is the only scorer to start contributing, I think we need to pray for vastly improved play from the young d-men in order to have any hope for a home playoff series. And I include the sophomores and freshmen in that.

I don't really see a lot to argue with here. If the Fighting Sioux can't figure out a way to start scoring goals, I'm thinking the first-round playoff tickets in my season ticket envelope will be worthless reminders of a season to forget.

Well, now that you've raised the issue, that prime rib sandwich thing behind Section 112 kinda gets my undies in a bunch. I mean the sandwich is quite good (actually I like the pork better) but the pasta salad they include is so runny it makes the rest of the meal a soggy mess. How can we stand for this!!!! This is the University of North Dakota fer cryin' out loud. We have a history, a tradition of excellence, both in the classroom and on the ice (and, by association, a few steps behind and above it). Something MUST be done to fix this situation. The sooner the better!