dagies

I don't understand the denigrating of Ferris State. They clearly earned their way into the tournament, and have a Hobey Candidate goalie. For a team like the Sioux that struggles to score, right there is reason to worry. And let's not get caught up in the 5 goals tonight. Bucky forgot to look in the rear view mirror on Parks' goal, and we'd be screaming at our goalie for giving up Rocco's first goal. Our 3rd goal was damn lucky, and so was our 4th (ENG). We MIGHT have used up a whole tourney's worth of good bounces tonight. I expect a tough, close game tomorrow and I'll be VERY happy if you guys prove you're right and I was overly concerned.

That's very impressive Sometimes, in recent years, I've wondered if Hak's intensity has upped the stress level for the team come tournament time. No idea if I'm right or wrong, but this team played tonight like they had nothing to lose, no expectations. And they played WELL. Mafia Man beat me to it, but to win the regular season conference championship you have a long hard road. You have to prevail over many good teams, with many good and bad things happening to all teams in the conference. The conference tournament is a weekend long deal. Still pretty cool, but not nearly the mountain to climb IMO as a regular season championship. Losing the Saturday night game (last regular season) to WMU hurt me much more than losing the first round NCHC tournament game. But that's just me.

#122 tied for 2nd. It's like I'm in the Tour de France!

You have a few die hards having babies?

I noticed when he came off the ice after one of the games this weekend his right wrist was taped up. Don't know if that's anything but could be (hopefully Bucky isn't lurking around to pick up that piece of top secret info) I have often thought Schmaltz looks like he's lacking a sense of urgency until I started watching Ryan Suter play for the Wild this year. That's pretty much how Suter plays....just gliding around with occasional bits of high energy/activity. It could just be style and not anything more than that.

The usher in our section checked our tickets the very first time, after that we just walked in like we knew where we were sitting and he never paid any more attention to us.

Right with you on this.

Yes sir, that will be me!

For me, it's not because I think they'll stink compared to the NCHC. I just think it stinks compared to the wonderful thing that was the WCHA Final Five. Penn State started the avalanche that resulted in the demise of the WCHA, at least they made up 1 small bit to me by beating Michigan yesterday.

"yell leaders"? Is that the current name for "political commisar"? Yikes.

There will be 2 of us, then!

Can't stand that either. Copying anything from UM is a bad idea. Don't buy that at all. Kids are young, have time and energy and creative abilities. Figure it out. Besides, the main thing is noise anyway.

I don't understand why a fan of a rival team cannot come here and give an opinion. Reasonably stated opinion anyway. He's wrong, because he's a gopher fan and there's nothing right about him but why can't someone have a reasonable opinion that differs from what we want to hear? If I had thought he was gloating or taunting I'd have felt the same way as everyone else. I do think Miami will be a very tough test. You don't beat SCSU twice at home as a fluke. There's got to be some substance to what they did last weekend. The key, though, is if they can keep up that level of play or not. CC did the same thing (played up all weekend) and gave the Sioux everything we wanted. In a one game format, UND better be ready to go. Personally, while the Sioux aren't world beaters I do think defense is solid and goaltending is above average. I'm hoping that helps keep Miami scoring to a minimum, and that allows a less powerful Sioux offense to win the day. We shall see, we shall see....

I seem to recall this as well, in fact I was a bit surprised to see the game time was 7pm. Then again, i figured I had just not remembered the past accurately. I suppose it's tough for the teams and maybe the REA has other commitments, but it would seem that an earlier start time would allow for more people to travel back home after the game. I think you nailed it. The key here is, if the game is in Denver, or Omaha, or wherever, which visiting fan base tends to show up the most? And anecdotally, it seems to be Sioux fans. And I think another poster already said this but I agree with it. Those that go to away games (regardless of their home address) are probably going to be more vocal than those that are doing the season ticket thing back home. However, after attending the WMU series, I hope something happens to improve the atmosphere because it was a morgue in there both nights. Both nights we tried to get a "Let's Go Sioux!" chant going with no takers. That's not happened before.

yes you did!

Maybe it's changed, or perhaps that's what it is later in the evening. When I've been there it's been 5pm or so, prior to a Twins game. Completely different than what you're describing. And again, I haven't been there in a year, so things could be different there now.

Whisky Park (5th St and Hennepin) used to have free tacos/dogs (IIRC) prior to Twin's games. Was a nice, fairly quiet place to have a drink and a quick bite prior to the game. I haven't been there in a year so don't know if things have changed.

Holy smokes, I was there too and got plenty ragged on by Mankato fans around me. Good memories! ;-) The fans were quiet all weekend. This was my one weekend a year up in GF with my buddies and we commented on it both nights. Each night tried to get "Let's go Sioux!" going and had no takers. NONE. I know it's a chicken and egg question......should the team get the fans going or the fans get the team going? I don't know the answer but I think if the team isn't giving the fans much to cheer, for, and as a fan you're hoping for better, why not try to ramp up the energy a bit and see what happens? Nothing doing this weekend. So for me, the fans can take a share of the blame. But the team just didn't have "it" on Saturday. Maybe it was a pressure thing. Maybe it was just the way things go for a team that lacks a ton of high end talent throughout the lineup. Or maybe it was senior night, and too many gripped-too-tightly sticks. I read recently (Herald?) an article where it sounded like some coaches don't particularly look forward to Senior night because the emotions can have a negative effect on the team. And for those of us who thought that after Friday's game that Western would have nothing to play for and roll over Saturday, boy were we wrong. Thinking about it, only a character-less team would do that. A good team, a well coached team like Western Michigan is going to come back and try to spoil senior night and the Penrose cup for the other team. And that's the way it worked out.

Well, let's be clear about that photo. Thorson said in the paper he was taunting Sioux fans, and that team mates thought it would be cool. I didn't see Caggiula say that anywhere, and it's not uncommon for a player to scream and jump into the glass, even if there is only 1 fan of his team in the vicinity. I think any attempt at comparing this photo to the Thorson thing is manufacturing something that isn't there.

Agree, Speez is a great guy and I had the pleasure of meeting him once in Mankato. MIss those days, Speez! Agree, they were great even as freshmen.

SJHovey for president

Now that we don't have to piss off MN fans, might as well recruit US kids.

People have to get their start somewhere. I give him credit for trying rather than playing it safe and boring.

We're lower level but don't have out tix in hand yet. We did order them right away when they were first available