burd

Good question, actually. It certainly relates to team speed, but I think of it as utilizing team speed. Dylan James is very fast, but he uses it to push defenses vertically. Johannes does as well. Occasional stretch passes push vertically even when they don’t connect by pushing defenders back from the neutral zone. CC and Omaha both had success neutralizing our speed and skill advantage in the neutral zone. There; how’s that for full-of-shyt?

It does, and I like that this team plays smart that way. They could use more of what Kunz brings, though. They don't have to be big. Z Parise makes a living scoring garbage goals by being smart and tenacious. A little skill too.

Very cool experience for you, Goon. Even 10 minutes a game in the NHL is still a hockey player's dream. And it will likely change. Let us know if you think a bunch of us from ss.com should pay Torts a visit.

Speaking of which, has Goon mentioned where (or if) Bobby is playing hockey now?

I guess the part that leaves me in doubt about this team is that, for all their offensive skills and snipers, the vertical part of their game seems light, as does their physicality around the other team’s net. I don’t have evidence to back that up. And can Ludwig put together 4 straight stellar outings. But hey: no team is perfect. Not even UMD

A lot of tough brackets this year. This banner will be earned.

One thing I noticed about having young kids who sometimes got sick. After they were in school a couple of years, Mrs burd and I never got sick. Immunized.

For the time of year, there is quite a bit less pressure on the boys this weekend than there could be. Locking in a 1 is at play, and building/maintaining their confidence level is always big.

UMD didn't want any.

If the boys win two, most will be flying.

Alvarez brought Wisconsin football from the dead to prominence, so when he became AD, they gave him the keys to the family car and a gas card. He was great for the football program but never gave a shyt about hockey.

My thought as well. BC is widely viewed as the best team in the country, rightly or wrongly, and there is more competition for scoring leader on that team. If you are the best scorer on the best team, that is more of a positive than a negative in the selection process, it seems to me. One thing I like most about Blake is the way he has improved upon his shortcomings in the course of the year. He is a real team player and has really improved his situational awareness and overall defensive game. Plus: Hobey Blaker? You gotta go with that.

Yeah, not likely, but it's fun knocking it around, especially after all that shade thrown his way earlier in the year for his turnovers and overall lack of defense (which was a legit concern, but I think he's shown an awareness of what he needed to improve upon). Just like Gaber learned not to try to do too much in the O zone.

Works. Even gopher fans should approve.

When they retire the Hobey in his name?

Even when he wins Hobey and #9?

Just about every game played is another roll back down the hill.

B schools are, appropriately, self aggrandizing. Columbia’s has a sculpture in front that only makes sense when viewed from the air (helicopter). Not exactly Tom Clifford style.

At first there, I thought you called it a Brian fart, which made sense to me.

Yup. If you are good enough to beat the team in front of you, great. If not, tough.

I guess we're pulling for Mich against MSU? Painful to pull for Mich in anything.

Shyt-ton of talent on the ice.

gf is probably a Ledgie Leader over at UMD too. His hedge against abject failure. BTW--the dogs won only 12 games this year. Is Sandy on sabbatical?

I get the feeling he prepares, a huge part of success in just about everything.

There's something to be said for comic relief.