PCM

What a shocker.

In that case, thank you for restating the blatantly obvious.

How do you know that?

No, it's not. When I talked to Hakstol on July 9, the day he was named head coach, he said there was a possibility that one or two players might turn pro before the season started. But he also said that he expected any signings that might happen to occur within the next month. We're well beyond that now and we still don't know for certain whether Bochenski will be back.

I'm not saying this is what happened, but what if Bochenski told Hakstol to use his scholarship money because he didn't expect to be back? Also, other than rumors posted on Pride On Ice, I've heard nothing about Bochenski being academically ineligible. The last I heard, he was doing well in school.

I heard this a few weeks ago and asked those who should know it if it was true. They wouldn't tell me anything.

I had the same thing happen yesterday. I received 12 e-mails in quick succession. That's why I changed my password.

They're ideally located for UND employees.

You can't believe what Gopher fans say. They're obviously biased against David and would prefer to see Paul Martin succeed. Only the Sioux player on the same D-pair with Hale really knows what happened.

Next thing you know, somebody's going to question Dave's story about being in Cambodia on Christmas eve.

Roche wasn't playing for the Sioux back then.

Mitch Vig, I believe.

I'm glad to hear that the storm missed you, Tommiejo. Looks like some other folks in Florida are really hurting, however.

"The last time I checked, we don't have a lot of songs that feature the cowbell."

I've revamped my signature just for you.

I appreciate your comments, dagies. Lately, I've refrained from stating my opinion on this board because as the "Virg Foss is God" post demonstrates, some people have great difficulty distinguishing between what I write on USCHO (fact-based news) and what I post on this board (fact-based opinion). And just to be clear, I am not attacking the real Virg Foss in any way. I've gotten to know him fairly well the past three seasons. Sitting next to him in the press box is a real treat. His grasp Fighting Sioux history and the depth of his hockey knowledge far surpasses mine. I don't pretend to be in the same league as "the dean of college hockey sports writers." I know that it's become fashionable to make fun of Virg, but UND, Grand Forks and Sioux fans are fortunate to have him covering the hockey program. While I may not always agree with his opinions or methods, he is an excellent writer and reporter.

First, get your facts straight. There was no "coach hak? don't be too sure" story. There was a story I wrote for USCHO in which I quoted Roger Thomas as saying that he had A) talked to some potential external candidates (a point he reiterated at the news conference announcing Hakstol's hiring) and B) had not ruled out the possibility of opening an external search. That story ran the day before internal applications closed, not the day before Hakstol was hired. Second, I was out of state on vacation when the talk about Blais leaving surfaced. Reading the Herald and this forum, it certainly doesn't appear that Virg had that story before anyone else did. But if you want to give him credit for this big scoop that many people were talking about before his Herald story ran, be my guest. Third, both Roger Thomas and Dave Hakstol dispute in the strongest possible terms the anonymous source tip Virg received on Hakstol being hired for the head coach job before he even applied for it. It's a good thing the source turned out to be right. Otherwise, the Herald would have had a nice sequel to its 1978 Ned Harkness scoop. Fourth, I am not responsible for any predictions that Dean Blais makes about Brandon Bochenski signing with Ottawa. I merely reported what Blais told me on the record. To my knowlege, he has not denied making the statement. Fifth, it's not my fault Blais' prediction turned out to be wrong. Nor is it my fault that the USCHO editors wrote misleading headline and teaser to my story. If you or anyone else has a problem with that, take it up with Blais and USCHO, not me. I have no control over either one. Finally, I have a full-time job. It doesn't involve sports or Sioux hockey. I write for USCHO on a strictly volunteer basis. I don't receive a dime for it. This means that Sioux hockey is neither my life, my job nor a top priority. I don't pretend to compete with people who have full-time jobs covering sports. There's no way that I can know what they know because I simply don't have the time to devote to the subject that they do. If the full-time, professional reporters in Sioux land and all the amateur would-be reporters around here can raise their self-esteem and feel special about themselves by scooping me, more power to them. It's really no great accomplishment.

It's all coming back to me now. I also remember that the spiteful fans rained tiny Red River fish on the ice after Fournier's goal.

Yes. And...?

From the INCH article: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was at that game and I don't remember hearing "a chorus of boos." As I recall, the crowd's reaction was more of stunned silence and disappointment that Fournier scored a goal. Maybe there was some scattered booing, but I don't remember it.

Everyone knew there was a possibility that Bochenski might leave. So, you're right. That's not news. But when Dean Blais says that Bochenski will sign within the next seven days, I think it is news.

The Sicatoka and u2Bad1 are correct. I didn't write the USCHO headline. Nor did I write the USCHO the cover teaser saying that Bochenski's signing was a sure thing. In fact, the headline I suggested to USCHO was "Blais: Bochenski to sign deal with Ottawa." This made it clear that Dean Blais was saying that Bochenski was about to sign.

Please provide your source for that information.

"I gotta have more cowbell!"

I'd vote for 1999-2000, too. That season was special for me because it was the only Frozen Four I've ever attended