PCM

I've stood next to Schneider, too, and looked him in the eye while speaking to him. I know that he's no taller than I am and perhaps a little shorter. I'm six feet tall. I'm not saying he's short, only that he's not really as big as most people think he is. The issue for me is not whether Schneider could stand in front of the net of power plays and be good at it. I question whether that's the best use of his ability. Blais mentioned after Saturday's game that they've had touble getting shots on goal from the blue line and they really need that. I would rather see Schneider using his great shot from the blue line while big forwards like Hale, Massen or Stafford created traffic in front of the net and put in some rebounds.

I'd like to hear some Pat Boone or Elvis once in a while.

But we need to know if Mapletoft will replace Fylling in the lineup.

I'm thinking that when you have big, strong forwards like Hale, Massen and Stafford, why waste your best offensive-defenseman in front of the net? Schneider's one of the best players the Sioux have for putting shots on goal from the blue line. Plus, contrary to what he's listed at on the roster, he's not really that big. That's my free coaching advice. It's worth what Blais paid for it.

I got the same e-mail and I think you guys are misreading it. They're telling people that the games won't be broadcast on TV outside of of Denver. That's their way of encouraging you to sign up for the DataFlix Webcast.

Live from Lola's Authentic Northern Italian Restaurant in beautiful downtown Grand Forks. Tim Hennessy is the host with UND hockey coach Dean Blais. Scott Swygman is off doing a basketball broadcast. The show opened with talk of the split with St. Cloud. Blais said when you look at SCSU

Actually, he answered your question in a previous post.

I think this is Blais' strategy. He's having the team save all its power play goals for March and April when they really count.

By the way, how does a rubber band work?

I am a WJC volunteer. I can tell you that all volunteers are told up front that if they're doing it with the idea of watching games, they shouldn't volunteer.

YaneA, I hope you don't think I was being critical of your efforts because I'm not. I think what you're doing is great and I want to see it continue. Everyone involved is to be commended for coming up with funny and original signs. And believe me, the media in the press box do notice them. As for designing signs "that will pass the REA sniff test," it's hard to pass the test when you don't know the questions. That's why I think some standards should be written and one person should be in charge of approving the signs. That will bring some consistency to the process. The PG-13 and R rating comment was just thrown out as an example of an existing set of standards. I don't think it would be that difficult to draft a fairly simple set of guidelines that would let sign-makers know what will be tolerated and what won't. My concern isn't that you and others here who participate in the procees of developing signs are going to produce something offensive, but that others will decide to push the envelope of good taste and ruin it for you. I would suggest contacting the REA staff to find out about their concerns and those of UND. Tell them you'd like some guidelines on what's acceptable and what's not. It would also be helpful to have one person familiar with the guidelines approve the signs. That's just my two cents, which by the way, does not represent official UND policy. I am speaking for myself only.

I think you mean "Who's Your Daddy?" I'm not generally into country music, but that's a good song that should be played after a big hit.

UND's. But I have nothing to do with this particular issue. I'm just offering advice based on years of experience.

Well, SCSU fans should just remember that infamous goal the Huskies scored against the Sioux in overtime at the 2001 WCHA Final Five that gave them the tournament championship. Regarding Greene in the crease during the Minnesota game, after reading the rules, I think the officials probably did make the correct call. Blais said Lucia didn't seem to protest it during the game. And having heard what Lucia said after the game, I suspect that he knows it was the right call.

It shouldn't be too difficult to write up some sign guidelines based on common sense. Offhand, I'd say any signs PG-13 and below are fine. Anything rated R and above is not. Do that, and the first time an obscene sign gets flashed on TV, I'd almost guarantee you that all signs will be banned. Is that what you want? Also, you seem to forget that other people besides those who post here can make signs and bring them into the arena. All it takes is one person doing something dumb to ruin it for everyone else. If you want this to become an ongoing tradition, working in the spirit of cooperation is the best approach.

Nobody is banning signs. Nobody is demanding that the signs have to be bland, meaningless or humorless. People just have to use good judgement, which I don't think is too much to ask. Personally, I wouldn't have had a problem with the "Fix the Huskies" sign. The "Puppy Love" sign might have been pushing the limits, however. I don't think security guards should be making the call on which signs are allowed in. Rather than risking the anger of their boss, they'll probably choose to err on the conservative side. I don't think it's fair to put them in that position. It's not their job. If UND is insisting that the signs be screened, then someone from University Relations or a university official with some PR sense should be the screener. Security should be told that anyone with a sign must take it to a central location where it can be approved.

I didn't say they were. I was citing a hypothetical case of something that could happen. They haven't banned all signs, have they? As I understand it, they're screening signs to make certain that offensive ones don't get in. I don't think that's a bad idea, but it sounds as if they need to standardize how they do it.

Try looking at the sign issue from this perspective. The games at the REA are televised throughout the region. Let's say that you're watching the game at home with your kids and suddenly the camera fixes on a profanity laced sign with picture on it of questionable taste. It would make the REA look bad, UND look bad, Grand Forks look bad and North Dakota look bad. Therefore, I can understand the need to screen the signs. But I do think it should be done in a more organized manner.

Guess which entrance that old fart PCM comes in?

As far as you know.

I think he means the one that starts out with the deep bass guitar line. I believe the word "army" is part of the title. They just started playing it this season. Someone posted the name in an earlier thread, but I wasn't familiar with the song or group (being old and all).

Who does? I'm guessing that of the total number of fans who attend games on a regular basis, the percentage who'd be pleased with a sedate atmosphere is a very small minority. Contrary to popular belief, I sincerely doubt that those few people will be allowed to dictate the type of atmosphere they desire. And I just I love how the issue of atmosphere is almost always framed in terms of either it's anything goes or it's nothing at all, as if it's not possible to find any suitable middle ground.

UND92,96, you did a great job of analyzing the differences between this season's Sioux team and the 2001 team. Your thoughts on expectations for the Sioux mirror my own. I think the wide receiver trio of Stattleman, Lueck and Ahlers is the best I've seen since I started following Sioux football in '92. The one significant advantage the 2003 Sioux have over the 2001 team is their ability to come back from large deficits. The 2001 team could get a lead and sit on it by playing ball control and relying on a stifling defense, but I find myself wondering if that team could have rallied to win in some of the games the 2003 team won.

Everybody has a right to complain, but some of it's just getting to be nitpicking. We need to have some perspective on these problems. I got some of that Friday night. I talked to the parents of a UND student right before the game. They're high school classmates of mine who drove 500 miles from Pierre, SD, to visit their son and attend the games with SCSU. They frequently drive up here for hockey and football games. And when the new REA Sports Center is done, they plan to drive up for basketball games. Although neither of them attended UND, they are huge Sioux fans, which was clearly evident from the green and white clothing they wore emblazoned with the Sioux logo. They think people who live in Grand Forks are the luckiest people alive. Not only does UND consistently field outstanding athletic teams, but we also get to watch them in perform in top-notch facilities that are the envy of many larger schools in the country. That doesn't mean that the REA and UND are perfect. It doesn't mean that there's no room for improvement. It doesn't invalidate anyone's complaint. But we should be more appreciative of what we have. We shouldn't be so quick to criticize people for trying to do their jobs when they have to balance several different competing interests. We shouldn't go out of our way rip people who are volunteering their time to help the team and improve the arena's atmosphere. Oh, yes, that couple from Pierre? The reason I met them before the game was to give them a hockey stick autographed by all the Sioux players. They took it back to South Dakota to give to a high school hockey player who lost a leg to bone cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Have some perspective. That's all I'm saying.

It's hard to say. After a game, they all seem to be equally sweaty and stinky.