MafiaMan

Gopher fans are popping out of their holes today. The fear of the Sioux winning #8 has subsided.

Odds of me making Saturday's game: ZERO!

I agree totally, particularly after the blatant hit on Chorney.

Constructive criticism is one thing...calling for a coach's head is another. I'm sure Dave Hakstol, along with the players, assistant coaches, etc... will all learn a lesson from last night's debacle. Say what you want about the team, I'm proud of this: With the outcome of this game decided relatively early, the Sioux did not resort to cheap-shot penalties or penalties out of frustration. The players kept their cool and didn't go out and goon it up over the last period of the game just to let off some steam. They got smoked and they handled it without being foolish.

In defense of Jim and the moderating team, perhaps they don't have time to play board police today. My guess is when they're online, several of these threads will be immediately closed.

Really? Last I saw, Michigan won the CCHA regular season title and the playoff title. How recently do you mean?

I worded my post poorly. Sorry the confusion. Yes, I was referring to the 1983 season when the Sioux were essentially eliminated in the playoffs and fans had to stomach watching Wisconsin defeat Harvard in Grand Forks for the NCAA title. My original post implies a Sioux/Wisconsin title game, which wasn't the case.

I agree totally. There's little doubt that Gerbe was the best player on the ice last night...and it wasn't close.

Notre Dame has waited for years for #1. Count your blessings.

I would agree with you on JPL too. Michigan had no problem pulling their Sauer and putting in a freshman goaltender. It worked...until OT.

OK, I respect your opinion.

And I totally agree with this assessment.

Dude, I'm simply pointing out that Ohio State getting beat by Florida and LSU in back-to-back seasons doesn't prove anything more than the Buckeyes not being as good as those teams. Using your analogy, are you saying that Davidson would be the team to beat in the Big East since it beat Georgetown in a single-elimination tournament game? I've said all season long that HE and the CCHA are better than people think. I totally agree with you on the point of the WCHA not being the best conference in college hockey.

An even bigger disappointment than losing the NCAA title to the Badgers in Engelstad Arena? An even bigger disappointment than scoring two incredible goals in the 2001 final to tie the game in the last minute...only to lose the game in OT?

You know, Taz Boy, I like to think that there isn't anyone on the siouxsports board that I couldn't sit down next to at a bar or a game and enjoy a conversation with. People lose interest in the board quickly when it becomes a banter back and forth about he's-an-idiot or that-guy-sucks. While people may agree or disagree on rants and raves, coaching decisions, etc., we are fans of the same team and we're all obviously terribly disappointed today. Much like last year, BC goes into Saturday's game an overwhelming favorite. However, this time I think Jerry York and the boys finish the climb and erase the memory of several years of heartbreak. It may not be 2009 or even 2010, but someday soon, the Sioux will win a national title again and fans, coaches, players, and former players will all stop thinking about what-could-have-been and be thankful for the chance at immortality. Whenever I feel down about 2008 or any other season that hasn't gone my way, I think back to sitting in the stands at the Bradley Center watching the empty-netter make the score 6-4 Sioux over BU and you knew that an unbelievable cinderella season would have a magical ending. I sat with a dozen of my college friends along with my then-roommate and his girlfriend and the dancing and hugs we shared when the clock hit 0:00 is a memory I'll never ever forget. Don't lose heart...it will happen again.

The only thing you pointed out UND-1 is that Ohio State was not as good as Florida in 2007 and LSU in 2008. For all the talk of SEC speed, only two end-zone fumbles by Mike Hart prevented Michigan from completely blowing out Florida in the Blockbuster Bowl. Is that one game an indictment of the entire SEC? It shouldn't be anymoreso than Ohio State getting smoked by Florida or LSU should be an indictment of the Big 10. I'll say this, though. For all of the posters who loved to talk about the Cup Cake Hockey Association and Hockey Least, I'll point out that the WCHA's ONLY victory in this post-season against a non-conference foe was UND's win over Princeton. Humble pie for the WCHA.

Oh, so you didn't literally mean that. I can see how I mis-interpreted such words. Fire Hakstol. Oh, not literally.

In this era of players leaving school after their freshman year for a shot at glory (Kyle Turris, Phil Kessel, and others), it's become almost unthinkable to imagine top-line talent staying for four years of college. Chorney, Oshie, and Finley are all pro prospects who came back this season. If TJ blows out a knee in game #1 on the season and it's a career-ender, do you think the St Louis Blues will feel bad and still give him a few million dollars to spend? I doubt it. It's a high-risk, high-reward situation. These guys came back to school because they made a pact. It didn't work out but that's life. Some of the best players in college don't come close to sniffing a Frozen Four let alone an NCAA title. These guys took a chance and it didn't pan out the way they'd hoped. That's how life is sometimes - it isn't always fair.

Last time I checked, BC had some NHL caliber players too. Finley wasn't pointed out directly at you, Taz Boy. That was a general statement thanks to another thread started by someone else. No wonder so many long-time posters have left this board to the newbies and people with no insight at all. As I left Joe Senser's last night, got home and sat down at my computer, I told myself, "don't do it, don't do it...all you're going to see is 'FIRE HAKSTOL' and 'JOE FINLEY IS THE WORST DEFENSEMAN SINCE BRIAN LEE.' And stunningly enough, as soon as I logged into siouxsports.com, I was right.

I think there is always some 'hindsight is 20/20' and I'd agree on the points that STS made. It was interesting watching the Hakstol vs Berenson coaching philosophies: One stuck with his goalie after 3-0 and it quickly became 6-0. One pulled his goalie and 3-0 eventually became 3-3. I'm not saying Hakstol should have pulled JPL, but a time-out may have been a good move at the 3-0 mark. Jerry York's team was being dominated in OT by Miami in the regional title game. He called a time-out shortly before the BC game-winner. It appeared to settle his team down and they pulled it out.

Seriously, my point is that some so-called "fans" of this team who either never learned to skate themselves or didn't make the cut out of mini-mites are some of the biggest critics. Go put on a jock, give Hakstol a call, and tell him you'll show the boys how its really done at the first practice next season. Then post on the message board your results.

Watch the post-game press conference if you want a personal explanation, Taz Boy. Maybe you can write Dave Hakstol an e-mail and demand an answer. NHL caliber talent doesn't guarantee anything. Those of you with the balls to say that Joe Finley sucks, I dare you to meet him at the airport and tell him that in person and explain what he was doing on the first goal. What a bunch of keyboard muscleheads some of the folks on this board are. Get a grip!

You people expecting nothing less than the national championship each and every season are out of your freaking minds. I realize that that's the goal, but, cmon, the post-season takes some incredible skill as well as luck. In my mind, the two most dominating Sioux teams of recent memory, 1998 and 1999, didn't even make the Frozen Four! I think you could say the same thing about the 2004 Sioux as well. It's part of the game. Had the Sioux lost a 6-5 heartbreaker in triple overtime last night, would this "coaching thread" even exist?

Seriously, the administrator of this board should follow GPL's lead and ban new member admission to the site to prevent trolls like you from showing up.