MafiaMan

I don't dislike the Wild but here are some valid points. The new management took a team of nobodies to the Western Conference Finals and people here continue to drink the Kool-aid. Bob Naegele was a genius. Build the team to the cusp of mediocrity, they pull off some major playoff upsets, you make no upgrades in talent at all, then you sell it and make a mint. Had Columbus pulled off the playoff miracle, they'd be in the same boat. Fans now want to see some talent on the ice. NOT Chris Simon.

I think I was the only person on the board last season who thought Michigan State might be able to hang with BC. I bet the Eagles would beat the Spartans 9 times out of 10, but it only takes 1 time...

Let's apply that theory to college backetball too. Do you also believe that Mt. St Mary's, San Diego, or Coppin State are better than Florida, Kentucky, or Syracuse? Let's just put every WCHA team in the NCAA tournament, throw in four other conference winners, and flip a conduct an NBA-style lottery for the final two spots. The system is what it is... For those of you ripping on how bad the CCHA is, remember that their fourth place team from a year ago won the national championship.

Northeastern: 2-1 vs UNH this year including 2 wins @ Durham. 2-1 vs BC including 2 wins @ Chestnut Hill. On the flip side, they are 0-4 vs BU and 1-1-1 vs Vermont. UMD: 0-4 vs Colorado College this year. 1-3 vs North Dakota this year. 1-1 vs Denver this year. Which team has the better case for an NCAA tournament bid based on that? I'm not sure. As for Merrimack and Western Michigan, are you saying that the WCHA's worst team record-wise (Alaska-Anchorage) is far superior to those teams? I'd hardly say using the conference bottom-feeders is a true measure of conference superiority.

Maybe if I wear my Maine jersey and Sioux hat, it'll bring me some good luck?

Yep. And yep. I'd become a Sioux fan.

Actually, I'm all in favor of increased revenue because Gopher fans at the X will be pounding down twice as many beers as usual if their team is at home. The way I see it, it's time for Minnesota to pay back all those years of playing Friday night games despite not being the #1 seed. Besides, I don't want to see the team mohawks. Someone cue Ogre: Nerrrrrrdddddssss!

With all due respect, sagard, I'll be wearing the biggest grin inside the Xcel Energy Center next Thursday night when Minnesota State and Wisconsin kick off the Final Five.

You're right. If UND makes the Frozen Four this season, anything less than a national championship should be reason enough to fire Dave Hakstol. In 42 years at Penn State, Joe Paterno has exactly two national titles. In 28 years at Duke, Coach K has exactly three national titles. In 24 years at Michigan, Red Berenson has exactly two national titles. In 36 years at Clarkson, Bowling Green, and Boston College, Jerry York has exactly two national titles. In 130 total years of coaching, these men have won a totel of 9 national championships. Clearly, they all need to be fired.

If Sioux fans had their way, Cardinal, Wooger would still be coaching your team! Woog's team were endlessly ripped by Gopher fans and the Twin Cities media for not winning the big one. I don't think Sioux fans had anything to do with it, although the Sioux winning a title in 1997 certainly helped bring about Doug's demise as head coach. By the way, I met Doug Woog two years ago at Joe Senser's in Bloomington and we had a nice chat about the Sioux/Gopher rivalry. I genuinely respect the guy.

I think the easiest way to handle this is to simply wait until next Wednesday or Thursday, then people can finalize their plans and post if they will be joining the crowd. I will get an estimate and give the Hoggsbreath a call Thursday night or Friday morning and let them know the number of people who will be there.

PG13 until RWtD gets a few beers in her. The R rating comes out pretty quickly after that!

During the daytime, it's fine. They have a nice menu of burgers and stuff and the breakfast can't be beat. At 10:30-11:00 am, you avoid the bar crowd and it's a decent place. By the sounds of it, some other teenagers will be there and I mentioned before, I have no problem having MafiaMan Jr. in there for a bite to eat...and he's 6.

Hmnnnnnn...this wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I read the thread title of "PLAYOFF FANTASY GAME." My bad.

Now that was so funny, I almost did this...

UMDDogz! I knew you were still alive!

You'll find Final Five tickets here for five bucks a pop after Minny is eliminated this weekend. I'd suggest you tell mom and dad to pony up for the plane fare and you'll cover the hockey tickets.

Sshhhhhhh! Don't go spreading the truth around GPL!

Actually, this clown supposedly works in marketing for the Phoenix Suns...

I wish. I have the co-rec state broomball tournament this weekend in Chaska so I'll have to resort to finding someone to text message me real-time scores. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone? Our first game? Friday night at 6:55 pm. Ugh...

I'll give Jeff some credit. Plenty of other players (on any team) would have bailed and left the team or been very vocal about being benched. To his credit, unless I just haven't been paying attention, he hasn't done either.

Actually, a friend of mine "in-the-know" just e-mailed me a picture. It's been a long, difficult season for our WCHA brethren from Minneapolis. Rather than a simple display of blonde hair to signify their emergence from the struggle of the regular season, the team opted for something a little more drastic this year. Anyways, I won't make you wait any further...here's a sneak peek at what fans in Mankato will see this weekend... The Gopher player picture below remains faceless in order to protect his identity. After all, he'll look exactly like 20 other doofuses on Friday night. No word on what Don Lucia will look like...

I honestly haven't paid much attention to the Gophers lately. In all seriousness, is he?

That just about made me laugh out loud. Goin' to Grand Forks this weekend, NDH? MafiaMan Jr had a couple of good scoring chances and an assist in the mites jamboree last weekend. I looked for Hakstol and Eades in the stands at BIG but they must have been busy Sunday morning.