MafiaMan

It is a tough call, but if a fan base of a high-profile school like Notre Dame starts taking notice, you won't see college hockey on ESPNU on tape-delay...you'll be seeing it live on ESPN! GO IRISH!

Cmon, TRIOUXPER, don't be like that. This board is a place for constructive criticism, thoughtful insight, and offering opinions. Don't go down the negative road like some folks here on the board. Maybe the UMDDogz and PCMs of the world will come back once the bandwagon fans are gone.

Interestingly, I hate BC hockey and Notre Dame football. As far as Notre Dame's football team, I'm hoping they can duplicate THIS YEAR'S performance!

You're alive!

I've decided to turn pro today myself and will be watching the Capitals/Flyers on Vs tonight.

Gopher fans I haven't heard from in weeks are suddenly e-mailing, IMing, and texting me. Ugh...

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.