MafiaMan

Actually, it was Michael Schutte who scored Maine's first goal in the 2002 title game. Wasn't the "shhh" from Peter Metcalf, though?

I'm sayin' you love beer like the fat kid loves cake!

I've never scored 30+ touchdowns in a single season...but I did score four in one game for Polk High...does that count?

As opposed to the teenagers who sat (with their dad, no less) behind me on Saturday? Announcer: "No goal." 3 teenagers (and dad joining in): "F*** the Sioux (clap clap clap)...F*** the Sioux". I like the "cupcakes" version much better.

15 run rule? Remind me to tell you a story about a softball game about 10 years ago in Maplewood. Heck, PCM, YaneA, NorthDakotaHockey, and others need to hear this one as well. It'll trump anything they heard at Hoggsbreath last year. Hope you recover soon.

Stunningly enough...

Walking in a boot? What kind of sissy softball league is that anyways? A few years ago, I was playing 1B when the batter-turned-baserunner stepped on my ankle on his way thru the play at first. I sucked it up, moved to catcher, hobbled around on one leg, and in extra innings with two outs, when the team walked the batter in front of me to get to me, promptly smacked a game-winning single to right field. I hobbled all the way to 1st and beat out the throw just in time. THEN I went to the doctor's office and got my boot. Buncha cake-eaters down there in Arizona.

I watched that game on TV, happy, and you're painting a broad stroke onto Sioux fans here. As sick as I was watching Irmen showcase "me me me," I wanted to throw up when I saw Chorney do a retaliatory strike. At the time, Chorney's goal cut the Sioux deficit from 5-2 to 5-3, hardly a time for bringing attention to yourself.

Goon, are the games going to be on?

It's times like this when I understand why hockey is nothing more than a niche sport. No one has any idea who is showing the games, if anyone. It's like 1981 or 1982 when CBS would show tape-delayed broadcasts of the NBA finals at about 10 pm. In the meantime, I suppose I can enjoy watching bowling on FSN and the women's NIT basketball tournament on ESPN.

The same fans booing this year were the very same ones cheering wildly three years ago when Minny's Kellen Briggs got voted all-tournament. I wasn't the only one who felt the best goalie, far and away, at least on that particular weekend, was Alaska-Anchorage's Chris King. That guy stood on his head for the play-in game (AA defeated Colorado College 4-1) and again against North Dakota in the semi-final (Sioux 4-2 victors). King stopped 44 of 45 shots against the Tigers and 41 of 45 shots against the Sioux, a .931 save percentage. Contrast that with Mr. Briggs' effort of 27 out of 31 against UMD and 35 out of 38 against UND (a .899 performance).

The problem with sports in general is that the taunts have become an "it's all about me" showcase. Two years ago I was watching an NCAA game where DePaul was losing by (this is no lie) 30 points to Cincinnati. Late in the game, a Cincy player makes a steal and a Blue Demon player swats his layup attempt into the seats. The guy got into the Cincy player's face and yipped at him for five seconds before a referee finally had enough and gave him a T. Your team's losing by 30 with minutes left...block the shot, get ready to play defense again, and shut your pie-hole. If you're gonna do something, just go over the top like Tiger Williams. I still crack up watching that highlight.

I sat in section 102 and civility ruled the evening. The Gopher fans around me have all gotten rather cordial. Then again, my buddies and I have been in that section surrounded by the same group of people for seven years now (since the tournament moved to the X). It's funny, but I almost look forward to seeing the people I haven't seen since the previous year's Final Five. I did notice in SEVERAL sections throughout Saturday night's game that skirmishes, finger-pointing, taunting, and even a few shoves being thrown. Behind the zamboni entrance, I counted at least four people who were ejected by security. WPoS, had you been sitting next to me, I'd have told you that it wasn't a good game, but a great game.

I'm quite certain Danny heard me last spring as he skated thru the line with Holy Cross when I yelled out "Where's the jersey pop now, Danny?". In their defense, I think most of these kids learned the stupid "jersey-pop" trick from watching rubes at the Xcel Energy Center do it every time the fan cam strolls thru the arena. On a somewhat-similar issue, STOP DOING THE WAVE!

I realize you have to pick with your head and not your heart, but, cmon, picking the Gophers to win it? I feel like throwing up.

How come I never notice these things myself?

Pizza joint upstairs and a dog downstairs? When was that, 1988?

I'm a little disappointed too...I need a better look at the girl in the red bandana!

And I'm the one considered the board pervert...

Dude, my softball and broomball teams have been partially sponsored by the Hoggsbreath for at least 12 years. I've never experienced anything like what you are referring to above. We are usually in there on Tuesday or Thursday evenings after our games. Obviously, the "crowd" might be a little different on your typical Saturday night. Drug raids? I've never heard that one...

Thanks to Siouxman (and Mrs Siouxman), Keikla, Siouxmama, Sioux-cia, and YaneA for joining me for breakfast at the Hoggsbreath. An allergic reaction to almonds wasn't needed...thanks to some unusally slow service, our meals were free. Siouxman, Mrs. Siouxman, Keikla...nice meeting all of you. Sioux-cia and YaneA...nice seeing you again. Siouxmama...nice meeting you...and thank you for assisting me with the Mike Commodore bobblehead purchase. GO SIOUX!

Yee haw! I'll be sporting the Maine blues tonight! See ya at the X!

While I'm assuming at some point this weekend that Drinkinwiththedogs will have her head in the Liffey biffy, let's stick with the Hoggsbreath for breakfast on Saturday. The offer still stands for those out-of-towners who would prefer that I pick them up en-route to the Hoggsbreath...as long as it's somewhere in the path from Bloomington to Little Canada.

Just a follow-up on this...my mapquest directions tell me that Champps on W 7th is 5.66 miles from my parking lot (3 blocks east of the X) while the Hoggsbreath is 5.99 miles from my parking lot.