MafiaMan

Having personally met Doug Woog and spending about an hour chatting hockey with him, I can honestly say Doug is a pretty good guy. He went out by himself last year to Joe Senser's in Bloomington to watch the Sioux/Mankato Sunday night WCHA playoff game not to help out Donny Lucia but to observe various lines at work, key players, and pronunciations of names (yes, he mentioned that, I'm not making it up). I was sure that after two hours of fans haranguing him about the Gophers, he'd be in no mood to spend a few minutes talking hockey, but we talked for most of the third period of the game and beyond. He was very interested in my comments about his broadcasting style and when I mentioned that he is a nice counter-measure to ultra-homer Frank, he smiled and replied "good, I like hearing comments like that," and went on to say that its hard for him NOT to root for the Gophers but he really does try to downplay that during the broadcasts. We continued to talk about other subjects including the Sioux nickname issue (his stance, you ask? He doesn't have any feelings one way or the other, but feels that it's UND's business and not the NCAA's to choose its nickname) and the national championship race. Had I had my camera there, I told Doug I'd let him put on my Sioux jersey for a quick photo and he laughed and said something to the effect of 'how long would THAT take to be circulated around the internet?'. Doug wished me well and said that he appreciated Sioux fans who stopped to say 'hi' and chat hockey. Doug Woog coached the Gophers and of course, they're still in his blood. However, he has an extensive knowledge of the game and I enjoyed getting the opportunity to talk with him. For a second, I almost wished that the puck had bounced the other way in the Harvard game. If Doug's such a Sioux-hater, he certainly wouldn't have taken the time to chat with me, come out on a blizzardy night to watch the Sioux play, or make some of the comments he does about the Sioux. I'm talking about the Sioux/Gopher third place game two years ago where he mentioned something about "pride" and also the Spirko goal in that game where he was certainly complimentary of the play that had just been made.

After downing 8 beers in 3 hours, I'm not sure RWTD was aware she even ordered fries!

Sioux 7>5 and Smoggy...thanks for allowing me to join your table last night. Pleasure meeting both of you.

I have lots of friends, TRIOUXPER.

I'm flyin' solo tonite (as if that's big news...I always am)...anyone got a table for me?

Yea, usually by the second period, RWTD has been 86'd from whatever establishment is serving her.

WOW! Minnesota intentionally knocks the goal off the peg and Adam awards a face-off OUTSIDE the Bulldog zone? You're kidding me!

I couldn't agree more. Every new grade school or combined school system in North Dakota is known as Prairie something or other.

Anyone going to the games this weekend care to give the bobblehead nerds on the board the 4-1-1 on this "list"? I'm on it and if I don't get my bobbleheads, heads will roll (pun intended).

What was that, SiouxPride0303? I kind of drifted off after the first seven words of your paragraph... The interlocking ND logo is noted around the country as Notre Dame. Only in North Dakota is it associated with UND. Similarly, everyone in Minnesota refers to the U of Minnesota as the "M" or the "U of M." I get a kick out of that, too, because everywhere else in the country, whenever anyone hears "U of M," they're thinking the one and only Michigan. Cue "Hail to the Victors," DaveK. Sing it with me!

Sorry, AZSIOUX, I won't let you down again...

You can't even see my Sioux tattoo, can you?

You rang?

You rang?

Sorry, I misread "quality" as "fans that like boobs."

I don't see my name in your list.

PCM, I couldn't agree more with you on this. Hockey fans like hockey for various reasons. We've seen the NHL slip from a major sport to one where people couldn't care less about it. Two seasons ago, Calgary drew more fans meeting the losing Flames at the airport than Tampa Bay did in its own victory parade (an estimated 20,000 fans watched the Lightning Stanley Cup parade). That's barely more than watched game 7 in the St Pete Forum! If the idea is to expand the base of hockey fans, the questions shouldn't be posed to people who are already fans, they should be posed to "potential" fans. I know my current RiverCitySports.com catalog has many pages of hockey clothing and articles geared toward women. Yes, it's true. One can easily see the marketing campaign trying to do what the NBA and MLB have done for years...marketing individual players. "Come see Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins as they take on Peter Forsberg and the Philadelphia Flyers," etc. Plus you've probably seen players in TV ads minus the hockey helmets so people can actually see their faces. You certainly don't see the NHL marketing "come see the fights." The TV ratings rival those of Texas Hold 'Em, bowling, and the International Dart Championships. So for those of you who think there is nothing wrong with hockey, go ahead and keep your head buried in the sand. Do I love the game? Yes. But I also want it to SURVIVE and not go the way of the USFL.

I almost forgot, Smoggy, you're right up the block from me so you were enjoying the same gig. The "VS" network has done a good job of covering games, but, seriously, the Flyers/Blackhawks? What a couple of slug teams. Flip over to 860+ and I'm watching the Thrashers and Maple Leafs go back and forth like a bunch of speed demons. I sulked last night by watching VH1 and the Top 100 Songs of the 1980's.

I hate to admit it, but I have to stick up for TC and bucky here. Of course the regular season games matter, but when it comes to programs like Minnesota and North Dakota, the ultimate prize is the NCAA title. Does that mean that they totally disregard the regular season and discount its meaning? Of course not. What are the coaches and players supposed to say? "We don't care about the regular season"? "We couldn't care less about defending the MacNaughton Cup"? "Our ONLY goal is winning the NCAA title"? Last time I checked, they still raise conference championship banners in both Mariucci and REA (along with Herbergers and Timberlodge Steakhouse banners in St Cloud). I don't agree at all with the illusion that Minnesota focuses too much on winning the regular season. An opposing viewpoint would be that the Sioux don't take the regular season seriously enough. I think the pride with both teams exists in that every time they step on the ice, the players, coaches, and fans want to win and expect to win. However, that pride is something that has been lacking in Minnesota the past few years at the Final Five after a semi-final loss while during that same time, North Dakota has shown some guts and determination, along with pride.

That's interesting because the person that had me sign the list told me I didn't need to pay for my order until they arrived. I was #21 and #22 on "the list" so I fully expect to be getting a phone call or e-mail telling me my bobble heads are in. I hope this isn't a great promotion like the Applebee's Sioux pint glasses that were supposedly given away about five years ago. I'm still waiting for the manager of the GF restaurant to give me a call and tell me my two glasses are waiting to be picked up.

I realize I'm crossing the line between sports "fan" and sports "nerd" with my following comments, but I do have about 50 bobbleheads in my collection including my two personal favorites, Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes, along with other "Legends of The Big House" and "Legends of the 'Shoe". Legends of the Sioux...I'm likin' it!

I'll probably remain cheering neutral for that game.

The first step is admitting the problem, huh?

Sioux uniform, of course! I had e-mailed the pro shop several times asking them about player bobble heads like Jeff Panzer, Tony Hrkac, etc. Obviously, they have to work out agreements with the people themselves and get the proper licensing agreements, but trust me, AZSIOUX, e-mail them and get on the list for Mike Commodore. If you're not happy with it, I'll buy it from you, that's how sure I am that you'll dig it.