MafiaMan

My favorite funny of the season was up in Houghton. This series was over Thanksgiving weekend, one week after the UND/Michigan Tech football playoff game. During the Saturday Sioux/Huskie hockey game, things got out of hand near the end of a lopsided Sioux victory. Some fairly obvious penalties went uncalled and some of the locals were getting a bit ticked at the official and were pretty vocal about it. The Sioux brought the puck into the zone with about a minute left and a Tech defenseman literally tackles the guy (sorry, I can't remember the names). The referee blows the whistle (no penalty) as the puck was under the two players now laying on the ice. All is quiet and I stand up and yell: "Hey Schmidt, the football game was LAST Saturday" in reference to the nice tackle he made on the Sioux player. Again, I'm not sure what the kid's name was now, but I had the correct name at the game. I just put Schmidt 'cuz it's the first thing that came to mind here. Anyways, I heard several Huskie fans around me chuckle and looked below to the Sioux bench right in front of me and saw a few players bust out laughing. On a more personal note, it was also the weekend Jordan Parise spent his Friday night on the bench teasing my three year old by making scary faces at him and putting a piece of chewing gum on the boards for him to come and get. He also tossed me a puck after it deflected into the bench. I was pretty happy, but my son wanted to give it back and started crying, saying, "dad, they need it to play hockey." I pretended to toss it back, then put it in my bag for later. Every fan, security guard, and ticket taker I saw the following night walked by saying, "hey, there's the Sioux kid who didn't want the puck." Yep, that's my boy. Five months later, I still ask him who his favorite hockey player is and he shyly responds "Jordan Parise."

I totally agree. I've been up from Mpls to Grand Forks many times for Sioux games and honestly, the crowd sometimes can lull you to sleep up there. I've come to the point where I'd rather go mingle w/the die-hard Sioux fans in Houghton, St Cloud, Mankato, Mariucci, or any other road-venue. It sure would be nice if the spirit of the Frozen Four got started at new REA.

Too plain. We need a mascot of some sort. My broomball team is sponsored by the Hoggsbreath Sports Bar in Little Canada. We're the IceHoggs. If I could figure out how to attach the logo here, I would. It's a catchy logo, so much so that people who have no idea what it stands for ask about it and sometimes even buy a hat. Anyone wanna help me put it up here?

Jim, I run three softball teams and two broomball teams and while I'm not a logo designer, I have come up with some pretty good stuff and have our screenprinters/embroiderers do the dirty work. We have some of the best softball jerseys in the state of Minnesota and get compliments on them all the time. Same thing w/broomball. We've done baseball hats and winter hats. Drop me a line...I'd love to help out if I can. I do like the avatar calendar idea. It wouldn't necessarily have to be just my former ones either!

Did someone say "The Platinum Fox"? My ears just popped. Let's just say that Sioux men...and women...ruled the roost there most of the weekend.

Missed ya at the FF, PCM. You can hang out w/me there next year.

Check out the What's MafiaMan Doing thread, Greyeagle. You're a friend of mine, I can get you on the bus for next year!

Air Force One, you only wish you had been in Columbus. You think you missed the "regular" posters? I swear, we were ALL there introducing ourselves. It was a hoot. Greyeagle, did you miss the Al Pearson charter or what?

I've personally met PCM and I can honestly tell you, the Fab Five should do a show in Grand Forks...and SOON!

The site is NCAAphotos.com. I just checked it out...plenty of good Sioux photos on there from 2000, including a team shot.

Lots of views, but no comments...apparently, I'm not as funny as I think!

It was all fun and games until Jim took the boobs away.

Seeing Adam Hauser dump a couple of Black Bears in OT in the 2002 title game (you remember the call on a Black Bear later that led to the game-winning goal for Minnesota) and then losing the 2005 regional game in Mariucci has also helped sway some fans our way.

I'm with ya there, cfm. I collect hockey jerseys and am even happier now that I won a Maine jersey on Ebay last week. Class fans all the way there.

Glad to know you made it back in one piece, LadyDy.

No I wasn't. Actually, my ticket was in section 408 row U (that's right, top row of the joint). I went down to 220 by the Sioux fans and found many a seat open Thursday afternoon and night. Saturday was pretty full and I bounced around being ejected several times from sections 219 and 218 before landing a vacated seat in the midst of the Sioux fans in 220.

More random musings from Columbus...I swear, they were coming to me in my sleep! PLUS-SIDE: Stepping on the Al Pearson Special in Oakdale and having the person in the third seat I see on the bus blurt out "MAFIAMAN!". DOWN-SIDE: Stepping on the Al Pearson Special in Oakdale and having the person in the third seat I see on the bus blurt out "MAFIAMAN!". PLUS-SIDE: Tim (the name has NOT been changed to protect the innocent) from Grand Forks, upon finding out that I am MafiaMan: "You're MafiaMan? Wow. I feel like I should have you sign my jersey or something. I read you all the time...you're a legend!" DOWN-SIDE: Sadly, Tim was dropped off in Fargo, promptly placed in a straight-jacket, and transported to Jamestown for a psychological evaluation. Get well soon, Tim! We're all pulling for you. PLUS-SIDE: Building public relations w/the local girls in Columbus by chatting w/them about Sioux hockey history, the city of Columbus, and shopping for shoes. DOWN-SIDE: Seeing that good PR wrecked when "Finley Jeff" (again, the name has NOT been changed to protect the innocent) joins in and promptly asks me to help his chances with the ladies by informing them that he spent a few years in the National Hockey League. PLUS-SIDE: Finley Jeff, however, has heard so much about siouxsports.com, that he will no doubt head to Grand Forks today to buy himself a computer. PLUS-SIDE: Chatting w/another poster on the bus who tells me that Jim Dahl had some things to say about me. DOWN-SIDE: "That guy is obsessed with boobs." PLUS-SIDE: Our hotel being right across the street from The Platinum Fox. DOWN-SIDE: An apparent shortage of silicone and saline in Columbus. Now back to work!

I saw what you saw, AZSioux...some pretty big gaps in the Gopher fan section on Saturday night. I know the band obviously made a difference, but I think more than a few fans packed up and went home.

Definitely thanks, seniors, for a memorable ride. Jake Brandt, you could have been a Keyshawn Johnson type prima-donna griping that it was "your time" as a senior, but instead, you accepted your role this season and were the ultimate teammate. You reminded me a lot of Toby Kvalevog back in '97. I appreciated your wave to the fans in the Sioux section. You and your eight fellow-seniors have done the Sioux tradition proud.