MafiaMan

In a completely unrelated note, it IS possible to be a Bison football and Sioux hockey fan. My dad graduated from NDSU and his idea of sports is hunting deer. However, he would quit feeding cows or whatever early one Saturday a year: The UND/NDSU football game. I was watching that game when I was 5 years old. Hate 'em if you want, I'm proud of the success of North Dakota's two NCAA football teams at the D2 level. Heck, I'm proud of the success of the two women's basketball programs. It's a shame they're on sabattical from playing each other. Until UND turns D1-AA...but that's another thread for another day.

Since 98-99% of all the games during the season are played at 7:05 or 7:35 pm local time on Friday and Saturday nights, I'm guessing Gwod might think playing at 2:35 pm in front of a half-full arena isn't to his liking. But I guess we'd have to ask him, wouldn't we? I honestly have no idea. But do you think he'd honestly turn down a prime-time appearance in the TV market of the league's biggest target? Even Lucia thinks the rule should be scrapped.

The lower seed is always the "away" team. UND will be wearing their dark jerseys all weekend no matter how many games they play. Since Nike can't get their head out of their a** and get the black jerseys done, I believe you will see the Sioux in green, which is fine by me.

Phillysioux, Kinda like sending the WCHA playoff champ and #1 team in the country on the road to face Michigan at Yost in the NCAA tournament is a "reward"? That's what happened to 2002 Denver. Or the 1998 Sioux being ranked #1 and being sent to the same graveyard for road teams? No matter what happens to Minnesota, they're playing at Mariucci next weekend. DU's "reward" for being the #1 seed should be playing in prime-time at the Xcel Energy Center.

HUH?

I sure am getting some chuckles out of those in favor of a Big 10 hockey conference. Poor "assumption" that the tournament would be in Chicago. I'm guessing DLW4GOPHERS and others would have a hard time convincing the powers that be in Michigan and Michigan State and the # of fans they draw in Detroit that the tournament should be moved a few hours west of there. Good luck with all that...

I agree with you 100% WPoS about Memorial Stadium. People who haven't seen an outdoor college football game need to head to LSU, Ann Arbor (it doesn't get any better than The Big House), Alabama/Auburn, The Swamp, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Oklahoma, or Ohio State and get a good look at what a great game outdoor college football on campus is. The cool thing about Michigan Stadium is that while 50 yard line seats are obviously more expensive than end zone seats, the fans' butts there will hurt just as much as mine by the end of the game. No luxury boxes is what it's all about! Back on topic...section 102, row 11 seat 8. #19 green jersey. See ya at the X. And don't forget to buy a waffle cone! Cue Homer Simpson: "MMMM...XCEL WAFFLE CONES....AAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH."

Petey, I'm not nearly that good, lol. I play co-rec C for King of Diamonds/Liberty Bail Bonds. My men's team used to be pretty decent until the guys started getting into their mid-30's and wives and kids took precedence. Oh, that and the fact that our shortstop took a bad hop to the face and needed 3 surgeries to put his nose back together.

Runninwiththedogs...I went thru this with you on Saturday night. The name on the back of my Russian Junior Team Penguins jersey was spelled in Russian, which contains a symbol that looks remarkably like a "3." You might also recognize that as the number of goals UMD scored last weekend.

DLW4GOPHERS, When did Minnesota join the Big Ten in football? Oh the classic football stadiums of the Big Ten...The Horseshoe...Happy Valley...Michigan Stadium...Spartan Stadium...AND THE METRODOME?

Plus, coming soon to a Final Five near you (hopefully 2006), Lake Superior State and old-school Providence College. Which reminds me...did anyone see the new Michigan Tech jerseys unveiled last weekend? Sa-weet!

10% off your bond if you mention the softball team! 2004 State ASA champs, I might add!

AZSIOUX, I work about 3 blocks from the Xcel Energy Center. I used to change between games last year and several fans noticed. My goal this year was between every period. I may have some help on the "inside" of the X as 15 minutes to my truck and back is a bit much to ask.

Bigchief and Dagies, I'm close-by to both of you in section 102, row 11, seat 8. I'll be wearing my green #19 "DiNUNZIO" jersey for Thursdays game, but for the rest of the weekend, I'll be sporting a different jersey not only for each game, but for each period. Watch for red CCCP, Soviet Wings, blue Sweden, maroon Latvia, 1980 USA, and maybe even yellow Michigan. I always get lots of blank stares. As promised, I'll be carrying with me a dozen or so handcuff keychains compliments of my softball team sponsor. Oh, and for those interested, some free passes to a certain gentlemen's club in Inver Grove Heights ten minutes south of the Xcel Energy Center on Highway 52 that shall remain nameless.

I'm almost jealous.

Funny how the last couple of years' have really taken off attendance-wise. The years at Target Center were absolutely horrible. Seriously, the 1998 DU/UND title game was one of the most boring games I have ever attended (in terms of fan presence and noise). Of course, that upswing in attendance coincides with the move to St Paul, the Wild bringing out more hockey fans in general, and Don Lucia-pet's arrival. As my good friend Elmer Fudd would say, "intewesting...vewy intewesting."

Shhh....don't say the word "Illini" when you know the NCAA is watching!

DLW4GOPHERS, I can hear you whining already... "How come we always have to travel to Joe Louis Arena for the Super-Six? Why doesn't it come to Minneapolis/St Paul?" "It's not fair that we had to play at 2:00 pm and (insert local team here) Michigan/Michigan State got to play at 7:00 pm."

Well-said Sicatoka. Hometown fans should have no problem playing hooky to see their team play.

That's what I was saying too. In fact, I think you could say that about anyplace. Hockey fans are great when it's their own team, but you'll hear crickets chirping at the X if Saturday's final winds up being DU vs CC. I remember last year's Subway "Classic" semi-final in Grand Forks between Wayne State and Brown. The actual attendance was less than 1,000.

Greyeagle, Thanks for the stats. Nice work! Now just out of curiosity, can you tell me what the finishes were of the Gophers/Badgers the years the tournaments were in the local cities. Obviously that has an impact. I will say this about Bucky fans...they do support their team, but a Final Five in Milwaukee without them would be a disaster attendance-wise. I agree, although I won't be attending. Given the quality of hockey CC has put on for a number of years now and Denver's recent success, those two schools deserve a WCHA Final Five in their backyard.

TC Transplant, I've been to Target Center for a WHCA title game involving Denver and North Dakota and seen Goldy in a few 3rd place games. You wish you had 83% capacity watching those.

I realize we continue to beat a dead horse on this issue, but Wreckincrew hit the nail on the head yet again. I've mentioned it before several times as well. While the #1 seed UND was playing Alaska-Anchorage at 2:05 pm last year at the Final Five, local high school kids (and potential Sioux recruits) were busy at school. When they got home, they turned on FSN to see the hometown Gophers play. Now tell me that doesn't sway a few kids to come to the almight U of M? Of course it does. It isn't all about attendance. Interestingly enough, Minnesota's pride on ice barely fills the lower bowl if the Gophers are in the 3rd place game on Saturday, which has happened at least once in the past few years. Fair weather? Now before WPoS and Greyeagle go ballistic, Tim Hennesey calling it the "Minnesota Rule" really isn't fair. It only seems that way because the tournament has been held in Minnesota every year since dirt (or so it seems) with the exception of 1998 when it was held at the Bradley Center. Wisconsin was the #2 seed that year and allowed to play their semi-final in the evening while North Dakota played the 2:05 pm game. It hasn't just been applicable to Minnesota, it just seems that way.

The last time the Badgers were in the Final Five was 2002 and they lost to CC in what was Jeff Sauer's and Dany Heatley's last game. There was a monster snowstorm and attendance was pretty minimal. I do recall lots of Badger fans in attendance saying that most fans in Wisconsin were waiting to see what happened Thursday before making the decision to come to Mpls/St Paul for the weekend. Hopefully they do the same thing this year...and wind up saving themselves a few bucks by not having to drive all that way just to watch the Sioux play Friday and Saturday.

Thursday at Great Waters, eh? Who wants a keychain?