NorthDakotaHockey

Were they together, or singles? Upper or lower? Both nights?

While it is always a longshot for this game, and while scattered singles are soon coming up for sale that we will try to garner, we are looking for four tickets, preferably lower bowl, to accommodate a crush of family that is going to be visiting during the Sioux-Gophers series at The Ralph. If you cannot attend, and if you are willing to let go without much of a scalping, please let me know. Thanks a million. PM here, or e-mail to fortparker911@msn.com. NDH

Son of a gun. Son of a gun. Here is more proof that the Good Lord often snaps the truly great guys from us while they are still young. The Good Lord must have needed Troy for some big job upstairs. So, The Triouxper (IIRC still under suspension here for no good reason other than for voicing his opinion with a reasoned degree of passion and force) is now telling jokes to and playing hockey with the Angels, is showing them how to properly devour a chicken wing without choking on the bones, is kicking their hind ends in a beer guzzling contest, and is no doubt showing them another thing or two about living. If you ain't living, then you are dying, and The Triouxper lived his life every day to the fullest right up until his last day. Now, he has the greatest gift. Eternal Life. I am saddened mostly for those of us who remain behind, lockstepping our way toward the Judgment Day. Troy has fought the battle and has won the war. When He offered His Hand, Troy, never to turn anyone away, did not turn Him away. Now, The Triouxper is living large. My sympathy goes out to all of his family and his friends, and to all of us who remain for our tasks here on earth. Treat yourselves well today. Get yourself some chicken wings. Have a laugh. Toast a brewski. Tell a joke. Let your facial hair grow for a few days. Look at a broad from the Iron Range with desire. Defend the honor and the tradition of the Fighting Sioux. Hold your heads high. This is what Troy would have done today, and this is what he will expect of all of us to do each and every day until we meet him again on that Day. Troy will now rain his love down on us all from his perch high above. Get ready. Here it comes. Eternal life and perpetual light. Here is saying that the Sioux win the NC this year, and that The Triouxper will be pulling some strings from up above to get it done.

The REA is not going to lift a finger, or pay a single dime, for any costs of removal or retrofit. This is going to potentially become a problem for the University, especially in terms of cash.

You are certainly right Goon, as is almost always the case. However, I did not say that Joe does not read the board, only that he does not waste his time on the board. Much unlike you and me. We are time wasters. Big Joe is not.

I am pretty sure that Big Joe does not waste his time on this paltry board and that he is well beyond the Final 5. You must have run into him on Thursday night before you were escorted from the building with the chants of WCHA fans delighted that they would not have to hear the shameful Drouser the rest of the weekend? I am also pretty sure that Big Joe has long long forgotten you my little one, that is, if you were ever even in his realm of consciousness at all. You, however, apparently will never forget him, or your secret desire for and love of all things Sioux. Go back to your North Dakota roots. Minnesota has little to offer you, other than possibly a cut rate degree if you are so capable.

May I spell A-L-L T-I-M-E S-T-U-D H-O-R-S-E !?! Duncan has well shown over the last four years that he will well succeed in anything that he chooses to do over the next forty years. Sure was a fun ride for all of us fans, for his teammates, for his family, and for him. Now, the ride just moves to a different track. Same horse, different track.

Three trips to the Frozen Four, a MacNaughton Cup, and a Championship Banner that will forever hang from the rafters. Playing with a Hobey winner and a raft of pros. Getting degrees. Staying on a commitment to yourselves, your families, and your teammates for four hard fun-filled years. Making their coaches look good year in and year out. I'll take a crop like this any day. Congratulations men.

These tickets are sold. Thanks.

Four great lower level seats to Frozen Four. All proceeds going to help family defray flood fighting expense and loss. These will be sold for more than face value. fortparker911@msn.com

Rats. A tough way to end the season. As noted by the smart ones here, the boys feel three hundred times worse than any of us do. I feel miserable, but I am not going to engage in twisted miserable criticism that has little basis in reason or fact. The only thing I might have done different is to change up the face off on the final faceoff in regulation. Duncan had been picking his guys for the last three. Change it up and put Vandy in there for a different look. Would that have made any difference? Who knows? North Dakota had another great year, and had another great shot at a title. They did not get it done. That is sport. It is not like they have been playing their little sisters. Joe Finley had a great career. Everyone griped about Brian Lee but, gee, somehow he is in the NHL. The same will be true of Finley. Every other senior on this team deserved more than an OT loss in the regional semifinal, but that's the way that the puck deflects. They are great kids all. My biggest regret is that my plan to sell my great Frozen Four seats to some high crying high roller on this board, and to donate the cash to those fighting back the flood waters, is now a bit on the rocks. Hopefully, the Dogz will come through tonight and I can go fishing in Duluth instead of long lining behind the Sioux bandwagon. Everyone has the right to register a gripe. I just find it a bit comical. As passionate of fans as some of us may be, we really have little to no skin in the game. No skin in the game. The game. It is only a game. The more important game is being waged by the brave sorts along the Red, who are without hot water, who are cold and tired, who are short on food, gasoline, and supplies, who are frantic with emotion, who are sandbagging with the equivalent of stacking frozen turkeys, who have not worked for a wage in days, and who remain great Sioux fans themselves. Today, I am far far more concerned with their "game" than with the outcome of a lousy hockey game out in New Hampshire. Their game, if won, will be far more important than any hockey win will ever be. Anyone want to pay a big premium on four great lower level seats at the Frozen Four? Your money will go to a great cause. Jeez. The Sioux loss is my fault. If I had not committed to not going to the Frozen Four this year, Duncan would have scored the second period goal, Duncan would have won the faceoff with six seconds left, Hak would not have called a timeout near the end of the game, Vandy would have taken the draw instead of Duncan, Eidness would not have stepped too far out of his crease, Finley would have stepped back instead of stepped up, and the Red would have crested without incident. It is always tough to see the end of another Sioux hockey season. It is also a good time to remember that there are far far more important things in life over which to agonize than the outcome of a silly silly game that will be played for a long long time after we are all long long gone.

True Goon, but you are well versed enough to know that hockey on TV is pretty lame when compared to being in the arena for the live action and the excitement of the crowd. One can fall asleep at home. That does not happen in the house. There are very few games that have been or that ever will be as exciting as the Dogz game last night. TV does nothing to capture that electricity. Funny thing, unlike the Gopher faithful, there really were very few Dogz fans running for the exits with two minutes to play. That is the true measure of a good hockey fan. Arse in the seat when the puck drops. Arse stays in the seat until the final whistle. Anything can, and sometimes does, happen.

This may be a bit of a long shot what with everyone needing help. My sister and brother-in-law, huge fans, are fighting like dogs out at 10012 6th Street Court, south of Fargo, just east of the Wild Rice Bar. He was on the front page of the Herald a few days ago when the Sioux students came out to lend a hand. If anyone in the Fargo area is looking to pitch in tonight, go give Johnny V. a hand throwing more sandbags. They will take well care of you. Their house number is 701.293.7802. Thanks.

Tis. I used to have friends who did not follow Sioux hockey, but I soon found them to be rather boring so I dropped them. Their loss. My gain. Have fun at The Final Five. Greatest tournament in all the land. Any sport. Any league. Any day.

I see that fishing is good today there MafiaMan . . . . Good fishermen are no fools. It takes a real presentation to get a fish to bite. Gopherz, it is a good thing that you are still young and essentially inconsequential. Otherwise the MafiaMan would have you for lunch. Instead, he'll just toss you back so that you can nibble and bite again.

Maybe true, but it will be really hard for you to remind their fans of this fact as they are crowing up a storm on Sunday evening strutting out of The John looking to buy your Final Five tickets. Better bring them along just in case as the market will be flooded with jumpers that night and all of the next day.

Attention. Those with confidence and foresight. We have six (6) tickets to the Frozen Four. Four are in Section 428. Upper corner I believe. Two are in Section 402. These will be in extra high demand after the Sioux roll through their regional. Looking to get what we paid for them, plus shipping costs. I believe it was $725, plus ship, for the four. $400, plus ship, for the two. As with everything that I offer for sale, these will go fast. PM me.

This is the year that Jan Brady steps all over her big pompous sister Marcia. It will give the St. Clown folks plenty of ammo for the next few years, having ended the Gophers' season and denying them the hostess role in the regional. Mankato will end Wisconsin's season. Duluth will end Colorado College's season. Denver will end UAA's season. The Sioux will, of course, end Tech's season. SCSU, Mankato, UMD, Denver, and North Dakota will make for a rousing Final Five. Mankato will end Duluth's season. The Sioux will end Makato's season. Denver will end St. Cloud's season. And the only two teams going to the Big Show from the WCHA will be North Dakota and Denver. Sioux take the trifecta. MacNaughton. Broadmoor. NCAA.

Geez. Now I am really nervous . . . . Actually, I am on a long scheduled cruise, and we will be arriving home mid-Championship Game time. I might drive over and dive in. I had to defer to others on the scheduling and am not real happy about it but hey, nothing wrong with cruising. Nothing wrong with going on a boat with food, drink, sunshine, and dart boards either.

Does the State pay guys to sit in the Cooler??

Sadly, perhaps, I cannot make the Final Five tournament this year and I will not be around for the Hoggsbreath Breakfast, a rapidly growing tradition. The food is great, the Bloody Mary's are the cure, and the camraderie is top shelf. A great way to get the day going. Highly recommended by all who have been there before. The owner, as I recall, is from North Dakota.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Get your West Regional tickets now. Sioux and Gophers are on another post season collision course. Sioux as a #2 seed, Gophers as a #4. Unless, of course, Minnesota has their season ended by Saint Cloud, which could very very well happen. If and once that happens, Sioux are a lock in The John. Of course, I suppose that the Sioux run will put them as a #1 seed. A Gopher #4 seed might send us elsewhere. Hope that that does not happen. Frankly, I would love to see the Sioux end the Gophers season on March 28.

'Twill be interesting to see what Hak does with the lineup tonight. While you don't mess with good chemistry, a rest for Eidsness before the stretch run might well be a good thing. Some game action for Walski cannot hurt, especially in a game with little ultimate consequence. Eidsness could trip on a crack, get run by the opposition, get a touch of the flu, or cut his hand making a sandwich. Having a backup who has not seen a bit of game action for a long stretch is not a good thing. This said, Eidsness is young, may be on the verge of a ROY award, and is key in the building confidence of this team. He ain't tired, and they ain't heavy. I think that Hak rolls with him, and with the same boys that brung 'em the Cup. 'Cept for Derek, who is healing up to take charge of the D-corps next year.

Real cool. Most on this board knew it from the start and did not waiver from our position. This team is loaded top to bottom, with a mix of leadership, youth, talent, speed, brawn, and brains. We were fortunate enough to have made the drive to Dayton, Ohio in October of 2005 for the Lefty McFadden when the present senior class was on their first road trip and skating their first games. They were much heralded, mostly because of the guys no longer here. Now, here they sit on the precipe of yet another NCAA tournament run, with the Cup in hand, and with a solid chance of playing the balance of their games, at least up until the Frozen Four, before legions of fans at The Ralph, The X, and The John. As many have already said, the early games of a season are just that. This team was way too loaded with leadership and talent to stay down for long. Break 'em down. Mix 'em up. Build them back. It's called chemistry, and Hak, Eades, and Jackson are some of the best chemists in the land. Of course, good chemistry always requires quality elements. It's elementary. There are those who know and believe. And there are those who doubt and fret. Now, as every spring of late, we are all again as one. It's called chemistry. Congrats to the boys wearing the colors for hanging a banner and bringing home some hardware. Their work, and their accomplishments, have only just begun.

Can you spell "non-factors?" A meaningless clash between a couple of bottom feeding teams. Glad to see that you are interested in following the upper echelon as well. Lose your moniker and come on over to the winning side.