NorthDakotaHockey

For those of you who do not know me, I am an idiot. By and large. Although I've been to the NHC a number of times, I always get lost. We are cutting it to the bone tonight. Anyone have reliable directions from the Twin Cities, either via I-94 or Hwy 10? Thanks.

Rank speculation. To coin a trite expression of Hak's, the only thing that matters right now is Friday night. And a safe bus trip for the team and safe travels for all of their faithful followers. One game at a time while on a March and April tour of venues down the Mississippi River. Saint Cloud. Saint Paul. Saint Louis.

Sorry Folks. Tickets have been sold and delivered. Nice to see that everyone recognizes a BIG WCHA clash at The Concrete Center. Thanks for all of your inquiries. Safe travels to all. Arrive early. Stay through the final whistle. Like all good Sioux fans.

Son of a gun. I've got four tickets, on the glass, first row of Section 102. I think that that is the end where the Sioux shoot twice. Near face-off circle opposite the benches. Work is looking like it may well interfere, and the snow may not give me enough time to drive to St. Cloud. If anyone is interested, let me know asap. $25 each, which is below face/TM fees. PM me here, reply here, or e-mail me at fortparker911@msn.com I am in the Cities.

For the sake of most of us here, and our families, let's hope that the season does not end until April.

An interesting thought. However, the games are at The John, not at The Mac. I have no problem with the Gophers taking the Anchor. Geez, this league tough, near top to bottom. College hockey season is in full bloom. Best time of the year, by far.

Brandt is a great guy, and was a rock solid goalie. Some forget that he was the bus driver on the Road to Columbus. Anyone notice how Phil has been playing much better since he got that haircut that I had been long advocating on this board?

I am quite sure, I well suspect, that it is the Pairwise that SFiD is referencing. T'wasn't long ago the Sioux were outside of the top ten on the Pairwise. Will be again if the wins do not keep coming. One game at a time. See y'all at The Arch.

Well, I guess I answered my own question about the Prpich #19 fan in the face of Jutting and his boys. Nice job wakingboard. Looked like alot of fun. Jutting is toast. Last night simply reinforced that in the minds of many, especially the MSU-Mankato Administration.

That's a big 10-4 on both fronts there Hab-it. The only reason Bina opened the door, if he even opened a door, was to simply tell those inside to relax and that things would work out. No ill intent there. As for Jutting, he is a punk and is on borrowed time, big time. There was a guy wearing a Prpich 19 jersey right behind the Mankato bench and looked like he was giving Jutting and his hacks an ear full. I'd like to get a report from him. Another big Sioux win on the Road to the Arch. It's gonna be great seeing Foyt play tonight. Best 21st man in all of college hockey.

Am looking for four seats, together, for Saturday night clash between the Mankato State Indians and the Fighting Sioux. Oh, wait. I guess they are now the Minnesota State- Mankato Mavericks. Please e-mail me at fortparker911@msn.com if you can help.

Wow. Those there some names. I think they were bussed in from the Twin Cities on a trip financed by the boys over at GPL with instructions to raise a little hell.

No difference. Same thing. Terminology. At least in Minnesota. Many states have varying degrees of severity, based on a number of factors, including blood alcohol reading, number of prior offenses, whether injury or property damage is involved, whether kids under a certain age are in the car, and whether or not the alleged perp is a Gopher fan. These are often called "aggravating factors."

Simply more proof that there are gutless weinies running amok, especially in our sister states. This has nothing to do with the nickname at all. After all, the state universities in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, the heartland of culture and history of the Plains Indians, could not be so arrogant, could they, to think that they will somehow change the world simply by refusing to play the Sioux in sport, except of couse when real money is involved? The Sioux have always recruited and will continue to recruit heavily from Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. By not subjecting their fragile Big Ten egos to a potential embarrassing whipping at the hands of the Fighting Sioux, these "powerhouse" elites can better protect the best players in their own back yards from giving more serious consideration to North Dakota, a school near home that both plays, and sometimes beats, the D-1 school from their own home state. The name and logo argument is b.s., and the athletic departments of Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin know it. They are conveniently seizing up this red herring, adopted by a field of clueless reds within their own administrations, in order to better seal up their own borders in the recruiting wars. I just hope that most of the other D-1 schools have sufficiently sized gonads to refuse such ridiculous policies and simply and fairly cry, "No foul here. Let's Play Ball!"

I noticed that right away. Of course, I already had a clue where auntie and uncle were sitting. Nicer folks there could not be. Except for maybe Momma and Poppa Lee.

Yeah. Apparently the Big Brass also is not going to school the student section about how hostile and abusive they are with their "Sioux Suck" cheers. Talk about being in the face of an entire culture in a demeaning way. But they won't play us?? Too funny. Of course, the Gopher student cheering section has long suffered from idiocy and uncreativity. The "Junior College" chant made no sense. They package their cheers meant for St. Cloud and Mankato, and use it on everyone. They obviously do not know that North Dakota is a land grant university that has been around nearly as long as their school, and that it is a national leader in many programs, just as is the UMtc. It was fun giving it back to the students this past weekend. A lot of Gopher tail stuck firmly between the legs as they emptied the John with time still on the clock.

Not to rain on any love fest, but I have not been wildly impressed with the Gophers all season. They are extremely young. Their non-conference schedule has been soft. Their league schedule set up nicely for them, at least early. Unlike the Sioux, they managed to win the games that they should have won against the lower division teams. They have won some close games, and have not exactly been dominant over the top-tiered teams in the league thus far. They have played many of their games in the friendly confines of The John. Once again, they are relying on a roster of nearly all Minnesota kids, other than the Colorado Sieve. Woog proved for years that although that is a nice aspirational goal, it does not produce many banners. Lucia has been his typical self, and all heads were no doubt swelling. Losing Hirsch had to hurt a ton, and who knows what lingering effect that is having. Neither Briggs nor Frazee are candidates for All American. The Gophers were ripe to be picked. I am tired of reading and hearing from the Twin Cities media and some fans (not all of course) that the Gophers were victims of their own poor play and some "bad bounces." They got schooled in every aspect of the game, and at least some Gopher fans are willing to recognize it as such. I, among many on this board, called this sweep early. Big deal. It was an obvious and easy call based on my astrology charts and league watching. It is nice to see some early naysayers back on the wagon. The Mankato series will be tough, as will they all be, for every team, from here on in. All the way through March and into April. The teams with the best talent, grit, coaching, and breaks, including the injury wagon, will likely be in St. Paul and in St. Louis. While I always enjoy watching the Sioux school the Gophers, and while I really was hoping for a Minnesota-North Dakota shootout in the West last year, I could care less about seeing the Gophers again this year. I hope that they get beat in the first round of the playoffs. I hope that they limp into the regionals, and I hope that they have an early exit from the post season. Of course, they have shown that they are fully capable of all this, and more. Cujo. That tag line of yours is stupid. Typically arrogant. You had better hope that Okposo's shoulders are pretty strong, because as talented and as hard working as he is, I sure didn't see a whole lot of effort out of the rest of your boys. The Don must've told them that the games did not mean much this past weekend. I suppose that, as young as they are, and given the soft home schedule that they have had, they simply did not realize and were not prepared for the intensity and the firestorm that North Dakota always brings to Minneapolis.

10-4. No tailgate as I am a lousy dart thrower and I will have young minor girls in tow. Wouldn't want any trouble of any sort down by the railroad tracks. It should be one heckofa series, as they always are. Good to hear that you are around and well.

W . . . . Good hearing from you. I was wondering about you, and where you've been. Leave it to THE series in all of sport to bring you out from under that sheet of plywood you've been lying under. See you around The John this weekend? Look for me, as I will you.

Package has been claimed by some lucky Sioux fans from Fargo. Thanks to all. I swapped two chairs on Friday night for two SROs because I always aim to both please and serve.

Word has it that Jon Campion is the referee for these games.

Is it likely open to the public?

The John did away with the assigned standing room spots a few years ago. Why, only Goldie-Digger knows. Now, the SRO tickets are marked General Admission. Folks stand where they can, and where they wish. First come, first served. Give up your spot, look for a new one. All in all, it works pretty well, especially if you are courteous and/or have youngsters in hand.

Your service as a firefighter is duly noted and here widely respected. You must get alot of women. Too bad you are not in North Dakota where most of the best looking ones reside.

You must be about 4'6" tall then. I have been to The John many times with standing rooms, and my youngsters have used them without problem. As a short guy, how'd you qualify for a fire fighting job? Surely not your IQ, or your desire to leak in others' tents. If no one wants in, I'll sell the tickets on the street and we will use our tickets, and the hotel, to have an enjoyable weekend watching the Sioux bring the Gopher faithful back down to earth. Keep your firetruck and ladder at the ready. You might need to bring some of your brethren if from the ledges of high buildings.