NorthDakotaHockey

Thanks RochSioux. Good info. I can't believe that we are going without a home Minnesota series again so quickly. Looks like no trip to Tech either. Keep us posted on any updates. Here is hoping you are still well on the mend. The off-season is always a good time to go on the mend. The lam as well.

With Eaves and his "system" in place, hopefully the old adage will firmly take hold. One. And done. As we have seen over the last three years, or four of the past six or seven years, winning a title is a tough thing to bring to the finish line. Championships are special. Kudos to Wisconsin, and to all of the teams that have won them. The team banners at the Frozen Four are cool. Time for North Dakota to string a few more years on that piece of blue and white NCAA vinyl.

Marvin was always a team player. Probably should have played more in my eyes. Nothing flashy, but not much in the way of mistakes either. Most instructive moment that I ever witnessed from Marvin was in The World on the weekend of January 14-15, 2005. Marvin was in street clothes with Smaby, who must have then been in the doghouse. My brother and I stumbled across them by the hotdog stand while slathering the mustard, and we got to shooting the breeze with them. Smaby, a Minneapolis boy, made some innocent, but incorrect remark, about Roseau, when he meant to say Warroad. I said, "Warroad." He said "What?" I said, "You mean Warroad, not Roseau." Smaby shrugged and said, "What's the difference. Same thing." Marvin jumped in and was all over Smaby in a second. "No difference! You idiot!! That's like me saying that you, a Minneapolis boy, are from St. Paul!! Big big difference. Don't you ever forget it." Now wildly gesturing with his hands, he continued his lesson. "Matt, it's Roseau, and it's Warroad. It's Minneapolis, and it's St. Paul. Never never confuse one for the other. Might get you hurt in the wrong crowd." It was then, with that little life lesson from Marvin, that Smaby began to mature as a man, and as a player. The next night, the second night of the series, Smaby was on the ice in a tough 1-0 loss to the Tigers where the Sioux outshot the Tigers about 40-15. Smaby played a key role in limiting the Tigers to fifteen shots. For the first time, he looked like a man among boys, rather than a boy among boys. Many say that that game was the springboard to the Sioux's season-ending run to Columbus. It certainly was a turning point in Smaby's career. Tampa Bay will never realize it, but Marvin did more for Smaby that night than any coach could have ever done. Marvin did all of the little things right, including schooling Smaby in the finer points and lessons of life. I will forever toast a player who wears the Sioux uniform for four years, and does so with pride. Here's to you Lee Marvin. Another in a long line of solid Warroad stock.

Good Luck to Travis. He was a might smooth skater, and was always around the puck, regardless of which end of the rink that the puck was in. Hate to see him go. Thankfully, his younger brother is probably an even better player, having learned much of everything he knows from his older brother.

Prpich. You are a class act, and one heck of a hockey player. We said it long ago, here. Heart and soul of a team that was loaded with talent. Gotta have the heart and soul to make the talent go. Jump startin' Mike. The Girls in the Hats who forever watched warm-ups from the ice level, from Dayton to Milwaukee, always said that you were the one who was driving the bus. Making things go. Keeping the youngsters on the ball. You could see it growing with each passing series. It all came together when you got Gwozdecky going nuts standing on the ledger board. We were there and saw it first hand. You will forever be one of the only players who ever got a coach kicked out of a hockey game!! It was then that the team became a team. The run that followed was memorable. While everyone contributed, you led by example. A perfect example that statistics do not tell nearly everything about what happens in a game. Now, your options are many. If I were you, I would not hesitate to go back to the golden plains of Saskatchewon, ride the sunsets that never end, farm the land like there is no tomorrow, stay in shape by skating with the best amatuer players that the world has to offer, hook up with, and maybe even someday marry, one of those girls from the Canadian Plains who, outside of maybe North Dakota girls, are the best looking women in the world, and put your education to full use. I would also make frequent trips back to the Great State of North Dakota. Or, what the heck, I might just set up in Grand Forks and make a life right here. Over the years, many, many have skated for the Fighting Sioux. Many are remembered. Many are forgotten. Few become legends. Those that do become legends do so for many different reasons. Here is toasting to the newest member of the Legends Club of the Fighting Sioux from NDU. Who is selling their game worn #19??

Truth be told, my source, of course, gets most of his "information" from the bottom of a bottle of vodka. This said, he is right far more often than not, especially since he stopped swilling the Grey Goose and went back to the quality stuff . . . Smirnoff's.

The source is The Source of course. The Source is a force of knowledge of course. The Source is a horse of reasoned discourse. This said, here is saying that Smaby and JPar is all we lose. WCHA is a great learning ground for youngsters. The pros know this.

Looks like the girls in the fancy hats will not be getting their wish to go to this final event of the year. We are all travelled and monied out. Everyone have a great time. Give our regards to Marvin, Prpich, JPar, and Matt Smaby. Tell Travis and Sparky that we would love to see them back in the green, black, and white of the Fighting Sioux come next October. Safe travels, and thanks to the departing for all of the great memories.

Get your final autographs from JPar and Smaby tonight. JPar to the Devils, on good authority. Smaby to Tampa. We all figured that. Zajac is getting courted hard. Bummer, if all true, as I am quite sure that it is. Let's hope that Sparky does not decide to go home.

I got a Genoway green for $350. It's a funny market. Some folks like some players and numbers more than others. Same with colors. Why Colby did not fly by my top dollar of $350 is beyond me. Too bad I can't afford it. Hey 7>4 . . . . That'll be a blast sporting that HC jersey on the ice. You get one big enough so it will be fluttering like a flag in 30 mph winds as you make one of your patented end-to-end rushes? Hopefully, the HC crowd will be smart enough to use the right ink for the signatures. Some pens are perfect. Others are not.

This is just one of the many many reasons that makes college hockey the greatest game on earth. Tough, if not impossible, to find some scumbags in Nevada, or most anywhere else, who are willing to take book on a game. Probably mainly because they do not understand it. Pure sport. No bull. No lost wages. No Las Vegas. Nothing but skill, commitment, and integrity. D-I college hockey. Be there. Be square.

Just got off the phone with a credible source who just made the trip from Twin Cities to Milwaukee over the last few days. Some big road projects will delay you from time to time as you drive toward Lake Michigan. Big delay around Menomonie. 45 minutes to travel about ten miles. He figured folks oughta add, to be safe, at least an hour to planned drive time. For those hoping to get there right around the time the puck drops, keep this in mind, as well as my earlier admonition that Smokey Bear in Wisconsin is a real bad bear. As I recall, it's about 340 miles from St. Paul to downtown Milwaukee. At 68 mph, that's five hours. Stop for a rest, and take in some road delays, you are looking at a solid six hour trip, not the four and a half hours some of us, including me, might have been figuring.

Geez, no game last night for the first Friday night since February 10, and only Friday night since early October, Thanksgiving and Christmas excepted. I woke up this morning still alive and fine. The Friday night games are over for the year. One more big Saturday night game on the schedule coming up. We circled it in October. Can't wait. BTW, travel the interstates in Wisconsin at excessive speed at your own risk. The Wisconsin Highway Patrol are absolute bears, and will crack you hard for anything over about 68-69 mph. Plan your travel time accordingly.

Sign me up for the #29.

Hey SiouxRube . . . . Some pretty cool computer work there. Thanks. We enjoy it.

Dave Hakstol is the epitome of a class act and a coach on the rise, fast. There were those among us who were griped to high heaven about nepotism at play the day he got hired. Of course, those people ignored the fact that he was the hand-picked successor by The Dean. There were those who griped that he lacked experience. What, we wanted to hire John Hill, or Ned Harkness, or even Scotty Sandelin? There were those who cried every time there was an early-to-mid season loss. Cried for no good reason. Anyone who knows anything could see, at an early date, that Hakstol was rock solid in his approach, and his game. He kept the best D-coach in college hockey. He hired Cary Eades. He signed the cream of the crop of the boys that he had been recruiting for years. He implemented his system. He stayed the course. He has taken his teams to two consecutive Frozen Fours. He took the brunt of criticism from a boatload of blowhards that collectively knew less about the game, and the motivation, than Dave knows himself. He remembers from where he came. He keeps an even keel. He knows what is important, and what is not. He wins with dignity and grace. He loses with dignity and grace. He and his staff teach their boys to do the same. He and his staff make no excuses. He and his staff teach their boys to do the same. He and his staff give all of the credit to others. He and his staff teach their boys to do the same. Work hard. Play hard. Live hard. Remembering always what is most important, and it really ain't the game, or the wins and the losses. It's what is to be learned from the games, and from the wins and the losses. We will be lucky to keep Hakstol, Berry, and Eades for as long as we can. They are the cream of the D-I hockey coaching elite, even at this young age. Hakstol wins the Penrose, hands down. Dave.

We have four, and could really use two to four more to keep the whole family happy. Anyone? Please pm me, or e-mail to fortparker911@msn.com

Who's your daddy got you them there those seats Mafia Man? You stick with me, and someday you gonna be somebody special. You wriggle off of that San Diego hook yet?

We may have a single, and two together for tonight. Not sure yet. If interested, call me on cell at 612.201.3239 as we will be rolling from Cities soon.

Where'd you get your 109 tickets Mafia Man? We'll touch base by on the VaderPhones on our way up the highway tomorrow. No problem on the delayed call with the Moon. We will probably be there both nights. Glad to hear that Lee's came through big time for you. Can't wait. Sioux Rule. Badgers drool. Gophers just plain suck.

We'll be there in near full force. Sure would be nice if my sister in Valley Schitty would let me know if we can bring the nephews on board the Bus. The Bus to the Bradley. Starts tomorrow night. Be there, or be square.

There was nary a doubt. Only a really bad injury, or wild horses, would have kept him away. No more wild horses in North Dakota, and we were all pretty sure that he wasn't in a season-ending injury status, so here we go. Too bad Fabian can't be dressing too, but I am sure that he remains a really positive force in the locker room, especially for the youngsters. 'Member what a stud Fabian was last year around this time?

You da Man PCM. You have come a long way from your Jackrabbit days. Speaking for many, I really appreciate these detailed recaps. There are too many reporters these days who do not pay much attention to facts or pay any attention to detail. You do both with style and grace. Big bowl of ice cream for you if you hunt me down at The West.

It will take a mighty serious injury to keep Mr. Stafford out of uniform and off the ice on Friday. The guy is about as strong on his skates as anyone that I have ever seen. Crafty and quick too. Here's saying there will be twenty-one guys warming up on Friday night, and either Miller or Stafford will end up riding the pine for the evening on a game time decision.

It will be a refreshing change to see all of the advertisements removed from the boards as well. The NCAA. No commercialism allowed. Funny. The arrogance and the hypocricy from that organization never ceases to amaze me. It will not be long for this world, at least at the D-1A football level.