redwing77

And I don't recall any coach with the kinds of success Hak has had having been written off himself by some of the Sioux fanbase as much as Hak has. Coach gets a Fire Hakstol thread every season. Maybe twice a season so far.

Some miscellaneous notes: Hextall, according to Heisenberg is a 2008 recruit. I don't think there is any way Bruneteau or Blood suit up for the Sioux next fall. There's simply no room. I think Hamilton's situation is going to be intriguing. Right now, on paper, I think he's going to struggle for ice time. From what I've seen of Hamilton and what I saw from Martens last season, I'd probably play Martens over Hamilton. I do not like the situation that is developing with our D. If Lee and Finley stay (and Chorney is serious about staying...anything's possible re: Bochenski) we have a SERIOUS logjam at D. Sure, our D will be seriously good next year, but who would you sit to play LaPoint? Wait... I already know the answer: Lee or Finley. Ok, seriously, who would you sit? I like our 6 as is. Having Marto as the 7 is a good insurance policy, but I wouldn't bench LaPoint for the world.

I think I should get a prize for making it into the top 300! Ok, ok, I got 273rd but still...

You know... if Toews leaves.... and Vandevelde is put on the line with Oshie and Duncan... They could be the DiVO line. Not as good as if it was Toews, VV, and Oshie... the TiVO line.

Yup. So, let's answer the question: Should we start the "Florida: Sign LaPoint NOW!!!!" Thread now or should we wait until October? Seems silly to put off what will surely be a "sure thing."

I agree. Scapegoating is just petty in a team sport. Then again, when a fan points at a single player and says that Player A is the reason why we lost it just makes him look silly. I mean, does Player A look bad if we would have played better offensively? Would Player A still look bad if Goalie had stopped that weak goal? Sorry, but in a team sport, you can't blame ONE player for the loss. It just doesn't work that way. Also, I love the "I'm not blaming him for the loss but" routine... Aren't you? Why would you pick that out of all the other mistakes if you weren't? Sioux-cia: I don't recall many here picking on the DOT line at all. When Oshie couldn't hit the broad side of a barn early in the season, no one was really caring. Even I called it being "snake bitten." Sorry, but that's another thing that gets my goat. Certain players on this team get free passes while others do not. I've seen Chorney, Bina, Oshie, Toews, Duncan, Fabian, and the like make some REALLY dumb mistakes yet no one really says much, but if Lee or Finley make those mistakes, we are ALL over them. Sorry, this isn't kosher to me.

Take a swing by http://www.someonetakesthistooseriously.com And then head by http://www.hugfrommommy.org It will make you feel better about some simple ribbing.

I wonder what his "professional reaction" was and could anyone tell either way?

I was thinking more of: www.whocarestheyrefirstroundexitsanyways.com

Thanks SIouxnami for posting this. I don't think Finley nor Lee are the "perfect" defenseman. I know they've made mistakes. But I am tired of hearing how they have been the cause of so much of the dark times during the seasons they have participated in with the Sioux. And Fetch talks about hype out of high school and I agree. There was a lot of hype about them coming out of High School. Unlike many detractors, I didn't put all my weight in their abilities based upon the hype. I put all my weight in their ability based upon potential. I mean... Hey, not all 16 or 17 year olds are Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkins. Not every 6'3" defenseman is a Matt Greene. Funny how MANY detractors seem to think that draft position and hype determine how good players should be and, when they aren't at their full potential right away they start throwing stones at them or, in the case of Finley, have idiots calling for their teams to sign them away. If we really did want results RIGHT away then we're losing the fact that we are a collegiate team and NOT the NHL. They grow here. They learn to use their skills to fit the system. Brian Lee and Joe Finley have been here two seasons and have learned TWO systems: One molded by Berry and one molded by whomever took over that duty once Berry moved on. Maybe there is some consistency that is required in the system that may help Brian? Joe has already shown TREMENDOUS growth in his two years. One thing for Lee detractors: Maybe Chuck Schwartz can clarify things, but... it looks like we're getting another Brian Lee in Derrick LaPoint. Big defenseman, huge offensive upside, not the stay at home type. So my question for Lee detractors is this: Do we wait for him to play a year or should we dispense with the waiting game and start throwing stones now? Seriously, it's going to happen since their games seem so similar... But I guess we'll be harsher on Derrick because he's had a year or two in the USHL and should automatically know how to play good D because of it? Look at that last paragraph and ask: Does that even sound SANE? Yet that's exactly the type of rationale that's being thrown out in all of those negative posts about these two. Maybe we need to take a step back and realize that they aren't perfect and that hype and draft position don't apply to reality. Especially draft position. Draft position is only for NHL teams. It has no bearing on college otherwise players like Wheeler would absolutely tear the college ranks to shreds. Even EJ didn't tear up college as much as one drafted in the same position as the likes of Crosby would expect. Not all detractors are "haters" but it seems like the "haters" drown out the detractors on a regular basis. It's time for them to take a step back and see the game as a team sport. We win as a team. We lose as a team. We're not UW. We don't rely on 1 or 2 goals to win games.

I agree. He's played amazing second halfs his first two years. Like Matt Smaby. But haters like coach daddy probably don't see that. Noth worth really arguing over.

Oh my god, that would be AWESOME! Maybe he could get traded to a team that, you know, has a winning culture to it? A team that does everything to put a winning team on the ice every year? A team that doesn't suck?

PCM, nice responses. Remember, though, there is always one. On Schlossman's blog, even after we were winning, there was still some Yahoo screaming for Hakstol to be fired. They have troubl,e distinguishing between hype and reality. THey see their team doing great and start believing the hype and then internalizing it as the team being unbeatable. Then, when a team that very well could (and did) beat the Sioux actually does it, they find someone to blame for their own naivete. Hackstol (or Haskal) fit the bill for Underdog in this case. Others who have filled this role: Phil Lamoureaux, Brian Lee, Joe Finley, and many others is years past.

Unless both Lee and CHorney leave, I can't see Blood coming in 2007

Pardon my ignorance, but does the Frozen Four have an "all FF team" like the Regionals do? If so, who made it?

As a Cubs fan, you are just now becoming conditioned to defeat? Where've you been the last 100 years? I agree with LB#11. Hard to fault Finley on the play and it did appear as though he never really made contact with his elbow to the BC player's head. It was the too tall guy hitting the too short guy penalty. That being said, this is hardly the first time this season that this type of thing happened to Finley. What I find amusing (and already pointed out) was the fact that some are talkming about how unnecessary the hit was and putting some blame on Finley when earlier in the year there was such campaigning for Finley to either play physically or sign with the Capitols. What do you want? What did Finley see coming into the hit? Did he see the guy he was to check getting the puck and breaking it out? I don't know if Finley made a mistake. I don't know if he should get all or some of the blame. I do know it was a shakey call. And I do know that he's been in that position before. But I also recognize the fact that he was doing what he thought was best and playing in a fashion that most fans screamed at him to play.

A good take. There are very few posters here that can compliment Lee even if he does do things right and does contribute. If I'm not mistaken.... isn't he either 2nd or 3rd on the team in scoring defense? Certainly among the leading defensemen in assists.

Just Norton. I bet he cried when Curry got eliminated and then sucked up to Brown only to have him lose too. I wonder what the "order" is. WOuldn't it be hilarious if Norton's boys either didn't make it or finished 3rd of 3?

He's so proud he grew 2 inches! He's now 5'8".... or is that how tall the statue is?

Good job Duncs, Toews, and Chorney! Pretty good list all around too.

Is it too late to predict Duncan would win the Hobey? Congrats Hobey Duncan!

That she is. I remember my last year as a student at UND when I had so much fun holding signs and being on the jumbotron all the time. She would always help organize signs, hats, accessories, and all this stuff to make it a fun experience! I can honestly say that season (2002-2003) was the finest season I've experienced as a Sioux fan at the REA.

Please don't feed the trolls. UMHockey holds no respect for the Fighting Sioux. He doesn't even dare spell our name right. How can we take him seriously even if he tries to talk hockey if he holds so little respect for the opponents of his beloved team? WPoS may or may not be wrong. But at least he respects the Sioux. Heck, even Slap Shot may get under some of our skins but at least he respects UND enough to spell our name right. Just ignore UMHockey. He brings nothing to the table. Respect has to be earned and he's earning himself no respect and the Gopher program even less respect by his actions. yzerman19- Slap Shot and WPoS aren't really trolling. The only trolls I've really read so far seem to be UMHockey, Hextall, and RexBanner teeters on the brink at times.

Precisely. Melrose and THorne mentioned this during the BC/UND tilt. He said the players didn't know until after the game was over. Double whammy. Condolences all around.