redwing77

It's hard to say, forecheck, sports have changed since the 1970s (when free agency became the way sports went). When a star holds out, or even if it is a major role player like Dupuis, it does have an impact on team chemistry. Morale has a small impact by holdouts, but it is chemistry that takes the biggest hit. It is hard to say because the players realize that business is business, and sports is a business (debate this if you want, but you will lose). Therefore, all the players will wish the fast return of the holdouts so they can get that distraction out of the way and gel as a complete team. The players will not look at Gabby and say "That' guy is a crook and a poor leader" because they know that Gaborik is A) In the US and B) saying he wants to play with the Wild. If he threatened to walk away, like Jagr is contemplating (as well as a smattering of different players around the league have contemplated over time), then yes, it would affect morale. The same could be said if the player holding out was a rookie or some minor role player (Can't give you any names for the Wild), then yes, he would have troubles fitting in inside the locker room. This isn't saying that it can't happen to superstars. For example: looke at Lindros while he was a Flyer. His parents threw hissy fits at Flyer's front office and Lindros followed his parents' advice and facilitated the loss of the C on his sweater and eventually the trade to New York for three minor leaguers.. It is a delicate balance at times, but with the Wild being too frugal and Gaborik definitely being the offense of the Wild, it is definitely the organization causing the problems. And don't point fingers at the GM. As a rabid Cubs fan, you learn very quick that the GM is restrained by a set monetary amount to attract and sign, or resign players. This is an issue with the ownership and Gaborik's agent. I need not say to you that the two biggest problems in a free agency style sports world are 1) sports agents and 2) onwership I'm so tired. I hope that made sense, forecheck.

Ok, I know it is too early to care about rankings but I think this thread would benefit us later on this season as a way of tracking our rankings as the season progresses. For example: UMN loses two to UMD. Where will that rank those two teams? UNH loses to unranked Niagara. BC loses to Notre Dame. UND was idle. What will happen to the rankings? Does UNH, BC, UND, and UMN have a chance to stay in the top 5 past midseason? Does UND's split with BC forecast anything at all power wise? If anything at all, at least this thread will bring more conversation.

Don't mention it. Is there any plans to migrate SE to Minneapolis for the MN home series vs UND yet? Though I doubt I could get tickets, it would be nice to go down there.

Yeah, I already sold them to a friend. Not quite the yeller that I am, but he's not the late comer that sits next to me. I didn't sell them for very much, though. I'm far too nice. $12 for the series. I should only be that lucky

Looking at the reffing for both games via the box scores doesn't yield too many clues about the quality of refs except for in the MTU game. 8 penalties the entire game for both teams combined. WOW. I could only wish we could see a low penalty calling game at the Ralph. As for the UMD MN game, reffing wise, 12 penalties, which seems to be average in a game. I wish I could have watched any of the games last night. Tonight: I think MN wins and this time it will be 3-2 or 2-1. No overtime. last goal comes with less than 2 min in the 3rd.

There is never a time when Suter can't just up and leave. However, I don't think he will. This is good experience for him. Knowing that he alone cannot carry a team and that the team must live or go down together is important. After all, he's going to NASHVILLE. It's not like they're a powerhouse.

I'd acknowledge Merry if she had some modicum of truth to what she said. Refer to above. If she doesn't have enough of the facts to qualify the knowledge that Turner hasn't owned the SI magazine or even the Braves for close to 10 years, I would say she's largely shooting from the hip. If her information was correct and concluded that her beliefs were how it should be, I'd respect her despite my disagreement with what she has to say. However, since her information wouldn't hold up in court because of her half-a$$ed research techniques, I wouldn't hold too much weight to anything coming from that site.

10 players? My hope is that the Sioux take it easy on them if it turns into a lopsided contest. That's just sad. 10 injured players. Can you imagine what kind of stress their coach is under? Can't win and can't keep the players healthy. No wins doesn't help a recruiting trip either. I think UND will win, but let's hope it's not too lopsided.

Nothing is permanent in professional sports. Just ask Alexander Daigle or Mike Richter.

And the next thing you'll know, you'll see a sign saying: Our Players can outdrink your players!

Yes, Hull had his foot in the crease when he beat Hasek and the rest is history. Despite what USCHO says, I think it really is a series to watch. Definitely the only major matchup in the WCHA besides UM vs UND.

I did go to the Saturday game and reviewed it like PCM if he suddenly woke one morning and found out he couldn't write But anyways, Duncan did look the best of any of the SSM players. Chorney looked solid but didn't make a lot of offensive noise. I remember he had one shot that sailed well wide of the goal. Chay was feisty. He did get the first penalty of the game. However, he did scate well. There was a player Deeth, I think his last name was, who had Fylling's hustle. And he was fast. Also there was a 6'5 dman but his feet weren't that great. As for Toews, he's great. I met someone who was friends of the family and they expect big things from him. However, from the way he looked on the ice, which wasn't dominating by any means, its still very much in the air. Since Toews hails from Winnipeg, he may very well be a Sioux but who knows. He was young, but it was very apparent that he had mad skills. Duncan was my first star of the Saturday game.

Unless they hire Happy to write their propoganda, I'm not sure this hockey show would be able to keep up the volume of hot air coming from the Pride on Ice show to truly compete However, if the hire siouxrock/Happy, a few more from USCHO, and worked real hard, they might be able to keep things afloat Maybe they'll snatch PCM and the news can come right from this board right to the tv.

One down, two to go

I'm really starting to want to think that Murray was the steal of the late rounds of this past year's draft. Problem is, it is way too early in the season. GRRR!!!!! Murray, Greene, Stafford fan am I! Screw it. He's the best freshman hockey player in the NCAA who has yet to score a goal. There. Just wait til Yale. Bochenski and Murray Friday, Parise and Stafford Saturday for scoring heroes.

Then the New England folks would get tired of the National Championship game always rotating between Michigan, UND, and Minnesota every year because there would be no way the candy asses will get into the NC game unless one of the three teams afore mentioned pulls a Wisconsin of the late 90s or a UNH last year

Odd, but I agree. I don't believe Maine should be ahead of the Gophers... except for the fact that they beat the Gophers. Don't worry folks, Maine will eventually faced a middle of the road unranked opponent and lose, opening the door to the Gophers. Unfortunately, Providence is ranked so Maine fans will be able to use the excuse "Well, they are ranked for a purpose" Down with Hockey Least

The Accreditation board that just visited UND just submitted a recommendation to the ND board of Higher Ed to revisit the Sioux nickname. Might not lead anywhere, but it was the only recommendation the chairperson of the committee read to UND officials during the exit interview. There is an article on the front page of today's Herald, but I don't have the link, sorry. It may not be an issue with the ACLU, but it is with the accreditation board. Who knows what is going to happen. But right now, I doubt anything will. But I'll say one thing right now: If they haven't found a new chair for the ND Board of Higher Ed yet, UND folks will now have to pay closer attention to this search after this recommendation.

So they bring in Jason Mraz? How many remixes of Remedy do you need to hear before you start wondering how many beers will you have to drink in order to start believing the price for beers isn't that exorbatent?

While we're being ornary and such, ND became a state in 1889, ya Norweigen ninnies! By 1922 we were still backwater enough not to have heard of no prohibition laws so our club hockey players could get drunk after each game Just that instead of Bucs, it was Ole Willie's Moonshine stand. Funny site. It'd be neat if we could have a WCHA spoof website. Like the site listed here and the Onion combined. Ah, a spoof of USCHO and NHL.com. If I only didn't have a life....

Having seen Kiss in Fargo let me say that they put on a great show but nothing would make me sit through Skid Row and Ted Nugent again, I don't care who they are. Let me say multiple visits are common. After all, when I lived in Seattle, we had Green Day in Seattle 3 or 4 times within 6 months. So just ask yourself: Would you rather have Aerosmith as a repeater or some crappy punk band that outlived its popularity?

I don't see why this is news? I had a friend who was a bouncer at the Edge. They saw athletes all the time. They don't really card all that much either. The fact is: Underage drinking is a problem. It will always be a problem until the drinking age is lowered to 18. THEN and ONLY THEN, will the drinking problem move down to where 15 year olds are frequenting the Edge Seriously folks, underage drinking is a problem in this country, but what is more important? Preventing alcohol use or alcohol abuse? Look at Europe. Yeah, they have their problem areas and their drunks and stoners, but the ideals behind their view on alcohol is very good. Social drinking is allowed while drinking to get drunk (except on Octoberfest) is largely frowned upon. French people have a glass of wine with their dinner every night. This I find not at all disturbing. If you go every night to Bucs to get plastered, then you need help. It's those people we should be targetting, not the glass of wine at dinner crowd.

In the overall scheme of things, here's how I think this series pans out: This series is most important to UMD. UM can afford to lose, UMD cannot. Why do I say that? UM was not that great last year early on. Of course, we were busy laughing at them and calling them the Golden Chokers as par usual and then the second half began and they ended up going back to back. Even if UMD sweeps, Gopher fans shouldn't be that concerned. For UMD, if they get swept, they'll lose more than just two games. They'll be seen clearly as a third best team at best behiind UM and UND and will surely drop out of the rankings. They need at least a split with UM to maintain their focus towards making it big in the WCHA this season. They lost to UND and came close to winning against BC, but they didn't ever hold a commanding presence in either games despite a tie vs BC and nearly winning vs UND. This series will determine where they end up and where they stand. If UMD sweeps, look for big things to happen for the Bulldogs this season. If they get swept, look for a lot of disappointment and the hype will evaporate around the team. My prediction: I voted for a UM sweep, but now that I think of it, I'm not so sure. I think it will be close either way. Goaltending will definitely be the key and overtime is a high liklihood for at least one of the games. I chose UM over UMD because Stapleton was really the only offensive threat I saw when we played them at the Ralph. UM has a LOT of offense. Look at it this way: UM vs UMD is a lot like the 1999 Dallas Stars vs Buffalo Sabres in the stanley cup finals. Stars = massive offense and Sabres = massive defense.

Chorney toured. Doesn't mean much, but he did tour. I think we have to wait and see really. I could see Schneider or Jones leaving after this year.