fightingsioux4life

I have heard this many times and I know most fans believe this is how it should work. But that is now how human beings are wired. If we are all honest with ourselves, we will all admit that we had times when we were in school that we weren't motivated to get A's and didn't think the extra effort was worth it. Until a teacher stepped in and pushed the right buttons and got us to see that hard work in school generally leads to good things down the road. The same basic rule applies to college athletes (and, for that matter, professional athletes). People are not robots, you cannot expect human beings to be perpetually motivated all the time without at least some prodding from the coaching staff. Part of coaching any sport is being able to push the right buttons on athletes to get them to perform at their very best when it matters most. Some of the Frozen Four debacles were caused by a clear-cut case of the team not being ready when the puck dropped (2008 being the most glaring example). I think this is one of the problems some of us have with Hakstol (the other being a stubborn refusal to change in-game strategy when it is needed). PS: Every program loses talent to Major Junior/NHL teams, so I am not sure that is a valid excuse for anyone.

Like it or not, the buck stops with the head coach of the program (in any sport). The one constant with this program over the past 10 years is Dave Hakstol. Players have only 4 years of eligibility. We have had some changes with the assistant coaches for various reasons. Every major decision comes down to what Hakstol wants. If it doesn't work, it's on him. And I think he would tell you the same thing if you asked him. I really find it hard to swallow the illogic that the Frozen Four debacles that have occurred under Hakstol are somehow the players' fault and nobody else's. Yes, sometimes 18-22 year olds lose focus and subsequently lose games they shouldn't lose. But to make this argument to explain every single stink bomb this team has detonated at the Frozen Four is stretching logic to its breaking point. And, speaking of on-ice personnel, you simply cannot make the argument that "We haven't had the players" to win nattys during Hakstol's tenure. We have had talent up to our ears during Hakstol's tenure. So that brings up two possible explanations that must be considered by any objective fan of this team: 1) Hakstol and his staff haven't pushed the right buttons on these guys and/or haven't employed the right in-game strategies at critical moments in critical games or 2) Hakstol and his staff haven't recruited and signed the right athletes for this program. I would argue that it is a combination of both of these. These problems have been most evident in the NCAA tournament, where even minor flaws in coaching, systems and strategy can be fatal. And that is exactly what we have seen when a Hakstol-coached team reaches the biggest stage in College Hockey, the Frozen Four. Like I have pointed out over and over again, Hakstol has all the tools he needs to bring home multiple NCAA titles. At some point, you have to ask yourself if this regime will produce NCAA title(s) or if it will go down in the same category as Doug Woog's tenure with Minnesota. I really hope this is the year it finally happens so we can focus on more positive topics.

Okay, standard might have been a poor choice of words. How about "less than premium"?

And the last time I checked, Hak (and his staff, whom he hand-picks) is responsible for recruiting, motivating and in-game strategy. That is why he makes six-figures and his staff makes a nice living as well. If coaching isn't all that important, why are we paying a premium price for standard results?

Who is this, Don Cherry? Back in 2006, Cherry said that Canada could put three teams together and win Gold, Silver and Bronze. Canada went on to finish in seventh place. Would you like to have some ketchup or BBQ sauce to make those words easier to eat? This whole notion that nobody on Team USA would make Team Canada's roster is just pure balderdash. The players on both teams were regulars in the NHL, a good chunk of them All-Star caliber players. If Team USA was that far behind in talent, their team would have been dominated by AHL and ECHL players, with a few college kids thrown in and the game would have been way more lopsided than 1-0. But that wasn't the case, was it? Simply put, Olympic teams and IIHF teams often are successful based in large part on the leadership and togetherness the team can muster in a short period of time together. Talent is important, but if that talent doesn't work well together as a team, the results will be disappointing. That is what happened to Team Canada in 2006 and, to a lesser extent, 1998 when they finished 4th (and Team USA shamefully trashed some hotel rooms). This isn't the 1950's anymore and the NHL is no longer 98% Canadian (or whatever it was back then). Hockey will continue to become more global and more competitive. Team USA will have their chances down the road to win Gold; it just didn't happen this year.

I should have qualified it with "some fans" have short memories. I wasn't necessarily targeting you. Blais is ready for retirement and for time with the grandkids, but in his heyday, he was a good as it gets when it comes to recruiting, in game and out of game coaching and so on. And I think Hakstol learned a lot from Blais during his time as a UND assistant. Maybe this year's winning streak will lead to a national title and a merciful end to this banter.

And unfortunately, this is the attitude the U.S. players took into the 2014 Olympics. It's just another business trip, we get our big paychecks win or lose, etc. It's almost like they treated the games like regular season NHL games (a couple of losses aren't a big deal). The Olympics are not just another business trip; it is a chance to represent your country on a global stage and it's something a lot of athletes would kill for. If these players are going to treat it as just another business trip, maybe a roster overhaul is in order for 2018 in South Korea.

I think people have very short memories of just how bad this program was when Blais took it over in 1994. We were close to becoming another Michigan Tech (perennial losers). It took him just three seasons to bring home NCAA title #6 and #7 followed three years later. It was a golden age for Fighting Sioux hockey and I feel so fortunate to have been a part of it as a student in the best student section in the game. His time has come and gone, but we must never forget the contributions of past coaches and players because they helped build what we enjoy today.

No, that's why the was in there!

Because they think they are bigger than they actually are?

Off topic, but you are right, he has turned Central around in a hurry. It's nice to see them back at State.

So, you are calling me out huh? I am busy watching UND-UMD and the ND State Tournament. I can't multi-task like today's youth can.

I think that was the 2000 tournament, the next to last one in that building. I was in my final year of college and I watched that game. I believe Central had some dangerous forwards that year, so that partially explains your performance. And you are right, the tournament is not even close to what it once was. It was a must-see event in the 1980's and 1990's; now the student sections are half the size they used to be and three-quarters of the kids there are texting and surfing the web on their phones! I'm starting to sound like an old person!

I heard that they changed the enrollment rules for students so that kids wouldn't transfer just to play on a particular team. A kid can transfer to a different school, but then are ineligible to play athletics for that school. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

The first sentence was referring to today's game and the performance of Jonathan Quick in a losing effort. The second sentence was referring to my lack of excitement as a fan regarding the Bronze medal game. Hope that clarifies it for you.

It's kind of like the consolation bracket in the ND State Hockey Tournament; it's just hard to get up for it.

I haven't watched any of the games, so I guess I'll stay consistent about it.

If I was on the team, I would obviously want to win Bronze. As a fan, however, I just don't care all that much. If that's a crime, then I plead guilty as charged.

Sorry, I'm not into moral victories. I honestly don't care if they win Bronze or not.

:angry:

Yeah, that doesn't work very well, does it?

These Olympics can't end soon enough for me.

Agree 100%. This is not Division II where you could finish in the top half of the NCC, squeak into the North Central Regional and call it a success. This is Division I. The stakes are higher and the expectations are higher. I think Mr. Faison will have another tough decision to make in about a year.

And the south side of Grand Forks has a monopoly on those things? I don't think so. I was being a smart-mouth, which is one of my better skills.

I wonder if there will be a bunch of people wearing red sweater vests and khakis watching their precious little darlings (a.k.a. GFRR) in the REA Olympic Arena in the consolation semifinals?