fightingsioux4life

Especially since the Beer and Bacon Boys haven't won a medal the last 2 years!

The NFL will do just about anything to get the (Fudge) Packers into the Super Bowl. The problem is, the Seahawks have home field throughout the NFC playoffs and they will be tough to beat there.

Yeah, that is what I meant.

So every nation in the world that has a hockey program gets a crack at qualifying for this tournament? I guess you can't call it the IIHF if you don't include the whole world at some level.

So what? You still have to get kids to buy what you are selling and I have all the confidence in the world that Bubba and his staff can (and will) do that. But that won't be known for several years anyway.

Wow, didn't see that coming.

I am not sure what articles you are reading, but both Miller and Nelson are sugar-coaters when it comes to UND athletics. I think Schlossman is much more objective in his reporting (yes, I have warmed up to Brad in recent years!). I never have said that the Herald sports team should trash anybody or write "scathing, hatchet jobs all of the time". But over the years, I have seen way too much sugar-coating of our teams when it is absolutely not warranted. For that matter, I have seen way too much of that on this forum and in our fan base (especially over the last 15 years or so). What Miller wrote today was basically trying to convince us that being competitive in a game on the road is somehow a step forward in the right direction. That is the definition of a "moral victory" and we've accumulated more than enough of those to last a lifetime. At some point, we need to get a "signature win" over a program like Marquette or Wisconsin or Minnesota. That will get us a lot of positive press and exposure and possibly make a difference with recruiting. What happened vs. Marquette does not qualify. And btw, Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press is one of the worst hatchet men in the Twin Cities media (he rips Teddy Bridgewater in almost every Vikings-related article). I certainly don't want that in the local press, but I also don't want the "everything is fine the way it is" sugar-coating that I have seen in the Herald over the years.

Don't count out Finland (a tough, physical team like always) or the United States (solid from top to bottom). Russia looks down (not shedding any tears over that) and I think everyone else lacks the overall depth to contend for a medal.

Another puff piece by the Herald's Tom Miller: http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-basketball/3642827-tom-miller-mixed-results-Marquette So we are into moral victories now? Really Tom? Considering this program's abysmal road record during the Jones regime, I will believe it when I see it.

Hasn't there been talk of St. Thomas moving their programs up to D-II or D-I? And is any of that serious?

Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year!

I could imagine a 1-11 record in 2014 under Muss and company, with that one win being against Valpo at home (and being much closer than it should be). But that didn't happen and we are now on the right track with Bubba.

Isn't RPI a little suspect this time of year because of a small sample size?

Just proves once again that hockey is a team game and dropping a quarter of a billion $$$ on two guys (no matter how talented) won't get you over the hump. They need to keep doing what they have been doing; drafting and developing more talent in-house and then calling them up when they are ready for the big leagues. I do think if they stick with the plan, it will bear fruit.

Evers is such a huge part of this team's success. Once she gets back to 100%, we'll be fine.

I think Kelley needs to be "kicked out" of a lot more things than this.

Exactly. One of the purposes of having a B1G hockey conference is to maximize TV and other revenues amongst B1G schools. Why would they allow an "outsider" in the door?

I guess he was looking up trying to figure out who did it. In the end, it all worked out. We need to get back to this level of excitement.

You, my friend, need to work on your sarcasm.

I like the make-up of this year's team.

Here is the article in today's Grand Forks Herald: http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-basketball/3640332-mens-basketball-marquette-comes-back-beat-und Direct quote from Brian Jones: All that is missing from that statement is "toe to toe", then you couldn't tell the difference between Jones and Muss.

And don't forget the stand-by excuses of "transition" and "nickname".

As for recruiting, I think we are in a dead period so the news will be sparse for the time being.

You would think so darell1976, but it's never quite that easy, is it?