fightingsioux4life

I've just never been a big fan of Schlossman. I just think he's an average sportswriter; it's nothing personal. I do think his online coverage of our program and the sport in general (the Blog, Twitter) is second to none and I don't think those things would have happened if Virg Foss was still at the helm at the Heraldo. For the record, I am not the same guy that wrote that comment. As for Union, I would watch them simply because they are one of those teams people know little or nothing about, but all they've done all year is win. Granted, the EZAC is not a great conference, but it's not Atlantic Hockey either. These are the teams that sneak up on you, not conference rivals or well-established programs that are there year after year. You know what you are dealing with when you go up against BC or Michigan but Union is a bit of an unknown right now, just like Gonzaga was in basketball back in the late 1990's. College Hockey is just so competitive and you can't count anybody out.

You are right seeds are meaningless in hockey, even the 16th overall seed can be dangerous.

Thank you Johnny Five, I appreciate it. Your comments are welcomed after the taunting I had to deal with at Saturday's Minn-BU semifinal by a tool sitting in front of me. It's nice to know you aren't all like that. See you next season, the final season of the WCHA as we know it.

People can laugh all they want at Union, but they are for real. Ferris State.....not so much. Here are my predictions: BC 5, Rodents 1. The Eagles didn't give up a single goal in the regional. Rodent fans will blame the PA announcer and the lack of atmosphere in the arena for the loss. Union 3, Ferris State 1. Union will once again surprise a more established team and prove their critics wrong. Union 3, BC 2. The Brad Schlossman Rule is invoked here as Union is badly outshot but still wins their first NCAA title in just their second trip to the tournament ever.

Brock Nelson would be foolish to think he can jump to the next level. He has emerged as a tough, physical player with skill and speed, but he has to have a lot more seasoning if he wants to make it in the NHL or even the AHL. Same with Forbort. Kristo could leave and be competitive in the AHL, but it could take him a couple of years before he gets a call-up. I think these guys should talk to some of our previous players that left early (most of whom wished they hadn't left early) before they make their decisions.

Ignore him Slap Shot, he's just trying to get a reaction.

Thank you Greybeard.

But we just couldn't solve Kent Patterson! Honestly, if Schlossman goes there in tomorrow's paper, I will quit reading his stuff from now on. Not that I read much of it anyway. Anyway, I am tired and crabby and I think it's bedtime. GO SIOUX IN 2012-13!!!

We had a total of two shots on goal in the 2nd period. Two. One was Kristo's goal and one was just before the horn sounded. Shots on goal were 2 to 1 against us after the 2nd period. We were a step slower all game. All those odd-man rushes and breakaways wouldn't happen if we had a full and rested line-up. We fought hard from start to finish, but you can't win games like this on fumes. We struggled to finish off Western Michigan and I knew it would be hard today. But we didn't give up and didn't quit and I am proud of the team. As for our friends in Rodentia, we'll see how good the Goofs are when they have to go up against a fully-loaded team in Tampa. This weekend, they beat a slow Boston University and an injury-depleted and tired North Dakota team. I would say good luck to them, but I won't because they would never do it for us.

I know you like stirring the pot, but please, enough already. This team went as far as they could with what they had to work with. I will look forward to watching the Rodents choke in Tampa.

And maybe you shouldn't put yourself in Pot-Kettle-Black situations. You come on here making declarative statements that you just cannot back up. And nice not showing any concern for Bison fans that don't live in The Center of the Known Universe (a.k.a. Fargo). The world is getting to be a smaller place, but for fans of our sport, it's becoming bigger and harder to navigate every year. As for lacrosse getting bigger, you are right and I wish UND would drop baseball and softball (which don't work in this climate) and start lacrosse teams for both men and women and use the Alerus Center for home field. Some traditionalists would cry and complain, but it's just the right thing to do for the program. Anyway, I had better get off here. I am in Sioux-Gopher playoff mode and I am getting a little ornery!

Weren't you guys screwed out of watching a couple of your FCS playoff games on TV last year? And wasn't it the same type of deal? Yep, thought so. So I don't ever want to hear you complain about that every again, because (as you stated) lacrosse is king. The last straw will be when an NCAA game goes into overtime and it's between two teams with rabid fan bases and they leave the action to go to lacrosse at it's "regularly scheduled time". And you better show me some numbers that say lacrosse is more popular than college hockey or else I am calling BS on that statement.

Our biggest problem is lack of depth. But that hasn't stopped these guys from getting to this point, so I wouldn't count them out just yet.

I believe the day is coming when you will have to have ESPN3 to watch the Frozen Four. Just give it about five years.

This is likely the last season we will have the Fighting Sioux name and logo and I think this team is the perfect team to end the era with. They are a great example of the Fighting Sioux heart and spirit. They have exceeded all expectations and, win or lose today, have earned and deserve our everlasting admiration and respect.

If the ND Supreme Court doesn't do its job, those are the schools we'll be stuck playing.

I say this every year and I will continue to say it every year: Come up with a PPV option so that people can buy all the games they want and those that don't care don't have to buy them. A lot of people living in non-hockey areas that want to watch the games will gladly put the cash down so they don't have to put up with this stupid ESPN 3 crap. I also think the tournament rights should go to another national cable network that doesn't have anything better to put on this time of year. That way, the product would get treated with some semblance of respect. It's ridiculous when it is easier to find and watch a lacrosse game than a hockey game.

I am 1-3, only team I got right was Union.

Only one I got right so far is Union; I actually have them winning it all. They are a team nobody knows much about, but I think they are legit and I think they will surprise some of the more established programs.

Iowa (Big 10) - Iowa State (Big 12)

Okay, fair enough. You have a good point. I think some of us just get tired of the same tired old misinformation and wishful thinking being presented as "fact" and promoted by people like Rob Port and it gets the best of us (including myself).

I agree with you on insults, but I don't think the possible destruction of UND athletics as we know them is "trivial" at all. This is serious business to those of us that care about UND as an institution.

I don't have to go on "Spin Cycle" to answer that. The two athletes you mentioned are the exception to the rule. Alcorn State had brief success with McNair at QB in the early 1990's (Sports Illustrated even put him on their cover with the headline "Hand Him the Heisman"). Alcorn St. has done nothing since and will likely do nothing ever again. Even the most backwater schools will occasionally produce NFL players. Jerry Rice played for Mississippi Valley St. and Walter Peyton played for Jackson St. Both of those guys are NFL Hall of Famers. And both of those colleges remain backwater institutions in the world of college athletics. If that is the type of institution you think UND should emulate, then you have bigger problems than losing the name and logo.

The next thing the NCAA will do is ban soda because it promotes childhood obesity and is not consistent with "the values of our organization". After what has transpired over the past six years, I wouldn't put it past them.

I am so sick and tired of people like you using Alcorn State as a prime example of how NCAA sanctions will do us no harm. Alcorn State is BAD in everything! Being under sanctions has NO IMPACT WHATSOEVER on Alcorn State. But a large majority of our teams are frequent visitors to NCAA postseason play and the sanctions will negatively impact our recruiting, scheduling and athletic department budgets. If we keep the name and logo at all costs, the Big Sky will likely give us the boot and that will plunge us into a sea of financial red ink. It is entirely possible that Kelley and Faison would soon determine that maintaining a football program under those circumstances is not feasible (financially and otherwise) and would then move to have the program dropped. Not such a "small price to pay" anymore, is it?