GDPritch

Wow, pretty soon it will be fire Brew and not Jones. How things have changed since mid-season or so of last season. Yes, Lloyd sat for most of first qtr and other times but was in there a lot of the 2nd half and looked freaking lost in all aspects. Lil Red (Knox) was absolutely terrible against the press. And agree with earlier comments, we (Knox especially) kept it sloq in backcourt bringing it up like waiting for the double team/press then couldn't do anything to get out of it. Although Lloyd disappointed with just something like 5 pts and poor game Knox to me was the least valuable player. This is getting ugly. Way too many turnovers and only halfway decent outside shot on the team is Dyer. And why did #35 (freshman I think) for UND play so much?

I agree 100% on Cashman over Avants for playing time in the front court, Cashman has not played now for like 2+ games. My understanding on that though is it will soon come out that it's to do with a non on the court issue. I believe that's so but don't quote me. It has to be something like that as Cashman, while not a super freshman, had a respectable first season for a big man on a not so good team last season. So, it makes no sense this season he would suddenly be riding the pine now 100% of the time (yeah, yeah I know Jones is the coach but ...).

As much as I want to like Shanks and his shooting touch for a big guy, it hurts him too in that he's so weak. He gets bumped or fouled when shooting even when just under the basket and you can never count on him making the follow thru for a fg. The reason he struggles as the ft line, despite what appears to be a good touch is his emotional/psychological being. He's simply too emotional and wears it on his sleeves. I'm sure he's thinking way too much at the ft line when he shoots, hence likely will only be in the 50% to 60% range at best for ft's.

I never said the numbers were not accurate or indisputable (they're numbers) but obviously there's a purpose for the post. Not so much misleading, granted, as what the numbers by themselves may or may not say outside of the obvious. The numbers say Haks has coached the second most Frozen 4 games (second to Gino although Haks has been at UND 5 less years than him I think) and Haks has also lost the most Frozen 4 games. I just assumed looking at the post that you were on the fire Haks mission but perhaps I shouldn't of just assumed that then. Anyhow, curious, where do you sit on the fire Haks issue then? Should he stay or should he go? And if he should go, more importantly, who's a better coach to replace him?

Not to argue but while I may not refer to many of these schools sports teams by their nicknames I do know all of their nicknames save for RIT. I'm a pretty big sports fan so I might not be your best "sample" so to speak. And I don't necessarily disagree with your assertion that perhaps UND doesn't even need a nickname.

Fargodome, aka "Alerus Center South".

Uh, maybe it was posted already but isn't this using stats to mislead. Obviously, 1-7 by Haks in the Frozen 4 ain't good. However, that in itself doesn't necessarily say anything about well he coached to get his team there, how many games (less) there were in the NCAA tourney back in the day prior to making the Frozen 4, and should some of those coaches have coached better and been in the Frozen 4 more often? A lot unsaid.

And no knock on Sandelin but he'd likely agree, what "worked best" for him in 2011 was the Sioux losing "cus of Haks coaching" (give me a break) to Mich in the opposite semi-final.

Uh, he badly "coached" the Sioux players into hitting 2 pipes in the 2nd period and also badly "coached" Zane into giving up at least 2 goals that I'm sure he would like back. Yeah, blame the coaching. Hire (insert other coache's name here) and that bad "coaching" would not have happened. Can't make it up.

Oxford ain't GF? You're probably right if you poll 100 Americans, they would probably degrade GF vs comparison with an Ohio city/college town. U Mich has "tradition" but that ain't winning them many nattys in the last decade or two.

For the 23rd fricking time, college hockey is one and done! The NCAA doesn't do that in college baseball world series and for good reason. One game doesn't always prove anything.

Peyton and Favre are both the better QB's, no doubt. Great point you make.

Yep, blame Haks "coaching" despite Zane letting in two or three goals he wish he had back and our players hitting two pipes in a dominant 2nd period. Yep, all Hak's fault, poor coaching.

I've said it once here, I'll say it again, it's still easier for a dominant/better football team (yes, there are exceptions sometimes e.g. turnovers) to win 1 game versus an inferior opponent than it is for such a hockey team to do the same against the other team in one game. That's why college hockey hould be playing more than one game to determine a champion, just like the NCAA does in baseball. It would be ludicrous to have college baseball teams play a one game "series" in their world series (which they don't) based on the nature/dynamics of the sport, no different than hockey.

Respectfully disagree. Not an issue for the Sioux. The Sioux had great goaltending all season (Zane had two real bad games, game 1 vs Bem and final game vs BU, poor timing on the last one), have ample role players,.....along with talented players.

He was certainly not Parise or Toews but he was still a very fine collegiate hockey player, nonetheless. I sure wish we had had him back this past season, no doubt. Admittedly, not sure how successful he'll be at the next level though?

Cripes, touchy-touchy and I even praised the Herd. Point being one game does not justify establishing the better team in hockey (like in baseball), unlike football. Your statement can't be further from the truth.

In college hockey, yes, agree. I would assume so but to be honest, not sure?

When was the last time we had freshmen forward scoring a sizable portion of goals/points? Take a look at Omaha this season, some freshmen up there as their top point getters I believe. I'm guessing Grimaldi maybe most recently (?) but it seems we don't get much scoring anymore from freshmen forwards, while other teams seem to, or am I off on that?

And like D-II hoops, they get to play (albeit they earn it by being seeded high enough) all play-off games at home until the title game. That's a huge factor in play-off runs.

With all the success we've had short of a natty the last 11 years, if Haks was only 2 games above .500 winning percentage, my guess is he would be fired too. At some schools that might earn an extension though.

Reminder to all that ndsu is playing at lower tier D1-AA ftbl level (they're damn good at it, I grant you that) with few NFL draft picks and not at the top tier college hockey level with NHL picks filling rosters. Not apples to apples.

well put Irish. I'm in the same boat thought-wise as you.

Football is a much different game, even in a one and done scenario. In the playoffs in football I would venture to say the best team OR team that plays best wins 90% of the time. In one and done college hockey I would say that might be at best 65% maybe? And in football the "best" team during the regular season gets to play all games at home except for neutral site Super Bowl. That certainly ain't the case in college hockey. Completely different scenario, game, conditions and circumstances. Can't compare the two, not apples v apples.

Agree 100%. I'm being partially glib but is it the curse of the anti-nickname crowd against the new Ralph? I may be wrong but no natty since winning it all in 2000 (correct?) and moving into the new Ralph in 01 yet we've had arguably (up for debate, I realize being we haven't won a natty) since then maybe the best run 15 year continuous run ever for Fighting Sioux hockey ever (minus a natty, I hear ya!). Yes, Hak's had a terrible NCAA run luck-wise but even Dean had some really good teams 01 - 04 that seemed to hit a bad/unlucky streak in those 4 seasons. Not into karma (good or bad) but just saying. I mean, the way our luck has gone these last 15 years in the NCAA tourney, despite playing better than the other teams in well over half the games we've lost to end the season, with all the strange things going on it's really getting to be like WTH is going on here?