Old Barn Guy

Hey Goon, Have you ever experienced Groustember? We like it, and use it to warm up for Octobsant out west of Bismarck. I used to take part in the Ducktober activity when I lived in the eastern part of the state, but nothing can compare (at least wild meat) to the taste of pheasant. Have a great hunting season and enjoy the hockey season as well. (The best part of Octobsant is that it doesn't end when the potholes and lakes freeze over. It goes until the calendar says it has to stop in early January.) Old Barn Guy

This is to "goon." What is this "ducktober" to which you refer? Is it like "Octobsant," like we have in the western part of the state?

Another interesting point of information about Terry Casey: Not only was he from Great Falls, Montana............he was a former figure skater. He was an outstanding hockey player, and could really fly on the ice. I had the pleasure of watching him play back in the 60's in the Real Old Barn (the quonset).

Being a Blackhawks fan, I still have trouble knowing that they went through the regular season undefeated and still managed to miss the playoffs!

Potulny and Irmen could go to Richards tomorrow, couldn't they?

CC sen~ior

Gino often mentioned how his teams needed to play with "gusto," and when they did they were usually successful.

PCM, like I used to say to the guy doing the steaks at the barbeque, "grate job!"

Thanks, I thought that's how it would be done (but was hoping for the possibility of "head to head" games for the season, so the Sioux would have the "home" designation). What the heck, they did it before at the X, so go do it again (to quote "Steely Dan")!

Does anyone know how the "home" team is designated for the Frozen Four tournament? The advantage of "last change" would be nice to have.

A writer, and former Miami U. hockey coach, has a write up on each of the Final Four teams. His final paragraph lists his predictions for the tournament. Thursday: Denver over CC UND over Mn Saturday: (drum roll) UND 3, Denver 1 (open net goal) Lets hope he's right! Here is the website address: http://www.bluejackets.com/news/features/arts/2402.1.html Go Sioux!

To allow a player that is not mentally ok to play a contact (and sometimes violent) sport such as hockey, while carrying a stick, would seem to be irresponsible. The potential dangers to opponents and teammates would seem to be paramount in making an decision to allow a mentally unstable person to compete. Now, that said, it brings the question "What was the cause of Hirsch's strange behavior?" If it truly is due to mental problems, then my heart goes out to him and hope he can recover and go on with his life. But also, I would not expect him to play for the remaider of this hockey season, if he was indeed sidelined and under medical care for psychological reasons. If Hirsch's behavior was just "acting goofy" and immature, then he deserves to be reprimanded for his actions and the fans will not let him off so easily.

Thanks for the fine job, PCM. Also, I just want to include part of the comments I made on another thread (the one about from where "this possessed play" was coming). I was going to start a thread of its own, but maybe this is just as appropriate, so a lot of readers will see it. The comments by Matt and Rory should make it plain to everyone how the players really feel about their head coach. My comments were: It's easy to sit back anonymously and snipe at a guy. Send him unsigned letters, put up posts under message board nicknames, and shoot your mouth off to your buddies over a few cold ones. How about if all of the so-called "intelligent hockey people" that have been bad-mouthing Hak ever since his hiring, send him a nice congratulatory note and thank him for the way he has helped to continue the great tradition and the classiness of Sioux hockey? And for a few of those out there (you know who you are)..... apparently, because of your feeling that the job was an "inside deal," you'd better send a thank you to Tim O'Keefe, also. Oh yeah, you don't have to sign your name, just send it like you did when you were so negative about him. He's got a lot of class and coaching experience. He'll understand.

Tape the play. (only kidding, do what you know is the right thing to do)

Comments like the ones that explain the success of the Sioux due to reasons that do not include Hak's coaching decisions certainly seem to expose a very inexperienced person (as far as understanding how teams are coached). Unless you have coached in a big-time program (pro, college or high school), I could see how a naive mind could contrive such a implausable scenerio. The head coach is where the buck stops, fair or not fair! The same should apply for fault or fame. To actually believe that a head coach has to be running up and down behind the bench, continually talking to players, only shows the lack of understanding in how coaching staffs prepare for and operate during games. That might be the way some youth hockey coaches operate, but Hak knows he has good men in Barry and Birdie. Responsibilities are delegated to them. He lets them do their jobs. The final say has to come from Hak, but the groundwork for that final say comes a long time before the opening faceoff takes place. Between-period adjustments are discussed by the coaches and addressed to the players, only after HAK has decided on the plan of action. PCM is right on. Good Grief! Give the guy the credit he has earned. I have one parting suggestion: It's easy to sit back anonymously and snipe at a guy. Send him unsigned letters, put up posts under message board nicknames, and shoot your mouth off to your buddies over a few cold ones. How about if all of the so-called "intelligent hockey people" that have been bad-mouthing Hak ever since his hiring, send him a nice congratulatory note and thank him for the way he has helped to continue the great tradition and the classiness of Sioux hockey? And for a few of those out there (you know who you are)..... apparently, because of your feeling that the job was an "inside deal," you'd better send a thank you to Tim O'Keefe, also. Oh yeah, you don't have to sign your name, just send it like you did when you were so negative about him. He's got a lot of class and coaching experience. He'll understand.

The only way I would not play Parise is if he asked NOT to play. At this point of the season, you go with your best. This is not to say that Lammy or Brant couldn't do well, it's just the mental condition of the team right now. I don't think they believe they can be beaten with Parise in the net (and that's about how I feel too). This afternoon game against Denver will be a tough one, but that's the road the Sioux have to take to get to the Championship game. If the Sioux can win this one today, I don't know who could beat them and that goes for any team any place!

I believe the place is called Sullivan's or O'Sullivan's. It's THE place to watch Sioux hockey in Phoenix (maybe the only place). I will be there next week to watch the Sioux in the NCAA's if they are playing then.

I would also like to list a post I made a while back, not to gloat or say "I told you so!" I just hope that we can sit back and enjoy what is to come in the F5 and if things don't work out the way we would like, just remember that this has be a season of learning and growth for the Sioux coaching staff and players. Good things seem to be in the future for this hockey program. Here is the post: After watching a lot of the Sioux hockey games this year, the glaring lack of "finishers" is always evident. For those fans who are continually bemoaning the lack of offense, I'm afraid it's not going to get much better this season. You must remember that this team lost it's two top offensive producers (Zach and Bo), plus Lundbohm. Now they are also playing without a very skilled and speedy Brady Murray. This weekend also sees the Sioux without a fairly strong two-way player (McMahon). The Sioux don't have depth in the goal-scoring department. They really don't have a lot of offensive firepower (finishers at the D-1 college level). The past month, they look like they are working hard, trying their best. Maybe we just have to "cut them all some slack." Get used to it. They aren't going to fill the net, even when they do create some excellent opportunities. Now, can they win and go on into the playoffs? Yes, I think they can. Don't expect it to be easy or pretty, but they could pull off a "2004 Denver" and surprise the heck out of a lot of hockey "experts." To do this, they WILL need some luck. Heaven knows that we haven't used up much of it so far in the regular season. Keep the faith. As long as the guys are working hard and playing together, you can't really expect some of the "role player" guys to magically turn into consistent big time goal scorers. It just isn't going to happen at the level at which they play. But some just may get the opportunity to produce and get the job done when it is needed the most. And to Hak........hang in there fella. First years are never easy and you have been challanged by many difficult circumstances beyond your control. You have a good staff to help you and you will do just fine. You are just "paying your dues" as a first year coach of a program that is always expected to win (not considering that most of the offense producers are no longer in the line up or even the program). You guys will find more recruits that will come in a bring the needed skills/traits to the team. I have faith in you guys and the program, and a lot of other hockey people do too....

Don't forget, when Doug Woog made his pre-playoffs predictions, he picked the Bulldogs and made the comment that he felt they had the best talent in the entire WCHA. He was expecting them to "break out" against the Sioux. I guess he's about as good of a prognosticator as he was an NCAA Championship coach.

I guess I need to mention a couple of things here, about the game times, etc. The fact that the #1 seed gets to play a #4 or #5 seed in early afternoon the next day after the previous night game might be one heck of an advantage for that #1 seed team. Then, the #1 seed (considering they win the game) gets a few extra hours of rest in waiting for the championship game on Saturday night. They also can sit back and watch the #2 & #3 teams battle in the evening, and maybe even go to OT before it's settled. I know someone mentioned about the value of visibilty to potential recruits, but I don't believe it is of such importance as the actual advantages the #1 gets by playing this schedule as it is. Now if the Gophers were #1 and still played the night game, then I would almost feel that it would be less of an advantage to them if they did it that way. I think the best solution to this, is to let the Gophers play the night game on Thursday, lose, and then they would be freed up to play with some of you guys when you have your "Sioux-Gophers fans" game in the park on Sat. afternoon.

UND's Zajac reminds me of a former Sioux who went on to have a fairly successful NHL career...........Troy Murray. Good all-around, two-way player.

Larry Olimb was a defenseman. I saw him play and coached against him. He might have played center on the odd shift, or at Kansas City in his pro career, but he was a tremendous high school defenseman.

Canuck, I totally agree with your posts on this topic. This isn't the first time I've felt this way about some of your other posts. We often seem to be on the same "wave length." From what I saw on the ice vs the Badgers, I think this team is showing some signs of being a very dangerous opponent from this point on. Parise is earning the ice time by being the hot goalie. Three d-men chip in goals. The "injury bug" is something we are having to deal with. Let's hope those guys aren't out of the lineup too long. Now if some of the "expected scorers" start to finish off, look out!

Watching Bo and Zach perform so well, in what was described as the most talent-laden AHL All Star game ever, only reinforced what I have felt all along this season. The Sioux's top senior and junior forwards left voids in their lineup that just can't be filled this season. No other college program has produced (and lost) two such skilled players the same season, as the Sioux have this season. The only thing that would have been surprising is if the Sioux's offensive production wouldn't have significantly dipped after their departures to the pro ranks.