John W.

Great series of articles in the 'Fargo Herald' (Grand Forks afternoon paper) on the future and vision of Big Ten hockey...I found the commish' comments about affiliate membership in any BIG sport telling....they've added 2 affiliates....John Hopkins in lacrosse and Notre Dame in hockey........more to do with 'like minded institutions in standing' , than athletic performance....kinda puts closure as to why UND wasn't asked to be a part of BIG hockey....

No UND incoming Fighting Hawk players, nor NCHC, drafted in round 1....Sure some will come off the board today......Some on this board have accused me of not liking hockey....not true.....I do follow hockey, quite closely actually...Berry seems like a good dude....what I dislike is unwarranted arrogance, which I perceived was evident within the previous coaching regime, and with some 'newby' fans who only have that as a perspective....Blais, Gino and going back to the mid 50's the UND coaches practiced 'hard nosed' hockey with just the right amount of humility.... College hockey today, has quite a bit of parity, which is good....prolly won't see the dominant programs like Michigan, Minnesota, BC and UND have the 'runs' they previously enjoyed....that is good and will ultimately return humility and gratitude to programs....and fans alike....

Further demise of the Herald, in it's attempt to make hockey 'mainstream/relevant'...Front page today, above the fold....an article on some kid from Piss Creek, Sask...who may or may not be drafted...when Sacred Heart....a local team finishes 3rd in the MN state baseball tourney.....their best ever finish.... Watch out....I listen....to CJOB Winnipeg...the sports leading radio....every morning...Toronto and all of Canada....loving the Raptors....Look out....'Mainstream invading the 'holy land of pucks..."

Looks like John was their primary KR/PR last night...saw in box score Brady had a tackle....must be on special teams...Roster finalized this week...

Ask ESPN about ratings for ice hockey vs. college softball or baseball....the other night 3 of my ESPN channels carried super regional softball...never happened with ice hickey...niche will always be niche.. Poll the entire state of North Dakota...young and old..."which team gives you more North Dakota pride....NDSU Football. or UND Hockey"... Bet the results are 2-1 or maybe 3-1 for the mainstream... Toronto going nutz over Raptors....'puck heads' watch out....the mainstream, maybe gaining in your base culture...... I wish all the best to UND sports..except the arrogant...I thought this site was to enhance ALL UND sports.....not just the 'chosen one'....

Good coach hire....but 'oh no, he's not one of us',,,,, educated in hated MN and coached in hated SD....I attend BB games at UND and season tickies in FB…. I wish him well... But some on this board are so provincial with their skepticism/criticism....If you don't have UND or North Dakota roots..'you ain't !@#$...How about Hoeven and Dalyrmple….born in ND but educated in (oh no) an Ivy..... I did some teaching...at UND....found the faculty and especially the students a delight....My only criticism is the arrogance of the hockey program...rivaled only by that of NDAC Aggie football.....

Binky, I do check the internet....several times per day,...My issue with Herald is content...and lazy reporting.... GF and the 4/5 towns you mentioned all do care about hockey.....certainly not a majority of people/kids in our region.. Puckheads are not only dillusional, but 'thin skinned' apparently....Go put your heads I'm the sand until water freezes in late fall....have a nice nap!!!

The Herald is not just about Grand Forks....there are 150,000 Minnesotans who live in NW Minny who would/do appreciate info about the Twins, Vikes, and perhaps even BSU or UMC....maybe even some folks in Piss Creek, ND follow the Twins....don't blame Fargo for elitism.....it's rampant in GF and by some on this board... Hockey is still 'minor league'..no matter how you cut it!!!!

"You want the truth ....you can't handle the truth"...I agree the Herald should be more balanced it's sports overage...Hockey is only a mainstream sport in Canada , maybe Sweden, and one of the Slovak countries......Soccer has surpassed it in the US....No matter how hard the Herald tries..it will never become mainstream... Big Whoop if GF voted the best hockey town in the US., who voted???? GF Herald 'used to have a big reach'...now...not so much.....Becoming a niche newspaper catering to a niche sport...

It saddens me to see the current status of the Grand Forks Herald. My family has been a subscriber since I was a 'wee' child....My father's hired men used to read me the daily baseball standings, as they, and then I, became fast sports enthusiasts. Now the paper has become a 'day late' reporting evening sports of high school, college and professional teams. Furthermore it has 'sold out ' to hockey interests; a sport that does not rank high in fan interest in North Dakota (compare attendance at state tourney games) and other than a few communities in MN. I know the Herald has invested and banked it's future on hockey, but IMO will only hasten it's demise.

The only time hockey for females is relevant is every 4 years come Olympic time....small town girls hockey is supported because small towns support their kids.....attendance sucks at the collegiate level for women.....the woman's pro league just folded....UND was wise w/o 'sugar daddy/mommy' donor.....

THANK goodness for Mark Kennedy and Brian Jones.....at least there's been something of interest on this board rather than some blather about a 5th rate 'niche' sport that is of very little interest or has much following in the USA....

Good the 'adults in charge'' of the recruiting process voted in a change....no signing of a recruit until August of their junior year of high school....Now maybe the sports pages of the Fargo Herald will revert to the legacy of C D Locklin and not 'Teen' magazine....(google CD Locklin to see when Herald sports reflected professional journalism and not a 'tweet'fest...)

According to the Fargo Herald...a 16 year old from Arizona committed to the Gophers....cited facilities and coaching as the reason....FYI. Most major hockey powers have nice facilities....so that's usually moot....coach and the system they play is oft a factor....Sandelin recruits to fit and wants kids who may stay 3/4 years...he's successful with that philosophy...

Great to read post Frozen Four wraps in Herald...must be written mostly by Duluth Trib reporters (also a Forum Communications paper)... For better than reading about an 8th grader from Pisscreek, Saskatchewan who committed to UND...which has relevance to about 12 people..

Why doesn't Forum Communications put the Heralt' out of its misery,...it's just a matter of time and it will be history, like channel 8... And become a part of history....the Fargo Heralt' is worthless now....

Congrats to Dawgs...Melrose stated Coach Sandelin is the "best coach in college hockey, he recruits guys that'll stay 3/4 years and not the '1 and done'.....also he's sitting on a deep talent pool....doesn't have to travel 300 miles to recruit the bulk if his team..

I'm sure the. Fargo Heralt' is readying a place on their mantel for their 'Pulitzer'.... Since after several years they finally got 'Kennedy''....democrats should contact them as they're still trying to bring down Trump...

Hope UMD represents the NCHC well and brings home the prize....Read in the Strib this morning....(may be in the Fargo Heralt' in a couple days) that of the 6 western All Americans....4 played for MN based colleges....3 from NCHC....again good to see....

No doubt Kennedy did have a difficult time communicating and prolly was perceived as 'distant'...still if hired by CU, definitely is an upgrade over a North Dakota..should have kept his mouth shut on this ....but 'passive/aggressive racism' is rampant in ND...

I'd say Kennedy landed 'on his feet'....A 'Power 5 ' conference...PAC 12 member....and away from the 'pettiness that IS North Dakota.'...Hockey is not on the radar, for U of C....CC and Denver have dibs on that 'niche' sport in the state....

Posters on this site must be 'perfect'....ie. it's Kennedy's fault, it's Bubba's fault, it's Berry's fault, it's Shafer's fault....

Recruit to your system......not just 'talent'...reading accounts (don't go to Herald for quality anymore) of the NCAA hockey Frozen Four...coaches/writers talk about recruiting players to your system. AIC, Bowling Green AZ State may not have high end talent...but players stick to their coaches system , and don't 'freelance'...St. Cloud may be guilty here.....The new wave of talented young coaches preach system and not 'tradition'....only alums and legacy players give a rats butt about tradition.....look at Michigan, Minnesota, the Boston's and now UND..,.. Also 'facilities' may be over sold....most teams have decent, upgraded facilities now...ie. Denver, Duluth, Penn State, Ohio State, etc....facilities more important to alums....as is tradition... Recruit system..and the quality of the school...

Great move for Gino Crandall...40 minutes from Final 4...both he and Carson Shanks crested once in a lifetime experiences and memories after moving on from UND...happy for both...

Read this morning in the sports section of the Strib (where I now go for sports information now that the Herald has been turned into a 2nd rate paper....no wait...4th rate or less) that the 'hockey 'Blue Bloods'-Minnesota, North Dakota ,BC, and BU , are not to be found. In this year's NCAA tourney... Maybe Hakstol saw the collegiate landscape changing and realized there will no longer be dynasty's, thus left toward the tail end of UND's run...Competitive balance is good for the growth of collegiate hockey....Sad day for some I'm sure...the boosters of those programs..