This is my first Frozen Four, how about some good stories from past on

[farce poobah]

Wasn't there something in the paper that someone had an equipment problem and Smail was just giving him time to get ready to play. A contact lens comes to mind, but it's been 30 years so I'm not sure.

That may very well have been the case. In either case, what he did worked.

[jimdahl]

This will be my 7th F4 in a row! My first was Columbus. Where's MafiaMan? I met him in person that weekend. He can tell the story of the 'Silver Fox' (or was it the 'Spotted Cheetah? The 'Mangy Lion'? I don't remember. ). It was a strip joint across the street from our seedy motel. It's his story.

That would be one of Danny's Foxes, I believe -- I recall that there were at least Silver and Platinum (I did cheat and reread my old notes).

[morley]

2006, Milwaukee - It was my Dad, brother, and I. Get to the pregame party at the Buckhead saloon. Us younger two start drinking somewhere around 10 am. Sioux lose "nightmare 1" to BC. Watch the second game and head back to the buckhead after the game. Run into a couple of random Canadians that are down for business and love hockey. They proceed to buy us numerous rounds. Now at the time I would have considered my brother and I seasoned drinkers for our age. Out of nowhere Dad goes back to the glory days and out drinks my brother. I am impressed as Dad rarely drinks, and if he does rarely is it more than 2. Bonus of the trip, hotel is over booked due to construction. Our hotel is comped for all three nights. If we had sold the championship tickets it would have paid for our trip and a good down payment on the next year. Unfortunately we watched one of the most boring games I've seen. Not to mention a Robbie Earl flop like non other only to be praised by ESPN.

2007, St. Louis - This year is is Dad, Mom, my sister and I. Hotel is Drury plaza, they give out drink tickets for each night. Go to the severly understaffed pregame party. Nobody told them that Sioux fans come out from everywhere. Cool bathrooms though as there was a two way mirror in front of the urinals looking into a hallway. Better hope you don't have shy kidneys standing there while a lady checks her hair in the hallway on the other side. Witness "Nightmare 2" to BC. Suffer through the second game. Not sure what night, but my sister, her friend, and I head to some bar that turns out to be a vampiresque type place. Bar proceeds to offer free shots to girls that dance on the bar. Bar rail fills up with girls and continues to more our way. I believe my sister said something to the likes of "sk@nk" to refer to one of the girls now dancing on the bar and almost spilling our drinks. Dancing girl makes a fake kicking motion at my sister. I'm already trying to figure out how to explain to mom and dad that we ended up in jail. Thankfully my sister had the cooler head. Although I know the other girl never stood a chance. I would have been killed by her boyfriend though. Thanks for being smart sis. Went to the championship game. Got tons of free drink tickets from Sioux fans that were leave back to GF. Filled up a couple of 64 ounce glasses and walked to the game.

2008, Denver - The whole family, all five of us. Go to the pregame party where you can barely move. Ran into a ton of people I knew from college. Watched "nightmare 3" to BC once again. Really starting to hate having the first game of the tourney. Would really like to be able to watch/enjoy the other game before losing. Bounced between the arena and the bar that the pregame party was at during the second game. Once again stayed at a Drury Plaza, only a long ways from the arena. Took the train/light rail to/from the games so we didn't stay out for very long. Don't remember what we did Friday, but went to the championship game on Sat. Long drive back on Sunday to be to work on Monday.

2011, St. Paul - ? ? ? ?

[MafiaMan]

This will be my 7th F4 in a row! My first was Columbus. Where's MafiaMan? I met him in person that weekend. He can tell the story of the 'Silver Fox' (or was it the 'Spotted Cheetah? The 'Mangy Lion'? I don't remember. ). It was a strip joint across the street from our seedy motel. It's his story.

I know nuss-ink!

[Vegas_Sioux]

2005 last flight out of Aspen to Denver before the snow storm left 5 feet of snow and united cancelling didn't get close to Columbus.

2006 In the band in Milwaukee after the debacle we had dinner at the Rock Bottom Brewery then cigars.

2007 In the band watched Ryan win the Hobey about the only good thing about that weekend.

2008 Jumpseated from Baltimore to Denver texted Sioux forever Baby that i was in a bar in Aurora CO what should I have to drink and were where you guys. I still get a laugh out of the response she sent me, Nebraska.

[Sioux-cia]

That would be one of Danny's Foxes, I believe -- I recall that there were at least Silver and Platinum (I did cheat and reread my old notes).

That was a good read! Brought back good memories and one sad one.

While going through my collection of jerseys a couple weeks ago, I brought out a black one that I had forgotten I had. I brought it out to the living room to show my son and his girl friend. He asked, "Who autographed it?" I replied, "It's not autographed." He held up the sleeve and pointed to the signature. Only then did I remember, Eddie signed it for me in Columbus.

[Sioux-cia]

I know nuss-ink!

Mmmmm, marriage = amnesia??

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Mmmmm, marriage = amnesia??

Now this is funny right here!!

[Hockeygirl97]

Bought a ton of tix for relatives for the Regional in GF, and won tix to the Frozen Four in Milwaukee. Sat in the second row w/ a college girlfriend who just moved to Milwaukee the week before, great seats in the players section. (Met Robbie Earl before the game. . . nice guy, even though he was a big diver!) Anyway, sat by the biggest loser jerk of a Boston College fan that ever lived (although I've heard they're all that way from anyone I've ever asked) who chirped and dissed North Dakota the whole game. (My girlfriend says to this day that it's a good thing they don't serve beer at those things. . . I'd have never made it through the second period w/o getting kicked out!) We lost of course, but I was still so mad about it the next day that I wouldn't sit by the Boston College fans at the tasting part of the Miller Brewery tour. My friend and I hung back so we could sit by some Sioux fans. And it's all History after that. I married the scruffy one two years later and our son will be playing for the Sioux in 2028.

P.S. Still mad I didn't write a great letter to the brewery about how we met so we could have gotten free beer for the wedding dance. Went to Denver Frozen Four for the Honeymoon and lost, so we're staying home and going to Wild Wings on Thurs. in Bismarck. I think we're due. . . . it's our son's first birthday on Sat.

[Runninwiththedogs]

Bought a ton of tix for relatives for the Regional in GF, and won tix to the Frozen Four in Milwaukee. Sat in the second row w/ a college girlfriend who just moved to Milwaukee the week before, great seats in the players section. (Met Robbie Earl before the game. . . nice guy, even though he was a big diver!) Anyway, sat by the biggest loser jerk of a Boston College fan that ever lived (although I've heard they're all that way from anyone I've ever asked) who chirped and dissed North Dakota the whole game. (My girlfriend says to this day that it's a good thing they don't serve beer at those things. . . I'd have never made it through the second period w/o getting kicked out!) We lost of course, but I was still so mad about it the next day that I wouldn't sit by the Boston College fans at the tasting part of the Miller Brewery tour. My friend and I hung back so we could sit by some Sioux fans. And it's all History after that. I married the scruffy one two years later and our son will be playing for the Sioux in 2028.

P.S. Still mad I didn't write a great letter to the brewery about how we met so we could have gotten free beer for the wedding dance. Went to Denver Frozen Four for the Honeymoon and lost, so we're staying home and going to Wild Wings on Thurs. in Bismarck. I think we're due. . . . it's our son's first birthday on Sat.

Best post of the thread.

[siouxhockeygirl14]

Bought a ton of tix for relatives for the Regional in GF, and won tix to the Frozen Four in Milwaukee. Sat in the second row w/ a college girlfriend who just moved to Milwaukee the week before, great seats in the players section. (Met Robbie Earl before the game. . . nice guy, even though he was a big diver!) Anyway, sat by the biggest loser jerk of a Boston College fan that ever lived (although I've heard they're all that way from anyone I've ever asked) who chirped and dissed North Dakota the whole game. (My girlfriend says to this day that it's a good thing they don't serve beer at those things. . . I'd have never made it through the second period w/o getting kicked out!) We lost of course, but I was still so mad about it the next day that I wouldn't sit by the Boston College fans at the tasting part of the Miller Brewery tour. My friend and I hung back so we could sit by some Sioux fans. And it's all History after that. I married the scruffy one two years later and our son will be playing for the Sioux in 2028.

P.S. Still mad I didn't write a great letter to the brewery about how we met so we could have gotten free beer for the wedding dance. Went to Denver Frozen Four for the Honeymoon and lost, so we're staying home and going to Wild Wings on Thurs. in Bismarck. I think we're due. . . . it's our son's first birthday on Sat.

I agree with RWD. Best story of the thread!

[keikla]

2007, St. Louis - This year is is Dad, Mom, my sister and I. Hotel is Drury plaza, they give out drink tickets for each night. Go to the severly understaffed pregame party. Nobody told them that Sioux fans come out from everywhere. Cool bathrooms though as there was a two way mirror in front of the urinals looking into a hallway. Better hope you don't have shy kidneys standing there while a lady checks her hair in the hallway on the other side. Witness "Nightmare 2" to BC. Suffer through the second game. Not sure what night, but my sister, her friend, and I head to some bar that turns out to be a vampiresque type place. Bar proceeds to offer free shots to girls that dance on the bar. Bar rail fills up with girls and continues to more our way. I believe my sister said something to the likes of "sk@nk" to refer to one of the girls now dancing on the bar and almost spilling our drinks. Dancing girl makes a fake kicking motion at my sister. I'm already trying to figure out how to explain to mom and dad that we ended up in jail. Thankfully my sister had the cooler head. Although I know the other girl never stood a chance. I would have been killed by her boyfriend though. Thanks for being smart sis. Went to the championship game. Got tons of free drink tickets from Sioux fans that were leave back to GF. Filled up a couple of 64 ounce glasses and walked to the game.

Oh dear, I forgot about that bar. If I recall correctly, part of the bar was lower - specifically so girls could dance there. Since we weren't near that lowered section, there really wasn't any reason for those girls to be dancing right above us. I merely informed them that the designated skank area was at the other end of the bar. How was I suppose to know they'd be offended by that statement?

The best part about St Louis was that, not only did the parental units buy the tickets and pay for the hotel, but they also gave me money for gas and money for going to the bar (something that had never happened before and has not happened since). At the end of it all, I think I ended up getting paid about $50 to attend the frozen four.

Given the Sioux's track record at the Frozen Four while I am in attendance (2 serious spankings at the hand of BC), I am not attending this year's frozen four, in the hopes that they might actually win it. That way, if they lose, I can go to future frozen fours knowing that I am not the jinx. And if they win, my selfless sacrifice for the team can receive all the credit.

[siouxforeverbaby]

2005 last flight out of Aspen to Denver before the snow storm left 5 feet of snow and united cancelling didn't get close to Columbus.

2006 In the band in Milwaukee after the debacle we had dinner at the Rock Bottom Brewery then cigars.

2007 In the band watched Ryan win the Hobey about the only good thing about that weekend.

2008 Jumpseated from Baltimore to Denver texted Sioux forever Baby that i was in a bar in Aurora CO what should I have to drink and were where you guys. I still get a laugh out of the response she sent me, Nebraska.

uh, no...it was "Nebraska and I don't care".

2007 - Left with WiSioux and Sioux_Yeah_Yeah from GF on Wednesday evening with 5(?) other friends total. Got to St. Louis in time to head to get ready, eat, and head to the game. Ending that night was sad. Stayed for Friday and Saturday. Got lost on the way home.

2008 - Left with WiSioux and Sioux_Yeah_Yeah from GF on Wednesday afternoon with another friend. Got to Denver at like 3am after receiving above text. Slept, headed to the games, I recall wanting to slap Vegas_Sioux when I saw him for that text, went to the game...wanted to slap some BC fans afterward. Went to the Coors brewery on Friday, got asked by the tour people why the Frozen Four got so many fans to attend and if hockey fans liked to drink, drove home on Sunday.

Missed the last two due to finances and schooling. Will miss Thursday due to class, will be there Friday and Saturday.

[raysdaddy]

2006 Milwaukee - We were so excited for our 1st frozen four. My buddy who lives in Milwaukee got us great tickets for free. Game was a nightmare and we came home early. My wife was pregnant with my oldest at the time. He just commented yesterday about this year being his first frozen four. We let him know he had been to one previous. He thought that was pretty cool. He and his brother are pumped for the open skate on Friday Night.

[MafiaMan]

Frozen Four in Columbus....I'm picked up by Al's Sioux bus in Oakdale, MN, after making arrangements for it to stop there. Eight minutes later, we stop just across the MN/WI border for breakfast at Perkin's in Hudson WI. Had I known that in advance, I would have just travelled a few more minutes east and parked there for the weekend.

Anywhoo...we roll into Columbus and our bus takes a venture into what you could say might not be the best part of town. I joke out loud that it would only be too perfect if our hotel was located near a strip club. Just before making a right turn into the hotel parking lot, we see look on our left and see a tin shed with a large sign attached to it reading "THE PLATINUM FOX." I grinned to myself and said out loud "jackpot." Not only is it in the vicinity of our hotel, it's directly across the street from it!

Thursday night, some male "fans" and I head over to said establishment after the Sioux semi-final victory over Minnesota. The locals wondered why so many people in the place were wearing green hockey jerseys. They assumed the only event going on in Columbus over the weekend was Buckeye spring football practice. Not so fast, my friend. After haggling with the bouncer and informing him that a hundred Sioux fans were staying at a hotel across the street for the weekend, I convinced him to waive the cover charge for anyone who walked into the club wearing the color green. At some point in the evening, some adventuresome FEMALE Sioux fans wandered over to see what the boys were up to. UND fans took over the place and a good time was had by all.

To this day, I still run into people from the Columbus Sioux bus. We don't need to say 'hi' or 'Go Sioux' to each other. We simply chuckle and say the words 'The Platinum Fox.' Oh, the memories...had only Denver not ruined Saturday night, that trip would have been epic.

[MafiaMan]

P.S.'s to Columbus bus trip...

Hopped on Sioux bus with temp in Minneapolis/St Paul hovering around 35 degrees. I'm wearing shorts, sandals (no socks), and a long-sleeve t-shirt. Most fans coming from Grand Forks appear to have packed winter survival gear and some even chuckle at me. I'm witnessing many winter coats, boots, and hats. Sometime on Saturday afternoon as we're all basking in the 75 degree sun outside of our hotel, someone asks me how I knew to pack only shorts and t-shirts as opposed to winter clothes. "The internet...I checked the Columbus forecast before we left" was my reply. Many fans had hob-knobbed to Wal-Mart and purchased some lighter clothes during the weekend.

Thanks to a mob-rule vote, Sioux bus decides to stop on Thursday am for breakfast en route to Columbus. I warn folks that the big city is prone to traffic accidents and that it may not be wise to risk losing time on the way to the arena. No problem, most say. We will arrive ten minutes before Denver/Colorado College puck-drop. After a 3 lane freeway closure somewhere outside of Columbus and an extra hour or so of travel time because of a major accident, we arrive at the arena...I believe the first game was well into the 3rd period. I recall getting there with 6 or so minutes left in the game. Hopefully the people who insisted on Cracker Barrel that morning felt the food was worth it!

[forecheck]

I've been to 6 Frozen Fours since my first attendance in Albany in 2001. The highlights:

2001: Albany. Traveled with the band as the only freshman member able to claim 1 of the 25 (?) slots. Learned every word to both school songs in preparation, which I still sing to my husband. I sat behind Chris Leinweber and a few other members of the team on the flight out and remember staring at Chris's 2000 title ring as he rested his hand on the back of his seat. So close to earning another...

2002: St. Paul. Met up with a strange mix of fans, thanks to a member of this board whom I bought a FF ticket from. Hung out with Sioux, Wisconsin, BU, and BC fans, didn't get carded once as a 20 year old in Minneapolis. I was tempted to rip my ears off (as was the Badger fan) when a certain BC fan could not quit repeating the M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A, Minnysooooota, Minnysoooota chant because she thought the accent was funny. There is nothing worse than hearing that chant BOOMING through the Xcel after the Gophers win a title.

2004: I ended up staying with a couple of the BC fans I met in 2002 at their house for free, which completely allowed me to afford the trip. This is where I met my, from then on, Frozen Four ticket contact, who sold me his single FF ticket for face value on the USCHO board because I seemed like a "true hockey fan." Since then, he has hooked me and my friends up with tickets any year I have had the means to go, including this year. Proof of the good people you meet at these things! Here I got to attend the INCH.com hockey party on the Friday night between games because of one of the BC fans' hook up. She was a complete B, but on the plus side, I ended up drinking (free open bar) with a bunch of NCAA coaches, including that year's Spencer Penrose winner for NCAA coach of the year, Scott Sandelin, and the assistant coach of some eastern team who had played at the Sioux's Christmas tourney that year (my memory is failing me at the moment which team). However, I do remember that eastern coach asking me if I wore a thong like the girls these days are doing. Fun night.

One of the best memories of this trip was hanging out at a bar called The Penalty Box with a few of this mixed group of fans, when a New Hampshire fan came up to me and began raving about my jersey. He asked me if I would switch tops with him, as he was wearing a New Hampshire Hockey pullover jacket. I figured, what the hell, I could easily get a new jersey when I got back to Grand Forks, and the one I was wearing had a tear in the sleeve from a game incident. So we pulled them off right there in the bar....I gave him my jersey, and he gave me his NH hockey polo shirt and pullover. This was between games on Thursday, so needless to say, all of the fans around me were confused by my change of allegiance. The best part is that a couple of the BC fans from our group who met up with us a little later at The Penalty Box found out what I had done, and were appalled that I hadn't given one of THEM my jersey. One wanted me to go back up to the NH fan and get my jersey back to give to him. I heard about it for the rest of the night.

I also remember being forced to dance on the bar at Coyote Ugly and hearing the bartender say that she would be nice and not spray me since I was wearing white pants. My naive North Dakota-ness was shocked that it was even a consideration.

2005: Columbus. Ah, the all-WCHA FF. Because it was my grad year and I was strongly discouraged from missing the poorly timed Scholarly Project presentation at the Med School (where I won the runner up prize BTW), I missed the first game of the tourney. I watched the Sioux whip the Gophers at a kegger party at Ryan Connelly, James Mason, and Brian Canady's house, where I immediately got on the horn and made plans to attend the game with a college friend who had already graduated and lived in Dubuque, IA. Two girls that I barely knew but were friends with him piled into my car with me the next morning, hungover and all, and we drove 9 hours to Dubuque, stayed overnight with our buddy where we got all of 2 hours of sleep, then drove another 9 hours to Columbus. Once again, my FF hook up met us and sold us a ton of tickets. We met up with 2 other friends, and I remember the 6 of us convincing a nervous cabby to let all of us pile into his cab and drive us to the game. There, we hung out in the hockey tents drinking and I met up with the BC fan from the year before who was so upset that I didn't give him my jersey. We had made plans to meet up and exchange newly bought jerseys (he really wanted a shiny green Sioux jersey), which we did that day (yes, I have a BC jersey, cough). I immediately had other people asking if I had more jerseys to trade away. I began thinking that a person could make money off of this! Start selling Sioux jerseys to fans of other teams at the Frozen Four who don't know how to order off the internet!!

Of course, after 2 nights of no sleep and lots of driving, we lost. Highlight of the game for me was laughing when Mike Prpich FINALLY got an unsportsmanlike penalty for drinking out of the DU goalie's water bottle during the game. I always loved how he got under the skin of the other team! That night, the 6 of us formed "Team Drink," to erase the bad memories. Then the loooong drive back to Dubuque for another night of drinking, and the looong drive back to GF. Still, gotta love those road trips!

2007: St. Louis. I had been living in Denver since 2006, and as only a hockey addict could possibly do, I got DU season tickets for the first of 2 years. It ended up being great timing, because as a season ticket holder, if I committed to buying 6 NCAA regional tickets for 2007 (in Denver), I would be able to buy 2 lower bowl Frozen Four tickets for 2008 (in Denver). I had a few coworkers who had already attended a couple Sioux games with me and were completely enthralled by the whole Sioux movement, so they ended up going to the regionals with me, as well as a buddy who took the 6th ticket. Absolutely fantastic feeling watching the Sioux beat up the Gophers to move on to the FF, even if an angry Gopher fan ripped my sign in half as it was being shown on the jumbotron. Tsk tsk. I had a few well chosen words for that buffoon. That night, celebrating the Sioux victory in downtown Denver, we saw Tyra Banks with some guy in the restaurant we were at. I then ended up chatting up a bunch of Michigan fans who happened to be sitting with a guy that works for the St. Louis Blues. After convincing him of my hockey sense, he gave me his number and told me he would sell me as many tickets as I wanted to the FF, including a suite if I could only be as rich as I wanted to be.

Met up with a great group of college friends in St. Louis. I remember laughing as the other girl in our group kept talking about the "stage 5 clinger" (Wedding Crashers anyone) who would not leave us alone on the dance floor. Fun weekend, yet another disappointing loss.

2008: Denver. My mom traveled down from ND and attended the games with me. I have NEVER seen a pre-game party as packed with Sioux fans as that year at Brooklyn's. It took 15 minutes just to get down a flight of stairs! How that place didn't get a citation at the very least for being over capacity is beyond me. People just started taking their drinks out to the sidewalks. Fantastic pre-game atmosphere, horribly depressing game. There is really nothing to describe the letdown.

On a positive note, I found out what a hoot my mom can be out on the town! She went to the Downtown Tavern with a group of us before the Saturday game and ordered an orange slushy on the roof top bar with the rest of us. The bartender took one look at here small stature and said, "Are you sure? It's 100 proof." She then proceeded to tell junior how she is from North Dakota where her elders would make 150 proof moonshine and pass it around at weddings, so his puny 100 proof slushy was laughable at best. Atta girl!

Ok, going down memory lane has got me pumped! Let's go Sioux!

[dagies]

forecheck, it's great to hear from you!

[forecheck]

forecheck, it's great to hear from you!

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, my friend.

[Sioux-cia]

Thanks to a mob-rule vote, Sioux bus decides to stop on Thursday am for breakfast en route to Columbus. I warn folks that the big city is prone to traffic accidents and that it may not be wise to risk losing time on the way to the arena. No problem, most say. We will arrive ten minutes before Denver/Colorado College puck-drop. After a 3 lane freeway closure somewhere outside of Columbus and an extra hour or so of travel time because of a major accident, we arrive at the arena...I believe the first game was well into the 3rd period. I recall getting there with 6 or so minutes left in the game. Hopefully the people who insisted on Cracker Barrel that morning felt the food was worth it!

I did NOT vote for breakfast and still get a little surge of anger when I think about missing the the game (most of it).

*let it go, just let it go, *

[tho0505]

2006, Milwaukee - It was my Dad, brother, and I. Get to the pregame party at the Buckhead saloon. Us younger two start drinking somewhere around 10 am. Sioux lose "nightmare 1" to BC. Watch the second game and head back to the buckhead after the game. Run into a couple of random Canadians that are down for business and love hockey. They proceed to buy us numerous rounds. Now at the time I would have considered my brother and I seasoned drinkers for our age. Out of nowhere Dad goes back to the glory days and out drinks my brother. I am impressed as Dad rarely drinks, and if he does rarely is it more than 2. Bonus of the trip, hotel is over booked due to construction. Our hotel is comped for all three nights. If we had sold the championship tickets it would have paid for our trip and a good down payment on the next year. Unfortunately we watched one of the most boring games I've seen. Not to mention a Robbie Earl flop like non other only to be praised by ESPN.

2007, St. Louis - This year is is Dad, Mom, my sister and I. Hotel is Drury plaza, they give out drink tickets for each night. Go to the severly understaffed pregame party. Nobody told them that Sioux fans come out from everywhere. Cool bathrooms though as there was a two way mirror in front of the urinals looking into a hallway. Better hope you don't have shy kidneys standing there while a lady checks her hair in the hallway on the other side. Witness "Nightmare 2" to BC. Suffer through the second game. Not sure what night, but my sister, her friend, and I head to some bar that turns out to be a vampiresque type place. Bar proceeds to offer free shots to girls that dance on the bar. Bar rail fills up with girls and continues to more our way. I believe my sister said something to the likes of "sk@nk" to refer to one of the girls now dancing on the bar and almost spilling our drinks. Dancing girl makes a fake kicking motion at my sister. I'm already trying to figure out how to explain to mom and dad that we ended up in jail. Thankfully my sister had the cooler head. Although I know the other girl never stood a chance. I would have been killed by her boyfriend though. Thanks for being smart sis. Went to the championship game. Got tons of free drink tickets from Sioux fans that were leave back to GF. Filled up a couple of 64 ounce glasses and walked to the game.

2008, Denver - The whole family, all five of us. Go to the pregame party where you can barely move. Ran into a ton of people I knew from college. Watched "nightmare 3" to BC once again. Really starting to hate having the first game of the tourney. Would really like to be able to watch/enjoy the other game before losing. Bounced between the arena and the bar that the pregame party was at during the second game. Once again stayed at a Drury Plaza, only a long ways from the arena. Took the train/light rail to/from the games so we didn't stay out for very long. Don't remember what we did Friday, but went to the championship game on Sat. Long drive back on Sunday to be to work on Monday.

2011, St. Paul - ? ? ? ?

I sure hope your not attending the Frozen Four, sounds like your bad luck for us!

[morley]

I sure hope your not attending the Frozen Four, sounds like your bad luck for us!

I will be there this year. If we lose, we can blame my Dad, he was there all 3 years and this year.

[farce poobah]

1984, Lake Placid. This was soon after the Miracle on Ice, so it was a thrill just to be in the rink. Also got to ski the slalom runs (took me 45 minutes vs 2 minutes for a real skier, it was like totally because my skis sucked and had nothing to do with my conditioning), sit on the bobsled run (it was slushy but scary even at zero miles per hour), and stand at the bottom of the ski jump (it was steep). Lake Placid itself is a cool little town, kinda Bavarian at the time... I hope it hasn't gotten all chain-store driven.

The Frozen Four was four Western schools (UMD, UND, Michigan State and Bowling Green), so the rink was basically half full - 4000 people with 8000 capacity. This was the 4th Sioux appearance in 6 years, and the turnout kept getting better all the time ... distance and lack of nearby airport notwithstanding.

I remember strolling down Main Street with the SIoux fans chanting "Where's the East!" (as in the Wendy's Where's the Beef commercial ... if you're under 30 you may not get that one ...). Link to Wendy's commercial:

Things I remember about the games:

* Jon Casey was amazing in the semifinal, but we couldn't buy a goal. Finally well into overtime, UMD got one to win it 2-1.

* Jim Archibald was well behaved.

* In the 3rd place game, I think Dean Barsness got a hat trick and the GWG.

* Also for 3rd place, as is the case today, every time the SIoux strapped on the pads, they played with intensity. That part of tradition is intact. It could be a game for no stakes at all, and our guys would still play for pride. Part of why I am proud to be a fan.

* Talking to Mickey Krampotich in a hotel, and how honored he felt to be assigned jersey #8. The two previous wearers were, Dave Tippett and Doug Smail, who need no further introduction around these parts. Yet another sign of the respect and honor for the program and its tradition, and that was 25 years ago.

* The final was an absolute classic. We almost left early - long drive back to MSP - but decided to stick around. Bowling Green tied it late on a fluky goal, and then won it in the 4th overtime.

* The first of back-to-back heartbreaks for UMD ... losing in the national semifinals in 1985 in 3OT.

All in all, another great road trip. I started learning that Frozen Fours were something to be at, regardless of who was playing.

[dagies]

Farce, you have great stories. Thanks for sharing them.