Time to Fire Dave Hakstol....

[puck]

Can I assume that you also:

1) Never went to class or did any homework. You just showed up for the final test and accomplished exactly what you invested.

2) You never read a book. You only turn to the last two pages just in time to read the ending.

3) if ever invited on a Canada fishing trip you would show up at the border as the group was coming home, just to claim your share of the catch.

4) You don't date, but plan to show up for your wedding and get introduced to your bride.

5) When it comes to having kids, you won't participate in the conception, but show up at the hospital just in time for labor.

Please take the above as tongue-in-cheek.

I have season hockey tickets and drive two hours each way for every home game. I traveled to St. Cloud, Omaha, Mankato, St. Paul for the entire Final Five, and to Grand Rapids for the regional. Along the way I witnessed a group of young men gaining experience and sharing a dream. I met many new people and gained some friends. I witnessed hundreds of Sioux fans surround the team and cheer them on as the team left the field at TD Ameritrade Park (and had a three day trip turn into five days). I saw beaming little kids walking out of Van Andel arena in Grand Rapids carrying a Fighting Sioux hockey stick handed to them by a player after the loss to Yale. I saw the end of the WCHA Final Five tournament as we know it. I participated in the Hoggsbreath Siouxsports.com brunch as I have every year. I saw Tate Maris get playing time in a non-exhibition game. I got to hear the team introduced as the North Dakota University Fighting Sioux in Grand Rapids over the weekend. And along the way I got to watch my favorite sport, college hockey. And I can hardly wait for next season to start.

I cannot even imagine having gone through the past decade without experiencing the DOT line, Mike Prpich, Ratislav Spirko, Evan Trupp, the 6-3 victory over the Gophers in last year's Final Five, and many other players and events associated with Fighting Sioux hockey.

We all have different expectations on how we do the journey. I like my method as much as you like yours.

+++

[siouxweet]

The last decade, that many have been calling "failures," has given me many hundreds of hours of enjoyment. The shared experience of Sioux hockey with my fellow fanatics (and those whom I've dragged along with me for the ride) has been so worth it. My investment in the team has been so worth it. My investment in game tickets in GF, St Cloud, Duluth, St. Paul, Minneapolis so worth it. My ridiculously expensive cable TV package just to get FCS so worth it. My old set-up with wires everywhere to run the desktop computer through my TV so worth it.

All those games, all those moments of greatness and pure joy. The moments of heartbreaking losses. All shared with people I know and with a universe of people that I might never know but share a common bond with me.

I'm with the previous poster...I can't imagine the last ten years without Oshie, Parise, Toews, Bochenski, Greene, Smaby, Chorney, Vandevelde, Trupper, Pony, Frattin, Porter, Duncan, Kristo, MacWilliam. I wouldn't trade those ten years of Sioux hockey just for national titles...no way...

I wouldn't trade them either, but one national title wouldn't have hurt either. I know I go off the deep end here sometimes but for for me the best part about going to games is taking my four year old son and watching him be focused on the process of the game that has nothing to do with UND winning or losing and just being at the ralph.

[yzerman19]

I wouldn't trade them either, but one national title wouldn't have hurt either. I know I go off the deep end here sometimes but for for me the best part about going to games is taking my four year old son and watching him be focused on the process of the game that has nothing to do with UND winning or losing and just being at the ralph.

Living in Mpls, watching the games in my basement on FCS...playing knee hockey with my 2 year old while he says "I'm Danny Kristo, you Corban Knight, Mommy's Rocco Maldi" gives me pause and makes me think of another little boy who played knee hockey in a basement and pretended to be Doug Smail...Fighting SIoux hockey lives forever!

[gfhockey]

Wow gwozdecky hasnt won since 2005 and hes gone.

[siouxweet]

Wow gwozdecky hasnt won since 2005 and hes gone.

wow

[yzerman19]

Guarantee this is money, not performance driven

[geaux_sioux]

Hire the Gwoz save program

[MafiaMan]

Guarantee this is money, not performance driven

I second that motion.

[airmail]

Press conference tomorrow to find out the dasher monkey's tale... that'll be fun!

Really? you obviously haven't paid any attention at all to college hockey this season and have no idea how talented the UMass-Lowell or Miami teams really are. And Union, Quinnipiac, and St Cloud proved yesterday that they are no slouches either...

Good point, MM, but that in itself is what makes it so frustrating for me.

We have the best facility in the land, bar-none - we get NHL draft picks for recruits - we have a rich tradition - we have a rabidly loyal fan-base......... I could go on and on.

But while we weren't watching, teams like Yale, UMass-L, Quinnipiac, and JBSU started getting good. We used to laugh at these teams, now they're eating our lunch.

I mean really - look at the teams in the FF. These guys are still playing hockey while we sit and watch. They used to be the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked. WTF happened?

I wasn't even going to look at the board today, because I'm not quite over Saturday yet; lots of windshield time notwithstanding. But this just stinks. We lost to Yale. God that sounds effin' terrible.

:sigh:

[siouxweet]

Press conference tomorrow to find out the dasher monkey's tale... that'll be fun!

Good point, MM, but that in itself is what makes it so frustrating for me.

We have the best facility in the land, bar-none - we get NHL draft picks for recruits - we have a rich tradition - we have a rabidly loyal fan-base......... I could go on and on.

But while we weren't watching, teams like Yale, UMass-L, Quinnipiac, and JBSU started getting good. We used to laugh at these teams, now they're eating our lunch.

I mean really - look at the teams in the FF. These guys are still playing hockey while we sit and watch. They used to be the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked. WTF happened?

I wasn't even going to look at the board today, because I'm not quite over Saturday yet; lots of windshield time notwithstanding. But this just stinks. We lost to Yale. God that sounds effin' terrible.

:sigh:

we aren't the only premier college hockey program that is going to watching the frozen four from home-minnesota,bc,bu,denver,michigan,miami, wisconsin, cc, notre dame. just to name a few.

[MafiaMan]

We have the best facility in the land, bar-none - we get NHL draft picks for recruits - we have a rich tradition - we have a rabidly loyal fan-base......... I could go on and on.

But while we weren't watching, teams like Yale, UMass-L, Quinnipiac, and JBSU started getting good. We used to laugh at these teams, now they're eating our lunch.

I mean really - look at the teams in the FF. These guys are still playing hockey while we sit and watch. They used to be the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked. WTF happened?

NHL draft picks for recruits...a bunch of guys who want to be here for 2-3 years tops before heading to the NHL. Meanwhile, schools like Yale , Quinnipiac, and UMass-Lowell are apparently signing a bunch of guys who will play for four years and commit to the program. UND and Minnesota players are constantly auditioning themselves for pro scouts.

UND's focus has changed from 'come here and win a title' to 'come here and we'll help you get to the NHL.' Therein lies the problem.

NHL recruits...nice arena...loyal fan base...tradition...c'mon, that describes about a half-dozen college hockey programs right now...

[siouxweet]

NHL draft picks for recruits...a bunch of guys who want to be here for 2-3 years tops before heading to the NHL. Meanwhile, schools like Yale , Quinnipiac, and UMass-Lowell are apparently signing a bunch of guys who will play for four years and commit to the program. UND and Minnesota players are constantly auditioning themselves for pro scouts.

UND's focus has changed from 'come here and win a title' to 'come here and we'll help you get to the NHL.' Therein lies the problem.

NHL recruits...nice arena...loyal fan base...tradition...c'mon, that describes about a half-dozen college hockey programs right now...

however, bc recruits these types of players as well and somehow has transformed them into champions. thinking back on this season it just seemed like it was being forced upon the players to play a dump and chase when another style would have worked better. kind of a like atrying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

[fightingsiouxfan87]

I agree, I think it is time for a change in the coaching staff. Denver fired George and he earned two national titles (although I am glad to see him go).

[MafiaMan]

however, bc recruits these types of players as well and somehow has transformed them into champions. thinking back on this season it just seemed like it was being forced upon the players to play a dump and chase when another style would have worked better. kind of a like atrying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

It seems to me that BC has had plenty of role players in the past as well...

[sagard]

however, bc recruits these types of players as well and somehow has transformed them into champions. thinking back on this season it just seemed like it was being forced upon the players to play a dump and chase when another style would have worked better. kind of a like atrying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

Recruiting these "NHL" types of players keeps you good/great every year. It doesn't promise you anything. You have at least a dozen teams like DU, UMD, UNO, SCSU, CC, all of the ECAC, Ferris, Western Mich, Lowell, Maine, etc... who are all trying to build towards having a great season every once in a while. Teams like UND/BC/Mich/Minn and to a slightly lesser extent MichSt/UW/Miami/BU are always going to have talent. Some years it will click and you'll get more chances to play in the NCAAs. This gives you more chances to win the titles. But clearly in any single year, the best of the other groups can play and sometimes school the super powers.

This didn't show itself the first time when HC beat the Gophers, it was starting to become evident as Niagara beat UNH in '00, then Wayne St. gave CC all it could handle in '03, Mercyhurst almost clipped BC one of those years as well. HC beat the Gophers and now it is fairly common place with Bemidji and RIT making the Frozen Four.

The announcers over sell the draft pick numbers on TV. While certainly an indicator of some talent, it doesn't tell the whole story.

In the long run, I'll take the talent. Some years it will work out. Some years you have to settle for 25-10.

[CMSioux]

As has been stated this thread was started as sarcasim, unfortunately there isn't much else to talk about right now. How about them Huskies....

[MafiaMan]

This didn't show itself the first time when HC beat the Gophers, it was starting to become evident as Niagara beat UNH in '00, then Wayne St. gave CC all it could handle in '03, Mercyhurst almost clipped BC one of those years as well. HC beat the Gophers and now it is fairly common place with Bemidji and RIT making the Frozen Four.

Actually, I'm pretty sure the Mercyhurst game was against Michigan at Yost. I seem to recall predictions of 12-0 or 14-0 and if memory serves me right, the actual final was 5-4 Wolverines.

[siouxweet]

Actually, I'm pretty sure the Mercyhurst game was against Michigan at Yost. I seem to recall predictions of 12-0 or 14-0 and if memory serves me right, the actual final was 5-4 Wolverines.

it was 2005 in the mini beanpot we went through

[sagard]

Actually, I'm pretty sure the Mercyhurst game was against Michigan at Yost. I seem to recall predictions of 12-0 or 14-0 and if memory serves me right, the actual final was 5-4 Wolverines.

Forgot about that one. Mich 4-3 over Mercyhurst in 2001. Same year the Gophers got screwed out east vs. Maine. Oh well, payback was sweet.

[GFG]

however, bc recruits these types of players as well and somehow has transformed them into champions. thinking back on this season it just seemed like it was being forced upon the players to play a dump and chase when another style would have worked better. kind of a like atrying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

BC usually doesn't have any more than 7-9 draft picks on a team. In fact I don't know if I've ever seen them have 10+ draft picks on a single team. If they have it's not very often. They rely much more on role players, which is what you need because those are the guys that give it their all and put everything on the line since they know they may not play past the college level.

[siouxforeverbaby]

I agree, I think it is time for a change in the coaching staff. Denver fired George and he earned two national titles (although I am glad to see him go).

we had a change in the coaching staff last fall. We are really only going to let the current tandem work together for one season before we throw our hands in the air and say that it will never work?

For those of you that are complaining that Berry is the problem and we need Eades back...I hope that you are not the same ones that last year were whining that Eades was horrible and we needed Berry back.

Overall, RELAX!!!!!!!!

[jodcon]

Seems to me Denver has had quite a few underclassmen leave early the last few years, maybe they are complaining about "getting kids ready for the NHL more than winning championships" too.

Don't know, just saying.

[jk]

I think this one didn't hurt as bad because this wasn't as good a team, for whatever reason, and the result, the better team that day winning, seemed just. It reminded me of 1999 in that BC that day was just better; a very good Sioux team couldn't get anything going all day.

Looking back at the "outs", the ones that kill me are the ones where UND outplays the other team and leaves the ice having played their last game. Looking back,

1998: Karl gets injured in practice and UND goes down in flames, giving Yost probably its most fantastic moment. The Sioux played hard and well, but goaltending was a problem.

1999: BC stifled a great team, and pretty much deserved to win.

2001: An unbelievable performance by Jeff Panzer led a great Sioux effort, one that should have probably led to the first back-to-back in a long time. Scott Clemmenson said otherwise.

2002: No NCAA game.

2003: The Sioux played hard and had the puck a lot, but Ferris Wheel State flew around and converted a number of high energy plays in a blowout.

2004: Tied for the worst result ever, UND has the puck the whole game, and Denver scores on a deflection on their first shot of the period with 3+ minutes left in the game. This one would take a long time to get over.

2005: A Sioux team, a mash unit, whatever. Immediately post-Bina, this team went on a run, won the beanpot and left a trail of terrified forwards in its wake. Another game where the final score didn't reward the team that had the better of the play and chances. DU goaltended their way to another.

2006: The kiddie-corps of forwards was brilliant, but the defensive group of four young freshmen plus Smaby was in over its head. Even so, this team was doing everything right except scoring, while BC was picking corners on odd-man rushes. The bad angle goal JP gave up in the second put the brakes on the comeback until it was too late.

2007: DOT played well but Brian Boyle's long reach kept breaking plays up. If not for some extremely unfortunate plays/calls late in the third, this could have gone UND's way.

2008: Neither 2006 nor 2007 were embarrasments, but this one was. You could see this coming when Princeton skated circles around UND in the regionals only to suffer their unjust loss.

2009: Shaking my head at how UNH had no answer for a brutish top line (created for that game) of VV, Frattin and Malone, then 0.01. It felt like UND was the better team but had trouble keeping UNH at bay in the third. The 0.01 made this one linger ... and linger.

2010: Yale hadn't played in two weeks and looked like they were shot out of a cannon, and UND was tired and looked every bit of it. They were game and made it close, but this was not one where Yale lucked into the win.

2011: See 2004. Not really over it yet.

2012: Worn out, overmatched, used up their miracle, but this was a hell of an effort by everyone involved..

2013: No excuses like fatigue, just outplayed by a team that deserved their win. Had a few bounces gone differently, the result could have been different. I wonder if the Frozen Four might have gone like 2008.

The best teams here? 1998, 1999, 2004, 2011. Maybe 2006/2007 a notch lower.

Soul crushing defeats (played great and deserved better): 2001, 2004, 2005, 2011.

Played even at best, or outplayed. Not an unfair result: 1999, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013.

[phriq]

we aren't the only premier college hockey program that is going to watching the frozen four from home-minnesota,bc,bu,denver,michigan,miami, wisconsin, cc, notre dame. just to name a few.

You are just naming teams that are good. But U would hardly say Notre Dame and CC are premier. Good, yes. But premier is elite. Best recruits, top facilities, highest expectations.

[redlabel]

Making the NCAA field isn't that difficult to do. More than 1/4 of the college teams make it as there are less than 60 schools playing hockey.

The recruiting tool called Englestad Arena should get you the players to get that done. Then it is time to have a coach that wants to win games.

I get tired or hearing him say, "we learned from this", when they lose a game. Winning is important, if it wasn't why do they keep score.