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Since you guys have such a nice new arena, the question begs, do you miss your old barn?  

73 members have voted

  1. 1. Since you guys have such a nice new arena, the question begs, do you miss your old barn?

    • Nope, the New Ralph is perfect!
      10
    • Sometimes, the old barn had some good memories!
      36
    • Yes, nostalgia baby!
      22
    • Who cares, as long as UND is playing!
      5


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My favorite "new Ralph" times are the DU series in 03 WCHA playoffs, ...

That was one hell of a series, game 3 is probably my favorite game in the rink so far.

But still, I'll never forget that series after Ralph E. died (I think the night they retired 23) that the microphone didn't work, and the crowd sang the national anthem. For those that weren't there, you're probably thinking I'm an idiot. For those that were there, you understand how amazing it was. Words can't describe it.

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That was one hell of a series, game 3 is probably my favorite game in the rink so far.

But still, I'll never forget that series after Ralph E. died (I think the night they retired 23) that the microphone didn't work, and the crowd sang the national anthem. For those that weren't there, you're probably thinking I'm an idiot. For those that were there, you understand how amazing it was. Words can't describe it.

You are correct is was against DU in the 2003 playoffs. I must have had too many vodka tonics that third game - I think I previously referred to that game being against UMD. Regardless - one of the most exiciting in my opinion played thus far at the REA.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember in that fateful Saturday game that, not only did I get my first Sioux hockey jersey, when the sioux went ahead and the Goofs pulled the goalie... didn't Dave Spehar knock the net off on purpose to prevent an ENG? ...which we got later anyway

SPEHAR...SPEHAR...SPEHAR...BULLSH... :glare:

That was a perfect ending to the game. Spehar did knock the goal off, but it wasn't intentional. He just fell and slammed into the empty net, which was very comical :lol: And the chant that came with it was one of the loudest I had ever heard. Watching the game later on MSC (this is when they replayed the games midday during the week), you could hear it clear as day. Mazzaco and Reid even shut up (a miracle in itself) so they could hear what the fans were saying.

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Things change.

The University of North Dakota is extremely fortunate because it has seen changes for the better.

From Memorial Stadium to The Alerus Center - I loved the home advantage (the cold north wind) of Memorial but tell me The Al isn't a better facility in this climate and it already feels like home.

From the Winter Sports Center (renamed Ralph Engelstad Arena in the 1980s) to the new Ralph Engelstad Arena - What can you say? The best facility in all of college hockey ... was out-done. You can see it physically in the new one. We're slowly realizing that "mystique" or what I've called "the gods of Sioux hockey" (the fortunate bounces, the "jet-engine" crowd roar, that extra edge at home) have slowly found their way over to it. They'll all make their way over with time.

From Hyslop to The Betty - There will be fondness for the Hyslop as in each other case. But things change. Track record says they'll be fine. (Based on what I heard Coach Roebuck say on the radio last night, he'd like to play WBB games in there unless they are sure they will have attendance over that capacity. I think that'd be a good plan for both MBB and WBB.)

I can't say it better than this letter in yesterday's Fargo Forum.

Tim O
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I agree with Sicatoka. We have it good. On USCHO, they posted what has happened to (I believe) Michigan State's student section. They are now forced to sit just like us.

I think Michigan or BC lost its center ice seats to alumni. We do have it pretty good. We just don't have a clear cut answer about the standing issue. Roger Thomas told me that there are times during the game when we are actually supposed to stand up, but he hasn't told the student body that at all. Instead, Student President Baker tells all of us on Gopher weekend that we have been "behaving well and to remember to stay seated" (or something to that effect as I was in Chicago during that series :glare::lol: ).

The atmosphere is returning.

On a slight tangent, I don't think I like the Betty arena already because, from what I heard in the Coaches show, they will only be using it to play preseason games in it and use the larger Ralph for the conference games. What a load of @#$%.

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I agree with Sicatoka. We have it good. On USCHO, they posted what has happened to (I believe) Michigan State's student section. They are now forced to sit just like us.

I think Michigan or BC lost its center ice seats to alumni. We do have it pretty good. We just don't have a clear cut answer about the standing issue. Roger Thomas told me that there are times during the game when we are actually supposed to stand up, but he hasn't told the student body that at all. Instead, Student President Baker tells all of us on Gopher weekend that we have been "behaving well and to remember to stay seated" (or something to that effect as I was in Chicago during that series :glare::lol: ).

The atmosphere is returning.

On a slight tangent, I don't think I like the Betty arena already because, from what I heard in the Coaches show, they will only be using it to play preseason games in it and use the larger Ralph for the conference games. What a load of @#$%.

My season seats are right next to the students in 107 and quite honestly I don't give a damn if they stand or not.....You can't see the puck in the corners to begin with so what difference does it make if there are people standing to your left. When you sit on the blue line or inside of the blue line you train the eyes to look up at the scoreboard anyway during opposite zone action. If standing is going to somehow help the home team win then I say go for it.

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Ralph Engelstad, out of his pocket, built the $104,000,000.00 Ralph Engelstad Arena - Home of the Fighting Sioux.

If I remember correctly, one of the sticking points during construction was Mr. Englestad's desire to keep the nickname and logo. Also, again if memory serves, this was why he leased the arena to the university for very cheap, so he could retain some control over the situation. Question, were Mr. Englestad's wishes articulated in the donation agreement? Thanks.

BTW - Not a logo/nickname question. I think what he did was phenomenal for UND and college hockey and I think the nickname & logo are pretty cool. Just curious about the transaction.

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If I remember correctly, one of the sticking points during construction was Mr. Englestad's desire to keep the nickname and logo. Also, again if memory serves, this was why he leased the arena to the university for very cheap, so he could retain some control over the situation. Question, were Mr. Englestad's wishes articulated in the donation agreement? Thanks.

BTW - Not a logo/nickname question. I think what he did was phenomenal for UND and college hockey and I think the nickname & logo are pretty cool. Just curious about the transaction.

ditto what GE said. The Sicatoka's post seemed to allude to some new deal that happened...

WPoS

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So here is the other question....DO you think Ralph would have wished for a similar LLC arrangement if Clifford would have still been at the helm of UND??

I'd suspect a similar set-up even if Ralph were still with us. It puts the arena apart from the whims of a single person.

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I'd suspect a similar set-up even if Ralph were still with us. It puts the arena apart from the whims of a single person.

My personal opinion is the reason for a significant amount of the logistics surrounding the "ownership" of the REA and the other properties is due to Kupchella's presence. It is no secret Ralph had some distate for him and his politics.

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And don't make me uninvent it.

Yours truly,

Al

Al didn't invent it, though he did create it, or help to, by backing the funding for ARPAnet when he was in the legislature..have to stick up for Al a little...he was misquoted by the Repub's policital machine... :)

Anyway, thanks all of you for bringing back some great memories, I went to my first Sioux game in the early 80's, watching Dougey Smail skate like the wind, and then through the lean years of the 90's, near the end of Gino's reign, and will never forget that place-ever, Since leaving GF in '95 it's the one thing I truly miss about the town. I hope to make it to some home games each year, just to be part of the tradition of Sioux Hockey..

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Al didn't invent it, though he did create it, or help to, by backing the funding for ARPAnet when he was in the legislature..have to stick up for Al a little...he was misquoted by the Repub's policital machine... :glare:

"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet"

Don't you think he spun that just a little too conveniently? I think he got what he asked for. ???

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