UND Ranked #1 in uscho.com poll

[scpa0305]

To me it seems like the fanbase is atomizing into two camps: those who are content with the current results & those who are about to lynch gfhockey to appease their anger.

You could extrapolate Hakstol's career another 12 years & if he's 0-24 there would still be Sioux fans who love that he's still brought 24 years of winning hockey in the regular season. Time will tell.

When does a Sioux hockey coach reach a point in his career when the fans demand a national championship? I'm addressing the fans who are content with Coach Hakstol's results so far. Does this point exist or doesn't it matter?

Great post, great question at the end. I've wondered the same. To me it's probably coming in the next 3-4 years.

[UNDColorado]

Fans remember nattys

New fans who aren't born yet see bannys

They could care less unless you want Hodgkin to hang up participation bannys

 

The entire board is now dumber after reading this.

[scpa0305]

I don't know any Michigan fans, nor have I ever had any conversations with Michigan fans who ramble on and on about how many titles the Wolverines have won. Probably because they've only won two of them since 1996.

And, sorry, any Sioux fan who simply repeats the company line of 7>5 is just a tool. Anyone with any common sense would know that Minnesota and North Dakota are two of the top college programs in the country.

I hope you weren't thinking I was one of those fans.  Either way, I hear the 7>5 chant by UND pretty much every post season.  Go check the messages after we lost to UM last season.

 

Again, I'm fine with all the success we've had over the past 10-11 years.  I'm more disgusted in the outcomes of some of those big games.  I'm all for Hak however I'm not going to sit here and mock those who question whether time has run its course or not.  It's been awhile since we've had success in the F4 given how many times we've been there and lost.  I get it.

[fargosioux]

Great post, great question at the end. I've wondered the same. To me it's probably coming in the next 3-4 years.

 

Hypothetically, let's say Hakstol's team made it to the championship game every year for the next 4 years, but lost the final game each of those years.  Would you say it's time for him to go?

 

My opinion is that it's ridiculous for fans to expect national titles in a one-and-done playoff format.  This is hockey.  There's a reason the NHL plays 7-game series to determine the best team in each round.  Does anybody believe the NCAA championship winners would have looked the same over the past 10 years if a 3 or 5 or 7 game series were used to determine the winner each round?

 

Personally, I'd like to take my chances with a guy who has proven he'll have our team in the hunt pretty much every year.  As long as that continues to be the case, I'd let him have the job for as long as he wants it, and I'd also be willing to bet he'll win one or two (maybe more) before all is said and done.

[MafiaMan]

I hope you weren't thinking I was one of those fans. Either way, I hear that pretty much every post season. Go check the messages after we lost to UM last season.

No, I wasn't trying to use you as an example of "that" fan. If Minnesota wins a 6th national title this season, no doubt some Sioux fan somewhere will immediately come up with "7 is STILL > 6" and think it's witty, while the rest of us cry ourselves to sleep at night jealous as hell over a 3rd Gopher title since North Dakota's last one.

I have the same disdain for Green Bay fans who love to spout off about "Titletown," despite the Packers having won only 2 of their 13 titles since the 1960's. And, no, it's not because I'm a jealous Viking fan.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a Sioux fan "content" with the results thus far.  Everyone here, with no exception IMO, wants a national title.  Every single Sioux poster on this forum.  But just because some Sioux fans "demand" a title does not make it so. 

 

Regular season success.  League titles.  Playoff titles.  National titles.  Hakstol-led teams have brought the fanbase all of them except for the most coveted one.  Would a different coach have brought a national title to GF during this drought?  Maybe, maybe not.  If Hakstol was fired/replaced, would a national title soon follow?  Maybe, maybe not.  The grass is not always greener...

 

The only thing that irks me is how some fans bring this topic up in every single thread.  Regardless of time of year.  Regardless of the team's record.  ("hey look over there, the team is ranked #1 right now!!...Fire Hakstol, he can't win the big one!") It's a valid topic, but does the same conversation really need to be rehashed after the first loss of the year and after every subsequent loss ("we're 0-1, do you think Blais will come back?"). 

 

This conversation goes in circles.  And it will unfortunately keep going until either Hakstol brings it home or he gets replaced...at which point the circular conversation begins fresh once again.

 

That said, how about this current #1 ranked UND team?  Even with all those injuries.  Maybe they can hoist that big trophy up at the end of the season in Boston...or Tampa...maybe Chicago...or St. Paul.  Heck, why not all four?

 

I'd type something but this basically highlights everything I think. 10-3-2, let's go get #8 and try to enjoy the ride!

[scpa0305]

Hypothetically, let's say Hakstol's team made it to the championship game every year for the next 4 years, but lost the final game each of those years.  Would you say it's time for him to go?

 

My opinion is that it's ridiculous for fans to expect national titles in a one-and-done playoff format.  This is hockey.  There's a reason the NHL plays 7-game series to determine the best team in each round.  Does anybody believe the NCAA championship winners would have looked the same over the past 10 years if a 3 or 5 or 7 game series were used to determine the winner each round?

 

Personally, I'd like to take my chances with a guy who has proven he'll have our team in the hunt pretty much every year.  As long as that continues to be the case, I'd let him have the job for as long as he wants it, and I'd also be willing to bet he'll win one or two (maybe more) before all is said and done.

I have no idea.  Personally, I feel that giving a coach (a good, winning coaching such as Hak) 15-20 years to pull down 1 natty is enough time given the tools and coaching staff we have to build teams..  My 3-4 years comment was slightly "off the hip".  Anywhere in the 15-20 year range.  But to your point, I'm honestly not sure.

 

And judging by the previous message, we probably shouldn't even be talking about this....the boys look real good right now.  I always get sucked into these conversations

[Oxbow6]

Bottom line...until Hak wins a NC he won't be looked apon at the same level of coach at UND as Gino or Dean.  This is just a reality.

[MafiaMan]

Bottom line...until Hak wins a NC he won't be looked apon at the same level of coach at UND as Gino or Dean. This is just a reality.

Correct, however, flash back to the 1991-1992 thru 1993-1994 seasons and you'll be reminded how quickly fans forgot about 1980, 1982, and 1987 thanks to 17, 12, and 11 win seasons, respectively.

[SJHovey]

To me it seems like the fanbase is atomizing into two camps: those who are content with the current results & those who are about to lynch gfhockey to appease their anger.

 

You could extrapolate Hakstol's career another 12 years & if he's 0-24 there would still be Sioux fans who love that he's still brought 24 years of winning hockey in the regular season. Time will tell.

 

When does a Sioux hockey coach reach a point in his career when the fans demand a national championship? I'm addressing the fans who are content with Coach Hakstol's results so far. Does this point exist or doesn't it matter?

I think sports fans are hilarious.

 

We have a great college hockey program.  Fans continue to support the team as well as any other time in the past, and greater than pretty much every other college hockey program in the country.

 

UND contends for a title every year.  And 50% of all threads around here turn into "Fire Hak!"  "We haven't won a 'natty'".

 

And you just know that if UND were to win this year, and three years from now we are in the midst of a two year drought from making the NCAA's the same "Fire Hak" refrain would start up again.  "It's unacceptable we aren't in the tournament."

 

As others have pointed out MN has won two championships since our last one in 2000.  (This, by the way, is my personal opinion as to why this is such a major issue around here.  I've often wondered what these discussions would be like if MN hadn't won any since back in 1979, and it was BU or some other team that we didn't care about that won in 2002 and 2003, but that's a discussion for another day.)

 

So with two championships in the last dozen years, statues should be erected to the head coach, right?  Yet a few years ago the drumbeat of MN fans was to send Lucia packing because MN wasn't making the tournament anymore.

 

Same now with Eaves at Wisconsin.  He's won the all important, takes precendence over all other things on earth national championship.  He's getting fried by Wisconsin supporters.

 

Here is my advice.  Free and easy to implement.  If you don't like the way a program is running things, and the program won't change because a large majority thinks things are being run just fine, find another program to support.

[gfhockey]

Who doesn't like hanging bannys?

I love seeing our 7 banneys but

[Hayduke]

I'm off the "Fire Hak" bandwagon for now.  Gotta admit, we've had success, but am disappointed in not having a national championship since 2000.

 

However, I love that UND fans EXPECT a national championship every single year.  High expectations!  Why shouldn't we?  After all, we have the best facilities and one of the top programs in all of college hockey.  We play and win a the highest level of college hockey.  We should expect a championship.   

[dagies]

Bud Grant, Hall of Fame coach with 17-18 seasons behind him.

 

0-4 in the Super Bowl

 

 

...Hall of Fame....

[gfhockey]

Did he get fired

[MafiaMan]

As others have pointed out MN has won two championships since our last one in 2000. (This, by the way, is my personal opinion as to why this is such a major issue around here. I've often wondered what these discussions would be like if MN hadn't won any since back in 1979, and it was BU or some other team that we didn't care about that won in 2002 and 2003, but that's a discussion for another day.)

So with two championships in the last dozen years, statues should be erected to the head coach, right? Yet a few years ago the drumbeat of MN fans was to send Lucia packing because MN wasn't making the tournament anymore.

Same now with Eaves at Wisconsin. He's won the all important, takes precendence over all other things on earth national championship. He's getting fried by Wisconsin supporters.

Great post, SJHovey. I agree with everything you wrote but would substitute Boston College for Minnesota. Had Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Ferris State won national titles in 2008, 2010, and 2012 (respectively) instead of the Eagles, we likely wouldn't even be having this conversation. The Gopher titles were a burr in the saddle of Sioux fans for sure, but 2002 and 2003 have gotten stale in a hurry for Gopher fans too. Some puck luck in 2001, a win over BC instead of a crushing defeat, and back-to-back titles would also have made the past 10 years or so a bit easier to bear.

[SJHovey]

Did he get fired

Gino got fired.  And he won over 40% of our "nattys."

 

This whole discussion, each time it occurs, is silly.  But of course it draws me and everyone else in.

 

I just keep reminding myself that probably 90%+ of all college hockey fans, or even sports fans in general, would do anything to have their team have the success our program has.  The school has to be doing something right.

[Oxbow6]

Correct, however, flash back to the 1991-1992 thru 1993-1994 seasons and you'll be reminded how quickly fans forgot about 1980, 1982, and 1987 thanks to 17, 12, and 11 win seasons, respectively.

 

 

If Hak goes 2-12 (currently 1-6) in F4 games during his tenure at UND without winning one national championship but has a winning season every year he still won't be talked about in the same category as a "great" UND men's head coach as Gino or Dean. 

 

 

And for the record I'm not in the "Fire Hak" camp.

[UNDColorado]

I am sure this question has been posed before but for those who get on the fire Hak bandwagon from time to time: Who would be a better coach for UND?

 

*The question is not who is a better coach, but rather who would be better for UND.

 

I don't post in hockey much because most of what I have to say has already been said, but I think about this from time to time and nobody comes to mind. I cannot think of a single coach who would be better. Of course another coach could come in and win a natty but that would just be speculation.

[.357]

...So now we are comparing Und to cc?...

 

Great programs shouldn't be compared to lesser programs, just like apples aren't compared to oranges & the Crimson Tide isn't compared to eastern Carolina..

[.357]

Great post, great question at the end. I've wondered the same. To me it's probably coming in the next 3-4 years.

To want results doesn't mean that you hate the head coach, that's ridiculous & a non-sequitur.

 

Sometimes complacency or apathy can spell disaster, regardless if it's in one's personal life or in a hockey program.

 

I drink non-fluoridated water to retain the passion & avoid such a mental state.   

[Blackheart]

Did he get fired

Bud retired. Than after the Les Steckel debacle, they brought Bud back for one more year.

[cberkas]

So now we are comparing Und to cc?

Wow

I hear there recruiting tools are better then ours

You missed his point.

[Blackheart]

You missed his point.

Troll misses every point.

[MafiaMan]

If Hak goes 2-12 (currently 1-6) in F4 games during his tenure at UND without winning one national championship but has a winning season every year he still won't be talked about in the same category as a "great" UND men's head coach as Gino or Dean.

If UND makes another six Frozen Fours and winds up a semi-final loser five times and a championship game loser once...egads...I think I might have to gouge my eyes out.

[Oxbow6]

If UND makes another six Frozen Fours and winds up a semi-final loser five times and a championship game loser once...egads...I think I might have to gouge my eyes out.

 

 

Are there enough bridges and/or tall buildings in this region if that happens......................