Greyeagle Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 There is no way no how that any sane minded person would trade Blais for Lucia. Both good coaches, no doubt. But Blais is a risk taker and I love that part about him and that reason alone puts him above Lucia. Case in point.......Against BC inthe NC game he pulled the goalie with almost four minutes left and almost stole that championship game if it wasn't for Clemenson making an unbelievable save on Whitey Lundbohm rocket in OT. I tjink Blais also pulled the goalie I think in 2000 as well on St. Cloud and almost took the Final five that year as well. Lucia has never done that....that I have seen. Blais is the best in the land....period. Generally, Lucia's teams don't fall that far behind in NCAA championship games. He's found it much easier to play with a lead or only be behind by a goal or so. BTW - I'm a relatively sane person and there is no way I'd trade Lucia for Blais. Does that mean I don't like Blais? Hell no, I have tremendous respect for him and the UND program. Both Lucia & Blais are in the elite of the elite group of NCAA coaches. Our teams are fortunate to have these two gentlemen behind our respective benches. Here are the top current coaches IMO. Berenson Blais Lucia Parker York Quote
sprig Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 NDH, Oh for please ....UND is NOT the most storied program in all of college hockey...it is ONE of the most storied along with several others, but to say it is the most storied is as ridiculus as some of TC's comments! Deal with it, UND is not the only program in college hockey, that is the Gopher's fans perspective! In this domain, the Sioux are the most storied program in college hockey. In fact, it you click this link, www.themoststoriedprogramincollegehockey.com, you'll arrive here. If you don't, let your isp know the internet is screwed up Quote
DAR Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 I doubt you will find any UND fan who would rather have Lucia, just like you would find few gopher fans who would prefer Blais. That is the nature of the rivalry, neither side will budge an inch on most topics. Quote
Cratter Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 You gotta remember what the coaches are working with. A few years ago, before the new Englestad was built, Minnesota should have dominated the WCHA (except maybe for Wisconsin). They had a recruiting advantage in pretty much every area. Deano was recruiting with the old Ralph, although not that bad, I'd take Mariucci over it if I was a recruit. Then you get to show them a huge campus in a major city, that's like the Bahamas weather-wise compared to Grand Forks , with 90% of your games played on TV in the tristate area. Why anyone would want to come to UND prior to the '97 season would be beyond me, but yet Deano did it and won 3 straight MacNaughton's and two National Championships. Wonder what Deano could do with those kind of resources? Although now UND, thanks to Ralph Engelstad (and Dean), will only continue its dominance. Quote
PCM Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 Congrats on your impending WCHA title. Thanks. I've worked very hard for it. Quote
WPoS Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 In this domain, the Sioux are the most storied program in college hockey. In fact, it you click this link, www.themoststoriedprogramincollegehockey.com, you'll arrive here. If you don't, let your isp know the internet is screwed up LOL suprisingly tho www.themoststoriedprogramincollegehockey.com takes me to a GOPHER site! WPoS Quote
DamStrait Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 Sorry to burst your bubble, but Blais signed the deal after Dienhart and Schemmel hopped on a plane to talk to Lucia. They were on a plane to Denver within two hours of Woog's press conference. Sorry to burst your bubble troll-boy, but the only reason they got on that plane was because Deano told them he was signing a long term deal w/ UND. But don't let the facts get in the way of a good flame. I think you'll find that your insistence that Blais was not UMN's #1 target is in the minority, even among your felllow UMN fans. Try to look at it objectively (what the heck, try something new). UMN wanted someone to take them all the way. Deano had done the twice as a head coach and at least twice more as an assistant. Donnie had not done either at that point in his career. Deano is a UMN alum (something for which we, the Sioux faithful, have chalked up as regrettable youthful indiscretion). Donnie is not. I tell you what, if I had been a UMN fan (shiver-THAT image will keep me up at night-shiver) when they were looking for Woogies replacement, I would have been PO'd if Dean was not their #1 target. No go away and write disparaging post about the Sioux on Parise On Ice or go teach Vanek that his own blue line is not a impenetrable barrier from central ice side. Quote
sprig Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 LOL suprisingly tho www.themoststoriedprogramincollegehockey.com takes me to a GOPHER site! WPoS You've screwed up the internet beyond repair Quote
NorthDakotaHockey Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 While my comment was tongue-in-cheek, the above is a ridiculous statement. Say what, TC? You can make tongue-in-cheek comments, but mine are ridiculous? I am tongue-in-cheek as well. Fact is, the Gopher job was Dean's if he had wanted it. Does not take rocket science to figure out the multitude of reasons why the Gopher brass got on the plane to Denver, or Colorado Springs as it were. Dean was their first choice. Dean, being the consummate gentleman that he is, listened to a degree. Dean, being the level headed bright man that he is, took a look around Grand Forks, compared what it, and North Dakota, had to offer versus Minneapolis and Minnesota, and made his decision. While we all will never know, unless one of us is The Dean in disguise, I suspect that The Dean feels that he made the right choice, on a choice that was his to make. After consulting with the wife and kids that is. Sure, The Don is a good coach. He is, however, merely a Don and not a Dean. 'Nuf said. Hey WPoS. Surely you will agree, that at least on this board, the Sioux have a more "storied history" than does the Gophers. You've got Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and G. W. We've got, geez, lemme see. Dwight Eisenhower. Lyndon Johnson. Jimmy Carter. Ronald Reagan. Slick Willy. Geez, all of the sudden, I do not much like the sound of this list. Quote
The Commodore Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 You can't just call yourself the state of hockey, thus making it true. It just doesn't work that way I'm as much of a Sioux-homer as most people on this board, but if any state in the US is to be termed "the state of hockey," it's got to be Minnesota... and it doesn't stem from media coverage (newspapers are owned by national conglomerates anyway). It comes, primarily, from the strength of youth hockey in the state. Things grind to a halt while the MN state high school hockey tournament is going on. There's MN players on every team in the WCHA and on most NCAA and NHL teams in the country. Kids around here dream of one day playing in the high school hockey tournament more than winning the Stanley Cup (or at least just as often). Put the MN Wild in just about any other market in the country and you would not see sold out crowds every night (of course, a lot of that has to do with the Xcel center as well). MN is the home of the US hockey hall of fame and most people in the state know how the game works. To suggest that North Dakota is "the" state of hockey or at least that it deserves the title over Minnesota is totally absurd. Go 150 miles or more westward into the state and see how many people give a flying fart about the sport. From an NCAA perspective, Minnesota has five D1 hockey programs compared to one in ND. Like it or not, UND's best players this season hail from Minnesota. Deano himself grew up in Minnesota. The fact that they chose to play/coach for North Dakota only takes away from claims that UM is a superior hockey school-- but there's no denying that the term "state of hockey" would belong to Minnesota over just about any other state in the country and certainly over ND. It's a breeding ground for hockey talent and has been for decades. As for the "most storied program" argument, what's the basis for this title? National Championships? Program longetivity? All-time winning percentage? Seems like neither UND or UM can lay claim to the title under any of those criteria. I do know that at one point (late '80s or something) UND had sent more players to the NHL than any other school, that may now have changed. One could make the claim that the WCHA is the most storied league in college hockey based on cumulative national championships, non-conference record, and longetivity... but that's about as far as one can take most of these arguments. Tossing around claims to greatness only serves to reveal the speaker's inherent insecurity. Let UND's performance on the ice speak for itself. Quote
sagard Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 I was hoping the Gophers would have hired Blais when Woog stepped down. My thinking was that it would weaken UND and improve the Gophers. I wasn't disappointed when they hired Lucia by any stretch, and grew more confident when Hammy correctly predicted the Gophers would win a National Championship within four years. I'm guessing both teams will do well for the next several years. Quote
dagies Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 You've screwed up the internet beyond repair Al Gore won't even be able to fix it! Quote
NorthDakotaHockey Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 As for the "most storied program" argument, what's the basis for this title? Gee. Can't mere hyperbole and artistic license qualify in support of mere puffery anymore? If you're looking for just the facts, try the White House. I don't have any. Never have, never will. Facts are boring. Puffing ain't. Quote
jojordan23 Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 Blais is a risk taker and I love that part about him and that reason alone puts him above Lucia. Case in point.......Against BC inthe NC game he pulled the goalie with almost four minutes left and almost stole that championship game five Lucia has never done that....that I have seen. Not that I don't agree with on the Blais being a risk-taker, and yes we all love him for it, but the part about Lucia having not done this is wrong... 2002 Nat'l Championship game, X-Cel Energy Center, the Goophs are down a goal with what, less than a minute to play, and pull the goalie for the game-tying goal? Lucia just hasn't had to do it that often, because his teams either are getting smoked or they winning... . I'll never forget that game against BC, I was on the floor, praying for a miracle, and then UND tied that game... Maybe I should have been a little more specific, since UND got a miracle to tie the game, then BC got a miracle of their own... Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted March 3, 2004 Posted March 3, 2004 then BC got a miracle of their own... It was called Krylanos vs. Schneekloth.... Quote
UMDDogz Posted March 4, 2004 Posted March 4, 2004 I'm as much of a Sioux-homer as most people on this board, but if any state in the US is to be termed "the state of hockey," it's got to be Minnesota... and it doesn't stem from media coverage (newspapers are owned by national conglomerates anyway). It comes, primarily, from the strength of youth hockey in the state. Things grind to a halt while the MN state high school hockey tournament is going on. There's MN players on every team in the WCHA and on most NCAA and NHL teams in the country. Kids around here dream of one day playing in the high school hockey tournament more than winning the Stanley Cup (or at least just as often). Put the MN Wild in just about any other market in the country and you would not see sold out crowds every night (of course, a lot of that has to do with the Xcel center as well). MN is the home of the US hockey hall of fame and most people in the state know how the game works. To suggest that North Dakota is "the" state of hockey or at least that it deserves the title over Minnesota is totally absurd. Go 150 miles or more westward into the state and see how many people give a flying fart about the sport. From an NCAA perspective, Minnesota has five D1 hockey programs compared to one in ND. Like it or not, UND's best players this season hail from Minnesota. Deano himself grew up in Minnesota. The fact that they chose to play/coach for North Dakota only takes away from claims that UM is a superior hockey school-- but there's no denying that the term "state of hockey" would belong to Minnesota over just about any other state in the country and certainly over ND. It's a breeding ground for hockey talent and has been for decades. Nearly half of the 1980 team that beat the Red Army were from MN. When North Dakota's HS tourney sells out an 18,000 seat arena, then maybe you could begin to come close to challenging for the "State of Hockey" title. Quote
Smoggy Posted March 4, 2004 Posted March 4, 2004 Thanks PCM - I've been in (paying attention WPoS / AKA dinner party guy? ) Palm Desert, CA for a week of sun, golf, and general laziness. I almost pitty on you for having to go to the wanne-be Reno or Vegas. But it was a vacation and cooler out for you. All desert, a few mtns. and casinos, and 120 in the summer. But at least it's a hour from civilization (LA burbs). So did you visit the maximum security state prison a few miles down the 10? There's a rest area on the same exit. Just a few blocks away. Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted March 4, 2004 Posted March 4, 2004 What part of Minnesota is Detroit in?? Who gives a f*ck about Detroit? Warroad is the TRUE Hockeytown. Quote
Cratter Posted March 4, 2004 Posted March 4, 2004 What state calls themselves "The State of Football." None. Why? I'll let you decide. No one claimed ND to be the "State of Hockey," but percentage of population wise they do pretty good. Quote
Fedorov Posted March 4, 2004 Posted March 4, 2004 Who gives a f*ck about Detroit? Warroad is the TRUE Hockeytown. Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted March 4, 2004 Posted March 4, 2004 What state calls themselves "The State of Football." None. Why? I'll let you decide. No one claimed ND to be the "State of Hockey," but percentage of population wise they do pretty good. It's Texas Quote
WPoS Posted March 4, 2004 Posted March 4, 2004 Al Gore won't even be able to fix it! can Al fix the Space Shuttle while he is fixing the internet too? Somebody REALLY screwed up the URL's! WPoS Quote
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