Murray's Leaving

[SIOUXELEVENS]

I love glass

[THETRIOUXPER]

Boy, I sure hope the Marvins find another player like TJ to bring in up here next year, without a superstar the whole program might fold.

[Goon]

Boy, I sure hope the Marvins find another player like TJ to bring in up here next year, without a superstar the whole program might fold.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Marvins pays the coach(s) of the Hockey team and then they find a job for the parents of potential recruits. Its even better than college recruiting. I remember it was like that with Wyatt Smith. They have done this for years. I suppose it will be harder for them to lure Thief River Falls kids with the awesome arena.

Edited June 2, 2005 by Goon

[ESPNInsider]

Matter of fact, the 1980 NBA Finals (Lakers vs 76ers) were on tape delay, airing after the 10pm news - in the U. S. of A.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting article in the Star Tribune today. ESPN cut off negotiations with the NHL, saying that the NHL's tv deal isn't worth half of the $60 million original agreement.

"It would have been the first time NHL games were shown exclusively on ESPN2, which doubled ratings by showing college basketball in place of hockey."

"The NHL, which says its clubs lost about $500 million during the past two seasons, also has agreements in Canada with the Sports Network cable channel and the Canadian Broadcasting Company. The prices of those contracts haven't been disclosed."

And I thought our Athletic Dept. was losing money!

[THETRIOUXPER]

Sorry, Goon didn't mean to get you all fired up there. Actually i was just goofing around, this thread has really degenerated. I believe the topic was Murruy leaving, Oshies in, maybe we should stick to that.

[Goon]

Sorry, Goon didn't mean to get you all fired up there. Actually i was just goofing around, this thread has really degenerated.  I believe the topic was Murruy leaving, Oshies in, maybe we should stick to that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was just helping the thread degrade more, I figured you said it tongue in cheek.

[Yttrium]

Oshie 4th or 5th Line?

It's better to come in as a dark horse than thoroughbred. Oshie brings an uncanny attribute to UND next fall. He's guided Warroad to 3 consecutive trips to Xcel Energy Center (2 State Titles) and probably would have won another at the 2004 MN State Class A Championship if his team would have played as one.

What he brings is grit, skill, passion and unselfishness. He makes every player around him better. He's a triple threat player where he can snipe, make unbelieveable passes to set up back door goals and can run you over. I realize he will be playing w/ older athletes but don't put a price tag on heart. Warroad has developed great players and he ranks right up there as he leaves Hockeytown, USA as it's All-Time Leading Scorer.

Not only that, he will bring it every weekend night and every day at the practice rinks. UND will win a National Championship sometime during his and the recruiting Class of 2005-06 tenure.

[THETRIOUXPER]

I think that some of you will be pleasantly surprised when you get a chance to see TJ play. Like everyone else I feel he will have some adjustment time, but I think he may surprise a few people. No doubt about it though, hard work will always have a good effect on yourself and the people around you.

[THETRIOUXPER]

Just a side note here while we are back on the subject. I felt the comparison between TJ and Brady was "unfair", for lack of a better term I guess, as they are two completely different players when it comes right down to it. Murray is more of a speed guy like a Panzer. TJ, from the times I watched him anyway is more of a physical type player, coupled with the fact he is very strong on his skates as well as having a very "uncanny" hand-eye coordination. I agree with Yttrium about the passing and the sniping I have seen it mant times over the last 3 years, he is also a very unselfish player and is content with an assist as well as a goal, plus he's not afraid to put a lick on you either.

[jk]

I've seen Oshie play on TV in the state tournament the last two years, so that's where I have formed my limited opinion.

I agree that any comparison to Murray is senseless at this point, stylistically and in terms of their impact on the team next year. I had considered Murray the heir to Jeff Panzer, as he's the only player since to bring blinding speed with nice hands. That is about as much praise as a player can get from me, as Panzer as a senior was close to as good as we have seen in the sweater. I think that if he were healthy next year, Murray would have been a Hobey finalist.

Stylistically, Murray's strength, skating, seems to be Oshie's only real weakness. I have seen enough of Oshie to respect his vision, hands, strength and defensive responsibility. But I do think he'll be a step slow out of the gate, and that will hold him back initially. I'll be happy to be proven wrong, and I'm definitely rooting against my opinion.

[THETRIOUXPER]

Hockey, like every other walk of life requires many different talents to make a team good. All of these players bring with them strengths and weaknesses, that's what makes it intresting, the coaching staff hopefully realizes this and plays to their strengths, and improves on the weaknesses, hell Commie wasn't the most fluid skater when he hit campus, I think he did all right for himself.

[Yttrium]

THETRIOUXPER:

Great comments on what it takes to make a "special" team and the quest for a national championship.

So many things must happen all at the right times. Preparation meeting opportunity. It's important to look at the positives in kids / young men and find the beauty in what they possess.

UND has such a proud tradition and history of winning. This Class of 2005 recruits and returners have all had successes in different capacities. Now, they all must become ONE. That's perhaps the most critical ingredient to making champions. There is only 1 puck. One shift, one period, one day at a time.

Brady Murray had a short but substantial career for the Fighting Sioux. Now the torch is handed over to the a new stock. Can't compare athletes. Impossible. People on these boards truly don't know what it's like to develop solid people and hockey players. It takes a combination of research, recruting, knowledge, human resources, the ability to trust, true love of the game and passion to make these kids the best they can become.

Coach K of Duke Basketball says it best when he says, "I'm not making basketball players .. I'm making solid human beings."

[THETRIOUXPER]

And just in case any one is in need my specialties are eating Red Pepper grinders, Italian Moon queso, and drinking many different brands of beer, oh and watching hockey.