Craig Dahl Retirement?

[Siouxman]

Sid Hartman reports in his column in the Star Tribune that Craig Dahl will retire in the near future (near future is not defined) and that Bob Motzko, current gopher assistant, will take over. Motzko is to be named an assistant at SCSU and then take over at Dahl's retirement.

See page 2 of the article at: http://www.startribune.com/stories/510/5423985-2.html

[schmidtdoggydog]

Unrelated, but of interest - how many times in the past have Sioux fans heard Gopher fans chirp about UND's cupcake schedule?

What goes around, comes around I guess! Check out MN's home non-conference schedule:

Alaska-Fairbanks, Union College, Massachusetts-Lowell, Canisius and Niagara.

Take away UML and what are you left with?

[The Sicatoka]

In the great and wise words of "Uncle Ralph": Where the **** is Canisius?"

As far as getting college hockey information from Grandpa Sid ....

[CoteauRinkRat]

As far as getting college hockey information from Grandpa Sid .... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If that isn't the truth.

[DLW4GOPHERS]

Unrelated, but of interest - how many times in the past have Sioux fans heard Gopher fans chirp about UND's cupcake schedule?

What goes around, comes around I guess!  Check out MN's home non-conference schedule:

Alaska-Fairbanks, Union College, Massachusetts-Lowell, Canisius and Niagara.

Take away UML and what are you left with? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not looking forward to that non-conference schedule, but we still get Michigan and Michigan State. Guess no one wants to schedule the Gophers next year.

[redwing77]

[THETRIOUXPER]

In reference to no one wanting to schedule the gophers next year, keep in mind if Mr. Kessel doesn't deliver a National Title It'll be a big bust, then prepare yourself for the fallout of smack that will ensue, just like when Zach played two years and didn't win a title.

[sprig]

Guess no one wants to schedule the Gophers next year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Little Debbie to Visit the John"

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Unrelated, but of interest - how many times in the past have Sioux fans heard Gopher fans chirp about UND's cupcake schedule?

What goes around, comes around I guess!  Check out MN's home non-conference schedule:

Alaska-Fairbanks, Union College, Massachusetts-Lowell, Canisius and Niagara.

Take away UML and what are you left with? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Guess Lucy hasn't been happy with his winning Pct lately.

[#1Hakfan]

Those schedules are made a couple years in advance when no one knew that Kessel would be coming. Wow what an easy Schedule, hopefully it hurts them in the rankings.

On Sid, I really doubt he writes most of his column. I bet someone for the Tribune has some inside scoup. Why else would Motzko apply for the assistant coaching job in St. Cloud.

I have a feeling that Sioux/Gophers fans will argue more about Kessel vs. Parise and not Kessel vs. Toews. Thats alright we dont want to put added pressure on Toews.

I wonder how Mr. Potulny and Irmen feel about being pushed aside by Lucia and the fans for Captain America coming to save their program.

[MafiaMan]

I found it interesting that Sid is reporting that Motzko will take over after Craig Dahl's retirement. Being a state-supported institution, I would imagine that St Cloud State would have to at least hold interviews to at least give the impression that they were being fair. Sid, why would you post such a foolish comment? Oh, maybe it's because you want to try to sandbag any quality candidates who might want to interview and discourage them from doing so. You wouldn't want that rivalry to heat up any and affect Minnesota's recruiting, would you Sid?

[PCM]

Being a state-supported institution, I would imagine that St Cloud State would have to at least hold interviews to at least give the impression that they were being fair.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You mean like UND did?

[MafiaMan]

You mean like UND did?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm guessing the rules in the State of Minnesota differ from those in North Dakota, but I can't imagine why Sid would think Craig Dahl can "annoint" his successor. If they're talking about firing the guy, why would you let him pick who is going to take over? It's weird. My thought is that Sid is trying to stir the pot a bit to pursuade some Gopher assistants to stay put and not look 70 miles west for career advancement opportunities.

[Greyeagle]

I'm guessing the rules in the State of Minnesota differ from those in North Dakota, but I can't imagine why Sid would think Craig Dahl can "annoint" his successor. If they're talking about firing the guy, why would you let him pick who is going to take over? It's weird. My thought is that Sid is trying to stir the pot a bit to pursuade some Gopher assistants to stay put and not look 70 miles west for career advancement opportunities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My thought is Sid should stick to something simple and easy to understand, like basketball.

[Siouxman]

Is it possible that they can hire a coach just by considering inside candidates? By bringing in Motzko first as an assistant, he would already be in-house and they maybe can then shortcut the process. Pure speculation on my part since I don't know the rules they have to follow. That conspiracy theory does seem to answer the question as to why Motzko would leave an assistant position at a pseudo-successful program to take an assistant position at a not so successful program. Going from UM to SCSU does not strike me as a positive move unless there is something else going on. It would also serve as a means to provide an easier transition from Dahl to the new coach, if it is Motzko.

[WPoS]

Those schedules are made a couple years in advance when no one knew that Kessel would be coming.  Wow what an easy Schedule, hopefully it hurts them in the rankings.

On Sid, I really doubt he writes most of his column.  I bet someone for the Tribune has some inside scoup.  Why else would Motzko apply for the assistant coaching job in St. Cloud.

I have a feeling that Sioux/Gophers fans will argue more about Kessel vs. Parise and not Kessel vs. Toews.  Thats alright we dont want to put added pressure on Toews.

I wonder how Mr. Potulny and Irmen feel about being pushed aside by Lucia and the fans  for Captain America coming to save their program.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sid is a putz, pure and simple...'nuf said there

As for pushing others aside for Kessel, while I will enjoy watching him play I will still be cheering for the other guys on the squad as I have other years...not EVERY Gopher fan thinks of him as the second coming of God , oops, I mean 'ZPar'. But I wonder why you think the Gophs need saving beyond the typical rhetoric?

WPoS

[NorthDakotaHockey]

But I wonder why you think the Gophs need saving beyond the typical rhetoric? 

WPoS

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps because the Gophers have now gone two years since their last title and many of the Gopher faithful are positioning themselves on the Washington Avenue Bridge looking for a reason to do a John Barrymore?

[sprig]

But I wonder why you think the Gophs need saving beyond the typical rhetoric? 

WPoS

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After the last two performances vs. the Sioux, they need more than a savior. Beyond that, it's message board rhetoric. What goes around, comes around.

[#1Hakfan]

There is an article about this in the St. Cloud times

http://miva.sctimes.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?...1+sports+498275

If that doesnt work goto Insidecollege hockey.com and goto the newspaper section in the upper right hand corner.

[Sioux-per Villain]

2 nationals titles and 3 Frozen fours in the past 4 years and all of the sudden the Minnesota program needs a savior? Please.....

[MafiaMan]

2 nationals titles and 3 Frozen fours in the past 4 years and all of the sudden the Minnesota program needs a savior? Please.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I happen to live in Mpls/St Paul, my friend, and they were practically wanting to lynch Don Lucia over the team's showing this season. Did you happen to read the paper after the seedings for the tournament were announced (Patrick Reusse) or after the Gophers lost to the Sioux for the second time in three weeks? I'm surprised there wasn't a riot here like after winning the NCAA title!

[WPoS]

I happen to live in Mpls/St Paul, my friend, and they were practically wanting to lynch Don Lucia over the team's showing this season. Did you happen to read the paper after the seedings for the tournament were announced (Patrick Reusse) or after the Gophers lost to the Sioux for the second time in three weeks? I'm surprised there wasn't a riot here like after winning the NCAA title!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mafia, actually all the fans I know were pretty proud of a team that was picked to finish around .500 and go NO where post season. Considering we had no thoughts of actually making the FF, this fan was VERY happy w/ tDon's job.

WPoS

[MafiaMan]

Mafia, actually all the fans I know were pretty proud of a team that was picked to finish around .500 and go NO where post season. Considering we had no thoughts of actually making the FF, this fan was VERY happy w/ tDon's job.

WPoS

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure where those fans were, WPoS. I ran into many cocky Gopher fans during the Final Five after the third place game, including one moron who told me to enjoy the win because the Sioux weren't going anyplace anyways. Lots of people I saw after that game were mumbling that "it doesn't matter anyways" and most seemed to think the Frozen Four was a shoo-in.

I don't care what the schedule looks like, the fact of the matter is that when you look at the schedule before the season starts and it winds up with "regional game in your own building," I would hardly think that you as a Gopher fan had ZERO expectations about reaching the Frozen Four. Look at the last several years' worth of home regionals in the western part of the country...

1998 Michigan - advances to Frozen Four

2002 Michigan - advances to Frozen Four

2005 Minnesota - advances to Frozen Four

2006 North Dakota - ?

Everyone knows the Gophers just needed to qualify for the NCAA tournament and they'd have two games in their own barn. They didn't need to be the #1 team in the country, all they needed to be was somewhere between 2 and 16. It's the same thing with the Sioux next year. We'll see if they can take advantage of it.

[WPoS]

I'm not sure where those fans were, WPoS. I ran into many cocky Gopher fans during the Final Five after the third place game, including one moron who told me to enjoy the win because the Sioux weren't going anyplace anyways. Lots of people I saw after that game were mumbling that "it doesn't matter anyways" and most seemed to think the Frozen Four was a shoo-in.

I don't care what the schedule looks like, the fact of the matter is that when you look at the schedule before the season starts and it winds up with "regional game in your own building," I would hardly think that you as a Gopher fan had ZERO expectations about reaching the Frozen Four. Look at the last several years' worth of home regionals in the western part of the country...

1998 Michigan - advances to Frozen Four

2002 Michigan - advances to Frozen Four

2005 Minnesota - advances to Frozen Four

2006 North Dakota - ?

Everyone knows the Gophers just needed to qualify for the NCAA tournament and they'd have two games in their own barn. They didn't need to be the #1 team in the country, all they needed to be was somewhere between 2 and 16. It's the same thing with the Sioux next year. We'll see if they can take advantage of it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, but I, before the season started had no thoughts of making a FF run. That we did was just a good feeling for me, but I in no way was ripping the coach/team over their performance. And I'd be hard pressed to find a friend of mine that would either. Methinks you were running into the non die-hards/more corpie type fan that likes to bandwagon...

WPoS

[NorthDakotaHockey]

True, but I, before the season started had no thoughts of making a FF run.  That we did was just a good feeling for me, but I in no way was ripping the coach/team over their performance.  And I'd be hard pressed to find a friend of mine that would either.  Methinks you were running into the non die-hards/more corpie type fan that likes to bandwagon...

WPoS

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WPoS. A classic example of a revisionist historian.

Gopher fans always figure they are going to Frozen Four, especially since Da Don arrived in town.

No problem, just fact.