Congrats to the Sioux and their fans.

[dagies]

Thanks Sagard. Reading the internet the last few days and then watching postgame interviews has left me at odds with myself on how to take this game. I've concluded that the internet doesn't foster friendliness in rivalries. Basically, reading fan exchanges on various websites had left me with some pretty hard feelings towards the Gophers -- worse than my routine hatred.

Then I watched MN play their guts out; both teams really played well, and a victory by either would not have been undeserved. And in the postgame interview, Lucia was complimentary and a stand-up guy. I don't really think I hate the hockey team so much as the fans that spew such stupidity on the internet. And of course I know the green-tinted version of the stupidity can be found here in probably the same quantity.

The funny thing is that almost all the Gopher fans I know personally (and I'm surrounded by them) are good fans. So I guess I'll try to take the internet with a grain of salt and cheer on the Sioux.

And still cheer against MN, but more nicely.

Good words, as well my dislike of the Gophers is more due to certain fans than it has to do with the players or coaches.

[forecheck]

Did she throw anything at you?

Ha, no. I told my friends, "Huh she looks like Tyra Banks." Then later when I was over talking to some Michigan players' dads apparently the waitress had gone over and asked her for an autograph. By the time I got back to my seat she was gone.

[siouxnami]

Ha, no. I told my friends, "Huh she looks like Tyra Banks." Then later when I was over talking to some Michigan players' dads apparently the waitress had gone over and asked her for an autograph. By the time I got back to my seat she was gone.

Isn't she really tall? Or is that someone else that I am thinking of?

[Siouxmama]

Isn't she really tall? Or is that someone else that I am thinking of?

She's really tall.

[MeanEgirl]

Congrats, Sioux fans! I'll be in St. Louis wearing green and white! Hopefully I can meet up with some of you there.

[Godsmack]

The one thing I learned back in April of 2001, was that you win some and you lose some. It took UND's championship loss to BC for me to recognize just how hard it is to win EVERY SINGLE GAME. I was spoiled-I expected the Sioux to win championships every single year. I was cocky-I thought our dominance over teams like Denver would go on forever....I suffered the same fate in the West Regionals of 2004. Living in Denver, I think some DU fans experienced this air of invincability after winning two straight NCAA championships. When the bar has been raised so high, a fan expects their team to maintain that level or, in some cases, raise it even further.

I can't say a negative thing about the Gopher fans at the Pepsi Center-they were as energetic and supportive of their team as any of the other three teams' fans. I knew that I could just as easily be taking that dreaded walk out of that arena, having to listen to the celebration of Minnesota fans. That being said, I told myself I would not be a jerk about it if the Sioux should prevail when leaving that arena. I also credit the Gopher fans who came over to Brooklyn's after the game to have some drinks and food.

This game was truly a coin flip. I wouldn't touch this one in Vegas if my life depended on it.

One thing I do know, Minnesota will come back next season as loaded as ever.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

The one thing I learned back in April of 2001, was that you win some and you lose some. It took UND's championship loss to BC for me to recognize just how hard it is to win EVERY SINGLE GAME. I was spoiled-I expected the Sioux to win championships every single year. I was cocky-I thought our dominance over teams like Denver would go on forever....I suffered the same fate in the West Regionals of 2004. Living in Denver, I think some DU fans experienced this air of invincability after winning two straight NCAA championships. When the bar has been raised so high, a fan expects their team to maintain that level or, in some cases, raise it even further.

I can't say a negative thing about the Gopher fans at the Pepsi Center-they were as energetic and supportive of their team as any of the other three teams' fans. I knew that I could just as easily be taking that dreaded walk out of that arena, having to listen to the celebration of Minnesota fans. That being said, I told myself I would not be a jerk about it if the Sioux should prevail when leaving that arena. I also credit the Gopher fans who came over to Brooklyn's after the game to have some drinks and food.

This game was truly a coin flip. I wouldn't touch this one in Vegas if my life depended on it.

One thing I do know, Minnesota will come back next season as loaded as ever.

Let me guess, they have now become Fat Tire fans. I like my Canadian beer but I have to concede that the Belgian Brewing Company of Colorado makes some mighty fine suds.

[cujo2]

The one thing I learned back in April of 2001, was that you win some and you lose some. It took UND's championship loss to BC for me to recognize just how hard it is to win EVERY SINGLE GAME. I was spoiled-I expected the Sioux to win championships every single year. I was cocky-I thought our dominance over teams like Denver would go on forever....I suffered the same fate in the West Regionals of 2004. Living in Denver, I think some DU fans experienced this air of invincability after winning two straight NCAA championships. When the bar has been raised so high, a fan expects their team to maintain that level or, in some cases, raise it even further.

I can't say a negative thing about the Gopher fans at the Pepsi Center-they were as energetic and supportive of their team as any of the other three teams' fans. I knew that I could just as easily be taking that dreaded walk out of that arena, having to listen to the celebration of Minnesota fans. That being said, I told myself I would not be a jerk about it if the Sioux should prevail when leaving that arena. I also credit the Gopher fans who came over to Brooklyn's after the game to have some drinks and food.

This game was truly a coin flip. I wouldn't touch this one in Vegas if my life depended on it.

One thing I do know, Minnesota will come back next season as loaded as ever.

People can say what they want about Gopher fans. I think 99% of us are solid hard-core hockey fans. We cheer/support/root for our team. I really think the "Arrogant Gopher" fan is soooooo overblown. Look at the first paragraph of this post. A sioux fan admitting about being cocky & arrogant. DU fans were the same.

What is my point?: Gopher fans are really no different than sioux fans with the exception of cheering for different teams.

I thought last nights game was AWESOME. Very even matchup. I don't think one team dominated the other. Overall, like I said earlier the two biggest, baddest, motherf"ers on the college hockey block squared off. Sioux won and they deserved to. They made a play when it mattered the most. So congratulations.

One more thing, I will agree next years Gophers squad will be loaded. Really they are only losing Briggs. A little birdy is telling me EJ will be back, Goli will be back, and Wheeler. However, Okposo might bolt

[Sioux-cia]

I'll be in St. Louis wearing green and white! Hopefully I can meet up with some of you there.

How will we recognize you?!?

[WPoS]

I took the time to settle down and truthfully don't want to read any threads on your board. I just wanted to say congrats on the win. The UND squad won a good game. The OT had the Gophers huffing and puffing and clearly being outplayed. Best of luck vs. BC, you'll need it, they look to be a tough team to beat right now. Just wish BOTH of our teams could have made the trip to battle it out (hopefully different result ) in arch city.

W

[Diggler]

How will we recognize you?!?

If you feel someone headbutt your kneecap, that's MEg.

[Sioux-cia]

I took the time to settle down and truthfully don't want to read any threads on your board. I just wanted to say congrats on the win. The UND squad won a good game. The OT had the Gophers huffing and puffing and clearly being outplayed. Best of luck vs. BC, you'll need it, they look to be a tough team to beat right now. Just wish BOTH of our teams could have made the trip to battle it out (hopefully different result ) in arch city.

W

Thanks!

[choyt3]

I took the time to settle down and truthfully don't want to read any threads on your board. I just wanted to say congrats on the win. The UND squad won a good game. The OT had the Gophers huffing and puffing and clearly being outplayed. Best of luck vs. BC, you'll need it, they look to be a tough team to beat right now. Just wish BOTH of our teams could have made the trip to battle it out (hopefully different result ) in arch city.

W

Looked like the altitude was affecting both teams, as while we watched there were many comments about how winded guys looked for both teams. Fitting that the game-winner was scored by the "Iron Man".

[UNDLeafsGuy]

The one thing I learned back in April of 2001, was that you win some and you lose some. It took UND's championship loss to BC for me to recognize just how hard it is to win EVERY SINGLE GAME. I was spoiled-I expected the Sioux to win championships every single year. I was cocky-I thought our dominance over teams like Denver would go on forever....I suffered the same fate in the West Regionals of 2004. Living in Denver, I think some DU fans experienced this air of invincability after winning two straight NCAA championships. When the bar has been raised so high, a fan expects their team to maintain that level or, in some cases, raise it even further.

I can't say a negative thing about the Gopher fans at the Pepsi Center-they were as energetic and supportive of their team as any of the other three teams' fans. I knew that I could just as easily be taking that dreaded walk out of that arena, having to listen to the celebration of Minnesota fans. That being said, I told myself I would not be a jerk about it if the Sioux should prevail when leaving that arena. I also credit the Gopher fans who came over to Brooklyn's after the game to have some drinks and food.

This game was truly a coin flip. I wouldn't touch this one in Vegas if my life depended on it.

One thing I do know, Minnesota will come back next season as loaded as ever.

Godsmack you make two very good points ..........

(1) regarding all of our teams being spoiled and thinking it is an easy run to the National Title it is NOT !

Considering this year the path to a National Title could playout this way .........

michigan, minnesota, boston college, maine. How sweet it would be to get #8 beating our rivals from the west and the east. But NOT easy!

(2) I think the trouble with the gopher fan base is mostly at Mariyucki and the X ........ both are large venues that hold alot of people (especially the X)

and alot of those goofer fans just go (tickets given to them or to be seen) and are not true fans of hockey. Your example of this past weekend

makes sense because only true gopher fans would have made the investment to travel to Denver to follow their team.

This rivalry will live on forever and let's hope it becomes more civil at each arena in Minnesota and North Dakota. GO SIOUX!

[Godsmack]

Hopefully Cujo2 didn't take my post out of context. I was merely pointing out the fallacy in my belief as to how easy it is to win and that I take nothing for granted anymore-regardless of who UND plays. Yesterday was truly a barn burner of a game. The Minnesota fans are no different than Sioux fans and to categorically lump all Minnesota fans into some sort of box is as ridiculous as doing that to CC, Sioux, or any other team's fans.

[Stromer]

(2) I think the trouble with the gopher fan base is mostly at Mariyucki and the X ........ both are large venues that hold alot of people (especially the X)

and alot of those goofer fans just go (tickets given to them or to be seen) and are not true fans of hockey. Your example of this past weekend

makes sense because only true gopher fans would have made the investment to travel to Denver to follow their team.

This rivalry will live on forever and let's hope it becomes more civil at each arena in Minnesota and North Dakota. GO SIOUX!

The arena thing is right on. We sat next to some gopher fans who were there for the whole tourney. Very respectful and we had good chats. The last night we had some gopher fans buy tickets just for the championship. One of them spent all night trashing on Oshie. Any time you add travel into the equation, only the best fans make the trips.

[HockeyMom]

Congrats, Sioux fans! I'll be in St. Louis wearing green and white! Hopefully I can meet up with some of you there.

I will make you high five me.....but I won't be on my way to the ice cream line this time.

[Slap Shot]

One interesting point of view regarding this rivalry and others.

I realize that such a rivalty can become very contentious and that the anonymity of the internet often provides an arena for people to talk smack that probably wouldn't if they didn't have this vehicle. But what seemed to carry far more vitriol a few years back, it seems there's an increasing amount of mutual respect amongst fanbases - in some cases here and even more so at USCHO.

I realize that there will always be dinks and always feelings of, "those guys suck" but I've noticed a lot of congratulatory remarks going both ways from our fans and I don't know that we would have seen as much of that several years ago.

Of course I could be just on something....

[HockeyMom]

There's no way that I could have gone over to the Gopher's message board and congratulated your fans if the game had gone the other way. It takes a lot of class for those of you Gopher fans to come over here as fans and to wish the Sioux good luck.

We really do appreciate it.

We'll do our best to cheer on the lone representative of the WCHA in the Frozen Four.

[dagies]

One interesting point of view regarding this rivalry and others.

I realize that such a rivalty can become very contentious and that the anonymity of the internet often provides an arena for people to talk smack that probably wouldn't if they didn't have this vehicle. But what seemed to carry far more vitriol a few years back, it seems there's an increasing amount of mutual respect amongst fanbases - in some cases here and even more so at USCHO.

I realize that there will always be dinks and always feelings of, "those guys suck" but I've noticed a lot of congratulatory remarks going both ways from our fans and I don't know that we would have seen as much of that several years ago.

Of course I could be just on something....

Or you could be on to something.

[PCM]

I have to say that in posting here, the vast majority of Gopher fans have been very classy about Minnesota's loss to UND. I greatly appreciate that and respect it. I hope Sioux fans remember their example. Some day, the skate will be on the other foot.

[redwing77]

I have to say that in posting here, the vast majority of Gopher fans have been very classy about Minnesota's loss to UND. I greatly appreciate that and respect it. I hope Sioux fans remember their example. Some day, the skate will be on the other foot.

Have you ever tried wearing a skate on the wrong foot? Painful.

Anyways, yeah, I agree. We had one backhanded compliment but other than that I was impressed by the GOpher fans that came here and commented.

As for sagard, it's only goes without saying. He's always (as far as I can remember) said classy things about the Sioux on this site (and elsewhere). Kinda why I usually ask him questions regarding all things Gopher and look to his posts for a non-Sioux perspective. If only we could get Puck Swami to post here more.... then we'd have two non-UND posters of that ilk.

[yekcoh]

My Gopher friend from the Final Five sent me this today..

yeah well sh*t happens i always say lol well we'll be cheering for you we are sitting in section 121 and dad said porter deserved it the goal couldnt have happend to a nicer guy.

This kid is a senior in high school. I thought it was very mature of him to say this. These are the nicest Gophers I know! It puts the ones who told me we suck as we walked to the Xcel Center to shame.

[siouxguyinstpaul]

Thanks - and the Fighting Sioux save Dinky Town from burning - again

[Taz Boy]

I would just like to add that I am the classiest fan I know. If I come to know Sagard further, then perhaps I may find myself unworthy of being the classiest fan. And, certainly, Sagard's thread here exhibits excellence in the category of class. But, short of a full class review process, I'm forced to consider my own classiness as being superior to that of any other fan.

taz