Goophers

[skateshattrick]

Yes. I was at that game at Joe Louis. A puck bounced off of the boards behind the net and came right out in front for an easy tap-in goal. I'm not sure the Gophers would have won, but it sure killed any chance to win.

[lawkota]

Yikes, this thread needs to get back on track.

I hate the Gophers. Not the players - How can you hate young men playing a game just for the love of it? No, I hate the big picture. I used be just indifferent, now I loathe them. My feelings are well founded - developed from two seasons of sitting in the student section at the old Mariucci. Yes, I am a Minnesota grad. Nothing breeds contempt quite like familiarity.

I count many, many Gopher fans as close friends. Quite of few of them will say to me from time to time "well, if the Gophs can't win, I'll be rooting for the Sioux". They're lieing. They know it and they know I know it. One of my best friends once told my sister that Sioux titles don't count, because they cheat by using old Canadians. He was adamant that the Sioux had no official national titles. He made her cry. She was 9 years old. I watched the 89 title game with another. The week before, his fiancee had left him and his car was broken into. He figured that given his delicate emotional state that I would join him in cheering for Minny. He was mistaken. That night I performed what is now referred to as the "Crimson dance of death", hence, pipe---goal---defeat. I saw him in the lobby of the X before the title game last year and I assured him that I had no similar Black Bear dance. In fact I did, I was just too scared of getting caught on the JumboTron performing it. To the ghost of Shawn Walsh, I apologize.

The only time I have seen Gopher fans cheer collectively for the Sioux is when we play Wisco - that seems only right. (One exception - the 87 championship game. But I think that's only because Sioux fans were so outnumbered at the Joe that the Gopher fans pitied us. I'm sure they regret it.) I've never seen Sioux fans collectively cheer for the Gophers.

I wouldn't want it any other way. The day Gopher fans started supporting the Sioux is the same day they have lost fear/respect for the UND program. And vice versa. That should not happen and I doubt it ever will.

I trying to be funny here - everything a bit tongue-in-cheek. If I've failed, I'm sorry. I enjoy smack talk and like to think I can take as well as I give. I only things I can't tolerate are pot shots at the Sioux name or Ralph.

[forecheck]

Nice work forecheck. Maybe you can arrange tea for GW and Saddam and get them to patch up their differences.

All it takes is the gentle touch of a woman. Well, either that or to call you guys a bunch of women.

[sprig]

Medo Martenelli (sp?)

Close, but it's Martinello, only to be outdone, at times, by Dewey (Markus).

[schmidtdoggydog]

The only reason I hate the Minnesota Vikings so much is because of living in this area and being subjected to biased media coverage of them and the annoying homerism of the Purple Pride fanatics.

DaveK, With this statement I believe you have summarized why most Sioux fans have an inherent dislike for the Gophers. It is a similar mentality if you simply replace Vikings with Gophers in your sentence.

[Greyeagle]

Schmitt - Sioux coverage in GF, especially by Virg, is hardly a bastion of neutrality. I will concede the Gopher games on TV allow for coverage other WCHA schools do not enjoy - but it is a MN product they are broadcasting and selling thus (like any other "home" broadcast) a certain level of homerism should be expected.

[JWG]

I can't believe how much discussion this topic generates. I am a Gopher fan through and through and am perfectly fine with you "loathing" the Gophers, I actually take it as a compliment.

Do you loathe UMD or Mich. Tech? Probably not, the Gopher fans sure don't. Heck we were cheering for UMD this season. Why? Because they're not an immediate threat. We don't hate or spend time discussing those we don't fear.

All of your opinions are exactly what makes rivalries a rivalry. Go ahead and hate the Gophers, I'd be worried if people didn't.

But, Sioux_11, I do have to say, it is a bit short-sighted to think that Minnesota controls the tournament placements. The WCHA Final 5 is in MN for two reasons, 1) money and 2) location. It is central to the WCHA (more so than anywhere else). And, I dare say that in a game that puts the Gophers against another MN team, we don't hold the crowd advantage necessarily. And if we do, its certainly not our fault that people in St. Cloud or Mankato won't make the 1 1/2 hour drive to support their team. I got tickets to the WCHA Final the day before the game so any fan of any school could have certainly gone. If you honestly would prefer the Final 5 be back in Milwaukee so its twice as far for your fans to go, then so be it. And us hosting the 2002 Frozen Four was a fluke, its not like we're in it every year and we knew we'd be there back when we were awarded the tournament. Michigan hosts the regionals way more often then we do and have used it to their advantage more so than the Gophers. If you're going to make an argument, at least try to be a little objective.

And yes, I did root for the Sioux in 1997 and 2000 at the Frozen Four. I admit to rooting for BC in 2001 as I thought they deserved the win after so many years of just missing. As a general rule, I support the WCHA if the Gophers are not present (and DO mean it when I say it). My brother-in-law rooted for us last year (he's from UMD) and you can bet had CC made it and beat us in the semi's I'd have rooted for them.

[schmidtdoggydog]

Schmitt - Sioux coverage in GF, especially by Virg, is hardly a bastion of neutrality. I will concede the Gopher games on TV allow for coverage other WCHA schools do not enjoy - but it is a MN product they are broadcasting and selling thus (like any other "home" broadcast) a certain level of homerism should be expected.

Greyeagle, you think Virg is biased? Nah, couldn't be!