Yardbarker: College Hockey

Donald Brashear hit on Blair Betts. Susension coming?

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:52:48 -0500

You can bet that the league office will be taking a look at this hit. Was it a cheap head shot? In my opinion it was definitely interference and cheap dirty hit. At the end of the video you will see Brashear and Orr talking before the game in the pregame warmups. I expect game seven to be very exciting and full of drama.

Strong support for Fighting Sioux name on Spirit Lake.

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:27:57 -0500

Well that is kind of how I expected the vote to go, kind of reaffirms the Sports Illustrated poll that came out a few years back. I now hoping we can finally have a vote on the Standing Rock reservation. Of course the anti-Fighting Sioux logo people will continue to fight.
Spirit Lake voters overwhelmingly support UND’s Fighting Sioux nickname
By: Tu-Uyen Tran ---- Grand Forks Herald

The Herald is still trying to verify the results with election judges. But nickname supporter Eunice Davidson said her source at the ballot counting site said the unofficial results are 774 “yes” and 378 “no,” giving the nickname 67 percent of the vote.

Nickname opponents had portrayed the issue as a battle against racism, but voters simply did not see it that way. Some said they had heard what opponents had to say and it did not sway them.

UND needs the blessings of the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock Sioux tribes to keep the nickname as part of its settlement with the NCAA, which opposes Indian mascots.

Nickname supporters in Standing Rock are working to get that tribe to support the nickname, too, but the Tribal Council has resisted a referendum.

A Spirit Lake nickname opponent, Terry Morgan, said his group will continue to fight the nickname, but he’s not sure how yet

Jeremy Morin to the OHL.

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:27:46 -0500

From the World of Junior Hockey Blog. This is what most were saying in the first place so now we can get back to our regularly scheduled programing. It had been mentioed that Morin was looking at going the NCAA route (UND and BU) but he had OHL written all over him.
Press Release

Fresh off of winning a Gold Medal at the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Fargo, North Dakota, Jeremy Morin has signed an Ontario Hockey League contract with the Kitchener Rangers.

Morin led team U.S.A. with six goals in seven games, placing him tied for fourth in over-all tournament scoring.

At six-foot-one and 192 pounds, Jeremy is a right-shot left winger who has played the last two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Burish, "I hope to have a beer with him after the season."

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:06:01 -0500

I suppose if Burish breaks anymore sticks over his buddies upper body their friendship might be in jeopardy. LOL. This next game is going to get rough and this is what makes the playoffs exciting and fun to watch. I also want to know why Burish doesn't get suspended but Lucic does? Seems to be a little inconsistency here. To break a stick Burish had to hit him pretty damn hard.
The status of Bourque, whose name just kept popping up Tuesday, may be gamesmanship on the part of Keenan, who said the winger from Lac La Biche, Alta., was "day to day to day as a result of the incident last night."

The Flames head coach insisted Monday that Burish injured Bourque with a "blatant" cross-check to the face, although replays showed the stick broke over Bourque's chest and shoulder. Bourque was not made available to the media Tuesday to clarify his status.

"I don't think I crossed the line," Burish said. "I did what needed to be done. It's playoff hockey. It's the same reason they're hitting our guys and they come at me and the same reason I'm going at them.

"Mike Keenan called it a cross-check to the head. It wasn't too close to the head. I think he was wrong."

Burish and Bourque were Blackhawks teammates last year before Bourque's trade to Calgary. They also played together at Wisconsin.

"I'm still going to hopefully have a beer with him after the season is done, but he's not my friend on the ice," Burish said.
(Read the whole article here)

Joe Finley's first professional fight.

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:43:08 -0500

Former Sioux Joe Finley probably was a little rusty and hasn't fought for a while. First off the announcer needs to work on reading the rosters, it's not that hard to do. I mean seriously, it's Joe Finley and not Jeff Finley. Second, politely and professionally my ass, the goon whacked him two more times with Joe's jersey pulled over his head.

2009-2010 schedule is up

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:58:00 -0500

2009-2010 UND Fighting Sioux tenative schedule has been posted. Brad Schlossman posted an article about the schedule as well.

Oct. 3 -- MANITOBA (ex)(CIS)
Oct. 9 -- MERRIMACK (HOCKEY EAST)
Oct. 10 -- MERRIMACK (HOCKEY EAST)
Oct. 16 -- MINNESOTA
Oct. 17 -- MINNESOTA
Oct. 23 -- at Anchorage
Oct. 24 -- at Anchorage
Nov. 6 -- at Mich. Tech
Nov. 7 -- at Mich. Tech
Nov. 13 -- ST. CLOUD
Nov. 14 -- ST. CLOUD
Nov. 20 -- at Denver
Nov. 21 -- at Denver
Nov. 27 -- MIAMI (CCHA)
Nov. 28 -- OHIO STATE (CCHA)
Dec. 4 -- at Duluth
Dec. 5 -- at Duluth
Dec. 11 -- WISCONSIN
Dec. 12 -- WISCONSIN
Dec. 19 -- US WORLD JR (ex)
Jan. 1 -- at Notre Dame tour.(TBD)
Jan. 2 -- at Notre Dame tour. (TBD)
Jan. 8 -- MSU-MANKATO
Jan. 9 -- MSU-MANKATO
Jan. 15 -- at Minnesota
Jan. 16 -- at Minnesota
Jan. 22 -- at Cornell (ECAC)
Jan. 23 -- at Cornell (ECAC)
Jan. 29 -- DENVER
Jan. 30 -- DENVER
Feb. 12 -- at St. Cloud
Feb. 13 -- at St. Cloud
Feb. 19 -- DULUTH
Feb. 20 -- DULUTH
Feb. 26 -- at Colo. Coll.
Feb. 27 -- at Colo. Coll.
Mar. 5 -- MICH. TECH
Mar. 6 -- MICH. TECH
Mar. 12-13 -- WCHA first round
Mar. 18-20 -- WCHA Final Five
Mar. 26-28 -- NCAA regionals
Apr. 8-10 -- Frozen Four

College Hockey Quiz

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:26:15 -0500

This is a damn good quiz. Maybe you will learn something new.

SIOUX 4 BEAVERS 3

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:28:19 -0500

The Fighting Sioux improved to 11-10-1 on the season and evened their non-conference record 5-5 overall with a series sweep of the gritty and tough Bemidji State University Beavers. Every game from here on out is a playoff game, the guys have gotten themselves into a whole and must claw their way out. Even with losing two games last weekend UND is 6-2 in their last 8 games. Taking it further UND is 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Donna from Runnin with the Dogs got me thinking about this series results with a comment she made about last night's game. Sioux fans; we can't just expect our team to go into the Glas or the REA and blow out the BSU Beavers, our team has to earn it. The Beavers are a good team and they play with emotion and grit. The Beavers are a direct reflection of the coach standing behind their bench. Bemidji should be commended and congratulated on their play this weekend.

Sioux return to WCHA this weekend

This weekend the Fighting Sioux return to league play as they face off against their hated rival the "Dirty Minnesota Golden Gophers". The Sioux have are currently sitting in 6th place of the league standings and have an unimpressive record of 6-5-1. The Sioux are almost at the half way point; they have 16 games remaining of their WCHA conference schedule. There are eight games at home and eight games on the road. The time to make a move is now.

Another blown call?

I went home after the game to review the goal that was waved off and it appears that the refs blew another call. While Genoway was in the crease he was pushed in the crease by the BSU defender and the goal was incorrectly called off. Sioux7 asked if the WCHA league office still has their forum letter typed up from last season? That is the second legitimate goal that UND has had waived off at home this season.

Bits and pieces

It is no secret that Fighting Sioux forward Ryan Duncan is struggling this season. Dunc has 1 assist in the last 6 games. The Sioux need to have their top forwards clicking going into the last half of the season. While some would say, "see I told you he was overrated". Response to those people is that you don't get to play of top lines and win the Hobey Baker if your a hack. Ryan Ducan is a skilled forward with good offensive skills that will find his way again soon. Mark my words. I thinking that there is no time like the present to break out of the slump.

Positives

The following players have impressed me this season with their play game in game out: Jason Gregoire (5-7-12), Brett Hextall (8-5-13), Matt Frattin (8-5-13), Chay Genoway (2-19-21), Brad Miller (4-17-21). I look for these players to make a bigger contribution the second half of the season.

I told someone that Brad Malone has made some great strides this season. In the face off circle and on the penalty kill Brad Malone has played solid defensive hockey. Malone is also starting to contribute on the score sheet as well.

Vandy breaks out

Fighting Sioux junior forward Chris VandeVelde (7-9-16) aka VV has had what I would call a hot and cold season so far. After this weekend it would appear that Vandy is starting to heat up at the right time as Chris scored three goals and one assist on the weekend. After watching the winning goal I honestly thought that VandeVelde has redirected the puck into the net but they gave the goal to Hextall.

http://Box Score

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1st Period (20:00)

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BMJ 1 - 0 6x6 Brad Hunt (4) (Tyler Scofield, Matt Read) 0:27

BMJ (+): 29,13,19,17,7,G35 NDK (-): 19,29,2,5,21,G31

BMJ 2 - 0 6x6 Matt Francis (5) (Matt Read) 5:07

BMJ (+): 13,19,17,9,5,G35 NDK (-): 26,18,25,6,22,G31

BMJ-1 Jamie MacQueen (2-Slashing) NDK 1x1 6:05

NDK 1 - 2 6x5 PP Chris VandeVelde (6) (Brad Miller, Jake Marto) 6:54

NDK: 29,14,25,16,26,G31 BMJ: 17,5,23,9,G35

BMJ-2 Darcy Findlay (2-Tripping) NDK 1x2 11:00

BMJ-3 Chris Peluso (2-Tripping) NDK 1x3 11:37

BMJ-4 Travis Winter (2-Holding the Stick) 13:00

NDK-1 Matt Frattin (2-CONTACT TO THE HEAD) 13:00

NDK-2 Jason Gregoire (2-High-Sticking) BMJ 0x1 17:31

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2nd Period (20:00)

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BMJ-5 Darcy Findlay (2-Interference) NDK 1x4 3:52

NDK-3 Brad Miller (2-Interference) BMJ 0x2 4:36

NDK-4 Darcy Zajac (2-Interference) BMJ 0x3 11:47

NDK 2 - 2 6x6 Chris VandeVelde (7) (Darcy Zajac, Matt Watkins) 14:28

NDK (+): 29,11,20,25,24,G31 BMJ (-): 19,17,13,9,5,G35

BMJ-6 Brandon Marino (2-Boarding) NDK 1x5 15:39

NDK-5 Matt Frattin (2-High-Sticking) BMJ 0x4 18:52

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3rd Period (20:00)

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BMJ-7 Chris McKelvie (2-Interference) NDK 1x6 6:12

NDK-6 Joe Finley (2-Tripping) BMJ 1x5 8:56

NDK 3 - 2 5x6 SH Jason Gregoire (5) (Chay Genoway) 9:55

NDK (+): 17,5,16,6,G31 BMJ (-): 21,22,8,9,29,G35

BMJ 3 - 3 6x5 PP Tyler Scofield (8) (Chris Peluso, Cody Bostock) 10:44

BMJ: 13,9,19,7,17,G35 NDK: 17,16,3,25,G31

BMJ-8 Brad Hunt (2-Checking from Behind) NDK 2x7 19:01

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Overtime (0:31)

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NDK 4 - 3 6x5 PP GW LL Brett Hextall (8) (Brad Miller, Chay Genoway) 0:31

NDK: 26,14,5,29,16,G31 BMJ: 21,13,5,9,G35

BMJ-9 Graham McManamin (2-Roughing) 0:31

BMJ-10 Graham McManamin (2-Roughing) 0:31

BMJ-11 Graham McManamin (10-Misconduct) 0:31

NDK-7 Matt Watkins (2-Roughing) 0:31

NDK-8 Matt Watkins (2-Roughing) 0:31

NDK-9 Matt Watkins (10-Misconduct) 0:31

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End of Game

JoJo Disappoints Momma

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:49:48 -0500

College hockey star and Momma Boy JoJo Bojanowski got to show off some of his skills last night on the ice in a group date organized by his Momma, Mrs. B. Too bad the ingrate spent the rest of the night breaking his momma's heart.

Meet JoJo Bojanowski

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:35:02 -0500

JoJo, a forward on the Adrian College Bulldogs hockey team, has great eyes, a great body, great teeth, great muscles, a great family and is an absolute great catch. This according to his bat-shit crazy, anti-Semitic, racist mother (Mrs. B) on NBC's latest train wreck, Momma's Boy. Mrs. B, while you can appreciate her honesty in outlining exactly the kind of gal she'd like for her son - a petite, white Catholic with non-divorced parents - you have to question her sanity in ...

Duncan and Watkins leads the Sioux to a 6-2 victory.

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:49:31 -0500

Tonight was the first time we got to see some of the new Fighting Sioux players and get reacquainted with a few of the older Sioux players in a exhibition game against Manitoba. First thing that I noticed tonight that big Joe Finley and Chay Genoway were back paired together on defense. Another thing that stuck out was this years version of the Fighting Sioux seems to be smaller, quicker and more talented. Tonight, the Sioux were lead by Matt Watkins a goal and two assists and Ryan Duncan who chipped in two goals. Box Score 1st Period (20:00) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MTB-1 Myles Rumsey (2-Cross-Checking) NDK 0x1 8:00 MTB-2 Nick Hotson (2-Hooking) NDK 1x2 10:01 NDK 1 - 0 6x5 PP LL Jason Gregoire (Matt Watkins) 11:41 NDK: 17,20,29,2,5,G30 MTB: 17,24,12,20,G34 MTB-3 Rick Wood (2-Interference) NDK 1x3 16:17 NDK-1 Chris VandeVelde (2-Interference) MTB 0x1 17:12 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd Period (20:00) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NDK-2 Chris VandeVelde (2-Slashing) MTB 0x2 0:32 NDK-3 Joe Finley (2-Cross-Checking) MTB 0x3 5:46 MTB-4 Cole Hunter (2-Hooking) NDK 2x4 12:13 NDK 2 - 0 6x5 PP Matt Watkins (Brad Miller, Brad Malone) 12:25 NDK: 20,14,22,8,25,G31 MTB: 27,12,11,28,G34 NDK-4 Mario Lamoureux (2-Hooking) MTB 1x4 13:01 MTB 1 - 2 6x5 PP Riley Dudar (Myles Rumsey, Nick Hotson) 14:03 MTB: 10,3,15,16,18,G34 NDK: 29,25,16,6,G31 NDK 3 - 1 6x6 GW Andrew Kozek (Evan Trupp, Ben Blood) 14:56 NDK (+): 10,19,24,17,3,G31 MTB (-): 24,17,10,28,3,G34 NDK 4 - 1 6x6 Brett Hextall (Mario Lamoureux, Chay Genoway) 18:36 NDK (+): 9,5,2,26,11,G31 MTB (-): 12,17,10,19,5,G34 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3rd Period (20:00) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NDK-5 Zach Jones (2-Cross-Checking) MTB 2x5 1:58 MTB 2 - 4 6x5 PP EA Stephane Lenoski (Mike Hellyer, P.P. Lamoureux) 3:38 MTB: 12,11,20,9,10,25 NDK: 5,29,10,2,G31 NDK-6 Matt Watkins (2-Hooking) MTB 2x6 3:38 MTB-5 P.P. Lamoureux (2-Interference) NDK 2x5 4:05 NDK 5 - 2 6x6 Ryan Duncan (Chris VandeVelde, Matt Watkins) 6:24 NDK (+): 16,29,20,2,5,G31 MTB (-): 12,20,16,15,19,G34 NDK-7 Mario Lamoureux (2-Interference) MTB 2x7 7:25 MTB-6 Nolan Waker (2-Tripping) NDK 2x6 9:16 MTB-7 Mark Olafson (2-High-Sticking) 14:49 NDK-8 Evan Trupp (2-High-Sticking) 14:49 MTB-8 David Brown (2-Interference) NDK 3x7 15:22 NDK 6 - 2 5x4 PP Ryan Duncan (Brad Miller, Chay Genoway) 15:48 NDK: 16,14,5,29,G35 MTB: 20,27,12,G34 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Game

Bird cage liner: INCH'S WCHA Predicted Finish

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:48:20 -0500

Here is something you can line your bird cage with or put in your cat's litter box; seriously folks it is no mystery that the writers at INCH are trying to get a rise out of their readership or they just plain didn't do their homework. First off: I am not all that shocked because this article was posted on INCH. Let's just say INCH has a history of trying to incite the masses, by writing silly things. Most objective WCHA fans know that INCH has a love feast for Hockey East, EZAC and the CCHA and cant see past border of Michigan. Also, INCH has a history of being wrong and writing stupid things about WCHA, that is why I take more credence in what the College Hockey News has to say they are more objective and balanced. All you have to do is listen to one of their podcasts and you will see what I mean. That is how I stay motivated during my winter workouts, I listen to INCH podscasts and it drives me nuts. That being said I do actually expect more out Jess Myers who is supposed to be a WCHA guy and usually doesn't write this type of objectionable garbage. I don't see a 7th place finish for the Sioux and if they do it isn't going to be pretty in Grand Forks, ND. October 2, 2008 2008-09 WCHA Preview --- By Jess Myers Predicted Finish 1. Colorado College: Yes, Jack Hillen is gone. But so many formidable elements return as the Tigers seek their fourth MacNaughton Cup in the past seven seasons. 2. Denver: Rakhshani and Ruegsegger (with a hefty helping of Bozak) make the Pioneers as hard to stop as they are to spell. The lone question is in goal. 3. St. Cloud State: Good goaltending and great offense return to the fold, as Husky fans swear this is the year they'll be playing in April, in Roe's backyard. 4. Wisconsin: With Gardiner joining McBain, Smith, Goloubef and McDonagh on the back side, the Badgers have arguably the most defensive talent in the nation. 5. Minnesota State: The political world isn't the only place where you'll find hard-working Mavericks who talk about the importance of veteran experience. 6. Minnesota: Thirteen members of the Gopher roster didn't play college hockey last year. A dozen of them are freshmen, and one, thankfully, is Ryan Stoa. 7. North Dakota: A lack of proven talent in goal is the big question for the Sioux. Of course, we had similar thoughts about CC last year, and that turned out fine. 8. Minnesota Duluth: The offensive depth and the goaltending are the bright spots at the DECC. But defensive questions need answers for the Bulldogs to move up. 9. Michigan Tech: The duo of Nolan in goal and Kinrade on the blue line is a good place to start. But the Huskies need goal-scorers to stay in the home ice race. 10. Alaska Anchorage: The trio of Lunden, Crowder and Clark combined for 73 points last season. Beyond them, well, did we mention that you can see Russia? Here is what Ryan Duncan had to say on the Fighting Sioux chances, first thing that comes to mind is nice job of sand bagging Ryan. I have to admit that Duncan is class act and of course he isn't going to tip his hat on how good UND is going to be this year. PRIMED FOR A FALL North Dakota doesn't have any superstars, unless you count a former Hobey Baker winner. The words sound like a sports clich?, until you remember that the guy uttering them has a Hobey on his resume. "There are no superstars on our team this year," said North Dakota senior forward Ryan Duncan, who took home the game's top individual award as a sophomore. "There's a different team aspect here than in previous years." The list of would-be Fighting Sioux who have elected to take a paycheck instead of a fourth (or in some cases, a third) year of college hockey is impressive. What remains in Grand Forks is a close-knit group of seven seniors determined to lead North Dakota on a fifth straight Frozen Four trip, and to win two more games than they have in previous years. Still, there are myriad questions to be answered about defense, goaltending (returning senior Aaron Walski has less than two full games worth of playing time in his college career) and who will lead the offense. Duncan welcomes the challenge, and invites opponents to make him the center of attention at their peril. "If you're going to concentrate on me, you're going to have a whole heap of trouble from other guys," said Duncan, who is the team's top returning scorer with 40 points last season. "I'm just one piece of the puzzle, so if they want to focus on me, that's fine."

Folks the logo and name Fighting Sioux are gone.

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:46:52 -0500

am beginning to see the writing on the wall, as many other Sioux fans are as well. The name Fighting Sioux and the current logo are all but gone, get your jerseys while you can. What replaces the once proud Fighting Sioux name is still a mystery and up for debate. It is no mystery that I am a wave the flag proud Fighting Sioux fan, I will always be, however, because of political correctness run a muck and feel good hand wringing **liberalism** the Fighting Sioux name and logo will be gone placed on the scrap heap of history. This ladies and gentleman is a disgrace and should not happen. Debate & controversy There is light surrounding the Fighting Sioux logo issue - and it might come sooner than originally expected. ---Ryan Johnson Terms of the state's lawsuit settlement with the NCAA concerning the Fighting Sioux logo and nickname allow North Dakota to seek tribal approval of the moniker until Nov. 2010. But according to North Dakota State University System (NDUS) Chancellor William Goetz, that amount of time to wait for a resolution to the issue is too long. Goetz said in an article published by the Grand Forks Herald on Saturday that the state needs to have a plan ready by 2010 for the transition. He said the transition wouldn't necessarily be a change in the nickname, but instead some kind of compromise with the tribal leaders and state officials to make the name more acceptable. He also stressed the emotional impact of the controversy surrounding the name, adding that the issue has been damaging for UND. "This cannot continue," he said in the interview. "We need to bring this to a final resolution." Goetz was unavailable for comment with The Dakota Student as of publication. UND's impact University President Robert Kelley stressed that no matter what the transition will be, the issue should be resolved sooner rather than later. "I think the issue here for us is what's best for the University of North Dakota," he said. "There's not much to be gained by just letting this run out until the end with a whimper." He said he believes that Goetz's comments show that he is trying to accelerate the process in order to finish what needs to be done eventually. "He's putting together a committee that is working with the constituents that were named in the NCAA settlement, and I think he would like to try now to push this along," he said. The State Board of Higher Education is in charge of meeting the requirements of the lawsuit settlement, and UND is not involved with the transition effort. The state and university will eventually take action based on his recommendation. "The university right now is neutral," Kelley said. "We're not in the mix." In reading the first part of the article is is apparent that there is nothing new, the same stuff we have been talking about, for years ad nauseam. I do want to bring up that after the lawsuit and settlement UND fans have not had any leadership on this issue from anyone in the legislature, the executive branch nor from team North Dakota. No one has stepped up to bring this issue to a close. It is almost as if North Dakota State University System (NDUS) Chancellor William Goetz has has this issue thrown in is lap and he has been told to deal with this, bring this to a close. To say it is a political hot potato is an understatement. So it doesn't shock me that we have come to this point in the debate. None of our elected leaders have the stomach to fight this issue anymore, most Sioux fans I have talked to are tired of it as well. Lets be honest; team North Dakota doesn't want to alienate one of their key voting blocks so don't expect any help from Dorgan, Conrad or Pomeroy, however, by not stepping up they are also alienating another key part of their voting block; you and I. It is part of the left's divide and conquer politics and they have successfully gotten their way. I see this as a shake down and a vocal minority has gotten its way. Also, what has North Dakota Governor John Hoven done on this issue nothing. UND's future Goetz also said in the interview that "all parties need to understand there will be some type of a transition." According to Kelley, whatever changes take place will require an attempt at being an inclusive step forward for the university. He said that even if the nickname changes, it will still be a part of UND's history. "We are what we are, and we will be what we will be," he said. "If our traditions do evolve, that doesn't mean that we forget our history." Kelley added that his role in the transition will be to ensure that everything goes smoothly in the midst of changes. "I feel like my job depending on what the state board does is to provide leadership for the university so that all of us can move forward together, so that we come out of this strong together as a university community," he said. He said that it will also be important for students and other groups to have some say in the changes. "Clearly students have to have a strong voice in what we look like going forward, as do faculty and members of our community and all the different groups within our student body," he said. "I think all of us would like to have some place at the table as we decide our future, and part of my job will be to ensure that that happens." Kelley said that he was interested in the idea of involving North Dakota high school students in the resolution process since they will be impacted by the changes as well. This is what I think about this last part of the article, I don't think it is worthy of paper work in the bathroom, it's bull shit. This line of thinking makes my blood boil and my blood pressure spike. This is what I said about the matter over on Sioux Sports. This is a horrible idea and if this happens the alumni, students and fans of the University of North Dakota have been hoodwinked by the administration. We can not allow this to happen. That is a bad idea, the people that should decide this is the Alumni, present students... I don't think kids that may never go to UND should have a say in the matter. In fact it will trivialize the Fighting Sioux name. This is a horrible idea. This isn't some goofy contest this is our university replacement for a historic name and logo. People have been wondering how to pay for the million dollars it is going to take to remove the thousands of Fighting Sioux logos in the hockey arena. Let the pro-name change people send in their donations. Maybe Myles Brand would like to pay for some of it as well. Come one folks step up, make a contribution. I suppose the state is going to have to foot the bill for that as well? Some have also suggested that we are going to pay for it via increased ticket prices. I suppose that is possible? **liberalism definition** --- when we say liberalism we are talking about the extreme left wing of the democratic party. We are not talking about common folk democrats. We are talking about an extreme left wing ideology that has gone unchecked for years and has now gotten its way. I have many great friends of the democratic persuasion and I am not including them in my rant. Those who I am talking about know who they are...

Hoff is at it again.

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:13:55 -0500

Former village idiot and disgraced former Grand Forks city council man "little Johnny Hoff" is back to spewing his disgusting hate rhetoric again. From time to time former Grand Forks Resident John Hoff will surface to take another shot at North Dakota, Grand Forks, UND or Ralph Englestad. This time the unamusing John Hoff is attacking the statue in front of the Ralph Englestad Arena. Oh course Hoff has nothing to back up his claims, nothing. Now our favorite neighborhood moron has come to the conclusion that that "Sitting Bull" statue in front of Ralph Engelstad Arena is from Nazi Germany. Oh really? Please little Johnny what leads you to believe this? I suggest you put down the bong and go to work. Please John tell us what evidence you have discovered that led you to believe that the 3rd Reich is responsible for the Sitting Bull Statue. Please tell us where you got your evidence? Please provide us with the facts, not innuendo. Also, just because the REA management doesn't have the time of day to answer your silly questions and accusations that doesn't mean you're right. IN THE MAIL: Engelstad Arena should come clean on statue By John Hoff, Grand Forks Herald Published Sunday, August 03, 2008 MINNEAPOLIS ? Where did the "Sitting Bull" statue in front of Ralph Engelstad Arena come from? Who is the artist who created it? What specific Native American, if any, was it intended by the artist to depict? After so many years, and with the UND "swastika scandal" fouling the very air of Grand Forks like the stench of Simplot, isn't it about time to get the truth and to find answers, no matter where that might lead us? FACT: No artist or country of origin ever has been revealed in regard to the statue in question. FACT: Ralph Engelstad liked to collect antique Nazi bric-a-brac. FACT: It is highly unusual, almost unheard of, for a statue to be installed and for nobody to know the name of the artist or the origin of the statue. Statues might sit around and their origins be forgotten, but newly installed statues are never anonymous. Why has everybody in Grand Forks looked the other way for so long? What shame is lurking in the shadows? I strongly suspect the statue has origins in Nazi Germany. I am still waiting for management at Engelstad Arena to provide specifics ? the name of the artist, the date and place of creation ? to prove me wrong.

Is there a bigger moron that Bruce McLeod

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:58:29 -0500

In this weeks verison of Goon's bash the WCHA braintrust; I saw this story on Western College Hockey, Sixty Minutes. No Alibis. No Regrets and Todd D. Milewski's blog the WCHA with their great forethought and wisdom has decided that Wisconsin and Minnesota will not have a conference game at Camp Randall because the league doesn't want control of one of its games transferred to an outside entity, which would have taken place with the proposed Bob Johnson-Herb Brooks Hockey Classic. Yeah not that the WCHA has ever lost control of a game, I can think of a couple of instances where they totally screwed up. By the way league fans are still waiting an announcement by the league office on Randy Schmidt's status for next season. I think the league office which already is suffering from a credibility issues needs to re-think it's latest decision. Also, if McLeod thinks the WCHA leadership got beat up unfairly last season they are not starting off on the right foot this season. This latest silly move by the league office has led me to ask the question; what is wrong with these people? My next question is; how do the league member school go about getting rid of league commissioner Bruce M. McLeod and the rest of the WCHA leadership? It is my conclusion that the WCHA leadership is directly responsible for the mess that WCHA is currently in and it is time for these clowns to go. Enough is enough. It is time for a regime change because Bruce Mcleod and Greg Sheppard are holding the league back. If Camp Randall Stadium hosts a college hockey game as one group has proposed, it won't be a conference game and it won't be in the coming season. Representatives from the Herb Brooks Foundation approached the University of Wisconsin and University of Minnesota about producing an outdoor game on Jan. 24, 2009, at the 80,321-seat football stadium in Madison, but those talks have stalled after the Western Collegiate Hockey Association balked at the proposal. Commissioner Bruce McLeod sent a letter to both schools indicating that the league doesn't want control of one of its games transferred to an outside entity, which would have taken place with the proposed Bob Johnson-Herb Brooks Hockey Classic. That ruling all but eliminated the possibility of the teams playing the outdoor game in the 2008-09 season because both teams' schedules are at capacity under NCAA rules. There are exemptions to the number of games a team can play, but those are already used for the coming season. The Herb Brooks Foundation is putting together an effort to attain an exemption for its game through the NCAA in time for the 2009-10 season, but executive director Skip Peltier admits that will be tough because the NCAA is trying to reduce exemptions. The foundation also is looking into the possibility of partnering with the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, which has an exempt game every season. If the group can gain an exemption, it's believed that Madison would be the first location for the group's outdoor game, with a return contest at Minnesota's under-construction TCF Bank Stadium the following season. McLeod said the league is reluctant to let a WCHA game get into somebody else's hands. "If they want to take an exempted game or something like that, we'll cooperate and do what we can," he said. "But with a regular-season game and somebody else running it, and you know how those points go -- especially Wisconsin the last few years -- that can be critical. So we're quite concerned about the circumstances under which these games are played." The Badgers were one point out of a home-ice playoff spot last season and two points out in the 2006-07 season.

Is Joe Finley the next whipping boy?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:16:09 -0500

a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_KjCLsoLU7c4/SHLNL2DUqUI/AAAAAAAABu8/D2rmEma5VJo/s1600-h/wheeler.jpg"> Fighting Sioux senior to be Joe Finley has consistently been the Sioux's +/- (plus minus) leader his three seasons at UND, however, much like his former team mate Brian Lee, Finley has gotten the ire of a good number of Sioux fans. Why? I don't know why? Heck Brian Lee was so bad that he ended up playing for the Ottawa Senators in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I guess that is why we are fans and not general managers. This is merely speculation but I suppose maybe big Joe just isn't tough enough for some Sioux fans. It is possible that Joe just doesn't score enough goals or isn't a fast enough skater. I guess Joe isn't going to be able to satisfy a fair number of Fighting Sioux hockey fans, no matter what he does on the ice. So Goon's World is going to hand out some leafy spurge to the Sioux fans that don't appreciate Joe Finley, the Sioux will be better with Joe Finley in the line up. I personally am happy as hell that Big Joe is coming back to the Fighting Sioux for one more season, it is not every day that a player plays four years for their college team when they are a high end draft choice, but hey I will take it. Contrary to what some of the hockey geniuses say UND is a better team with big Joe. SJHovey sums it up best on USCHO.COM so mascots beware big Joe is coming back for his senior season. Any UND fan who is not overjoyed with having Joe return is a fool, imho. You don't lead the team in +/- without playing extremely good defense. Even if he's not constantly punching someone's lights out, i.e. Commordore or Greene, just having someone of that size out there can be intimidating and important. I believe that Joe's play is directly responsible for the outstanding play we saw out of Genoway last year. I also firmly believe that Chay's late season injury affected him more than we thought in the playoffs. After his return neither his puckhandling nor shot was as effective as before the injury and lead to some problems for that defensive pairing. The two of them will be the best defensive tandem in the WCHA this coming season, bar none. Rewind to last spring; in retrospect the season ending debacle in Denver was painful to watch as Fighting Sioux fans, however, teams don't lose 6-1 because of one player. Teams lose 6-1 because they lost as a team; colectively as a group the Fighting Sioux did not play well and lost. So because the team did not play very that day and you can not single out one player to blame on the lost, the Fighting Sioux all played bad. Lets just hope that bad taste still lingers in their mouths. Go Fighting Sioux...

Oh yeah they almost forgot: charges against Oshie dropped

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:44:22 -0500

The Grand Forks Herald, WDAZ and a certain sports writer in Fargo that writes for he Forum couldn't rush fast enough to get the news out that Fighting Sioux forward T.J. Oshie and Mike Radja from UNH were cited for disorderly conduct on the weekend of December 30th 2007. The media was falling all over themselves trying to get this story out in the news paper and on the evening news. It was disgusting how these young men were tarred and feathered before this case ever went to trial. One could say that the media has egg on their face. Fast forward to present day. I will be the first to admit that it's a legitimate news story when one the area's sports star is caught doing something wrong, however, it's also a news story when the charges against the accused are dropped. Seriously folks why did the press take it's time finally getting the news out? I knew about this story a month ago and the paper is just deciding to let us know one month later that the charges against T.J. Oshie were dismissed. Oh yeah; the charges against UNH star Mike Radja were dismissed as well on June 9th, 2008. To add injury to insult the Grand Forks Herald buried the story on page 6 of section A, I guess they felt it wasn't worthy of being a front page news story. Disgusting! Disorderly conduct charge against Oshie dismissed Herald Staff Report Published Tuesday, June 24, 2008 A misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct against former UND hockey player T.J. Oshie was dismissed last month, according to court documents. Oshie and Mike Radja, a hockey player from New Hampshire, were arrested in the early morning hours of Dec. 30 and charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly urinating in an elevator in a building at 100 N. Third St. in downtown Grand Forks, according to court documents. The two were part of a group of people trapped in the elevator. The charge against Oshie was dismissed May 23, as part of a "compromise," according to the court file. According to the North Dakota Century Code, a misdemeanor charge can be resolved through compromise if the injured person ? in this case, the property owner ? has legal remedy through a civil action, or if they say they've been compensated for whatever injury was incurred. A compromise isn't possible under statute if the offense was against a judge or a law enforcement officer, if it was committed with the intent to commit a felony or if it's a case of domestic violence. The charge against Radja was dismissed June 9, according to court records. Oshie, who signed a three-year deal with the St. Louis Blues in May, was one of 10 Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists as a UND junior and was named a first-team All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

Women's Field Hockey Profile: Andrea Lo, Part II

Sat, 31 May 2008 21:01:25 -0500

The second part of my interview with Andrea, where we discuss field hockey strategy and how she's adjusted her game as a midfielder.

More on the Wheeler saga.

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:03:19 -0500

Here is an interesting story I found on the continuing Blake Wheeler drama over on the the Hockey news blog. The blog post even mentions what I thought might be a possibility for Blake Wheeler. It could be quite possible that Blake Wheeler might want to play for the home town team the Minnesota Wild. It will be interesting to see how this story plays out in the next month or two. When you read into this story more it would appear that making money isn't the most important part of Blakes decision. (Read the whole story here) Over the course of a three-year entry-level deal, that means Wheeler is potentially leaving $225,000 on the table. "He isn't chasing the money," said Wheeler's agent Matt Keator. "It's about choosing where you want to play and where you want to live. It's not about the money and I think that's refreshing." Maloney did not return phone calls Thursday night, but perhaps he can take solace in the fact that the Coyotes will receive the 35th overall pick as compensation in what is regarded as a very deep draft. Other executives around the league were baffled by Wheeler's decision, given that the Coyotes seem to have some promising young players and seem headed in the right direction under head coach Wayne Gretzky. All things being equal

Andy Strickland: Oshie signing with the Blues.

Mon, 12 May 2008 21:29:19 -0500

These are probably some of the moves we are going see from T.J. Oshie in the NHL. Honesty; I can't say that I am surprised that Oshie is going to sign with the Blues and it's probably time for Oshie to move on to the NHL. I will never fault these kids for wanting to play hockey for a living. Think about this: if you were told that you could make 800,000.00+ a year playing a sport or game you would take it in a minutes no regrets. I can only say that I am excited for T.J. and he will represent the University of North Dakota in a possitive light. Personally T.J. Oshie was one of my all-time Fighting Sioux favorites. T.J. Oshie is the complete player that can hit and score while being hooked, held and slashed up and down the ice. The Blues have finalized entry level deals with 2007 first round pick Lars Eller and 2005 first rounder TJ Oshie. Oshie arrived in St. Louis on Monday and is expected to finalize his deal on Tuesday as well. An official announcement will be made by the club on Tuesday and the players will be introduced to the local media on Wednesday. Oshie has been working out with Blues prospect Chris Porter at Shattuck St. Mary's prep over the last few weeks.

NCAA coaches concerned about players leaving early.

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:09:51 -0500

Here is an on going debate that is proving to be pretty interesting and is worth taking a look at, however, the NCAA coaches should tread lightly and proceed very carefully with this issue. The college coaches do not have a lot to bargin with and could do more damage than good. Honestly, I would rather see my team have a player like Toews or Oshie play two to three year than not have them at all. By having these types of blue chip hockey players might be enough to give my team a chance to win a national title. There also doesn't need to be any new rules made by the NCAA, unless the NHL is going to compensate the NCAA team they have just taken the player from. 4/24/2008 NCAA coaches are meeting this week in Naples, Florida and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly are there to listen to their concerns, among them, the increased numbers of underclassmen leaving the college ranks to turn pro. Prior to the start of the 2006-2007 NHL season, 33 players with college eligibility signed NHL contracts, up from 19 prior to the lockout. So far this season, 16 players have agreed to NHL deals; the most noteworthy being Kyle Turris, who finished his freshman season in Wisconsin before agreeing to a contract with the Phoenix Coyotes. Unlike Turris, New York Islanders forward Kyle Okposo made his decision to leave the Minnesota Golden Gophers in December, a move that is still regarded as highly unusual. The manner in which some NHL teams deal with colleges and college players is also a huge area of concern, specific to unsigned or undrafted unrestricted free agent sophomores who in some cases are hounded to distraction by NHL teams hoping to sign him. The league and Players' Association agreed a protocol to discourage this needs to be considered. Unlike the CHL and the IIHF, the NCAA doesn't receive financial compensation from the NHL, primarily because the NCAA won't allow it. However, there was discussion with college coaches on implementing a development fee whereby NHL teams would have to provide compensation to college teams if they pull a player out early. Because of the salary cap, NHL teams are using young players to keep costs down, while there is also incentive for these players to get into the NHL as quickly as possible to burn through the financial restrictions of the entry-level contract. It's unlikely any changes will take effect by next season.

Boston College wins NCAA championship behind Nathan Gerbe

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:44:09 -0500

Boston College won its third NCAA championship Saturday against Notre Dame, 4-1. The Eagles' Nathan Gerbe was instrumental in all four goals, scoring twice and assisting on two others. Gerbe, who was named the tournament's most outstanding player, also had a hat trick and an assist in the semifinals against North Dakota. He scored five goals in the Frozen Four, the most since 1977. Gerbe finished second to Michigan's Kevin Porter on Friday in the voting for the college hockey player of the year.

Fighting Irish Do It Again: 60 Minutes Away from First National Championship

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:34:46 -0500

Notre Dame continues it magical ride with a 5-4 overtime win over favored Michigan.

Third Time is a Charm for Irish Icers: Frozen Four Preview

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:38:58 -0500

The puck stops here for Michigan!

NCAA Hockey "Sweet 16"

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:23:19 -0500

Hockey's "March Madness" begins this Friday. The tournament field is 16 teams. Here are the match-ups...

The Wicked Wrister's All-Star College Hockey Babes

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:41:34 -0500

The Wicked Wrister has never claimed hockey to be a gentleman's club. We like to give equal playing time to the ladies, and no group of women does that apply to more than the women of NCAA Division I College Hockey. Tougher and far more beautiful than their basketball counterparts, I'd go take it to the net and go five-hole on any of these hotties.

RIT-Canisius College Hockey Brawl!

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:45:09 -0500

There are hockey fights, then there are all out hockey brawls! This one had it all, including a goalie fight! Words cannot even give a deserved description of what happened during this game. These are fan videos of the brawl, one has no sound but better camera work, the other with the sound has horrible camera work, so if you trust me and watch them, you'll get to see quite a fight!

Black History Month & Ice Hockey?

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 05:20:25 -0500

Each February the A-Train Hockey Vlog posts a series of articles related to the contributions of people of African heritage to the sport of ice hockey. The vlog started in 2004 and has evolved from a personal tribute and photo album to a valued resource for news and information on the development of elite youth hockey players. In 2006, the vlog began publishing its annual Black History Month series and even spawned the online Black Hockey Player Wall of Fame. This year's series kicks off ...

NTDP Weekend Notes

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:34:53 -0500

It was a crazy week last week for the National Development Team Program. Rumors were flying around the Under 17 would loose their two top players Jeremy Morin and Cam Fowler. The Under 18 team lost Colin Reddin to the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. Reddin hasn't made his debut in a Winterhawks sweater yet. Rumor had it he wasn't released from the NTDP but he wasn't in the line up Friday night...

Dazed and Confused in Badger Country - Part 1

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:22:48 -0500

Against our better judgment, CSR sent Charlie Danoff to cover the Badger Showdown, a four-team ice hockey tournament at the University of Wisconsin over the last weekend in December. As usual, Charlie's experience went far beyond the games - and here is beginning of his story