Congratulations, Mr. Cheney. Hats off to Vice President Dick Cheney, who was invited to throw out the first pitch for Tuesday's Washington Nationals home opener at RFK Stadium. Cheney managed to successfully complete the first pitch assignment without accidentally striking any fans, and he was able to fare better than Commissioner Bud usually does in his first-pitch efforts.
I'm not one to cry about special treatment, but this is crazy. I'm not disputing that baseball needed to suspend Felix Rodriguez or Frank Robinson of the Nationals for their ridiculous behavior in a game against the New York Mess last week, but the fact that Mess pitching stud Pedro Martinez, who instigated all the bad blood, wasn't suspended, is ludicrous. It's hard to imagine that Martinez isn't the beneficiary of some star treatment here, considering that it was his plunkings of Jose Guillen that started everything. Furthermore, the fact that Martinez wasn't tossed from the game last week when he hitting a batter after the umpires issued warnings to both benches also strikes of star treatment. If baseball wants to truly crack down on beanball incidents, which is a noble and worthy cause, they need to be consistent in their rulings, no matter the players involved.
Duke lacrosse: Falsely accused? Reports on Monday stated that the DNA testing done on 46 Duke lacrosse players in connection with an alleged sexual assault at a team party produced no matches between the players and the alleged victim. The victim, an exotic dancer hired to "perform" at the party, said she was beaten and raped by three white players. She also alleges that the players lobbed racial slurs at her. The DNA testing doesn't show any evidence that a sexual assault took place, and it prompted the defense attorneys in the case to declare victory, while the district attorney said Tuesday that the case wasn't over and wouldn't "go away". I steered clear of this issue when it first became public, because I didn't feel it was right to convict these players before there was any physical evidence, and I'm going to steer clear of saying too much now, because you never know what will come out in terms of physical evidence.
However, it doesn't look good for a number of people right now. Duke's administration gave in to public pressure to cancel the lacrosse season, even though there were no charges, and there was nothing to convict the players with. Racial slurs are bad and almost completely indefensible, but they aren't enough justification for such an extreme move. The administration did nothing to support the players, and instead discarded them like a pile of trash. The players, it seems, were persecuted simply for the act of hiring defense attorneys to help them. I guess that we can all learn from this that someone hiring an attorney isn't some sort of admission of guilt.
Obviously, unless something comes out that didn't come out with the DNA testing, the accuser looks pretty bad. It appears at least possible at this point that she made up some pretty serious charges against a group of athletes. I hope this isn't the case, but it's starting to look that way.
Has Kevin Garnett played his last game as a Timberwolf? The organization appears ready to play some younger players down the stretch of the season, as Garnett has sat the last two games with a bad knee. Ricky Davis, Anthony Carter, and Troy Hudson joined Garnett on the bench last night, and all appeared to be in full compliance with the NBA's dress code. With the Timberwolves well out of the NBA playoff picture, they are playing out the string, and Garnett doesn't need to play if he's not completely healthy. The question is: Will Garnett play again this season, and if he doesn't, has he played his last game with Minnesota? Garnett has had a wonderful run with the Timberwolves, but with the team missing the playoffs for a second straight season, the rumors should be flying throughout much of the offseason regarding KG's future. Will he ask out of Minnesota (he hasn't done this yet, and he says he doesn't want to leave)? Will the Wolves ask him to accept a trade so they can get some cap room and rebuild the franchise? What is the right decision? In my opinion, if Garnett wants to stay and be a part of this organization, they should let him. A trade won't net Minnesota any more than about 50-60 cents on the dollar for Garnett, and the only way a trade could ever work out in Minnesota's favor is if they got a draft pick or a young player with tremendous upside. You don't want Garnett around if he's going to be a headache, but there's been no indication that he would do that.
Coming soon...NFL Draft previews, NHL playoff previews, and maybe a word or two about the annual snoozefest that is the NBA postseason.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Stadium talk
As a native of a state (Wisconsin) where we recently took care of our NFL and MLB teams with new or refurbished stadiums (total tab: approximately $800 million), I can certainly understand what folks in Minnesota are going through right now. Stadium drives are no fun for anyone, as the debate is often contentious, and the result is often undesirable for close to half the interested people.
Miller Park is a monstrosity. It's a fun place to watch a ballgame when the stands are relatively filled, but when it's empty, it's a morgue. The place feels like a cavern when the roof is closed, which is a nice argument against retractable domes. But dreary weather on Opening Day 2006 in Milwaukee certainly presents a compelling argument for a park that can be an indoor stadium when necessary. That said, the roof, while it's an architectural marvel, has been nothing but a pain for the folks that run the stadium, and it's still a point of contention for pro- and anti-ballpark folks in the Milwaukee area.
The Lambeau Field project barely cleared Brown County voters (53% majority), but it went very smoothly, and the end result is one of the most beautiful facilities in the NFL. It's equal parts nostalgia and amenities, with enough nostalgia to remind everyone what Green Bay has meant to the NFL, and enough amenities to keep the revenue flowing in the NFL's smallest market. The inner seating bowl was expanded, and they added more suite space, but none of it compromised the integrity of the stadium. It still has the look and feel of an old, traditional stadium, despite all the amenities added.
Now, Minnesota is at a crossroads. While I'm not going to sit here and project threats of departing franchises and stadiums that are falling apart, things are not good right now. None of the Metrodome's three major tenants (the Twins, Vikings, and University of Minnesota football program) are happy to be there. The Twins have been seeking a new baseball-only facility for some time now, and they are working now on a project for a stadium in downtown Minneapolis. The Vikings have been in search of a new stadium, as well. They want a retractable-roof stadium in Anoka County (near Blaine, in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs). The Gophers are pursuing a new football stadium on campus, to be built in a parking lot across the street from Mariucci and Williams Arenas.
As I said, I'm not going to project gloom and doom, and at last report, no chunks of concrete were falling at the Metrodome. But I am here to discuss the three stadium plans, as well as to whine about the fact that UMD can't get their arena money secured.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins have been seeking a new stadium, as I mentioned, for some time now. They have talked about renovating the Metrodome. They have talked about building in St. Paul. They have talked about domes. They have talked about retractable roofs.
But they appear to have settled on the plan they want to push and make happen. The plan calls for a new open-air stadium in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis, at a cost of around $474 million when you include necessary infrastructure. The Twins are, according to a report in today's Minneapolis Star-Tribune, going to pony up $135 million, an increase of $10 million over last year when the plan was announced.
(The increase is part of a deal announced yesterday by Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat, under which an increase of $30 million in the stadium's cost is being covered by the Twins and the county.)
The Twins still need to get approval from the Legislature to avoid a referendum over a proposed tax increase in Hennepin County that would help pay their portion of the cost. That is a major sticking point, as there are many who feel the Twins and the county should let the proposal go to a referendum (I, too, feel they are being chickens on this because they are confident the proposal would fail in a referendum).
Do the Twins "need" a new stadium? Probably. The Metrodome is a revenue pit for the team, because they get so little money from anything besides ticket sales. The Twins could probably draw 2.5 million per season and barely turn a profit, even with their relatively meager payroll. The stadium was built for football, and it is tough to sit through a baseball game in any spot in that stadium except portions of the lower deck along the base lines, as well as the left field lower deck seats. The cheapest seats in the 'Dome require a chiropractor visit after the game.
The Twins certainly have a strong case for a new stadium, and their current lease status at the Metrodome (not bound to play there after 2006) indicates that their situation is the most pressing this spring. Get it done. Build the Twins a new ballpark. The upside for the team, the state, and for downtown Minneapolis is worth the pricetag.
Minnesota Gophers
The Gophers are in a bad spot. They never should have left campus in the first place, but they were convinced that playing in a "big-time" stadium like the Metrodome would help their program. They couldn't have been more wrong. The Metrodome is too far away from campus, and it's too big. The UMTC football program isn't ready for a 65,000-seat stadium, and they need to be in a place where the college flavor can shine through.
(But there are big-time programs that play in NFL stadiums, and there are big-time programs that play in bigger stadiums than the Metrodome.)
True, but those programs have the crowds to back up playing in bigger houses. When was the last time Michigan failed to sell out a football game? Tennessee? Ohio State? Florida? LSU? Wisconsin?
The Gophers can barely sell out half their games, and when they do sell out, it's usually due to the fact that they're playing a team like Wisconsin, Iowa, or Michigan - a team that will bring fans by the loads to the Metrodome because those fans can't get into their team's home stadiums. It doesn't help that the Gophers usually load up on patsies during the non-conference schedule, but that's also not much of an excuse when you look at some of the crowds the Gophers get for Big Ten games.
I believe the Gophers need to get back on campus, and I believe the Gophers' need to get back on campus is bigger than whatever need the Vikings may have. While I'm not sure I can say the Gophers' situation is a bigger priority than the Twins', I do like how the funding has been set up for this stadium deal, and I think the Gopher program would benefit from a move back on campus. Then again, they also would benefit from a new coach to replace the overrated and highly overpaid Glen Mason, but that's a different column.
Minnesota Vikings
I've maintained for years that I had no problem with the Vikings wanting a new stadium. After all, everyone else in the NFL seems to be getting one. The Vikings are going to, at some point, need to get a new field built to keep up with the rest of the league. However, now is not that time, and this is not that project. There are a number of issues.
1. The roof. Football should be played outdoors whenever possible. The only way I would ever support any governmental assistance for a new football stadium that has a roof on it is if it were placed in writing that the roof would never be closed for a football game unless the outside temperature were above 90 degrees or below -15 degrees, or in cases of extreme or severe weather conditions that would make playing or viewing the game dangerous or exceptionally difficult (examples would include thunderstorms, heavy rain, heavy snow, or dense fog). Under no other circumstances should the roof of a football stadium ever be closed.
(Are you reading this, Houston?)
2. Location. Is Blaine really the best place for a Vikings stadium? When the trend around the league and around the country when it comes to sports stadiums and arenas is to build downtown, do you really want to build in the northern edge of the Twin Cities?
3. Need. I'm not convinced that, with some renovations and some changes to the lease arrangement, the Metrodome can't work for football. The Vikings should pursue these cheaper alternatives before they start breaking ground on a project that could cost $1 billion or more before it's all done.
Even back when Cowboy owned the Vikings, I wasn't ever a believer in their stadium drive. I never thought they were doing a good job of educating the public on the need for a stadium or how it would be paid for, and I never thought they cared enough about the opinions of the voters (read: Viking fans). The team still hasn't demonstrated a real need for a new stadium, though I have to admit that the plan Zygi Wilf and friends have put forth is an intriguing one. The entire development plan is interesting, and it could be a real big lift to the Vikings' organization and to football in Minnesota.
Where does UMD fit in here?
40-year old rink (oldest in their league). One of the smallest rinks in their league in terms of seating capacity, and the smallest ice sheet in their league.
If you're not a hockey fan, I should remind you that the current DECC has to turn away numerous events every year because they don't have enough space, or because they are already booked for hockey or other events.
The UMD hockey program needs a new facility. The city and northeastern Minnesota could use a new facility for conventions, trade shows, and concerts. The new, expanded DECC plan seemed like a perfect fit for everyone.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said he supported the plan, but only if Duluth voters approved the necessary food-and-beverage tax increase to pay for the city's share of the arena cost.
So the issue went to the ballot box, and Duluth voters overwhelmingly passed the tax increase (61% yes).
The response of our local elected representatives when it came time to fight for the DECC's inclusion in the state bonding package?
*crickets chirping*
Nothing. Thanks for nothing, guys. Not only have our local elected representatives failed us miserably to this point, but I have yet to sense any support from those (Pawlenty and House Speaker Steve Sviggum come to mind immediately) who said they supported the project.
Thanks for nothing, guys.
I don't know where the arena issue comes in here, but I know that many people have let us down by not giving us the necessary support, and now the project is in serious trouble. My personal (and admittedly biased) opinion is that this arena should be passed through during the current session. The city voters did their part, and now it's time for our elected officials to do theirs.
And if they don't, I will make sure to take a list of those who failed with me when I go to vote this fall. I hope you will, too.
Miller Park is a monstrosity. It's a fun place to watch a ballgame when the stands are relatively filled, but when it's empty, it's a morgue. The place feels like a cavern when the roof is closed, which is a nice argument against retractable domes. But dreary weather on Opening Day 2006 in Milwaukee certainly presents a compelling argument for a park that can be an indoor stadium when necessary. That said, the roof, while it's an architectural marvel, has been nothing but a pain for the folks that run the stadium, and it's still a point of contention for pro- and anti-ballpark folks in the Milwaukee area.
The Lambeau Field project barely cleared Brown County voters (53% majority), but it went very smoothly, and the end result is one of the most beautiful facilities in the NFL. It's equal parts nostalgia and amenities, with enough nostalgia to remind everyone what Green Bay has meant to the NFL, and enough amenities to keep the revenue flowing in the NFL's smallest market. The inner seating bowl was expanded, and they added more suite space, but none of it compromised the integrity of the stadium. It still has the look and feel of an old, traditional stadium, despite all the amenities added.
Now, Minnesota is at a crossroads. While I'm not going to sit here and project threats of departing franchises and stadiums that are falling apart, things are not good right now. None of the Metrodome's three major tenants (the Twins, Vikings, and University of Minnesota football program) are happy to be there. The Twins have been seeking a new baseball-only facility for some time now, and they are working now on a project for a stadium in downtown Minneapolis. The Vikings have been in search of a new stadium, as well. They want a retractable-roof stadium in Anoka County (near Blaine, in the Twin Cities' northern suburbs). The Gophers are pursuing a new football stadium on campus, to be built in a parking lot across the street from Mariucci and Williams Arenas.
As I said, I'm not going to project gloom and doom, and at last report, no chunks of concrete were falling at the Metrodome. But I am here to discuss the three stadium plans, as well as to whine about the fact that UMD can't get their arena money secured.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins have been seeking a new stadium, as I mentioned, for some time now. They have talked about renovating the Metrodome. They have talked about building in St. Paul. They have talked about domes. They have talked about retractable roofs.
But they appear to have settled on the plan they want to push and make happen. The plan calls for a new open-air stadium in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis, at a cost of around $474 million when you include necessary infrastructure. The Twins are, according to a report in today's Minneapolis Star-Tribune, going to pony up $135 million, an increase of $10 million over last year when the plan was announced.
(The increase is part of a deal announced yesterday by Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat, under which an increase of $30 million in the stadium's cost is being covered by the Twins and the county.)
The Twins still need to get approval from the Legislature to avoid a referendum over a proposed tax increase in Hennepin County that would help pay their portion of the cost. That is a major sticking point, as there are many who feel the Twins and the county should let the proposal go to a referendum (I, too, feel they are being chickens on this because they are confident the proposal would fail in a referendum).
Do the Twins "need" a new stadium? Probably. The Metrodome is a revenue pit for the team, because they get so little money from anything besides ticket sales. The Twins could probably draw 2.5 million per season and barely turn a profit, even with their relatively meager payroll. The stadium was built for football, and it is tough to sit through a baseball game in any spot in that stadium except portions of the lower deck along the base lines, as well as the left field lower deck seats. The cheapest seats in the 'Dome require a chiropractor visit after the game.
The Twins certainly have a strong case for a new stadium, and their current lease status at the Metrodome (not bound to play there after 2006) indicates that their situation is the most pressing this spring. Get it done. Build the Twins a new ballpark. The upside for the team, the state, and for downtown Minneapolis is worth the pricetag.
Minnesota Gophers
The Gophers are in a bad spot. They never should have left campus in the first place, but they were convinced that playing in a "big-time" stadium like the Metrodome would help their program. They couldn't have been more wrong. The Metrodome is too far away from campus, and it's too big. The UMTC football program isn't ready for a 65,000-seat stadium, and they need to be in a place where the college flavor can shine through.
(But there are big-time programs that play in NFL stadiums, and there are big-time programs that play in bigger stadiums than the Metrodome.)
True, but those programs have the crowds to back up playing in bigger houses. When was the last time Michigan failed to sell out a football game? Tennessee? Ohio State? Florida? LSU? Wisconsin?
The Gophers can barely sell out half their games, and when they do sell out, it's usually due to the fact that they're playing a team like Wisconsin, Iowa, or Michigan - a team that will bring fans by the loads to the Metrodome because those fans can't get into their team's home stadiums. It doesn't help that the Gophers usually load up on patsies during the non-conference schedule, but that's also not much of an excuse when you look at some of the crowds the Gophers get for Big Ten games.
I believe the Gophers need to get back on campus, and I believe the Gophers' need to get back on campus is bigger than whatever need the Vikings may have. While I'm not sure I can say the Gophers' situation is a bigger priority than the Twins', I do like how the funding has been set up for this stadium deal, and I think the Gopher program would benefit from a move back on campus. Then again, they also would benefit from a new coach to replace the overrated and highly overpaid Glen Mason, but that's a different column.
Minnesota Vikings
I've maintained for years that I had no problem with the Vikings wanting a new stadium. After all, everyone else in the NFL seems to be getting one. The Vikings are going to, at some point, need to get a new field built to keep up with the rest of the league. However, now is not that time, and this is not that project. There are a number of issues.
1. The roof. Football should be played outdoors whenever possible. The only way I would ever support any governmental assistance for a new football stadium that has a roof on it is if it were placed in writing that the roof would never be closed for a football game unless the outside temperature were above 90 degrees or below -15 degrees, or in cases of extreme or severe weather conditions that would make playing or viewing the game dangerous or exceptionally difficult (examples would include thunderstorms, heavy rain, heavy snow, or dense fog). Under no other circumstances should the roof of a football stadium ever be closed.
(Are you reading this, Houston?)
2. Location. Is Blaine really the best place for a Vikings stadium? When the trend around the league and around the country when it comes to sports stadiums and arenas is to build downtown, do you really want to build in the northern edge of the Twin Cities?
3. Need. I'm not convinced that, with some renovations and some changes to the lease arrangement, the Metrodome can't work for football. The Vikings should pursue these cheaper alternatives before they start breaking ground on a project that could cost $1 billion or more before it's all done.
Even back when Cowboy owned the Vikings, I wasn't ever a believer in their stadium drive. I never thought they were doing a good job of educating the public on the need for a stadium or how it would be paid for, and I never thought they cared enough about the opinions of the voters (read: Viking fans). The team still hasn't demonstrated a real need for a new stadium, though I have to admit that the plan Zygi Wilf and friends have put forth is an intriguing one. The entire development plan is interesting, and it could be a real big lift to the Vikings' organization and to football in Minnesota.
Where does UMD fit in here?
40-year old rink (oldest in their league). One of the smallest rinks in their league in terms of seating capacity, and the smallest ice sheet in their league.
If you're not a hockey fan, I should remind you that the current DECC has to turn away numerous events every year because they don't have enough space, or because they are already booked for hockey or other events.
The UMD hockey program needs a new facility. The city and northeastern Minnesota could use a new facility for conventions, trade shows, and concerts. The new, expanded DECC plan seemed like a perfect fit for everyone.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said he supported the plan, but only if Duluth voters approved the necessary food-and-beverage tax increase to pay for the city's share of the arena cost.
So the issue went to the ballot box, and Duluth voters overwhelmingly passed the tax increase (61% yes).
The response of our local elected representatives when it came time to fight for the DECC's inclusion in the state bonding package?
*crickets chirping*
Nothing. Thanks for nothing, guys. Not only have our local elected representatives failed us miserably to this point, but I have yet to sense any support from those (Pawlenty and House Speaker Steve Sviggum come to mind immediately) who said they supported the project.
Thanks for nothing, guys.
I don't know where the arena issue comes in here, but I know that many people have let us down by not giving us the necessary support, and now the project is in serious trouble. My personal (and admittedly biased) opinion is that this arena should be passed through during the current session. The city voters did their part, and now it's time for our elected officials to do theirs.
And if they don't, I will make sure to take a list of those who failed with me when I go to vote this fall. I hope you will, too.
Monday, April 10, 2006
When did Brett Favre become a woman?
My wife is going to hate this.
I love my wife a great deal, but she has a minor issue in life. She's not a real strong decision-maker. She likes to, well, pull a John Kerry. In other words, she likes to flip-flop. Change her mind. Alter her thinking. It drives me nuts.
Other times, she just puts off making a decision altogether.
Ugh.
Anyway, Brett Favre apparently had a sex change. Either that, or he's letting his wife make the most important decision of his career for him - because that decision isn't coming. And it probably should have by now.
Favre, as many of you know, has been trying to figure out whether he's going to retire or return for the 2006 season in Green Bay. Being traded and becoming a free agent have been eliminated by Favre as options, as he says he's going to play for the Packers or hang it up. And Favre is taking his sweet time making up his mind.
A few things...
1. The scene in Tunica, Mississippi, over the weekend was hilarious. Favre had a regularly-scheduled press conference prior to his charity golf tournament, which is a major fundraiser for the Favre Fourward Foundation. Favre has a chance to talk about the fundraising and the sponsors and thank everyone for taking part. Somehow, word got out that this press conference, which took place Saturday morning, was going to feature Favre's decision. Suddenly, the press conference, normally a pretty lightly-attended event, became OMG BREAKING NEWS on ESPNEWS, SportsCenter, and the NFL Network, among others. At least one Green Bay TV station (WFRV) streamed live video of what was basically, for them, a Seinfeld press conference - a press conference about nothing.
2. The reaction of these media types was golden. Suddenly, Favre has gone from "trying to make the right decision for himself and his family" to being "a selfish pig who is holding the Packers hostage". While I appreciate the fact that people are now willing to rip Favre after years of over-coddling by the national media, this is a bit over the top.
After all, it's not Favre's fault that all of you suckers flew to Tunica, Mississippi, instead of doing due diligence to figure out that no decision had been made. Do you really think Favre is going to make his announcement to the media/fans first, and not bother to tell the organization what his plans are first? Of course he's going to tell the team first. And someone, the usual "unnamed source", is going to leak that decision to the media before it's announced by Favre. That's how it always works. Why would this story be any different?
The other argument. "He's holding the team hostage."
Yikes.
I challenge anyone to argue how Favre is holding the team hostage. Because I'm failing to see it.
If Favre wavers a little more and doesn't bother to make a decision before the first minicamp, he probably won't attend the minicamp. If that happens, Aaron Rodgers will get the majority of the snaps. Then, if Favre retires, Rodgers takes over as the starting QB and the Packers go somewhere between 3-13 and 8-8.
If Favre retires tomorrow, the first minicamp will feature Aaron Rodgers as the starting QB and he will get the majority of the snaps. The Packers will proceed to go somewhere between 3-13 and 8-8.
If Favre waits to make a decision and decides to return, or if he decides tomorrow, the Packers will have him serve as the starting quarterback. Whether he gets a lot of snaps in minicamp is irrelevant, since Favre has played as long as he has and has so much experience in this offense. So Favre will be the starting quarterback, and Rodgers will be the primary backup, and the Packers will probably be significantly better than they were a year ago.
Had Favre retired in January, the Packers MIGHT have signed a backup for Rodgers or someone to compete for the starting job. However, it is worth noting that there wasn't a single veteran free-agent quarterback available who would have been a good fit for Mike McCarthy's version of the West Coast offense except for Aaron Brooks, and it's quite a stretch to say that the Packers would have signed Brooks had they known Favre's intentions before free agency began. Even if you could make that argument, it's quite a leap to say that, as a result, Favre has been holding the team hostage.
That said, I'll never forget the picture I had in my head Saturday while I was watching the press conference. The picture of the looks on these reporters' faces when they realized that they had flown all the way to Tunica, Mississippi, for a press conference about nothing that's at all newsworthy...at least not for the NFL Network.
Are we that desperate for a story to talk about?
I love my wife a great deal, but she has a minor issue in life. She's not a real strong decision-maker. She likes to, well, pull a John Kerry. In other words, she likes to flip-flop. Change her mind. Alter her thinking. It drives me nuts.
Other times, she just puts off making a decision altogether.
Ugh.
Anyway, Brett Favre apparently had a sex change. Either that, or he's letting his wife make the most important decision of his career for him - because that decision isn't coming. And it probably should have by now.
Favre, as many of you know, has been trying to figure out whether he's going to retire or return for the 2006 season in Green Bay. Being traded and becoming a free agent have been eliminated by Favre as options, as he says he's going to play for the Packers or hang it up. And Favre is taking his sweet time making up his mind.
A few things...
1. The scene in Tunica, Mississippi, over the weekend was hilarious. Favre had a regularly-scheduled press conference prior to his charity golf tournament, which is a major fundraiser for the Favre Fourward Foundation. Favre has a chance to talk about the fundraising and the sponsors and thank everyone for taking part. Somehow, word got out that this press conference, which took place Saturday morning, was going to feature Favre's decision. Suddenly, the press conference, normally a pretty lightly-attended event, became OMG BREAKING NEWS on ESPNEWS, SportsCenter, and the NFL Network, among others. At least one Green Bay TV station (WFRV) streamed live video of what was basically, for them, a Seinfeld press conference - a press conference about nothing.
2. The reaction of these media types was golden. Suddenly, Favre has gone from "trying to make the right decision for himself and his family" to being "a selfish pig who is holding the Packers hostage". While I appreciate the fact that people are now willing to rip Favre after years of over-coddling by the national media, this is a bit over the top.
After all, it's not Favre's fault that all of you suckers flew to Tunica, Mississippi, instead of doing due diligence to figure out that no decision had been made. Do you really think Favre is going to make his announcement to the media/fans first, and not bother to tell the organization what his plans are first? Of course he's going to tell the team first. And someone, the usual "unnamed source", is going to leak that decision to the media before it's announced by Favre. That's how it always works. Why would this story be any different?
The other argument. "He's holding the team hostage."
Yikes.
I challenge anyone to argue how Favre is holding the team hostage. Because I'm failing to see it.
If Favre wavers a little more and doesn't bother to make a decision before the first minicamp, he probably won't attend the minicamp. If that happens, Aaron Rodgers will get the majority of the snaps. Then, if Favre retires, Rodgers takes over as the starting QB and the Packers go somewhere between 3-13 and 8-8.
If Favre retires tomorrow, the first minicamp will feature Aaron Rodgers as the starting QB and he will get the majority of the snaps. The Packers will proceed to go somewhere between 3-13 and 8-8.
If Favre waits to make a decision and decides to return, or if he decides tomorrow, the Packers will have him serve as the starting quarterback. Whether he gets a lot of snaps in minicamp is irrelevant, since Favre has played as long as he has and has so much experience in this offense. So Favre will be the starting quarterback, and Rodgers will be the primary backup, and the Packers will probably be significantly better than they were a year ago.
Had Favre retired in January, the Packers MIGHT have signed a backup for Rodgers or someone to compete for the starting job. However, it is worth noting that there wasn't a single veteran free-agent quarterback available who would have been a good fit for Mike McCarthy's version of the West Coast offense except for Aaron Brooks, and it's quite a stretch to say that the Packers would have signed Brooks had they known Favre's intentions before free agency began. Even if you could make that argument, it's quite a leap to say that, as a result, Favre has been holding the team hostage.
That said, I'll never forget the picture I had in my head Saturday while I was watching the press conference. The picture of the looks on these reporters' faces when they realized that they had flown all the way to Tunica, Mississippi, for a press conference about nothing that's at all newsworthy...at least not for the NFL Network.
Are we that desperate for a story to talk about?
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Frozen Four Picks
I'm sure everyone knows what direction I'm heading with these picks. But I'll lay it all out for you anyway, because it seems like the right thing to do.
First off, a special hello to all 15 people who will watch the games on ESPN and ESPN2. Try not to get too angry at Barry Melrose, who really likes hockey and will try hard, but he's kinda like Joe Morgan, only Morgan might actually know more about hockey.
BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES vs NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING SIOUX (2pm, ESPN2)
Forwards: Boston College has a Hobey finalist. North Dakota has a bunch of freshmen. Brian Boyle, Chris Collins (the Hobey finalist), and Stephen Gionta are the keys to BC's attack. Boyle and Collins skate on the Eagles' top line, while Gionta and Joe Rooney are major players on BC's other lines, which will need to produce and be sound defensively against the highly skilled Sioux. Look out for that second line, centered by Nathan Gerbe. The Eagles have always featured some smaller forwards (think Brian Gionta, who plays very well now for the NHL's New Jersey Devils), and this line is the perfect example. Gerbe, Gionta, and Matt Greene will fly all over the ice, and while they might be better known for their buzzing forecheck, they can score, too. Drew Stafford is the leader for North Dakota, and he's done a great job helping the younger forwards hone their skills. Ryan Duncan and Rylan Kaip have really stepped up their games in the postseason, playing well defensively and both getting some timely goals. I'm not sure what needs to be said about T.J. Oshie. He's absolutely phenomenal, and I'm not sure he knows how to take a shift off. Collins has statistical advantages on Stafford, but I think Stafford has a far better supporting cast, and the Sioux play their system as well as any group of forwards in the country. Advantage: North Dakota
Defensemen: Both teams are young on the blue line, as they each feature three defensemen. BC has Brett Motherwell and Anthony Aiello, while the Sioux feature Brian Lee and Taylor Chorney, both of whom have played very well this season. 6'5" junior Matt Smaby flexes the muscle for UND's defense, and North Dakota hopes their hulking defensive corps (6'2", 200 pounds on average) can push around the smaller Boston College forwards, something that really affected BC's play in last year's East Regional Final, which was won easily by UND. The Eagles are physical on defense, with captain Peter Harrold serving as a leader in every sense of the word. While North Dakota played well defensively against Michigan and Holy Cross in the West Regional, Boston College managed a pair of shutouts in the Northeast Regional, so you know these guys can shut teams down. Advantage: Boston College
Goaltenders: Much has been made of this matchup, which features two top goaltenders. The Eagles have Cory Schneider, a first-round draft pick and the kind of goalie who can steal games because of his immense talent. Unfortunately, as BC found out last year in the East Regional, Schneider is also prone to lapses. The Eagles saw him at his best two weeks ago, when he shut out Miami and Boston University to propel Boston College to Milwaukee. They'll need that again today, as Schneider should be tested often by UND. His goaltending counterpart, North Dakota's Jordan Parise, has been here before. He led the Sioux to the championship game a year ago, and he is 6-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. He's sound fundamentally, and he also has the ability to make the big saves by covering a lot of ground and keeping his body under control at all times. I like Parise's experience in the tournament, and I'm not yet sold on Schneider being able to play at a high level with all eyes upon him. Advantage: North Dakota
Prediction: I said before the tournament that I liked North Dakota to win it all. I have great respect for what Boston College did to get to Milwaukee as the 11th seed, but I don't think they can get by the Sioux. North Dakota, 4-2
MAINE BLACK BEARS vs WISCONSIN BADGERS (7pm, ESPN2)
Forwards: The Black Bears have some top-end talent up front. Greg Moore made the final ten for the Hobey. Michel Leveille is good for a point per game, but might be even better defensively than he is on offense. Josh Soares and John Hopson also contribute on both ends of the ice. Maine's forwards are very good defensively, and they have mixed in some timely goals during the playoffs. The Black Bears might be a bit deeper than Wisconsin, but they can't match the Badgers' high-end talent. Joe Pavelski is solid defensively, especially as a penalty killer, but he emerged as a top offensive player this season. Robbie Earl has a reputation as being a bit of a, well, diver, but Earl's talent is unarguable, and he has the ability to break a game wide open on his own. The Badgers have a host of talented youngsters, including Jack Skille, who scored the triple-overtime game-winner in the regional final against Cornell. They also have some gritty players like Nick Licari, A.J. Degenhardt, and Andrew Brandt. I think Maine's four lines are a bit more consistent, but Wisconsin has more talent on their top line. Advantage: Wisconsin
Defensemen: Neither team has a superstar on defense, but the closest we have in this game is Wisconsin's Tom Gilbert. He's big, though not real physical, but he's solid in his own zone and is very good with the puck. Kyle Klubertanz and Jeff Likens are the other top defensemen for Bucky. The group is good enough at what they do, which is protect the goaltender while also producing on offense occasionally. The Badgers play very good team defense, as does Maine. The Black Bears don't make a lot of mistakes in their own zone, and they can hit you. Matt Duffy, Travis Wight, and Travis Ramsey lead the way, and Mike Lundin is a presence back there, too. If these two groups of defensemen have anything to say it, tonight's semifinal should be a very physical game. Advantage: Push
Goaltenders: Reason to like Maine goaltender Ben Bishop - He's 6'7". How many goaltenders do you see that are that tall and also this good? Reason not to like Maine goaltender Ben Bishop - He's matched up with the hottest goaltender on the planet, Wisconsin's Brian Elliott. Besides being a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award (despite being second-team All-WCHA [!]), Elliott certainly has caught fire at the right time, as he's pitched three straight shutouts going back to the WCHA Final Five. In total, Elliott has gone 252:18 without allowing a goal. While that streak will almost certainly end this weekend, it's hard to imagine Elliott imploding, or doing anything remotely close to "imploding". Advantage: Wisconsin
Prediction: I mean no disrespect to Maine. I just can't figure out how a team that played so poorly in Florida could have put it together as quickly as the Black Bears did. I tip my cap to them for beating Harvard and Michigan State to get to Milwaukee, but I think the Badgers are playing at too high of a level right now for Maine to stay in this game long enough to steal it. Wisconsin 4, Maine 1
OTHER PREDICTIONS FOR THE WEEKEND
Hobey Baker Award - Matt Carle
Championship Game - North Dakota 3, Wisconsin 2 (sticking with my original prediction from before the tournament)
Oh, and the skills competition will only return next year if the NCAA finds a way to get more top-level players involved. It'll be a good show for the fans in attendance and those watching on ESPNU, but I don't think it can happen every year without at least four or five top men's players taking part. Instead, you are getting a mishmash of the top seniors who haven't turned pro yet.
First off, a special hello to all 15 people who will watch the games on ESPN and ESPN2. Try not to get too angry at Barry Melrose, who really likes hockey and will try hard, but he's kinda like Joe Morgan, only Morgan might actually know more about hockey.
BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES vs NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING SIOUX (2pm, ESPN2)
Forwards: Boston College has a Hobey finalist. North Dakota has a bunch of freshmen. Brian Boyle, Chris Collins (the Hobey finalist), and Stephen Gionta are the keys to BC's attack. Boyle and Collins skate on the Eagles' top line, while Gionta and Joe Rooney are major players on BC's other lines, which will need to produce and be sound defensively against the highly skilled Sioux. Look out for that second line, centered by Nathan Gerbe. The Eagles have always featured some smaller forwards (think Brian Gionta, who plays very well now for the NHL's New Jersey Devils), and this line is the perfect example. Gerbe, Gionta, and Matt Greene will fly all over the ice, and while they might be better known for their buzzing forecheck, they can score, too. Drew Stafford is the leader for North Dakota, and he's done a great job helping the younger forwards hone their skills. Ryan Duncan and Rylan Kaip have really stepped up their games in the postseason, playing well defensively and both getting some timely goals. I'm not sure what needs to be said about T.J. Oshie. He's absolutely phenomenal, and I'm not sure he knows how to take a shift off. Collins has statistical advantages on Stafford, but I think Stafford has a far better supporting cast, and the Sioux play their system as well as any group of forwards in the country. Advantage: North Dakota
Defensemen: Both teams are young on the blue line, as they each feature three defensemen. BC has Brett Motherwell and Anthony Aiello, while the Sioux feature Brian Lee and Taylor Chorney, both of whom have played very well this season. 6'5" junior Matt Smaby flexes the muscle for UND's defense, and North Dakota hopes their hulking defensive corps (6'2", 200 pounds on average) can push around the smaller Boston College forwards, something that really affected BC's play in last year's East Regional Final, which was won easily by UND. The Eagles are physical on defense, with captain Peter Harrold serving as a leader in every sense of the word. While North Dakota played well defensively against Michigan and Holy Cross in the West Regional, Boston College managed a pair of shutouts in the Northeast Regional, so you know these guys can shut teams down. Advantage: Boston College
Goaltenders: Much has been made of this matchup, which features two top goaltenders. The Eagles have Cory Schneider, a first-round draft pick and the kind of goalie who can steal games because of his immense talent. Unfortunately, as BC found out last year in the East Regional, Schneider is also prone to lapses. The Eagles saw him at his best two weeks ago, when he shut out Miami and Boston University to propel Boston College to Milwaukee. They'll need that again today, as Schneider should be tested often by UND. His goaltending counterpart, North Dakota's Jordan Parise, has been here before. He led the Sioux to the championship game a year ago, and he is 6-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. He's sound fundamentally, and he also has the ability to make the big saves by covering a lot of ground and keeping his body under control at all times. I like Parise's experience in the tournament, and I'm not yet sold on Schneider being able to play at a high level with all eyes upon him. Advantage: North Dakota
Prediction: I said before the tournament that I liked North Dakota to win it all. I have great respect for what Boston College did to get to Milwaukee as the 11th seed, but I don't think they can get by the Sioux. North Dakota, 4-2
MAINE BLACK BEARS vs WISCONSIN BADGERS (7pm, ESPN2)
Forwards: The Black Bears have some top-end talent up front. Greg Moore made the final ten for the Hobey. Michel Leveille is good for a point per game, but might be even better defensively than he is on offense. Josh Soares and John Hopson also contribute on both ends of the ice. Maine's forwards are very good defensively, and they have mixed in some timely goals during the playoffs. The Black Bears might be a bit deeper than Wisconsin, but they can't match the Badgers' high-end talent. Joe Pavelski is solid defensively, especially as a penalty killer, but he emerged as a top offensive player this season. Robbie Earl has a reputation as being a bit of a, well, diver, but Earl's talent is unarguable, and he has the ability to break a game wide open on his own. The Badgers have a host of talented youngsters, including Jack Skille, who scored the triple-overtime game-winner in the regional final against Cornell. They also have some gritty players like Nick Licari, A.J. Degenhardt, and Andrew Brandt. I think Maine's four lines are a bit more consistent, but Wisconsin has more talent on their top line. Advantage: Wisconsin
Defensemen: Neither team has a superstar on defense, but the closest we have in this game is Wisconsin's Tom Gilbert. He's big, though not real physical, but he's solid in his own zone and is very good with the puck. Kyle Klubertanz and Jeff Likens are the other top defensemen for Bucky. The group is good enough at what they do, which is protect the goaltender while also producing on offense occasionally. The Badgers play very good team defense, as does Maine. The Black Bears don't make a lot of mistakes in their own zone, and they can hit you. Matt Duffy, Travis Wight, and Travis Ramsey lead the way, and Mike Lundin is a presence back there, too. If these two groups of defensemen have anything to say it, tonight's semifinal should be a very physical game. Advantage: Push
Goaltenders: Reason to like Maine goaltender Ben Bishop - He's 6'7". How many goaltenders do you see that are that tall and also this good? Reason not to like Maine goaltender Ben Bishop - He's matched up with the hottest goaltender on the planet, Wisconsin's Brian Elliott. Besides being a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award (despite being second-team All-WCHA [!]), Elliott certainly has caught fire at the right time, as he's pitched three straight shutouts going back to the WCHA Final Five. In total, Elliott has gone 252:18 without allowing a goal. While that streak will almost certainly end this weekend, it's hard to imagine Elliott imploding, or doing anything remotely close to "imploding". Advantage: Wisconsin
Prediction: I mean no disrespect to Maine. I just can't figure out how a team that played so poorly in Florida could have put it together as quickly as the Black Bears did. I tip my cap to them for beating Harvard and Michigan State to get to Milwaukee, but I think the Badgers are playing at too high of a level right now for Maine to stay in this game long enough to steal it. Wisconsin 4, Maine 1
OTHER PREDICTIONS FOR THE WEEKEND
Hobey Baker Award - Matt Carle
Championship Game - North Dakota 3, Wisconsin 2 (sticking with my original prediction from before the tournament)
Oh, and the skills competition will only return next year if the NCAA finds a way to get more top-level players involved. It'll be a good show for the fans in attendance and those watching on ESPNU, but I don't think it can happen every year without at least four or five top men's players taking part. Instead, you are getting a mishmash of the top seniors who haven't turned pro yet.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Randomization 04/05/06
Oh, that quirky clock. At 1:02:03 am today (and again this afternoon for those who don't observe military time), the time was 01:02:03 04/05/06.
I'm guessing this will never happen again. Time to break out the popcorn and savor the moment.
First-place Milwaukee Brewers. I know they're supposed to be good and stuff now, but I need to type this now in the event that I can't say this again later in the season. The Crew is off to a 2-0 start after beating Pittsburgh 7-5 last night. So far, everything has been working, well except for Ben Sheets (DL) and Prince Fielder (ugh - 0-9 with 7 Ks). Damien Miller (!) drove in three runs last night. Gabe Gross had a pinch-hit home run. Doug Davis and Chris Capuano both pitched well. Derrick Turnbow is 2-for-2 in save chances.
With expectations high and the fans as excited as they've ever been about this club, the Brewers needed a good start on this week-long homestand to open the season. 2-0 is nice, but they need to keep it up. Nothing worse than 5-1 or 4-2 will satisfy the faithful, especially considering that these games are against the Pirates and Diamondbacks, two teams picked to finish pretty low in their respective divisions this season.
It's too early to worry about Johan Santana. Right? I shouldn't be too terribly concerned that Santana followed up a ho-hum World Baseball Classic and a horrible spring training with an awful Opening Night outing in Toronto? I shouldn't let myself be worried that Santana had major issues locating his pitches last night and got knocked around a bit, right? After all, Santana did, in fairness, give up a lot of bleeder-type hits last night. Granted, he also gave up some big hits, but I still think it's too early to get too worried. Santana is such a great pitcher that he could pitch like he did last night for the whole month of April and still get a pass from the faithful. And he should. You don't win two straight Cy Young Awards* for nothing.
(*Yes, I am aware that Santana didn't really win the Cy Young last year. However, I refuse to recognize that the BBWAA gave the award to that fat cow from Anaheim simply because he got better run support than Santana did.)
The Twins have a long season ahead of them if they don't find a way to hit the ball better than they did last night. They have to score more runs, or it won't matter how good Santana, Radke, Silva, Lohse, and Baker are.
The Frozen Four is coming. And, once again, the media coverage is horrendous. I've come to expect no love from places like ESPN, SI, Fox Sports, and others for college hockey's premiere event. After all, TV ratings are typically just south of abysmal, and there is no coverage for the sport during the season, so you become accustomed to many ignoring what is usually a great event. I know that most people who read this blog think differently about hockey, but I've learned to just accept the fact that college hockey is very similar to college lacrosse in terms of media coverage, despite the fact that the sport is exceptionally entertaining. Lacrosse gets love one weekend out of the year (Memorial Day weekend), and hockey gets the same amount of love for its big weekend (Frozen Four). It's not a slight on the sport, because those who watch and attend know that they are going to be entertained.
If I could change one thing about hockey fans, I'd change how much they care about the media coverage of their sport. We live in a hype society nowdays. People want hype, and they want hype about things that are familar to them. And this is what the NCAA gets for holding an event the same week as the start of baseball season. When the event in question is in a baseball city (especially one like Milwaukee, where expectations and excitement are perhaps as high as ever), it's going to be at least somewhat overshadowed. Deal with it.
You're not getting front page coverage on ESPN.com for more than about ten minutes. You're not getting special cut-ins during SportsCenter, and they're not building a fancy set at the arena for their special Frozen Four coverage.
It's our event. And we'll all enjoy it. That's all that should matter.
(Actually, if you think about it, we should want it this way. It's always great fun to be recognized, and I think we would all like to see the sport of college hockey get the attention it so richly deserves. But with that attention comes the massive overhype that has damaged great events like the Super Bowl, World Series, and any random fight in the left-field seats at Yankee Stadium. Do you want the Frozen Four to receive the kind of hype that Barry Bonds has gotten? The Yankees? Red Sox? Terrell Owens? The NBA playoffs? I don't, because part of the reason these players/teams are so hated is because of all the coverage they get on TV.)
Frozen Four predictions. Um...tomorrow. Though my original picks to play in the championship game are still alive, so I'm guessing there won't be many changes. And I still can't believe, after what I saw in Florida, that Maine is in the Frozen Four.
I'm guessing this will never happen again. Time to break out the popcorn and savor the moment.
First-place Milwaukee Brewers. I know they're supposed to be good and stuff now, but I need to type this now in the event that I can't say this again later in the season. The Crew is off to a 2-0 start after beating Pittsburgh 7-5 last night. So far, everything has been working, well except for Ben Sheets (DL) and Prince Fielder (ugh - 0-9 with 7 Ks). Damien Miller (!) drove in three runs last night. Gabe Gross had a pinch-hit home run. Doug Davis and Chris Capuano both pitched well. Derrick Turnbow is 2-for-2 in save chances.
With expectations high and the fans as excited as they've ever been about this club, the Brewers needed a good start on this week-long homestand to open the season. 2-0 is nice, but they need to keep it up. Nothing worse than 5-1 or 4-2 will satisfy the faithful, especially considering that these games are against the Pirates and Diamondbacks, two teams picked to finish pretty low in their respective divisions this season.
It's too early to worry about Johan Santana. Right? I shouldn't be too terribly concerned that Santana followed up a ho-hum World Baseball Classic and a horrible spring training with an awful Opening Night outing in Toronto? I shouldn't let myself be worried that Santana had major issues locating his pitches last night and got knocked around a bit, right? After all, Santana did, in fairness, give up a lot of bleeder-type hits last night. Granted, he also gave up some big hits, but I still think it's too early to get too worried. Santana is such a great pitcher that he could pitch like he did last night for the whole month of April and still get a pass from the faithful. And he should. You don't win two straight Cy Young Awards* for nothing.
(*Yes, I am aware that Santana didn't really win the Cy Young last year. However, I refuse to recognize that the BBWAA gave the award to that fat cow from Anaheim simply because he got better run support than Santana did.)
The Twins have a long season ahead of them if they don't find a way to hit the ball better than they did last night. They have to score more runs, or it won't matter how good Santana, Radke, Silva, Lohse, and Baker are.
The Frozen Four is coming. And, once again, the media coverage is horrendous. I've come to expect no love from places like ESPN, SI, Fox Sports, and others for college hockey's premiere event. After all, TV ratings are typically just south of abysmal, and there is no coverage for the sport during the season, so you become accustomed to many ignoring what is usually a great event. I know that most people who read this blog think differently about hockey, but I've learned to just accept the fact that college hockey is very similar to college lacrosse in terms of media coverage, despite the fact that the sport is exceptionally entertaining. Lacrosse gets love one weekend out of the year (Memorial Day weekend), and hockey gets the same amount of love for its big weekend (Frozen Four). It's not a slight on the sport, because those who watch and attend know that they are going to be entertained.
If I could change one thing about hockey fans, I'd change how much they care about the media coverage of their sport. We live in a hype society nowdays. People want hype, and they want hype about things that are familar to them. And this is what the NCAA gets for holding an event the same week as the start of baseball season. When the event in question is in a baseball city (especially one like Milwaukee, where expectations and excitement are perhaps as high as ever), it's going to be at least somewhat overshadowed. Deal with it.
You're not getting front page coverage on ESPN.com for more than about ten minutes. You're not getting special cut-ins during SportsCenter, and they're not building a fancy set at the arena for their special Frozen Four coverage.
It's our event. And we'll all enjoy it. That's all that should matter.
(Actually, if you think about it, we should want it this way. It's always great fun to be recognized, and I think we would all like to see the sport of college hockey get the attention it so richly deserves. But with that attention comes the massive overhype that has damaged great events like the Super Bowl, World Series, and any random fight in the left-field seats at Yankee Stadium. Do you want the Frozen Four to receive the kind of hype that Barry Bonds has gotten? The Yankees? Red Sox? Terrell Owens? The NBA playoffs? I don't, because part of the reason these players/teams are so hated is because of all the coverage they get on TV.)
Frozen Four predictions. Um...tomorrow. Though my original picks to play in the championship game are still alive, so I'm guessing there won't be many changes. And I still can't believe, after what I saw in Florida, that Maine is in the Frozen Four.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Time away
I was planning on writing a baseball preview, but instead I ended up taking the better part of two weeks off as my family and I complete a move into a new house. My home computer is currently sitting in a box. Moving sucks, though the house is very nice - much bigger than our old dwelling - and DirecTV rules.
The best laid plans...well, you know. I should return in close to full force this week, and I hope to have some Frozen Four thoughts for you all before Thursday's semifinals.
A couple things before I go...
--> Joakim Noah rules. For the sake of college basketball, I hope his big heart and nonstop motor don't make their way to the NBA, even though Noah probably doesn't have any business playing another second of college basketball. I just wish I had seen more of Florida this season instead of constantly having Dick Vitale screaming about J.J. Redick while Digger Phelps flashed his stupid highlighter at me. Good for Florida that they won. Billy Donovan has really developed as a coach, and his players reflect his growth. They were easily the most poised and mature team in this tournament, despite a large number of relatively inexperienced players. That Florida was able to overcome their late-season "slump" and perform like they did in March/April is a testament to Donovan's coaching and the mental and physical maturity of his kids. Hats off to all involved.
--> I think Donovan made the best point about the tournament when he spoke to the media in Minneapolis after his team's regional final win over Villanova. When he was asked about the Final Four and the fact that no #1 seeds advanced to it, Donovan said something along the lines of "You could line up this field and play the tournament again and end up with four different teams in the Final Four". Nothing that was said about the Final Four rang more true to me. It was just one of those years. The "best teams" (Duke, Connecticut, Villanova, Memphis, Texas, UNC, etc.) all had fatal flaws. Duke wasn't very good defensively and their freshman point guard (read again: freshman point guard) played like, well, a freshman point guard. Connecticut had tons of talent, but they were too helter-skelter at times and didn't play very good defense. Villanova had no size and couldn't defend in the paint well enough. Memphis was prone to long stretches of poor offensive play, and in the end they couldn't beat UCLA despite the fact that UCLA couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Texas couldn't find an answer to LSU's post play, and North Carolina fell victim to a more experienced, more seasoned, more poised George Mason team. It was a great tournament (though the three games in the Final Four all sucked), but it wasn't great because of the depth of great teams. It was great because the tournament was more wide-open than it's been in a long time.
The best laid plans...well, you know. I should return in close to full force this week, and I hope to have some Frozen Four thoughts for you all before Thursday's semifinals.
A couple things before I go...
--> Joakim Noah rules. For the sake of college basketball, I hope his big heart and nonstop motor don't make their way to the NBA, even though Noah probably doesn't have any business playing another second of college basketball. I just wish I had seen more of Florida this season instead of constantly having Dick Vitale screaming about J.J. Redick while Digger Phelps flashed his stupid highlighter at me. Good for Florida that they won. Billy Donovan has really developed as a coach, and his players reflect his growth. They were easily the most poised and mature team in this tournament, despite a large number of relatively inexperienced players. That Florida was able to overcome their late-season "slump" and perform like they did in March/April is a testament to Donovan's coaching and the mental and physical maturity of his kids. Hats off to all involved.
--> I think Donovan made the best point about the tournament when he spoke to the media in Minneapolis after his team's regional final win over Villanova. When he was asked about the Final Four and the fact that no #1 seeds advanced to it, Donovan said something along the lines of "You could line up this field and play the tournament again and end up with four different teams in the Final Four". Nothing that was said about the Final Four rang more true to me. It was just one of those years. The "best teams" (Duke, Connecticut, Villanova, Memphis, Texas, UNC, etc.) all had fatal flaws. Duke wasn't very good defensively and their freshman point guard (read again: freshman point guard) played like, well, a freshman point guard. Connecticut had tons of talent, but they were too helter-skelter at times and didn't play very good defense. Villanova had no size and couldn't defend in the paint well enough. Memphis was prone to long stretches of poor offensive play, and in the end they couldn't beat UCLA despite the fact that UCLA couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Texas couldn't find an answer to LSU's post play, and North Carolina fell victim to a more experienced, more seasoned, more poised George Mason team. It was a great tournament (though the three games in the Final Four all sucked), but it wasn't great because of the depth of great teams. It was great because the tournament was more wide-open than it's been in a long time.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Around the WCHA in 140 days
When I embarked on this radio gig for the first time, I didn't know what to expect. The WCHA, to me, means "great hockey". Having followed the league as a fan for so many years, it was an absolute priviledge to get a chance to cover the league and see all the different cities and arenas the WCHA has to offer.
We started with a trip to Houghton, Michigan, on October 28, and the journey finished in St. Paul at the XCel Energy Center on March 16 for the WCHA Final Five. Here is a list of the cities that I had a chance to visit, many for the first time.
Houghton, MI - October 28-29
Anchorage, AK - November 16-20
Mankato, MN - December 2-3
Colorado Springs, CO - December 8-11
Bonita Springs/Fort Myers/Estero, FL - December 25-30
St. Cloud, MN - January 20-21
Grand Forks, ND - February 17-18
Minneapolis, MN - March 3-4
Denver, CO - March 9-13
St. Paul, MN - March 16-17
Since I was on my first tour of duty, I took a few notes. Nothing special, but enough to look back and put together rankings of the cities and arenas I visited. Remember that everyone's experiences are different and, therefore, your mileage may greatly vary.
We'll start with the cities. Since our stays are usually short and I try to get as much rest as I can while I am traveling, my ratings of the cities are often centered around the quality of the hotel we stayed at. Where the stays were longer in duration, other things (i.e. quality of sightseeing)were taken into account.
There are three scores for each city. "Amenities" centers around the hotel itself. Was it comfortable? Were there enough channels on the TV to keep me interested? Did I have a nice view of something, or was I staring at a parking lot or a pool? Was room service any good? Etc...
"Convenience" is, simply, the proximity of the hotel to the arena and to restaurants. You gotta eat while on the road, and I don't like having to drive 20 minutes to find good food.
"Scenery" is what it says it is, and then some. Was the city fun to visit?
We'll go in chronological order, starting in October. All scores are based on a scale from 1-5, with 5 being the best and 1 the worst. I tried really hard to avoid handing out "1"s.
Houghton
Amenities--> We stayed at the Best Western Franklin Square Inn. Clean room that smelled pretty good, but the bed was like a rock, especially compared to other hotels on the circuit. Didn't have much of a view, but the TV channel selection was among the best. That's good, because there wasn't much else to do there. Score: 3
Conveniece--> The rink was about a 5-8 minute drive away. Houghton is laid out strangely, but that's not much unlike Duluth. I got around okay. It wouldn't have hurt to have a few more quality restaurants to choose from in the general area. I don't remember anything standing out within walking distance from the hotel. Score: 3
Scenery--> Contrary to widely-held belief, Houghton is a cool little town. There aren't any great sights, but it's not a rat-infested smog-hole, either. Very reminiscent of Duluth in a lot of ways, including the overall character of the city. Score: 4
Total score: 10
Anchorage, AK
Amenities--> Stayed at the Millennium Hotel in Anchorage. Top-notch. Great service, comfortable room, very spacious. Could have used more options on the TV, but the movie channels were great on the Thursday we were up there, as I ended up in bed by around 5pm AT while my body adjusted to the time difference. Score: 5
Convenience--> Was traveling with the team on this long trip, so I rode to the rink on the bus. The bus driver was annoying, and the rink was far, far away - about a 15-minute ride that felt like it took forever. There were only a couple eating establishments within walking distance from the hotel, and I took full advantage of them. Score: 2
Scenery--> While it was too cloudy to ever catch a glimpse of Mount McKinley, my niece and her family treated me to a couple of great trips around Anchorage. The second, on the Saturday we were there, took us along the Seward Highway to catch some of the mountains and glaciers outside of town. It was a great experience. The pizza joint in Girdwood was fantastic, too. Score: 5
Total score: 12
Mankato, MN
Amenties--> Stayed at the Holiday Inn adjacent to the Midwest Wireless Civic Center. It was reasonably comfortable, with as good a channel lineup as I found anywhere. My only complaint is that my room was right on the pool. I don't have a problem with pools, but the chlorine smell almost knocked me out every time I walked into the room. Score: 2
Convenience--> Bonus points for being within walking distance of the arena. However, there wasn't much for eating establishments anywhere around the hotel, and with how much it snowed on the Saturday we were there, it proved to be a pain trying to find places to eat. Score: 3
Scenery--> I've been in Mankato in the summer, and I've been in Mankato in the winter. I'd much rather visit in the summer if I can control it. It's just a better-looking city in the summer. (Some cities are like that...others, like Duluth, are great no matter the time of year that you're there). Either way, there isn't a whole lot to see in Mankato. Score: 2
Total score: 7
Colorado Springs, CO
Amenities--> The Doubletree in Colorado Springs was among the top hotels on the list this season. Kind people, comfortable rooms, quality service, plenty of space to put your feet up. Of minor annoyance were the two fire alarms that went off during the day Thursday. They didn't make us evacuate, but the noise was deafening. Score: 4
Convenience--> Again, we're within walking distance of the rink. Great. Also great was the selection of eating establishments within walking distance, and if I had forgotten anything important, there was a Target there, too. Score: 4
Scenery--> Spent Saturday traveling up Pikes Peak. Seriously, can you beat that? Well, as I found out a couple weeks later, you probably can. Score: 4
Total score: 12
Bonita Springs/Fort Myers/Estero, FL
Amenities--> Stayed at the Staybridge Suites in Bonita Springs. All I can say is "Wow". If you're ever lucky enough to get to visit this area, whether it be for a hockey tournament or just because, look this place up. Huge beds, two TVs, huge bathroom area, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, counter space. Based on how I was treated, they really wanted me to move in, but I resisted. Score: 5
Convenience--> While it was a pretty good drive away from the arena, I'm not going to dock the score a whole lot. There was plenty to do around the hotel, and I found a way to get around (freeloading off former colleague and good friend Chris Long was a smart move). Plus, I was in Florida in late December. How the hell can I possibly complain about that? Score: 4
Scenery--> Spent a few hours at the beach along the Gulf of Mexico. Saw a pelican hanging out on the dock. Watched a sheriff's deputy in a speedboat pull over two people on jet skis. Ate at a beachside restaurant. Saw palm trees the day after Christmas while walking around in shorts and sandles. Yeah, it was good. Special thanks to Long for Driving Mr. Dizzy for a couple days. It was a blast. Score: 5
Total score: 14
St. Cloud, MN
Amenities--> Hung out at the Best Western Kelly Inn. Nothing special, but nothing bad, either. My lasting memory was catching Bob Uecker on Leno the Friday night we were there. Possibly the hardest I've laughed in a long time, and it was for about 15 minutes straight. Score: 4
Convenience--> Easy drive to and from the rink. Plenty of places to eat in the general area. Traffic getting out on Saturday was a bit of an adventure, but St. Cloud is pretty easy to get around. No major issues. Score: 3
Scenery--> No offense, but it's St. Cloud. Not much to do or see there. The river looked nice, but that's about it. Score: 2
Total score: 9
Grand Forks, ND
Amenities--> We were at the Holiday Inn. This trip was hurt appreciably by the bone-chilling cold weather that greeted us, but I didn't let that stop me from enjoying myself. The room was nice. Beds could have been a bit more comfortable, but I don't have any other complaints. Score: 3
Convenience--> The station vehicle really needs a remote starter. That thing got cold. The hotel was a short drive away from the rink, and I didn't have any issues finding places to eat or kill time. Score: 4
Scenery--> It's Grand Forks. It's February. It's -30. I'll give them a "3" because I didn't bother to try getting out to see or do anything. Score: 3
Total score: 10
Minneapolis, MN
Amenities--> Radisson University Inn was the worst hotel we stayed at this year. I didn't like the bed. I didn't like how the room was laid out. I didn't like the room service (good food, but bad service). I didn't like the people. Just not a great experience. Score: 2
Convenience--> Another hotel within walking distance of the rink. Williams Arena and the U Aquatic Center were also nearby. Also plenty to see, do, and eat around the rink. Score: 4
Scenery--> Close enough to downtown Minneapolis that there wasn't much in the way of scenery. My wife was down for this trip, and I took her to the Mall of America and IKEA on Saturday. She hated IKEA, like I did. I felt like I was a lab rat trying to run through a maze in that place. Score: 2
Total score: 8
Denver, CO
Amenities--> Stayed at the Four Points Sheraton Tech Center. Nice hotel. BIG hotel. Good food. Good service. Friendly people. Comfortable room. Score: 4
Convenience--> Not close to the arena, but not that far. Helluva ride from the airport, but that was okay. I'd rather be close to the rink than the airport. Not many places to eat around the hotel. Score: 3
Scenery--> It was fun driving by the new Mile High Stadium and the Pepsi Center. I should have found a way to get inside one or the other while I was there. Score: 3
Total score: 10
St. Paul, MN
Amenities--> Another big hotel - Crowne Plaza. It was tough to get a parking spot, but everyone was nice. The lady at the front desk even told me the easiest way to get to the XCel Energy Center (one person said I should take the skyway, but the other lady made it clear that it was closer - though it was also colder - to walk down Kellogg Blvd). Score: 3
Convenience--> Just a short walk to the rink. Didn't stay long enough to sample any of the nearby eating establishments. Score: 4
Scenery--> Had a really nice view of the Mississippi River from my window. I didn't stay long enough to check out much else, though I'm sure I wouldn't have been impressed, as I've seen it all in St. Paul before. Score: 3
Total score: 10
Now we'll move on to the arenas. The scores are listed in order for each rink. The first score is "press facilities". Since it's where I spend most of my time at the rink, they better be good. Second score is for "comfort and convenience". Are the fans comfortable? Is everything so spread out that it takes forever to get from one area of the arena to another? The final score is "atmosphere". That one should speak for itself. Things like "students on break" or "weather" are not factored into consideration.
Macinnes Student Ice Arena, Houghton--> Great character, much like the town. Easy to get around, with one of the most underrated press boxes in the WCHA. Scores: 4-4-3--10
Sullivan Arena, Anchorage--> Not much atmosphere, as the crowds were pretty small and didn't include many students. No press box, and the setup for the TV and radio people is atrocious. One plus: The rink is very easy to get around. Scores: 1-3-2--6
Midwest Wireless Civic Center, Mankato--> Atmosphere was lacking, except for a large and vocal group of UMD fans on the opposite side of the rink from us. Press box again missing, this time because they decided to make what was to be the press box into an extra suite when they built the place. The setup for media in Mankato was primitive, but it was easier to get around than Anchorage. Had issues getting let in the arena on Friday night because the media passes weren't where they were supposed to be, but I have no major issues. Scores: 3-2-3--8
World Arena, Colorado Springs--> Very nice building. Elevator was slow, but at least it was there and it worked. The people were magnificent, and the arena was very easy to get around. It was a bit of a walk through the ice-level areas to get to the visitors' locker room area. Also, the atmosphere was lacking a bit in the building. Not much noise to be had unless CC scored. Scores: 5-3-2--10
Germain Arena, Estero--> Not bad. Didn't have a ton of atmosphere because the crowds weren't very big, but it was easy to get around with a pretty nice press box. Scores: 4-4-2--10
National Hockey Center, St. Cloud--> I had never been there for a SCSU game before (only to a Division III game and some youth tournaments). I was really missing out. Great atmosphere. Boorish fans in some cases, but a great atmosphere for hockey. Rare modern building in that it wasn't just loud when St. Cloud scored. Easy building to get around with somewhat primitive press accomodations, but a fun place to watch a hockey game. Scores: 3-4-5--12
Ralph Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks--> What can I say that hasn't already been said? Unbelieveable building. Easy to get around, with a very nice press box. Great sightlines. Not much atmosphere unless UND scored, which is too bad, because atmosphere was a hallmark of the old Ralph. Scores: 5-4-3--12
Mariucci Arena, Minneapolis--> Anyone who says this place isn't cooler than the Ralph is kidding themselves. Much more atmosphere, and a building that is just as easy to get around and just as comfortable for the fans and media. I loved being able to get to Mariucci for the first time. I can see why so many people think so highly of that building. Scores: 5-4-4--13
Magness Arena, Denver--> Nice building. Good layout, though the press box is a bit screwy (low to the ground with very narrow "desk" space). I liked the place, and it was very easy to get around. But the atmosphere was very poor. The fans who did show up didn't appear too terribly interested in the games, even when Denver was doing well. Scores: 4-4-2--10
XCel Energy Center, St. Paul--> It's really not a fair fight. I could nitpick and say it was a long walk from the elevators to the locker rooms, but it would be nothing but nitpicking. Amazing facility. The atmosphere lacked a bit, but it doesn't take away from the quality of the overall experience. Scores: 5-5-4--14
We started with a trip to Houghton, Michigan, on October 28, and the journey finished in St. Paul at the XCel Energy Center on March 16 for the WCHA Final Five. Here is a list of the cities that I had a chance to visit, many for the first time.
Houghton, MI - October 28-29
Anchorage, AK - November 16-20
Mankato, MN - December 2-3
Colorado Springs, CO - December 8-11
Bonita Springs/Fort Myers/Estero, FL - December 25-30
St. Cloud, MN - January 20-21
Grand Forks, ND - February 17-18
Minneapolis, MN - March 3-4
Denver, CO - March 9-13
St. Paul, MN - March 16-17
Since I was on my first tour of duty, I took a few notes. Nothing special, but enough to look back and put together rankings of the cities and arenas I visited. Remember that everyone's experiences are different and, therefore, your mileage may greatly vary.
We'll start with the cities. Since our stays are usually short and I try to get as much rest as I can while I am traveling, my ratings of the cities are often centered around the quality of the hotel we stayed at. Where the stays were longer in duration, other things (i.e. quality of sightseeing)were taken into account.
There are three scores for each city. "Amenities" centers around the hotel itself. Was it comfortable? Were there enough channels on the TV to keep me interested? Did I have a nice view of something, or was I staring at a parking lot or a pool? Was room service any good? Etc...
"Convenience" is, simply, the proximity of the hotel to the arena and to restaurants. You gotta eat while on the road, and I don't like having to drive 20 minutes to find good food.
"Scenery" is what it says it is, and then some. Was the city fun to visit?
We'll go in chronological order, starting in October. All scores are based on a scale from 1-5, with 5 being the best and 1 the worst. I tried really hard to avoid handing out "1"s.
Houghton
Amenities--> We stayed at the Best Western Franklin Square Inn. Clean room that smelled pretty good, but the bed was like a rock, especially compared to other hotels on the circuit. Didn't have much of a view, but the TV channel selection was among the best. That's good, because there wasn't much else to do there. Score: 3
Conveniece--> The rink was about a 5-8 minute drive away. Houghton is laid out strangely, but that's not much unlike Duluth. I got around okay. It wouldn't have hurt to have a few more quality restaurants to choose from in the general area. I don't remember anything standing out within walking distance from the hotel. Score: 3
Scenery--> Contrary to widely-held belief, Houghton is a cool little town. There aren't any great sights, but it's not a rat-infested smog-hole, either. Very reminiscent of Duluth in a lot of ways, including the overall character of the city. Score: 4
Total score: 10
Anchorage, AK
Amenities--> Stayed at the Millennium Hotel in Anchorage. Top-notch. Great service, comfortable room, very spacious. Could have used more options on the TV, but the movie channels were great on the Thursday we were up there, as I ended up in bed by around 5pm AT while my body adjusted to the time difference. Score: 5
Convenience--> Was traveling with the team on this long trip, so I rode to the rink on the bus. The bus driver was annoying, and the rink was far, far away - about a 15-minute ride that felt like it took forever. There were only a couple eating establishments within walking distance from the hotel, and I took full advantage of them. Score: 2
Scenery--> While it was too cloudy to ever catch a glimpse of Mount McKinley, my niece and her family treated me to a couple of great trips around Anchorage. The second, on the Saturday we were there, took us along the Seward Highway to catch some of the mountains and glaciers outside of town. It was a great experience. The pizza joint in Girdwood was fantastic, too. Score: 5
Total score: 12
Mankato, MN
Amenties--> Stayed at the Holiday Inn adjacent to the Midwest Wireless Civic Center. It was reasonably comfortable, with as good a channel lineup as I found anywhere. My only complaint is that my room was right on the pool. I don't have a problem with pools, but the chlorine smell almost knocked me out every time I walked into the room. Score: 2
Convenience--> Bonus points for being within walking distance of the arena. However, there wasn't much for eating establishments anywhere around the hotel, and with how much it snowed on the Saturday we were there, it proved to be a pain trying to find places to eat. Score: 3
Scenery--> I've been in Mankato in the summer, and I've been in Mankato in the winter. I'd much rather visit in the summer if I can control it. It's just a better-looking city in the summer. (Some cities are like that...others, like Duluth, are great no matter the time of year that you're there). Either way, there isn't a whole lot to see in Mankato. Score: 2
Total score: 7
Colorado Springs, CO
Amenities--> The Doubletree in Colorado Springs was among the top hotels on the list this season. Kind people, comfortable rooms, quality service, plenty of space to put your feet up. Of minor annoyance were the two fire alarms that went off during the day Thursday. They didn't make us evacuate, but the noise was deafening. Score: 4
Convenience--> Again, we're within walking distance of the rink. Great. Also great was the selection of eating establishments within walking distance, and if I had forgotten anything important, there was a Target there, too. Score: 4
Scenery--> Spent Saturday traveling up Pikes Peak. Seriously, can you beat that? Well, as I found out a couple weeks later, you probably can. Score: 4
Total score: 12
Bonita Springs/Fort Myers/Estero, FL
Amenities--> Stayed at the Staybridge Suites in Bonita Springs. All I can say is "Wow". If you're ever lucky enough to get to visit this area, whether it be for a hockey tournament or just because, look this place up. Huge beds, two TVs, huge bathroom area, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, counter space. Based on how I was treated, they really wanted me to move in, but I resisted. Score: 5
Convenience--> While it was a pretty good drive away from the arena, I'm not going to dock the score a whole lot. There was plenty to do around the hotel, and I found a way to get around (freeloading off former colleague and good friend Chris Long was a smart move). Plus, I was in Florida in late December. How the hell can I possibly complain about that? Score: 4
Scenery--> Spent a few hours at the beach along the Gulf of Mexico. Saw a pelican hanging out on the dock. Watched a sheriff's deputy in a speedboat pull over two people on jet skis. Ate at a beachside restaurant. Saw palm trees the day after Christmas while walking around in shorts and sandles. Yeah, it was good. Special thanks to Long for Driving Mr. Dizzy for a couple days. It was a blast. Score: 5
Total score: 14
St. Cloud, MN
Amenities--> Hung out at the Best Western Kelly Inn. Nothing special, but nothing bad, either. My lasting memory was catching Bob Uecker on Leno the Friday night we were there. Possibly the hardest I've laughed in a long time, and it was for about 15 minutes straight. Score: 4
Convenience--> Easy drive to and from the rink. Plenty of places to eat in the general area. Traffic getting out on Saturday was a bit of an adventure, but St. Cloud is pretty easy to get around. No major issues. Score: 3
Scenery--> No offense, but it's St. Cloud. Not much to do or see there. The river looked nice, but that's about it. Score: 2
Total score: 9
Grand Forks, ND
Amenities--> We were at the Holiday Inn. This trip was hurt appreciably by the bone-chilling cold weather that greeted us, but I didn't let that stop me from enjoying myself. The room was nice. Beds could have been a bit more comfortable, but I don't have any other complaints. Score: 3
Convenience--> The station vehicle really needs a remote starter. That thing got cold. The hotel was a short drive away from the rink, and I didn't have any issues finding places to eat or kill time. Score: 4
Scenery--> It's Grand Forks. It's February. It's -30. I'll give them a "3" because I didn't bother to try getting out to see or do anything. Score: 3
Total score: 10
Minneapolis, MN
Amenities--> Radisson University Inn was the worst hotel we stayed at this year. I didn't like the bed. I didn't like how the room was laid out. I didn't like the room service (good food, but bad service). I didn't like the people. Just not a great experience. Score: 2
Convenience--> Another hotel within walking distance of the rink. Williams Arena and the U Aquatic Center were also nearby. Also plenty to see, do, and eat around the rink. Score: 4
Scenery--> Close enough to downtown Minneapolis that there wasn't much in the way of scenery. My wife was down for this trip, and I took her to the Mall of America and IKEA on Saturday. She hated IKEA, like I did. I felt like I was a lab rat trying to run through a maze in that place. Score: 2
Total score: 8
Denver, CO
Amenities--> Stayed at the Four Points Sheraton Tech Center. Nice hotel. BIG hotel. Good food. Good service. Friendly people. Comfortable room. Score: 4
Convenience--> Not close to the arena, but not that far. Helluva ride from the airport, but that was okay. I'd rather be close to the rink than the airport. Not many places to eat around the hotel. Score: 3
Scenery--> It was fun driving by the new Mile High Stadium and the Pepsi Center. I should have found a way to get inside one or the other while I was there. Score: 3
Total score: 10
St. Paul, MN
Amenities--> Another big hotel - Crowne Plaza. It was tough to get a parking spot, but everyone was nice. The lady at the front desk even told me the easiest way to get to the XCel Energy Center (one person said I should take the skyway, but the other lady made it clear that it was closer - though it was also colder - to walk down Kellogg Blvd). Score: 3
Convenience--> Just a short walk to the rink. Didn't stay long enough to sample any of the nearby eating establishments. Score: 4
Scenery--> Had a really nice view of the Mississippi River from my window. I didn't stay long enough to check out much else, though I'm sure I wouldn't have been impressed, as I've seen it all in St. Paul before. Score: 3
Total score: 10
Now we'll move on to the arenas. The scores are listed in order for each rink. The first score is "press facilities". Since it's where I spend most of my time at the rink, they better be good. Second score is for "comfort and convenience". Are the fans comfortable? Is everything so spread out that it takes forever to get from one area of the arena to another? The final score is "atmosphere". That one should speak for itself. Things like "students on break" or "weather" are not factored into consideration.
Macinnes Student Ice Arena, Houghton--> Great character, much like the town. Easy to get around, with one of the most underrated press boxes in the WCHA. Scores: 4-4-3--10
Sullivan Arena, Anchorage--> Not much atmosphere, as the crowds were pretty small and didn't include many students. No press box, and the setup for the TV and radio people is atrocious. One plus: The rink is very easy to get around. Scores: 1-3-2--6
Midwest Wireless Civic Center, Mankato--> Atmosphere was lacking, except for a large and vocal group of UMD fans on the opposite side of the rink from us. Press box again missing, this time because they decided to make what was to be the press box into an extra suite when they built the place. The setup for media in Mankato was primitive, but it was easier to get around than Anchorage. Had issues getting let in the arena on Friday night because the media passes weren't where they were supposed to be, but I have no major issues. Scores: 3-2-3--8
World Arena, Colorado Springs--> Very nice building. Elevator was slow, but at least it was there and it worked. The people were magnificent, and the arena was very easy to get around. It was a bit of a walk through the ice-level areas to get to the visitors' locker room area. Also, the atmosphere was lacking a bit in the building. Not much noise to be had unless CC scored. Scores: 5-3-2--10
Germain Arena, Estero--> Not bad. Didn't have a ton of atmosphere because the crowds weren't very big, but it was easy to get around with a pretty nice press box. Scores: 4-4-2--10
National Hockey Center, St. Cloud--> I had never been there for a SCSU game before (only to a Division III game and some youth tournaments). I was really missing out. Great atmosphere. Boorish fans in some cases, but a great atmosphere for hockey. Rare modern building in that it wasn't just loud when St. Cloud scored. Easy building to get around with somewhat primitive press accomodations, but a fun place to watch a hockey game. Scores: 3-4-5--12
Ralph Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks--> What can I say that hasn't already been said? Unbelieveable building. Easy to get around, with a very nice press box. Great sightlines. Not much atmosphere unless UND scored, which is too bad, because atmosphere was a hallmark of the old Ralph. Scores: 5-4-3--12
Mariucci Arena, Minneapolis--> Anyone who says this place isn't cooler than the Ralph is kidding themselves. Much more atmosphere, and a building that is just as easy to get around and just as comfortable for the fans and media. I loved being able to get to Mariucci for the first time. I can see why so many people think so highly of that building. Scores: 5-4-4--13
Magness Arena, Denver--> Nice building. Good layout, though the press box is a bit screwy (low to the ground with very narrow "desk" space). I liked the place, and it was very easy to get around. But the atmosphere was very poor. The fans who did show up didn't appear too terribly interested in the games, even when Denver was doing well. Scores: 4-4-2--10
XCel Energy Center, St. Paul--> It's really not a fair fight. I could nitpick and say it was a long walk from the elevators to the locker rooms, but it would be nothing but nitpicking. Amazing facility. The atmosphere lacked a bit, but it doesn't take away from the quality of the overall experience. Scores: 5-5-4--14
Sunday, March 19, 2006
College hockey's Big Dance
I think my favorite rambling in the college hockey world as the NCAA Division I pairings were prepared for release today is how Denver somehow got screwed because they finished second in the WCHA and were denied a bid to the Dance.
Unfortunately for the Pioneers and their supporters, the exceptionally fair and equitable system the NCAA has in place didn't forget about DU's holiday tournament loss at home to Princeton. The system also didn't forget DU's overall record of 4-7 in non-conference games, and it didn't forget Denver losing two out of three at home to ninth-place UMD in the WCHA opening round. For DU's outgoing players (I'd say "seniors", but I'm under the impression that junior D Matt Carle will also be leaving), that's a bitter pill to swallow. In essence, three home losses ruined their season, and the last one, a 5-2 loss last Sunday, ended their season.
On one hand, I feel bad for the Pioneers, a classy outfit for the most part. I feel bad for those who follow the program, as DU's fans are among the classiest and most knowledgeable in the WCHA. I feel bad for head coach George Gwozdecky, a good man and a very good coach. But on the other hand, I don't feel bad. The players knew what they had to do last weekend and they didn't get it done. They didn't want it as badly as UMD did in any of the three games, and only some questionable officiating and two very fortunate bounces kept the Pioneers alive for a third game.
Denver fans have a lot to be proud of, with two straight national championships and seven total. And they've handled themselves well this week (most of the pro-Denver whining I've heard has come from people who aren't Denver fans). If they keep supporting the program, they'll see the Pios return to the Dance, probably around 365 days from now. And if Carle somehow decides to come back, they might begin the season as the favorite.
Anyway, the field is set, and it looks like this:
Midwest Regional (Green Bay)
1 Wisconsin vs. 16 Bemidji State
8 Cornell vs. 9 Colorado College
East Regional (Albany)
4 Michigan State vs. 13 New Hampshire
5 Harvard vs. 12 Maine
Northeast Regional (Worcester)
3 Boston U. vs. 14 Nebraska-Omaha
6 Miami vs. 11 Boston College
West Regional (Grand Forks)
2 Minnesota vs. 15 Holy Cross
7 North Dakota vs. 10 Michigan
The West and East regionals are Saturday/Sunday, while the Northeast and West are Friday/Saturday.
Here are some first-glance predictions, which are often more effective than what are produced after painstaking research and actual thinking are done:
FIRST ROUND
Wisconsin vs Bemidji State--> BSU has some spunk, as seen last year against Denver, but they don't have the depth or goaltending to match Bucky. Wisconsin, 5-2
Cornell vs Colorado College--> Cornell has a tough, defensive style with a quality goaltender in McKee. I think their big defensemen will keep CC's smaller forwards away from the slot area, and Cornell will find a garbage goal to hold on. Cornell, 2-1
Michigan State vs New Hampshire--> UNH will be out to atone for Friday's humiliating 9-2 loss to Boston U in the Hockey East semifinals. But they'll find a team in MSU that's too hot and too strong. Michigan State, 4-1
Harvard vs Maine--> Maine has played better since a trip to Florida where they must have left their game at home. However, I think Harvard's speed up front will cause Maine too many problems on Saturday. Harvard, 4-3
Boston University vs Nebraska-Omaha--> For those who haven't seen UNO's Scott Parse play, here's your chance. Unless BU cools off in a hurry, it's going to be your only chance in this tournament. Boston University, 6-2
Miami vs Boston College--> A lot of people are going to pick BC to win this game and force a sixth meeting with BU (BU has won four of the first five). I'm not. I like Miami and star D Andy Greene (a Hobey Baker finalist) to hold off the Eagles. Miami, 4-3
Minnesota vs Holy Cross--> Last year, Denver beat Bemidji State in OT, while Boston College barely held off Mercyhurst. I think Bemidji can give UW a good fight, but can Holy Cross stay with the Gophers? Probably not, though the shaky goaltending that Minnesota will bring to Grand Forks would be enough to give anyone a chance. Minnesota, 7-4
North Dakota vs Michigan--> The Sioux might be the best team in this tournament right now. Michigan's young and talented, but they aren't equipped to beat UND in their building. North Dakota, 3-1
REGIONAL FINALS
Wisconsin vs Cornell--> It might be in Wisconsin, and it might feel like home for the Badgers, but that isn't necessarily a good thing. The Badgers had lost six games at home before losing any away from the Kohl Center. In a battle of defense, though, I'll take the Badgers to prevail behind Hobey finalist goaltender Brian Elliott. Wisconsin, 2-1
Michigan State vs Harvard--> Can a Eastern team get in the Frozen Four? Former NHLer Ted Donato will have his guys ready, and the Crimson will spring the upset. Harvard, 4-2
Boston University vs Miami--> Boston U's speed vs Miami's grit. In a playoff setting, the grit will usually win, and while BU is the host for the regional in Worcester, it's not usually a home-ice atmosphere for them. I'll take the RedHawks to qualify for Milwaukee. Miami, 5-3
Minnesota vs North Dakota--> Even though North Dakota struggled on home ice this year, I think they have better defense and goaltending, and they're a more physical team. In a battle of WCHA teams, I like the Sioux to go to Milwaukee. North Dakota, 5-2
FROZEN FOUR
Wisconsin vs Harvard--> Elliott gets himself ready for Friday's Hobey ceremony (if he ends up getting invited). Otherwise, Elliott shows why he should have been invited. Wisconsin, 3-0
Miami vs North Dakota--> With the Sioux getting hot, Miami has to find a way to slow down those dynamic young forwards while also getting enough heat on Jordan Parise. I don't like their chances. North Dakota, 4-1
FINAL
Wisconsin vs North Dakota--> I have just projected another WCHA national title, and another all-WCHA national title game. I'm sure that leaves me loved around the country. As for the game, flip a coin. As long as it comes up Sioux, you're a winner. North Dakota, 4-3
Unfortunately for the Pioneers and their supporters, the exceptionally fair and equitable system the NCAA has in place didn't forget about DU's holiday tournament loss at home to Princeton. The system also didn't forget DU's overall record of 4-7 in non-conference games, and it didn't forget Denver losing two out of three at home to ninth-place UMD in the WCHA opening round. For DU's outgoing players (I'd say "seniors", but I'm under the impression that junior D Matt Carle will also be leaving), that's a bitter pill to swallow. In essence, three home losses ruined their season, and the last one, a 5-2 loss last Sunday, ended their season.
On one hand, I feel bad for the Pioneers, a classy outfit for the most part. I feel bad for those who follow the program, as DU's fans are among the classiest and most knowledgeable in the WCHA. I feel bad for head coach George Gwozdecky, a good man and a very good coach. But on the other hand, I don't feel bad. The players knew what they had to do last weekend and they didn't get it done. They didn't want it as badly as UMD did in any of the three games, and only some questionable officiating and two very fortunate bounces kept the Pioneers alive for a third game.
Denver fans have a lot to be proud of, with two straight national championships and seven total. And they've handled themselves well this week (most of the pro-Denver whining I've heard has come from people who aren't Denver fans). If they keep supporting the program, they'll see the Pios return to the Dance, probably around 365 days from now. And if Carle somehow decides to come back, they might begin the season as the favorite.
Anyway, the field is set, and it looks like this:
Midwest Regional (Green Bay)
1 Wisconsin vs. 16 Bemidji State
8 Cornell vs. 9 Colorado College
East Regional (Albany)
4 Michigan State vs. 13 New Hampshire
5 Harvard vs. 12 Maine
Northeast Regional (Worcester)
3 Boston U. vs. 14 Nebraska-Omaha
6 Miami vs. 11 Boston College
West Regional (Grand Forks)
2 Minnesota vs. 15 Holy Cross
7 North Dakota vs. 10 Michigan
The West and East regionals are Saturday/Sunday, while the Northeast and West are Friday/Saturday.
Here are some first-glance predictions, which are often more effective than what are produced after painstaking research and actual thinking are done:
FIRST ROUND
Wisconsin vs Bemidji State--> BSU has some spunk, as seen last year against Denver, but they don't have the depth or goaltending to match Bucky. Wisconsin, 5-2
Cornell vs Colorado College--> Cornell has a tough, defensive style with a quality goaltender in McKee. I think their big defensemen will keep CC's smaller forwards away from the slot area, and Cornell will find a garbage goal to hold on. Cornell, 2-1
Michigan State vs New Hampshire--> UNH will be out to atone for Friday's humiliating 9-2 loss to Boston U in the Hockey East semifinals. But they'll find a team in MSU that's too hot and too strong. Michigan State, 4-1
Harvard vs Maine--> Maine has played better since a trip to Florida where they must have left their game at home. However, I think Harvard's speed up front will cause Maine too many problems on Saturday. Harvard, 4-3
Boston University vs Nebraska-Omaha--> For those who haven't seen UNO's Scott Parse play, here's your chance. Unless BU cools off in a hurry, it's going to be your only chance in this tournament. Boston University, 6-2
Miami vs Boston College--> A lot of people are going to pick BC to win this game and force a sixth meeting with BU (BU has won four of the first five). I'm not. I like Miami and star D Andy Greene (a Hobey Baker finalist) to hold off the Eagles. Miami, 4-3
Minnesota vs Holy Cross--> Last year, Denver beat Bemidji State in OT, while Boston College barely held off Mercyhurst. I think Bemidji can give UW a good fight, but can Holy Cross stay with the Gophers? Probably not, though the shaky goaltending that Minnesota will bring to Grand Forks would be enough to give anyone a chance. Minnesota, 7-4
North Dakota vs Michigan--> The Sioux might be the best team in this tournament right now. Michigan's young and talented, but they aren't equipped to beat UND in their building. North Dakota, 3-1
REGIONAL FINALS
Wisconsin vs Cornell--> It might be in Wisconsin, and it might feel like home for the Badgers, but that isn't necessarily a good thing. The Badgers had lost six games at home before losing any away from the Kohl Center. In a battle of defense, though, I'll take the Badgers to prevail behind Hobey finalist goaltender Brian Elliott. Wisconsin, 2-1
Michigan State vs Harvard--> Can a Eastern team get in the Frozen Four? Former NHLer Ted Donato will have his guys ready, and the Crimson will spring the upset. Harvard, 4-2
Boston University vs Miami--> Boston U's speed vs Miami's grit. In a playoff setting, the grit will usually win, and while BU is the host for the regional in Worcester, it's not usually a home-ice atmosphere for them. I'll take the RedHawks to qualify for Milwaukee. Miami, 5-3
Minnesota vs North Dakota--> Even though North Dakota struggled on home ice this year, I think they have better defense and goaltending, and they're a more physical team. In a battle of WCHA teams, I like the Sioux to go to Milwaukee. North Dakota, 5-2
FROZEN FOUR
Wisconsin vs Harvard--> Elliott gets himself ready for Friday's Hobey ceremony (if he ends up getting invited). Otherwise, Elliott shows why he should have been invited. Wisconsin, 3-0
Miami vs North Dakota--> With the Sioux getting hot, Miami has to find a way to slow down those dynamic young forwards while also getting enough heat on Jordan Parise. I don't like their chances. North Dakota, 4-1
FINAL
Wisconsin vs North Dakota--> I have just projected another WCHA national title, and another all-WCHA national title game. I'm sure that leaves me loved around the country. As for the game, flip a coin. As long as it comes up Sioux, you're a winner. North Dakota, 4-3
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Mile High Upset
Friday, March 10
We arrive at Magness Arena at around 5:15pm MT. I've never been before, and I take a few minutes to walk around after I get my gear set up and I record my interview with UMD coach Scott Sandelin, which we conducted on the UMD player bench. Why did we go to the bench? Because we did. Maybe because it was too cold outside to do it there. Sandelin and I had tried a few different spots for the pregame interviews, and the player bench seemed like a good idea.
Once that was done, I explored a little bit. I like Magness Arena. Plenty of room in the concourses, not too many seats, not cavernous. Very intimate atmosphere, though I'd later learn that the people who attend the games usually find other things to do besides cheering. I liked the layout, even though the press box area was a bit too low (in relation to the ice) for my liking.
The lighting in there is strange, but that's more of a TV issue than anything else. It doesn't affect the fans or broadcasters...it might just look a bit strange on television.
The food is hideously expensive. Thank goodness for expense accounts!
Anyway, I got back to my booth in plenty of time for the broadcast. Time to do the requisite pre-game research. I jot down the power play and penalty kill stats on my scoresheet, and I go over the opponents' line combinations to help me remember all the names. With Denver, there are few issues here, because so many of their players are established names in the WCHA. I start practicing my Matt Carle Superlative List, because I know that with Denver playing for their season this weekend, I'll be calling Carle's name quite often.
Once the game starts, things don't look good. UMD's Mason Raymond takes a rather silly interference penalty :10 into the first period, and Denver takes the lead at 1:25 on a perfect pass from the left point across to the right goalpost, where Paul Stastny, son of HOFer Peter, has a layup past UMD goalie Nate Ziegelmann. Ouch. After watching UMD lose 4-0, 5-1, 5-0, 5-2, 7-0, and 2-0 in succession to close the regular season, I'm pretty sure I don't like the way this thing starts.
But the boys settle down. They get outshot 12-2 for the first period, but at no point after the first couple minutes do the Bulldogs look even remotely close to being overmatched. In fact, once we get past the first ten minutes, UMD actually starts to assert themselves. At the time, no one had a clue that this would become a weekend trend.
UMD didn't get many breaks in the first half of the game. Then things really started to turn for them. The Bulldogs got a power play relatively late in the second period. After some struggles setting up in the DU zone, Josh Meyers took a shot from the point. DU goalie Glenn Fisher made the first save, but Nick Kemp kept the puck alive out front long enough for Andrew Carroll to come flying in to score the equalizer. Not only had UMD tied the hockey game, but they had scored a goal for the first time in 159 minutes and 34 seconds dating back to the Colorado College game on February 25. Despite being outshot by a pretty healthy margin for the game, it was 1-1 going into the third.
The Maroon Machine took the lead early in the third. Mike Curry made a great play on the right wing wall to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and he was able to thread a pass into the slot, where Carroll was flying in toward the goal. Carroll's one-timer off a tape-to-tape pass gave the 'Dogs a 2-1 lead. Stastny's second power-play goal of the game, though, tied it shortly after, and Denver held off a hard-charging UMD team late in regulation to force overtime. Shots were 29-16 at this point, but that didn't truly reflect how the game was being played, as UMD was doing a great job keeping Denver's scoring chances to a minimum.
After a full intermission, UMD needed just 85 seconds to stun the crowd in Denver. After a turnover by Denver in the UMD zone, freshman Matt Niskanen started the offensive rush by completely undressing DU center Geoff Paukovich. Paukovich's whiff sprung UMD on a 4 on 2 rush. Niskanen brought the puck down the left wing and fired it on net. After a mad scramble out front, fellow freshman MacGregor Sharp found the puck and shot it past Fisher to give UMD the upset win. The Denver crowd was silenced, and it wasn't the only time they'd be silenced for the weekend.
Saturday, March 11
Spent some quality time with UMD beat writer Kevin Pates and UMD television voice Steve Jezierski. Went to a place by the hotel called "Noodles", which serves - you guessed it - noodles. Good stuff. Talked about WDIO-TV's inexplicably stupid decision to cut Sunday's potential Game Three from their broadcast schedule. Steve didn't rip anyone for the call. I said that I couldn't understand why they would go through the expense of flying the broadcasters and technical crew out and not allow them to finish off the series should it go that far. But, in the end, it isn't my decision to make. It's the TV station's. They made their call, and nothing can change now, no matter how loudly we may complain about it. We talked hockey, too, and I think all three of us were surprised to a certain extent by the position UMD was able to place themselves in heading into Saturday's game.
As for the game, it started innocently enough. Oh, and Denver scored first again. This time, it was the flukiest damn thing you'll ever see. J.D. Corbin took a pretty innocent-looking shot from near the right point, and it bounced off what appeared to be an area near Ryan Dingle's armpit. Evidently, Dingle used the right kind of deodorant, because it bounced up in the air, high enough to elude Ziegelmann but not high enough to get over the crossbar. Ugh. Another bad bounce for UMD. If this were poker, UMD would be the guy with pocket aces who gets beat by a guy who had 2/7 offsuit and picked up a straight on the river because he was betting like an idiot and sticking around in a hand where he had nothing. They were outplaying Denver, but DU gets the first bounce and a 1-0 lead.
The Pioneers weren't finished. In the second period, they grabbed a 2-0 lead on another nice shot. This one came from Dingle, who picked up his 27th goal of the season by ripping a wrister past Ziegelmann. Like Stastny's second goal the night before, I was left to tip my invisible cap. It was 2-0 in favor of the desperate team, even if they didn't necessarily play like a desperate team that deserved a 2-0 lead.
But UMD hadn't fired their shots in this game yet. The fifth straight power play for the Bulldogs over the course of about 22 minutes finally gave them a chance. UMD's coaching staff watched in disbelief as Stastny plowed Jay Cascalenda into the boards from behind in a blatant effort to get kicked out of what could be DU's last game. Instead, (blind) referee Jon Campion called Stastny for "roughing", ignoring the obvious intent of the new crackdown on hits from behind. (Blind) Campion had already ignored one hit from behind by a DU player (Andrew Thomas), though he had shown his willingness to call such HFB penalties on Friday when he nailed UMD's Nick Kemp for a very questionable major penalty and game misconduct.
The two minutes on Stastny were more than enough. In fact, a one-minute penalty would have been sufficient. Jason Garrison blasted a one-timer past Denver goalie Peter Mannino to pull UMD within one after two periods. It was Garrison's second career goal, both against Denver.
No one knew what was coming. Frankly, I was more concerned about (blind) Campion allowing an overzealous Denver player to put one of our boys in a wheelchair (after all, I had just watched DU get away with two blatant HFBs) than I was about (blind) Campion and his (blind) ARs doing something to cost UMD the game itself.
Leave it to a WCHA officiating crew. They found a way to screw up even worse than they already had. Michael Gergen used a DU defenseman as a screen and beat Mannino up high to tie the game early in the third. Then, after a DU power play was shut down by UMD, the Bulldogs took their second bad beat of the night. Ryan Helgason took a puck in the right corner and pushed it out in front of the UMD goal. Ziegelmann, who had ventured out to play the puck to the right of his net, was on his way back into the net when the puck hit the back of his skate and trickled across the goal line to make it 3-2 Denver with less than five minutes left. Then the officials took over, because the game was apparently not entertaining enough without their involvement.
In the final seconds, UMD had Ziegelmann pulled for the extra skater. They pressured, and finally got a break with 6.8 seconds left when Niskanen's one-timer caught air and was tipped in by senior Tim Stapleton. UMD celebrated what they thought was a tie game. But (blind) Campion and (blind) AR Tim Swiader conferred and decided that Stapleton's stick was high. Replay wasn't conclusive because the only shot they could use was the camera over the crease area, which didn't show Stapleton tipping the puck. With no conclusive evidence to overturn what Swiader swore he saw, the call of "no goal" stood, leaving UMD players, coaches, and trainers, along with the equipment manager, athletic director, and radio and TV announcers livid. The call wasn't going to change, though, and the most important people involved realized that, accepted it, and moved on: The players.
Sunday, March 12
As the snowstorm that would strand us for four extra hours in Denver was getting ready to slam into the Twin Cities, we all got ready for the final game of the series against the Pioneers. The day was anxious. I walked around the hotel area, went to lunch with Pates, watched some basketball, and got ready for the game.
I admitted to Pates and my wife (via text messaging) that I didn't have a good feeling. I felt all weekend like Denver was about to break out, and I figured that if they were ever going to, it would be early in this game, as they had to have been somewhat bouyed by the bad call that kept their season alive.
To a certain extent, I was right, but UMD had a response. Again.
Denver took a 1-0 lead on another pretty power-play goal by Stastny, who was fed on the doorstep by Patrick Mullen. The fact that, for the third straight game, UMD fell behind and kept their poise showed me that I had no reason for a bad feeling.
It took more than 20 minutes, but when the golden opportunity came, UMD was ready to take full advantage. Back-to-back holding penalties on DU gave UMD a 5 on 3 for about 25 seconds. It took Stapleton 11 seconds to tie the game on a beautiful cross-goalmouth feed by Mason Raymond. 1:10 later, Meyers fired a one-timer from the high slot for another power play goal and a 2-1 lead. 30 seconds later, Gergen slammed a one-timer home from the right faceoff circle to make it 3-1. Finally, another one-timer, this one by Garrison, capped a run of four goals in 3:45 to give UMD a 4-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The third period felt like it took three hours. The Bulldogs clearly didn't want to make any defensive mistakes, and the only goal they surrendered came during a frantic Denver flurry while they were playing 5 on 4 with an empty net. They had other chances, but the goalposts were friendly, and Ziegelmann was on fire. He stopped 17 shots in that third period, and made some great saves to keep the score lopsided.
In the closing seconds, Carroll ran down a puck in neutral ice and broke into the DU zone by himself to score the dagger, and empty-net goal that made the final score 5-2.
I know it's an upset, but it didn't feel like one. Frankly, outside of about 10 minutes in the first period Friday and short flurries in the first periods Saturday and Sunday, I felt that UMD was the superior hockey team. The confidence they gained hopefully gives them some momentum heading into the Final Five this weekend. Obviously, UMD (11-24-4) needs to win the automatic bid to go dancing.
But after what happened in Denver, can we really rule anything out.
See you in St. Paul, hockey fans.
We arrive at Magness Arena at around 5:15pm MT. I've never been before, and I take a few minutes to walk around after I get my gear set up and I record my interview with UMD coach Scott Sandelin, which we conducted on the UMD player bench. Why did we go to the bench? Because we did. Maybe because it was too cold outside to do it there. Sandelin and I had tried a few different spots for the pregame interviews, and the player bench seemed like a good idea.
Once that was done, I explored a little bit. I like Magness Arena. Plenty of room in the concourses, not too many seats, not cavernous. Very intimate atmosphere, though I'd later learn that the people who attend the games usually find other things to do besides cheering. I liked the layout, even though the press box area was a bit too low (in relation to the ice) for my liking.
The lighting in there is strange, but that's more of a TV issue than anything else. It doesn't affect the fans or broadcasters...it might just look a bit strange on television.
The food is hideously expensive. Thank goodness for expense accounts!
Anyway, I got back to my booth in plenty of time for the broadcast. Time to do the requisite pre-game research. I jot down the power play and penalty kill stats on my scoresheet, and I go over the opponents' line combinations to help me remember all the names. With Denver, there are few issues here, because so many of their players are established names in the WCHA. I start practicing my Matt Carle Superlative List, because I know that with Denver playing for their season this weekend, I'll be calling Carle's name quite often.
Once the game starts, things don't look good. UMD's Mason Raymond takes a rather silly interference penalty :10 into the first period, and Denver takes the lead at 1:25 on a perfect pass from the left point across to the right goalpost, where Paul Stastny, son of HOFer Peter, has a layup past UMD goalie Nate Ziegelmann. Ouch. After watching UMD lose 4-0, 5-1, 5-0, 5-2, 7-0, and 2-0 in succession to close the regular season, I'm pretty sure I don't like the way this thing starts.
But the boys settle down. They get outshot 12-2 for the first period, but at no point after the first couple minutes do the Bulldogs look even remotely close to being overmatched. In fact, once we get past the first ten minutes, UMD actually starts to assert themselves. At the time, no one had a clue that this would become a weekend trend.
UMD didn't get many breaks in the first half of the game. Then things really started to turn for them. The Bulldogs got a power play relatively late in the second period. After some struggles setting up in the DU zone, Josh Meyers took a shot from the point. DU goalie Glenn Fisher made the first save, but Nick Kemp kept the puck alive out front long enough for Andrew Carroll to come flying in to score the equalizer. Not only had UMD tied the hockey game, but they had scored a goal for the first time in 159 minutes and 34 seconds dating back to the Colorado College game on February 25. Despite being outshot by a pretty healthy margin for the game, it was 1-1 going into the third.
The Maroon Machine took the lead early in the third. Mike Curry made a great play on the right wing wall to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and he was able to thread a pass into the slot, where Carroll was flying in toward the goal. Carroll's one-timer off a tape-to-tape pass gave the 'Dogs a 2-1 lead. Stastny's second power-play goal of the game, though, tied it shortly after, and Denver held off a hard-charging UMD team late in regulation to force overtime. Shots were 29-16 at this point, but that didn't truly reflect how the game was being played, as UMD was doing a great job keeping Denver's scoring chances to a minimum.
After a full intermission, UMD needed just 85 seconds to stun the crowd in Denver. After a turnover by Denver in the UMD zone, freshman Matt Niskanen started the offensive rush by completely undressing DU center Geoff Paukovich. Paukovich's whiff sprung UMD on a 4 on 2 rush. Niskanen brought the puck down the left wing and fired it on net. After a mad scramble out front, fellow freshman MacGregor Sharp found the puck and shot it past Fisher to give UMD the upset win. The Denver crowd was silenced, and it wasn't the only time they'd be silenced for the weekend.
Saturday, March 11
Spent some quality time with UMD beat writer Kevin Pates and UMD television voice Steve Jezierski. Went to a place by the hotel called "Noodles", which serves - you guessed it - noodles. Good stuff. Talked about WDIO-TV's inexplicably stupid decision to cut Sunday's potential Game Three from their broadcast schedule. Steve didn't rip anyone for the call. I said that I couldn't understand why they would go through the expense of flying the broadcasters and technical crew out and not allow them to finish off the series should it go that far. But, in the end, it isn't my decision to make. It's the TV station's. They made their call, and nothing can change now, no matter how loudly we may complain about it. We talked hockey, too, and I think all three of us were surprised to a certain extent by the position UMD was able to place themselves in heading into Saturday's game.
As for the game, it started innocently enough. Oh, and Denver scored first again. This time, it was the flukiest damn thing you'll ever see. J.D. Corbin took a pretty innocent-looking shot from near the right point, and it bounced off what appeared to be an area near Ryan Dingle's armpit. Evidently, Dingle used the right kind of deodorant, because it bounced up in the air, high enough to elude Ziegelmann but not high enough to get over the crossbar. Ugh. Another bad bounce for UMD. If this were poker, UMD would be the guy with pocket aces who gets beat by a guy who had 2/7 offsuit and picked up a straight on the river because he was betting like an idiot and sticking around in a hand where he had nothing. They were outplaying Denver, but DU gets the first bounce and a 1-0 lead.
The Pioneers weren't finished. In the second period, they grabbed a 2-0 lead on another nice shot. This one came from Dingle, who picked up his 27th goal of the season by ripping a wrister past Ziegelmann. Like Stastny's second goal the night before, I was left to tip my invisible cap. It was 2-0 in favor of the desperate team, even if they didn't necessarily play like a desperate team that deserved a 2-0 lead.
But UMD hadn't fired their shots in this game yet. The fifth straight power play for the Bulldogs over the course of about 22 minutes finally gave them a chance. UMD's coaching staff watched in disbelief as Stastny plowed Jay Cascalenda into the boards from behind in a blatant effort to get kicked out of what could be DU's last game. Instead, (blind) referee Jon Campion called Stastny for "roughing", ignoring the obvious intent of the new crackdown on hits from behind. (Blind) Campion had already ignored one hit from behind by a DU player (Andrew Thomas), though he had shown his willingness to call such HFB penalties on Friday when he nailed UMD's Nick Kemp for a very questionable major penalty and game misconduct.
The two minutes on Stastny were more than enough. In fact, a one-minute penalty would have been sufficient. Jason Garrison blasted a one-timer past Denver goalie Peter Mannino to pull UMD within one after two periods. It was Garrison's second career goal, both against Denver.
No one knew what was coming. Frankly, I was more concerned about (blind) Campion allowing an overzealous Denver player to put one of our boys in a wheelchair (after all, I had just watched DU get away with two blatant HFBs) than I was about (blind) Campion and his (blind) ARs doing something to cost UMD the game itself.
Leave it to a WCHA officiating crew. They found a way to screw up even worse than they already had. Michael Gergen used a DU defenseman as a screen and beat Mannino up high to tie the game early in the third. Then, after a DU power play was shut down by UMD, the Bulldogs took their second bad beat of the night. Ryan Helgason took a puck in the right corner and pushed it out in front of the UMD goal. Ziegelmann, who had ventured out to play the puck to the right of his net, was on his way back into the net when the puck hit the back of his skate and trickled across the goal line to make it 3-2 Denver with less than five minutes left. Then the officials took over, because the game was apparently not entertaining enough without their involvement.
In the final seconds, UMD had Ziegelmann pulled for the extra skater. They pressured, and finally got a break with 6.8 seconds left when Niskanen's one-timer caught air and was tipped in by senior Tim Stapleton. UMD celebrated what they thought was a tie game. But (blind) Campion and (blind) AR Tim Swiader conferred and decided that Stapleton's stick was high. Replay wasn't conclusive because the only shot they could use was the camera over the crease area, which didn't show Stapleton tipping the puck. With no conclusive evidence to overturn what Swiader swore he saw, the call of "no goal" stood, leaving UMD players, coaches, and trainers, along with the equipment manager, athletic director, and radio and TV announcers livid. The call wasn't going to change, though, and the most important people involved realized that, accepted it, and moved on: The players.
Sunday, March 12
As the snowstorm that would strand us for four extra hours in Denver was getting ready to slam into the Twin Cities, we all got ready for the final game of the series against the Pioneers. The day was anxious. I walked around the hotel area, went to lunch with Pates, watched some basketball, and got ready for the game.
I admitted to Pates and my wife (via text messaging) that I didn't have a good feeling. I felt all weekend like Denver was about to break out, and I figured that if they were ever going to, it would be early in this game, as they had to have been somewhat bouyed by the bad call that kept their season alive.
To a certain extent, I was right, but UMD had a response. Again.
Denver took a 1-0 lead on another pretty power-play goal by Stastny, who was fed on the doorstep by Patrick Mullen. The fact that, for the third straight game, UMD fell behind and kept their poise showed me that I had no reason for a bad feeling.
It took more than 20 minutes, but when the golden opportunity came, UMD was ready to take full advantage. Back-to-back holding penalties on DU gave UMD a 5 on 3 for about 25 seconds. It took Stapleton 11 seconds to tie the game on a beautiful cross-goalmouth feed by Mason Raymond. 1:10 later, Meyers fired a one-timer from the high slot for another power play goal and a 2-1 lead. 30 seconds later, Gergen slammed a one-timer home from the right faceoff circle to make it 3-1. Finally, another one-timer, this one by Garrison, capped a run of four goals in 3:45 to give UMD a 4-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The third period felt like it took three hours. The Bulldogs clearly didn't want to make any defensive mistakes, and the only goal they surrendered came during a frantic Denver flurry while they were playing 5 on 4 with an empty net. They had other chances, but the goalposts were friendly, and Ziegelmann was on fire. He stopped 17 shots in that third period, and made some great saves to keep the score lopsided.
In the closing seconds, Carroll ran down a puck in neutral ice and broke into the DU zone by himself to score the dagger, and empty-net goal that made the final score 5-2.
I know it's an upset, but it didn't feel like one. Frankly, outside of about 10 minutes in the first period Friday and short flurries in the first periods Saturday and Sunday, I felt that UMD was the superior hockey team. The confidence they gained hopefully gives them some momentum heading into the Final Five this weekend. Obviously, UMD (11-24-4) needs to win the automatic bid to go dancing.
But after what happened in Denver, can we really rule anything out.
See you in St. Paul, hockey fans.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
I'm alive!
Seriously, I don't try to neglect all of you.
I also had no expectation that I would spend the better part of six days traveling to Denver and back (the "and back" part was an adventure, as anyone who's familiar with the weather yesterday in the Twin Cities can attest).
How fitting that the team bus took I-35E out of St. Paul and just happened to pass the XCel Energy Center on the way home.
See you on Thursday, X.
The rest of you? I'll be back with general thoughts later in the week, including my take on exactly why the WCHA's #2 seed is sitting at home this week, and possibly until next season, while a team with more losses (24) than any Final Five team since 1994 (Michigan Tech had 25 entering the Final Five that year) is moving on to St. Paul.
And you know what? With the way they're playing right now, UMD has just as good a chance as anyone not named "Minnesota" to win. Apparently, UMD fans don't have to "wait 'til next year" to see a difference-maker in net for the Bulldogs.
I also had no expectation that I would spend the better part of six days traveling to Denver and back (the "and back" part was an adventure, as anyone who's familiar with the weather yesterday in the Twin Cities can attest).
How fitting that the team bus took I-35E out of St. Paul and just happened to pass the XCel Energy Center on the way home.
See you on Thursday, X.
The rest of you? I'll be back with general thoughts later in the week, including my take on exactly why the WCHA's #2 seed is sitting at home this week, and possibly until next season, while a team with more losses (24) than any Final Five team since 1994 (Michigan Tech had 25 entering the Final Five that year) is moving on to St. Paul.
And you know what? With the way they're playing right now, UMD has just as good a chance as anyone not named "Minnesota" to win. Apparently, UMD fans don't have to "wait 'til next year" to see a difference-maker in net for the Bulldogs.
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