Goon's Ramblings 8-28-06.

Dane Jackson Picked as UND Next Assistant Coach
Apparently not all in town are happy with the selection of Dane Jackson as the next assistant coach of the Fighting Sioux. Below is a letter that was written to the editor of the Grand Forks Herald that was in this Sunday’s paper.

UND hockey misses great coaching candidate
GRAND FORKS - Taking nothing away from Dane Jackson, whom UND recently hired as men's assistant hockey coach, UND missed an excellent opportunity to promote a Grand Forks native. Steve Johnson (UND 1984-1988) also had applied for and vigorously pursued the position. Johnson not only won a national championship at UND, but also was a Hobey Baker runner-up, first team All American, Western Collegiate Hockey Association and national scoring leader and went on to become U.S. Hockey League coach of the year on three separate occasions. He also has international coaching experience, having coached three U.S. national teams. His USHL record consistently is among the league's best and includes five championships in 10 years in Lincoln, Neb.

Johnson also was instrumental in UND's recent success, having placed 20 Lincoln Stars players at UND, including eight players on the 2004-05 UND team that finished second in the NCAA Frozen Four. In addition to passing up the opportunity to hire Johnson, UND could jeopardize its recruiting of elite U.S.-born players. All three current UND coaches are Canadian-born players. UND has sent a message to U.S.-born players that its recruiting focus is elsewhere. This is unfortunate, because 16 of UND's players last year were U.S.-born, while 11 players came directly from the USHL. This is a number that potentially could shrink over the next few years.

Many USHL coaches vocally supported Johnson in his bid to become a UND assistant. His reputation within the league would have been a major asset to UND's recruiting efforts. Without that connection, UND will have more and more difficulty landing top U.S. players. USHL coaches will take this news as a negative reflection of their league's value to UND. It is truly unfortunate that UND athletics expects so much financially from students, businesses and others in this community but missed a prime opportunity to give something back. Jay LaDue

Goon’s World Perspective on the Matter

First off, Dave Hakstol is the head coach of the Fighting Sioux. It is his prerogative to hire whomever he wants to hire, it's his decision. Let's get over ourselves. Ok, so Hak is great coach, it's his decision to hire the best person suited for the job, that person in Hak’s mind is Dane Jackson. I am cool with that.

I think as Sioux fans our next response should be to welcome aboard Dane Jackson, glad you’re here and congratulations on getting the position, not whining from malcontents unhappy with the decision.

Bruin's Resign Patrice Bergeron. Whew...

The Boston Bruins got some good news today.
The Boston Bruins finally signed Super Star Patrice Bergeron today. This was a deal that had to get done and the Bruin's Management came through inking Patrice to a nice deal that will allow the Bruins to have their top forward in camp when training camp kicks off next month. The deal is reported to be some where in the 4.75 million dollar range. Whew...
Bergeron Signs Contract

The Boston Bruins have re-signed center Patrice Bergeron to a multi-year contract, it was announced today by Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli.

"Patrice is an outstanding young player with a tremendous future," said Chiarelli. "He is an offensive threat every time he is on the ice, has great defensive instincts and he plays a physical game without taking a lot of penalties. With all that he has already accomplished, he will continue to grow as a player and we are very pleased that he will do so in a Bruins uniform."

Goon's Ramblings 8-20-06.

Time for the River Cities Speedway Management to change things up.

I am a big race fan much to my wife’s displeasure and I attend the weekly program at River Cities Speedway on a regular basis (religiously). RCS I also think the NOSA sprint car division is NOSA a good touring club. However, currently I am not all that high on the River Cities Speedway management and the way the track has being run, in my opinion the track is slipping in quality of their weekly shows; I believe there is a list of problems many of us have pointed out on the various message boards (poor track prep, poor flagmen, rough driving, low car counts, too quick to cancel a race due to rain, low pay out to drivers, we know the list we may have our own additions).

I feel River Cities Speedway has a lot of room for improvement and its weekly race program, and as of late the weekly program is getting stale. That is my personal opinion. The RCS needs to change things up for the good of the fans or they risk losing the fans to another venue. One example is the Super Stocks a once competitive division have crashed and burned and will probably be dumped after the season, the weekly programs are marred with rough racing and low car counts. I can only imagine what kind of Junkers the Speedway will run in their place next season. Please don’t replace them with bombers or road hogs. I suggest something along the lines of the Midwest Mods. Heck if they are smart they should go to the DTRA Modified.

Incidentally DTRA has Streets Stocks, Super Stocks, Modified and Late Models. It seems like a no brainier if you asked me.

One question: Why not switch to the weekly program for sprints to ASCS? ASCS Racing Web Pages Why not get involved in a national points race? You could still have the NOSA touring points too. The Late Models switched to Dirt Track Racing Association, which I believe is a good thing. DTRAThe driver can still race in a National Points Race. I also believe that LM’s are the most competitive class at RCS right now.

Another argument is RCS is losing drivers that could have possibly raced at River Cities Speedway to the ASCS. A few of these drivers are; Wade Nygaard, Mike Sitzmanm, Natalie Sather, Lee Grosz. I might get slammed for this but some of these drivers are more exciting to watch than some of the current NOSA Sprint Car drivers currently filling the line up right now. Personally I would rather watch Natalie Sather than Tom Cummings or Stan Meyer.

Why not have an ASCS program here from week to week? The drivers that want to run 410’s could still compete with 410's when the Big Boys of the world like the NST come to town. Next year the World of Outlaws WoOwill only run to dates in ND. I am afraid they will dump us in North Dakota all together very soon for bigger venues that have bigger grand stands, Loews, Texas Motor speedway etc.

This is where I think RCS has gone down hill. The River Cities Speedway used to have many awesome weekly events. In years past there used to be all kinds of weekly specials: The NCRA used to come to town, then there was the Harvest Bowl, years past there was the Knoxville, Hussets, RCS challenge (I also think that the track prep of years past turned some of traveling drivers off). Now there are nothing but shows that cost $40.00 + and frankly the management might may have priced some of very fans they are trying to draw to the speedway (i.e. Nation Sprint Tour and World of Outlaws Late Model events). Personally I will be able to afford these events but I know there will be others that will say the hell with this I am staying home because no race at RCS is worth that type of price tag. I doubt my father would want to spend that much money to see a race. Then get back into his gas guzzling F-150 and spend 3.00+ a gallon to drive 140 miles back up to Williams, MN.

In fact this season the NST Show is really the only legitimate sprint car special of the year, they used to have the Harvest Bowl, NCRA and other events. Heck half of the drivers in NOSA race 360’s now. I think we limit the numbers of cars that come to RCS because it’s not a 360 track per say, when in reality it might be and we don’t know it. Except for the big shows where there is big money the speedway is really not drawing the big drivers like it used to. The NST show was awesome.

Local Drivers on a Roll.
Mark Dodmeier has been on a roll this season, I think that might actually be an under-statement. Mark Dobmeier has won an unprecedented 14 features this season. Mark Is leading the points at River Cities Speedway as well at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon South Dakota by two points. I wonder how long Mark will race locally before he makes a run at either the NST or the WoO, he definitely has the talent if he has the money to compete. If I were Mark, I be board with winning every race at RCS, the man can come from the back of the pack and win a race, just give him 10 laps. The time is now for Mark to step up to the big time.

Lou Kennedy is the hot at Nodak speedway in Minot this season. Lou has won both NOSA shows in Minot and was the highest finisher for the local drivers in last nights show finishing 8th and bringing home $2100.00. A nice payday for Lou, Goon’s world would like to congratulate Lou Kennedy Jr. on having a fine season this year. I have enjoyed watching him race whenever he has been in the River Cities field since Lou switched chassis this year he seemed to have a better a better car on a night to night basis.

Hero of West Regional Quesada Signs with Houston.

Tony Quesada

Former Holy Cross Goalie Tony Quesada Sign AHL contract with Houston Areos.Quesada Signs
Another Goalie in the Mix
GDI
In case anyone has forgotten him: Go back March 24th, 2006 the goalie of record, the star of the 2006 West Regional game, the darling of the Grand Forks media, The goalie of record between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Holy Cross Crusaders Tony Quesada has signed a professional contract with the Houston Aero’s of the American Hockey League.
4-3

July 31, 2006

HOUSTON, Texas. - Former Holy Cross goaltender Tony Quesada has signed a contract with the American Hockey leagues Houston Aeros, the team announced Monday. The Aeros are the affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.

A four-year member of the Holy Cross men's hockey team, Quesada ranks first all-time at Holy Cross in wins (61), save percentage (.915), goals against average (2.50), games played (105) and minutes played (6033:54), while he is second in saves (2700).

The Mass Exodus Continues.

Players Leaving Early for the Pros Updated Version:
The list of players bolting for the pros keeps growing by the day. ItÂ’s getting to be sickening. Again Goon's world doesn't fault these kids for taking the money but I blame the hockey clubs plucking these kids out of school early. I predict there are going to be more and as I predicted there were more. Forunately UND hasn't lost anymore.

Complete list of underclassmen signings in the WCHA (so far):
Break Down of the List Per Sioux Extra
Brad's Blog

UND (5)
Travis Zajac, sophomore
Matt Smaby, junior
Drew Stafford, junior
Rastislav Spirko, sophomore
Jordan Parise, junior

Minnesota (4)
Phil Kessel , Freshman (signed with the Boston Bruins)
Kris Chucko, sophomore
Danny Irmen, junior
Ryan Potulny, junior

Mankato (3)
David Backes, junior
Kyle Peto, junior
Ryan Carter, sophomore

Wisconsin (2)
Robbie Earl, junior
Joe Pavelski, sophomore

Denver (2)
Matt Carle, junior
Paul Stastny, sophomore

Players that could leave.
Brian Elliot (BADgers) Staying with the Badgers.
Jack Skille (BADgers) Staying with the Badgers.
Jonathon Toews (Figthing Sioux) Staying with the Fighting Sioux

On a side note: Cornell Big Red Hit Hard by Defections also
Its well documented that Minnesota(4) and the Fighting Sioux (5) have suffered major loses this off season, the Big Red of Cornell has also been hit hard in the off season by defections. Here is a break down of the Cornell loses.

Cornell David McKee Jr. Signed with Anaheim (NHL)
Cornell Ryan O'Byrne Jr. Signed with Montreal (NHL)
Cornell Sasha Pololuk So. Signed with Washington (NHL)

Goon's Ramblings 8-17-06.

Signing Imminent
All the pundits are now saying that Phil Kessel the highly talented Minnesota Golden Gopher’s forward is about to sign a professional contract the upstart Boston Bruins. Minnesota Coach Don Lucia is preparing for the bad news. Lucia Believes deal coming soon

Who knows, it could all fall apart in the next 24 to 48 hours," Lucia told the Globe. "But I'd be surprised. Right now we're preparing for life after Phil. If he ends up back in college right now, I'd be very surprised."

The past week the Internet chatter has been fast and furious about the upcoming Kessel deal. It seems to be the story that everyone one is talking about: see links below. In a summer where there seems to be a never-ending list of defections of college hockey underclassmen to the NHL, the list keeps getting longer and longer. Fans nation wide are lining up on bridges in a town near you to make the leap (all kidding aside), the up coming college hockey season cannot come fast enough.

The Links to the Never Ending Story:
For all the people that want to see a link they are numerous.

ESPN Story on Kessel
Hammy’s Golden Gopher Blog
Ciskie Nation
Western College Hockey

Its now Offical Kessel A Boston Bruin.

Its Now Official

The Boston Bruins have signed center Phil Kessel to a multi-year contract, it was announced today by Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli. Terms of the contract were not released.

"Phil is a player with world-class speed and gifted offensive talents," said Chiarelli. "We feel he is ready to begin his professional development and we are looking forward to seeing him compete at training camp.”

Kessel, 18, was Boston’s first pick, fifth overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft held on June 24, 2006 in Vancouver. He played one season of college hockey at the University of Minnesota in 2005-06, finishing second on the team and sixth overall in league scoring with 18 goals and 33 assists for 51 points in 34 games while also leading his club in plus/minus with a +22 rating. He was named the WCHA’s Rookie of the Year and earned a berth on the WCHA All-Rookie Team.

Goon's Ramblings 8-16-06

Phil Kessel
Time to make up your mind Kessel

There is a rumbling on the internet that Phil Kessel might in fact be signing a pro contract. There is no confirmaton of this as of yet. Yawn, this is getting boring, almost as boring as the suspense leading up to his press conference, where he announced which college team he was going to play with.

BostonBruins.COM poll on Kessel Staying in College or Going Pro
Here was an interesting poll on the Bruins web page.

Should Phil Kessel leave college early to turn pro?
Current Results:
51.85%
Yes, he should leave now
30.83%
He should wait one more year
17.33%
No, he should play all 4 years

Hammy from the Golden Gopher Blog is saying that it is about to happen.
Hammy's Blog

Goon’s Ramblings 8-13-2006

Harry Sinden Steps Down as President of Boston Bruins
Sinden Steps Down
On could say that 8-09-2006 was a very good day for the Boston Bruins hockey team as well as for their beleaguered fans. Long time president and general manager Harry Sinden resigned as president of the Boston Bruins. Harry Sinden will stay on as advisor to the Bruins, but I can only hope that they use little if any of his advice unless team owner Jeremy Jacobs wants to continue being a mediocre hockey team.

Harry Sinden has been at the helm as the Boston Bruins a once proud hockey franchise have been systematically run into the ground and become the laughing stock of the NHL. It’s a good move because the Bruins can’t continue to be a horrible team in a very competitive Northeastern Division. Last season the Boston Bruins failed to make the playoffs finishing 13th in the East out of 15 teams, that folks is unacceptable.

Breaking down the numbers further: The last season the Bruins made the playoffs was 2004 when the Boston Bruins were taken out of the playoffs by the punch less Montreal Canadians in seven games. In fact the Bruins have failed to get past the second round (missing the playoffs three times including last season) since 1999 when they lost to the Buffalo Sabres in six games.

The last season was totally a disaster as the Bruins fired their head coach, General Manager and shipped two very good hockey players west. The last straw was probably sending Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks where he went on and won the league scoring title. I had a hard time stomaching the trade as the Bruins received little in return for Thornton.

the Future looks Bright?
There is some room for optimism based on trades the Bruins made in the off-season. The Bruins picked up a monster defensemen Zdeno Chara from the Ottawa Senators. Zdeno Chara is a mountain of a man and is also as mean as a cornered rattlesnake. They also picked up Marc Savard from the Atlanta Thrashers who scored 97 points last season.

On the other side of the coin the Boston Bruins have many holes their biggest hole is goaltending. Tim Thomas is brutal at best and I have no clue why the Bruins signed him to another contract but they are stuck with him unless they can find a good replacement. Frankly I would like to see more of Finnish Goalie Hannu Toivonen who came on last season until an ankle injury ended/shortened his season.

Goon's Ramblings 8-6-2006.

The 2006 Hunting Regulations Laws have been posted.
Ducktober is just around the corner and there are some new rules that hunters need to be aware of. The North Dakota Waterfowl season opens for North Dakota residents on the 23rd of September. The following week the season opens for Non-Residents on September 30th. There are some subtle changes to the proclamation that hunters need to be aware of: this season you will be able to take 5 ducks in stead of 6, you can take 5 mallards but only one of them can be a mallard hen, one canvasback, or one pintail.

Mallard Drakes
This could be problematic and I predict there will be a lot of mallard hens stomped into the mud (as one poster mentioned on another web page) or left in the bulrushes for the coyotes to eat. Hunters are going to have to be careful to identify the ducks they are shooting at before they pull the trigger. I would also suggest getting a waterfowl identification guide and study it. You are going to want to make sure that your shooting a mallard drake. Shooting too many mallard hens only reduces the number of ducks that you will have to hunt next season. I once read in an article that for every mallard hen you shoot you potentially erase 15 ducks that could have been born next season.

Hen Mallard

The New Rules-Posted in the Grand Forks Herald
Service OKs liberal regulations; N.D. season likely to begin Sept. 23, Minnesota's on Sept. 30
By Brad Dokken
Herald Staff Writer
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved a "Hunter's Choice" aggregate duck limit for North Dakota and four other Central Flyway states during the 2006 waterfowl season.

The service also approved the "liberal" package of waterfowl regulations for the upcoming season. Federal waterfowl managers use a formula called Adaptive Harvest Management, which looks at spring mallard numbers and Canadian wetland conditions, to set fall hunting seasons.

Spring conditions were good enough to warrant the liberal package again this year, officials said. The other options are "moderate" and "restrictive" packages with shorter seasons and reduced bags.

Paul Schmidt, assistant director of migratory birds, made the announcement Friday during a conference call with outdoor writers from across the country. The liberal package means a maximum 74-day season in the Central Flyway and a 60-day season in the Mississippi Flyway, which includes Minnesota.

Three-year test

With approval of the Hunter's Choice regulations, North Dakota hunters will have a five-duck limit instead of the traditional six that liberal regulations traditionally allow. Basically an aggregate limit, Hunter's Choice eliminates the "season within a season" for less abundant species such as pintails and canvasbacks. Hunters can have one mallard hen, one pintail or one canvasback in their five-bird bag.

Other species restrictions include a two-bird limit on scaup and wood ducks. In the category of abundant ducks, hunters can shoot five birds of such species as teal, wigeon and mallards, but only one of those mallards can be a hen.

Other Central Flyway states offering Hunter's Choice regulations are South Dakota, Wyoming, Texas and Kansas. The goal of the three-year experiment is to reduce the harvest of pintails and canvasbacks.

The remaining Central Flyway states will be "control" states adhering to the traditional limited seasons for pintails and canvasbacks.

"That's going to be really exciting to see how that works," said Randy Kreil, wildlife division chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck.

Residents-only opener

Approval of liberal regulations clears the way for North Dakota to open its duck season Sept. 23. Kreil said the state again this year is recommending to set aside the first week of season for resident hunters only. Nonresident hunters could begin hunting waterfowl Sept. 30.

Despite drought conditions across North Dakota and other prairie pothole states, Kreil said he wasn't surprised the service opted for liberal regulations over the moderate or restrictive packages.

"What people need to realize is the factors that determine whether we're in a liberal package are the mallard population, which is still high, and the habitat on the Canadian prairies," Kreil said Friday. "Water conditions all across the prairies and boreal forest (of Canada) are excellent, so that is going to lend itself to very good duck production in Canada."

In Minnesota, the Department of Natural Resources again this year is expected to offer a 60-day season beginning Sept. 30, according to Steve Cordts, waterfowl staff specialist for the DNR in Bemidji. Bag limits have yet to be determined, Cordts said Friday, and the DNR likely will issue a news release with more information this week.

Minnesota last year had a four-duck limit, even though they could have offered six birds under the liberal package. That's likely to be the case this year, too, if spring population surveys are any indication. The DNR estimated spring mallard numbers in the state at 161,000 - 33 percent lower than 2005 and the lowest recorded since 1983.

Goon’s Ramblings 8-03-2006

Fix Your Ball Marks Please
One of my personal pet peeves is golfers that don't fix their ball marks on the greens. Today while golfing I notice a lot of ball marks on thee greens. As a former golf course maintenance worker I know that ball marks on greens are a superintendents nightmare if a person doesn't fix their ball marks it will take at least 2 weeks or longer for that ball mark to heel, also when you don't fix your ball mark it the ball mark can further be damaged by the greens mower when they mow the greens I the morning. As I played my round of golf today I noticed that there are a lot of ball marks on the greens at my local course. Not fixing your ball mark seems to be a pattern that is prevalent in the Red River Valley.

Here is the is a perfect example on the proper way of fixing a ball mark. This is taken from a web page on good etiquette.
The Proper way to Fix a Ball Mark
Always repair your ball marks on the green, not to do so is really bad form. In fact, repair a second mark if a player before you has failed to repair theirs. The proper way to repair a ball mark is to use a repair tool, which many courses will gladly give you. Place the prongs of the tool at the edges of the mark and push in towards the center of the mark. Continue around the mark until the depression has been eliminated. Tap down on the repaired area with the bottom of your putter head to even out any bumps or rises that are left. Sometimes a small piece of turf will come out when the ball lands and leaves a mark. Do not replace this in to the depression. Toss it away from the green.

Goon’s Ramblings 8-02-2006

Another Big Loss for the Fighting Sioux Hockey Team.
Fighting Sioux assistant Coach Berry make the jump to the American Hockey League. This past week Fighting Sioux fans were greeted with more bad news (good for the coach and bad for the Sioux) Assistant Coach Brad Berry accepted a job with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.

Goon’s World is saddened by the loss of a good coach because he was a great mentor of young defensemen, and his work was evident by the play of our blue liners. Coach Brad Berry was instrumental in the development of former Fighting Sioux players Matt Greene, Matt Smaby and last seasons freshman defensemen. This is a major blow to UND because his services will be sorely missed. I would like to take this time to thank Coach Berry for his service to UND and wish him the best of luck in coaching in the pros. As clichés go one team’s lose is another’s gain.

Toews Staying Put at UND.
This past week Fighting Sioux forward Jonathon Toews announced that he was staying put and returning to the Fighting Sioux for another season. It would be an understatement if I said a lot of us are relieved as the latest good news (finally something positive after a summer of disappointments) that the Fighting Sioux will have the services of the highly skilled Toews for at least one more season, I wonder if we can talk him into staying one more season after that? If Toews had signed a professional contract with the Chicago Black Hawks it would have been a serious blow to UND chances this up coming season. Let it be known that Toews is a man of poise, It would have been hard for me to turn down the rookie max 850,000.00 and a 85,000 signing bonus.

I believe with Toews the Sioux will still have a dynamic group of skilled players coming back for the next season. Although UND will not score goals in bunches as they did last season Toews and Oshie will still put the fear in the opposition.
Jack Skille Staying Put in Madison
The Wisconsin Badgers also received some good news in July also. Up and coming super star freshman forward Jack Skille announced that he will in fact be returning for another season with the defending National Champions Wisconsin Badgers. It had been rumored that Chicago was interested in signing Skille along with Fighting Sioux forward Jonathon Toews.

Wisconsin like the other great teams in the WCHA did not go unscathed during the off season as the Badgers suffered some big time losses as well, leading scorer Sophomore Joe Pavelski (56 points) signed with the San Jose Sharks of the NHL and second leading scorer Junior Robbie Earl (50 points) signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. Both players were highly touted marquee players and their loss to their team is huge. Of course the Badgers are still loaded and sport one of colleges best goaltenders in Brian Elliot. The Badgers are still going to be the team to beat as teams are going to have to break through their defense to score. Elliot game teams fits last season.