Former ND AG Alen Olson tees off on NCAA...

It’s about time someone with some political clout said something in response to the NCAA. So kudos to former ND Governor and Attorney General Allen Olson for taking the NCAA to task.

Grand Forks Herald --- Allen Olson served two terms as North Dakota attorney general before he was elected governor in 1980. In the early 1990s, former UND President Charles Kupchella asked him to serve on an advisory committee concerning the nickname, and last year Kelley named Olson to his nickname “transition cabinet,” to help guide a respectful retirement of the popular name and logo.

“What bothers me the most about this … I see the politics of it,” Olson said.

“Setting aside the emotions of the Native American and non-native relationships of this issue, it was an easy way for the NCAA to offset the legitimate criticisms they had received for years about the extraordinary amounts of money involved in collegiate sports,” he said. “It seemed to me it was an easy way for the NCAA to use a serious and significant issue that deserved serious attention but turn it to their advantage and use their monopoly power” to force a change.

“I wish I had more respect for the NCAA,” Olson said. “It is a flawed organization.”

Citing NCAA controversies over money in collegiate sports and other matters, Olson said the association “certainly (has) been humbled. In the past few years, they’ve been forced to feel the heat over some irrational policies.

“My sense is (the campaign against member schools’ use of American Indian names and logos) was a way to respond to the academic intelligentsia critics on NCAA member campuses where they were under continuous criticism,” he said. “It was a convenient and easy way for them to claim credibility.”

NCAA officials, provided a synopsis of Olson’s comments, responded tersely.

“Mr. Olson is entitled to his opinions,” Bob Williams, NCAA vice president of communications, wrote in an email, “but they have no basis in fact.”

Hextall signs with the Coyotes.

I hope Brett Hextall likes Winnipeg... The Twitter World just exploded with this breaking news, it's what some of us have feared for a while, Brett Hextall signed an entry level deal with the Winnipeg Jets Phoenix Coyotes.

AZcentral.com --- The Phoenix Coyotes have signed forward Brett Hextall to an entry-level contract.

Hextall, 23, scored 13 goals and 16 assists in 39 games at the University of North Dakota. He led his team to two  one Frozen Four appearances in three seasons.

Hextall, the son of former goaltender Ron Hextall, was drafted in the sixth round, 159th overall, by the Coyotes in the 2008 Entry Draft. Ron Hextall played 13 seasons in the NHL.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Think there will be any hurt feelings when this series is done.

This series has turned into a really good hockey series. I think I am going to have to tune in and watch game 6.

They lived up to that reputation on all accounts Thursday night at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, when the Blackhawks scored early and often and blew out the Canucks 5-0 in their own building — which was absolutely silent when the great Vancouver fans weren’t booing their own team.

Raffi Torres got in another cheap shot when he went leg to leg with Ben Smith, Alex Burrows slashed Patrick Kane, Dan Hamhuis tried to end Dave Bolland’s season with a hit to the head and Alex Edler finished the second period with an elbow to Troy Brouwer’s head.

All the game was missing was Kevin Bieksa jumping someone from behind, though he didn’t get the chance and didn’t seem to like it much when Brouwer dropped the gloves and hit back.

So let’s see what the geniuses from the NHL offices decide to do about those two hits to the head, but don’t hold your breath expecting justice from Colin Campbell and Co.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are now officially terrified of the Hawks again, having twice failed to close out the series as the teams head back to Chicago for Game 6, with Vancouver knowing goalie Roberto Luongo is in full-blown meltdown and pondering three straight years of Chicago misery.

Think the $10 million goalie gets another chance to start Sunday in Chicago on a short leash? Can’t wait to find out. [Read the whole article]

Andrew Ference waves with one finger now $2500.00 lighter in the wallet

This is bad, you can not do that. When asked about the incident Ference said, “I apologize. That is not part of my repertoire. My glove got caught up there.” I think Ference would be better off just saying I am sorry and leaving it at that...

NEW YORK -- The NHL fined Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference US$2,500 on Friday for making an obscene gesture during a playoff game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Ference was fined for giving Canadiens fans the finger after a goal in the second period during Boston's 5-4 overtime win over Montreal on Thursday night at the Bell Centre.

Ference apologized later and said his finger got stuck in his glove.
No penalty was assessed for the incident.

Edler's elbow smash to-the-head of Brouwer

Another game, another dirty head shot, seems like the players are not getting the message one bit, it also looks like the Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice will be spinning again today. What the hell is wrong with Alex Edler, who basically started a line brawl at the end of the second period with a dirty unneeded elbow to the face of Troy Brouwer’s... Come on! There is no excuse for that hit, it's unacceptable and there is no way anyone can defend that dirty hit, even the Canucks fans… Whatever happened to playing the game straight up and taking a number?

Are the Canucks gutless?

Here is an interesting article that I found in a Chicago newspaper the Daily Herald, to be honest with you, this is how I have felt for a very long time when it comes to the new NHL. I blame the instigator penalty for much of this.

The crap that goes unanswered today is ridiculous, in the old days if you ran hit someone with a questionable hit you had to answer for it, for example Matt Cooke’s hit on Marc Savard would have caused a bench clearing brawl in the 1970’s, now the refs go out of their way protect the agitators and the punks that skate up and down the ice taking liberties that many times go unanswered...

Daily Herald --- The Vancouver Canucks have long been known as a team that will crack under the strain, succumb to the pressure and ultimately choke away a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

But now they've shown the entire NHL they're gutless, too. Raffi Torres tops the list and Kevin Bieksa isn't far behind.

They're both fairly typical of the “new” NHL, which has created an environment where players aren't held accountable.

The players used to police these matters and settle scores — think Darren McCarty-Claude Lemieux and Dirk Graham-Vlad Konstantinov — and the game was safer because of it, but now the league would rather have Torres running around trying to end careers and never force him to answer for it.

John Scott had every intention of putting Torres in his place Tuesday night late in the game, but as he engaged Torres at the faceoff circle, referee Dan O'Rourke tossed them both, robbing the Hawks of a chance to set things straight.

That's maddening enough — and you wonder why Scott didn't wait until the puck dropped — but then Bieksa suddenly became a tough guy with Scott gone for the night.

He jumped legendary enforcer Viktor Stalberg and began throwing punches before Stalberg even knew he was in a fight.

Wow, Bieksa is some brave man. Does he kick kittens, too?

About 10 minutes earlier, Tanner Glass refused to fight Scott, and when he couldn't get Glass involved, Scott waited too long to have a conversation with Bieksa, who feigned hearing loss and wouldn't even look at Scott — the equivalent of going into the turtle.

Ryder's game winning goal against the Habs'

For the whinny Habs fans and the Montreal media that said the Boston Bruins game winning goal was offsides at the blue line, I watched the video about 10 times and I say not a chance was that goal offsides, take off the red goggles and go back and watch the video again, that was a good call at the blue line and a good goal.

Andrew Ference gives 20,000 whinny Hab's fans the bird.

So you know this obscene gesture is going to cost Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference some cash... I hear that 2,500.00 is the going rate for such an act, I am sure that Ference can afford it. As a Bruins fans I really can't blame Ference for giving the Habs fans the bird, historically Habs fans are some biggest whiners in the NHL and they remind me of a fan base 350 miles to the south and east of us here in Grand Forks, ND... I mean seriously the Habs fans and booed Zedeno Chara every time he touched the puck, let it go already.

Ducks' hack Ruutu suspended for one game - edit Erat to miss game 5

Jarkko Ruutu’s hit on Martin Erat will cost him a one game suspension, Ruutu has been suspended by the NHL and he will miss torrow night's game five between the Ducks and the Predators.

Edit: If you want to read an interesting perspective about the hit click on the link to the Duck's Blog at the Orange County Register, some of the comments are interesting. If you go and a read NHL rule 48 it appears that the hit by Ruutu is a textbook example of a violation of that rule. The rule is pretty straight forward. If the Ruutu hit on Erat was as soft as some Ducks fan s have claimed, then why is Erat going to miss game five? According to the Tennessean Martin Erat will not make the trip to Anaheim for Friday’s Game 5 and is being listed with an upper-body injury. So much for the Theory that Erat took a dive and it was a soft hit. Game, set and match.

TORONTO – Anaheim Ducks forward Jarkko Ruutu has been suspended for one game for delivering a late hit to Nashville Predators forward Martin Erat in Game Four of their Western Conference quarterfinal last night, the National Hockey League announced today.

The incident occurred 4:00 into the second period and Ruutu was assessed a minor penalty for interference on the play.

Ruutu's suspension will be served tomorrow night (April 22) when the Ducks host the Predators in Game Five of the series.

What's wrong with the Denver Post?

Denver Post's Picture

My question made Adrian Dater recent Av's Mail Bag at the Denver Post Av's blog. I don’t know Adrian Dater from Adam and let me be clear; it’s not just Adrian Dater either, for whatever reason it seem to be the modus operandi of the Denver Post to make objectionable headlines and blog post articles to stir up the masses, especially Fighting Sioux fans. Seems like the only time the focus is on the Denver Pioneers is when the Sioux and Pioneers play and the Sioux fans help sell out DU’s arena. But I digress.

This isn’t about DU and UND… It’s about the lack of class in performing drive-by-journalism to bring attention to certain major metropolitan newspaper. I guess the Denver Post is struggling for readers and visitors to their Denver Post on line site as well? I guess people would rather look at the Rocky Mountains than read their newspaper? You don’t see Brad Schlossman or Michael Russo doing this kind of stuff in their work. Maybe the Denver Post could learn from these two individuals.

So why the questionable articles and titles to online posts, there is a documented history; the Denver Post sports writer Mark Kiszla did the same thing during the Wild and Avalanche Stanley Cup playoffs series three seasons ago. Adrian Dater was complaining about Wild forward Cal Cluterbuck earlier this season, he took issue with Cal's hits, but also said, Clutterbuck was running around the ice clucking and turtling from fights after Cal Clutterbuck ate the Av’s lunch during a hockey game.

Mike Chambers did it with his ridiculous Sioux fighter’s comments, and then the unnecessary blog post whining about the treatment a FSN Rocky Mountain reporter Alanna Rizzo got at the REA during a January 2009 series between the Sioux and Pioneers. Finally, the hit piece about Jesse Martin feeling snubbed by Brad Malone during the NCAA regionals.

Can the Post just write articles without having to insult a specific fan base? There was no need to write the title to the Brad Malone signing, none! It was unnecessary and I hope the that University of North Dakota thinks twice before they make their players and coaching staff available to the Denver Post again… I can't see George Gwozdecky being treated like that in the Grand Forks Herald.

Why would The Denver Post try to stir up discontent with Fighting Sioux fans with their latest title: "Avalanche signs Brad Malone, whose hit broke the neck of DU's Martin." Is that really necessary?
---Eric B, Grand Forks, N.D.

Yeah, there were a few complaints about that headline. I think I can speak for The Denver Post here and say there was never any goal to "stir up discontent." But it's a bit of a tricky line here. It shouldn't define his whole life, but the fact is Malone was the guy involved in a very high-profile story here. You have to mention it.

Maybe it didn't have to be so blatantly displayed in the headline, and saved instead for the body of the story, but this was also the Internet version of the story. There tend to be longer and more subject-heavy headlines now on the 'Net, because of search engines and rankings on them.

The fact is, though, there was nothing untruthful in the headline. It's a fact. Let's hope Malone creates better things in his biography around here, to change the headlines.

Eric Brewer hit on Maxime Talbot and A door opens for Zherdev

The Flyers and Sabres series last night has had some big hits that will get some review from the NHL brass. Eric Brewer’s hit on Penguins forward Maxime Talbot might also get a look from the Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice as well.


A Flyers fan mentioned this act in the comments of the Mike Richards hit on Patrick Kaleta... Patrick Kaleta for some reason saw fit to open the bench door of the Sabres players bench for Nik Zherdev while he was being checked, unfortunately that's a bush league move that was unnecessary because Zherdev could have been seriously hurt from that knuckleheaded move.

In retrospect I wish I would have watched this game last night instead of the snore feast between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals because it looks like the Flyers and Sabres series has proved to be one of the better series to be played during this season Stanley Cup playoffs so far.

Mike Richards elbow on Patrick Kaleta

I not sure what to make out of this call, if was a definitely an elbow to the head of Patrick Kaleta but I believe that Mike Richards was trying to protect himself from getting hit by Kaleta. Should Mike Richards be suspended for this hit? I don't know, it's different than some of the other hits we have seen during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Was the penalty 5, 10 and a game misconduct enough? That is what the NHL is going to have to decide.

Martin Erat blown up by Jarkko Ruutu...

Jarkko Ruutu’s hit on Martin Erat is going to get some scrutiny from the NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell. Enough is enough someone needs to sit the rest of the playoffs, eliminate them from the game for the rest of the playoffs.

Every night there is another incident that involves another player head hunting an opponent. Eventually, I hate to say it; someone is going to get killed on the ice and it isn't going to be from a fight, it going to be at the should/elbow of one of these gutless pukes that some like to refer to as agitators, I call them P.O.S. they are the Matt Cooke type players that take liberties up and down the ice. These are the same buffoons that commit one of these gutless acts and then hide behind the refs and turtle when challenged to a fight. Unfortunately, none of these repeat offenders players ever seem to get caught with their heads down.

This is why we applaud players like Evander Kane when the bill comes due; this is why I stood up and cheered in my empty living room when Tie Domie knocked Ulfie Samuelsson out cold. These players never seem to pay for their transgressions and they never get what they have coming to them.

Kristo to return to UND for the 2011-2012 season...

According to Runnin' With the Dog's favorite beat writer Brad Schlossman UND Sophomore forward Danny Kristo will be back with the Fighting Sioux next season. The pieceS are beginning to fall into place, the UND fan base is Anxiously awaiting word from junior forwards Brett Hextall and Jason Gregoire. There has been "a lot of speculation and rumors" on the various fan message boards and blogs on whether Brett Hextall and Jason Gregoire are going to sign professional contracts or not. We just have to wait I guess, lets hope they decided to make a return to UND.

UND Hockey Blog ---- Danny Kristo, a second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2008, says he will be on a team that he thinks can sneak up on some people.

“I thought about it and looked it over and obviously could have done either or,” Kristo said. “But I feel like with (Aaron) Dell coming back Bloody (Ben Blood) coming back, that will be huge for us. Knighter (Corban Knight) will be back. He’s one of the most underrated guys in the league. I think we will have a strong team next year and we can surprise a lot of people. Personally, there is still a lot I can accomplish.”

After a slow start in terms of production, Kristo was one of UND’s top point producers come the end of the season. In his last 16 games, he had 23 points. If you average that rate over a full season, it would have equated to 61 or 62 points.

NCAA didn't want an open meeting.

Grant Shaft was on the Flag 1100 A.M. with Scott Hennen yesterday and apparently the NCAA didn't want to participate in an open meeting. Hum! Interesting. That's not very transparent if you ask me. [Click to listen]

GRAND FORKS, ND – Top NCAA executives did not want to participate in a meeting that would have been open to the public; that’s “plain and simple,” according to State Board of Higher Education member Grant Shaft.

Appearing on the Scott Hennen Show yesterday, Shaft was disappointed that the NCAA cancelled its scheduled April 22nd meeting with state and school officials, but was hopeful that another conference could still be arranged.

“I don’t think they were looking for a situation where the meeting would be either covered by the press – or there would be any kind of testimony, or anything like that – and for that reason, they pretty clearly indicated that they weren’t going to come. I’m still hopeful we’ll have the opportunity to speak with the NCAA on this - I haven’t lost hope -it’s just that particular meeting on the 22nd fell through” Shaft said.

Although an open-door forum has been widely favored by the public (and some North Dakota legislators, including Governor Dalrymple) Shaft understood the uncomfortable position this would have presented the NCAA. In his experience, negotiations are best played out under the discretion of a “closed private setting”:

“You have to remember is there’s essentially two hats here: one is providing an opportunity for people to be a part of it, and vent themselves, or whatever they wanted to do – but the other part was for those of us who truly wanted to see if we could get a deal struck with them to retain the nickname and logo” Shaft said.

Shaft anticipates state and school officials will respond to the NCAA retraction after the current legislative session adjourns.

NCAA Will Penalize North Dakota for Use of Sioux Mascot

For the most part I really liked what Allen Corbin of 1340 A.M. had to say in this article, however, I must correct him a bit, The University of North Dakota has a nickname and logo and does not have a "Mascot" there is no one running around dressed up like a “Sioux Warrior” at UND sporting events. In fact I haven’t ever seen this happen since I first attended UND in fall of 1993.

Allen Corbin 1340 the Fan --- Spirit Lake tribal members endorsed the nickname and logo in a referendum, and the tribe’s governing council followed. The Standing Rock Sioux’s tribal council, which has long opposed the nickname, has declined to change its stand.

The letter means UND will be subject to NCAA sanctions after the new law takes effect in August and could be barred from hosting post-season events on campus. Schools like UND will be penalized when honoring and celebrating the heritage of their area and yet the NCAA and its thought police wish to impose its liberal bias on its institutions. This is a slippery slope in our society and the NCAA isn’t helping by throwing water on the path.

This issue doesn’t pertain to just UND or other schools who have aboriginal mascots. If the NCAA prevails, no telling where this road will lead universities and colleges. PETA could very conceivably petition the NCAA to sanction schools who use animals as mascots and could even try to ban use of Texas Tech’s Matador Song. Matador means killer of bulls for those of you in Austin.

UND spokesman Peter Johnson told the Associated Press, “We thought it was important to clarify the NCAA’s position, given all of the activity that’s taken place with this issue over the last two months. I think the letter is pretty clear.”

The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Al Carlson, R-Fargo, the Republican majority leader in the North Dakota House, was approved in the House and Senate overwhelmingly. It was signed by Gov. Jack Dalrymple last month a few hours after it was delivered to his office.

“I think the citizens of our state view this quite differently than they do,” Carlson said. “We want to know a lot more than what they’re going to do. We want to know the reasons why, and we want them to listen to our side of the story.”

Jack Edwards hates diving in hockey...

This one is for my buddy Redwing77, as we both hate diving and embellishment in any form of ice hockey... I agree I can't stand watching some bozo/buffoon embellish a hit or penalty and flail around on the ice and act like they have been shot to draw a penalty only to have them to return to the ice for the ensuing power play.

NCAA sticking to 2007 agreement; UND will face penalties for continuing use of Fighting Sioux nickname, logo

It will be interesting to see how this thing plays out... I think there is some time before it gets dicey. It would appear that this is a high stakes poker game; we will have to see who blinks first

In talking to the head of the Alumni Department during the Final Five and the biggest loser if UND is sanctioned by the NCAA would be the woman’s hockey team which will probably be eligible for a home series during the NCAA tourney.  If UND went back on the NCAA list the UND Woman's Hockey team would probably have to travel on the road if they made the NCAA tourney. That is something to think about because they were very close to making it the NCAA playoff this season and with the addition of a few recruits coming in this fall this team could be a title contender or at least in the mix.

Nothing has changed.

That’s the message UND President Robert Kelley received today from the NCAA, after Kelley queried the association on where things stand.

In a letter dated Friday, Kelley asked for “clarification of the NCAA’s position regarding the relationship between the University of North Dakota and the NCAA (with specific reference to the 2007 settlement agreement).”

Kelley also asked “whether the NCAA is willing to revisit, in any aspect, the terms of the agreement,” given that the university “will be bound by state law” after Aug. 1 when a new state law requiring retention of the name and logo takes effect.

In a response dated and received today, Bernard Franklin, NCAA vice president of membership and student-athlete affairs, said the association’s position remains firm.

“The NCAA’s position regarding its relationship with the State of North Dakota on this issue is set forth in the parties’ binding settlement agreement signed Oct. 26, 2007,” Franklin wrote.

“In that document, it was agreed that the policy will apply to North Dakota unless North Dakota either (1) secures namesake approval by Nov. 30, 2010, or (2) transitions away from the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo before Aug. 15, 2011.”

The state “did not obtain necessary support from the identified Sioux tribes,” he noted, and Kelley’s letter on Friday “makes clear that North Dakota will not transition from the current nickname and logo.”

Consequently, “North Dakota will be subject to the provisions of the policy,” Franklin wrote.

Those provisions include sanctions barring UND teams from hosting post-season tournaments or wearing proscribed attire during such tournaments.

The new North Dakota law “cannot change the NCAA policy nor alter the contracted terms of the agreement,” Franklin wrote.[Click to view]

Every since Dr. Robert O. Kelley was hired on as the president of the University of North Dakota I have been less than impressed with his leadership, I have yet to see him show any leadership qualities that I find redeeming. What the heck did the hiring athority like in this guy that made them decide that he was their guy?

I would not be an understatement to say that I am uninspired by Dr. Kelley’s leadership, to date he has done nothing but act as if he was above the fray, as if to say, I didn’t create this mess, please help me. In reading this article as well as the one from last Friday, it looks like Kelley is seeking a life line from the NCAA… Be a leader... Or get the heck out of the way. You work for the people of North Dakota but also the University of North Dakota, that means you're public servant and you answer to the people of North Dakota first.

Denver Post condones Malone headline.

As you know the Denver Post is known for using objectionable titles like this; Avalanche signs Brad Malone, whose hit broke the neck of DU's Martin, to their sports section articles. This is my example of drive-by-journalism at it's best by their beat writers. Is the Denver Post hurting this bad for readers?

This is why I think Sioux fans are lucky; we are blessed a great beat writer in Brad Schlossman and you would never seen anything classless like this come from him or anyone at the Grand Forks Herald in their sports department. You sure as heck wouldn't see it from Virg Foss...

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:thegoon48@gra.midco.net]
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 2:01 PM
To: Mailbags
Subject: Avalanche Question

Name: Eric B

email: thegoon48@gra.midco.net

hometown: Grand Forks, ND

Question: Why would the Denver Post try to stir up discontent with
Fighting Sioux fans with their latest title; Avalanche signs Brad
Malone, whose hit broke the neck of DU's Martin... Is that really
necessary?


------------------------------
Here is the response to that email...

Hey Eric, I'm gonna sneak in here to answer this because it's a good
question. And Adrian wasn't involved in that headline. I'd like to
answer you, because I know North Dakota fans were upset.

We here actually talked about the story you're referencing when it hit,
because Colorado went through a similar situation with Steve Moore. But
for the context of Brad Malone's signing, that is how most fans in this
area know him. Fans in North Dakota know him differently. The Avs sign
players all the time, and often they're unknown at first to a majority
of NHL fans. But for Malone, readers in Colorado actually have a context
for him.

Also, I'm sure UND fans see something subjective in that headline. But
to be honest, we don't care one way or the other about DU rivalries, in
so far as who wins. And we're not interested in stirring up UND fans.
But for the Malone hit on Jesse Martin, it was penalized and Martin
broke his neck. Those are facts. Thus the headline.

I hope this lends some perspective. Thank you for the question. I'll
make sure Adrian sees it too ... -Nick

Nick Groke
Sports online editor
The Denver Post
303-954-1015
ngroke@denverpost.com

Tampa Bay Hack Steve Downie and Pittsburgh Chris Kunitz suspended for one game by the NHL.

The Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice has spun and the NHL has given Lighting Hack Steven Downie and Chris Kunitz a one game suspension. In Steve Downies’ case he is a repeat offender and I believe his hit was more egregious and deserved more than a flimsy one game suspension. The Chris Kunitz hit was dirty but he isn’t known for being a dirty player like Steve Downie is. Brett Hull was XM-204 this morning and basically said until one of these players is eliminated from the NHL playoffs there will continue to be questionable hits like this in the playoffs. This was an opportunity for the NHL to make a point but they failed in the Steve Downie incident.

NHL.COM --- According to TSN reports, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Kunitz and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steve Downie have each been suspended one game by the NHL for their actions during Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal-round series on Monday.

Downie's ban comes as the result of a charge on Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy during the first period. He was going to be assessed a minor penalty on the play, but the Penguins scored a goal before the Lightning were able to gain possession of the puck for the whistle to be blown.

Kunitz connected with an elbow to the head of Lightning forward Simon Gagne on a separate play in the first period of what ended up a 3-2 win for the Penguins. They hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series with Game 4 back in Tampa on Wednesday.