Bruins Rebuild?

In an article posted on NBCSports.com today, it seems as if the Boston Bruins are going through a transition period in the upcoming season. Now this doesn't mean that they will be a cellar team, however, because of the recent roster movement, and ages of some remaining top players, the big bad Bruins may not be so big and bad this coming up season.

After missing the playoffs last season, the Bruins faithful will start to get restless if their team misses the playoffs yet again. Being in a town known for championship titles in its four major sports, even though some may or may not have cheated to win them (cough Patriots cough), these fans expect nothing but to win and win now.

Two seasons since their last Stanley Cup Final run, lets take a look at who remains on this Bruins roster from that team of two seasons ago. Just six players remain from that team. Of those six, Torey Krug, Brad Marchand, and Tuukka Rask will be the only players under the age of 30 by the end of the upcoming season. Tenured Captain, Zdeno Chara, is now 38 this year and his time in the league is running out.

That being said, this is still a talented core group of veteran players who can still get the job done and should not be taken lightly. Time will tell if the aging Bruins still can compete with the youth movement in the NHL, but for now, we will see if they can squeak back into the playoff picture once again this season.

A Couple of Housecleaning Items

Frist, as we get closer to the UND and NHL hockey season there will be more of a frequency of items being posted. Years past, I posted more during the summer, but I decided to take a different approach this season. There're roughly eight weeks till the college hockey season begins.

So, enjoy your summer and get ready.

As you have probably noticed, I've taken most of the summer off and just relaxed. Personally, I needed to take a break and step away for a few months.

My wife is happy that I took this approach. This summer, she's not threatening to throw my laptop into the street or drive over it with her car. Actually, she has threatened to do this in the past.

But I digress.

For the most part, there's nothing going on this summer. This has been, without a doubt, one hell of the boring summer.

Moreover, this summer, the Minnesota Wild didn't make any big moves. They have no actual cap space to sign any big name free agent players. Former UND hockey players Zach Parise says the Wild will be fine.

Outside of Dave Hakstol moving to the Flyers, and Brad Berry becoming UND's new head coach, the UND hockey team has been out of the news. That's probably a good thing. I am sure that things will pick up as schools starts in a couple of weeks. In fact, it was the worst summer ever for college hockey news.

One of the highlights of my summer: I did manage to take a trip to Detroit, Michigan for training. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. In my humble opinion, I think Detroit gets an unfair bad rap. If you get outside of the city and roam around the suburbs, you will find that there's a lot to do.

I recommend you take a trip there and see for yourself. I also found a pizza place that blows Deeks out of the water. Hello, Green Lantern Pizza. They make an amazing pizza. Sorry, Schloss.

Finally, I want to be clear, I stand by writers. All of them. Do I agree with everything that they write, nope? Not at all. We're human beings. From time-to-time, someone is going to post a blog post that rubs you the wrong way. That's life. That being said, I usually never delete posts for differing positions on various topics. There's no reason to.

I have very few rules for the boggers: Do not use profanity or personally attack anyone and try to be nice. You can, disagree with someone and be respectful. Of course, the Minnesota Gophers are fair game. :) Do I send them an editorial note, you betcha? They can say that the Montreal Canadiens are great if they want to.

Also, personal attacks against any of the Goon's World writers or the fellow commenters is not tolerated. Racist, sexist, homophobic, or vile filthy, profanity-laced comments will be deleted without hesitation and without apology.

One item of clarification, everytime a blog post from any writer goes live on Goon's World, that post is also tweeted out to two Twitter accounts (X2). At the same time, those posts also go live on my facebook accounts (X2). Last night, while I was eating at Buffalo Wild Wings, Zach put up a post that lit up Twitter.

Finally, thanks for reading and I am ready for the upcoming season.

Four Year Athlete Obsolete

At the end of every Men's Division 1 NCAA Hockey season, most of the 59 teams fan bases hold their breaths and wonder one thing. Who are we going to lose early this year? It has become a common thing for athletes not staying all four years in order to be sure to sign that entry level pro contract into the NHL.

According to USCHO.com, 30 players chose to leave their schools early, a majority of which were juniors with just one year left to play. However, there were five freshman who decided to leave after one year, including second overall pick in this year's entry draft, Jack Eichel. Now I do understand that these top NHL draft picks want to be sure that a serious injury doesn't ruin their professional dreams, but seriously. You go to college to play the sport and the university you are playing at is investing time and money in you. Now I'm not saying athletes should stay all four years, but they should spend at least three years with their school of choice.

Another interesting number found off of USCHO.com, 20 of the 59 schools were effected by early departures. Of those 20 schools, 10 of them saw more then one player leave for the NHL. Now I know that doesn't seem like a lot of players considering each of the 59 teams is allowed to roster up to 25 athletes, however top programs like North Dakota, Minnesota, and Boston University have rarely seen an entire class stick together all four seasons since the turn of the century, if at all.

For example, look at a team like North Dakota. This season saw the departures of juniors Zane McIntyre and Jordan Schmaltz to their respective pro teams. The year before, they lost Rocco Grimaldi to Florida, who was a red shirt sophomore at the time, and three seasons ago, would lose junior Derek Forbort to a pro contract. The list just goes on from there.

Maybe someday more athletes will once again decide to play all four seasons of NCAA hockey, but for now, senior classes keep getting smaller and smaller, and the sizes of the incoming freshman classes just keep growing in size.

Interesting Read on Patrick Kane Situation

Criminal investigations take time, the wheels of justice move slowly. Almost at a snail's pace. If I had to guess, I would say that this investigation probably won't be over when training camp starts in 36 days. As an NHL fan, you hope that the allegations against Patrick Kane aren't true. Obviously, you're innocent until proven guilty.

David Haugh, Chicago Tribune -- They also realize — with training camp only 37 days away — the time could come soon when they will have to make an uncomfortable decision about Kane's status that puts them in a no-win situation. Buffalo-area legal experts told the Tribune it could be weeks before forensic test results come back. It could be even longer before the Erie County District Attorney decides whether to file criminal charges.

What do the Hawks do if Kane remains in legal limbo as the Sept. 18 reporting date nears? The only way they avoid that Catch-22 is if the DA announces in the next month that no charges will be filed. But if Kane faces charges or the investigation remains open, the Hawks face a dilemma in which both sides of the debate can be defended.

Here's my side: In the post-Ray Rice era of professional sports, a first-class franchise such as the Hawks cannot allow a player facing serious allegations to represent it until more clarity about the case exists. That clarity could come sooner rather than later in Kane's case, but it is missing now.

The thing about setting a standard of excellence as high as the Hawks have is living up to it; no single player, not even a living legend, can compromise that commitment to integrity.

WSJ: Name Game in Search of a New North Dakota Mascot

Nothing new here. The title is a bit off as well, UND is looking for a new nickname, the mascot will come later.

Per the Wall Street Journal:

But a committee assigned to identify a new nickname for the school, which first met in March, voted recently by a margin of 7-4 to eliminate North Dakota as an option. Some argued that the state name didn’t actually count as a nickname.

The group will put five candidates—Fighting Hawks, Nodaks, North Stars, Roughriders and Sundogs—to a public vote, though the process and timeline haven’t been determined. The Wall Street Journal reported in March the committee at that time had hoped to come to a final decision on a new nickname as early as May, but the panel recommended waiting until students and faculty return to campus for the fall semester before any vote takes place.

The committee settled on the five finalists after receiving more than 1,000 “appropriate” suggestions from the public, according to Peter Johnson, executive associate vice president for university relations.

PFT: Vikings Lead NFL In Arrests Over the Last Five Years

Kind of a dubious honor.  It also doesn't surprise me, not in the least.

Per Pro Football Talk:
According to data compiled by former San Jose Mercury News reporter Mike Rosenberg, the Vikings are leading the way with 18 arrests the last five years.

They’re followed by the Broncos (16), the Colts and Buccaneers (13 each) and the 49ers (12).

At the other end of the spectrum, the Texans come in last with just one, and they cut rookie defensive tackle Brandon Ivory within days of his arrest in Alabama.

The Chargers, Giants and Panthers are tied for next-to-last with three each, and the Dolphins and Saints are next with four. The Patriots are among the teams next with five, even though one of theirs was the double-murder conviction for former tight end Aaron Hernandez.

That being said, this is nothing to be proud of. Not an honor that the Vikings want to have.

There have been 260 NFL player arrests over the last 260 weeks (5 years). New team-by-team arrest breakdown: pic.twitter.com/iNfgyUrzlf — Mike Rosenberg (@RosenbergMerc) August 10, 2015

Grand Forks Herald Letter: Character of players in nickname debate shows

This letter lacks a few facts, or just plain omits them. But hey, let's not let facts get in the way of a good argument.

Again, without going over the facts again. Not all of the Tribes were screaming against the Fighting Sioux nickname. The Spirit Lake Tribe approved of UND's use of the Fighting Sioux nickname

Per the Grand Forks Herald:

Character, Aristotle observed, is best revealed through the choices we make.

In a widely circulated letter titled “What if? That’s the question for UND fans,” Tom Anderson reasons that were NDSU, like UND, to have its logo declared offensive to Native Americans “without any input from the North Dakota Sioux Tribes…

Whoa!

Except for Spirit Lake, all North Dakota tribes were screaming against UND’s use of the Fighting Sioux logo.

The NCAA stepped in, a court suit followed and a settlement agreement granted North Dakota three years to secure approval from the state’s two major Sioux Tribes to continue using the logo.

The Standing Rock Tribal Council disapproved. End of story?

Norwood Teague Resigns as AD at UMN

Whoops! The University of Minnesota will be looking for a new athletic director after Northwood Teague resigned today.

Per the Star Tribune:

At a press conference Friday, university president Eric Kaler said there was also harassment of a "verbal and a physical nature" at the event. Kaler said he would not be more specific.

The texts were later released to the media, and they contained graphic content.

In a text message sent to Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins and several other media members, Teague said: "At a recent University event, I had entirely too much to drink. I behaved badly toward nice people, including sending truly inappropriate texts. I am embarrassed and apologize for my offensive behavior. This behavior neither reflects my true character nor the values of the University.

"I am extremely proud of our accomplishments during my tenure here, and I don’t want my personal life to impact the University’s reputation. I have taken immediate steps to obtain help with my alcohol issues, and I take full responsibility for my actions."

(UPDATED) The Buffalo News: Patrick Kane Possible Subject in Rape Investigation

View image | gettyimages.com

This story broke earlier this morning. Chicago Blackhawks All-Star forward Patrick Kane is the subject of a rape investigation. It's still very early in the investigation, and there are very few details on this story. Also, keep in mind, in the USA, you're innocent until proven guilty.

From The Buffalo News:

Hamburg police are investigating an incident reportedly involving Patrick Kane, the Chicago Blackhawks star, two sources with knowledge of the probe have told The Buffalo News.

** UPDATE: Sources: Kane is target of rape investigation **

Two sources said Hamburg police officials have forbidden their officers and detectives from publicly discussing the investigation.

“We can neither confirm nor deny the existence or nonexistence of a criminal investigation until such a time as a person is charged with a crime,” said Hamburg Police Chief Gregory G. Wickett.

Per Deadspin:

Update, 10:28 a.m.: WKBW-TV in Buffalo cites sources claiming police are “investigating an alleged incident involving...Kane and a woman that began at a bar in Evans.”

Report: Patrick Kane subject of Buffalo-area police probe (The Hockey News)

Patrick Kane subject of police investigation; no charges filed (ESPN.COM)

TMZ Reports: Patrick Kane Rape Investigation Launched (TMZ.COM)

Report: Patrick Kane subject of sexual assault investigation in New York (SI.COM)

Blackhawks' Patrick Kane subject of police investigation in New York: report (Chicago Tribune)

Patrick Kane story from @TheBuffaloNews with latest details: http://t.co/SAMxLt2RFT

— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) August 6, 2015

Tonight at 11: latest on the Patrick Kane investigation; Plus, how new contract could affect future Buffalo police. pic.twitter.com/zKZATibA6K

— News 4, WIVB-TV (@news4buffalo) August 7, 2015

FCS Poll

• FCS Coaches' Poll
• The Sports Network
• Simple Ratings System

FCS Coaches' PollThe Sports NetworkSimple Ratings System

RANK	SCHOOL	2014 RECORD	POINTS	2014 FINAL

RANK	SCHOOL	2014 RECORD	POINTS	2014 FINAL
1	North Dakota State (24)	15-1	600	1
2	Illinois State	13-2	551	2
3	Villanova	11-3	512	7
4	Sam Houston State	11-5	511	6
5	Coastal Carolina	12-2	502	5
6	Eastern Washington	11-3	481	4
7	New Hampshire	12-2	445	3
8	Chattanooga	10-4	409	8
9	Jacksonville State	10-2	396	9
10	Northern Iowa	9-5	381	10
11	Montana State	8-5	296	20
12	Montana	9-5	278	11
13	James Madison	9-3	272	19
14	Liberty	9-5	256	17
15	South Dakota State	9-5	215	13
16	Youngstown State	7-5	205	25
17	Eastern Kentucky	9-4	171	21
18	Richmond	9-5	170	16
19	Southeastern Louisiana	9-4	164	12
20	Indiana State	8-6	106	18
21	Fordham	11-3	103	14
22	Harvard	10-0	99	15
23	McNeese State	6-5	91	NR
24	Idaho State	8-4	82	NR
25	Eastern Illinois	5-7	73	NR

There are four Big Sky Football teams in the FCS Coaches Poll. The question that everyone is asking, will the NDSU Bison win their fifth FCS Championship in a row? The chances are very good. UND fans are wondering if their favorite team will finally make the NCAA FCS playoffs.

Big Ten Will No Longer Be Playing FCS Schools

I guess the Big Ten Football Conference is tired of losing to FCS schools. For instance, our brother to the south have won five straight games against FBS opponents and has a 2-1 record against Minnesota of the Big Ten.

Per Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press:

Fellow Big Ten West title competitors have somewhat lighter crossover schedules. Wisconsin will play Rutgers and Maryland; Nebraska gets Rutgers and resurgent Michigan State.

The FCS schools, which now supplement their budgets with high-paying games against FBS schools, now won't have that revenue.

"That is going to put some real burden on schools of that size and how they are going to go forward with their football programs," said Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association. 

So, is it good policy for the FBS schools to not schedule the FCS Schools? I don't think so, unless your team has a good shot of making the playoff game. Right now, only four schools make the FBS playoffs.

I suppose the Kansas schools will think twice about scheduling FCS schools. Especially, after NDSU beat both of them recently (2010, 2013).

 

Being North Dakota Doesn’t Violate Settlement Agreement

This summer, there's been a lot of discussion regarding UND and simply being North Dakota. Obviously, some fans, me included, would rather see UND remain North Dakota then adopt a silly and moronic nickname like Sundogs.

Some have said that would violate the settlement agreement between UND and the NCAA. That's not true at all. I reached out to the UND leadership to get clarification. Here's the response that I received.

Eric, thanks for the email and the support for our university. The NCAA says there would not be a violation of the settlement agreement as far as they are concerned if UND didn't adopt a new nickname. However, the NCAA did say that if fans resumed using Sioux or Fighting Sioux, the NCAA believes other schools will complain and that, in turn, would very likely result in sanctions. The NCAA does seem to believe that UND has done its best to comply with the settlement agreement.

Peter Johnson
Executive Associate Vice President for University Relations
(701) 777-4317

Fargo Forum: It's getting foolish at UND

Our friends to the south just can't help themselves. They fall all over themselves coming up with suggestions for UND and what they should do when it comes to the UND nickname. Don't do it, worry about your back-to-back-to-back-to-back NCAA FCS championships.Seriously, that's an impressive feat, no doubt about it. That being said, I don't recall any of us asking for their help.

Per the Fargo Forum:

A new nickname at UND is a nice idea, but many backers of the school don’t want one. Many feel if they can’t have Fighting Sioux, then go with nothing. There is so much animosity towards Kelley and the NCAA, and so much passion for the Fighting Sioux, that it will be tough for a new nickname to be accepted. Some hope that by going with no nickname now, the Fighting Sioux nickname will eventually come back. That’s not going to happen.

It will look foolish to people outside of North Dakota, but if UND fans don’t want a new nickname, then there’s no point of having one. More of the mess that needs to be sorted out is who gets to vote, and how the ballot is worded. Voters should be asked if they want a new nickname or keep UND/North Dakota. If more than 50 percent say yes to a new nickname, then they should vote on the final five choices.

Everyone has a solution to UND's nickname issue.

UND Nickname: A Couple of Ideas

This summer, the University of North Dakota has been moving towards selecting a new nickname. There've been various people weighing in on what UND should select for a new nickname. Daniel O’Shea from Grand Forks wrote a letter to the editor and suggested that UND be the Pride of the North.

Per O'Shea's letter to the Grand Forks Herald:

In my view, the nickname to replace the Fighting Sioux already is in use, in that UND has been using it to introduce the Marching Band at football games. It is the Pride of the North.

However, this name didn’t go very far in the nickname committee’s view. But perhaps now it is more worthy of reconsideration.

What better name would support UND and all of its students and alums

Steve Molvig of Lovelock, Nevada suggested that there's no harm with UND simply being North Dakota. There's quite a few people that feel the same way.

Molvig's letter to the editor:

As mentioned earlier, finances and expansion at UND have been OK since the Sioux logo was retired. It seems that not much was lost. What things have not come UND’s way because they had NO logo or a never existing mascot (except the Farce’s Kermit). In every poll conducted and published in the Herald, the North Dakota option has been the overwhelming choice. However, this top vote getting superior results has been passed off as somehow hanging on to the Sioux identity or sour grapes.

Why can’t it be that North Dakota option supporters are just that proud of the state, its residents, and they want UND’s recognition nationwide to be the great qualities of North Dakota?

Grand Forks Herald Letter: Sioux people deserve seat at UND nickname-selection table

I know I am a couple of day late on this. I did find this letter thought provoking. Rich Becker, a Republican, from Grand Forks, ND says the Sioux people should have a seat at the UND nickname selection table. What do you think?
Becker from the Grand Forks Herald:

I have visited with members of both the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock tribes, and they feel their voices now have been ignored twice regarding their gift to UND of permission to use the Sioux name.

First, they were ignored by the NCAA, which some legal experts believe did not have the authority in its bylaws to demand the nickname change in the first place.

Second, they were ignored by former Board of Higher Education and UND leaders, who have neither visited tribal leaders on their reservations nor asked them to come to UND to be involved in the naming discussion.

It may be hard for some to understand the sorrow and hurt that so many American Indians feel toward the university and state for the dropping of the Sioux name. Yes, the tribes have many negative issues that tribal members must overcome -- issues such as a lack of education, job and housing opportunities. But over the years, the members have found a steady and vital source of hope and encouragement in the association of the Sioux name with UND.

Now, for argument sake, Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald, three-time UND alumnus and President, United Tribes Technical College is an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Tribe and was the Tribal Chairman.

McDonald is an enrolled citizen of the Spirit Lake Tribe in North Dakota and served as the tribe’s chairman. “We were very deliberate in conducting a national search to get the best qualified candidate,” said Tex G. “Red Tipped Arrow” Hall, United Tribes’ board president. “It came down to five who were qualified with post-doctoral level certification.” (Link to the rest of McDonald's Bio)

One could ask, why weren't more Native Americans on the UND Nickname Selection  Committee?  Hind sight is 20/20, but, should the committee included more Native Americans?

Herald Letter: Nickname not just about athletes

Apparently, UND Alumnus Ralph Sollom didn't appreciate Mike Jacobs op-ed the other day.  Thoughts?
Per the Grand Forks Herald:

The people of North Dakota built the University of North Dakota and alumni from all over the world support it in many ways. Students attending UND and people who work there all have a stake in UND. If they are interested in picking a nickname for UND, they should have an opportunity to vote. Picking a nickname is not something for only “active athletes.” Everyone who has a stake in this should be able to choose to vote. Many huge agencies and corporations conduct extensive voting procedures involving a worldwide constituency … I’m sure UND can do this, too.

When I first read Jacobs letter, I thought it was odd that the former editor of the Herald would suggest that only active athletes be allowed to vote on the new nickname. My first thought was that if you did something like that, you would alienate a whole swath of people.

Fargo Forum: Faux Egalitarian Exercise to Select a Nickname Has Become Cartoonish

Wow! Are we entertained yet? I think the fight is only going to get nastier as time goes on. First, UND can't pick a nickname until they define the parameters for selecting one. Second, Kelly has already said he's going to wait to pick a nickname in the fall. That makes sense, wait till the students return to campus.


Per the Fargo Forum and here.

Silly, right? Well, no sillier than attempting (and ultimately failing) to be fair to all when it was crystal clear from the beginning that there was no way “all” could ever come to agreement, or even consensus, about a new nickname. And of course, the mossbacks who cling to the retired nickname will continue to do so no matter what.

Leadership requires leading. It means making unpopular – but right – decisions. The faux egalitarian exercise to select a nickname has become cartoonish. Purpose has been sacrificed to process. A nickname in and of itself isn’t much. But as a vessel, a reflection, an image, it’s very important. The character of athletes, the conduct of fans and the earned reputation of a university will define the nickname, whether it’s Ducks, Gophers, Mud Hens or Cobbers – or whatever at last emerges for UND.

Mud Hens? If you're a duck hunter you will know this one. I kind of like that one. I don't remember that showing up in the initial vote.

Finally, if you're bored with the nickname issue, former All-American forward Zach Parise is celebrating his birthday today.

Classy Move by David Backes

View image | gettyimages.com

Classy move by one of my favorite former WCHA players. Former Minnesota State Maverick forward David Backes has written a nice check to his former school.

Mankato, Minn. --- Captain of the St. Louis Blues and former Minnesota State Maverick men's hockey forward - David Backes - announced Monday at the school's Annual Blue Line Club Dan Meyer Golf Classic that he and his wife Kelly are donating $100,000 to Minnesota State Athletics that will serve as the lead gift in completing the David Backes Strength and Conditioning Room in the newly-remodeled Maverick Hockey wing at Verizon Wireless Center.

Backes, who has played nine full seasons in the National Hockey League, has served as team captain for the Blues since 2011. Selected by St. Louis in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2003 NHL draft, he made his NHL debut Dec. 19, 2006 when he suited up for St. Louis in a game at Pittsburgh. The Blaine, Minn., native is a two-time member of the United States men's hockey Olympic Team where he won a silver medal in 2010.

"I had a fantastic college hockey experience at Minnesota State and thanks to my coaches and support staff, I learned the value of hard work, teamwork and life skills," Backes said. "These skills helped me tremendously as I prepared for my career in the NHL. As a thank you to everyone at Minnesota State who has assisted me on my collegiate journey, we wanted to donate something back that would make a difference and help ensure the long-term success of the program."

Mike Jacobs: Limit UND nickname vote to active athletes

In today's Grand Forks Herald, former Herald editor Mike Jacobs suggests that the current athletes pick the new UND nickname. I could live with that, but you're going alienate a bunch of fans. So, I don't see that happening.

Now, if they UND used this method to select a new nickname, there's a very good chance that we wouldn't end up with the moronic nickname Sundogs. Right?

Per the Grand Forks Herald.

The best, most credible constituency to vote on a new nickname is the university's active athletes.-- the people who will wear the name on the ice, on the field, on the track, in every athletic venue.

In other words, they are the one who will represent the university.

Their opinion matters more than the opinion of any other potential voters. I am speaking as three times eligible, as a North Dakotan, an alumnus and a UND donor.

I am willing to forfeit these interests in favor of a credible constituency that can bring an end to this long-running controversy. We've been arguing about the nickname and logo for 20 years. It's time to end the fight.

Say What?

I was reading this letter today, and one thing that the author wrote caught my eye.

So, if I am reading this right, now it's a newspaper's job to help people move forward.

A newspaper's job is to inform the masses via news stories. I don't think so Tim. We live in a democracy. This line of thinking would Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin very happy.

Correct me if I am reading this wrong. Feel free to chime in.

Per Herald Letter: Bottom line: UND needs a nickname, not 'no nickname'

And that's a shame, because we generally rely on editorials to represent the views of the "adults in the room." The Herald needs to help people move forward on this issue.

As a supporter of the nickname, I realize that UND and the state fought hard to keep it, but they ultimately lost. I am baffled by the opposition; have people not been following this for years? Did they really expect a nickname committee to choose "No Nickname"?