Redwing77 Unsolicited Opinion on the Nickname Debate

I thought about posting this as a comment to the SayAnythingBlog post on this site, but I think it would be better if all the "hate" that might come from my opinion be posted in the comment section below rather than in Goon's article.

My opinion is this:  The "no nickname" cabal will fail.  I don't know how soundly it would fail, but it will fail.

Why?

Because, as offensive and insensitive as it sounds, those who opposed the nickname for years were marginalized and now they've tasted power.  Now, their opinion matters and to put it bluntly, those who spent their time as activists in this crusade no longer have it as a crusade.  In other words, they got their way.  What is an activist who gets their way?  Not sure, but they're no longer an activist.  If they're not an activist, then they'll sooner or later be ignored once again as they've got what they wanted and they should just "shut up and move on" themselves.  This. cannot. be.

So, the activists find a new banner to wave.  And here it is, ladies and gentlemen:

No new nickname means the inference of the old one.

In other words, we're not replacing Fighting Sioux with a new nickname, so people can still fill in the blank.  It sounds ridiculous (because it is), but I truly feel that's what they'll argue.  We've already seen it with the call of those same activists to ban all Fighting Sioux memorabilia and gear from Campus and Campus events (including home hockey games).

Since the PC crowd now has societal control, the only viable option to keep UND out of the PR nightmare that has owners being forced to sell teams because of one stupid epithet (even if it is illegally obtained and reprehensible in nature), financial outpourings due to some imagined or wrongly interpreted transgression is to create a new altogether different nickname.  One that preferrably refers to an inanimate object (like a Sabre) or fictional being (like a Dragon) or some sort of action word (like Crushers) or force (like Lightning or Thunder).

So, the good news is that we may not be the Flickertails, but we will be "something."  And what it is will be the least of all evils via politically motivated nonsense.  In otherwords, the option no one really likes but doesn't overly object to it enough for UND to lose that much money.

Sure, I'd support wholeheartedly the no nickname cabal, but I do so knowing that, in all likelihood, it will not succeed.

Related articles

• Sayanythingblog: 'No Name Is Best Way To Move On'(ndgoon.blogspot.com)

  ---

Sayanythingblog: 'No Name Is Best Way To Move On'

Hum, I and many have been saying this for a very long time. Nice to see SayAnythingBlog.com get on board. Actually, it doesn't hurt that North Dakota's most popular political blog is behind this. Say Anything gets hundreds of thousands of hits every month.

Let me be clear, I understand the Fighting Sioux nickname isn't coming back. That's obvious to most of us. But that being said, nothing the nickname committee comes up with -- as far as  a nickname goes -- is going to be acceptable to many UND fans. Me included.

I am also not that thrilled with some of the possible replacement names that have been thrown out there. First, I am going to snap if UND's sports teams are called the Sun Dogs, what a stupid name.

Legit Slater, Sayanythingblog.com --- That solution is simple– stay North Dakota. No new nickname needed.

This is not a new idea. Indeed it has been one floated by people who are both for and against the Fighting Sioux name before. But it is starting to crecendo more and more as this taskforce does their work, and UND’s self-imposed deadline of end of December looms.

Why is that? Well, perhaps because it just makes sense. What has been missing from this debate since inception has been a sincere attempt to find a win-win for all. In order to “move on” — to truly heal, that win-win has to be realized.

What is important to some is the Fighting Sioux name is not used by UND, and this would be achieved with no replacement. What is important to others is the proud name “Fighting Sioux”, and the 80 plus years of heritage that went with it, is not erased. This solution does that.

A few (including our lawmakers on the Appropriations Committees no doubt) are concerned with the expense UND will incur with changing their branding to a new name and logo. No new name completely addresses that concern.

Some want to make sure UND still has a name to be proud of. If we all (regardless of our feeling on the Fighting Sioux name) can’t be proud of the name of our own state, then no other name exists which we can be proud of.

Related articles

• Grand Forks Herald: Nickname task force further develops open forums(ndgoon.blogspot.com)

  ---

More Bad News for UND: Nick Schmaltz Is out Indefinitely

UND's task just got a little taller this weekend.UND will be without three of their top players when they take against NCHC foe Miami on Friday night.

Last season, UND suffered a rash of injuries in October and November.

UND's injury list now includes, Mark MacMillan (5g-2a—7pts), Nick Schmaltz (1g-7a—8pts), Paul LaDue (3g-5a—8pts). MacMillan and Schmaltz are out indefinitely.

Dave Hakstol says freshman forward Nick Schmaltz is out indefinitely. No new updates on Mark MacMillan or Paul LaDue.
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) November 12, 2014

Related articles

• Mark MacMillan out indefinitely following wrist surgery(ndgoon.blogspot.com)

  ---

• North Dakota Beats Providence in Grand Forks(insidehockey.com)

  ---

Jonathan Toews Salutes the Troops in Warm Ups

Jonathan Toews salutes the troops in his camo warmup jersey! pic.twitter.com/9PlSsNGipp
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 12, 2014

I want one of these sweet jerseys. Former Fighting Sioux forward Jonathan Toews with the Camo jersey.

(Video) Connor McDavid breaks hand in fight vs. Bryson Cianfrone

First I want to be clear, I think fighting has a place in hockey. That being said, there's no reason for your star players to be fighting, in any level of hockey. Erie Otters forward Connor McDavid is probably going to be the first player taken in 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and he leave the ice fighting Bryson Cianfrone. To date, McDavid has some sick numbers scoring (18g-35a—51) pts in 18 games.

Eight UND games on FOX College Sports TV schedule

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced today that 11 NCHC games have been added to the league’s national television schedule on FOX College Sports (FCS) in 2014-15, including seven involving the University of North Dakota.

The five home games, produced in high-definition by Midco Sports Network (MidcoSN), include games against Miami (Nov. 15), Omaha (Nov. 29), Colorado College (Jan. 24), Denver (Feb. 14) and St. Cloud State (Feb. 28).

Dan Hammer is his third season as the play-by-play voice for UND Athletics while former UND forward Scott Koberinski returns as color analyst. Veteran broadcaster Katie Hale also returns as the ice-level intermission reporter.

UND will also have two road games air nationally on FCS: the Jan. 31 game at Omaha, produced by PBS affiliate Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET1), and the March 7 game at Miami, produced by Time Warner Cable Sports Channel in Ohio.

Today’s announcement increased the number of regular-season UND men’s hockey national broadcasts in 2014-15 to 13, up from seven in 2013-14. This year’s national broadcast schedule also includes six previously-announced games on CBS Sports Network (CBSSN): vs. Minnesota Duluth (Jan. 10), vs. Colorado College (Jan. 23), at Omaha (Jan. 30), at Western Michigan (Feb. 20), vs. St. Cloud State (Feb. 27) and at Miami (March 6).

UND Men’s Hockey National TV Schedule

Date Opponent Network
Nov. 15 Miami FOX College Sports
Nov. 21 SCSU FOX College Sports
Nov. 29 Omaha FOX College Sports
Jan. 10 at Minnesota Duluth CBS Sports Network
Jan. 23 Colorado College CBS Sports Network
Jan. 24 Colorado College FOX College Sports
Jan. 30 at Omaha CBS Sports Network
Jan. 31 at Omaha FOX College Sports
Feb. 14 Denver FOX College Sports
Feb. 20 at Western Michigan CBS Sports Network
Feb. 27 St. Cloud State CBS Sports Network
Feb. 28 St. Cloud State FOX College Sports
March 6 at Miami CBS Sports Network
March 7 at Miami FOX College Sports

Arctic Ice on Tucker Poolman

This is what happens when you don't watch the games and then report on the prospects. Anyone that has watched UND for more than a minute this season knows that Tucker Poolman has been a major cog in UND's defense corps. You have a senior defenseman sitting in the stands and a freshman d-man playing over him.

2013 5th Round (2011 eligible): RD Tucker Poolman; 8 GP, 3G, 0A, 3 PTS, +3, 2 PIM, 15 SOG

Month GP G A PTS PIM
October 5 2 0 2 2

Poolman struggled at first to earn ice time as a freshman, but -with the help of a 20% shooting percentage and some strong play- the young defenceman is starting to earn his keep and gain more responsibilities as time goes on. His performance has been strong, although it must be reminded that this is his Draft+4 season technically. (read the rest of the article here)

(Video) Brad Marchand Embellishment Penalty

I realize that Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has earned himself a reputation of being a player that embellishes, but this is a horrible call. To quote Andy Brickley, "It's Marchand. That's the problem"

NJD Damon Severson Interference - 2 min against Brad Marchand 16:39
BOS Brad Marchand Embellishment - 2 min against Damon Severson 16:39

USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll

1. Minnesota
2. North Dakota
3. Boston University
4. UMass-Lowell
5. Michigan Tech
6. Colgate
7. Miami
8. Boston College
9. Minnesota State
10. Vermont
11. Denver
12. Union
13. Minnesota-Duluth
14. Nebraska-Omaha
15. St. Cloud State
16. Providence
17. Robert Morris
18. Northern Michigan
19. Bowling Green
20. Quinnipiac

(Video) Dallas Star Punk Antoine Roussel Runs Alex Stalock, Sucker Punches Justin Braun

s/t to Kuklas Korner. I don't know about you, but I am growing tired of Dallas Stars punk Antoine Roussel and  his antics. First I understand going hard to the net, but this is bush league. The goalie has an expectation to not be run over. This is unacceptable. Then the spineless punk sucker punches an unsuspecting player that's not ready to engage him. Roussel has an hearing tomorrow for the sucker punch, I am thinking a five-game suspension for this clown. Feel free to chime in.

Dallas F Antoine Roussel will have a hearing tomorrow for a sucker-punch to San Jose D Justin Braun.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) November 9, 2014

Related articles

• Player safety hearing set for Stars' Roussel(wdsu.com)

  ---

UNC = Fraud 

How many other school are behaving like this? That's what I want to know. (Read the whole story here )

News Observer -- During the season that the UNC men’s basketball team made its run to the 2005 NCAA championship, its players accounted for 35 enrollments in classes that didn’t meet and yielded easy, high grades awarded by the architect of the university’s academic scandal.

The classes, some advertised as lectures but that never met and others listed as independent studies, were supervised by Deborah Crowder, a manager in African and Afro-American studies who a report from former U.S. Justice Department official Kenneth Wainstein says graded required end-of-semester work leniently as part of a “paper class” scheme to keep athletes eligible. Crowder was not a professor and admitted to investigators that she assigned grades without reading the papers.

Of the 35 bogus class enrollments, nine came during the fall semester of 2004, when eligibility for the spring was determined. Twenty-six were during the spring semester, when the season climaxed with a victory over Illinois in St. Louis.

When I read this story my blood boils. College sports is supposed to be about the student athlete. The University of North Carolina should be given the death penalty, but that won't happen, they're part of the Big Five cabal. Meaning if the "Big Five" doesn't like way things are going they will just leave the NCAA and form their own athletic affiliation. They should just call it crooks are us.

Related articles

• Report: '04-05 UNC title team got fake credits(cbssports.com)

  ---

• 2005 UNC basketball champs: 2 semesters, 35 bogus 'paper' classes(charlotteobserver.com)

  ---

• 8 Fast Facts About The UNC Academic Fraud Scandal(detroit.cbslocal.com)

  ---

UND sweeps UW in Madison

North Dakota Sweeps Bucky

The University of North Dakota swept the Wisconsin Badgers in convincing fashion beating them 4-3 on Friday night and then blitzing them 5-1 on Saturday night.

On Saturday, North Dakota goalie Zane McIntyre stopped 23-of-24 shots and UND got five goals from five different players (Luke Johnson, Drake Caggiula, Brendan O’Donnell, Troy Stecher, Gage Ausmus) to finish the sweep against the Badgers.

From the historical stats department: With Saturday’s victory over Wisconsin, UND (7-1-1) is unbeaten in eight games (7-0-1). With the road win, UND improves 5-0-0 on the road for the first time since the 1980-81 season.

Finally, UND is 6-0-1 in their past seven games against the Badgers.

Wrapping up another @UNDMHockey sweep #NDProud #SiouxSweep pic.twitter.com/S4EJSHLZ0S
— Stay A Sioux (@StayaSioux) November 9, 2014

Related articles

• (Video) Zane McIntyre's 10-Bell Save(ndgoon.blogspot.com)

  ---

UND vs. UW - Game two (Television Info)

UND Forward Lines

28 Stephane Pattyn (C)–27 Luke Johnson–7 Wade Murphy
9 Drake Caggiula–8 Nick Schmaltz–15 Michael Parks (A)
21 Brendan O’Donnell–13 Connor Gaarder (A)–14 Austin Poganski
29 Bryn Chyzyk–10 Johnny Simonson–17 Colten St. Clair

UND Defense Pairings

22 Andrew Panzarella–24 Jordan Schmaltz
20 Gage Ausmus–2 Troy Stecher
4 Keaton Thompson–3 Tucker Poolman

UND Goaltenders

31 Zane McIntyre
33 Cam Johnson

*According to Brad Schlossman, Paul LaDue is out with an undisclosed injury. 

Wisconsin Badgers Forward lines

16 Joseph LaBate–11 Adam Rockwood–24 Jedd Soleway
9 Morgan Zulinick–19 Cameron Hughes–12 Grant Besse
27 Matt Ustaski–13 Ryan Wagner–26 Brad Navin
23 Aidan Cavallini–8 Matt Pappe–3 Corbin McGuire

Wisconsin Badgers Defense Pairings

28 Kevin Schulze–4 Jack Dougherty
5 Chase Drake–10 Jake Linhart
25 Cullen Hurley–7 Keegan Ford

Wisconsin Badgers Goaltenders

33 Joel Rumpel

30 Landon Peterson

Television: Tonight's game is being picked up by Midconet.
Webcast: (Here's a free link to the game). 

North Dakota linechart: pic.twitter.com/vWdnkkAKU7
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) November 9, 2014

UND Hockey: Bryn Chyzyk's WWF Move?

This play got little air time on Twitter last night. I had someone ask me what I thought of the play. If you lay on the puck, before the whistle has blown, there's a good chance this is going to happen to you. In my opinion, Bryn Chyzyk is trying to dislodge the puck. The old go hard to the whistle play. Some have made the argument that the Badger player could have been given a delay of game penalty. Also, I wouldn't call this a WWF move, but I don't watch that sport either.

AndyJohnson, B5Q -- With Wisconsin center Cameron Hughes sprawled out on the ice in the corner, UND winger Bryn Chyzyk dropped two WWF style elbows to Hughes' back. After Chyzyk dropped the first one, he got back up and dropped another for good measure. Somehow the official standing four feet away didn't see anything wrong with that.

I want to be clear. The officiating this season has been absolutely brutal at times. If you don't believe me, read this blog post from another writer. The men in stripes have had some rough games. That being said, I am somewhat surprised penalty wasn't assessed on the play.

Kyle Clifford's Dirty Hit on Johnny Boychuck

Another night, another dirty hit. For his efforts, L.A. Kings forward Kyle Clifford's didn't receive a penalty for this dirty, bush league hit on Islanders defensman Johnny Boychuck.

Dustin Byfuglien's Dirty Hit on Steve Downie following Goal

First, Steve Downie is no saint; he'd probably tell you that. But check out this dirty, unnecessary, bush league hit that Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien put on Downie. This is unacceptable. After the play is over, I believe that Downie has the expectation to not be slambed into the end boards. I don't think that's being unreasonable, right? The play is over, he's scored a goal.

I think the NHL’s Department of Players Safety need to make an example out of Byfuglien. I am thinking a couple of game suspension would be about right. Maybe Big Buff should skate faster.

Trip Down Memory Lane: UND vs. Wisconsin

It's rivalry week. North Dakota and Wisconsin. Last time the two teams played, UND beat Wisconsin 5-2 in the semi-finals of the Midwest Regional. The Badgers won't really resemble the team UND beat last season. Wisconsin lost nine seniors and two other players who signed early.

Related articles

• A Trip Down Memory Lane: UND vs. Providence(ndgoon.blogspot.com)

  ---

• North Dakota Beats Providence in Grand Forks(insidehockey.com)

  ---

BC Interruption: I Wonder How they Feel Today?

Someone posted this article on Sioux Sports. I was wondering If Brian still felt this way? Especially after last night's game, the newly added UConn Huskies shutout the B.C. Eagles 1-0.

Brian Favat, B.C. Interruption -- Tuesday, Grant gave us the glass half full look at the addition of UConn to Hockey East. While I appreciate a bit of enthusiasm for the Hockey East Association's newest member, I have other plans in mind for Boston College hockey.

It's time for Boston College to leave Hockey East.

My reasoning is simple: Hockey East has straight up botched expansion. There hasn't been a well-thought out expansion plan. Or maybe no expansion plan at all. Perception is reality and the perception, at least to me, is that the league all but fell over themselves themselves to toss a life raft out to Notre Dame hockey when the NCHC turned the Irish away. Expansion to 11 necessitated expansion to 12 to get to a round number, I suppose, and now a historically bad Atlantic Hockey club calls eastern college hockey's premiere conference home.

To recap, here has been Hockey East's two most recent moves:

1. Added Notre Dame as the Association's 11th team, despite the Irish striking their own TV deal with NBCUniversal (NBC Sports Network, formerly Versus) to broadcast all Irish men's hockey home games. Mind you, this was a dealbreaker for another conference (the nascent NCHC) which has yet to play a league game.

2. Added UConn to get to 12, a program that has never played in the NCAA Tournament, doesn't offer scholarships in men's ice hockey and has decided to play its HEA home games 20+ miles from campus at the HCC. If Toot Cahoon just resigned from UMass citing lack of institutional support as his reason, who do you think UConn is going to get to coach the program; one squarely behind women's basketball, men's basketball, football and maybe baseball in terms of fan support and popularity?

Midco Picks up Saturday's Game Between UND and UW

If you get Midcontinent there's some good news for you. Saturday's game between the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin will be on Midco Channels 622 and 26. For those wondering, the game will not be Fox College Sports.

Mike Yeo: Zach Parise has a concussion

#489866461 / gettyimages.com

The Minnesota Wild received some bad news on the status of Zach Parise. According to Minnesota Wild coach Mike Yeo, Parise has suffered a concussion. In Parises' absence, Thomas Vanek is going to be reunited with former line mate Jason Pominville. The two played together when they were teammates with the Buffalo Sabres.

Parise has a concussion, says Yeo #mnwild
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) November 6, 2014