by Redwing77
Forward Wade Murphy has transferred officially to Arizona State University per Brad Schlossman. In my opinion, it's not surprising but rather disappointing. I had heard great things about Murphy coming into his time at UND and he just couldn't put things together.
He has to sit out a year (in 115 degree heat) before being able to lace the skates up, but all the best for him. He'll be in a great position to be the leader on a young-ish team.
In other news: Max Gerlach bolted for the WHL. The Texas-born winger played in Colorado last year. He's off to the Medicine Hat Tigers organization. He was listed as a 2017 recruit.
It's yet another example of why I believe players will go to the NCAA (if drafted by Major Junior teams) only if they actually suit up. Next to go Major Juniors? Jost and/or Fabbro.
I guess that means I'll care about him if/when he gets to the NHL. Best of luck.
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Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Here Comes Your Fighting Sundogs, Hopefully not
The UND Nickname Committee has decided that these are the seven remaining nicknames: Fighting Hawks, Green Hawks, Nodaks, North Dakota, North Stars, Roughriders, Sundogs. Six of the seven nickname choices are acceptable. I like the no nickname option or Rough Riders. I could live with one of the Hawks. I find nickname Sundogs to be intolerable and down right moronic.
If the University of North Dakota selects this horrible nickname, they will make a mockery out of the University. Don't do it. Yet, this horrible selection remains on the list. Be very afraid.
If the University of North Dakota selects this horrible nickname, they will make a mockery out of the University. Don't do it. Yet, this horrible selection remains on the list. Be very afraid.
Tom Dennis, Grand Forks Herald -- So, we wonder: How on earth can someone claim the nickname Roughriders stirs some sort of sexual connotation and that it shouldn't be used as the next mascot of the University of North Dakota sports teams?As long as Sundogs remains on the list, I am leery. After reading Tom Dennis' opinion piece today, I remain even more skeptical. I almost wonder if they're setting us up? No, there's not a black helicopter with a swat team landing in my back yard. Thoughts?
It was discussed last month by UND's nickname committee. After noting "Roughriders" received the most points during a recent round of nickname discussion, consultants from PadillaCRT -- a company lending aid to the committee -- said the nickname has an inappropriate double meaning.
"This crosses the line and could be embarrassing and problematic," said Kelly O'Keefe, one of the consultants.
Oops. Don't tell that to the 1,200 or so kids who attend Grand Forks Red River High School, which also uses Roughriders as its nickname. Or the thousands of alumni who have passed through the halls of Red River.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Twenty players headed for salary arbitration
There are 20 NHL players headed toward salary arbitration. As you can see, there's a college hockey connection for some of the players on the list.
Arizona Coyotes: Philip Samuelsson (July 21) B.C., Brendan Shinnimin (July 20)
Calgary Flames: Lance Bouma (July 22), Paul Byron (July 30), Josh Jooris (July 28) UC
Colorado Avalanche: Andrew Agozzino (July 20), Mat Clark (July 22)
Edmonton Oilers: Justin Schultz (July 24) * UW
Minnesota Wild: Erik Haula (July 31) MN
Nashville Predators: Craig Smith UW (July 20), Colin Wilson (July 28) BU
New Jersey Devils: Eric Gelinas (July 21), Adam Larsson (July 29)
New York Rangers: Derek Stepan (July 27) UW
Ottawa Senators: Alex Chiasson (July 23) BU, Mike Hoffman (July 30)
Philadelphia Flyers: Michael Del Zotto (July 21)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Jonathan Bernier (July 31)*
Washington Capitals: Braden Holtby (July 23), Marcus Johansson (July 29)
Arizona Coyotes: Philip Samuelsson (July 21) B.C., Brendan Shinnimin (July 20)
Calgary Flames: Lance Bouma (July 22), Paul Byron (July 30), Josh Jooris (July 28) UC
Colorado Avalanche: Andrew Agozzino (July 20), Mat Clark (July 22)
Edmonton Oilers: Justin Schultz (July 24) * UW
Minnesota Wild: Erik Haula (July 31) MN
Nashville Predators: Craig Smith UW (July 20), Colin Wilson (July 28) BU
New Jersey Devils: Eric Gelinas (July 21), Adam Larsson (July 29)
New York Rangers: Derek Stepan (July 27) UW
Ottawa Senators: Alex Chiasson (July 23) BU, Mike Hoffman (July 30)
Philadelphia Flyers: Michael Del Zotto (July 21)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Jonathan Bernier (July 31)*
Washington Capitals: Braden Holtby (July 23), Marcus Johansson (July 29)
Sunday, July 12, 2015
It's Hard Being Phil Kessel
I have been watching the Phil Kessel trade unfold in the media the last couple of weeks and it's been interesting.
During my lifetime, I have not seen a player receive so much negative press. In fact, some of the stuff that has been written about him is downright malicious.
During my lifetime, I have not seen a player receive so much negative press. In fact, some of the stuff that has been written about him is downright malicious.
Here's some of the stuff that's caught my eye since Kessel was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After all he's been through, Kessel enjoyed his time in Toronto.
“Toronto was a place I loved, and it’s not easy leaving that, even with everything else,” he told writer Dejan Kovacevic. “That’s the first thought. And then after that, I just see (Wednesday’s trade) as a great opportunity to be part of something special in Pittsburgh with some great players. I’m excited.” (Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun)Questions about Kessel's weight never seem to subside. Apparently, the hot dog vendor in his neighborhood is going to miss him. Per self-proclaimed Kessel hater Steve Simmons:
The hot dog vendor who parks daily at Front and John Sts. just lost his most reliable customer.Another Toronto Sun writer thought it was time for Kessel to leave.
Almost every afternoon at 2:30 p.m., often wearing a toque, Phil Kessel would wander from his neighbourhood condominium to consume his daily snack.
And now he’s gone. Just like that. The Maple Leafs could no longer stomach having Kessel around, the first player to be both punished and rewarded for the saddest Leafs season in history.
OK, let’s be clear, I’m not defending Phil Kessel, who was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.Sports Net's Elliotte Friedman says that Kessel will be missed in Toronto.
People who are close to the situation say almost unanimously that it was time for Kessel to leave.
But the question I have is, did it really have to get to this point? (Bill Harris, Toronto Sun)
At the end of the day, Kessel was traded because he was Toronto’s most marketable player they were willing to deal. He could get the best return, including cap space. Nothing else excited them and bringing back the same group was unacceptable to Brendan Shanahan. There’s no doubt this was unfulfilled potential for him and for the team. He’s a lightning rod, a polarizing figure and is responsible for that. But the toughest thing the Maple Leafs lose is a talented player who (for the most part) could ignore the market noise. You need guys like that in Canada, who either embrace it (Subban) or tune it out (Sedins). That’s hard to find. And I think there are some charities who will really miss him. He did a lot, very quietly.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Is the New Orleans Saints Logo Racist?
This story was on the Daily Caller two days ago. Are the Saints the next ones to come under fire? Thoughts?
Wynton Yates, Eyewitness News -- The fleur de lis is a symbol that is deeply ingrained in Louisiana's history. Seen in architecture, the state flag and on the helmets of the Saints, it's everywhere.
But while it is now seen as the mark of our great state, it was once used to mark slaves.
"Code noir, those words are French and mean black code," said slave historian Dr. Ibrahima Seck.
The black code was a set of regulations adopted in Louisiana in 1724 from other French colonies around the world, meant to govern the state's slave population. Seck said those rules included branding slaves with the fleur de lis as punishment for running away.
Roughriders nickname = Racism
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I have been reading some of the letters to the editors and C.T. Marhula from Grand Forks tells us that we can't select the Roughriders nickname because it's racist. So, let me get this straight, the nickname Roughriders are racist?
Does that mean that the Saskatchewan Roughriders also are racist, too? I am getting confused with all of this political correctness run amuck. In the era where everyone has a God-given right to not be offended, what's next? Do we take Teddy's face off of Mount Rushmore? We're going down a slippery slope here.
If for some reason, the public votes for the Roughriders nickname the school doesn't have to tie it into the former president Theodore Roosevelt.
Does that mean that the Saskatchewan Roughriders also are racist, too? I am getting confused with all of this political correctness run amuck. In the era where everyone has a God-given right to not be offended, what's next? Do we take Teddy's face off of Mount Rushmore? We're going down a slippery slope here.
If for some reason, the public votes for the Roughriders nickname the school doesn't have to tie it into the former president Theodore Roosevelt.
As to the growing support for Roughriders: Really? After Teddy Roosevelt? "Nowadays, we undoubtedly ought to break up the great Indian reservations, disregard the tribal governments ... The settler and pioneer have at bottom had justice on their side; this great continent could not have been kept as nothing but a game preserve for squalid savages." Did the consultant provide these Teddy Roosevelt quotes to the committee?
Grand Forks Herald Letter: Roosevelt's racism puts 'Roughriders' off-limits
I honestly don't know what to make of this Letter to the editor, but it seems we're reaching here or that we are quick to find something that offends us.
First, I love the Fighting Sioux nickname and wore it with pride this past week in Michigan. That being said, the Fighting Sioux nickname isn't coming back. I see no way that it does. Here's the latest letter from Tom Anderson from Fargo, ND. What do you think of this?
As a UND alumnus, I find it interesting how much faith and money UND has placed in an outside consultant. After seeing the final list of names, I conclude that the consultants should be fired for incompetence.
To forward the name "Roughriders" and any connection to Teddy Roosevelt would be a greater travesty than removing the 85-plus year tradition of the Fighting Sioux name.
Doesn't this highly paid consultant know that Roosevelt was a self-admitted white supremacist? Just look at his writings to see glaring examples; such as, "I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indian is the dead Indian, but I believe nine out of every 10 are, and I shouldn't like to inquire too closely into the case of the tenth. The most vicious cowboy has more moral principle than the average Indian."
Further examples of his racism are found in Vol. 3 of "The Winning of the West," in which he viewed American Indians as savages, unworthy of citizenship. In Roosevelt's letter known as the "race suicide letter," he wrote, any white person who did not have children was "in effect a criminal against the race." His thinking was that reproduction was the only way the white race could conquer colored races.
We can't rewrite history. We can't ignore these facts about Roosevelt—or the historical fact that in a Sacred Religious Pipe Ceremony, the Sioux Tribe gave UND the use of the name Fighting Sioux forever.
With UND President Robert Kelley leaving, this is the perfect time to take a deep breath and wait for the name change until a new president is selected. "North Dakota" is the most popular choice by the general public. Don't throw salt in our wounds by selecting a name no one wants or will support.
Tom Anderson
Fargo
Wednesday, July 08, 2015
UND Releases list of Incoming Freshmen
by Redwing77
UND is going into next season with 10 brand new faces. This is the largest freshman class since 2011-2012. Here's an overview:
Forwards:
Brock Boeser (pronounced BESS-er): Highly skilled forward taken in the first round in the 2015 NHL draft by Vancouver.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 191 Pos: F Hometown: Burnsville, Minn. Previous Team: Waterloo (USHL)
Redwing77's Take: In my opinion, goaltending is the biggest question mark going into next season for UND. Yes, our D has a big new look, but the Cam Johnson I saw in the USHL and the Cam Johnson I saw last year were two different players and, sadly, rather shaky. That being said, Tomek played well enough to get drafted...but he comes from a league that isn't as solid as the USHL. My hope is that Tomek is another coming of two former NAHL goaltending superstars: Ryan Miller or Ben Bishop (despite Bishop being 4-5 inches taller).
UND is going into next season with 10 brand new faces. This is the largest freshman class since 2011-2012. Here's an overview:
Forwards:
Brock Boeser (pronounced BESS-er): Highly skilled forward taken in the first round in the 2015 NHL draft by Vancouver.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 191 Pos: F Hometown: Burnsville, Minn. Previous Team: Waterloo (USHL)
Drafted
by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2015
NHL Entry Draft ... Spent the 2014-15 season with the United States
Hockey League’s (USHL) Waterloo Blackhawks … Earned
USHL All-Star First Team and USHL All-Rookie Team honors … Appeared in
57 games for the Blackhawks … Tied for the league lead with 35 goals and
finished third in the USHL scoring race with 68 points … Invited to
the 2015 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp
Roster by USA Hockey … Captained USA to a bronze medal at the 2014-15
Ivan Hlinka Tournament and led the team with six goals in five games …
Tied for the team scoring lead with seven points in five games and led
USA to a silver medal at the 2013-14 Ivan Hlinka
Tournament … Helped lead the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2013-14 Five
Nations Tournament.
Redwing77's Take: I've seen him play a few times against Omaha. He did quite a good job on the ice. He was always a factor in the game for Waterloo, despite the fact that the closest Waterloo came to beating Omaha was a shootout loss (Boeser shot second and Oldham made the save).
Name:
Rhett Gardner
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 215 Pos: F Hometown: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Previous Team: Okotoks (AJHL)
Spent
the past two seasons with the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior
Hockey League (AJHL), where he totaled 37 goals and 54 assists for 91
points in 106 career games … Appeared in 54 games
in 2014-15 and led the Oilers in points (54), goals (24) and assists
(30) … Added a team-leading six points in seven playoff games … Earned
AJHL All-Rookie Team honors in 2013-14 when he collected 13 goals and 24
assists in 52 games … Represented Canada West
each of the last two years at the World Junior A Challenge, serving as
team captain in 2014-15 and winning a bronze medal in 2013-14.
Name:
Shane Gersich
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 174 Pos: F Hometown: Chaska, Minn.
Previous Team: Omaha (USHL)
Drafted
by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round (134th overall) of the
2014 NHL Entry Draft … Spent the 2014-15 season with the USHL’s Omaha
Lancers and led the team in goals (27), power-play
points (16), power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (5) … Added
23 assists for 50 points in 52 games … Represented the U.S. at the
2014-15 World Junior A Challenge … Spent the 2013-14 season with the
U.S. National Team Development Program … Had 16 goals
and 16 assists in 61 games with the U.S. Under-18 Team and helped team
to a gold medal at the U-18 World Championship.
Redwing77's take: I've watched him play all year long. He started out being pretty much the SOLE goal scorer for the Lancers, during which they were AWFUL at home. As the season progressed, the Lancers got better and, though Gersich didn't necessarily diminish in performance, he became less noticeable. Shane is an energy player and he LOVES to shoot the puck. It's hard to predict what he'll be like in Grand Forks, but he's served on a scoring line in Omaha and on a checking line with the U.S. NTDP. He could be just about anywhere... adding grit to a scoring line or adding scoring to a grit line. My armchair prediction is that he'll be on the third or fourth line as a freshman.
Name:
Mike Gornall
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 201 Pos: F Hometown: Irwin, Pa.
Previous Team: Topeka (NAHL)
Spent
the past two seasons with the Topeka Roadrunners of the North American
Hockey League (NAHL) … Amassed 21 goals and 50 assists in 113 career
games with Topeka … Added 10 goals and 14 points
in 19 career playoff games … Served as team captain in 2014-15 and
collected 15 goals and 34 assists in 58 games … Had a team-leading seven
goals and nine points in eight playoff games … Was a teammate of fellow
UND freshman Matej Tomek in 2014-15.
Name:
Joel Janatuinen
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 176 Pos: F Hometown: Espoo, Finland
Previous Team: Sioux City (USHL)
Spent
the 2014-15 season – his first in North America – with the USHL’s Sioux
City Musketeers and registered 21 goals and 29 assists in 50 games …
Also owned a plus-20 rating … Added a team-leading
three goals in five playoff games … Spent the 2013-14 season in
Finland’s Jr. A. SM-Liiga league and led the Blues U20 to a league
championship … Had 22 goals and 26 assists in 46 games, tying for second
on the team in goals and tying for third in points …
Won the league’s Jere Lehtinen Award as Gentleman of the Year … Joins
fellow freshman Matej Tomek, Slovakia’s Rastislav Spirko (2004-06),
Denmark’s Lars Oxholm (1991-93) and the Czech Republic’s Zdenek “Stan”
Marek (1950-51) as the only Europeans to play men’s
hockey at UND.
Redwing77's take: I've watched him play 3 times last season and, though he scored 1 goal and 1 assist in the first game of the year last year, he was pretty good overall. To be honest, though, I really wasn't paying too much attention to him at the time because all three games took place before he committed to UND.
Name:
Chris Wilkie
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 195 Pos: F Hometown: Omaha, Neb.
Previous Team: Tri-City (USHL)
Drafted by the Florida Panthers in the sixth round (162nd overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft …
spent
the past two seasons with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm and was named to
the USHL Second All-Star Team in 2014-15 after tying for the league’s
goal-scoring
lead with 35 goals … Added 20 assists for 55 points in 59 games … Had
17 goals and 19 assists in 57 games as a USHL rookie in 2013-14 … Won a
bronze medal with Team USA at the 2012-13 Under-17 World Championship …
Father, David, was a defenseman who spent
parts of six seasons in the NHL with Montreal, Tampa Bay and the New
York Rangers.
Redwing77's Take: Ok, I'm not going to give you stats, but I watched Chris play a lot this year and he was ALL over the place when I was watching him. He was by far the most fun player to watch on a very talented Tri-City team. He seemed to play in every situation and he also manned the point on the Power Play. He was very effective in that capacity vs. Omaha. I really liked Wilkie's play, even if he's more inconsistent than Boeser and not as good defensively as Boeser or Gersich.
Defensemen:
Name:
Danys Chartrand
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 188 Pos: D Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Previous Team: Flin Flon (MJHL)
Spent
the past three seasons with the Flin Flon Bombers of the Manitoba
Junior Hockey League (MJHL) … Amassed 11 goals and 39 assists in 146
career games with the Bombers … Earned Flin Flon’s Academic
Award in 2014-15 … Received the team’s MVP and Best Defenseman Awards
in 2013-14 after totaling eight goals and 14 assists in 56 games … Named
Flin Flon’s Rookie of the Year in 2012-13 … Father, Ken, attended UND …
Sister, Nik, swam collegiately at Delta State University. Name prounounced: Danny SHAR-trand
Redwing77's Take: Ok, I don't have much to say about this guy except Coach Berry said that he's used up his junior eligibility and talked about needing depth in case of injury. My guess is that this guy is much like a Coltyn Sanderson and Jim Senkbeil type guy.
Name:
Hayden Shaw
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 191 Pos: D Hometown: Woodbury, Minn.
Previous Team: Dubuque (USHL)
Spent
the previous two seasons in the USHL, playing for the Waterloo
Blackhawks in 2013-14 and splitting the 2014-15 season between Waterloo
and the Dubuque Fighting Saints … Earned USHL First
All-Star Team honors in 2014-15 after tying for third among the
league’s defensemen in scoring with (6-36—42) and plus-minus rating
(plus-20) in 46 games … Tied for the playoff scoring lead among
defensemen with 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) in eight games
for Dubuque … Was named to the 2013-14 USHL All-Rookie Team after
amassing eight goals and 21 assists in 53 games … Son of UND assistant
coach Matt Shaw.
Redwing77's Take: I liked Shaw. He factored in most of his games vs. Omaha this past season despite splitting time between two teams. I think he's a puck mover and an offensive defenseman. One thing I noticed (though not live) is that he seemed to be far more noticeable in the playoffs. This is a good thing.
Name:
Christian Wolanin
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 177 Pos: D Hometown: Rochester, Mich.
Previous Team: Muskegon (USHL)
Drafted
by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round (107th overall) of the 2015
NHL Entry Draft … Spent the last three years in in the USHL … Named to
USHL Second All-Star Team in 2014-15 after
scoring 14 goals and 27 assists in 41 games for the Muskegon
Lumberjacks … Ranked second among USHL defensemen in goals and fifth in
points … Totaled six goals and 28 assists in 109 games over his previous
two seasons with Muskegon and Green Bay … Father,
Craig, was an NHL defenseman who enjoyed a 13-year career with New
Jersey, Quebec, Colorado, Tampa Bay and Toronto.
Redwing77's Take: This kid interests me. He is listed on the release as being from Rochester, Michigan but on the NHL Draft ticker as being from Quebec City, Quebec. It's not a big deal but it was interesting to me. What's also interesting is that he's a convert. He started out playing forward and switched to defense either in high school or at the USHL level. With UND's tendency to play "fast and loose" with positions (see Senkbeil, Poolman, and Chay Genoway as a few examples) it would not shock me to see him play just about any skating position. The only meaningless note from my personal observations is that he served this year as Captain of the Lumberjacks. I mention this because he spent an awful lot of time complaining to the refs when he faced Omaha.
Goaltender
Name:
Matej Tomek
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 179 Pos: G Hometown: Bratislava, Slovakia
Previous Team: Topeka (NAHL)
Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (90th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft …
Spent
the 2014-15 season with the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL)
Topeka Roadrunners, where he was a teammate of fellow UND freshman Mike
Gornall … Named NAHL Goaltender of the Year and earned All-NAHL Team
honors
after going 24-7-2 with a 1.83 goals against average and .928 save
percentage … Also had six shutouts, tied for second-most in the league …
Joins fellow freshman Joel Janatuinen, Slovakia’s Rastislav
Spirko (2004-06), Denmark’s Lars Oxholm (1991-93) and the Czech
Republic’s Zdenek “Stan” Marek (1950-51) as the only Europeans to play
men’s hockey at UND. Pronounced: Matay Toe-mak.Redwing77's Take: In my opinion, goaltending is the biggest question mark going into next season for UND. Yes, our D has a big new look, but the Cam Johnson I saw in the USHL and the Cam Johnson I saw last year were two different players and, sadly, rather shaky. That being said, Tomek played well enough to get drafted...but he comes from a league that isn't as solid as the USHL. My hope is that Tomek is another coming of two former NAHL goaltending superstars: Ryan Miller or Ben Bishop (despite Bishop being 4-5 inches taller).
Monday, July 06, 2015
Oshie Picks a Number
by Redwing77
New Capitol T.J. Oshie has picked a new number:
I've always loved that number.
New Capitol T.J. Oshie has picked a new number:
Thanks for all of the # suggestions! Going with 77. #Caps pic.twitter.com/lh8OZNEaZp
— TJ Oshie (@TJOshie77) July 6, 2015
I've always loved that number.
Sunday, July 05, 2015
Brandon Dubinsky not a Fan of Mike Reilly
One has to wonder if this wasn't a drunk tweet or something along those lines. That being said, Columbus Blue Jackets isn't a fan of former Gopher Mike Reilly.
Obviously, Reilly isn't the first college hockey player to go this route to the NHL, but I can see how Dubinsky and his Blue Jackets teammates might not be that impressed with the ex-Gopher's decision. Dubinsky has since deleted his tweet.
Obviously, Reilly isn't the first college hockey player to go this route to the NHL, but I can see how Dubinsky and his Blue Jackets teammates might not be that impressed with the ex-Gopher's decision. Dubinsky has since deleted his tweet.
Saturday, July 04, 2015
Happy 4th of July
Happy 4th of July from the bloggers at Goon's World. What are you thankful for on this holiday?
A photo posted by Eric J. Burton (@eric.burton.94801) on
Friday, July 03, 2015
Mark Schuttenhelm: Tackling the nickname dilemma
My friend Mark Schuttenhelm wrote this article for today's Jamestown Sun. For those to don't know Mark, he's a great hockey mind and writes a weekly column about college hockey during the regular season. I have sat next to him in the REA press box for the last three seasons. Mark and I have had many great discussions about college hockey and about life in general.
I like what he wrote here. I think he's right, the UND nickname committee has needlessly spent a lot of money to end with these six not so great nickname choices. I don't really like any of these choices. I could tolerate one of the Hawks and Rough Riders. Like Schuttenhelm, I would rather just stay North Dakota, too.
I like what he wrote here. I think he's right, the UND nickname committee has needlessly spent a lot of money to end with these six not so great nickname choices. I don't really like any of these choices. I could tolerate one of the Hawks and Rough Riders. Like Schuttenhelm, I would rather just stay North Dakota, too.
Mark Schuttenhelmm, Jamestown Sun -- The UND nickname committee has narrowed it down to six possibilities — Green Hawks, Fighting Hawks, Nodaks, Roughriders, Sundogs, North Stars.And seriously, he's right, Sundogs sounds ridiculous, moronic and should have been removed from the nickname list a long time ago. Yet, it's still there. I hope we never have to see Home of the Sundogs.
They're kidding us with these names, right? Unfortunately — no. Sadly, this group is said to be the cream of the crop amongst all the names submitted by the folks.
Now look, I know the nickname committee members are not being paid for this work, so I'm hesitant to rip them. And besides, they have taken on an impossible task. This is a fact I pointed out two years ago when I came out in favor of foregoing a nickname and logo and simply using North Dakota, or UND for short, and thankfully, that option does remain on the table as well.
Back in 2013, I said it was unlikely that anyone could come up with a nickname that would even approach "Fighting Sioux" on any number of levels. Likewise, creating a logo to replace the beautiful Sioux Indian head was also an impossible task.
North Dakota Hockey is succinct, dignified, and gets right to the point, namely, that we are serious about our hockey up here. Substitute any other sport at UND in place of "hockey" and the phrase works equally well. Can you imagine if the side of the Ralph said "Home of the Sundogs?"
Thursday, July 02, 2015
TJ Oshie is now a Washington Capital
by Redwing77
Today, T.J. Oshie, a former UND standout forward and St. Louis first round draft pick, was traded to the Washington Capitals.
In return, St. Louis receives former Blackhawk Troy Brouwer, former MTU goaltender Phoenix Copley, and a 2016 3rd round pick.
Oshie had a down year last year only recording 55 points (19g-36a), which is down from 2013-14 campaign where he had 60 points (21g-39a). In other words, Oshie had an ok, but not great year last year.
Troy Brouwer had a "stellar" year where he scored 21g-22a (43 pts) in 82 games. Phoenix Copley played 2 years at MTU before spending one year between Washington's ECHL and AHL team. He posted a respectable 17-4-3 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .925 Save% in 26 games with the Hershey Bears.
My thoughts? St. Louis wanted to make changes at the top of their lineup. That meant trading Backes, Oshie, or both. They traded Oshie. They got meh in return.
This isn't a colossally bad trade (like Minnesota did by trading Nick Leddy for Ben Eager a few years back), but it's trading Washington a first line player (who will probably play on Washington's second line) for a 2nd line/3rd line forward. The video in the article said "I love this move for Washington." and "I love this move for Oshie." What did they say for Brouwer and St. Louis? "Interesting move for St. Louis." Yup.
I recognize they wanted to make a change. But the question is: Are you making a change to make a difference and improve your team or are you making a change just to make a change (send a message)? My guess: This was a trade just to make a change. St. Louis did not improve one bit from this.
Winner: Washington
Today, T.J. Oshie, a former UND standout forward and St. Louis first round draft pick, was traded to the Washington Capitals.
In return, St. Louis receives former Blackhawk Troy Brouwer, former MTU goaltender Phoenix Copley, and a 2016 3rd round pick.
Oshie had a down year last year only recording 55 points (19g-36a), which is down from 2013-14 campaign where he had 60 points (21g-39a). In other words, Oshie had an ok, but not great year last year.
Troy Brouwer had a "stellar" year where he scored 21g-22a (43 pts) in 82 games. Phoenix Copley played 2 years at MTU before spending one year between Washington's ECHL and AHL team. He posted a respectable 17-4-3 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .925 Save% in 26 games with the Hershey Bears.
My thoughts? St. Louis wanted to make changes at the top of their lineup. That meant trading Backes, Oshie, or both. They traded Oshie. They got meh in return.
This isn't a colossally bad trade (like Minnesota did by trading Nick Leddy for Ben Eager a few years back), but it's trading Washington a first line player (who will probably play on Washington's second line) for a 2nd line/3rd line forward. The video in the article said "I love this move for Washington." and "I love this move for Oshie." What did they say for Brouwer and St. Louis? "Interesting move for St. Louis." Yup.
I recognize they wanted to make a change. But the question is: Are you making a change to make a difference and improve your team or are you making a change just to make a change (send a message)? My guess: This was a trade just to make a change. St. Louis did not improve one bit from this.
Winner: Washington
Wednesday, July 01, 2015
The End of Native American Nicknames?
The Senate Democrats and President Obama are on a full court press to get rid of the Washington Redskins nickname. I believe they're going to come after other sports teams that use Native American nicknames.
This begs the question, are native American nicknames on the way out? Will they cave to political correctness.
Seriously, in this case, I could see lawsuits coming or the Redskins relocating to another more friendly area that will allow them to build their new stadium there. The Redskins could just wait till Obama is out of office and see what happens.
This begs the question, are native American nicknames on the way out? Will they cave to political correctness.
WASHINGTON (AP) The National Park Service won't grant the District of Columbia a new lease for the site of the Washington Redskins' old stadium in part because Interior Secretary Sally Jewell opposes the team's name.
Jewell reiterated that position during a meeting in late April with Mayor Muriel Bowser, Interior Department spokeswoman Jessica Kershaw said. Bowser's administration has been in preliminary talks with the Redskins about moving the team back to Washington and building a new stadium. The team currently plays its home games at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, but the Redskins' lease there expires in 2026.
''Secretary Jewell has been clear that she considers the Washington football team's name a relic of the past and believes it should be changed,'' Kershaw said.Per the Washington Post:
“Efforts to lure the Washington Redskins back to the District have come up against a potentially insurmountable challenge: the Obama Administration’s objections to the team’s name.”Where ever you stand on the issue, I don't see some professional teams caving to the political correctness pressure without lawsuits and a big ugly fight. Nor should they.
Seriously, in this case, I could see lawsuits coming or the Redskins relocating to another more friendly area that will allow them to build their new stadium there. The Redskins could just wait till Obama is out of office and see what happens.
Phil Kessel a Pengiun
It's Canada Day in Canada and in the NHL world, we have a blockbuster trade that sent Phil Kessel to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It doesn't look like the Penguins gave up much to get Kessel. Now Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will have another talented forward to play with.
Per Mike Johnston of Sportsnet.CA:
So, if you're a Leafs fan, do you like this deal? I think that the Penguins have committed a robbery against the Leafs.
Per Mike Johnston of Sportsnet.CA:
In return Toronto gets centre Nick Spaling, forward Kasperi Kapanen, defenceman Scott Harrington, plus first- and third-round picks from 2016. Toronto will retain $1.2 million of Kessel’s salary in each of the next seven seasons.
The Leafs are also sending forward Tyler Biggs, defenceman Tim Erixon and a 2016 second-round pick to Pittsburgh.
So, if you're a Leafs fan, do you like this deal? I think that the Penguins have committed a robbery against the Leafs.
Too soon? pic.twitter.com/Y1JP5oxXFq
— Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) July 1, 2015
Toronto Maple Leafs trade Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh Penguins: The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded star winger ... http://t.co/1LiiRcIrId
— StayWithMe (@SWM_87) July 1, 2015
Every piece of the original Phil Kessel trade with Boston has been traded again. Kessel. Seguin. Hamilton.
— Adam Gretz (@AGretz) July 1, 2015
Here's the full terms of the Phil Kessel trade. Retained 15% of his salary as well, which is big. pic.twitter.com/amDcZQnRJb
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) July 1, 2015
You've gotta really hate Phil Kessel to lose a trade to Jim Rutherford
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) July 1, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
WTH, Sharks acquire goaltender Jones from Bruins
If you're a Boston Bruins fan, are you scratching your head right now. I know that I am. I don't understand it? First, you trade away your muscle of the franchise in Milan Lucic. I get it, he was over paid base on his performace the last two season.
Then you take three players that are at least a year or two away in the NHL Draft. Now, after trading for and receiving a great goaltending prospect, you trade him away for a draft pick and a former Miami RedHawk forward that will have a hard time making the fourth line.
Per Puck Daddy:
Then you take three players that are at least a year or two away in the NHL Draft. Now, after trading for and receiving a great goaltending prospect, you trade him away for a draft pick and a former Miami RedHawk forward that will have a hard time making the fourth line.
NHL.COM -- The San Jose Sharks acquired goaltender Martin Jones from the Boston Bruins on Tuesday for forward prospect Sean Kuraly
"Martin was at the top of our list of players that we had targeted," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson told the Sharks website. "We're extremely excited to have him on board."
It's the second time in five days Jones has been traded. The Bruins got him Friday as part of the trade that sent forward Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings. Jones can become a restricted free agent if he's not signed by Wednesday.
Per Puck Daddy:
“No, I don’t think it’s a rebuild,” he said on Tuesday. “We have a tremendous core group of guys that will carry and even more tremendous load while we wait for these young players to find their footing.”
UAA Fan Blog Endorses Sundogs :)
Oh, course he does. Why wouldn't he? Lol. Since UND is currently in the process of selecting a new nickname, opposition fans are going to have fun with the process, too. I am sure that if I was a Gopher fan, I probably would find the UND's process of selecting a new nickname to be humorous.
I found this post on the UAA Fan Blog. I want to be clear, this is no way an attempt to start a flame feast. I just thought you might want to read this.
I found this post on the UAA Fan Blog. I want to be clear, this is no way an attempt to start a flame feast. I just thought you might want to read this.
Donald Dunlop, UAA Fan Blog -- There's a lot of history between the NCAA ruling and North Dakota's selection of the name "Sundogs" this weekend. Too much to cover in this post; but of course it's worth noting that this blogger whole-heartedly supported the NCAA and was thrilled to see their original name cast into historical infamy.So, let's send a little love Donald's way. Or not. Just a little FYI for the poster that made his comment, I no longer breath through my nose, I had reconstructive nose surgery two years ago.
My focus today is instead to celebrate the choice that North Dakotan's made. Sundogs are frankly one of the most beautiful atmospheric anomalies. We see our fair share of these here in Alaska as the conditions necessary to see a Sundog occur quite often.
I'm celebrating because I had no idea the people of that state could be so forward-thinking and progressive. The rainbow effect of the Sundog dovetails perfectly with this weeks much ballyhooed ruling from the Supreme Court of the US that same-gender marriage is now the law of the land in all 50 states. I'm absolutely stunned but intensely delighted that the citizens of the flattest, most treeless place on the planet have honored the LGBT community with the rainbow-like Sundog.
Many US states and it's citizenry have been pensively struggling to wrap their minds around the potential effects of this monumentally righteous ruling by SCOTUS. But North Dakota has beaten off the imagined social conflagration and shown it's true colors (the entire spectrum of the rainbow). Good guy North Dakota; what an amazing turn of events. It's left me with respect for that state and it's peoples that I have never had.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Grand Forks Herald Letter: Few know sundogs, but everyone knows Roughriders
I have been focusing on the nickname issue because I think it's an important issue. First, I think the UND nickname committee eliminated names that are a lot better than the remaining final seven nicknames. Also, as I mentioned last week, I think we need to reject the Sundogs nickname.
Finally, I am also concerned that UND nickname committee is going to pick a very bad nickname that none of us can get behind. If the nickname committee wants to start a major firestorm, pick Sundogs.
here's one of the latest letters from the Grand Forks Herald. It was kind of long so I took the main point from the letter. You can read the whole thing by clicking on the link.
Finally, I am also concerned that UND nickname committee is going to pick a very bad nickname that none of us can get behind. If the nickname committee wants to start a major firestorm, pick Sundogs.
here's one of the latest letters from the Grand Forks Herald. It was kind of long so I took the main point from the letter. You can read the whole thing by clicking on the link.
Eric Groves, BRECKENRIDGE, Colo -- Now to my main point: Sundogs. This is a weather phenomenon that does happen in North Dakota, among other cold weather states. Sure, it is kind of cool to see, but is this a name that deserves to be the nickname of the state's flagship university—UND?
Some have said this represents Grand Forks. This is not the University of Grand Forks, so let's think bigger than that.
To me, the answer is a resounding no. I do not want my university's nickname to be a weather phenomenon. I definitely do not want the logo to be some sort of rainbow.
There are many state universities that adopt their state's nickname as their nickname. Of the seven names the committee and consultants deemed "popular", there is one that does stick out. Roughriders. Which happens to be one of North Dakota's nicknames: the Roughrider State.
A common argument is that Red River High School in Grand Forks is the Roughriders. Hazen High School in Hazen, N.D., is the bison, the exact same name as another major university in the state. I can live with that.
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