Hockey Town USA

Griff · 12-18-2002, 07:07 AM

Mike Dunham got traded to the Rangers and immediately kicked butt. My daughters teacher is Dunhams aunt and a huge Rangers fan so she's on cloud nine. He grew up in Endwell, just over the border in NY where he is regarded as a pretty big deal, what with being an olympian and all. One of my friends, from Utica so he is always running down Binghamton hockey, thinks this is the beginning of the end of Mike's run, since Nashville found him disposable. I prefer to see it as a guy catching his dream. Now he has his chance to perform, with Richter out its his moment.

warch · 12-18-2002, 11:27 AM

Very Cool. Hockey talk. Nothing beats a kid that gets his break and runs with it.

And on that topic I give you my favorite winger Richard Park!
I love this kid! He's small, scrappy, strong and tenacious as hell. And he just caused me to lose my voice.
We're in the third season of the MN Wild here, The warches have the coveted $10 row 1 seats. We got our $20 worth last night against the Oilers. The Wild had never beat the Oilers. Last night, Manny Fernandez in goal, most of the team was battling the flu, got off to a slow start. Anson Carter, Mike York, Smyth were so fast and flying in waves. Manny kept us in it. But then the Wild got some life. Park would not stop working his ass off. He was all over them, stealing pucks, breaking up passes, forechecking. He scored the tying goal and then with 16 seconds left in OT he just pressured it right past Markkanen for the win. Crazy.
So the overachieving expansion Wild- brilliantly coached by Jacques Lemaire- full of youngsters, second chancers and last song veterans are hanging at the top of the standings in late Dec.

Cam · 12-18-2002, 12:19 PM

Wild are the only team I pay much attention to, only becuase they get so much media coverage up here. I stil don't know much about hockey though i've been going to UND for a year and a half now. I don't know, I just can't get into the sport it's fun but unlike football and basketball I don't understand all the rules and strategies that go with it. Maybe someday I'll figure it out.

warch · 12-18-2002, 03:12 PM

What I find most appealing is that hard work and heart can turn a game on a dime. There are these momentum shifts. That is missing from most professional sports, unless its a big playoff game. You'll get big innings in baseball. Get a bit in basketball, but sometimes it feels like the whole game is rolling along until that last clock minute that gets stretched into ten.
Emotion is such a part of hockey.- that is always apparent at college games. Emotion plus the amazing physical feat of it, the grinding 80 game schedule, the skating,speed, checking, the patience and smarts required.

The rules are fairly straight forward (think soccer) but when there is a call that I'm not clear on, I have a friendly Canadian sidekick to fill me in. Its best to see a game live, then you'll get hooked - its impossible to see everything on tv. My favorite vantage is high up on one of the ends, then you can really see the plays develop as they come down the ice. Down on the glass its cool to see the size and speed, but I like to see the whole ice and the plays. The worst part of hockey are the "fans" that come seemingly just to be loud and obnoxious, waiting to see a fight. (and miss the actual game)

Have you seen a game at the new UND arena? I admit Dean Blais is kinda freaky scary to me. Its always a big game here when the Sioux play the Gophers. Tix are scarce.

Undertoad · 12-18-2002, 03:21 PM

Flyers v. Wild home and home series, Feb. 10 and Feb. 12.

Bring it awwwwwnnnnnnn

warch · 12-18-2002, 03:22 PM

yikes. They's big. Parky will be scramblin'.

elSicomoro · 12-18-2002, 06:10 PM

Hey Warch, in looking at Park, am I right in assuming that he is Korean (or at least Asian)?

Man oh man...there have been a few black players here and there (Tony McKegney, Grant Fuhr, Jamal Mayers...hey! They all played in St. Louis!), but with Jason Gomez (Latino) and this Park kid...it's good to see the NHL becoming increasingly diverse.

warch · 12-19-2002, 11:29 AM

Yup. Park is Korean-American. I found an article about him from last years World tournament where he played for team USA. His family moved to California as a young kid, then spent his teen years playing junior hockey in Canada. Tony reminded me he did a few shifts in Philly- MN picked him up as a free agent.

Its great to see hockey (slowly) grow in diversity and appeal. US hockey, womens hockey. And great young black players making their mark- like Iginla, Anson Carter tearing up and down the ice with his evergrowing dreadlocks makes me smile.

Griff · 12-20-2002, 06:50 AM

Maybe one thing thats holding hockey back is the size of the ice. To me, the international game with the bigger rink is way more appealing. You see more skating, more speed, the room to work makes the passing cleaner... just a thought.

warch · 12-20-2002, 12:55 PM

I like the larger ice too, but I dont see that expensive shift coming to soon- but I bet someday.
One rule change I really like is the regular season OT, 4 on 4. You can still have a tie- but you get a wide open run for a win. That beats the stupid shoot out solution.

You know, I dont see hockey as being held back- Its booming. Inline has raised a generation of skaters. I recall there is at least one NHLer who played on a pro inline team...on the Devils maybe? can't remember his name.

When we lived in Austin in the 90s we got the Ice Bats. We went to some games in the Travis County Rodeo center- the enthusiasm was there, the game was just a bit...foreign. And there was no doubt that Bubba likes the speed, rough and tumble. There are a lot more fans in Dallas these days.
Hockey continues to shift south- Minnesota to Dallas,Hartford to Carolina, Quebec to Denver, Winnipeg to Phoenix. And other than MN the expansion has all been south.

USA hockey is stronger than ever- and perhaps one more indication is that US college hockey is starting to draw international talent and produce more NHL players- not unlike football and basketball. Thats not necessarily a good thing if they arent able to consider themselves students first . Ugh, the quagmire of college athletics. I admire the Canadian and Euro systems of major junior hockey- dont even pretend that these kids want to be in school right now- they are gearing for the pros. Of course if you're smart, you can take that free business degree,too.

Griff · 01-18-2003, 09:24 AM

The evil imperialist Americans are in town tonight. To bad no one has a sense of humor anymore, since the placard possibilities are endless. Crush the infidel Americans!

elSicomoro · 01-18-2003, 02:36 PM

I loved the big ice action during the Olympics...I'm all for the NHL expanding the surface.

Having listened to the CBC for most of the past 2 weeks, the whole situation with the bankruptcies of the Sens and Sabres has been big news.

Many Canadian sports folks have said that the NHL expanded way too fast...from 21 in 1990 to the current 30. The Canadian teams left are having a hard time staying afloat, primarily b/c of the fact that they have to pay players in US dollars, and b/c of the high Canadian taxes. They've also noted that in some places of expansion, the novelty is gone (Florida, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Columbus, Nashville).

I agree with that to a point...but IMO, the real problem is shitty management. The San Jose Sharks only exist b/c the NHL didn't want Gund moving the North Stars there in 1990 (and the new North Stars owner wound up shipping them south to Dallas anyway). That move was as bad as the Cleveland Browns moving to Baltimore in '95.

Then you have Phoenix, which seems to finally be getting its shit together financially. The Pens, which (thankfully) were saved by Super Mario (How funny is that...he was the team's biggest creditor). And the Sens have been in financial chaos since day one. And the Isles, who are getting their footing again under new ownership. (Though my personal opinion is that they should ditch Uniondale and share the Garden with the Rangers.)

The NHL went through some of this same shit in the 70s: Remember the Oakland Seals? The Kansas City Scouts? The Cleveland Barons?

The Sabres...I feel so bad for them. The whole Adelphia thing put them in the hole. And that's a real hockey hotbed...there is apparently some guy heading a group up there more than ready to buy the team.

There has been talk of the Sens being bought and moved to Hamilton, ON (which has an antiquated arena) or Portland (which is more feasible, given Paul Allen and his never-ending bank account). I'd hate to see that happen...Ottawa lost the Sens once already (to St. Louis, in 1934), and I think if they had the right management up there, they could survive.

I feel the pain of the Sens and the Sabres. I watched the Blues be sold to a group wanting to move the team to Saskatoon, only for the NHL to block the sale. And now, the Blues are one of the most stable and popular teams in the NHL. And the Blues are without a doubt, my favorite sports team out there...not having them around while growing up? Man, I don't want to even imagine it.

Griff · 01-19-2003, 08:10 AM

Invasion repulsed.Pretty chippy game but when you're playing a more physical team you have to stand up for yourself. We sold out the arena last night. Fu had to park quite a way down a frigid State Street and walked with a group that didn't have tickets. It sucked to be them but they did have Uncle Tony's (local gin joint) to themselves for a while. I'd say the old Bing/Roc AHL rivalry is officially back. Our guys talked smack all week and backed it up. Joe Murphy had a hat trick and the whole bunch showed some skating talent between brawls. I'd say next time they'll just out skate them.

Ditto on the management thing, Syc.

warch · 01-20-2003, 12:13 AM

Sounds like a fun game Griff. Who is Fu? I assume you were there or were you gin soaked elsewhere...? I'm easily confused.
Jason Spezza- there's player that should be around for a while.

I am rooting for the Sabres and Sens to solve their money woes, and agree that there has been some poor expansion management. Going for the quick fix.

Which makes manager Doug Riseborough and the leadership of the Wild (Lemaire, Trombley, Ramsey) look really good. They are a class act and are in it for the long haul. Catering to fans (who have been badly burned) in the lean years, decent tix prices, building a franchise thoughtfully. I'd like to see Jacques Lemaire win the Jack Adams for his years of overachievement.

And the Blues...always tough, always fun to watch.

Griff · 01-20-2003, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by warch
Sounds like a fun game Griff. Who is Fu?

Family Unit.

It wasn't the prettiest game but they got the job done. When the Sens scored that shorthanded goal on a breakaway (I'll have to work on my hockey lingo) you could see the air go out of Roc. Spezza does look like the real deal. Apparently, they've been having on ice leadership problems but you can see the skills are there. We're going to have to get out to see them more, to see if they come together.

Cool thing happened, I was wearing my MS Tour jacket and ended up sitting by a fellow participant who moved here from Lancaster. He had started cycling to rehab a hockey knee. We got talking cycling, post and beam houses, real estate, and all things rural.

An important upgrade for the AHL experience was the availability of dark beer, Saranac Black and Tan mmmm...

12-18-2002, 07:07 AM	#1
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Hockey Town USA Mike Dunham got traded to the Rangers and immediately kicked butt. My daughters teacher is Dunhams aunt and a huge Rangers fan so she's on cloud nine. He grew up in Endwell, just over the border in NY where he is regarded as a pretty big deal, what with being an olympian and all. One of my friends, from Utica so he is always running down Binghamton hockey, thinks this is the beginning of the end of Mike's run, since Nashville found him disposable. I prefer to see it as a guy catching his dream. Now he has his chance to perform, with Richter out its his moment. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

12-18-2002, 11:27 AM	#2
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Very Cool. Hockey talk. Nothing beats a kid that gets his break and runs with it. And on that topic I give you my favorite winger Richard Park! I love this kid! He's small, scrappy, strong and tenacious as hell. And he just caused me to lose my voice. We're in the third season of the MN Wild here, The warches have the coveted $10 row 1 seats. We got our $20 worth last night against the Oilers. The Wild had never beat the Oilers. Last night, Manny Fernandez in goal, most of the team was battling the flu, got off to a slow start. Anson Carter, Mike York, Smyth were so fast and flying in waves. Manny kept us in it. But then the Wild got some life. Park would not stop working his ass off. He was all over them, stealing pucks, breaking up passes, forechecking. He scored the tying goal and then with 16 seconds left in OT he just pressured it right past Markkanen for the win. Crazy. So the overachieving expansion Wild- brilliantly coached by Jacques Lemaire- full of youngsters, second chancers and last song veterans are hanging at the top of the standings in late Dec. Last edited by warch; 08-31-2007 at 11:56 AM.

12-18-2002, 12:19 PM	#3
Cam dripping with ignorance Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Grand Forks ND Posts: 642	Wild are the only team I pay much attention to, only becuase they get so much media coverage up here. I stil don't know much about hockey though i've been going to UND for a year and a half now. I don't know, I just can't get into the sport it's fun but unlike football and basketball I don't understand all the rules and strategies that go with it. Maybe someday I'll figure it out. __________________ After the seventh beer I generally try and stay away from the keyboard, I apologize for what happens when I fail.

12-20-2002, 06:50 AM	#9
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Maybe one thing thats holding hockey back is the size of the ice. To me, the international game with the bigger rink is way more appealing. You see more skating, more speed, the room to work makes the passing cleaner... just a thought. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

01-18-2003, 09:24 AM	#11
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	The evil imperialist Americans are in town tonight. To bad no one has a sense of humor anymore, since the placard possibilities are endless. Crush the infidel Americans! __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

12-18-2002, 03:12 PM	#4
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	What I find most appealing is that hard work and heart can turn a game on a dime. There are these momentum shifts. That is missing from most professional sports, unless its a big playoff game. You'll get big innings in baseball. Get a bit in basketball, but sometimes it feels like the whole game is rolling along until that last clock minute that gets stretched into ten. Emotion is such a part of hockey.- that is always apparent at college games. Emotion plus the amazing physical feat of it, the grinding 80 game schedule, the skating,speed, checking, the patience and smarts required. The rules are fairly straight forward (think soccer) but when there is a call that I'm not clear on, I have a friendly Canadian sidekick to fill me in. Its best to see a game live, then you'll get hooked - its impossible to see everything on tv. My favorite vantage is high up on one of the ends, then you can really see the plays develop as they come down the ice. Down on the glass its cool to see the size and speed, but I like to see the whole ice and the plays. The worst part of hockey are the "fans" that come seemingly just to be loud and obnoxious, waiting to see a fight. (and miss the actual game) Have you seen a game at the new UND arena? I admit Dean Blais is kinda freaky scary to me. Its always a big game here when the Sioux play the Gophers. Tix are scarce.

12-18-2002, 03:21 PM	#5
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Flyers v. Wild home and home series, Feb. 10 and Feb. 12. Bring it awwwwwnnnnnnn

12-18-2002, 03:22 PM	#6
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	yikes. They's big. Parky will be scramblin'.

12-18-2002, 06:10 PM	#7
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Hey Warch, in looking at Park, am I right in assuming that he is Korean (or at least Asian)? Man oh man...there have been a few black players here and there (Tony McKegney, Grant Fuhr, Jamal Mayers...hey! They all played in St. Louis!), but with Jason Gomez (Latino) and this Park kid...it's good to see the NHL becoming increasingly diverse.

12-19-2002, 11:29 AM	#8
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Yup. Park is Korean-American. I found an article about him from last years World tournament where he played for team USA. His family moved to California as a young kid, then spent his teen years playing junior hockey in Canada. Tony reminded me he did a few shifts in Philly- MN picked him up as a free agent. Its great to see hockey (slowly) grow in diversity and appeal. US hockey, womens hockey. And great young black players making their mark- like Iginla, Anson Carter tearing up and down the ice with his evergrowing dreadlocks makes me smile.

12-20-2002, 12:55 PM	#10
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	I like the larger ice too, but I dont see that expensive shift coming to soon- but I bet someday. One rule change I really like is the regular season OT, 4 on 4. You can still have a tie- but you get a wide open run for a win. That beats the stupid shoot out solution. You know, I dont see hockey as being held back- Its booming. Inline has raised a generation of skaters. I recall there is at least one NHLer who played on a pro inline team...on the Devils maybe? can't remember his name. When we lived in Austin in the 90s we got the Ice Bats. We went to some games in the Travis County Rodeo center- the enthusiasm was there, the game was just a bit...foreign. And there was no doubt that Bubba likes the speed, rough and tumble. There are a lot more fans in Dallas these days. Hockey continues to shift south- Minnesota to Dallas,Hartford to Carolina, Quebec to Denver, Winnipeg to Phoenix. And other than MN the expansion has all been south. USA hockey is stronger than ever- and perhaps one more indication is that US college hockey is starting to draw international talent and produce more NHL players- not unlike football and basketball. Thats not necessarily a good thing if they arent able to consider themselves students first . Ugh, the quagmire of college athletics. I admire the Canadian and Euro systems of major junior hockey- dont even pretend that these kids want to be in school right now- they are gearing for the pros. Of course if you're smart, you can take that free business degree,too.

01-18-2003, 02:36 PM	#12
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	I loved the big ice action during the Olympics...I'm all for the NHL expanding the surface. Having listened to the CBC for most of the past 2 weeks, the whole situation with the bankruptcies of the Sens and Sabres has been big news. Many Canadian sports folks have said that the NHL expanded way too fast...from 21 in 1990 to the current 30. The Canadian teams left are having a hard time staying afloat, primarily b/c of the fact that they have to pay players in US dollars, and b/c of the high Canadian taxes. They've also noted that in some places of expansion, the novelty is gone (Florida, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Columbus, Nashville). I agree with that to a point...but IMO, the real problem is shitty management. The San Jose Sharks only exist b/c the NHL didn't want Gund moving the North Stars there in 1990 (and the new North Stars owner wound up shipping them south to Dallas anyway). That move was as bad as the Cleveland Browns moving to Baltimore in '95. Then you have Phoenix, which seems to finally be getting its shit together financially. The Pens, which (thankfully) were saved by Super Mario (How funny is that...he was the team's biggest creditor). And the Sens have been in financial chaos since day one. And the Isles, who are getting their footing again under new ownership. (Though my personal opinion is that they should ditch Uniondale and share the Garden with the Rangers.) The NHL went through some of this same shit in the 70s: Remember the Oakland Seals? The Kansas City Scouts? The Cleveland Barons? The Sabres...I feel so bad for them. The whole Adelphia thing put them in the hole. And that's a real hockey hotbed...there is apparently some guy heading a group up there more than ready to buy the team. There has been talk of the Sens being bought and moved to Hamilton, ON (which has an antiquated arena) or Portland (which is more feasible, given Paul Allen and his never-ending bank account). I'd hate to see that happen...Ottawa lost the Sens once already (to St. Louis, in 1934), and I think if they had the right management up there, they could survive. I feel the pain of the Sens and the Sabres. I watched the Blues be sold to a group wanting to move the team to Saskatoon, only for the NHL to block the sale. And now, the Blues are one of the most stable and popular teams in the NHL. And the Blues are without a doubt, my favorite sports team out there...not having them around while growing up? Man, I don't want to even imagine it.

01-19-2003, 08:10 AM	#13
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Invasion repulsed.Pretty chippy game but when you're playing a more physical team you have to stand up for yourself. We sold out the arena last night. Fu had to park quite a way down a frigid State Street and walked with a group that didn't have tickets. It sucked to be them but they did have Uncle Tony's (local gin joint) to themselves for a while. I'd say the old Bing/Roc AHL rivalry is officially back. Our guys talked smack all week and backed it up. Joe Murphy had a hat trick and the whole bunch showed some skating talent between brawls. I'd say next time they'll just out skate them. Ditto on the management thing, Syc. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis Last edited by Griff; 01-19-2003 at 08:12 AM.

01-20-2003, 12:13 AM	#14
warch lurkin old school Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,796	Sounds like a fun game Griff. Who is Fu? I assume you were there or were you gin soaked elsewhere...? I'm easily confused. Jason Spezza- there's player that should be around for a while. I am rooting for the Sabres and Sens to solve their money woes, and agree that there has been some poor expansion management. Going for the quick fix. Which makes manager Doug Riseborough and the leadership of the Wild (Lemaire, Trombley, Ramsey) look really good. They are a class act and are in it for the long haul. Catering to fans (who have been badly burned) in the lean years, decent tix prices, building a franchise thoughtfully. I'd like to see Jacques Lemaire win the Jack Adams for his years of overachievement. And the Blues...always tough, always fun to watch.

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