WHAT IS UP WITH WANLESS...
I am not too happy this week after a great series with the University of
Minnesota. It seems that our great Athletic director has taken it upon
himself to monkey with tradition. Terry Wanless being the great money maker
that he is has decided that Division Two Basketball is equal to Division
one hockey and should get the prime times, when the hockey team is
playing in crucial season series. The Gophers and Sioux hockey teams should
have been playing in prime time not at 2:05 in the afternoon. The average
college fan is still getting out of bed at 2:05 and the hockey team needs
that support if it wants to win the big games. This is the question I want
to pose to athletic director Terry Wanless, why is Fighting Sioux Hockey the
biggest draw, next to UND vs. NDSU in football getting the left overs. I'm
sorry but this should not be hard, this is such a no brainer. Lets see
which one do I want to watch, will it be UND Fighting Sioux mens and Womens
basketball against SDSU in basketball or the UND Fighting Sioux and The
Golden Gophers of Minnesota playing in a crucial WCHA match-up.
Hockey should have been the main focus this weekend. Why not make basketball
start times at 4:00 and 6:00 and have the Hockey game start at 7:35. It
shouldn't be any other way. I have heard the same sentiments from the fans
and from the UND coach on the radio Friday on the sports ticket (the
radio station am 1280 Fargo). Mr Wanless you really dropped the ball on
this one, this should not have never happened.
Another Issue is K-Lite 104, although I am a big fan I think they
were out of line in some of their complaints about the students and the
seating situation. What about the people who ussualy come from
the Twin Cities that did not make the trip this year. There was
visually less Gophers Fans this year then I have ever seen during a
Sioux Gopher Series.
Another point, you are not going to just take the seats away
from the students. Those seats are set aside for the students only, we
pay fees, So even though there was no one in these seat students were
still charged their activity fee. I also believe that Hennen, Hennessy
should not put the whole blame the students for lack of attendance on the
students. The administration (the AD office, the WCHA) should also take
some of the blame. Maybe something was learned and we can improve on this
next year.
THE GOON'S ICE CHIPS...
*The Sioux are 6-1 against the Golden Gophers since Dark Starr made his
derogatory comments about the UND Fighting Sioux hockey team. Last week I
wrote Mike Max an E-mail and asked him if Dark Star was going to say
anything else about our hockey program.
*I had the priviledge to watch Mark Cullen score a goal the other night on
a ESPN 2 broadcast he really look good getting a regular shift, and at
times Cullen was paired with the Finnish Flash Teemu Selanne. Cullen has
2 goals and 11 assits in 35 games.
This Weeks Predictions
Wisconsin @ Michigan Tech, I think the Badgers will recover this weekend
with at least a split. Look for both games to be close though.
SCSU and Colarado College, the Tigers have had a tough season and must
finish strong if they want to attend the post season. However, SCSU
will prove too be too much for the C.C. Tigers as SCSU will take 3 out of 4
points. Leitza will stand on his head proving to be a stone wall.
Alaska and Minnesota, the Gophers will be mad after last weekend sweep
at the hands of the Fighting Sioux and will come out smoking and will win
big, expect scores of 11-3 and 10-0. Good goal tending can not stop the
onslaught of the Gophers. :>)
Sioux and Denver, on paper the Sioux should win big, however, Denver has
played good the last part of the season. Also the Sioux know what can
happened when they come into Denver unenspired. Look for a hard fought series
UND wins 2, 5-4 in o.t. and 3-2.
Have a good weekend.
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