Much is made of the spirit of the westward going 18th and 19th century American Pioneers. They fought through many obstacles on their quest to acheive their Manifest Destiny. God wanted them to go and get what was theirs. And enough of them sacrificed their lives in the effort that eventually they conquered the west. DU honors them with their nickname, logo and unofficial mascot.
But let's face up to something here. Many (if not most), "Pioneers" were greedy, unsociable bastards trying to get something they couldn't get in the civilized society of the time. Lots of them were frankly stupid. They set off greatly underestimating the challenges ahead and paid the price with their lives. Some of them were righteously killed by aboriginal people. Many more were killed by Ma Nature. And when they got to their promised land ... many of them killed each other over the limited resources available. The romanticized "Pioneer" is more myth than truth. And the University of Denver honors that? Ok.
Most of all that applies directly to this years University of Denver hockey team. They really don't know what they're facing. Just like their namesakes, they are in search of their Manifest Destiny (God wants DU to win doncha know?) and they're coming to the wilderness unprepared for reality. They've been annointed this season as the greatest assemblage of talent ever to grace an NCAA rink. As strong a consensus #1 preseason pick as has ever existed. Their fans think that these Pioneers are going to skate circles around the Seawolves. Only one said it, but there's plenty of other ones that think it. That's right ... I can read their minds.
Beating them this weekend is simple. A little thunder and lightning will have them scurrying for cover. In other words, hit the prairie monkeys early and often and they'll retreat to the wagon. Throw up an obstacle or two and they'll circle the wagons while they figure out how to cross the river. That means if you own your end of the rink you can keep them from scoring. Wait for them to lumber into your valley and then ambush them and their wide-eyed last defender will surrender. That means counterattack and transition hard and you'll put more than enough pucks past their rookie goalie.
Seriously, these guys are sitting ducks. They've come up here a day early to rest up from the big bad plane ride. They're out enjoying the mild weather and beauty of our fine state. No doubt they think they're team bonding. On Friday night, they'll be lax. They won't be expecting what they're going to face. Come at them wave after wave, be on them at every turn. Disrespect them openly.
Their coach has probably tried to tell them it will be a tough weekend. But I'd bet dollars to donuts he used phrases like "could be a tough weekend" and "if you don't play" and "they might be" when talking to his players. They don't really know what they're getting into. Show them a buzzsaw, a whirlwind, a tornado. Throw everything you've got at them from the opening whistle Friday night to the horn at the end of Saturday's game and you'll come away with 4 points.
Be aggressive, aggressive and then be aggressive again. Puck the Fioneers.
17 comments:
Be aggressive is right. And score lots of goals.
GO SEAWOLVES!!!! !
Come out FIRED UP Seawolves, and don't let up. Let's give the crowd a game to remember.
Let's Go Seawolves,play hard, play smart and win!! Keep your head up and your stick on the ice.Remember to shoot and shoot again.
DU Sweeps
It is nice to see alaska players come home to play uaa. Should create some interest and competition. When clark plays und he knows lots of players there and fans from winnipeg go down to see him.
This creates interest between teams and sells tickets.
I see nothing wrong with alaska players going to different colleges of there choice.
It is nice if players want to stay home, but playing elsewhere and travelling is what all young players like to do.
All the best to uaa tonite.
Fan
Friday night DU 5-1.
Saturday night DU 4-2.
Go DENVER!!! See you at the games!
UAA 3-1 friday
UAA 2-1 saturday
Close but very good games expected this week-end. Good luck boys!
When were in the "pioneers" ice we need not only to cycle the puck for high quality shots we need to skate with the puck a little to, that's exactly what UND, and Minnysoda did to us, so it's only fair if we do that to the "pioneers", we do that:
We Puck the Fioneers.
To beat a far more talented team like Denver, UAA will need to work their asses off and play their absolute best for all 60 without let up. Denver will have to have an average or below average game and the pucks will have to bounce the right way. Three things is all, and it could happen. Maybe. Like all second and third tier teams, UAA can win these games, but it not only depends on how hard they work, the other team has to have an off night too. Good luck boys, have a good one.
Zeke,
Wow. Inspirational.
Tier 2 and 3 teams? What planet are you on? You didn't see the playoffs in Denver last year? I get sick and tired of these comments. What's wrong with local fans, they have some sort of deep rooted inferiority complex or something? Just because the Lower 48 look at you (and maybe North Dakota!) with contempt is no reason for you to join in. It's almost a type of self-loathing. UAA is in the WCHA. UAA wins games in the WCHA. We are worthy! Tier 2? Get a grip. -30-
Pioneers sweep.
Puck the fioneers.........and the horse they rode in on
dan
Dan,
I'd advise the use of a step-stool of some sort; that's a pretty high horse ... ya know?
I'm sorry, but any team that chronically ends up in the lower half, more likely the bottom, of any Div I league is second or third tier. I'm not talking about teams that have a bad year from time to time, but those that rarely if ever rise above that level. Which category does UAA belong in? Objectively?
The WCHA is no doubt one of the traditionally top, if not the top leagues in the country, but UAA has rarely gotten above the dead bottom of the league, let alone done half decently in it. They might do a little better in a different league, but I really doubt it would be signficantly better. There's really no crappy Div I leagues. It's not like Seawolves hockey is a new program still undergoing growing pains. They are what they are.
I'm not picking on UAA, the same could be said for 2-3 teams in every major league. They're Div I teams, sometimes pretty decent, fun to watch and worth supporting, just aren't upper level teams, ever. They might get a minute or two in the top 10 or 15 rankings if they're having an historic year, but almost always are at .500 or below and off the charts.
The upper echelon teams attract the best recruits and retain the best coaches. Geography, history, coaching, institutional and booster support. The rest of us attract secondary recruits (with the odd excellent late bloomer or overlooked talent), and serve as an entry level position for the best coaches which then move to the upper echelon teams.
How many solid (I don't mean hopeful) NHL prospects have come through the team in the past 20 years? How many UAA coaches have even moved on to a higher level program, ever?
This can be overcome from time to time with an A++ game and some good bounces, and it's damn exciting and worth waiting for and supporting, but consistently, no.
Zeke,
I'm mostly all about diversity of opinion and freedom of expression an all that jazz. Likewise, I hope you're mostly understanding that such supposed objective views like yours come across more as negative in a venue such as this where we're all happily steeped in our subjective optimism.
I would counter some of your observations but I tend to think that'd just make you come back for more discussion. And frankly, I'd rather reserve that energy for the trolls from outside that show up here.
Enjoy the games. The boys will make you happy this weekend, I'm sure of that.
I have nothing to say except, GO WOLVES!
Oh, and my prediction for what it's worth:
(not much)
Game 1: Wolves 3, Pio 1
Game 2: Wolves 2, Pio 1
Cheers, all. =)
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