Sunday Potpourri: No Turkey Sandwiches

Next time you look at the standings, try looking deeper than just where on the table UAA resides.  If you look at them and think, "UAA is in 8th" then your not seeing the bigger picture.  A deeper look at the WCHA standings tells me a few things.  Any one of 6 teams have a realistic chance to finish in 1st place.  Conversely, 10th place seems most likely to be occupied one of the four teams currently in the last four spots.

The three teams tied for 4th place have one more conference win (5) than UAA (4).  Only the Seawolves and Michigan Tech don't have a tied game on their record.  10 of UAA's next 16 conference games are against teams that are currently within 4 points of them in the standings.

The Gophers may currently reside in 9th place but they've got games in hand against the 7th and 8th place teams.  Six of their next 8 games are against the current 7th, 8th and 10th place teams.

Before the season started, I mentioned that between 12 and 16 points was a good goal for the Seawolves at the break.  If UAA can manage a sweep of St. Cloud next week they'll wrap up the 09 part of the schedule with 12 points.

I noticed an interesting non-conference comparison; the first place team in Hockey East has won 5 of the 14 games on their schedule.  UAA has won 6 of 16 games.  They (UNH) are 0-3 against top 5 ranked teams and UAA is 3-3 against teams ranked in the top 5.

I think the larger point here is that 5th place and a home ice WCHA playoff berth are not out of the realm of possibility.  Results so far are a bit less than you'd hope for with such a goal but not unreasonably so.  That door definitely hasn't been closed to our Seawolves for that level of success.

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In case you weren't aware (and you likely wouldn't be since the U.S. media has barely covered this) there's been a major economic meltdown which compares favorably with the gluttony-induced failures that the U.S. experienced last year.  Once again it appears, that a group of obscenely rich assholes have gobbled up unbelievably huge sums of money and aren't in a position to pay it back.  This time it happened in probably the most greedy country in the world, Dubai.  The UAE is propping up the debt though in the same stupid way the U.S. did for Wall Street.  Lovely.

It'd be nice someone somewhere would step up and put these grotesquely rich assholes in their place (prison).  But such a thing isn't likely to happen is it?  We all mistakenly believe the myth that with a bit of hard work and luck we could be the next Bill Gates or Richard Branson.  Ain't gonna happen folks.  Quit propagating that ridiculous falsehood to your children; there's nearly 6 BILLION people and very few Gates and Bransons.  Teach them instead that if they gather together with other like-minded people for fairness and equality that maybe one day 99% of the worlds wealth won't be owned by 1% of the population.  Otherwise, that obscene statistic is likely to dominate their lives.

Yes, this is more of my commie philosophy.  I know, I'm a horrid person for wanting to see less poverty and suffering in the world.  Unless and until more of you start becoming aware and making the little decisions necessary to slowly counter the progression of the corrupted culture that our modern society has foisted on us then the outlook for your children and grandchildren is likely to be as bleak as you could imagine.  Perhaps you think capitalism has done all right by you.  Perhaps it has.  Lots of people (in the west) enjoy a fairly high standard of living.  I can't say I go wanting for much in my life.  But even a typical low end millionaire in the U.S. is just a pissant when compared to the money which that 1% has locked up in perpetuity for themselves and their descendants.

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Shall we look at this weekend's results from around the league?  Lets.  There were two tournaments involving WCHA teams this weekend.  North Dakota hosted two teams from the Carribean ... Biminiji, Miami and a team from Ohio in their tournament.  Biminiji pretended they were in the NCAA's again but this time they beat the Florida team that beat them last year in the Frozen Four.  On the same night, North Dakota beat Ohio State handily.  The dance partners changed the next night and the Miami Hurricanes tied the mighty NoDaks.  Biminiji forgot to keep pretending they were in the NCAA's and promptly lost to the Buckeyes.  Why these Carribean teams are playing hockey eludes me.

Minnesota and Wisconsin traveled east for a pair against Big Ten foes Michigan and Michigan State.  Michigan ruled the weekend beating the Gophers 6-0 and then downing Wisconsin 3-2.  Bucky had dropped a Friday bomb on Michigan State 7-3 before the loss.  Minnesota rebounded to beat Michigan State on Saturday 2-1.  Not the greatest weekend for non-conference WCHA action from three teams that normally represent better.

In conference games the presumed 09/10 National Champions University of Denver team split on their home ice with St. Cloud.  Minnesota-Duluth cleaned up on Bye taking all four points.  And Mankato added to Michigan Tech's frustrating season by winning both games against them.  Much wailing and lamentations out of Kato-land after losing a couple of weekends ago on penalty call in OT and of course this weekend Kato fans are labeling MTU fans whiners over a quick whistle that called back a potential MTU goal.  But no ... they weren't whining two weeks ago about the OT penalty were they?

Man ...  I pretty much hate every team in this league and it's usually due to some segment of their fanbase.  I used to despise St. Cloud for those reasons but they've actually got fewer whiney douchebags than most programs these days.  I honestly didn't think I'd see a day when CC and DU douchebag fan proportions would exceed St. Cloud's but that day has arrived.  Are cats sleeping with dogs?

Anyway, what's on tap for this coming weekend?  A full WCHA on WCHA schedule.  NoDaks go to Duluth with big standings implications on the line.  Expect a split.  Denver and CC play with each other and then have a couple of hockey games.  Expect a split.  Mankato takes the big 70 mile bus trip to Minneapolis.  Expect a split.  Michigan Tech fans go to Wisconsin to party on State Street.  Expect hangovers and a Bucky sweep.  And of course, St. Cloud comes up here.  Expect a UAA sweep.

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Ok.  Now in the really grinds my gears department.  The Chase Sapphire Rewards commercial below.  No I'm not going to go all commie on it and bitch about how these rewards cards are just a manipulation by big finance to separate more of your hard earned cash from you by subconsciously suggesting that your life would be better with one of their cards.  They do a shitty job of it in this commercial anyway.

My first reaction was ... "That bitch!"  This guy sees his wife in a nice dress and imagines all the great things they could do together by utilizing the rewards points only to find out that she spent all the reward points on one fucking dress?  Then he smiles at her like a putz?  What a doormat of a husband.  Far be it for me to advocate domestic violence ... but doesn't that chick deserve to be punched at that moment instead of the whole "aw honey, you spent enough money for a vacation on a single dress ... I love you so much" bullshit smile he gives her.  Non-selfish women (which I'm sure all UAA female fans are) should be offended too at the propagation of the stereotype.

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Lastly and once again, I want to emplore Sarah Palin to move out of this state.  Would it help if I said please?  Please dearest Sarah.  Move to the "real" America.  Please.  The last governor moved to Utah when he lost.  Please.  I'll vote for you for whatever if you move.  Really.  I will.  You leave Alaska permanently and I'll vote for you for President of the United States.  I honestly will.  Please leave here.  You are completely and entirely sullying the formerly good name of this state with your continuing presence and ongoing drama in the media.

Need a suggestion as to where?  How about anywhere in Minnesota from which you co-opted your faux midwest accent?  Mankato would love to have you and Todd and it's not that far from the Mall of America.  You know that place right?  Mankato is like the Wasilla of Minnesota.  You'd feel right at home.  At least there aren't as many hillbilly heroin dealers as in Wasilla.  How about Biminiji?  I know Todd's part Native American but they're surrounded by reservations so nobody would notice.  Todd looks white anyway.

St. Cloud would be happy to getcha!  Maybe you and Michelle Bachmann could hang out?  Duluth might be a little close to Wisconsin for you but they love you there too.  Please Sarah, move to Minnesota.  Anywhere there would be wonderful.  Please.  Edina is calling!  White Bear Lake wants you too!  Even Moorhead would take you.

Gawd ... why do I always beg for shit that is never going to happen?