Sunday, November 29, 2009

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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The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The 11/3 Project
www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor
Health Care Crisis

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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?


26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Palin to North Dakota would be a much better fit than Minnesota.

Donald Dunlop said...

Well ... maybe. But don't the forlorn North Dakotans already have a dance card full of bleakness and misery?

I guess I figured with the fake Minnesota accent (which she didn't have before running for VP), that they were made for each other.

Anonymous said...

So Donald are you reading Sarah's new book?

matthew said...

Mankato takes the big 70 mile bus trip to Minneapolis.
it's a home & home series- fri @umn, sat @msum.

Need a suggestion as to where? How about anywhere in Minnesota...
oh, please not anywhere near here! she can go to a red state- if we're voting, i'll vote nodak too.

Anonymous said...

Sean Wiles slow start WTF! It's his first year actually starting every game:

http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog.com/2009/11/30/1178866/weekend-recap

Anonymous said...

It is nice sean is doing well, but it usually take three years to become a fixture in the league.

Anonymous said...

Donald, your presence is being requested over at DaHuskies. Let's have a nice little shit talking session, shall we? A UAA series wouldn't be the same without it.

Donald Dunlop said...

I think the Wiles "slow start" reference is really just a comparison for the early games this season versus the recent games.

jjack said...

I'm already in the Party. Why haven't YOU joined, Donald?

Donald Dunlop said...

A couple of reasons ... first there appears to be no Communist affiliated organization here in Anchorage. Strange but true that one of the most right wing places in the country wouldn't have a "commie store". So if we're ever fortunate to meet ... I won't know the secret handshake.

I would have joined the National Party but I failed at navigating their website.

Also, I don't so much fancy myself as a "joiner" but more a "promoter".

jjack said...

Before I left Anchorage three-or-so years ago we had an official CPUSA club. Then 75% of the club membership all happened to move out of state within a couple months of each other and that was the end of that.

The guy who was kind of the mentor of our club keeps a low profile. There are very few places in the country where the Party has a public shop, maybe half a dozen or less. The way it usually works is you apply for membership, HQ's sends your app to a local contact, local guy has coffee with you, then you learn the "secret handshake". I know you said you're not a "joiner", which is cool, but if you ever changed your mind I still stay in touch with the local people left.

Anonymous said...

What the Fuck has happened to this Blog? Have you ll been drinking or what? Palin, Communism, Mankato? What the hell do they have to do with Hockey?

Anonymous said...

I hear Palin was living the easy life somewhere in the Hamptons this past summer. God knows she must have stuck out like a sore thumb on Long Island. But perhaps since she couldn't make it as VP, she was trying her best to rub elbows with East Coast upper class. As long as she stays away from the Sullivan for any Seawolf home games, I don't care where she decides to spend her time.

Looking forward to two great games this weekend. I'm feeling a Fantastic Friday and a Superb Saturday......no more Suicide Fridays the rest of the season.

Go Seawolves!!!!!

Anonymous said...

How about Debacle Friday. Lets have a contest on Donalds blog for naming our absolute shit kickings on Fridays. There are no excuses for those type of performances period. It makes everybody look bad,real bad.

Anonymous said...

Lets name Friday nights at the Sully Debacle friday. Maybe we can have a contest on Donalds blog to name our pathetic Friday nights as they have been ridicoulous all year save one game. Tough to build the program with complete noshows from everyone on that night. HAVE SOME GODDAM PRIDE THIS FRIDAY. ok good luck.

Anonymous said...

Seawolves, c'mon put a whole weekend together please, don't let us down on Friday.

If we sweep St. Cloud we could be in 4th place, or tied for it

C'MON SEAWOLVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what I hope will happen to our younger fans, we get fans like that and we don't need to worry about the future of Seawolf fans, if they stay here. I was just like that, and have raised my little brother the right way, to HATE uaF:

http://www.dailynorseman.com/2009/11/30/1179718/talk-about-kicking-jay-when-hes

alaskana said...

Anon@11:20:

How about Free Fallin' Fridays? ;)

No, but seriously I hope UAA has gotten the '8-zip' games out of their system this season. Given the way they played Saturday against CC I think their 'Freaky Fridays' might be a thing of the past.

Oh and when are the Wolves gonna play the Aces? I think that would be one kick-ass exhibition match. (Might give armchair Aces a reason to go to Wolves games).

Mike said...

Donald a few things of interest for you http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/1035823.html
And Woody wants to hear from people
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/145683

Donald Dunlop said...

Mike,
I"m just glad I no longer have to beg for comments like Doyle does. I actually considered commenting over there on that post but then the conversation there would have been interesting and filled with facts.

As to the regents pissing on what they've previously promised to UAA regarding the sports complex for BB, VB, Gymnastics etc ... it doesn't surprise me. Nothing more than a bunch of wimps who are afraid to go to the state government with THE LARGEST (35 Billion) excess funds of any U.S. state and demand they fully fund higher education in this state. So they do what they've always done ... get something sweet for their backyard (the regents are based in FBX) and guarantee that Fairbanks can continue to be a viable city when it would otherwise fold up it's tents.

It's pretty much just welfare for Fairbanks.

Anonymous said...

Via Woody
UAA junior defenseman Luka Vidmar's left knee injury is only a sprain, and he could miss as few as three games.

An MRI revealed a sprain of Vidmar's medial collateral ligament. He suffered the injury in Friday's 5-0 WCHA road loss to Colorado College and sat out Saturday's dramatic 3-2 Seawolves win in overtime.

Because the Seawolves (6-10-0, 4-8-0 WCHA) have a holiday break of more than one month after this weekend's series against visiting St. Cloud State, the injury might only cost Vidmar three games.

"If any injury can be good timing, this is good timing,'' Vidmar said. "The MRI was good news, luckily. Happy December starts early for me.''

The other injured UAA player, senior winger Josh Lunden, had an MRI taken of his shoulder on Tuesday, and the school is awaiting the results. Lunden, the team's leading active goal scorer, has missed the last four games.

akhockeyfanatic said...

Great news on Luka! It will be good to have him back on board after the first of the new year. Same with Lunden - want him back in the line up as well and the sooner the better! Keeping my fingers crossed that he'll receive some positive news with the results from the MRI.

Go Seawolves! The weekend is yours to win.

Anonymous said...

Prediction for Friday.

4 to 2 for Uaa.
Clark 1 goal 1 assist
Grant 2 assists.
parkinson 1 goal 1 assist
BAldwin 1 goal
Naslund 1 goal

All the best friday, let's get the friday curse put to bed.

paintedpony said...

Donald, I noticed you posted on that ADN blog. Good post. I may not agree with you on some things (politics) I do agree with you on the hockey situation.

Donald Dunlop said...

pony:
I can't remember commenting over there for quite some time. What did I say?

paintedpony said...

Well whoever posted over there under AKfan sure did sound just like you. It was about recruiting and the arena. If it wasn't you maybe it was your brother. lol

Donald Dunlop said...

Ah ... just one of my many minions I guess (kidding ... kidding).

I'm heartened to hear that others my share my views. But if and when I do post in Doyle's comments section I only use "uaafanblog" or in some cases my actual name because sometimes there is something weird about which of my two accounts on ADN.com happen to assert themselves. Weird cookie behavior of something seems to be at hand in all that.

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