The University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves now lead the nation in penalty minutes. Nice. I think I like that quite well. It reflects two things; first, some undisciplined play. That's not the good part. But it's offset by a very reasonable 84% penalty kill percentage. Over the course of the season, the guys have pulled a boner or two. They've held someone they shouldn't have. Or slashed someone that they didn't need to. So yeah ... they took a couple of bad penalties here and there.
But the second thing it reflects to me is toughness. Old school hockey toughness. Eddie Shore ... Toe Blake ... ok Slap Shot references get old. Lets talk Broad Street Bullies or just about any eastern NHL team from the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties. Rugged was the name of the game in the pre-Gretzky figure skating era.
I'm thinking of Dale Hunter, Ken Linseman, Wendell Clark, Paul Holmgren, Tiger Williams, Wilf Paiement, John MacLean, Doug Gilmour, Bobby Clarke, Clark Gilles, Butch Goring, Mel Bridgman, Mike Mibury, Dave Schultz and others. All of those guys had plenty of game and they could knock your fucking block off at the same time. I like that this edition of the Seawolves has a bit of that in them. I guarantee that DU players and their fans absolutely hate UAA today. Good. I hope our guys make every team and it's fans hate us. They stood up for themselves and I'm not ashamed to say I'm happy to see them do so.
We need a nickname... but Broad Street Bullies is taken. ... so I'm going to steal one that I think fits. It was coined by a UAA fan on USCHO around 1999, who's handle escapes me (forgive me...). It referred to the group of posters supporting UAA ... I think it's a damn good one. It represents toughness in OG fashion. North Coast Posse or just NCP if you are acronym inclined.
If you don't get it ... it's a play on the East Coast versus West Coast rapper posse. We are after all on the North Coast of the United States. What do you think (explaining it kinda ruins it)? By the way ... UA_ is the least penalized team in the nation. Nice diametric opposition doncha think? I'm already looking forward to the North Coast Posse vs. the Skating Nancies for the Governor's Cup.
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I'm not pleased this morning with the coverage from the Anchorage Daily News. I know I know ... more than just a few of you guys have felt that way for a long time. For me, it's been more about the relative coverage the team gets when compared with lots of other WCHA schools. But don't think for a second I haven't noticed what many of you have pointed out many times here. There has long been a subtle (and at time not so subtle) negativity and/or snide bent from Doyle Woody. Here's how he opened his story today in case you haven't read it.
"The Seawolves earned ample credit for resolve Saturday night, but they did not merit reward."
Wow. I left a comment, I generally make a habit of not doing so. I'm a pretty critical fucker so I've thought it best to not rain my shit down on the local journalist. After all, the guy has "standing". He spent 4 years getting a journalism degree. I don't have one. He's spent about 20 years doing his job. I've spent about 10 being a loudmouth on the Internet. Here's what I said in the comments section.
"... did not merit reward." ???
Wow. Really Doyle? The Seawolves were every bit the #2 team in the country's equal two nights in a row. The opposition coach readily acknowledged exactly that. Yet the hometown journalist (who probably didn't see the game) says otherwise? Perhaps you just don't understand the word "merit". In your context it means "to be worthy of" ... The Seawolves definitely were worthy.
Many UAA fans on my blog often comment negatively about your coverage. I tend generally to defend you personally, but I'm doubting my ability to continue as such. Perhaps you're overworked? I'll gladly VOLUNTEER (that means I'll do it for "free") to replace you on the UAA stories so you can focus on the Aces. What say you?
As far as I can recall Doyle has interacted with his readers a grand total of one time in his comments section, so I expect no response and would have let it stand at that. But since making the comment late last night before I went to bed and now ... I've been thinking it isn't a half bad idea.
So, I'm here to ask you guys. Should I send a email to Patrick Dougherty offering to do exactly that? Let me acknowledge (once again) that I don't consider myself a "journalist". I'm not one. A journalist is made by a sheepskin from a Uni and a job writing for a journal. It is a professional career that is more akin to an avocation (Nuns, Nurses and Doctors) than it is just a vocation in that people who are journalists tend to have their identities entwined. So the point here is ... I'm not one.
However, I am fully confident that I can write with the necessary structure and apply the same set of standards and ethics required for a sports journalism story. So, it occurs to me to send Mr. Dougherty a proposal. I'll write their 400-500 word UAA Hockey game stories for zilch. Newspapers are looking for ways to adapt to what they call the New Media Model. Employing a local writer to do what is essentially yoeman's work frees up their expensive Sports Editor for other tasks. Doyle wouldn't have to go to a single UAA game. My game stories would look very similar to his but without the snide references. They tried to free him up when they hired Andrew Hinkleman but honestly, they couldn't pay Hinkleman decently and he found greener pastures. I'm thinking it's a win-win proposal. It wouldn't cost them a penny.
So should I? Here's a poll for you to give me your guidance in this matter. Please offer your comments. I will use the results and your comments to determine how I proceed.
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I just recently rediscovered the word "ephemera". It's better than saying "random bullshit" ... no? I'm never one to shy away from slang as you may notice from time to time. Here's what Jowls had to say after last nights game. By the way ... he really is getting some Jowls and I bet we see a face-lift in the off-season. Oh yeah ... does anyone remember the name of the Looney Tunes dog character with the Jowls that spoke really slowly and nasally? I searched and searched last night for it. Maybe it wasn't Looney Tunes? Strike a chord with anyone?
Go look around the Internet and you'll see DU fans crying about how "ugly" or "boring" both games were. Freaking rubes can't recognize an excellent defensive effort. I'll give Jowls credit for speaking the truth about the Seawolves effort. George has "good grips" on his shoes. Obviously, he plans for walking on the ice during the game. And lets face it here ... the horn sounded, but "the game" wasn't over. If he wanted to control his team from leaving the bench ... he can do exactly that from the bench.
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Here's some pictures from UAA Alumnus Captain Donald Leaver (USAF) who always represents. The first one was taken in Iraq, the second in Louisianna where he is stationed. The third picture ... um ... it isn't from him.
I'd love if other distantly located UAA fans have some picture with a UAA jersey, flag, coffee mug or whatever took something similar in whatever berg they're living in and sent them to me. I'll post them here. Take your UAA sweater to a gentleman's club and get one of their employees to model it for example. That would rock. B.C. fans? Winipeg? Slovakia? S.E. Alaska? Guam? Edmonton? Calgary? Okotoks? Netherlands? Sweden? Fairbanks? Get to showing the colors and send me a pic damnit. Thanks.
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My understanding is that the team is headed to Duluth for a few days before ending up in Houghton for this coming weekend's series against MTU. I'd imagine they reached some agreement with UMD to use their practice facilities. Nice of UMD to make that happen if that's the case.
Tech got swept this weekend by SCSU. Don't expect that to mean that UAA will have an easy time with them. It never goes that way with the original Huskies (or Huskies II for that matter). The Gophers swept Harvard with relative ease this weekend. From what I saw of the UND/Mankato series it looked like the hostile and abusives had everything well in hand for their sweep. Duluth put CC in their place with a sweep and is poised near the top the standings now. Wisconsin pummeled the USNDT team.
The Pios have a week off to nurse their bruised bodies and egos before heading to Wisconsin who is on the road at CC this week. Minnesota and UND get it on at The John. And Duluth goes to BoreKato for a couple. SCSU goes to Quinnipiac for two non-conference games ... how many non-conference games do they get? Oh yeah ... everyone in the WCHA gets 2 more non-conference games than UAA just because they have to travel all the way up here. Gee ... UAA makes 8 trips down there and doesn't get any extra games out of it.
Ok. That's all I got today. Was it enough? I feel bad because I didn't write enough about the team's performance this weekend. All the guys were great. Tuton will be sitting out one game versus Tech and it looks like Chris Crowell will miss both of them. No doubt other guys will step up and fill in.
27 comments:
While it's not my place to discuss the stature of some writer's Woody (how shameless!), I agree that leaving pampered #2 DU wondereing what hit them is a good thing. Let's face it, we' ain't gonna get home-ice come playoff time. However the top teams may well be scrambling to avoid the prospect of a tough in your face Seaswolves group coming to call. This is a team none will want to meet. In a league full of flash and prima donna bullshit, I'll take a beat 'em in the alley group any time.
I'd say something to Woody but I am blackballed on his "blog" because I said some things he didn't like.
Donald, I think it must have been Rusty or c19 who came up with the North Coast Posse name.
I have read comments from Aces fans saying how Doyle gets the royal treatment at their games, sounds like he eats in the booster room. I've never seen him in the Kendall Room at UAA games. Maybe UAA needs to do a little schmoozing.
Although, Doyle has always been mean spirited, even pre Aces and when UAA was doing well. It's just his nature, and you are not going to change it.
I wouldn't expect to change Doyle's nature. I'm just wondering if UAA fans that read here would rather see me writing game recaps which would be free of snide remarks.
UAA shouldn't have to "schmooze" him. He's getting paid to do the job. Part of the ethos in the newspaper business is to be responsive to the community. It's always been that way. With the new paradigm in the news delivery business my proposal would seem to be a good idea.
No loss in quality of game recaps excepting for the present negativity which Doyle propagates. And it wouldn't cost them a penny. The additional benefit for them would be that he'd have some time freed up to do the rest of his job better.
The poll isn't about whether such a thing is likely. I really don't have any idea whether they'd just reject it out of hand or actually consider it on some level.
It's just about whether I should try or not from my reader's perspective.
Personally, I think you shoud go for it. All they can say is no. Remember though, the owners of the ADN are basically negative as well, Doyle is simply a reflection of their overall philosophy. The ADN thinks that negativity sells.
I think Doyle must have read this blog. Take a look at his blog...much different from his newspaper bit. The time of posting on his blog also lends credence to the thought that he reads here.
I definitly think you should look into writing for the ADN. We need a "positive" rather than "negative" outlook on Seawolf hockey. Take a read from any of the other hometown newspapers, any and all of them. Every single one of them boost the home team.
Go for it Donald!
Well, I have seen the Minnesota paper publish some pretty ugly articles about the Gophers this season. But overall, you are correct.
Sorry Donald, but you lack the journalistic integrity. I know you could do it, but you would still be linked to your blog. You have even said many times that it is your blog and you will do what you want with it, and that is fine. But it will affect how you are looked at and how objective you can be even on a different forum because the two will be tied through you. I agree better coverage would be good, but you are not that man Donald, sorry.
p.s. I did technically vote twice, I didn't realize you had two knows until I brought it up on firefox so I could watch the Gwozeno and clicked the other no. If it comes down to it, you would be perfectly just to disregard one vote.
Anon,
You raise some good points though which I definitely would not argue about. I certainly wouldn't have any overt intention with regard to linking to this blog but the fact that it exists as it does cannot be ignored.
I'm thinking that the simple constraints of a typical newspaper hockey game recap would ensure the necessary unbiased approach. Additionally, if you look around the WCHA and read regularly there are not so subtle biases to be seen amongst the media regulars.
As to the poll, such things are unscientific enough that one extra vote here or there makes no real difference. It's only a tool for me with which to gauge my own judgement as to whether to make the proposal.
Hopefully Coach won't "discipline" the guys involved in the fracas after the game. If he does "discipline" them it should not be in a manner that hurts the whole team the way the curfew "discipline" did last year
Couple of things: Why would Coach discipline his players for their actions at the end of the game? I imagine Crowell did exactly what he was asked to do. A simple tap on the shoulder will usually suffice, and I think the message was adequately delivered. Hopefully we’ll see DU in the playoffs, although it will not likely be in the first round. (See you in the Final Five then, how about that?) And Donald, if you’re seriously wanting to expand from blog to print, why not approach a local weekly (I assume Anchorage and local area have one--The Wasilla Wanker perchance?) and offer your services. But don’t do it gratis. Get paid. As far as the comment that you lack journalist integrity, what a joke. You write blog (and an excellent one at that) for heaven’s sake. And since when do integrity and sports writers belong in the same sentence?
I bet the Eagle River Star would pay you to cover the team, and that paper isn't too political. It might be a start anyway.
As far as your liking the fact that UAA leads the nation in penalty minutes, I hope you were being facetious.
Don't you remember fan after fan coming here and saying "stay out of the box!!"? The team lost games and valuable points because they took too many penalties.
I am all for old time hockey, but there comes a point when it is more of a liability. I think the team has reached that point.
Thank goodness the penalty killers stepped up and killed off 10 DU power plays, but you can't count on that happening all the time.
And killing penalties wears the guys out. Just my 2 cents.
I'm just proposing fixing one specific problem here. If the paper has just one set of eyes to watch two games who may get slighted? The Seawolves. I have no intention to link that proposal to anything regarding my blog.
Over there would be the "facts, quotes and descriptions only" ... my blog is clearly differentiated by the regular reminders of my purpose here. This is a blog written from a fans perspective.
I wouldn't be doing this for any sort of personal reason beyond that I think it would benefit the program by eliminating the possibilty that UAA recaps get slighted. In my mind it was primarily an attempt to ensure positive coverage versus the occasional slights from Doyle.
I wouldn't write "competing" recaps. But I'd be free here to analyze aspects of the game that go beyond the length of newspaper recaps. I wouldn't even care if there was any link or acknowledgement of the existence of this blog with regard to any recap that I'd write there.
If I even decide to forward the proposal.
Suze: Our penalty killers do take a beating, and yes they are beat up--what 25 blocks last game alone?
Just think if you'd get this job, you'd be just like Sarah Palin (new commentator job at FoxNews). That outta make you smile!
Just another reason to FUCKING hate that pansy Doyle Woody, he must really hate his job because he has to write about the Seawolves and his one and only escape the Aces are still under .500 this season.
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My point indeed. Portwood and Parkinson blocked a ton of shots this past weekend, and I was just telling my husband last night they are probably pretty bruised up.
Kudos to those two guys, who game in and game out step up and sacrifice their bodies to help out their goalie. But let's not put them in the position to have to do that too many times a game.
As a DU fan, I have a ton of respect for the work ethic and results that the Seawolves displayed this last weekend. They gave everything they had, and then some, and the quality of defensive hockey they played gave our team fits. They were physical, they blocked shots, they never took a shift off. If DU fans "hate" the Seawolves, trust me, the 'hate' comes from serious respect for the passion they showed.
I wish our team worked that hard, consistently. If the Seawolves played every team like Denver, they'd be an NCAA tourney team.
Gwozdecky was effusive in his praise for the Seawolves, too. He said UAA uses their sticks on defense better than any team we've played this year.
Your boys made quite an impression, post-game fracas nothwithstanding.
Thanks for the kind words Swami. You are one of the nicest DU fans around! Now tell George to stop recruiting all our good Alaskan players!!!
I caught some of the Saturday game today, had it on my DVR. I hope that Portwood is okay, he blocked two shots in about 20 seconds, looked like both caught him in the ankles or lower leg. Ouch. Heal up guys!
Oh yeah ... does anyone remember the name of the Looney Tunes dog character with the Jowls that spoke really slowly and nasally?
droopy?
Donald your taking over the coverage of UAA hockey team for ADN would be a positive not only for UAA hockey but also for the Anchorage hockey community. Doyle's undertone negativity in his coverage of UAA has to make some people think twice of going to see a team play. You may not be a journalist but you have the ability to write circles around Doyle. Anyone that follows your blog will agree you have great writing skills.
Whether you can get paid for covering the team would be a bonus but at least you need to shoot for ADN sending you to cover the playoffs and/or the final four when UAA makes it this year. I know it would be hard on you to go but you would need to just take one for the team and go. We all would benefit from your first hand coverage of the team. Heck you have the press credentials already so someone thought you should be covering the team. You have my vote to Hell yes go for it.
As for this weekend, another disappointment in not how the team played but not getting a win. We already know the guys can play with any team in the WCHA but they still need to learn to win these close games. They need to get back to back wins which I still believe will show them what they are capable of help them not just in the standings but to play in the playoffs.
We have had enough for too many years of playing well enough to win but not getting the W.
Just got the press release in my email, and the Saturday game is for 1:07 Alaska time. Whoa! I wonder why it's so early?
Matthew,
YES!! Droopy is the one I was thinking of!! Thank You.
Woody says on his blog that he caught some of the second game on t.v. and didn't see any of the first.
One of the reasons that I would say not to attempt to cover the team for the ADN is because they are going to be defunct pretty soon. The newspaper industry as a whole is being killed by the internet and I don't think this will change. You already are far ahead in the medium which is going to take over and going to the ADN would be a step backwards unless you kept advancing your blog. Having corresponded with editors at ADN I have serious questions about so many things regarding their policies and standards for stories so I don't think you would have to change your writing much if you did somehow get it.
Number one rule of journalism: Never write for nothing.
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