Sunday, June 13, 2010

Sunday Potpourri: Stupid "Kick-ins", Golf Whoring and a Panorama

My Dad was once a volunteer Soccer coach for the Midwestern University (now called Midwestern State University) in Wichita Falls.  At 10 and 11 years old, I got to tool around to places like Denton, Lubbock, Austin and Tyler on a bus full of college soccer players.  Pretty cool stuff back in 1971, to be kicking the ball around with 20 year old's while you're imagining that one day you'll be playing the World Cup.
  And yeah, my pops was all about decrying the hippies back then but a couple of his best players were longhairs and of course they got a pass on his "are you a girl or a boy" commentary. But anyway,  at the first NCAA game I went to I saw the weirdest shit I'd ever seen at a soccer game.

There were no throw-ins.  Every time the ball went out of bounds, play restarted with a kick-in.  What the fuck?  I remember the explanation.  The NCAA has it's own rules.  Well, I've got to tell you.  That was the stupidest fucking rule in a sport in NCAA history (I bet if you searched you'd find something more obtuse but i'm just sayin ...).  Well now NCAA Hockey is approaching the pinnacle of similar tom-foolery.

This coming season when a team is shorthanded, icing will be enforced against the penalized team.  All the Division 1 coaches are lining up opposed to this nonsense according to Adam Wodon at CHN.  So how then does such an abomination of a rule make it's way into the game?  I'm no genius hockey historian.  But I did watch my first hockey game in 1969; and in all the thousands of succeeding games never once do I recall seeing icing called against a shorthanded team. 

This rule change is simply absurd.  And yes, it's coming to your rink this season.  There'll be no changing it short of some sort of political action from Division 1 coaches.  I won't spend any time trying to get anyone of you to email the rules committee members or anything like that (pssst ... 50% of the D1 mens rules committe is Forrest Karr and John Hill).  If the coaches don't revolt on this  ... then get ready for stupidity.

What is the big problem here?  The importance of specialty team play will become the overriding factor in determining wins and losses.   Who wins a game will not be determined by five-on-five play but instead on who has the best power play unit(s).  Teams will be severely limited on the penalty kill in terms of getting new players on the ice.  Expect to see more pucks in the stands.  That'd be where I'd put it if I were a weary-legged penalty killer.  There appears to be no rule against that in college hockey.  If you're penalty killing what tactic would you use? 

Expect to see more power play goals.  The referees are going to have a lot more to say about who wins and who loses.  I don't follow other leagues, but anecdotal experience with WCHA refereed contests tells me the Gophs, Bucky, UND and DU all get more favorable calls over the course of a season.  This stupid new rule helps ensure that the haves continue to prosper and adds to the already weighty advantages that some programs are fortunate enough to have.

So it's in the D1 coaches hands as far as I can see.  They're saying they are all against it?  Show us somehow Mr. Head Coaches.  Demonstrate it in some way.  Threaten a strike or something ffs.  I will whole-heartedly support ANYTHING to keep this stupidity from happening.  In the CHN article Dave Hakstol said he'd be willing to lead opposition?  Get to leading it Dave and I promise no future inferences here that you are somehow the genetically cloned offspring of Troy Jutting and Craig Dahl.  I promise.

Well at least there's no sign that shootouts are any closer to hitting the WCHA.  It appears that the CCHA will continue to use and love them.  Did you know that the incidence of SHOOT (Sudden Homosexual Obsequious Onset Taint) affects a dramatically higher percentage of the population of CCHA players?  Let's not ever allow a higher percentage of WCHA playes to "turn gay" ok?  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  I'm just sayin ...

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The UAA Hockey Alumni Association is holding this years UAA Hockey Alumni Legends Golf Tournament on Saturday July 10th at Moose Run.  Click here to go to the UAA website press release.  Or click on this link to get the PDF registration form for the event.

The entry fee is $110 per person for a 4 member scramble and one Alumnus per team.  The funds go to support youth scholarships and UAA hockey.  There's some prizes and awards and a barbecue at the end of the tournament.  

So if some fine sponsor wants to step forward and purchase a spot for me; I'd be happy to detail the experience here along these lines ....
Thank you to the fine folks of WalMart for sponsoring my entry in this years UAA Hockey Alumni Legends Golf Tournament.  There is little doubt that you'll see the lowest possible prices at WalMart for those things you cannot do without.  I heartily encourage all my readers to patronize this exceptionally fine establishment frequently. 
I'd liberally apply the name of the sponsoring business or individual throughout my coverage of the event.  Yes, I just whored myself for the highly unlikely possibility that somebody will step forward and pay my way to play an expensive round of golf.

_________________________

So summer so far has been pretty nice up here in the great white north.  I've been riding the crap out of my bicycle and carrying along the camera.  Here's a photo I took back in May while out and about.  Click it to make it larger.


Oops.  The "Panorama" feature on my camera didn't quite stitch this photo together properly.  If you look at the center right at the mountains you'll see the duplicates.  Oh well.

70 comments:

UAAalumni09 said...

Hmmm...I have seen ourselves in the box lately. For UAA, this is defiantly not good.

Anonymous said...

These are just proposals so far.

Others are being considered as well. "Contact to the head will result in a major penalty and either a game misconduct or game disqualification under proposals by the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee".

As far as no icing for the shorthanded team, this will simply mean more injuries. Players will not be able to leave the ice, they will become exhausted, and injuries will result.

Players coming from juniors can ice the puck. Players playing pro can ice the puck. Only college players will be penalized? Ludicrous. Sounds like Forrest Karr is in favor of this, he's a bigger idiot than I thought.

Donald Dunlop said...

Sorry I wasn't clear. This is a rule change that has been adopted by the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee for this coming season. It only awaits the normal rubber stamp treatment that the NCAA Rules Committee gives to proposed rule changes.

This rule has 99 out of 100 chances of being implemented this season unless this alleged 100% of NCAA coaches do something about it.

Suze said...

Donald, read your email.

-30- said...

Checked my calendar; it's not April Fool's. And it's not the 1950s and the Montreal Canadiens are not warranting an icing rule change becasue they're scoring too many power play goals. You know, if this was a league where they let the players play I might be able to swallow it. But the WCHA and the whistle happy two-ref system. Oh, my God. I trust our PK boys are working hard this summer.

Anonymous said...

-30-

its not just the WCHA, its all College hockey.

Anonymous said...

Didn't the CCHA already implement this rule? Or did they just try it in some exhibition games?

Donald Dunlop said...

Apparently it's been used at some level within USA development hockey.

Donald Dunlop said...

It looks like Adam Wodon spoke extensively with Forrest Karr about the proposed icing rule and it looks like it's chances for being adopted have dramatically changed with the outcry against it.

Suze said...

Thanks for the update Donald.

Anonymous said...

That's a great pic, Donald. I would never have caught the duplicates if I hadn't enlarged it. It's still very nice.

Suze said...

I still don't like the rule change that would give a team a PP even if they scored on the delayed penalty. Isn't that a double advantage?

What were these clowns smokin'?

Donald Dunlop said...

Anon;
I thought it was my best pic too. That's why I used it. It wasn't until after I posted it that I noticed the goof.

Suze,
I've really got only one idea about what was in these peoples minds. I think they want 8-7 games every weekend. Hard fought defensive oriented sports don't appeal to them because their sports mind is incredibly shallow. Some play can only be exciting to them if it concludes with a goal?

And I have doubts aplenty regarding that analysis. Those people are hockey coaches. How can they be considering stupid shit like this let alone vote it in. Karr's comment near the end of the article above is interesting. He makes it clear that there wasn't 100% agreement amongst coaches against this thing.

I'd love to know who the coaches are that think this is a good idea. It'd be a good idea to test them for "crack intoxication" ... cos they'd have to be on the pipe to vote for this.

Anonymous said...

Donald.
Have you sent coach shyiak an email regarding his opinion of the changes?

UAAalumni09 said...

Anyone's thoughts on Beagle getting news on goseawolves.com?

Alaska Hockey said...

The proposed ‘new icing rule “ I think is a joke . as I have heard 11 out of the 12 WCHA coaches don’t like it or want it . and only one wants his little Golden Gophers skating circles with no hitting and no interference …sorta like women’s hockey but toned done a little more. He wants’ his little baby’s to just skate and glide with no checks no interference because they are the upside down W that’s why. ALSO Mr. Karr what a piece of work….no….I take that back…more like …typical Fairbanks need I say anymore

Donald Dunlop said...

anon,
No. I don't bother dave with stuff; and i assume he appreciates me not bothering him.

Anonymous said...

AH, I think you are probably correct. Since our buddy John Hill (gag) is on the committee, I assume that Lucia is for this change. Totally makes sense. What a joke.

UAAalumni09 said...

Here is a list of potential changes for the 2011-2012 season
http://www.uscho.com/blogs/the-breakaway/bsullivan82/20100617/might-we-propose-potential-rules-to-be.html

Anonymous said...

Kevin Clark just signed on with the Manitoba Moose for 2010-2011 ahl season.
New Coach, new team of players, all the best clarky, a year or two in the ahl, than off to vancouver.
congrats Kevin.
Thanks to all his fans in Anchorage.

fan

Donald Dunlop said...

Is Arneil going to invite Kevin to Columbus' camp?

Anonymous said...

Just have to wait till after july1/2010 to see what happens.
fan

UAAalumni09 said...

Woody's blog mentioned that Lovdahl, Cartwright, Bales, and Tassone are all playing in Australia

Anonymous said...

clark to attend vancouver camp in the fall.

UAAalumni09 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
UAAalumni09 said...

Justin Bourne is one of the official bloggers in the Yahoo NHL Mega Draft Chat room giving analysis about the draft.

http://sports.yahoo.com/juniorhockey/blog/buzzing_the_net/post/It-s-here-Friday-s-NHL-Draft-MegaChat?urn=juniorhockey,251357

cwoof said...

This is probably already on here somewhere (I didn't scroll thru all the posts :p) but I just noticed that Tommy Grant is attending the New York Rangers Prospect camp:

http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=532424

cwoof said...

P.S. ~~ Beautiful slide-show Donald! :o)

Anonymous said...

best of luck to tommy at the rangers prospect camp

UAAalumni09 said...

The roster for the team should be up within the next few days

Suze said...

Happy Canada Day to all the players and coaches who hail from Canada!

Suze said...

A little hockey humor. My neice sent this to me, thought I would share. :)

"The first testicular guard, the "Cup", was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important".

Anonymous said...

Someone just told me that the Alaska Avalanche are moving to Palmer. Anyone know anything about this? They will be playing in the facility right next to the Alaska Job Corps Center, don't know the name of the arena.

Anonymous said...

What happened to Heisenbergs 2011 list?

UAAalumni09 said...

I think they just have to update since they have future recruits on there, but over summer I think they are just fishing or something

Anonymous said...

Clarky not only re-signed with the moose for 2010-2011 but is flying in to vancouver today. He is invited to the vancouver prospect camp that starts july 6/2010.
best of luck to him.
fan

Anonymous said...

Suze.. Too funny! :D

Anon @ 8:52 (7/01).. I looked @ the AK Avalanche website. Looks like they're holding the "Pioneer Peak Hockey Academy" at the Palmer Ice Rink from Aug. 9 to Sept. 2nd, but it's just a training event.

I know they've done some renovations to the rink in Palmer, but it's still nowhere as nice as the Menard Arena in Wasilla. It wouldn't make any sense for the team to move.

From everything I could see from the Av's website, they're not going anywhere. :0)

Suze said...

The Frontiersman has an excellent article about the Avs moving to Palmer. Man, read the comments!

http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2010/06/24/sports/doc4c242dfbb639b780352900.txt

Donald Dunlop said...

I know I have commented for a while but that's because I've been waiting to make a post where I can speak about a lot of the things that are being mentioned here.

The one thing keeping me from making a post is the lack of a new roster. When that gets posted on the UAA site (tomorrow maybe?), I'll make a post here and try to cover/analyze some or most of the things that you guys have so conscientiously been talking about.

Hope everyone's summer is going well.

UAAalumni09 said...

The roster is up without any freshman listed

Donald Dunlop said...

Yeah ... sigh. So no new post from me since I'm waiting for that. I'll make a post within about 10 days whether they update it or not. But for now, I'm done checking the website over there three times a day.

Suze said...

They don't usually list freshmen until much later. I remember being told by UAA that they don't know for SURE who is coming until they show up on campus.

cwoof said...

Yes! What Suze said! :D

Y' know. When I look at our roster, I'm not so much worried about freshman because I know they'll spring up like mushrooms eventually-- but dammitall, I sure hate seeing Dusan Sidor still listed all by his lonesome as our one and only goalie. :(

*big sigh*

Anyway... Suze ~~ thank you so much for filling us in on the happenings with the Alaska Av's! :) If it was on KTUU or in Doyle's blog in the fishwrap, I missed it! That is just so bizarre. Makes you wonder what the story behind the scene is. :/

BTW Suze. I think this is the first summer in 5 or so years that Larson didn't hold his SEHL League. :(

There are three "Junior Elite" teams playing at Subway/O'Malley though (mostly locals) & some of them are incredibly impressive. (Tyler Currier is kicking butt!!)

One of the local goalies (Blake Mendenhall) is STELLAR!!! I'm not sure what his future plans are, but I sure hope that Coach Shyiak knows he exists!
.
.
.

Ok. How lame of a comment was that?

When they play like Mendenhall does, more than likely he's been monitored, reviewed, surveyed, followed, recruited, drafted, you name it..

Speaking of locals though. I wonder if Robb Haider is considering college at some point? Would Kurt think it was too weird doing PBP with his kid? Nah.. he wouldn't care.. Right?

Our roster looks a little thin right now, we have one goalie signed --with what? one WCHL game under his belt? :p --- and every poll has us coming in as the DLBF.. (Dead Last Bottom Feeders) ;) LOL. - Still.. I'm still really looking forward to this upcoming season! :)

And last but not least.. I hope that Derek (or whoever) has been contemplating our attendance woes during the off season.

Suze said...

We are contemplating moving out of Alaska by next summer, so I hope this next season is a good one to go out on.

Mendenhall helped West win state this past season, and was awarded Player of the Year. Anyone know where he is playing juniors?

As for Rib Haider, I heard he was interested in UAA, but he has not received any offers from them, at least that was the last I heard. I'd love to see him in green & gold.

Suze said...

To answer my own question, Mendenhall signed with the Avs.

http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/Default.asp?u=northstarsbantamb&s=hockey&t=c

BTW, the new "no icing on the PK" proposal was shot down. Sounds like it will be used in exhibition games over the next two seasons.

Donald Dunlop said...

I sure would like to see an Alaskan player wearing #49. I think Justin Johnson started a great thing by wearing that number and I was happy to see Bryce Christiansen do the same.

Perhaps between now and the beginning of the season either Scott Warner, Brad Gorham or Tyler Currier will choose to wear #49.

Anonymous said...

My sources tell me Robb Haider is headed to Wisconsin-Stout. They also tell me UAA was not interested in the 2-time Alaska player of the year. Didn't even talk to him.
Go figure. Haider had similar junior numbers as Kirchevel, but UAA took the kid from out of town.
Great message for local kids...do well here, local college not interested.

Anonymous said...

Too bad Rob didn't get a Divison I offer somewhere. I would have enjoyed seeing him play here tho.

I'm sure that the coaches look at a bunch of things besides the number of points a player puts up. Having said that, I would have HATED to see Rob recuited and then Selby'd. But he should have been shown the respect of the UAA coaching staff at least talking to him!!

A friend of mine was on the Air Force team for 2 years and rarely played. He was miserable. He then played for a D3 school and had a blast. All the best to Rob!!

Anonymous said...

and so it goes....

Anonymous said...

Congrats to Jay Beagle on signing a 2 year nhl-ahl contract extension with washington-hereshey.
That group of beagle,clark,crowder and lunden. All moving up the hockey ladder. Let's hope the incoming rookies are inspired as much as this group was in there first year. All the best to uaa in the coming year.
fan

Anonymous said...

Kevin clark's three on three team won the tournament last sunday at the vancouver prospect camp.
Kevin will be off to the vancouver rookie camp in penticton in september. Kevin has already signed to play with the moose in winnipeg this fall in the ahl.
All the best to crowder, grant and lunden. Congrats to beagle for signing a two year contract with washington- Hersehy this fall.
Hopefully these players will continue to promote recruits to choose uaa in the wcha.
fan

Anonymous said...

Spam in our blog? Okay, who downloaded the porn?

UAAalumni09 said...

Cheerleading finally being told that it is not a sport today

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5398814&campaign=rss&source=NCAAHeadlines

cwoof said...

Not to rush summer, but it will sure be nice when the goseawolves website has some newer news than Beagle's AHL cup. ZZzzZzzzZZzz

Suze: If you really decide to head out next year, you'll still tune into Seawolves games & will still come on here, right? :(

Suze said...

You betcha!! Wouldn't miss it.

And I am a former cheerleader, (I can blame my crazy fan behavior on THAT), but I never considered it a sport!

UAAalumni09 said...

http://www.goseawolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13400&ATCLID=204970171

4 Captains to begin the year

cwoof said...

Yeehaw, new news! Thank you UAA Alum09! :O)

C'mon Coach Shyiak: Sign Blake Mendenhall before someone else does! :p

max said...

Shyiak is a prick.

Anonymous said...

Great picks for the captains, all four of those guys are great leaders on and off the ice. As for you Max, kick rocks buddy! Take your ball and go home, no one wants to play with you here. And as for Mendenhall, why would they sign him now when he hasn't played even one game in Jrs. He hasn't proved himself at a high enough level, which Alaska High School hockey is not. Plus the team already has two freshmen goalies coming in this season and will probably be fighting for the #1 job for 3-4 years.

Suze said...

Justin Bourne has a funny article about the leagues (and teams) he hates the most. Some funny stuff about UA_.

http://www.jtbourne.com/hatred-ahl/

Anonymous said...

Hooray Beer, Hooray UAA

BBEF said...

Dede – we are all in serious need of some college hockey wit. I will pay a whole $5 for a new post!

Anonymous said...

Where is our Sunday potpourri? PLEASE, give us a new thread to discuss.

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is getting to be a long ass thread!

UAAalumni09 said...

Assistant Coach Simon left to coach USHL Des Moines

The Infamous ADN Writer reporting:
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/152564

UAAalumni09 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
UAAalumni09 said...

I forgot to add the UAA post too

http://www.goseawolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13400&ATCLID=204971744

Time for Donald to come out of summer hiding?

Anonymous said...

Have a good'un Regg!

Anonymous said...

Robb Haider confirmed to Wisconsin-Stout D3 (NCHA).

http://www.stouthockey.com/2010/07/another-alaskan-is-menomonie-bound/

Anonymous said...

i really dont think Blake Mendenhall would take a offer at UAA..... after all a player at his caliber wouldnt want to play for a last place team when he can go play out of state. but it would be nice to have a high end prospect like mendenhall starting for the green and gold

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