From a fan blog writer's perspective, it doesn't get any more boring than having to come up with some sort of angle to write about Duluth. In a state full of boring 'bergs and cookie-cutter hockey programs Duluth is the median of the bell-curve.
Duluth doesn't have the Manifest Destiny history of someplace like racially monotone Mankato. There's no stinking nearby 100 year old refugee camp for Native Americans like Buttmidji. There's no Stearn's County Syndrome reputation like St. Cloud. Even their nickname is boring and unimaginative in comparison to the team just west of the western Minnesota border with the hostile and abusive nickname. Seriously, Duluth isn't even part of the famed "Iron Range". And I mean ... Bulldogs? Yeah, boooooring (and wheeeeezzzzyyyy).
So what's a blogger to do but provide a generic milquetoast preview? There is really just a limited number of Edmund Fitzgerald snarky references available. The least boring thing about Duluth is that it's almost in Wisconsin. So strap yourselves in (not really) as I detail (yawn) the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.
Connolly's and Fontaine. There you have it. I know that's some pretty well articulated and exciting info. Let's all pause now to take our blood pressure medicine before we get too overwhelmed with excitement eh? The Connolly's are not related. One is named Jack and the other Jill (I mean Mike). One has naturally curly Annie hair, the other doesn't. I forget which is which. One is 5'9" and the other is 5'8".
One weighs an appropriate 160lbs and the other is a fat ass at 190lbs. One has like 28 career goals and the other has 27 career goals. They're both juniors. One is from Duluth, the other from Calgary. Want to bet the one from Calgary is thrilled to not have grown up in Duluth? So far this season, they both have 3 goals and 5 assists in 4 games.
The other primary threat is Justin Fontaine. If that isn't a romance novel lead character's name then I just don't know my Harlequin books very well. Fontaine is from Bonnyville, Alberta and is a senior. As is the case with "the twins" he's only been on the ice once during his UMD career when his team actually beat the Seawolves. That's right. The Seawolves are a stellar 5-1-2 against UMD since Fontaine's freshman year. So far this year Justin has a 3 goals and 6 assists.
Sure, there are other hockey players on this UMD squad. Of note is former UAA netminder Kevin Reiter's little brother and also goalie Kenny. After that it get's even less interesting. There are a couple of decent defensemen in sophomore Dylan Olsen who almost scored as many points as Curtis Leinweber in the AJHL but only has one goal since arriving at UMD. Next is Brady Lamb (another Alberta product) who put up a nice 11 goals last year from the blueline.
And if I continue to describe anyone else I'll fall asleep right here at the keyboard. I swear I will. So that's it. Oh yeah .. the Bulldogs are "ranked" number 5 by the polls. For whatever that is worth. This will be UAA's 4th game out of 5 versus a "ranked" opponent.
The Seawolves better not be as bored as me with Duluth this weekend. Because, snark or not the guys I've talked about above and their mind numbingly boring entourage can put the puck in the back of the net at a non-boring rate. They're averaging 5.25 goals per game over the first 4 contests this season.
If the Seawolves can manage to play a tight defensive game keeping the lanes blocked and being committed in their end, then they'll leave Duluth with some WCHA points in the first conference series of the year.
I'll have a game day post up at least a couple of hours before game time tomorrow which is 4:07 (Alaska Standard Time). The CoverItLive chat room will be online about 15 mins or so prior to the game. Don't forget to get your credit cards out for the B2 (uh .. America One) webcast as it is the only way to watch this weekends game live.
16 comments:
There were two black men lynched back in the day. Does that make it more exciting for you?
Dylan Olsen has scored two goals in his career now. Scored one against LSSU.
You should actually visit Duluth. You can see how much more exciting it is :)
Three men were lynched! Not two!
At the beginning of last century there were more millionaires per capita in Duluth than anywhere else in the world.
Duluth is trying to ban synthetic marijuana. I feel like this might be of interest to you.
Duluth looks amazing compared to Superior, WI. And the Edmund Fitzgerald came out of the Wisconsin side of the harbor! Don't you know your Gordon Lightfoot??? Shame!
HEY GUYS, KEVIN CLARK HAD A GOAL TONIGHT AND WAS 3RD STAR OF THE GAME. THEY BEAT HAMILTON IN A SHOOTOUT.... LETS GO SEAWOLVES... WILLING SOME WINS FOR YOU THIS WEEKEND IN DULUTH....
I understand that Duluth was such the envy of the early 20th century that a town in Georgia even renamed itself after it.
3 lynchings doesn't begin to compare to the mass hanging in Mankato.
I'd think making synthetic marijuana illegal would be more of an interest to Bulldog players since they've obviously been stoned every time they played the Seawolves over the last few years. Hey, maybe if the ban is successful then the Bulldogs will have a chance to beat UAA next season.
WTG Clarky!!
That's a helluva roster the Moose have.
Anon @ 7:15,
Please stop screaming and use shift+(letter key) for capital letter instead of Caps Lock.
Thank You.
Everybody else on the internet
Sorry bout that, didn't know caps
were a prob. Was excited for Clarky.
Methinks JJ could benefit from some synthetic marijuana .. :p
There intro video is Amazing, maybe UA_ should hire the guy that made that . . .
The backstory on that is thus ...
Biddco posted UAA's new intro video on their forum and naturally they proceeded to disrespect it. So I asked (knowing they didn't have one) to point me to their so that I might critique it. He made that 43 second vid in response.
Then some genius pretended as if their shitty school's failure to generate enough interest amongst it's students to make an intro video was somehow better. Color me confused.
how is sean wiles? did he make the trip?
Oh, by the way, Was I missing something or was that the Dullest video I've ever seen? Let's Go SeaWolves!!!! LOL
As of Tuesdays practice Sean Wiles looked ready to go. He wasn't wearing a Maroon jersey(stating it'd be a bad idea to hit me), or wearing a bright R3D jersey. (stating it'd be a really bad, bad idea to hit me) He took part in checking drills also so, bearing anything happening since Tuesday, I think it's safe to assume he's made the trip & will play.
Anchorage is trying to ban synthetic marijuana too... "spice" its apparently called. This is kind of funny that the ass clowns in the Assembly are spending their time doing that while the city is mired in the red. Anyway, real doobie is legalish here, so why the hell is anyone smoking "spice" anyway?
I remember when I was a kid someone told us that if we dried out banana peels and smoked them we'd get a nice buzz... It didn't work, we got sick instead.
On the hockey front, does anyone know if there is some way to watch the games this weekend? Perhaps hack the Duluth tv signal and watch in online?
Yeah, On Wolves, that's what Donovan was telling us in his hit "Mellow Yellow," or so we told ourselves. Here in BC Bud land the thought of spice, as you call, it is almost sacrilegious. Free Marc Emery. Go Wolves.
Post a Comment