Sunday Potpourri: Trappus Interuptus

Listening to the commentary from the Mankato broadcasters this weekend was inspiring to me. Not in the way you might think. I was struck by how many times the color-guy (term used in the loosest possible context) mentioned how Mankato liked to play an uptempo game and UAA preferred to slow it down. I read a number of things here and there calling the games uninteresting or boring and how they had a lack of flow. These observations weren't from rubes; they came from people that follow the game and supposedly know the game. Well, the truth is they're either blind or just stupid.

So my inspiration was to provide a thoughtful analysis that would definitively show how Mankato's high zone trap was the key to disjointed uninteresting down-tempo hockey. I thought I'd begin with another description of the mechanics of their implementation of the strategy. Then I'd move on and give some clear examples of exactly how it affected the flow of the game this weekend. I'd point out the positives of using the high zone trap that Jutting has his team playing. Obviously, they're having success with it. I'd explain the recent history of the strategy and how it's use became so prevalent in the WCHA. I'd then go on to explain the negative connotations that keep the fans of these programs that trap continuously from discussing it openly. When I'm inspired and decide to write, I think in paragraphs and essay formats. For this I had six solid paragraphs planned. But then I remembered the most important rule in writing: think about your audience.

The nature of what I do here attracts two distinct groups of readers as far as I can tell. It attracts hard core fans who love the game but aren't necessarily concerned with the minutia of the game. My other (perhaps smaller) group of readers are those fans that truly know the game. So in both cases, nobody really benefits from another dissertation on "The Trap". I'd like to see other hockey minds on the Internet address the issue of the preponderance of "The Trap" in the WCHA this season. But nobody discusses it. Long ago John Donne eloquently told us that "No Man Is An Island". I don't fear being an island. On the contrary, I hope some of what I do here is unique enough in small ways to qualify for "island" status. From what I've seen this year Wisconsin, MTU, CC and Mankato are the four teams in the league whose primary game plans involve extensive use of "The Trap" both at home and on the road. SCSU trapped UAA when we played down there earlier in the season. I haven't seen Minnesota trapping to any degree. I haven't seen UAA trapping to any degree. DU? Not trapping. UND didn't trap against UAA that I noticed. I've only seen Duluth play twice and I didn't see them trapping. That's it for me though. I decided against a whole piece here about "The Trap" hence the post title. So onto the rest.

I don't know if it means anything that Andrew Hinkleman didn't write either of the UAA game stories for the ADN this weekend. Did he write either of the stories from the MTU series? Could the staff written articles this weekend in the ADN be any more negative in their tone?

I neglected to mention last Sunday the stupidity of Conoco-Phillips passing out blue ear warmers to UAA fans coming through the door for the MTU games. Blue? Are their marketing people really that dense? They're continuously assailing us with ads meant to undercut the most popular Governor in Alaska's recent history and their passing out blue ear warmers at a team who's colors are green and gold? Man, Okies are really dumb.

Anyone who reads me regularly probably knows I hate writing about goaltending. It's a superstition. But I'm going to set that aside today in the spirit of the "Interuptus" theme. First let me say that I like Jonny O in the nets. But there is no denying that he has some of the worst numbers in Division 1 hockey. Sorry Jonny. It's the truth. His save percentage is 64th out of the 70 goaltenders listed on collegehockeystats.net. Jeff Frazee has a better save percentage. I don't want to indict him here but honestly ... Jonny O has given up at least 10 softies this year. I think he has countered that with at least 10 great saves. But the softie/great ratio needs to be better than a net zero for a team to succeed. Bryce Christianson hasn't looked like a world beater yet but in the limited time he's played I'd estimate his softie/great ratio to be a positive number. Where does that leave us (other than the realization that the team would have a better record if the goaltending had been better)? I think Coach Shyiak has to play both of these guys alternately for the rest of the regular season and hope that one of them gets hot and then ride that guy in the playoffs. I'd tend to think that next season the job will be wide open.

I don't want to put the whole burden of the record on the goaltenders shoulders exclusively. The truth is that Jonny O hasn't exactly gotten much in terms of goal support. UAA is 37th in Division 1 in goals per game. Anyone besides me lamenting missed opportunities. You know? Those apparently wide-open nets that pucks sailed wide past? Hey, every team misses a few that they should have had right? It sure seems though that so far this year the Seawolves have had more than their share.

I liked what I saw from the latest blueliner Jeff Carlson. He skates well with the puck on his stick and kept his head up. A time or two he looked like a freshman but he definitely has the potential I'd hoped he'd have. I wish I could find someone in the lineup that was dogging it this weekend. But I didn't. I think I heard Shyiak say something about getting out-competed along the wall but honestly I think that was more a factor of positioning (i.e... "The Trap") than it was of any UAA player's effort.

Why did the Seawolves look like world beaters after Mankato went up 4-0 on Saturday? Because Mankato stopped trapping. I think Shyiak recognized that and called the timeout at the perfect time to rally the guys. The two goal response was nice but after the second UAA score, Mankato went right back to trapping. Without an effective countering strategy to transition out of their own zone and then through the neutral zone the offense just couldn't get going again. So there it is; an effective countering strategy to the trap. What is it? I mentioned it before the Mankato series. Smart tape to tape passing, smart skating and quality rushes. When a team traps you, the burden for beating it starts with the blueliners. After that it's important for the forwards to be effective in the opposition zone. You saw the games. You be the judge.

There's 6 regular season game left to get this all figured out. Any measurable success this season is going to have to be in the playoffs. 7th place isn't out of the question I suppose but that isn't success. Winning the playoff series and doing something noteworthy in the Final Five would be. At this point that seems like a reasonable goal for the rest of the year. I know there's enough talent and I'm not displeased with the effort. The team should still believe in themselves. A good weekend at home against St. Cloud should bolster that confidence. There really isn't anyone on the upcoming schedule that poses an unsurmountable challenge to the Seawolves. Perhaps its a good time for the players to remember running up the mountain in the preseason. They all made it. Time for some more of that eh?

Ugly, Uglier, Ugliest and LetsGoMavs

Usually during the week I write more than I have this week. But knowing the proclivities of LetsGoMavs blogger Amy, I was pretty sure if I waited it out I'd have something good to post. You see, every week Amy gives her "Hot or Not" report on the opposition team. Can you imagine the crap a male blogger writing about NCAA Women's Basketball would get for rating the players looks? But alas, nobody really seems to get my intellectual abhorrence of this practice; so I'm not going to get into all that esoterica here. Instead, I'm just going to report her conclusions here. Seawolf Moms and Dads ... look what you've created:

Apparently only two sets of Seawolf parents have imparted "hot" genetic material to their progency. Congratulations to Bryce Christianson and Jared Tuton. Apparently Bryce is "rocking the hair" and Jared "looks like a bad ass".

Five of our Seawolf parents passed along a reasonable enough set of genes to warrant a rating of "just ok". Ken Selby has "the potential to be hot" and Brian Bales needs "short hair" to be hot. Merit Waldrop is "ok" but Amy is apologetic about his name. That's ok Amy; you don't need to apologize, I'm sure Merit's Mom is quite fond of the name. Amy's fixation on hairstyles continues as she thinks Sean Wiles "could be hot without the helmet hair" though she must like Trevor Hunt's hair as she thinks he "would be better with a smile".

The rest of you Seawolf parents have utterly let down the side. Though I'd imagine you are all fairly normal looking folk apparently you've created some not so normal looking kids (at least the ones playing hockey for UAA).

Kane LaFranchise- sorry about the Mr. Potato Head ears!
Luke Beaverson- hot name...ugly guy
Jeremy Smith- is it me or is his facial hair crooked? Or maybe his face is crooked? Odd.
Winston DayChief- ok, this pic belongs on a poster at the post office...
Kevin Clark- hey Archie, where's Jughead?
Shane Lovdahl- too femanine of a pose for me.
Nils Backstrom-blah. No color, no expression...blah.
Tommy Grant- looks like a rageful Karate Kid.
Craig Parkinson- nothing. Just uggo.
Chris Tarkir- what on earth is he doing to himself to make that face?!?
Paul Crowder- I think he spends more time styling his hair than I do!
Josh Lunden- seriously, did all these guys fall off the same ugly tree?!?
Luka Vidmar- this is why you do not smoke pot and style your hair like a porn star before roster pix!
Blair Tassone- just not hot.
Nick Haddad- just how many hits to the head has this guy taken?!?
Jon Olthuis- I bet it's his chin that stops the pucks!
Aaron Mayo- uggo
Mat Robinson- this may be his "I have to poo" look.
Brad McCabe- big nose, yellow teeth, dented forehead...uggo.
Peter Cartwright- ok, I'm running out of insults.
Matthew Gordon- has a weird Bobby Brady vibe...

So that's it Seawolf Moms and Pops; most of you failed miserably. I'm left but to say that I think the players ought to just chuck in the towel this weekend. You're all too damned ugly to win. It is somewhat satisfying (in terms of offsetting the "uggo" factor) though to this blogger that the wives of the Seawolf coaching staff are all super hotties.

And oh yeah ... Amy, nice Walrus picture. I really enjoy going down to Cook Inlet and feeding the Walrus. If you ever get a chance to come up here I'll be sure to escort you to this great place on the mud flats of Turnagain Arm and point you in the right direction. (Alaskans .. shhhhhh).

Designated Rival Preview: UAA @ MSU-M

The WCHA mandates a 28 game league schedule. The WCHA has 10 teams. The WCHA has an unbalanced schedule. There is no way you can get 10 teams to play an equal number of times per season within that 28 game schedule. So several years ago in an attempt to develop some sort of consistency from year to year the league adopted a schedule suggestion from Don Lucia and hence the "designated rival" was born as a concept. Designated rivals are two teams that play each other 4 times EVERY season. Well lets face facts here. UAA's geographic isolation means we have exactly one real rival; and it ain't Mankato. Oh well, without changing the league mandated 28 games (which ain't gonna happen) this unbalanced schedule thingy (with it's manufactured rivalries) is about as good as we're gonna get I suppose. Familiarity breeds contempt? I suppose I'd ascribe to that time honored blurb. Because the more UAA plays Mankato the less I like them as an opponent.

If you recall I'd labeled Mankato as "Chuck Wepner University" earlier this season because of the seemingly unorthodox nature of Troy Jutting's game plan. I'll leave that label in place but I did review the two games from early this season and quite honestly they weren't overly unconventional in their play against UAA. Instead, they used a well-executed high zone trap and took every opportunity they could to engage UAA players on the puck. For those of you not familiar with a "high zone trap" it is simply the same thing as a "neutral zone trap" only moved forward into the high part of the oppostion zone. They made it a more effecitve strategy by combining it with an ethic of always moving their feet.

We can expect to see the Seawolves counter by carefully setting up in their own zone before a transition. That means you'll see a Seawolf defenseman standing behind his own net with the puck on his stick more this weekend than you've seen all year. The only times you won't see that is when UAA manages to make an effective 1st time pass off a turnover. The Seawolves will have to be sharp mentally this weekend. They will need to be patient and make good choices. They'll need to be aware of exactly where their teammates are at the beginning of any transition effort and they'll have to execute the passing game well. Otherwise, we'll be seeing the puck turned over right after gaining possession.

On the offensive end it will be classic Shyiak hockey. Get the puck in deep, cycle it and work it closer and closer to the net for chances. When the Seawolves do make that excellent first pass out of their zone we will likely see some good opportunities on the rush. If the Seawolves can make a couple of those rushes successfully then it should put the Mavs off a bit from their high zone trap. A good analogy is to think of a football team who's defense blitzes a lot. Get a couple of nice long gains with the passing game (or even with a quick QB draw) and suddenly they aren't blitzing as often. It's all about good execution this weekend. Every Seawolf that gains puck possession in his own zone is going to need to do his best Troy Aikman impression.

Both games will be on TV this weekend. So all credit to the broadcasters in Mankato, who unlike the folks in Grand Forks, don't think their broadcast rights are worth some ridiculous amount. An interesting tidbit here; Mankato is College Hockey New's "Team of the Week" coming off their sweep of stumbling DU. This is the third time this season (and second in a row) that UAA has faced the reigning CHN Team of the Week. November 23rd's TofW was Colorado College and UAA faced them on Novermber 30th/December 1st. MTU was CHN's TotW last week before playing UAA.

Sunday Potpourri: Dumb Shit Edition

I ain't about dumb shit. When something is dumb I just have to say so. Does this ugly plagarizing dumb shit bimbo have any friends? If she does they need to inform her about this garment invited quite a few years ago called a "Turtle Neck" sweater. Any non-transgendered (for those of you in Fargo that means men that had a sex change) female unlucky enough to be born with a grotesquely masculine neck like that really ought to cover it up. Please. You dumb shit ... get a modicom of sense even if you have to buy it from Pat Buchanan. And who are the dumb shits taking pictures of this Arayan nightmare and putting them in the media. Stop it you dumb shits. If I wanted to see a horror show I'd go to Friday The 13th part XXIV.

The next dumb shit thing is having a rule in a sport that allows a team to stop the game and ask for a review. I was flipping channels just now and saw the New England Patriots get a 1st down because a guy was running off the field and was 2 or 3 feet from the sideline when the ball was snapped on a field goal attempt. How stupid is that? Here's a sport where the guy running off the field had absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of the play and yet one team can "challenge" it and gain from the meaningless incident. Don't get me wrong here. I could give a shit about the Super Bowl and/or who wins it (I assure you I'm happier watching "How its Made"). But that is some dumb shit for a sport to have. I guess it is some sort of pandering addition to make all the whiney sports fans happy. The same sort of dumb shit is coming down the road when the NCAA adopts the ridiculous dumb shit of shootouts. If you're a sports fan and you don't have a sense of appreciation for what a tied game means then stick with the NFL or the NHL or the totally dumb shit sport of Crotch Scratching Tobacco Chewers (Baseball). Allow Division 1 hockey to reamain pure would ya? Please.

I'm mostly happy with some of the changes that UAA's arena audio guy has made. I like "Sweet Caroline" even if it is stolen from BU (but let's at least honor their tradition and play it only between the 2nd and 3rd periods eh?). I think the choices of songs between plays is better than in the past; Foreigner's "Cold as Ice" directed at the referee is a nice subtle thing. I also like that the audio guy recognizes at times to forego playing anything in order for the crowd to be heard. Props for all that ... BUT here is the dumb shit. Playing niggling little "waa waaaa waaaaaaa" after the other team scores is out of line. Playing a stupid "DEE-FENSE stomp stomp DEE-FENSE stomp stomp" clip has got to stop. The first is classless and weak; the second is just straight up dumb shit because it comes from a dumb shit sport. Please Please Please stop these. If you're the audio guy and reading this, I'm begging you. If you know the audio guy and read this then I beg you to intervene on my behalf. If we didn't play pretty much any of the non-musical clips I'd be happier. I really don't want to hear "You da Man" when Olthuis stops the puck; or "Buh Bye Buh Bye" when the opponent takes a penaly; or little nuggets from "King of the Hill" either. If it isn't music ... please stop. This isn't the ECHL. We're better than those sorts of dumb shit little blurbs aren't we?

Now onto a note to myself. Hey dumb shit, don't even seven breakfast sausages in one sitting. Yes I know they are tasty and juicy delectable little tubes of pig-meat heaven but seriously deary ... did you have to eat seven of them? Was your guilt about the starving children in Africa so great that you couldn't waste just one of them by tossing it?

Curtis Glencross was traded this week from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Edmonton Oilers for overpriced defenseman Dick Tarnstrom. Oilers fans not familiar with Curtis' fine attributes were a bit confused about the move. So I sent an email to the fine CoveredInOil blog to educate them about exactly what they were getting. Hopefully, in the next year or so Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson will feel like a dumb shit.

Now for something that definitely doesn't make today's dumb shit list. UAA's coaching staff. In a conversation this weekend at the rink "dude from USCHO" made the case to me (and I whole-heartedly agree) that Shyiak et al have done a tremendous job in maintaining the team's belief in themselves. The players looked confident and they played confidently. All hail to the staff for keeping that level of confidence up there. We all know that a team which believes it can accomplish anything is a team that can accomplish anything. If you watched this team much this year I think you have to believe that they are more than capable of making a nice run down the stretch. Good on ya UAA coaches; Good on ya. You're all the opposite of dumb shits eh ... three smart cookies.