Monday, January 04, 2016

An Unexpected Journey

Fate is an undeniable force in our lives. Rather than having some supernatural basis, our fate is guided by our circumstances; genetics, environment, nature, nurture and all that. In my case, genetics and probably environment blessed me with two cancer diagnoses in the 2nd half of 2015. First it was malignant melanoma. A weird mole thingy on my back which I had excised and after it was confirmed malignant I had a surgery to excise lymph nodes. 36 stitches later and I got the good news. It hadn't spread.

Meanwhile, I'd been suffering from seemingly various urinary tract issues. Spent 12 weeks on antibiotics last summer at one point and after some (months long) struggle finally managed to get a urologist and he diagnosed a tumor in my bladder on my 2nd visit. After removal it was found to be cancerous. And after a single dose of chemo (6 hour infusion), I became lost as to how I could support myself during treatment (should I be able to actually arrange treatment) when it put me in bed for nearly 5 days and I had two more surgeries to go through along with 4 more weeks of chemo.

Then my emergency medicaid ran out (when I stupidly thought that I was ON regular Medicaid) and I had no more doctor appointments. So 10 days into December, I was mentally lost. Governor Bill Walker and his right-wing ilk refusing to implement expanded Medicaid had won. I gave up. Fuck it. That was my attitude. I'll just fucking die since that's what assholes like Walker really want to happen.

I have managed to moderate that state of mind and have found an alternative where I will hopefully be able to get treated (at least 3 billion other people on this planet have easier access to health care than I do ... yay 'Murica). I leave January 18th for Massachusetts where I'll have the support I need to become well.

Never vote for Walker again please; just as a favor to me. 

I doubt I can keep lots of my readers from voting for their various republican asshole legislators with this post but you should. Their attitudes toward the working poor (me ... who works close to 40 hours per week and was working 65 hours per week often in the summer on two jobs) makes them unworthy of your vote.

I'll turn in my media credentials this Friday and will just be a fan in a seat for my last two Seawolves games.

I think we've got a good team (with lots of future potential) and I'm sorry really that I don't have the where-with-all, motivation and/or mental focus right now to spend any time writing about them. I'll be watching every game and who knows at this point if I'll have anything to say here.

At this point, I don't envision moving back to Alaska (I said that before though). I love the state, but honestly (and I mean this sincerely) there's so many fucking fascist-loving ignorant dumb asses here that even the lowest population density of all 50 states doesn't spread them thin enough for me.

I hate that this sounds a bit like I'm whining. I don't mean it that way. There are shit-tons more people in worse circumstances than I. Show some empathy for them. Steal something from WalMart for them. Give them a couple of dollars when you see them in need. Volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen. Most of those people have nowhere to go or people that they can turn to in their time of need. I do.

Look me up this weekend at the Bemidji games and say hi/bye.

I love my Seawolves (and all my hockey friends). Go get em the rest of the way. Start with 4 points this weekend please. Thanks.

Peace Out.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

So There's That


Sunday, December 13, 2015

History Defines Seawolf Futility On This Weekend


Since the 2002-2003 season, the Seawolves are 4-17-5 on the weekend before leaving for the holiday break. In 03-04, we swept Colorado College; then in 2011-2012 we split with Colorado College; then in 2013-2014 we split with LSSU. In 8 of those seasons we got swept by the opponent.

Friday, December 11, 2015

A Fine Game; Less Than Fine Result

Tonight we got most everything you'd expect from a rivalry game. Lots of passion. Good chances thwarted by good goaltending. And a penalty shot game-tying goal from local kid; Alex Jackstadt. Good on Alex for finishing the penalty shot like a pro.

I'm happy as I can be for Alex. He's a walk-on that is getting ice time primarily because other forwards are out injured. I've liked most everything I've seen from him in the games he's played. He's quick and tenacious but maybe needs to learn how to best utilize his size disadvantage. I don't know if there's anyone on the squad quicker than him over 50 or 75 feet.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

KTUU's "Checking in with the Seawolves"

Beth O'Donnell is doing a good job with these.

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Rivarly Week Press Conference

Video

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Random Thoughts About the UAA/UAF Rivalry

Dump Bears Doing What Dump Bears Do
What is the UAA/UAF rivalry about? It's about 2 days away from renewing itself. That's what. In case you missed it, since the first day of 2006 the Seawolves are 16-11-2 against them. Apparently, UAF has won six Governor's Cups in that time. Or maybe it's seven or only five? You tell me cos I don't really care. I think the majority of the cups they've won were awarded by virtue of winning a shootout.

Commentary: Doyle Woody on USCHO Live



So I don't get to see/hear/read media coverage about UAA usually until late at night. Such is the case tonight as I just listened to this USCHO interview. Their last guest in this podcast is Doyle Woody. There are some things which must be addressed. Now that I've finished listening and had a nice ham and cheese sammich ...

Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Nanook Hockey: An Unwanted and Unneeded Comparison

This is an examination of the ways in which the 2015-2016 UAF Nanook hockey program is like the 1936-1944 German National Socialist Party. Yes, seriously. I'm going to compare the two. Fine, I violated Godwin's Law. My only defense is that without criminals like me there'd be no sweet prison guard jobs and pensions.

Monday, December 07, 2015

Some Standings Implications To Consider

The Seawolves are currently tied for 6th place in the league table with Lake State at 11 points each. I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at how the top half of the table will be effected by this weekends various series. 

And trust me, there's a ton of implications on what is certainly the WCHA's most important weekend so far this season.

Mantha Gets WCHA DPOTW Award


Olivier Mantha's 62 save performance this weekend versus MTU earned him the nod for WCHA Defensive Player of the Week award. Congratulations to Olivier for receiving this weekly recognition. Sean "Scottie" MacTavish was nominated for the Rookie of the Week award but that went to some guy with a goal and two assists against UAF.

This is Mantha's second weekly honor this season. Here's the text of the WCHA release:
Mantha backstopped Alaska Anchorage to an impressive road sweep at then-No. 17 Michigan Tech, negating the Huskies' overall 66-45 advantage in shots by making 62 saves in a pair of 3-2 Seawolves' victories. Friday night, UAA was outshot by a 34-18 margin; however, Mantha turned aside 32 shots. The sophomore from La Tuque, Quebec followed that up with a 30-save effort Saturday as UAA completed the sweep. The Seawolves erased 2-1, third-period deficits in both games by twice scoring a pair of final-stanza goals; Mantha stopped all 17 third-period shots he faced Friday and Saturday to help propel and maintain the UAA comebacks.

Saturday, December 05, 2015

How Sweep It Is, Huskies Taste Broom 3-2


A 4 point weekend versus the 2nd place team in the conference is a worthy of celebration. It'll definitely make the long trip home go faster. The 4 points put UAA temporarily tied for 5th with 11 points. None of the other WCHA Saturday games are in the books as I type this so that may change.

Friday, December 04, 2015

"Scottie" MacTavish's 2 Goal Night Sparks Seawolf Win; 3-2 over MTU


Tonight against Michigan Tech (apparently the 17th best team in the country -- according to "polls") the Seawolves got on the board first when Sean "Scottie" MacTavish scored his 1st collegiate goal at 5:41 of the opening period.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Seawolves Win 2nd and 3rd Periods, Get Blown Out 6-2

Chris Williams scored his first collegiate goal tonight. It was a nice one. I'm sure he'd trade it for a win. But by the time Willie got the monkey off his back the game was over.

I'm not happy and probably should wait to write about his debacle. But I won't.

The Seawolves need to just start playing with 4 skaters instead of 5. Really. I'm not kidding. This isn't some joke. I'm not suggesting it because the penalty kill is good or whatever. I'm suggesting it so the referees will stop with the bullshit calls against us while never calling the bullshit calls against the other team. If we start the game with 4 skaters then the zebra mindset will be to feel sorry for us. And they won't whistle so much bullshit against us.

Secondarily, if we skate four guys for the rest of the season by the time the playoffs get here we should be the absolute most fit team in the country. 

That's what I say. And there's not much else to discuss about this ugly mess of a loss. I'm done.

Addendum: (8pm) ... Mason Mitchell, Anthony Conti and Dylan Hubbs all get an extra point in my book tonight for showing their pride when it was called for. Yeah, with that and 5 bucks they can buy Starbucks.

2nd Addendum: (8:10pm) ... The referees for tonights game? Brady Johnson from Roseau, Minnesota and Bobby Lukkason from East Grand Forks, Minnesota.  So there's that.

Friday, November 27, 2015

What Would You Do?

Tonight I saw a Seawolf hockey team playing not to lose. I suspect that was in part by design. Coach Thomas watched Mankato tape and is familiar enough with them over the last two years to know that UAA would be facing one of the best all around squads he has faced during his tenure. And fresh off a successful defensive effort vs Penn State he set out with a similar strategy tonight.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

KTUU Checking In

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You Can Get Anything You Want, At Alice's Restaurant

A better purple Maverick ...
I'm pretty sure I've written more previews for the Seawolves playing Mankato than any other team. The Mavericks used to be UAA's "designated rival" in the old WCHA (as assigned by Minnesota Gopher Coach Don Lucia; Don't ask what that was about ...) so it was 4 games against them every year for a few years.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Nuffin But WCHA Now

This weekend marked the end of UAA's non-conference schedule for the season. From here on out it's nuffin but WCHA opponents. The non-conference record for this year ... 3-2-1. That's not horrible, and it's not stellar either. It's not likely to be a great help should our boys be on the bubble of the NCAA tournament at season's end.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Seawolves Play Like Crap, Lose 5-2


It's clear to me that lessons from earlier in the season haven't been learned. The Seawolves played like crap in the loss to BG a few weeks ago. It wasn't that every player on the team that night played like crap. But enough guys played like crap to cause the loss.

8 Uncommitted 97+'s From The BCHL and AJHL

While the team focuses on beating PSU this weekend, we fans can still think about the future. The fall signing period is coming up soon and so I've been rolling through some junior stats trying to get an idea of what's going on. Here's a list of 8 uncommitted players in the B and the A.