SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

[goldy_331]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

In addition to pick-up games and shooting around with friends, we even had outdoor team practices. Though, that isn't as true since EP added two more indoor sheets of ice at the community center since my playing days. With three sheets of ice there now, it's much easier to find indoor ice.

We had outdoor practice Monday and again tonight for my bantam son. Of course when he was a mite most of the practices and games were outside. There are also 3 sheets at Braemar and we get ice at Richfield, Breck and Mariucci during the season, still need outdoor ice.

[mnstate0fhockey]

We had outdoor practice Monday and again tonight for my bantam son. Of course when he was a mite most of the practices and games were outside. There are also 3 sheets at Braemar and we get ice at Richfield, Breck and Mariucci during the season, still need outdoor ice.

Yeah, we played a lot outdoors too, or rented ice at Shakopee, Breck, etc.. a lot. I'm in Milaukee now and outdoor ice here is non-existent. Really makes me miss home.

[JDUBBS1280]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

Maybe this event would be more appreciated in Minnesota.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

Or a backyard rink. Plenty of those where I grew up too.
.

I just think that Minnesota is different in regards to the hockey culture.

There's good hockey here, but it's more like a cult-following for those who do it. Certainly not mainstream.

Up there, unless I'm understanding things wrong, it's part of your broader culture.


Speaking of backyard rinks, here's the one that I maintained at our old house for about 5 years.

*****http://i820.***********.com/albums/zz128/Gurtholfin/USCHO/winter050600150_zps469bd6d1.jpg******

*****http://i820.***********.com/albums/zz128/Gurtholfin/USCHO/winter050600126_zpsa5fc3eae.jpg******


Did this until the boy was a pee wee or so and then we moved to a new house where the pitch of the backyard was too great. By that age, him and his buddies were more interested in xbox than playing hockey outside anyway.

[mnstate0fhockey]

I just think that Minnesota is different in regards to the hockey culture.

There's good hockey here, but it's more like a cult-following for those who do it. Certainly not mainstream.

Up there, unless I'm understanding things wrong, it's part of your broader culture.


Speaking of backyard rinks, here's the one that I maintained at our old house for about 5 years.

*****http://i820.***********.com/albums/zz128/Gurtholfin/USCHO/winter050600150_zps469bd6d1.jpg******

*****http://i820.***********.com/albums/zz128/Gurtholfin/USCHO/winter050600126_zpsa5fc3eae.jpg******


Did this until the boy was a pee wee or so and then we moved to a new house where the pitch of the backyard was too great. By that age, him and his buddies were more interested in xbox than playing hockey outside anyway.

Very cool rink Gurt!

[Gurtholfin]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

Very cool rink Gurt!

Thanks!

It was fun and worth the work, at least for a while. Had lights up in the trees too.

Got pretty darn good at making smooth as can be outdoor ice - and there are some tricks to it.

25 x 45 feet. To make it bigger, would have had to cut down trees, which obviously wasn't gonna happen. Loved my towering pines - except when they'd drop needles all over the ice which would then melt into the surface.

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

I skated outdoors as a kid too, and even tried my hand at building an outdoor skating rink in the backyard, even though my mom was incorrectly afraid of some permanent damage to the grass or her flowers, or something. And Gurt did touch on my mindset pretty well too. I think the outdoor stuff is over done in that for the majority of people virtually all of their hockey is played indoors. And for what hockey they did play outdoors, it was done on well maintained rinks, often in public parks (like the two in my neck of the woods) and not so much on the proverbial pond.

At one time every single house in Indiana had a hoop up somewhere. Nailed to the barn. Beside the driveway. Over the garage. In Michigan (where I grew up) too. We had one over the garage, and the first purchase I ever made for the first house I ever bought was a basketball hoop that my dad and installed. I didn't know any kid that didn't play his or her fair share of driveway basketball. Yet it was only when hockey started playing their 50 or 60 over publicized outdoor games a year that we've seen basketball try to cash in and play a few. There were at least a couple (men's and women's, Notre Dame scheduled one) at the beginning of this season.

It's interesting to me to see 100,000 people watching a hockey game. There's nothing wrong with an event for the event's sake, or a little spectacle, if you call it that and only that. I just don't like the way it is presented as some return to a nostalgic time that few actually took part in, and for those that did, the overwhelming majority of their hockey was still indoors and well organized.

[mnstate0fhockey]

I skated outdoors as a kid too, and even tried my hand at building an outdoor skating rink in the backyard, even though my mom was incorrectly afraid of some permanent damage to the grass or her flowers, or something. And Gurt did touch on my mindset pretty well too. I think the outdoor stuff is over done in that for the majority of people virtually all of their hockey is played indoors. And for what hockey they did play outdoors, it was done on well maintained rinks, often in public parks (like the two in my neck of the woods) and not so much on the proverbial pond.

At one time every single house in Indiana had a hoop up somewhere. Nailed to the barn. Beside the driveway. Over the garage. In Michigan (where I grew up) too. We had one over the garage, and the first purchase I ever made for the first house I ever bought was a basketball hoop that my dad and installed. I didn't know any kid that didn't play his or her fair share of driveway basketball. Yet it was only when hockey started playing their 50 or 60 over publicized outdoor games a year that we've seen basketball try to cash in and play a few. There were at least a couple (men's and women's, Notre Dame scheduled one) at the beginning of this season.

It's interesting to me to see 100,000 people watching a hockey game. There's nothing wrong with an event for the event's sake, or a little spectacle, if you call it that and only that. I just don't like the way it is presented as some return to a nostalgic time that few actually took part in, and for those that did, the overwhelming majority of their hockey was still indoors and well organized.

We have outdoor high school hockey games every year as part of Hockey Day Minnesota and they are a big hit. Pond hockey is pretty big in Minny too and the World Pond Hockey Championships played in Minneapolis every year are really well attended. There has been a lot of clamoring herefor a Gopher outdoor game and for a Winter Claasic.

So, I guess I disagree. I think it depends on the situation and where you are at.

As for the nostalgia comment, again, it depends on the situation and where you are from. The Gophers played outdoors for years in the early days before the program became a sanctioned varsity sport, so it does go back to the old days of outdoor hockey for our program.

Minneapolis Ariel, February 16, 1895. Page 5:


“The University of Minnesota hockey team will play a game for the championship of Minneapolis against the Minneapolis Hockey Club at their rink, at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Eleventh Street South. The game is preparatory to the game to be played Monday afternoon by Winnipeg and the University of Minnesota. Winnipeg is champion of the world.* Winnipeg has returned from a rough trip through eastern Canada and has defeated without too much trouble Montréal, Toronto, Victoria, Ottawa, Québec, and the Limestone’s. The University started practice two or three weeks ago and played against a Minneapolis team, being defeated 4-1. A week and one half ago that they defeated the same team 6-4. Tonight they play the tie off for the championship. Dr. H.A. Parkyn has been coaching the boys every afternoon. He has a couple of stars in Willis Walker and Russell.
Walker plays point and Russell cover-point, with Van Campen in goal. Parkyn
and Albert are center forwards. Dr. Parkyn’s long experience with the Victoria
team of Toronto, one of the best, makes him a fine player. Thompson and
Head, the other two forwards, are old ice polo players and skate fast and pass
well. Van Campen, quarterback on last year's football team, plays goal well.
Many tickets have been sold for tonight’s and also Monday's game. Tickets
are $.25, ladies come free. The excitement of these games is intense, and
surpasses that at a football game.”

[mnstate0fhockey]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

I guess long story short what I'm trying to say is I love the outdoor games and can't get enough of them. Sure, the sight lines are much worse than you get in indoor arenas and there are (at least in this case) conference points on the line, but I love watching the game out in the elements. I love the atmosphere, I love my favorite sport and favorite team being on a big stage, and I love that the games tie back to the history of the game. Yes, hockey was at one time ONLY played outdoors.

Let's just enjoy this. It's our program's first outdoor game in varsity history and I can't wait until we get one in Minny or get to be a part of another one at say Michigan.

[SanTropez]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

25 x 45 feet. To make it bigger, would have had to cut down trees, which obviously wasn't gonna happen. Loved my towering pines - except when they'd drop needles all over the ice which would then melt into the surface.

Perfect size for learning the neutral zone trap...

[Golden Tuuk]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

We had outdoor practice Monday and again tonight for my bantam son. Of course when he was a mite most of the practices and games were outside.

Huh? Maybe in a tiny town thirty years ago. I'm from a small town in northern Minnesota and very few kids play outside anymore. We've went from five outdoor rinks to one, the city just bulldozes them. My son plays and I don't believe the association has had a single hockey practice or game outdoors for years.

[Gurtholfin]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

I guess long story short what I'm trying to say is I love the outdoor games and can't get enough of them. Sure, the sight lines are much worse than you get in indoor arenas and there are (at least in this case) conference points on the line, but I love watching the game out in the elements. I love the atmosphere, I love my favorite sport and favorite team being on a big stage, and I love that the games tie back to the history of the game. Yes, hockey was at one time ONLY played outdoors.

Let's just enjoy this. It's our program's first outdoor game in varsity history and I can't wait until we get one in Minny or get to be a part of another one at say Michigan.

By all means, enjoy it!

Well as much as you can watching your team lose 2-1 due to 5 disallowed goals...

[Gurtholfin]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

Perfect size for learning the neutral zone trap...

I can't think of a comeback right now. Well done!

[Golden Tuuk]

Re: SOLDIER FIELD 2013 • Wisconsin vs. Minnesota & Miami vs. Notre Dame

Along with crappy ice.

Why would that be? I'm assuming the ice sheet is chilled (since they're down south) and they'll have a Zamboni. Otherwise, you're going to need temps no warmer in the teens to flood.

[mnstate0fhockey]

By all means, enjoy it!

Well as much as you can watching your team lose 2-1 due to 5 disallowed goals...

Haha... That would be just my luck